scholarly journals The Wolf’s Boy by S. Williams Beckhorn

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Reading Skills ◽  
Public Library ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Human Relationships ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Self Discovery ◽  
Advanced Readers ◽  
Children’S Work ◽  
The University ◽  
The Village

Williams Beckhorn, Susan. The Wolf’s Boy. Disney-Hyperion, 2016.Shortly after he is born, Kai’s parents discover his clubfoot and decide to abandon him to a pack of nearby wolves. Rather than become a meal for the wolves, they care for him until his mother comes to reclaim him to a human upbringing. Yet still, Kai’s childhood in the human village is not exactly easy for someone whose foot is considered to have made him tabat (cursed). He is dogged by taunts from his peers, who call him “Wolfboy”, and reproaches from his father, who is quietly ashamed of his son’s perceived limitations. Banned from taking part in hunting, Kai toils doing children’s work and harbours a secret artistic streak. His loneliness is eventually placated when he adopts a local wolf club (Uff) but, eventually, their existence in the village becomes untenable and Kai sets out with Uff on a dangerous adventure of self-discovery. Along the way, they learn to hunt, meet a giant Ice Man and develop a friendship that is believed to be impossible between humans and wolves.The Wolf’s Boy is Beckhorn’s second foray into prehistoric children’s fiction, following her 2006 novel Wind Rider. Here, she fashions a fairly complex story for young readers, with liberal usage of the villagers’ fictitious language that is seemingly unsupported with definitions (until the reader stumbles across the book’s glossary of term definitions). These challenges, however, will reward advanced readers looking to hone their reading skills on more advanced prose. Beckhorn quickly departs from The Wolf Boy’s familiar Jungle Book beginnings to establish the novel as a memorable work in its own right, and she uses beautiful, descriptive language to tackle bullying, promote body diversity and even explore the ancient beginnings of humans’ fears of “otherness”.Given Beckhorn’s success at using a prehistoric setting to illustrate the depth and genesis of human relationships with animals, it’s almost surprising that authors have not mined this territory consistently before. With certain appeal for children interested in prehistory, dogs and survival stories, The Wolf’s Boy will reward strong readers.Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Kyle MarshallReviewer biography: Kyle Marshall is the Planning, Assessment & Research Analyst for Edmonton Public Library. He graduated with his MLIS from the University of Alberta in June 2015, and is passionate about diversity in children's and youth literature.

scholarly journals Sea of Shadows: Age of Legends by K. Armstrong

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Colette Leung
Keyword(s):  
Young Adult ◽  
Information Science ◽  
First Year ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Humanities Computing ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The Dead ◽  
The University ◽  
The Village

Armstrong, Kelley. Sea of Shadows: Age of Legends. Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2014. Print.This Young Adult fantasy novel tells the story of identical twin sisters Moria and Ashyn. In this mythical world, twin girls are special, because they can sometimes communicate with spirits. This means that when they are babies, twins are submitted to a ritual to see if they are destined to become Keeper and Seeker – magical roles that require the girls to quiet the souls of the damned, and protect the rest of the empire. Bond beasts accompany the twins – a giant wildcat for the Keeper, and a giant hound for the Seeker.Moria and Ashyn live in the village of Edgewood by the Forest of the Dead. Moria is a fiery warrior with a penchant for telling scary stories, and Ashyn is a shy romantic who often doubts herself, although both sisters are very close. The Wastes separate the Forest of the Dead, where criminals are often exiled from the rest of the empire. Every year, during the ritual of the Seeking, the Seeker and her hound must find all the restless spirits of the dead in the Forest, and quiet their souls. Often the dead are exiled criminals or are angry because they were not granted justice in life. The imperial court’s Keeper and Seeker have trained Moria and Ashyn for this ritual, and this is the first year they will perform the Seeking alone.During the Seeking, things quickly go wrong due to forces beyond the girls’ control. As a result, the girls’ village is destroyed, and their friends and family are killed by evil spirits. In the aftermath, Ashyn is separated from her sister. With the few remaining village survivors, Ashyn decides to set out with Ronan, a young thief she met in the Forest of the Dead. She hopes to take her people to safety. Moria follows her sister’s trail with the help of the last of the village guards, the stubborn Gavril, who is himself descended from sorcerers.Along the way, both sisters face mythical beasts, and discover their own strengths and weaknesses. They also deal with loss, and the harshness of a world beyond their village through encounters with bandits, kidnappers, and outcasts. Once the girls reunite, they learn that the failed ritual and the destruction of their village were not accidents. They are forced to warn the emperor and travel to court, where they must learn to navigate the politics of the realm. They also discover one of their companions may not be what he seems.This book is the first in a trilogy, although the journey of the two sisters is a complete story. The novel is told through the viewpoints of both sisters. Many deaths occur, and there are several violent scenes. The story also features creatures from horror stories that might frighten younger readers. Overall, it is a story well suited to young adult audiences, featuring interesting characters and mythology.Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Colette LeungColette Leung is a graduate student at the University of Alberta, working in the fields of Library and Information science and Humanities Computing who loves reading, cats, and tea. Her research interests focus around how digital tools can be used to explore fields such as literature, language, and history in new and innovative ways.

