bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Son by L. Lowry
Authors: Noakes Joanna 
Published: April 2016

Lowry, L. Son. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2012. Print. Fourteen year-old Claire is a Birthmother. It is her role in the Community to grow and deliver a child, never having the opportunity to know anything about her baby. But when something goes wrong at her first delivery, Claire is released from Birthmother duty and is given a new life path. But in all the confusion, she is mistakenly given information that she is not supposed to have: her “product” is a baby boy. She has a son. Claire tries to settle into her new life, but something inside her has changed. She feels different. She feels. She longs for the baby she was not allowed to know. And when she discovers that her child is no longer living in the Community, she sacrifices everything to find him, to be with him, and to love him. Son is the concluding novel in The Giver quartet. It starts off in the same Community in which The Giver is set, and follows Claire in her journey to find her son. Along the way, she encounters different communities from her own, full of good and caring people, people who feel, who help her on her journey. But just as she gets close to her final destination, she has to make a choice that will alter her course, and may cause her to lose what she wants most. With Son, Lowry answers what fans of The Giver have been asking for years - what happened to Jonas and the baby? Son brings in characters, settings and themes from the second and third sequels (Gathering Blue and Messenger), but this is the only other novel to revolve around characters from Jonas’ community. The character and plot development in Son is strong enough to have it be a standalone novel; however, the best reading experience will come from having read the previous novels, or at minimum, The Giver. However, Son touches on themes brought in from Messenger and Gathering Blue that are more abstract and symbolic than those found in the Giver, so the reader must be prepared for some differences. This novel is a must-read for fans of The Giver and its sequels. Lowry draws you into the characters and their story and has the reader rooting for the best possible outcome. The various themes in Son: love, grief, and good versus evil intertwine to create a riveting novel that is difficult to put down. Son is rich in literary devices and descriptive language; because of this, it would be a good contender as both a read-aloud and as a novel study. In addition to this, its popular dystopian theme would be attractive to reluctant readers. Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Joanna Noakes Joanna Noakes is a grade 4/5 French Immersion teacher in Surrey, B.C. She has always had an interest in reading and books, and hopes to move into a library position in the near future. She is enthused by the prospect of enticing a reluctant reader with a new book, and plans to continue expanding her own reading repertoire to assist her with that task.
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by E. Litwin
Authors: Frail Kim 
Published: April 2016

Litwin, Eric. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons. Illus. James Dean. New York: Harper, 2012. Print. Pete, the laid back, imperturbable puss is back and this time author and children’s performer Eric Litwin incorporates math into the story. Pete puts on his favourite shirt and begins to sing about his buttons. There is lots of repetition to help kids learn about numbers and subtraction. First Pete thinks about the total number of buttons and the numeral is displayed. Then the word “four” appears twice in the refrain: “My buttons my buttons, my four groovy buttons”. One by one the buttons pop-off and each time the resulting equation is displayed: “How many buttons are left? 4-1=3”. This sequence repeats until he is down to his belly button! As with the other Pete books, there is also a very important underlying message: don’t sweat the small stuff. Each time he loses another button, the author asks: “Did Pete cry? Goodness, no! Buttons come and buttons go”. This is reinforced in the conclusion: “I guess it simply goes to show that stuff will come and stuff will go. But do we cry? Goodness, No! We keep on singing”. Artist James Dean first painted an image of Pete in 1999 and the little bluish-black cat with the big yellow eyes is still going strong. His images are composed of bright, high-contrast colours. The visible brush strokes and thick black outlines create lots of interesting textures and highlights. Of particular note are the buttons that leave long spirals of black trailing behind them and look as if they are popping right off the page. Again, as with previous Pete books, ( I Love my White Shoes and Rockin’ My School Shoes), there is a free downloadable song available from the Harper Collins Web site (http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/feature/petethecat/). The book is certainly engaging enough to be enjoyed on its own. However, there is also a substantial amount of bonus material on the web site that can be incorporated into school lessons or enjoyed at home: the song, links to a YouTube video that pairs animated images from the book with the song, printable activities and a link to a “School Jam” ipad/iphone app featuring Pete. A clever fusion of music and math sprinkled with a life lesson in resilience, this book would make a groovy addition to school and home libraries for preschool to early elementary school-aged children. Highly Recommended: 4 out 4 starsReviewer: Kim Frail Kim is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta. Children’s literature is a big part of her world at work and at home. She also enjoys gardening, renovating and keeping up with her two-year old.
The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man by M. Chabon
Authors: Distad Merrill 
Published: April 2016

