scholarly journals Commentary: The Transgender Child: A Lesson in Acceptance

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 33-40
Author(s):  
Wren Kauffman
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Critical Importance ◽  
Transgender People ◽  
Minority Studies ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Transgender Children ◽  
The World ◽  
Gender Neutral ◽  
The University

In this interview, 12-year-old Wren Kauffman shares his earliest memories of "not feel[ing] right" in his body and how he conveyed this powerful sentiment to his parents. Wren and his mother Wendy discuss the transgender journey their family has gone on, which initially started by contacting the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of Alberta. Wren recounts how he told friends and classmates that he was transgender, talks about the support and openness he has received from teachers, friends, and schools, and of the critical importance of acceptance. Issues such as bullying, gender-neutral spaces, and diversity are also discussed. In addition, Wendy emphasizes the key role education plays in the inclusion of transgender children: "If we can start from a place of education, and explain that there is a really wide kind of variety of different ways that people can be born, that’s going to help society and people in general understand that transgender people are in the world."

Memorial

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (10) ◽  
pp. 760-760
Author(s):  
Nancy House
Keyword(s):  
Isotope Geochemistry ◽  
Fine Arts ◽  
Bachelor's Degree ◽  
Geophysical Data ◽  
Fort Worth ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The World ◽  
Seismic Acquisition ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The University

Donald Macpherson was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on 6 October 1941. He passed on 20 August 2020. Though he was a proud Canadian till the end, he clung to his Scottish culture and became a fixture with his bagpipes at many events throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area. He attended the University of Alberta, initially studying music and fine arts and earning a bachelor's degree in 1964 with a minor in math and chemistry. He graduated with a master's degree in isotope geochemistry and geophysics from the University of Alberta in 1965. Don walked into the “best job in the world” as a geophysicist at Mobil Oil Canada in 1965. There, he was responsible for seismic acquisition crews, processing, and interpretation of geophysical data.

scholarly journals Green by L. V. Seeger

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ortensia Norton
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Science Class ◽  
Older Students ◽  
Green Is ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Stop And Go ◽  
The World ◽  
The University

Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. Green. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2012. Print. The book, Green reminds us that green is a pervasive colour in the world. Like her book, Black, White, Day, Night: A Book of Opposites, the die cuts will astonish you as two leaves turn into fish on the next page, making you anxious to flip the pages quickly to view the next image. But refrain from flipping too quickly or you will miss the beauty of the acrylic paintings on each page. Only gather a couple children around you as you read, or they will fight over who gets to have it in their arms. With only 38 words, the illustrations need to be looked at carefully. Allow time for their eyes to take in all the details. Be prepared to stop and go back to the previous page because they will realize that somehow they missed something important. Don’t be surprised if the children grab for the lime, reach down to smell the flower, or are scared by the tiger. They will rub the pages; they will feel the texture and might be disappointed that the page is smooth. Younger students will enjoy the predictability of the word ‘green’ on each page. It won’t take them long to recite the book with you, with only two or three syllables per page. Older students will be inspired by the art work and could use the book as an exemplar for an art project. Other students could pick a different colour and find words and pictures to describe the different hues of their chosen colour. Green could be used in science class, to discuss how each hue is created. I would love to see Ms. Seeger create a whole series of colour books!! Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 Stars Reviewer: Ortensia Norton Ortensia Norton is a Teacher Librarian with Edmonton Public Schools. She is currently enrolled in the TL-DL program through the University of Alberta. She thinks that her jobs as mom and librarian are the best jobs in the world because you get to see the delight on children's faces when they fall in love with a book.

scholarly journals Mingan: my village

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Writing Workshop ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Art Collections ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
North Shore ◽  
The North ◽  
The World ◽  
The University ◽  
The Village

