bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Dark Lens by T. K. Troupe
Authors: Kachel Aleasha 
Published: April 2016

Troupe, Thomas Kingsley. The Dark Lens. Mankato: 12 Story Library, 2015. Print.One day, on his way to work at the Gas N’ Grab, Alex takes a detour to avoid a gang of potential muggers. Along the way, he discovers a mysterious, heavy, dark lens. As he holds it up to the sun to inspect it better, he is transported to a dark and dangerous world filled with terrible monsters. Luckily, upon holding the lens up to the sun a second time, he is transported back to his own reality.However, he is now late for work and feels compelled to explain to his co-worker, Turd, why. Turd, also intrigued by the lens, locks up the station and forces Alex to show him how it works. Alex agrees to let Turd have a brief look and the two boys are once again transported back to the horrible alternate reality. However upon returning, Alex discovers he has lost the keys to the Gas N’ Grab and must return to retrieve them.Alex soon realizes that Turd is entranced by this horrible world and, as a result, the next trip over isn’t as brief. Alex and Turd end up wrestling over the lens and it becomes lost in a nearby swamp. To make matters worse, it is now getting dark and the lens won’t activate without sunlight. The two must now travel into the burned out city to avoid creatures lurking in the darkness and to hopefully survive the night.This book will appeal to teens who are reluctant readers as it has a fast-moving plot and accessible language. The author expertly describes the setting and uses vivid imagery and sometimes violent descriptions of grim creatures and scenery which will appeal to readers who enjoy the horror genre. For example, upon arriving to the other side, a creature who “tore into a hunk of mangled meat with twitching legs” is noted by Alex. At only ninety-five pages, it is a quick read but sadly feels somewhat underdeveloped in character and plot. Alex and Turd’s characters are flat and there is no explanation as to where the lens might have come from or how the creatures on the other side became the inhabitants of such a disturbing world. Yet, despite some underdevelopment, it is refreshing to see expanded options for reluctant readers and diversity in hi-lo fiction, a category which typically deals primarily with teen issues and does not often tread into the genres of fantasy or horror.Recommended with Reservations: 2 out of 4 starsReviewer: Aleasha KachelAleasha Kachel is a Teacher Librarian at Westsyde Secondary School in Kamloops, BC. She is currently working towards her Master of Education Degree in Teacher Librarianship. She loves reading teen fiction, especially dystopias.
Russian Roulette by A. Horowitz
Authors: Campbell Sandy 
Published: April 2016

Horowitz, Anthony. Russian Roulette. London, UK: Walker Books, 2013. Print.Anthony Horowitz is well known to discerning television audiences for his authorship of the WWII period drama, Foyle’s War. To adolescent readers he is known for the Diamond Brothers series, the Power of Five series and the better-known Alex Rider series. Alex Rider is an English teenager who is drafted by MI6 and becomes a secret agent. He goes to exotic places and routinely saves the free world. The bad guys in these stories are Scorpia, a ruthless international organization with an elite training school where they teach operatives to be expert killers. Very early in the Alex Rider series we meet one of their assassins, Yassen Gregorovich, who is Alex’s nemesis and is eventually ordered to kill him. Russian Roulette is a departure from the nine earlier Alex Rider books in that this is Yassen Gregorvich’s biography. To emphasize the Russian-ness or “otherness” of this book in the series, all of the chapter headings are written in Cyrillic script first.Horowitz is every bit as detailed and historically and technically accurate in the development of this character’s back story as he is with the Alex Rider stories and Foyle’s War. For example:The mechanic knew nothing about helicopters. Even I could have told him that a Bell helicopter doesn’t have a joystick. It has a cyclic control which transmits instructions to the rotor blades. And it’s not in front of you. It’s to one side. Zelin had lied about the malfunction, just as he had lied about the usual mechanic, Borodin, being sick.The story is sometimes poignant, often exciting, and frequently death-defying. The reader does come to care about Yassen Gregorovich, but not too much. Series readers have, after all, known him as the antagonist for nine books. Because Russian Roulette is a prequel, it gives Horowitz the opportunity to answer some of the unanswered questions from the other books in the series. For example, what, exactly, was the relationship between Gregorovich and Alex’s parents and uncle? This is a “must read” for anyone who has enjoyed the Alex Rider series. Highly recommended for junior high and high school libraries and public libraries everywhere. Highly recommended: 4 stars out of 4Reviewer: Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines. Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.
The Man with the Violin by K. Stinson
Authors: Luyk Sean 
Published: April 2016

