scholarly journals Wall by T. M. Cole

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna Chavda
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
School Teacher ◽  
School Level ◽  
Upper Elementary ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
Berlin Wall ◽  
Public School District ◽  
Graduate Studies ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The University

Cole, Tom Clohosy. Wall. London: Templar Books, 2014. Print.Author and illustrator Tom Clohosy Cole tells a poignant story about a little boy separated from his father by the Berlin Wall. The boy worries about his father on the other side of the great divide and dreams of the day when they will find each other again, all with the looming presence of the barb-wired Wall in the background of every page. Inspired by true stories of people being reunited with their loved ones, Cole writes from a little boy’s perspective about hope and his courageous journey with his family to find his father.Although there are very few words in this picture book, the mood is captured with Cole’s use of simple and dark illustrations that evoke a sense of sadness then eloquently juxtaposes these images with brighter pictures of the opposite side of the Wall representing the possibility of hope. You will need time to read these images as they truly capture the treacherous passage that many people risked their lives to take to find peace for themselves. Cole focalizes his illustrations from the perspective of the boy looking out into his world and suddenly manages to shift this perspective as if the reader is the boy looking out during one of the most dramatic scenes in the story. Will this family be unified at last? Find out when you read this story of enduring hope in a seemingly impossible situation.I strongly recommend this story for upper elementary students as they may relate to the idea of separation from family, but they may struggle with understanding the political themes within this story.Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Krishna ChavdaKrishna Chavda is an elementary school teacher for the Elk Island Public School District. She is currently pursuing graduate studies in the area of Language and Literacy at the University of Alberta. She is passionate about the area of literacy at the primary school level.

Where Wild Horses Run by G. Graham

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Good Condition ◽  
Upper Elementary ◽  
Story Line ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Normal Behavior ◽  
Four Books ◽  
The University ◽  
Realistic Images

Graham, Georgia.  Where Wild Horses Run.  Markham, ON., Red Deer Press,  2011. Print. Georgia Graham has written four books and illustrated fourteen.  In this picture book she captures the beauty of the wild horses of the Nemaiah Valley in British Columbia through the story of a new foal.  While she both wrote and illustrated this work, her strength is clearly in illustration.  Using chalk pastels and chalk pencils on sanded pastel paper, Graham creates realistic images of both the horses and the landscapes.  Her crouched cougar image is very well executed. The unusual layout of the images is eye-catching and allows Graham to vary the emphasis between the text and images. The book is in landscape format, allowing images to flow over two pages.  Sometimes one image will fill two pages, with text bars at the top.  Sometimes, an image will take up the top of a two page spread, with another image below and a third integrated into the text on the remaining white space. While the book is attractive and enjoyable, there are some shortcomings.  The drawings of the horses are inconsistent in their detail and sometimes in their proportions.  In two images of the foal, its legs seem disproportionately large.  Some of the horses’ manes seem to be permanently flying in the wind.  In an image of two stallions fighting, parts of their manes seem to move independently, like Medusa’s snakes.  While the artist is probably attempting to show agitation in the horses, the manes are quite unnatural. The Golden Stallion is also depicted with his ribs showing prominently, which would normally indicate that the animal is underfed, however, the rest of his body and those of the other horses appear to be in good condition. The text is quite simple, generally well-written and is appropriate for the intended upper elementary audience.  However, the story line takes an unnatural twist at the end.  The new foal has played with a grey colt, whom the Golden Stallion drives out of the band.  This is normal behavior.  When a cougar threatens the foal, the grey colt appears from nowhere, in an implied act of friendship, to protect the foal.  It is not realistic that a colt that has been banished from a band would interfere with a foal while the stallion is nearby.  It is much more likely that a mare, and particularly the lead mare, would chase away a cougar.  This unnecessary bit of anthropomorphizing detracts from the otherwise realistic portrayal of the animals in the text and images. In spite of the flaws, this is still a good book from a rising Alberta author and illustrator, which should be included in library collections. Recommended:  3 stars out of 4 Reviewer:  Sandy Campbell Sandy 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.

