scholarly journals We’re All Wonders by R. Palacio

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Borle
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
Picture Books ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Small Children ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Right ◽  
Old Friends

Palacio, R.J.  We’re All Wonders. Alfred A. Knopf, 2017This is one of several picture books which R.J. Palacio has spun off her bestselling novel, Wonder, which introduced Auggie, a boy missing his left eye. There are few picture books about children with facial deformities, so this is a welcome addition. In condensing the novel into a picture book, however, much of the positive content has been lost. This is a sad story. Auggie is not accepted by other children. When he feels sad he puts helmets on his dog and himself to isolate himself from people’s stares. However, a child and dog with helmets are likely to attract as many stares. Auggie’s other coping mechanisms include: an imaginary trip to Pluto, where his “old friends” are one-eyed creatures that look a bit like sheep with tentacles, and wishing that “other people can change the way they see”. Given that there is a long science fiction history of scary one-eyed space aliens and monsters, it seems strange that Palacio would associate her character with them.  Wishing that the world was different does not make it different. We do not see the positive things that were in the novel such as people sticking up for Auggie or his intelligence and achievements.Palacio’s artwork is bright and easily accessible to small children. Strangely, though, the final image shows only the right half of Auggie’s face, with the earth replacing his eye, while the left half, that is the focus of the whole story, is missing.This book would be good for classrooms where there are children with physical differences, but it would be important for teachers to add a positive spin to the story. Recommended:  3 stars out of 4Reviewer:  Sean BorleSean Borle is a University of Alberta undergraduate student who is an advocate for child health and safety. 

scholarly journals The Caterpillar Woman by N. Sammurtok

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Borle
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
The Other ◽  
Good Representation ◽  
Older Person ◽  
Classroom Discussions ◽  
Small Children ◽  
Unconditional Love ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Cover Design

Sammurtok, Nadia.  The Caterpillar Woman. Inhabit Media, 2016In The Caterpillar Woman, Nadia Sammurtok tells a traditional Inuit version of “the princess and the frog” story. A kind young woman, Piujuq, trades coats with a woman who is cold. When she puts on the other woman’s coat she turns into a caterpillar. She lives alone because she thinks that no one will want to be around her until an older hunter sees past her strange exterior and marries her. Through the magic of an ancient drum beater, they are “rewarded for their kindness and unconditional love” and become young, strong and beautiful again. The language is too difficult for a picture book, so an older person would need to read this to small children. While the cover design is strangely uninviting and sad, not making the reader want to pick up the book, the rest of the illustration is well done. The pictures convey creepiness where appropriate, such as the darkness of the inside of a tent at night and many sweeping tundra landscapes.In the same way that this book’s cover is not a good representation of its content, the main health message in this book is “don’t judge a book by its cover” or learn to look past superficial physical differences to see the person, their character, and their abilities. The secondary message is that we should be kind to people, no matter what their appearance. These are good lessons for young children to learn. I highly recommend this book for as a starting place for classroom discussions on physical differences.Highly Recommended: 4 stars out of 4Reviewer: Sean BorleSean Borle is a University of Alberta undergraduate student who is an advocate for child health and safety. 

scholarly journals Thomas Loves: A Rhyming Book about Fun, Friendship – and Autism by J. Welton

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Borle
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Schools ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Autistic Child ◽  
School Children ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Small Children ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Good Book ◽  
Limited Diet

Welton, Jude.  Thomas Loves:  A Rhyming Book about Fun, Friendship – and Autism.  Philadelphia, PA:  Jessica Kingsley Publications, 2015. Print.This picture book introduces the day-to-day life of a happy kid, who happens to be autistic.  The book starts out presenting Thomas like any other boy, playing with a train.  Slowly we learn that he likes to repeat strange sounding words, can't stand loud noises, has a limited diet, flaps his hands if stressed, and requires a picture-plan of what is going to happen each day. The author does not try to make you feel sorry for Thomas or pity him.  It is just an introduction to this particular boy. The book is aimed at pre-school children, and both the cartoon pictures by Jane Telford and the rhymed text by Jude Welton will make the book attractive to small children.  It would be a good book to use with children who are in a classroom with an autistic child.  At the end of the book there are author notes that provide facts about autism. I highly recommend this book for elementary schools, day cares and public libraries.Highly Recommended:  4 stars out of 4Reviewer:  Sean BorleSean Borle is a University of Alberta undergraduate student who is an advocate for child health and safety.