Chabon, Michael. The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man. Illus. Jake Parker. New York: Balzer & Bray, 2011. Print. Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Michael Chabon recounts an archetypal small boy’s fantasy life as superhero Awesome Man. Equipped with all the requisite SuperPowers, including positronic-ray-blasting vision and a “thermovulcanized protein-delivery orb,” young Awesome Man, accompanied by Moskowitz, the Awesome Dog, does battle against the forces of darkness, including talking mutant Jell-O from beyond the stars. After vanquishing Professor Von Evil and his antimatter Slimebot, the young hero battles his arch-nemesis, the Flaming Eyeball, and henchmen Red Shark and Sister Sinister. Returning to his “Fortress of Awesome, deep at the bottom of the deepest, darkest trench under the Arctic Ocean,” he finds his mother, the only one aware of his secret identity, awaits his return in the kitchen to offer him a restorative serving of cheese, crackers, and chocolate milk. Chabon’s thoroughly derivative story line, familiar at least since Super Man’s 1939 debut in Action Comics No. 1, is only redeemed by Jake Parker’s imaginative and charming illustrations. Adults reading this slight effort to children will at least be afforded a chuckle over Moskovitz, the Awesome Dog, named in honour of one of Sci-Fi’s most prominent students and proponents. Recommended with reservations: 2 out of 4 starsReviewer: Merrill DistadMerrill Distad is Associate University Librarian (Research and Special Collections Services) and University Archivist, University of Alberta, and is the co-editor of Peel’s Bibliography of the Canadian Prairies to 1953 (Toronto, 2003). He is the author, most recently, of The University of Alberta Library: The First Hundred Years, 1908–2008 (Edmonton, 2009).
Flip by M. Bedford
Authors: Feisst Debbie 
Published: April 2016

Bedford, Martyn. Flip. Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2011. Print. Martyn Bedford is a lecturer in creative writing at Leeds Trinity University College in the UK and is the award-winning author of five adult novels, including The Houdini Girl. Flip is his first foray into the genre of young adult fiction. Fourteen-year-old Alex Gray rushes home one December Friday night in an attempt to beat his curfew. Feeling a bit foggy upon waking the next morning, he realizes that not only is he in a strange bedroom but he does not recognize the clothes he is wearing. An unfamiliar voice calls for “Philip” to get ready for school, and when he descends the stairs to the breakfast table, he does not recognize the people seated, though they seem to recognize him. It’s now the middle of June. Upon looking into the mirror to wash his face, another boy stares back. Alex does not know if he has gone mad, or worse—if it is all real. Alex has no choice but to go through the day while trapped in another’s body, that of Philip Garamond. Nicknamed Flip, Philip is an athletic, sociable girl-magnet who goes to a posh school, and though he is Alex’s age, seems the complete opposite in every other way. For a while Alex even enjoys his new, fit body and the attention that comes with it. But where is Philip, and where is Alex’s body? Alex needs to figure out why his psyche has become trapped in Philip’s body and how he can get back into his own before it is too late. This is an excellent psychological thriller and not your average teen fare. The characters are realistic and the plot is action-packed, yet believable. Bedford dips into heavy topics like existentialism and concepts such as the soul and memory with adeptness. Body-swapping stories have no doubt been done before in teen fiction, but Bedford has given this tale a contemporary flair with a satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Debbie Feisst Debbie 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.
On the Shoulder of a Giant: an Inuit Folktale by N. Christopher
Authors: Campbell Sandy 
Published: April 2016

Christopher, Neil. On the Shoulder of a Giant: an Inuit Folktale. Iqualuit: Inhabit Media, 2015. Print.This is another in a series of works designed by Neil Christopher, one of the founders of Inhabit Media, to preserve traditional Inuit stories. In this book he retells a story, which is known in various forms all across the Arctic, of a giant who adopts a hunter as his son. This giant, named Inukpak, is one of the inukpasugjuit or “great giants” of Inuit stories. Inukpak is so big that he can walk across the Arctic in “just a few days” and when he stands in the sea the water "never come[s] up past his knees". He is so big that he thinks that the hunter is a lost child, so he adopts him and carries him on his shoulder.This is a simple retelling, designed to teach about the mythical giants and to explain why the story is found in many cultures across the Canadian Arctic. However, it also models a big person/small person relationship in which small people do not correct or talk back to big people. Children will relate to the hunter, who is treated as a child and because the story is told from the hunter's perspective. The giant sometimes doesn't recognize the impact of his own actions. For example when he runs back to shore, he creates waves that swamp the hunter, but the giant thinks the hunter has been playing in the water. "The hunter wanted to tell the giant that he had not been playing in the water. He also wanted to explain to Inukpak that he had caught a bowhead whale, not a sculpin. But, once again, the little hunter did not want to argue with a giant, so he just said, 'Okay.' "This is mainly a picture book. The illustrations run over two-page spreads with text over-printed on them. Jim Nelson does a good job of presenting the difference in size between the giant and the human. Inukpak is presented as a happy fellow, with black shaggy hair and a full beard. Children will be amused by the giant picking up a polar bear by the scruff of its neck, like a kitten. The images are realistic and the backgrounds are lovely representations of Arctic landscapes. Overall, this is an enjoyable and high-quality work that should be included in elementary school libraries, public libraries and libraries specializing in Arctic children’s books.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.
The Spirit of the Sea by R. Hainnu
Authors: Campbell Sandy 
Published: April 2016