Stinson, Kathy. The Man with the Violin. lllus. Dušan Petričić. Toronto: Annick Press, 2013. Print.Kathy Stinson, author of more than 25 previous books for young people, has written a lovely book featuring illustrations by award winning artist Dušan Petričić.This book tells the story of Dylan, a young boy walking through a busy Washington, D.C. Metro station with his mother. Dylan hears a man playing beautiful music on his violin, but his mother refuses to stop to listen and they move on and board the train home. Without giving away the ending, readers of this review will be pleased to know that this book is based on a true story, and features a postscript by a notable classical musician.Stinson’s engaging writing style pairs well with Petričić’s creative use of colour to depict the musical sounds of the violin. The author and illustrator bring music to life in this touching book that reminds us of the curious nature of children, and their ability to notice things that adults ignore.The Man with the Violin is recommended for readers from 5-8 years of age, but it would also be great for story time with younger children as well. Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Sean LuykSean is the Music Librarian for the Rutherford Humanities and Social Sciences Library at the University of Alberta. Sean holds an MA in Music Criticism and B.Mus from McMaster University, as well as an MLIS from the University of Western Ontario.
The World is your Oyster by T. James
Authors: Sulz David 
Published: April 2016

James, Tamara. The World is your Oyster. Illus. Emma SanCartier. Vancouver: Simply Read Books, 2009. Print. It is never a bad thing to introduce children (and other language learners) to the many fascinating idioms, metaphors, and baffling expressions that are key to really understanding English. This nicely-illustrated book strings together twenty-two such sayings, the second half giving feel-good and inspirational sayings to overcome the “feel-bad” descriptions in the first half. A few examples, however, left me scratching my head. “Some days your world is raining cats and dogs” implies in this story that the world is conspiring against you, or you are overwhelmed by the demands of the world, rather than the more common, simpler interpretation of an extremely heavy rainstorm (although, I suppose, such rain might thwart your long-anticipated plans to play outside). Another example is feeling like you want to “throw yourself to the lions;” I always thought other people were thrown to the lions. Another quibble with this book is that the extremely literal illustrations do nothing to help illuminate the real meanings of the idioms. A picture of a cute little kitty-cat yanking out a boy’s tongue might be humorous, but says nothing about being at a loss for words. The image of a child and a bull stomping on china plates implies purposeful destruction and anger rather than just being clumsy, gauche, or inconsiderate. The sayings are important and the artwork is first-rate, but without further explanation, someone unfamiliar with the sayings might be “led down the garden path.” Recommendation: 2 out of 4 starsReviewer: David SulzDavid is a librarian at the University of Alberta working mostly with scholars in Economics, Religious Studies, and Social Work. His university studies included: Library Studies, History, Elementary Education, Japanese, and Economics. On the education front, he taught various grades and subjects for several years in schools as well as museums. His interest in Japan and things Japanese stands above his other diverse interests.
Kamik: an Inuit Puppy Story by D. Uluadluak
Authors: Campbell Sandy 
Published: April 2016