Mingan:  my village. Illus. Rogé. Trans. Solange Messier.  Markham, ON:  Fifth House Publishers, 2014.  Print.This is one of the most unusual Canadian Indigenous children’s books to have been published recently.  It is an art book composed of fifteen of illustrator Rogé's portraits of Innu children from the village of Mingan (“Ekuantshit” in the Innu-aimun language) on the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  The images are accompanied by fifteen poems written by the children.  Each of the portraits covers an 8.5 X 14’ page and is an almost life-sized likeness painted from a photograph.  The images are mainly sepia tones with some orange, blue and red highlights.  These portraits will allow children elsewhere in the world to see what an Innu child looks like. The poems are the result of a poetry writing workshop led by Laurel Morali and Rita Mestokosho at Mingan.  They are also published in the back of the book in Innu-aimun.  The works are simple, unsophisticated and present a child’s view of the world.  Nature and grandparents figure prominently in the works.   For example:                        In the wind's light, the pain of the heart                        The blue river                        When I listen                        I have a memory of my grandfather                        He tells me he is well                        This comforts me                        I know he protects me                        That he watches me                        I cry when he is not beside me                                                                       Sabrina                       Overall this is a striking work that could fit both in to art collections and children’s libraries as well as those collecting Canadian Indigenous materials. Highly recommended: 4 stars out of 4Reviewer:  Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines.  Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give. 

scholarly journals Northern Dancer: King of the Racetrack by G. Joyce

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Junior High School ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The World ◽  
The University ◽  
Thoroughbred Racing

Joyce, Gare.  Northern Dancer: King of the Racetrack.  Markham, ON:  Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2012. Print.It is not often that you find a biography of an animal, but in this case, the animal was a national icon.  According to Gare Joyce, Northern Dancer, the great racehorse “made more money as an accomplished racehorse and sire than any Canadian athlete in history – even more than Wayne Gretzky ”.  The book begins with a genealogical chart that shows that of the 19 horses starting in the 2011 Kentucky Derby, 18 were descended from Northern Dancer.This book chronicles Northern Dancer from his birth through to his wins and standing at stud until his death at age 29.  Through his story, the reader also learns about the world of North American thoroughbred racing.  We meet the great jockeys:  Ron Turcotte, Willie Shoemaker and Bill Hardtack who all rode Northern Dancer to victories. We learn about the development of racehorses and the major races:  The Preakness, The Belmont, The Kentucky Derby and the Queen’s Plate.   Joyce writes informally and conversationally, as though he is telling one long story.  For example, he tells us that Northern Dancer “became unruly around his stall…At least once he ripped the shirt off his trainer.” Later we are told that a trainer inadvertently let Northern Dancer run hard the day before a race and people thought that no thoroughbred could “run the equivalent of two races on two consecutive days.   As it turned out, the only ones hurting after the Florida Derby were those who hadn’t bet on the heavily favoured Northern Dancer.”  The text is accompanied by many photos of Northern Dancer, including archival images of horse and jockey in races, at the wire and in the winners’ circle.           Overall, this is an enjoyable story of a remarkable horse.  Northern Dancer: King of the Racetrack is highly recommended for junior high school libraries and public libraries everywhere.  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 My Name is Parvana by D. Ellis

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy Inglis
Keyword(s):  
Book Club ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
American Military ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
South Park ◽  
The World ◽  
Other Information ◽  
Women And Children ◽  
Distance Learning Program ◽  
The University

Ellis, Deborah. My Name is Parvana. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2012. Print. In this final book in the The Breadwinner series, we meet the indomitable Afghani protagonist, Parvana, again, at the age of 15. The story begins with Parvana being interrogated in an American military base after she is discovered in a bombed out school.  She refuses to acknowledge her captors and remains silent. The story unfolds through Parvana’s flashbacks as she endures the various methods employed to make her talk, including food and sleep deprivation.. We learn that Parvana’s family has left the refugee camp and started a school for girls. It seems their dreams have come true, but there is danger everywhere. New laws are in place to protect women’s rights, but old habits and beliefs, die hard. Threatening notes begin to arrive. Parvana is accosted in the streets.  Students and teachers are driven away by the threats, and without students the school will lose its funding.  The setbacks continue to pile up until at last we realize why Parvana is alone and imprisoned. Through careful crafting, Ellis creates a story that is heartrending without being horrific. Skillful use of flashbacks and foreshadowing soften the shock of atrocities by giving us clues before they occur. She shows respect for her young readers by giving enough detail for them to understand what is happening without becoming gory. Despite the incredible challenges she faces, Parvana finds hope, and new dream, in the end. This novel also provides a wonderful opportunity to discuss the use of voice in writing.  Some people would say Ellis, a white, Canadian woman, has no right to use an Afghani voice. Yet Ellis’ is an educated voice. She has spent time travelling in Afghanistan and interviewing Afghani children.  In an interview for Page Turners Book Club, Ellis asserts that she is giving voices to people who do not usually appear in books and providing information for children and teens who are “hungry to find out about how the world works and how they can create their own place in the world”. My Name is Parvana is an appropriate companion for Ellis’ non-fiction book Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely Through a Never-ending War and other information texts about children’s lives in Afghanistan.  While Ellis should not be the only voice for Afghani women and children, hers is certainly a powerful and effective one.  Her goal of building connections for young Canadians and creating a climate for understanding is laudable. Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer:  Kathy Inglis Kathy Inglis is a teacher-librarian and kindergarten teacher at South Park Family School in Victoria, BC and a Masters student in the Teacher-Librarianship through Distance Learning Program at the University of Alberta. Her favourite part of the job is seeing the excited look on the faces of students who have found that perfect book.

