Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by E. Litwin

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Frail
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Web Site ◽  
The Other ◽  
High Contrast ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Early Elementary School ◽  
The University ◽  
The Web ◽  
At Home

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.

scholarly journals The Highway Rat by J. Donaldson

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Feisst
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
School Library ◽  
The Other ◽  
Young Adult Fiction ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The Road ◽  
Poetic Justice ◽  
Narrative Poem ◽  
The University ◽  
Adult Reader

Donaldson, Julia. The Highway Rat. Illus. Axel Scheffler. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2013. Print.The children’s literature dream team of author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler are at it again with this delightful take on Alfred Noyes’ classic narrative poem, “The Highwayman.” Donaldson and Scheffler, best known for their popular Gruffalo series as well as Room on the Broom, have created a lush narrative replete with repetitive phrases and rich illustrations that will captivate children while engaging the adult reader in an intelligent manner.“The Highway Rat was a baddie; the Highway Rat was a beast. He took what he wanted and ate what he took…” Indeed!  The Highway Rat holds up fellow travelers and those he meets along the way with a voracious attitude and pointy sword.  Though he prefers sweets, he takes anything –even a bunch of clover deemed tasteless and dull –to satisfy his greed and without a morsel of regret. As the other creatures along the road grew thinner and thinner, the Highway Rat grows plump until one plucky duck delivers poetic justice and some just ‘desserts’ to this nasty rat. Children will be pleased with the appropriate comeuppance for the Highway Rat that arrives with a healthy message of kindness and sharing.Fans of Donaldson and Scheffler’s previous work will not be disappointed, in particular those who have encountered “The Highwayman” as younger readers.  This rollicking book will make a nice addition to any elementary school library collection and is best suited for students in K-3. Highly recommended: 4 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.

Rrralph by L. Ehlert

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Frail
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Tree Bark ◽  
Large Format ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Word Play ◽  
Story Time ◽  
The University ◽  
At Home

Ehlert, Lois. Rrralph. New York: Beach Lane Books, 2011. Print. “Would you like to meet a talking dog?” According to the author’s note, this book was based on jokes that her brother told his grandchildren. The humour translates well into the story as the narrator uses a series of onomatopoeic word-play to explain how Ralph the dog “talks”.  For example, when asked where he is, Ralph answers that he is on the “Roof” of the dog house. When asked what is on a tree, he replies “Bark, Bark, Bark”. The story even includes a somewhat scary encounter between Ralph and a “Wolf! Wolf!” This book will definitely be a story-time favourite for younger children. The large format and brightly coloured pages make it ideal for displaying to groups. The super-size font alternates on each page between black and white, creating high contrasts. The illustrations were created from: “zippers, wood, buttons, twine, metal, tree bark, screws, hand-painted and home-made papers, and textile fragments”. This creates layers of interesting textures and gives the book a “home-spun” appeal. It would also provide an interesting opportunity for educators or parents to talk about making art from found or recycled objects, or the benefits of recycling in general.  The highlight of the illustrations is Ralph’s multi-coloured textile collar and metal-heart shaped dog tag, which will remind readers of real beloved family pets. His zipper smile is pretty endearing as well. Other books by Lois Ehlert include: “Lots of Spots”, “Boo to You!” and “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom”. According to the publisher Rrralph is recommended for ages 2-6. Highly recommended: four out of four 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.

scholarly journals Elmore by H. Hobbie

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Mayzel
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Elementary Education ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
The Other ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
History Of ◽  
Worth Reading ◽  
Making Friends ◽  
The University

Hobbie, Holly. Elmore. Random House Children’s Books, New York, 2018. Holly Hobbie’s Elmore is a heartwarming story about a lonely porcupine determined to make friends. His prickly exterior makes the other animals scared of him at first, but through his creativity and inventiveness, he finds a way to help others embrace what makes him unique, all while staying true to himself. The invaluable lessons that this picture book teaches are remarkable. Readers learn that what makes us different, makes us special; once we accept and appreciate our differences and share what we have to offer, others will get to know, accept, and appreciate us for who we are. This book also teaches its readers to not ‘judge a book by its cover’. Elmore was judged by the other animals because of his prickly quills, but once he celebrated his differences and the other animals learned what made him special, they felt lucky to be his friend. Hobbie’s use of language is powerful and provides young readers with the opportunity to learn and have discussions about new vocabulary, such as solitude, emphatically, and tuckered out. Hobbie’s whimsical illustrations are adorable and charming, and her realistic portrayal of Elmore’s facial expressions are endearing; readers empathize and grow to love Elmore. This book is highly recommended as a real-aloud for elementary school educators and parents alike, because it creates opportunities to discuss the hidden messages within the story. Children will be able to make their own connections with Elmore and feel comforted by the fact that making friends isn’t always easy, but others will learn to accept them for who they are, once they accept themselves. Editor’s note: It is worth reading more about the author and the history of her namesake character. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly_Hobbie Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Valerie Mayzel Valerie Mayzel is a fourth-year student in the Elementary Education program at the University of Alberta. She is very excited to begin her career as a teacher and is looking forward to incorporating a variety of literature in her lessons to support student learning.