scholarly journals Wear a Helmet! Healthy Safety Habits by M.E. Salzmann

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Borle
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Older Children ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Balanced Approach ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Right ◽  
Age Range ◽  
Average Readers

Salzmann, Mary Elizabeth.  Wear a Helmet!  Healthy Safety Habits.  Minneapolis, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2015, Print.This small picture book is levelled to the third or “transitional” reading level defined in the Sandcastle series.  This series is designed for use in “shared, guided and independent reading and writing activities to support a balanced approach to literacy instruction”.  The subject of the book is health and safety.   Each photograph shows a child doing something that promotes safety:  wearing a bike helmet, a life preserver or a seatbelt.  Other children are shown washing hands, using a pot holder and seated at a computer to illustrate online safety.  The children featured are in the 7-9 age range and are named to allow readers to relate to them more easily.  Younger children will look up to older children pictured doing the right things. The text is short and very simple, designed for children who are not yet fluent readers.  However, for average readers, who might pick up this book in a library, the text would be most appropriate for the lower end of the recommended age 4-9 audience.   There is a brief quiz at the end of the book, aimed at a low comprehension level.  Strangely, some of the definitions in the glossary contain words that are well above the reading level of the book.  For example, the definition of the word “germ” includes the word “organism”.  While this book is designed for reading enhancement programs, it does model useful health and safety ideas, so would be a good addition for school and public libraries.Recommendation:   3 stars out of 4Reviewer:  Sean BorleSean Borle is a University of Alberta undergraduate student who is an advocate for child health and safety.

scholarly journals Black Cat Bone: the Life of Blues Legend Robert Johnson by J. P. Lewis

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Sivak
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Education ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
The United States ◽  
Older Children ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Poetic Text ◽  
History Of ◽  
The University

Lewis, J. P. Black Cat Bone: the Life of Blues Legend Robert Johnson. Illus. Gary Kelley. Mankato: Creative Editions, 2006. Print.Although this book is designed as a large-format picture book, Black Cat Bone is more likely to appeal to older children (middle school and adolescents) as a poetic text, with its rich illustrations and unusual narrative flow. The foreword of the book addresses a reader who knows some about blues musicians, as well as has some hint of the history of blues music in the United States. The language of the text is not trying to tell a linear story, but to be more evocative of a time, and of some of the historical context. The book actually has several texts: the address of the historical context that bookends the work, the bluesy poems which make up the majority of the text, excerpts from Johnson's own lyrics, and a footer running throughout the book, which provides aphoristic summaries of Johnson's story: “He was destined for legend not a field hand's work.” Each text tells a part of the interpretation of Johnson's story. With the images, it adds up to a faceted narrative of the man and his musical legacy. The illustrations alternate between impressionistic pastels in deep dark colours, reinforcing the air of mystery around Johnson's life as understood by popular culture. Kelley's other illustrative style is reminiscent of Indonesian shadow-puppets, dramatic and exaggerated in their execution. A particularly lovely example is show in full on the cover, a depiction of Johnson and the devil facing each other, each with a hand on the guitar. This image is reproduced in the text, split by the page turn in a clever design turn. Recommended: 3 stars out of 4Reviewer: Allison SivakAllison Sivak is the Assessment Librarian at the University of Alberta Libraries. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Library and Information Studies and Elementary Education, focusing on how the aesthetics of information design influence young people’s trust in the credibility of information content.