Going Ape! by E. Bustos & L. Rodríguez

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Trish Chatterley
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Age Group ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Non Fiction ◽  
Full Page ◽  
Group I ◽  
The World ◽  
The Many ◽  
The University

Bustos, Eduardo and Lucho Rodríguez. Going Ape! Toronto: Tundra Books, 2012. Print.There are many playful stories about monkeys available for young children, so it’s an asset to have this non-fiction picture book for the same age group where the primates are depicted as they are in nature rather than as characters in a narrative. This is an English translation of a Spanish book originally published in 2004.In two to three sentences, author Eduardo Bustos highlights a couple of unique points of interest for each of ten ape species. While jumping so quickly from one ape to another makes the text seem a little disjointed, the short length is appropriate for young readers. I appreciated that the work includes not just the commonly known apes like chimpanzees and gorillas, but also lesser known species like the Allen’s Swamp Monkey that has webbed feet! The text on the last page breaks from the format used previously; the full page highlights the variation that can be witnessed among the many ape species in the world in terms of size, coloring, and diet. Since the style already diverges significantly and seems aimed at a slightly older age group, I was left wanting more elaboration. For instance, following the statement, “It is interesting to learn about their habits,” I would have liked further details.The illustrations are the best feature of the book. The stylized images capture the recognizable looks of the various species. Each is represented by a full-page illustration of the ape’s face, as well as a smaller image of the full ape in its natural habitat on the opposing page with the text. There are over 200 species of primates in the world. The title page depicts twelve different types of apes, so I was disappointed that descriptions of only ten were included. Overall, though, it provides a nicely illustrated introduction to the world of primates.Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Trish ChatterleyTrish is a Public Services Librarian for the John W. Scott Health Sciences Library at the University of Alberta. In her free time she enjoys dancing, gardening, and reading books of all types.

Darkest Light by H. Goto

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Sivak
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Education ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
The World ◽  
Physical Presence ◽  
Wise Woman ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The University ◽  
Good And Evil

Goto, Hiromi. Darkest Light. Toronto: Razorbill Canada, 2011. Print. Darkest Light is a sequel, of sorts, to Goto’s 2009 fantastic allegorical work Half World. However, Darkest Light takes on a more nuanced approach to its characters’ struggles, asking the question, ‘Can a person who has done wrong rehabilitate himself?’ Half World drew its lines of good and evil in a more traditional way, with an outcast heroine battling an evil force living in the world between the dead and the living. In contrast, Darkest Light slowly unravels the mystery of the life of its protagonist, Gee. We see the recurrence of some of the same characters from Goto’s first book in the series, including the knowledgeable wise-woman, Ms. Wei, and the outcast heroine, Melanie Tamaki. But Darkest Light turns its focus on Gee, the baby brought out from Half World by Melanie, and who is now sixteen, having lived with Ms. Wei since. Illustrator Jillian Tamaki has collaborated on this book as with the Half World, and the style of her shadowy sketches captures Goto’s descriptions of Gee. Gee has grown up lonely, his Popo (Ms. Wei) his only friend; there is something about his ghostly physical presence and his deep-black eyes that put off almost all others, humans and animals alike. After a confrontation with two classmate bullies, he meets neo-Goth, Cracker, a young lesbian who feels some kinship with Gee’s physical and emotional difference. When Ms. Wei’s life is endangered by some of the demons of Half World, Gee and Cracker enter the world to save her. Goto has taken an interesting path to investigate the question of how to atone for one’s wrong actions by going into the world of fantasy, where the most evil of all the Half World demons tries to change, tempted by his old lovers and friends, as well as by the power he used to wield. Goto’s writing can, at times, read as flat, and the demons in Half World are exaggerated enough to be more cartoonish than frightening. But the emotion she evokes between Gee and his grandmother and Cracker is quite moving, and her book is likely to appeal to young readers who recognize the struggle to find their own paths in the world that doesn’t welcome difference. Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: 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 World is your Oyster by T. James