scholarly journals Akilak’s Adventure by D. Kigjugalik Webster

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Extended Family ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Upper Elementary ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Children's Book ◽  
The University ◽  
The Relationship

Kigjugalik Webster, Deborah.  Akilak’s Adventure.  Inhabit Media, 2016.This is a first children’s book from Deborah Kigjugalik Webster, who grew up in Baker Lake, Nunavut.  It is a story of a little Inuit girl navigating the tundra by herself to reach her uncle’s camp.  As the child walks, she is joined by a caribou, who mysteriously knows her grandmother’s saying, “Your destination did not run away, you will reach it soon.”  The conversation between the two is about people changing into animals, but Akilak in the end decides to remain a person.   The story is deceptively simple.  On the surface, children will understand it as a little girl’s adventure.  However, it encompasses several important aspects of Inuit culture:  the relationship between grandparent and child, the importance of extended family support, the prominence of animals and the stories of people taking the shape of animals, the distance of travel across the tundra and the related concept of taulittuq or the sense of moving but not getting closer to your destination.Charlene Chua’s artwork is charming. Each two pages are an image with text overprinted on one page, often shaped to fit around parts of the image.  The images are simple and cartoon-like, but good representations of the tundra and its creatures.  While this is mainly a picture book with an intended audience of children ages 5 to 7, the reading level is upper elementary, so younger children will definitely need an adult to read it to them.Akilak’s Adventure would be an excellent addition to public libraries and elementary school libraries.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. 

scholarly journals A Walk on the Tundra by R. Hainnu & A. Ziegler

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Upper Elementary ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Accurate Identification ◽  
Field Guide ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Plant Names ◽  
The University

Hainnu, Rebecca and Anna Ziegler.  A Walk on the Tundra. Iqaluit:  Inhabit Media, 2011.  Print. This volume is a cross between a picture book, a story and a field guide to edible plants.  Inuujaq is a little girl who wants to play with her friends, but they are still asleep.  Her grandmother, Silaaq, takes her out on the land to collect plants.  While Inuujaq is more concerned about her friends and snacks, her grandmother patiently passes on the traditional knowledge that her grandmother had taught her.  As Silaaq teaches the reader learns about the plants as well.  For example, when they pick qijuktaat, we are told that “Its long green fingers and white bell blossoms flutter in the wind.  Inuujaq touches the little branches.  They feel prickly on her palms.  And they smell fresh, like the summer wind when it comes from the hills.” Authors, Rebecca Hainnu and Anna Ziegler, have worked on several educational publications. That background is apparent in this book.  There are eighteen Inuktitut words, including 6 plant names, introduced in the text.  They are explained and italicized when they are first introduced, for example “Nirilikkit – eat them”. The next time the word is used, it is assumed that the reader knows what it means. Because there are several Inuktitut words on each page, I was not able to remember them as I read and had to use the glossary or look back to the first use of the word, which is distracting.  However, as a tool for building vocabulary, or as a story book for students who have some familiarity with Inuktitut, this work would be excellent. The pictures that accompany the story are cartoon-like with lots of bright colours.  Artist, Qin Leng, has given the land a lot of colour.  The ground is covered with green grass and bright flowers, reflecting the Arctic summer.  Silaaq and Inuujaq wear pinks and purples and blues with green boots and pink shoes.  The plant glossary, or field guide, is illustrated with photographs for accurate identification. There are very few children’s books about Inuit plant use.  The content is valuable, but because of the incorporation of Inuktitut words, it is more challenging to read.   A Walk on the Tundra will find most of its readers at the upper elementary level rather than the age 6 to 8 group which is its defined audience.  Recommended for elementary school and public libraries. Recommended: 3 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.

scholarly journals Kamik Joins the Pack by D. Baker

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Read Aloud ◽  
Upper Elementary ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Elementary Reading ◽  
Important Lesson ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Sled Dogs ◽  
The University