Hainnu, Rebecca. The Spirit of the Sea. Illus. Hwei Lim. Iqualuit, NU: Inhabit Media, Inc., 2014. Print.This volume is another of Inhabit Media’s fine productions of Inuit legends. It tells an old story, which exists in many variations. This version comes from Rebecca Hainnu, who lives in Clyde River, Nunavut. While Hainnu’s previous works have been non-fiction including children’s books on mathematics and tundra plants, she does a fine job of storytelling, as well. Arnaq is a beautiful young woman who is tricked into marrying a fulmar (a kind of bird) when he appears in human form. When her father tries to rescue her, he ends up sacrificing her to the fulmars to save his own life. She sinks to the bottom and becomes the Spirit of the Sea. As Nuliajuq, she controls the sea animals and hunters must appease her to have good hunting and calm seas.Throughout the volume, text appears on one page and an image on the facing page. The text, which is appropriate for upper elementary readers and above, is meant to be read aloud and generally has the sound of a traditional storyteller’s voice. However, there are occasional modern phrases that are incongruous and break the flow. “Eventually, Arnaq succumbed to complete depression”. The text contains some Inuktitut words, which are italicized and listed in the pronunciation guide at the end of the volume.The watercolours by Hwei Lim are beautiful and ethereal. The colours are mainly blues and browns, reflecting the marine environment. The underwater image of Arnaq looking up at the bottom of a boat is particularly effective.The Spirit of the Sea is highly recommended for elementary school libraries, public libraries and libraries specializing in Canadian Indigenous materials. 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 Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe’s Very First Case by A. McCall Smith
Authors: Quirk Linda 
Published: April 2016

McCall Smith, Alexander. The Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe’s Very First Case. Illus. Iain McIntosh. New York: Anchor, 2012. Print.Adult readers around the world have been charmed by the best-selling “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” series, in which Mma Ramotswe tackles the troubling mysteries and personal problems of ordinary people, and does so by relying on her sharp wit and her extraordinary insight into human nature. In this book, young readers will be introduced to a school girl who is destined to become a great detective. Here, Precious Ramotswe – “one of the nicest girls in Botswana” challenges her classmates’ assumptions in order to solve her first case. The story begins when Precious asks her beloved father to recount her favourite story: an account of the time he was “nearly eaten by a lion”. Since young Precious can tell which parts of his story really happened and which parts are made up, her father suggests that she might become a detective someday. His idea is soon put to the test when her classmates begin to notice that their lunch-time treats are being stolen from the outside shelf where they leave their bags during school. When the children scapegoat a shy boy with a sweet tooth, Precious realizes that she will need to do more than find the truth, she will need to prove it.This book has the charm of the original series, and is recommended for readers aged 7-10 years old. It offers an engaging story and several life lessons. Further, the story offers young readers a glimpse of ordinary daily life in Africa, and the author hopes it “will inspire them to read more about that wonderful continent and its remarkable people” .In a note addressed to the reader at the back of the book, the author tells us that families have been reading his “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” series aloud together, but acknowledges that the series would be challenging for young readers to read on their own, and so this book has been written with young readers in mind. Teachers and librarians who are fans of Mma Ramotswe will enjoy sharing her adventures with young readers, and will be pleased to find various curriculum materials at the back of the book.Highly recommended: 4 stars out of 4 Reviewer: Linda QuirkLinda is Assistant Special Collections Librarian at the Bruce Peel Special Collections Library at the University of Alberta.
Hope Springs by E. Walters
Authors: Harvey Michelle 
Published: April 2016

Walters, Eric. Hope Springs. Illus. Eugenie Fernandes. Toronto, Ontario: Tundra Books, 2014. Print.Author Eric Walters and illustrator Eugenie Fernandes have teamed up to create a collection of beautiful picture books set in an orphanage in Kenya. "Hope Springs" is the second of three written and illustrated by this award winning team. The text is substantial but not overwhelming for elementary age students. Walters makes the significant topics of drought and community struggle accessible for readers of all ages. The story moves at a steady pace with subtly proverbial language that makes it an ideal read aloud.Young orphan Boniface faces hardship as drought overwhelms the valley in which he lives. Boniface reveals his kind heart early in the story and this caring nature develops more fully throughout the text. Stunning illustrations created using rich acrylics, compliment the text beautifully. In fact the layered landscapes add depth to the story. One especially poignant page portraying a watery dreamscape acts as the cover of the book. As an added bonus the book jacket doubles as a poster attracting young readers and foreshadowing the compassionate story within. Walters concludes his optimistic tale with a special non-fiction section, complete with photos, maps, and captions, describing "the story behind the story". All in all this is an inspirational read that highlights the power of kindness and sharing in the face of adversity. Read it for the heart-warming story featuring a struggle far beyond any first world problems and relish in the beautiful artwork.Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Michelle HarveyMichelle Harvey is a teacher-librarian at a French Immersion school in Kelowna, British Columbia. After spending six years teaching in northeast China, Michelle is happy to be home and promoting her passions for reading and inquiry at the elementary school level.
Ollie & Moon by D. Kredensor and S. Kress
Authors: Frail Kim 
Published: April 2016