Liar, Liar: The Theory, Practice, and Destructive Properties of Deception by G. Paulsen

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale Storie
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Medical Illness ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Second Nature ◽  
Greater Good ◽  
The University

Paulsen, Gary. Liar, Liar: The Theory, Practice, and Destructive Properties of Deception. New York: Wendy Lamb Books, 2011. Print. Kevin Spencer, the fourteen year-old protagonist of Gary Paulsen’s latest novel, is a consummate and unashamed liar.  He considers lying to be second nature, “a way of life”; even going so far to proclaim that it is his duty to lie for the greater good because it makes things easier for everyone.  In his words, the secret to successful lying is that “people only listen for what they want to hear, so I only tell them that.”  Possessing this particular skill also means he’s never been caught in a lie. This novel chronicles a week in Kevin’s life, the week in which his lying gets out of control and his life goes from “zero to crap”.  He lies to his classmate about a medical illness to get out of working on an assignment, lies to his teachers so he can get skip class and spend more time trying to impress a girl, and lies to his parents to get his siblings in trouble.  Along the way, he explains the rules behind “good” lying as he rationalizes and justifies his actions, until finally he is forced to face the fact that his lying has consequences. Liar, Liar is full of Paulsen touchstones, including a bright, self-aware teenage protagonist, a cast of quirky supporting characters, and witty and fast-paced dialogue. Ultimately, the novel is stronger on character development and dialogue than on plot.  Although the story moves along briskly enough to keep most readers interested, it is not as satisfying or cohesive as those in Paulsen’s other novels.  The series of events that precipitate Kevin’s eventual realization about the negative effects of his lying are less dramatic than expected, resulting in a rather understated story overall.  Similarly, the romantic interest that drove many of his lies was also left resolved (likely to be continued in the next novel in the series). Nevertheless, anyone who is a fan of Paulsen’s later novels such as Lawn Boy will still find Liar Liar to be an enjoyable read.  Even if it’s not always clear where Kevin is going with his consistent lying, his inner monologue keeps the journey entertaining.   Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Dale StorieDale is Public Services Librarian at the John W. Scott Health Sciences Library at the University of Alberta. He has a BA in English, and has also worked in a public library as a children's programming coordinator, where he was involved with story times, puppet shows, and book talks. 

scholarly journals The theme of nature in The Thorn Birds

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 357-364
Author(s):  
Le Nguyen Nguyen Thao
Keyword(s):  
Human Life ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Human Relationships ◽  
Social Sciences And Humanities ◽  
Love Story ◽  
National University ◽  
Great Love ◽  
Human And Nature ◽  
Oriental Studies ◽  
The University