scholarly journals Sex is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOU by C. Silverberg & F. Smyth

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Marshall
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Sexual Activity ◽  
Sex Education ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Hard Work ◽  
High Contrast ◽  
Adult Readers ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Age Appropriate ◽  
The University

Silverberg, Cory and Fiona Smyth. Sex is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOU. New York: Seven Stories Press, 2015. Print.“Having a penis isn’t what makes you a boy. Having a vulva isn’t what makes you a girl. The truth is much more interesting than that!”In a watershed year for transgender activism, Cory Silverberg and Fiona Smyth have broken ground with their trans-inclusive sex education book Sex is a Funny Word. This new release follows a cast of four 8-10 year old kids, including gender queer Zai, as they learn about and explore that strange and funny word - sex. Throughout the book, Smyth’s illustrations employ bright, opaque and high-contrast colours to great effect, and readers are exposed to characters of wonderfully diverse abilities, races, shapes and sexualities.It is however reductive to merely draw attention to the diversity in Sex is a Funny Word, as a wide gamut of topics are discussed with age-appropriate aplomb, including anatomy, “touch” and relationships. Silverberg’s opening notes to adult readers provide tips for co-reading the book with children, explaining that the text is meant to be read over many sittings to aid comprehension and reflection. By bookending each chapter with interactive questions, readers identify and reflect on personal morals anchored in four concepts - trust, respect, joy and justice. These questions do the hard work for parents, who can defer to one of the lively and inquisitive characters for discussion points. Moreover, the only sexual activity mentioned in this book is masturbation, so even the most squeamish adult readers should feel comfortable co-reading Sex is a Funny Word.Sex is a Funny Word is the second of a three-part, age-specific sex education series written by Silverberg and illustrated by Smyth. Those with younger children can find reproduction discussed in What Makes a Baby, while intercourse will specifically be covered in the series’ next title. For a positive, fun and healthy introduction to these concepts, parents and librarians will be well-served by seeking out Sex is a Funny Word for their collection.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Kyle MarshallKyle Marshall is the School-Aged Services Intern Librarian 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.

Modern Catholic Perspectives Catholicism. The story of Catholic Christianity. By Gerald O'Collins and Mario Farrugia. Pp. xiii + 409 incl. 13 figs. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003. £63. 0 19 925994; 0 19 925995 X Priests, prelates and people. A history of European Catholicism since 1750. By Nicholas Atkin and Frank Tallett. Pp. x + 390. London–New York: I. B. Tauris, 2003. £25. 1 86064 665 4

2005 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 749-753
Author(s):  
JEFFREY T. ZALAR
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
The Other ◽  
Systematic Theology ◽  
Oxford University ◽  
History Of ◽  
The University ◽  
Oxford University Press

Postmodern communitarian theory insists that all knowledge is participant knowledge: who we are is at least if not more foundational to learning than any philosophy of what we can know. These two books, one written by Jesuit priests and professors of systematic theology at the Gregorian University in Rome and the other by non-Catholic professional historians working at the University of Reading, invite us to consider this assertion.

scholarly journals I Love You, Nose! I Love You, Toes! by L. Davick

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Feisst
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Young Children ◽  
New York Times ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Young Adult Fiction ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Series Books ◽  
Words And Images ◽  
The University

Davick, Linda. I Love You, Nose! I Love You, Toes! New York: Simon & Schuster-Beach Lane Books, 2013. Print.Graphic artist, illustrator and animator Linda Davick, whose colourful images have appeared in several seasonal counting series books such as the New York Times bestselling 10 Trick-or-Treaters, has penned her first book for children aimed at celebrating the unique qualities we all have. Starting from our head right down to our toes, the simply drawn children, with fun disproportionately-scaled features and descriptions to portray many kids, show off their various body parts. The book is essentially a whimsical love poem to our bodies that children will find entertaining, both in the prose and the illustrations.  Take this stanza as an example:I love you, nose, though there’s no doubt that when you sneeze some stuff comes out.The images are great, too: a little girl covering her nose to the smell of her baby sibling’s diaper, a child thinking about smelling pepper (spoiler alert: she sneezes), a stinky sock and fragrant flowers; young children will enjoy the interplay of words and images, especially about body parts and functions that are generally not discussed:I love the parts my friends don’t see: the parts that poop, the parts that pee.Ending with a sleepy boy drifting off to sleep, this would be a fun book to read with young children at night as part of a bedtime routine or even as part of an early-years story time, though the latter would certainly create a memorable experience for the students! Highly recommended: 4 stars of out 4 Reviewer: Debbie FeisstDebbie is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta.  When not renovating, she enjoys travel, fitness and young adult fiction.