Uluadluak, Donald. Kamik: an Inuit Puppy Story. Illus. Qin Leng. Iqaluit, NV: Inhabit Media, 2012. Print.While this is really a picture book with most of the pages filled with Qin Leng’s comic style drawings, it is the story that is important. The drawings are brightly coloured and appropriately uncluttered to match the story being told. It is a simple story, but told in language that preschool and early elementary school children will understand. In traditional Inuit culture, much of a child’s education comes from the elders, often grandparents. Much of the teaching is indirect, through story telling. Kamik is an example of this form of teaching, both in the way that Jake in the story learns and in the way that we, the readers learn. Jake is a young boy whose puppy won’t behave. He is frustrated with him. He says to his grandfather, “He never listens, no matter how loud I yell. I called him Kamik because his fur looks like he’s wearing a boot. I should have called him Bad Dog.”Jake’s grandfather doesn’t give him advice on how to train his puppy. Instead he tells him stories about his own dogs. He describes how Jake’s grandmother “raised them in a similar way to raising a child”. He says that it was “more like building a good friendship than raising an animal”. Jake’s grandfather describes how his dogs helped him, saved his life and brought him home through storms. By the time Jake goes home, his attitude has changed and he decides to follow tradition and rename his dog for one of his grandfather’s great sled dogs.This is a simple story and young children will hear it as a story of a boy and his dog. However it contains a complex lesson and reflects traditional Inuit wisdom. This book is highly recommended for public and elementary school libraries everywhere. It is also an essential addition to any collection of northern Canadian children’s literature.Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Sandy Campbell
Ballerina Rosie by S. Ferguson
Authors: Chatterley Trish 
Published: April 2016

Ferguson, Sarah. Ballerina Rosie. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2012. Print. The Duchess of York recounts the tale of Rosie Red Curls, a little girl who loves to dance and dreams of becoming a prima ballerina. When her mother takes her to her first ballet lesson, Rosie struggles with the steps and is the least graceful girl in class. Rosie becomes discouraged until one Saturday, she wakes to find a gift of red ballet slippers by her bed. She’s now able to dance beautifully. She thinks it is because of her shoes until her dance teacher tells her that she was always talented, she just needed to practice and build confidence. At some point, most little girls dream of becoming a famous ballerina and will be drawn to the book. Unfortunately, the story is uninspiring and a bit corny. The stated intended age range is 4 through 8 but the book is much too short and simplistic for most 7 and 8 year olds, though it may still appeal to younger girls. The moral about hard work paying off would likely not come through clearly for young girls. While the illustrations by Diane Goode are colourful and fun, they depict young girls en pointe performing steps that are much too advanced for their age. They are, however, typical ballet poses which is perhaps why they were used. Aspiring ballerinas would be better off reading tales of actual ballets, as Rosie does before bed, and viewing more realistic photographs of dancers. Not recommended: 1 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Trish ChatterleyTrish is a Public Services Librarian for the John W. Scott Health Sciences Library at the University of Alberta. In her free time she enjoys dancing, gardening, and reading books of all types.
The Melancholic Mermaid by K. George
Authors: Paterson Amy 
Published: April 2016

George, Kallie. The Melancholic Mermaid. Illus. Abigail Halpin. Vancouver: Simply Read Books, 2010. Print. Upon reading a plot summary of Kallie George’s The Melancholic Mermaid, you might first wonder if you’ve read the book before. Humans befriending mermaids, outsiders uniting, and children learning that their differences make them special are all plots that have been told and retold in a variety of mediums. It will be no surprise to readers that, though Maude the two-tailed mermaid has twice the speed, twice the strength, and twice the grace, these same qualities isolate her from the other mer-children. Similarly, when two-legged Tony’s webbed hands are revealed, an unlikely friendship with Maude is inevitable. However, while the plot and themes rarely venture outside established cliché, there are two aspects of The Melancholic Mermaid that not only make it well worth the read but push it over and above similar fare. Firstly, George’s poetic rhythms perfectly capture the lulling melancholy of the seashore. At times, she dances the line between poetry and prose, evoking the rolling tides of a calm day at the beach. Of particular note is her command of alliteration, which when well-executed, rarely fails to captivate children and draw them into a fairy tale world. Secondly, Abigail Halpin’s illustrations are positively breathtaking. Her use of colour, space, and contrast are all wonderful to behold and do a remarkable job of highlighting the settings and mood of George’s story. While the scenes on land are depicted in vibrant purples and reds, the seashore is dominated by calm and subtle shades of blue and green. If you are the type to choose a book by its cover, The Melancholic Mermaid should most certainly be a popular choice. The high quality of the illustrations make The Melancholic Mermaid a great book for beginning readers to grow into, and it will be ideally suited for children transitioning from picture books into shorter chapter books. While the story features both male and female protagonists, it will most likely hold a broader appeal for girls than for boys. Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Amy Paterson Amy Paterson is a Public Services Librarian at the University of Alberta’s H. T. Coutts Education Library. She was previously the Editor of the Dalhousie Journal of Interdisciplinary Management and is very happy to be involved in the Deakin Review and the delightful world of children’s literature.
Adventures with Barefoot Critters by T. White
Authors: Aitken Leslie 
Published: April 2016