The Golden Path

Dune ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 115-117
Author(s):  
Christian McCrea
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
History Of Science ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Right ◽  
Golden Path

This chapter examines the unexpected longevity of David Lynch's Dune, a film that was for many deemed dead on arrival. It assesses Dune's lasting legacy from absurd tie-in merchandise to incredible comic translations to the videogames that changed game history in significant ways. It also emphasizes how Lynch's Dune demands the attention like no other film as it unfolds ceremonially into a dream already in motion. The chapter discusses how Dune remains a focused, singular vision that startles and delights in its difference in the history of science-fiction cinema. It reviews every dashed hope and upraised hand of anguish that believed Dune's literary universe could be adapted if given the right conditions. It talks about how Dune represents so much to so many in search of parables of failure, promise, corrupt systems and ineffable creative possibility.

Between health and salary: The incomplete regulation of working time in European law

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 370-385
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Ferrante
Keyword(s):  
Health And Safety ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Working Time ◽  
Equal Treatment ◽  
Social Rights ◽  
The European Union ◽  
International Regulation ◽  
History Of ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Right

The European Union competences on health and safety of workplace constituted the legal basis for the 93/104 Directive to be adopted (and for the consolidated text of 2003/88 Directive). The Court of Justice has firmly maintained this approach refusing to take into account the history of international regulation on working time, which links together work and salary in perspective to give the workers the right to fair and equal treatment as regards their working conditions (as has been recently proclaimed also by the European Pillar of Social Rights). Building on these general premises, this article analyses the more recent European pieces of legislation and cases related to on-call time and proposes a new model for the definition of working time in the light of CJEU case law.

Long live the picture book!

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Desmarais
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Picture Books ◽  
Keyword Search ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
New York Times ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Special Collections

Ever since The New York Times published an article in October 2010 about the impending demise of the picture book, I have wanted to publish a short screed in its defense. I thought this was an opportune time because so many splendid picture books are featured in our spring issue. Let it be known that I am a devoted fan of children’s picture books. I read them voraciously as an adult, and have done so for as long as I can remember. I collect them. I purchase them in stores and from online booksellers. I present them to friends and little ones as gifts. As a special collections librarian, I also purchase them to complement and strengthen our antiquarian collections. To my immense satisfaction, I am literally surrounded by them. I understand that my passion for picture books is intense, but picture books are essential to feeding the child’s imagination and developing his or her critical thinking skills. A simple keyword search on the University of Alberta Libraries’ online catalogue revealed numerous peer-reviewed articles about the ways that picture books open up imaginative worlds to children; with this richer understanding of stories, children gain a greater understanding of themselves and the world they live in. If we acknowledge that picture books encourage children to construct meaning about characters, events, settings, and so on, then it seems only natural to conclude that picture books are essential to preparing beginning readers for pictureless chapter books. The author of the Times article reported that many parents are saying “My kid doesn’t need books with pictures anymore”, which is utterly shocking especially when we know the important role that pictures play in communication. When we introduce picture books to young readers, we allow them to make connections between their own life experiences and the illustrator’s use of colour, imagery, perspective, characterization, and dramatization. Picture books can provide powerful learning opportunities for children. I am always astonished at how much there is to learn about reading pictures. Whenever I open a picture book, I take great delight in the interpretive process. Indeed, interpretation is the essence of picture books, which is why sharing picture books with children is one of the best ways to develop their critical thinking skills. Are picture books dying “a sad little death”? The answer is obvious. I think not. I hope you enjoy this issue and please do get in touch if you have comments or questions. Robert Desmarais, Managing Editor

scholarly journals Two crossbows and a carbine: Out of the commentary on A.N. and B.N. Strugatsky’s novel “Hard to be a God”

2020 ◽  
pp. 51-58
Author(s):  
Irina N. Arzamastseva ◽  
Alexander V. Kuznetsov
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
The Novel ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Social ◽  
Fiction Writers ◽  
History Of ◽  
Sea Monster ◽  
Intertextual Connections