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough (1937-2015) is one of the most popular Australian novels in Vietnam, which is mentioned in the curriculum of Australian Studies – a major of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City). In general, the themes which mainly attract readers’ attention are the great love story between Meggie Cleary – a beautiful, tough woman and Ralph de Bricassart – an ambitious Catholic priest, and (or) an inevitable tragedy resulted from the conflict between the love for God and that for man. However, exerting much focus on human relationships in The Thorn Birds makes it hard to see another important “figure” – nature – as well as the relationship between human and nature in the West of Australia, the main setting of the novel where the climate is harsh, unique and sometimes unpredictable. Since the theme of nature accounts for a large content of the novel, The Thorn Birds is likely to be an interesting subject to eco-critical studies. In this paper, from the perspective of ecocriticism, we try to point out how the theme of nature is treated in this novel, including how the figure of nature being depicted, how the human-nature relationship being dealt with and how nature is embracing human life and “telling” human stories. We also indicate the possible connection between literature and daily human life, and between a 1977 Australian novel which tells us the stories of the natural cycle, the bushfires, the imported animals, etc. and the unusual wildfires which occurred in this country at the beginning of the year 2020. In addition, by evaluating as a typical Australian novel from eco-critical perspectives, we hope to introduce a new approach to conduct research on Australian literature at the Department of Australian Studies and for other researches of literature major in the University.

scholarly journals Research is a Journey of Self-Discovery

Eureka ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Christopher R. Madan
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Research Career ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Innovative Research ◽  
Self Discovery ◽  
The University

In this issue of Eureka, I am proud to share with you the exciting and innovative research projects that are being lead by undergraduate students at the University of Alberta. While I will let their work speak for themselves, I also would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the beginnings of my research career and the broad reaching effects I have found research to have.

Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? by B. Sayers

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Feisst
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Young Adult Fiction ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Good Night ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Heavy Equipment ◽  
The University ◽  
First Time

Sayres, Brianna K. Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? Illus. Christian Slade.  New York: Random House, 2012. Print.If the title Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? seems a tad familiar, well, it probably is.  In the same vein as the ultra-popular Good Night, Good Night, Construction Site, Diggers presents the sweet nighttime rituals of diggers, trucks and other heavy machinery.  At first I thought this was a simple effort to take advantage of a similar, bestselling title however Sayres’ work does indeed hold its own.In this picture book aimed at ages 3-6, first time picture book author Sayres gives young heavy equipment aficionados a delightful take on the bedtime story.  In rhyming couplets and often in a humorous manner, all sorts of trucks, cranes and tractors get ready for rest under the watchful headlamps of their caregivers: “Where do garbage trucks sleep / when they’re done collecting trash? / Do their dads sniff their load and say, / ‘Pee-yew—time to take a bath’?”  Sure to get the young ones giggling.The sleepy-eyed dozers and tow trucks eventually give way to an equally sleepy young boy in his cozy bed, with a reminder that the trucks will be waiting for him when he wakes.  Save for one naughty truck, winking, under the bed (my five-year-old happily pointed this out).Though the illustrations by former Disney animator Christian Slade are rather cartoon-like and not realistic, they match the text well, are in soothing nighttime colours and allow for the trucks to have droopy eyes and smiling faces. Read in a lyrical fashion, or even as a song, this would be a nice end to any wee truck lover’s day.  This would make a nice addition to any public library or as a gift.Reviewer: Debbie Feisst Recommended: 3 stars out of 4Debbie 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.

Seraphina by R. Hartman

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kymberly Sobchyshyn
Keyword(s):  
The Novel ◽  
Ancient History ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Non Fiction ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Multiple Species ◽  
The University ◽  
New Religion