White, Teagan. Adventures with Barefoot Critters. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2014. Print.This ABC book has an insouciant air; it completely avoids the “A is for Apple” format. Generally, alphabet books highlight the capitalized (and, sometimes, lower case) forms of each alphabet letter, illustrating their sounds with familiar nouns. Not so, White’s picture book.White fastens on any part of speech she pleases to illustrate the sounds of the letters. Sometimes she creates considerable “phonic resonance:” C In February we catch colds and can’t go out to play. Sometimes, not so much: U We make cozy campfires and eat under the stars.The words italicized in this review are not italicized in the original text; they are printed in a deeper tone of ink than the rest of the sentence. The technique is not wholly successful. In lamplight, for example, the degree of contrast is much diminished, particularly where the printer has used sepia toned or purple inks. (Colour-blind children might have great difficulty in seeing any contrast whatsoever.)Set against these difficulties are White’s enchanting illustrations. Her “critters” represent various eras and classes of fauna. Furry mammals, birds, and at least one heart stealing triceratops caper through the seasons. They are seen not only catching colds in February, but also planting in April, picnicking in July, raking leaves in September and flooding rinks in December. Through the medium of watercolour, White creates images that are delicate and detailed, inviting the preschool child to linger and to imagine. All in all, this is a beautiful and calming bedtime story — best read in good light.Reviewer: Leslie AitkenRecommended: 3 out of 4 starsLeslie Aitken’s long career in librarianship involved selection of children’s literature for school, public, special, and university collections. She is a former Curriculum Librarian at the University of Alberta.
Everything Dinosaurs by B. Hoena
Authors: Feisst Debbie 
Published: April 2016

Hoena, Blake. Everything Dinosaurs. Illus. Franco Tempesta. Washington: National Geographic Society, 2014. Print.This colourful, glossy and magazine-like title in the National Geographic Kids’ Everything series will please almost any young would-be paleontologist. Written specifically for the 8-12 year old audience, it is chock full of photographs, images, facts, maps and activities expertly compiled by a large team of National Geographic staff. It has boldly designed graphics and as a high-interest non-fiction title, will appeal to reluctant readers.Children will enjoy the appealing images, beautifully created by artist and illustrator Franco Tempesta who specializes in naturalistic illustration, and in particular, realistic images of dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals. Included are “Explorer’s Corners,” information from the field from an expert. In this case, University of Chicago professor Paul Sereno, who in his photograph and cartoon image looks a lot like Indiana Jones! Real photographs of fossilized dino eggs, meteorites, dinosaur theme parks and paleontologists add a touch of authenticity. Especially fun are the infographics and quizzes, on topics ranging from how dinosaur names are chosen, dinosaurs in Hollywood films and the ‘rock stars’ of the paleontological world.As with other titles in the series, Everything Dinosaurs contains a table of contents, diagrams, definitions and an index. This title and the series will appeal to upper middle and upper elementary readers interested in non-fiction. It would be a fine addition to elementary school libraries and public libraries.Recommended: 3 stars out of 4 Reviewer: Debbie FeisstDebbie is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta. When not renovating, she enjoys travel, fitness and young adult fiction.
Kaugjagjuk by M. Lewis
Authors: Campbell Sandy 
Published: April 2016