Baker, Darryl. Kamik Joins the Pack. Illustrated by Qin Leng.  Inhabit Media, 2016.This is the third book about Jake and his puppy, Kamik. Each of the books in the series is adapted from the memories of a different author. The first, Kamik: an Inuit Puppy Story was by Donald Uluadluak, while Kamik’s First Sled was by Matilda Sulurayok. In addition to the characters and setting, the constant across these books is the illustration by Qin Leng, whose bright and colourful drawings capture the Arctic environment. Each of Leng’s drawings covers a pair of pages, with text overprinted on the snow or sky. Leng sometimes cleverly adds to the expansiveness of the images by showing just a boot or a dog entering or exiting the side or bottom of the page. In this volume Jake and the reader learn about looking after sled dogs and training a puppy to join a dogsled team. Jake’s uncle teaches him about cutting dogs’ nails, inspecting paws for injuries, mending harnesses, building dog houses and keeping dogs healthy. The most important lesson is about spending time with the dogs to get to know them well. The language is more appropriate to an upper elementary reading level than the 5 to 7 year-old intended audience.  However, because it is primarily a picture book, it would be a good read-aloud book for younger audiences.Recommended for elementary schools and public libraries.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.  

scholarly journals The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by J. Bryant

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Mixed Media ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
Older Children ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Grand Rapids ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Right ◽  
The University

Bryant, Jen. The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus. Illus. M. Sweet. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. 2014. Print.Although it is difficult to find the ‘right word’ to describe this book, thanks to Peter Roget, it is much easier … exceptional, marvelous, superb, pleasing, or wonderful. Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet have teamed up to write their third picture book biography, this time about Peter Mark Roget and the journey that culminated with the publication of his Thesaurus.The story takes us through the life of Peter Roget, from a shy and lonely child to a successful doctor. Peter discovered as a child that books made good friends, and he developed a love of words. Throughout his life and experiences, Peter organized words into lists, enabling him to find the right words when he needed them. With the encouragement of his children much later in life, Peter spent three more years finalizing and organizing his many lists. In 1852, his Thesaurus was published.Complimenting this story is a visual experience comprised of a collage of paintings and mixed media. The effect is entrancing, giving the eye so many wonderful treasures to discover to go along with the text. While the magic of getting the answer to a question you did not know you had may be lost on children who have never seen a Roget’s Thesaurus, it is still a delightful book. Younger children will connect with one of the many aspects of Peter’s life growing up and the wide array of illustrations. Older children will connect with deeper themes, and pour over the many facets of the mixed media illustrations. And don’t miss the timeline, author’s note, and illustrator’s note at the end!As soon as I finished the book, I immediately turned to the beginning to read through again and see what I might discover the second time through.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Cindy JacksonCindy loved to read to her children as they were growing up, and now continues to impart her love of stories as a teacher with her grade six students. One of Cindy’s claims to fame is her daughter, who now carries on the tradition of storytelling with HER grade two students! Cindy is currently working on her Masters at the University of Alberta, focusing on language and literacy.

scholarly journals Snail & Worm: Three Stories about Two Friends by T. Kügler

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Jin
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Education ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Kindergarten Children ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Children's Picture Books ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Master's Thesis ◽  
Inner Child ◽  
The University

Kügler, Tina. Snail & Worm: Three Stories about Two Friends. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016.Author, illustrator, and perhaps the friend of snails and worms in her backyard, Tina Kügler introduces readers to this hilarious book with three little stories of two best friends—a lovely Snail with a droll sense of humor and imagination, and a friendly Worm with a generous heart. In the first story, when Snail joyously plays with the rock, Bob, and the stick, Ann, we can see our lovely and naïve toddlers, and even our inner child. In the next story, when Worm warmly encourages Snail to climb to the top of a tall flower, we can recall how our families, teachers, and friends firmly support us even when we do silly things. And finally, when Snail and Worm have the interesting conversation about their pets, no one can refuse but smile sentimentally. They are not invertebrates anymore, but are as lively as our children, our friends, and ourselves.The dialogic text as well as the storyboard-style illustration adds a flavour of children’s comic-strip to this picture book. The fresh yet soft colour of the drawings creates a snug feeling like spring for readers. Its funny plot, vivid illustrations, and simple vocabulary will definitely be loved by pre-school and kindergarten children. The text and the illustrations are perfectly married with each other. The hilarious dialogues can be easily memorized by young students and even pre-readers, but would also fit well for a drama performance in the classroom.This book will make you giggle with your toddlers or even with your adult family and friends; I can’t wait to read more Snail & Worm adventures!Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Jing JinJing Jin is a doctoral student at University of Alberta, studying and working in the fields of language and literacy in elementary education. She received her M.A. degree in children’s literature from Ocean University of China, and her M.Ed. degree from the University of Saskatchewan. Her master’s thesis is a comparative study of selected award-winning Canadian and Chinese children’s picture books.