Kredensor, Diane, and Sandra Kress. Ollie & Moon. New York: Random House ­­Children's Books, 2011. Print. Ollie loves to surprise his best friend Moon. Luckily Moon not only loves getting surprises, she loves trying to guess what they are even more. The story follows the two friends through the streets of Paris as Ollie provides more and more clues to a very big surprise. There are lots of silly interactions between the pair that are sure to amuse young children such as: Ollie surprising Moon on the toilet, Moon picking out silly hats, dancing on the Métro, and chasing a wheel of Brie cheese down some stairs. All of the characters in the story are cartoons superimposed on real photographs of Paris. Apart from Stanley the snail who provides a “Bonjour” and an “Au revoir”, Ollie and Moon are the only speaking characters. In spite of the fact that some words referencing things very specific to French culture such as fromagerie, Métro and boulangerie are sprinkled throughout the narrative or are displayed in the photographs, the location of the story is never referenced. In addition, these terms are never explained so a curious young reader would need to ask their parent or teacher or look them up on their own. When all the clues are assembled, the surprise is “round and musical, has lots of colors…fur, hooves, and feathers… is bright with lights and spins round and round”. Moon’s guess, while incorrect is presented in a very comedic image of “an elephant on a unicycle juggling animals while playing the French Horn”. The surprise actually turns out to be a beautiful carousel. Children might love the contrast of the cartoon figures against the photographic background and find the guessing game entertaining. However, from an adult point of view, the lack of context for the setting and cultural elements gives the whole story a slightly displaced feel. Recommended with reservations: 2 out of 4 starsReviewer: Kim FrailKim is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta. Children’s literature is a big part of her world at work and at home. She also enjoys gardening, renovating and keeping up with her two-year old.
This Is Sadie by S. O’Leary
Authors: Frail Kim 
Published: April 2016

O’Leary, Sara. This Is Sadie. Illus. Julie Morstad. Toronto: Random House-Tundra Books, 2015. Print."The days are never long enough for Sadie. There are so many things to make and do and be". This is Sadie is a delightful tribute to the power of imaginative play. The author-illustrator team of Sara O’Leary and Julie Morstad who created the award-winning Henry books have produced another gem that will be enjoyed by children and adults alike. O’Leary draws in her young readers with questions and invitations throughout the text and even on the inside cover: “Sadie is a small girl with a big imagination...Maybe you’re a bit like her...Come inside”. The language is simple yet infused with whimsy and magic. There are usually no more than 2 or 3 lines of text on a page which allows Morstad’s ethereal illustrations to be showcased to their fullest. Sometimes the text and the illustrations interact playfully together such as the scene in which Sadie is leaping into a “pool” shaped like a book filled with children’s literary characters. The lines of text appear in three gentle waves. The artwork was done in gouache, watercolour and pencil crayon and includes many amusing little details which will encourage readers to peruse them again and again. Sadie is endearingly irreverent. She is seen hammering nails into boards and playing records on the page that reads: "Sadie has learned to be quiet in the mornings because old people need a lot of sleep".She imagines herself as a character in scenes derived from many well-known tales such as the “The Little Mermaid”, “The Jungle Book” and “Alice and Wonderland”. In the latter she appears as the mad hatter rather than Alice. Parents or teachers wishing to present images of young girls that defy the typical “princess” conventions will appreciate that Sadie also appears as: an ocean explorer, a builder, and Mowgli from the Jungle Book. The story provides many opportunities for adult readers to engage with children as they can compare their imaginary adventures to Sadie’s and perhaps even write about or draw them, taking a cue from the conclusion: “This is Sadie and this is her story”. It would be a fantastic addition to any school or home children’s literature collection and would make a particularly attractive gift. The inside cover unfolds into a poster reminiscent of a medieval tapestry. Sadie sits astride a regal white horse with a quiver of arrows on her back while tiny fairies flitter in in the background. It is recommended for ages 3-7.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Kim FrailKim is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta. Children’s literature is a big part of her world at work and at home. She also enjoys gardening, renovating and keeping up with her kids.