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. 

scholarly journals The Best Birthday Party Ever by J. LaRue Huget

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Feisst
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Read Aloud ◽  
Young Adult Fiction ◽  
Elementary Grades ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Birthday Party ◽  
Layer Cake ◽  
The University

Huget, Jennifer LaRue. The Best Birthday Party Ever. Illus. LeUyen Pham. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2011. Print. “My birthday is 5 months, 3 weeks, 2 days, and 8 hours away.  Today I started to plan my party.” And so the planning begins for the 5-year-old soon-to-be birthday girl in this charming picture book.  She has to start planning early if she wants the best birthday party ever.  She is going to invite all 57 of her friends including the mailman and the invitations will be sprinkled with fairy dust.  She will have 9 thousand balloons, streamers and napkins: all in pink.  On the menu is a 17-layer cake, each layer a different flavour, with 6 zillion candles on top.  Not only will there be: a magician, camel rides and a Ferris wheel, but each lucky guest will receive a hamster as a party favour. In a kid-friendly countdown style towards the big day, our sweet party planner gets more and more excited as her birthday approaches and the plans get more and more grandiose.  Only after her mother comments that this birthday party is “getting out of hand” does she agree to skip the sparkly necklaces.  The day finally arrives and while it may not be the party she dreamed of, she is appreciative and enjoys her day so much that she immediately begins plans for her next birthday. This beautifully illustrated read-aloud captures the excitement of a child as she looks forward to her special day and will appeal to lower elementary grades as well as preschoolers.  The whimsical mostly-pink drawings may be initially off-putting to boys but they are certain to relate and enjoy the story. Highly recommended: 4 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 THE EFFECT OF PROJECT 5-100 ON THE UNIVERSITY’S PUBLICATION ACTIVITY

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 27-45
Author(s):  
D. Yu. Rudenko ◽  
◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Causal Relationship ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
The Other ◽  
Publication Activity ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Academic Excellence ◽  
University Employees ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
The University ◽  
The Web

The aim of the study is to estimate the effect of the Russian academic excellence project (Project 5-100) on the publication activity of the University of Tyumen, measured by the number of articles published in journals indexed in the Web of Science database. The hypothesis of the research is that there is a positive causal relationship between the number of published articles and the University’s participation in Project 5-100. This impact was estimated empirically for the University of Tyumen while the other university participants (31 universities) were taken as a control group. Counterfactual scenarios are used to find the number of articles that the university employees would have published in the absence of Project 5-100. Thus, it is shown that, despite the failure to meet the goal of entering the top 200 of world universities in the ranking for ecology and agricultural biology, the University of Tyumen benefited from its participation in Project 5-100: its number of publications, especially in journals of the first and second quartile, has been growing faster than in the control group of universities.

New Methods for C-N Ring Construction

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglass Taber
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Gold Complex ◽  
Cascade Process ◽  
State University ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Cornell University ◽  
University Of New Mexico ◽  
Memory Of Chirality ◽  
Cu Catalyst ◽  
The University

Chaozhong Li of the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry demonstrated (Organic Lett. 2008, 10, 4037) facile and selective Cu-catalyzed β-lactam formation, converting 1 to 2. Paul Helquist of the University of Notre Dame devised (Organic Lett. 2008, 10, 3903) an effective catalyst for intramolecular alkyne hydroamination, converting 3 into the imine 4. Six-membered ring construction worked well also. Jon T. Njardarson of Cornell University found (Organic Lett. 2008, 10, 5023) a Cu catalyst for the rearrangement of alkenyl aziridines such as 5 to the pyrroline 6. Philippe Karoyan of the UPMC, Paris developed (J. Org. Chem. 2008, 73, 6706) an interesting chiral auxiliary directed cascade process, converting the simple precursor 7 into the complex pyrrolidine 9. Sherry R. Chemler of the State University of New York, Buffalo devised (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 17638) a chiral Cu catalyst for the cyclization of 10, to give 12 with substantial enantiocontrol. Wei Wang of the University of New Mexico demonstrated (Chem. Commun. 2008, 5636) the organocatalyzed condensation of 13 and 14 to give 16 with high enantio- and diastereocontrol. Two complementary routes to azepines/azepinones have appeared. F. Dean Toste of the University of California, Berkeley showed (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 9244) that a gold complex catalyzed the condensation of 17 and 18 to give 19. Frederick G. West of the University of Alberta found (Organic Lett. 2008, 10, 3985) that lactams such as 20 could be ring-expanded by the addition of the propiolate anion 21. Takeo Kawabata of Kyoto University extended (Organic Lett . 2008, 10, 3883) “memory of chirality” studies to the cyclization of 23, demonstrating that 24 was formed in high ee. Paul V. Murphy of University College Dublin took advantage (Organic Lett . 2008, 10, 3777) of the well-known intramolecular addition of azides to alkenes, showing that the intermediate could be intercepted with nucleophiles such as thiophenol, to give the cyclized product 26 with high diastereocontrol.

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