Hartman, Rachel. Seraphina. Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2012. Print.Rachel Hartman’s debut novel, Seraphina, is a fantastical journey into a world where humans and shape shifting dragons live among each other. The novel follows Seraphina, a strong and intelligent female character with a talent for music, as she is caught between two races. Hartman has masterfully created a new religion, culture, language, political system, and multiple species in order to fully immerse the reader in Seraphina’s world.Hartman’s dragons, a unique breed of cold, unemotional mathematicians, are mostly intrigued and confused by what they consider to be overly emotional and artistic humans. The strong differences between the two races are cause for tension, but Seraphina has a mysterious gift of being able to understand how dragons think and why they react to humans in such curious and sometimes dangerous ways.Seraphina is a story of political unrest and adventure, with a little romance added in for good measure. Not only is the book a quick and entertaining read, but the glossary is not to be missed. That’s right, the glossary! Hartman created much of the foreign vocabulary in the novel, and the glossary is the place where her sense of humour and criticism of the world she has created really shine through. Some of the more challenging vocabulary in the novel is defined in the glossary so readers who might feel discouraged by the language should know that the author has invented most of these words. For a good laugh and some added detail about Seraphina’s world, the glossary is a great way to finish. Seraphina is the first in what Hartman has planned to be a series.Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Kymberly SobchyshynKymberly is currently in her second year of schooling to obtain a Master’s in Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta. In her free time she enjoys traveling, ancient history, and reading of the fiction and non-fiction variety.

scholarly journals Icky Mr. Fox and the Missing Friend by A. Bitskoff

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Merran Carr-Wiggin
Keyword(s):  
Public Library ◽  
Read Aloud ◽  
Fine Motor ◽  
Decoding Skills ◽  
Young Audiences ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Theatre For Young Audiences ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
The University ◽  
Age Range

Bitskoff, Aleksei. Icky Mr. Fox and the Missing Friend. IckyPen Ltd, 2017. Vers. 19.0.1. Apple App Store, https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/missing-friend/id1236379583?mt=8. Age range: 0-5Price: $2.79.Also available in a Lite version with ads at no cost. This simple, quirky digital text takes children on a journey to rescue Mr. Mole from Icky Mr. Fox and builds early digital navigation and vocabulary skills. Children experience the story read aloud, with the text displayed on the screen along with charming illustrations. The app features some interactive elements. Many objects on the screen are clickable and the name of the object appears in writing and is spoken aloud. Other interactive elements include the ability to make the sun rise, turn lights on and off in a room, or move characters in one direction or another. The interactions are intuitive and young children should easily be able to identify the interactive features and navigate the interface. The app somewhat replicates the experience of reading a book, moving from screen to screen with the touch of an arrow. The illustrations are highly appealing, with adorable characters, painterly background illustrations and harmonious colour schemes. The tone of the illustrations and sounds is gentle and pleasing, and would not stretch the tolerance of parents for annoying levels of noise. The language and storyline are simple and lack creativity, but keep the interest of a child with a certain level of suspense. The app enables children to follow a story in sequence, to recognize the relationship between sound and text, and encourages them to build fine motor skills and touch-screen computer skills. Children touch the screen to make text and sound appear and swipe to make characters move. Children in the higher end of the age range may build early reading or text decoding skills through seeing and hearing words. The stated age range for the app is 0-5; children aged 2-5 would benefit most. This app is fun for both adults and children and is an engaging way for children to learn digital skills. Children can find more adventures featuring Icky Mr. Fox created by the same developers. Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Merran Carr-Wiggin Merran Carr-Wiggin’s experience at Edmonton Public Library includes positions as a Summer Programmer, in the Children’s Department, and at the Strathcona Branch. She is a candidate in the Master of Library and Information Studies program at the University of Alberta, and her work as an actor includes theatre for young audiences.  

scholarly journals Tri-Creeks Experimental Watershed

2016 ◽  
Vol 92 (01) ◽  
pp. 53-56
Author(s):  
George Sterling ◽  
Amy Goodbrand ◽  
Sheena A. Spencer
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
Timber Harvesting ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Forest Cover Change ◽  
Data Set ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Historic Data ◽  
The University

Tri-Creeks Experimental Watershed was initiated to compare the effects of logging and riparian buffers in three subbasins (Wampus, Deerlick, and Eunice Creeks) and to evaluate the effectiveness of timber harvesting ground rules in protecting fisheries and water resources. The watershed study was terminated in 1985 shortly after the harvest. In 2015, the University of Alberta re-established groundwater monitoring, hydrometric, and meteorological stations in Tri-Creeks Experimental watershed. Future research will utilize the 20-year historic data set and current data to study the the effect of forest cover change on the streamflow regime and fish populations. The objective of this paper is to summarize the novel results and available data from 1965–1987 for the Tri-Creeks Experimental Watershed.