scholarly journals Ishi: Simple Tips from a Solid Friend by A. Yabuki

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberlee Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
School District ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Real Life ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Main Character ◽  
Public School District ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Curriculum And Pedagogy ◽  
The University

Yabuki, Akiko. Ishi: Simple Tips from a Solid Friend. POW!, 2016.The motivational picture book, Ishi, written and illustrated by Akiko Yabuki, with art direction from Yuko Brown, demonstrates to the reader how to cope with everyday feelings and experiences. The main character, Ishi, is a rock who encounters situations in the story that all readers would likely experience and shows the reader how he manages them. Ishi is illustrated using distinct real life photographs that specifically match the text, making it an appropriate text for all readers. Ishi is found in numerous familiar settings throughout the book that the reader would recognize: a road, a pile of leaves, a plate of food. The author informs readers that everyone has “gloomy” days and educates them on methods to use to get through the dark days. For example, when Ishi feels hopeless, he surrounds himself with dreamers.The storybook is simple, yet engaging as it encourages the reader to reflect on the situations that Ishi is in and develop coping strategies to deal with them. By the end of the book, readers should have a calm presence, and a toolbox full of techniques to use when they themselves are in difficult situations.Ishi is a book that elementary school libraries and teachers should have. The limited text and language used clearly describes each illustration so even young children can read this book. Children who are upset or sad would benefit from reading this book. This inspirational picture book also can give children ideas as to how they can handle their situations.Readers could find their own Ishi rock and photograph situations where they feel solemn and what they do in order to feel better.Recommended 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Kimberlee JohnsonKimberlee Johnson is a grade three teacher in the St. Albert Public School District and is currently completing her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Pedagogy at the University of Alberta. Kimberlee loves how her students give her honest and true opinions about each and every book they read.

scholarly journals Big Bob, Little Bob by J. Howe

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Michaud
Keyword(s):  
Gender Roles ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
School Teacher ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Word And Image ◽  
Graduate Research ◽  
The Subject ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The University ◽  
Gay Teachers

Howe, James. Big Bob, Little Bob, illustrated by Lauren Ellen Anderson. Candlewick Press, 2016.Who needs binaries when we can have diversity? That’s what Bob, Bob, and Blossom might ask in Big Bob, Little Bob written by James Howe and illustrated by Lauren Ellen Anderson. This children’s picture book asks readers to question their perception of what is masculine, what is feminine, and more importantly, why we persist in imposing gender roles on children and in society. Some boys like cats, some boys like dogs, and some boys like to wear dresses. Do not make the mistake of placing stereotypes on the characters in this story! This book tackles the subject of gender roles and gender identity in a captivating, entertaining, and non-intrusive manner. Gender bending non-conforming individuals, and those who prefer to live in a gender-neutral world, will love this story. For those continuing to live in a binary-driven, gender-rigid reality this story will ask the reader to question why categorize gender, encourage embracing fluidity, and to start viewing life on a spectrum.Clean, clear fonts and simple, easy language, appropriate for all ages, permit readers the freedom to be expressive while flipping through the pages of this book. Beautifully drawn and coloured illustrations wonderfully complement the text. The illustrator makes smart colour choices and the art is stylized with thoughtfully detailed layers of images that provide deeper inferences for the viewer. Characters’ facial expressions provide insights into their thoughts, feeling, and emotions. Readers are provided the opportunity to analyse the illustrations that add clarity and detail to the author’s key message. In this book there is more than meets the eye and young readers will enjoy making connections between word and image while exploring various themes including friendship, acceptance, and inclusion - to name a few.Recommendation: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Craig MichaudCraig Michaud, B.Ed., M.Ed, is a graduate of the Masters of Education Studies Program at the University of Alberta, and an elementary school teacher for Edmonton Public School Board. His graduate research focused on the perspectives of gay teachers in Alberta, Canada. Contact: [email protected]