Lewis, Marion. Kaugjagjuk. Iqaluit: Inhabit Media, 2011. Print. Kaugjagjuk is a re-telling of a traditional story about an orphan who is ill-treated by a village and then grows up to save them. Variants of this story are told across the Arctic and are found in other cultures. In western cultures, this is the story that underpins the adage, “be kind to your office boy, he may come back as your supervisor”. Often in other Arctic versions the story ends with the grown-up boy taking revenge for his mistreatment, however Iqualuit-born Marion Lewis specifically chose a version that is “a brave story - an inspirational story”. The lesson that Lewis wants us to learn from the story is that “even the smallest and most downtrodden of us – may overcome neglect and great difficulties”. Illustrator Kim Smith has done an excellent job of capturing the moon-lit scenes of the Arctic winter nights. However, her renditions of Inuit people make them look Asian. The faces are very angular and the eyes have a pronounced upward slant. Everyone in the book looks a little scary, even Kaugjagjuk’s benevolent and loving father. Everyone else, including most images of the growing Kaugjagjuk look like “evil bad guys” from manga. This is perhaps not surprising, given that this is Smith’s first children’s book and that she usually illustrates comics. Apart from the orphan-who-survives theme which occurs in many different Inuit stories, this story also contains the legend of Taqqiq or “the Man in the Moon”, whose job it is to “watch over all who sleep” and to “reflect light onto all deeds and to record both the good and bad deeds of all those who sleep under the moon’s gaze”. Taqqiq takes human form and trains the young Kaugjagjuk as he becomes a man. While this is undoubtedly a traditional story, the associated commentary about how “the moon does not emit its own light” is probably a modern knowledge addition to the traditional knowledge of the legend. While presented as an illustrated children’s book, the text is at an upper senior high school reading level. The story is intended to be shared by an adult with children, mirroring the way that it would have been told to a child by an elder. This is a good first work that not only entertains, but also preserves the legend. Highly recommended for public and school libraries. Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines. Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.
A Photo for Greta by A. Alter
Authors: Oliphant Tami 
Published: April 2016

Alter, Anna. A Photo for Greta. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. Print. A Photo for Greta is a warm and appealing paean to paternal love. Alter’s personal memories of her father, a professional photographer, appear to be the source of inspiration for Greta’s story. Greta is a bunny whose father “travels all around the world taking pictures of very important people” which means he is away much of the time or he comes home from work after Greta has gone to bed. While her father is working, Greta often dresses up like the characters her father is photographing such as a ballet dancer or a circus performer. When her father decides to turn his lens on Greta, “It was the best day she could remember.” Two important themes are raised in the book: how do kids cope when someone they love is away and they miss them? And, what makes parents, and particularly Dads, special? A list of activities found at the end of the book such as making a photo album of loved ones or interviewing parents about their lives can help children address these questions. Alter is both writer and illustrator. The soft-coloured and tender paintings are exquisite. Interspersed throughout the book are smaller illustrations and vignettes as well as arresting two-page spreads. Many of the illustrations are gently humorous such as the painting of Greta in full cowgirl regalia plucking a guitar and singing her solitary country song while her father is away photographing a country music band. The book is meant to be savoured and is aimed at readers between the ages of 4 to 7. The reassuring narrative, the exploration of a father and daughter relationship, and the sumptuous illustrations make A Photo for Greta a recommended purchase. Highly recommended: 4 of out 4 stars Reviewer: Tami OliphantTami works as a research librarian at the University of Alberta Libraries and for the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta. She earned her Master of Library and Information Studies from the University of Alberta and her doctorate from the University of Western Ontario. She has worked in academic libraries, public libraries, communications and planning, and as a sessional lecturer and researcher at the University of Alberta and the University of Western Ontario.