scholarly journals The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by S. Nielsen

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tami Oliphant
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
The Novel ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
New Novel ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
The University ◽  
Journal Entries

Nielsen, Susin. The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2012. Print. Susin Nielsen is the acclaimed author of Word Nerd and Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mother. She has won several writing awards and has consistently created compelling, charismatic, and fully drawn characters. In her new novel, The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen, Nielsen explores dark and uncomfortable themes such as mental illness, bullying, violence, tolerating differences, and the quiet desperation felt by those who must refashion their lives after a tragedy. For readers concerned that the novel will break their heart, it does. And then it fills that broken heart with joy. Through his affecting journal entries, readers come to know 13-year-old Henry K. Larsen. His therapist recommends that he write about his thoughts and feelings in the aftermath of “IT”—hence the ‘reluctant’ diary. However, Henry’s diary entries are laugh out loud funny on one page and provoke tears on the next. Henry has an extraordinary voice that is unlike any other narrator. He is angry, confused, saddened, shamed, and lost after “IT” happened. He has moved with his father to Vancouver to try to piece together a new life but in reality, his family barely manages to make it through the day. Henry is leery of other people, pushes them away, and he cannot find a place for himself or make sense of his emotions after “IT.” The last thing that Henry anticipates is that he will open up to anyone about “IT”—not to his wonderful new friends Farley and Alberta, to his therapist, or to his two new neighbours. However, incidents at school and at home force Henry to talk about Jesse and the “IT” that changed everyone’s lives forever. The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen is a quick and deeply satisfying read. This book is required reading. Despite the darker themes, the emotional payoff is not only gratifying, but inspiring. Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Tami OliphantTami Oliphant 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.

scholarly journals If I Was Your Girl by M. Russo

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Small Town ◽  
American South ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Male Gender ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Cautious Approach ◽  
Ya Literature ◽  
The University ◽  
First Time ◽  
Trans Youth

Russo, Meredith. If I Was Your Girl. Flatiron Books, 2016.At 18 years old, Amanda is taking a cautious approach to her new lease on life. Assigned the male gender at birth and named Andrew, Amanda endured bullying as a child and disappointment from a father who viewed his “son” as effeminate and ill-equipped to handle life’s challenges. Post-transition life in Atlanta wasn’t much easier, and a traumatic instance of violence led Amanda’s mother to decide to send Amanda to live with her father in small-town Tennessee. While the rural American South might not seem like an accepting environment for a transgender teen, Amanda is keeping her past sex a secret.As Amanda decides not to reveal her past to the Lambertville locals (known in the transgender community as going “stealth”), she starts to live the life of an average teenager for the first time. Her beauty attracts much attention from boys, and she finds friend groups with both the in crowd and social misfits - all of whom appear to be harbouring secrets of their own. As things get increasingly serious with her boyfriend Grant, Amanda grapples with sharing her own history.Russo’s debut novel depicts a round protagonist with whom all teens should be able to relate, on some level. As a trans woman herself, Russo deftly depicts teenage belonging and the politics of going stealth, while acknowledging that she intentionally chose a character that could easily “pass” to demonstrate the conflict. Moreover, the author’s note sends an inspirational message to trans youth that validates the uniqueness of their experience and the importance of self-love.Although Russo occasionally falls into YA romantic cliches, it’s not as though the genre is overflowing with romantic storylines featuring trans characters. If I Was Your Girl is a vital and timely addition to YA literature, and should have a place in every library for transgender, cisgender and non-binary teens alike to discover.Recommended: 3 stars out of 4Reviewer: Kyle MarshallKyle Marshall is the Planning, Assessment & Research Analyst for Edmonton Public Library. He graduated with his MLIS from the University of Alberta in June 2015, and is passionate about diversity in children's and youth literature.

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