scholarly journals The Long, Long Line by T. Ohmura

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Feisst
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Schools ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Young Adult Fiction ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Young Readers ◽  
Long Line ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The University

Ohmura, Tomoko. The Long, Long Line. Toronto, ON: OwlKids Books, 2013. Print."Thank you for waiting, and welcome aboard! One at a time, please!" mentions the bird, who is the ride guide on this mysterious ride for which 50 different animals have patiently lined up. As they wait, the bird flies amongst them, offering reassuring words as they guess as to what they may be in line for and play word games to pass the time.  The anticipation builds, and finally they start boarding the ride, which turns out to be a very large whale on which the animals ride while the whale performs somersaults, dives and sprays. Children will be delighted by all 50 animals represented on the large gatefold spread in the center of the book, from the smallest frog to the largest elephant.Children will love the small details such as the tail of the next animal in line ‘peeking’ around the corner of the page and the size of the animals increasing as they get closer to the ride giving perspective of size. A list of all 50 animals is included at the back for easy reference when young readers get stumped by a species. While this is indeed a picture book aimed at young children it is no quick read – children will want to hear every word of the animals’ conversations as they wait and will want to count as they go, and likely once all the animals are aboard the whale they will want to confirm there are indeed 50 animals present, perhaps multiple times.The colourful illustrations by the author are cute and engaging and show a wide range of expressions and interplay between the animals.  The language felt slightly unnatural but this may be a result of this edition being a translation of the original Japanese work Nanno Gyoretsu? A fun book for public and elementary schools as well as a nice addition to science or math based storytime in lower elementary grades.The Long, Long Line was selected as one of the best children’s books of 2013 by Kirkus Reviews.Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars 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.

scholarly journals I Like Vegetables: A Touch-and-Feel Board Book by L. Siminovich

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Frail
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
The Other ◽  
Learning Method ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Young Readers ◽  
Dinner Table ◽  
Wood Grain ◽  
The University

Siminovich, Lorena. I Like Vegetables: A Touch-and-Feel Board Book. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2011. Print.“I Like Vegetables” is a dream come true for any nutritionally conscience parent, children’s librarian or teacher. The brightly hued collage illustrations are intriguingly textured with patterns and “touch & feel” inlays. Silky peas and rough-skinned carrots invite young readers to learn about vegetables. The layout is quite clever as it leverages contrast and comparison as a learning method. On one side of the page vegetables are depicted as they would appear growing in the garden while on the other side they are in the home being prepared for the dinner table. In addition, the nature side of the page illustrates the concept of opposites. For example, there are “tall” and “short” cornstalks. Orange carrot roots are “below” the ground, while the feathery green tops are “above”. The indoor side of the page features close-ups of vegetables against a wood-grain background that evokes a cutting board. Here children get a different perspective on the harvested veggies. We see shelled peas, open cornhusks and a cross-section of a pumpkin. The concluding series of images features an “empty” gardener’s basket next to a basket “full” of colourful vegetables on a blue and white gingham picnic tablecloth inlay.  This is primarily a picture book with only the names of the vegetables and the two opposing concepts appearing on each page. The typeset is Helvetica and is large and easy to read.  It is a sturdy board book and the inlays could not be easily ripped out or damaged. It is therefore a welcome addition to any toddler’s library. Other titles in the “I Like” series by Siminovich include: “I Like Toys “, “I Like Bugs” and “I Like Fruit”. “I Like Vegetables” is sure to engage children from ages 1-3. Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: 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. 

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