The article is devoted to the study of the functions of the characters’ weapons in A.N. and B.N. Strugatsky’s novel “Hard to be a God”. It is important for writing a commentary on the prologue of the novel. The authors used the historical-typological and mythopoetic research methods. As the result of reviewing the history of words-concepts, as it made by A.N. Veselovsky, the authors managed to study the intertextual connections of “Hard to be a God” with V.T. Shalamov’s poem “Crossbow” and his story “May”, as well as N.S. Gumilev’s poem “Just looks through the cliffs...” and E. Hemingway’s play “The fifth column”. Through these connections, the image of weapons is formed in the work of science fiction writers. It is necessary to destruct the mythological enemy – the sea monster, which symbolizes the social evil within the novel framework. As we have found out, the reason for such an intricate symbolism lies in the peculiarities of the age: the image of the sea monster standing for public evil is due to historical reasons. And since the elimination of social problems by such radical methods, according to the authors, is impossible, the movement towards a bright future should be only gradual and peaceful. As in reality, weapons are fundamentally unable to perform their task. Moreover, the weapon is dangerous for its owner, which indicates the ambivalence of the image. In addition, the comparison, important for the novel “Hard to be God”, of the past and future appears the first in the comparison of crossbows and carbines, further developing by other means. Weapons are involved in creating a number of important motives: doom, the danger of using force, and interference in the course of history.

scholarly journals Twórcza działalność na rzecz książki dla dzieci Krystyny Lipki-Sztarbałły

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 154-167
Author(s):  
Anna Boguszewska
Keyword(s):  
Child Development ◽  
Social Development ◽  
Picture Books ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Visual Education ◽  
Graphic Artist ◽  
Book Illustrations ◽  
Artistic Medium ◽  
History Of ◽  
Aesthetic Values

Krystyna Lipka-Sztarbałło’s creation for children bookShaping full personality includes an introduction to cultural messages understanding and requires preparation from the earliest years of life. The use of picture books and book illustrations as the key assumption in visual education of children. Picture books represent the first artistic medium as the primary carrier of aesthetic values and a potential chance to stimulate cognitive, social development of a child. History of Polish picture book dates back to the turn of XIX and XX centuries. However, the realizations gaining more widespread range occurred much later. Krystyna Lipko-Sztarbałło, a graphic artist and an animator of Polish book for children, has been of key importance for the development of Polish picture book for the last twenty-odd years. The significance of the illustrations book in child development is proven by the examples of graphic designs taken from Krystyna Lipka-Sztarbałło’s works.

scholarly journals The Sound of All Things by M. Uhlberg

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Borle
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Deaf Children ◽  
Amusement Park ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Deaf Person ◽  
Adult Reading ◽  
Intimate Knowledge

Uhlberg, Myron.  The Sound of All Things, illustrated by Ted Papoulas, Peachtree Publishers, 2016.This is an autobiographical story about Myron, who is the child of two deaf parents, attempting to explain sounds to them as they spend a day at the Coney Island amusement park. The illustrations in this book are spectacular. Ted Papoulas captures not only the detail of the amusement park, the library and fireworks, he also captures whole stories in the expressions on people’s faces. All of the illustrations reflect the 1920s, when Myron was a child. Many of the illustrations have a dark tone to them, using browns for building interiors, street scenes and evenings, adding to a vintage look. For a picture book this text is wordy, dense, and written at an adult reading level. Myron’s voice, however, is authentic. Only the child of a deaf person would be able to write, “My mother’s hands sat silent in her lap.” The text displays the intimate knowledge that Myron has of the deaf world and his struggles to translate sound to his parents. '“What does the ocean sound like?”  “It is loud,” I answered again. “Don’t be lazy,” [my father] signed.  I squirmed in my seat. I didn’t have enough words to tell my father what he wanted to know”'. Because the text is sophisticated for a picture book, it would be appropriate for upper elementary and above.I would recommend this book for public libraries and school libraries and to anyone who teaches deaf children or children of deaf people. Recommended: 3 stars out of 4Reviewer:  Sean BorleSean Borle is a University of Alberta undergraduate student who is an advocate for child health and safety. 

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