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Sulz
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Elementary Education ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Religious Studies ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Garden Path ◽  
The World ◽  
Library Studies ◽  
The Many ◽  
The University

James, Tamara. The World is your Oyster. Illus. Emma SanCartier.  Vancouver: Simply Read Books, 2009. Print. It is never a bad thing to introduce children (and other language learners) to the many fascinating idioms, metaphors, and baffling expressions that are key to really understanding English. This nicely-illustrated book strings together twenty-two such sayings, the second half giving feel-good and inspirational sayings to overcome the “feel-bad” descriptions in the first half. A few examples, however, left me scratching my head. “Some days your world is raining cats and dogs” implies in this story that the world is conspiring against you, or you are overwhelmed by the demands of the world, rather than the more common, simpler interpretation of an extremely heavy rainstorm (although, I suppose, such rain might thwart your long-anticipated plans to play outside). Another example is feeling like you want to “throw yourself to the lions;” I always thought other people were thrown to the lions. Another quibble with this book is that the extremely literal illustrations do nothing to help illuminate the real meanings of the idioms. A picture of a cute little kitty-cat yanking out a boy’s tongue might be humorous, but says nothing about being at a loss for words. The image of a child and a bull stomping on china plates implies purposeful destruction and anger rather than just being clumsy, gauche, or inconsiderate. The sayings are important and the artwork is first-rate, but without further explanation, someone unfamiliar with the sayings might be “led down the garden path.” Recommendation: 2 out of 4 starsReviewer: David SulzDavid is a librarian at the University of Alberta working mostly with scholars in Economics, Religious Studies, and Social Work. His university studies included: Library Studies, History, Elementary Education, Japanese, and Economics. On the education front, he taught various grades and subjects for several years in schools as well as museums. His interest in Japan and things Japanese stands above his other diverse interests.

scholarly journals Cat Comes Too by H. Hutchins and Dog Comes Too by same author

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Banski
Keyword(s):  
World View ◽  
Children’S Literature ◽  
Beginning Readers ◽  
Entire Body ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Line Drawings ◽  
Word Play ◽  
The World ◽  
The University ◽  
Selection Of

Hutchins, Hazel.  Cat Comes Too. Illus. Gosia Mosz.   Toronto: Annick Press, 2013._____________  Dog Comes Too.  Toronto: Annick Press, 2013.Nicely sized for children’s hands, these two little board books should delight both pre-schoolers and beginning readers. Their story lines are simple and humorous.In the first, a curious kitten follows a pair of human feet (the entire body is never revealed but seems feminine) up the stairs to the attic and, there, has a fine frolic amidst the storage.  In the second, a puppy follows a heavy-booted pair of legs (gender unclear) on an outdoor hike that proves challenging, but not impossible, for the small canine striver.Gosia Mosz’s colorful line drawings give us, simultaneously, both the world view of each young pet and a sense of its indomitable personality.  With very few words, and a vocabulary level well within the range of most three- to six-year-olds, Hazel Hutchins produces a delightful amount of word play, particularly in Dog Comes Too:            “Too far                        Too hot            Too tired, pup?                        Big rest             Two friends                        To the top             Together”   (Dog…pp.15-19)(For the children who read this book, a formal lesson on homonyms may come years later, if at all; no matter. They will have internalized the concept, anyway.)In these works, Hutchins and Mosz demonstrate the features of good composition for the very young: simple plotlines; recognizable settings; text that is readily memorized, then read; illustrations that are wedded to the text; characters that are lovable; and a viewpoint not unlike their own--all this and witty wording, too.  Brilliant.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer:  Leslie AitkenLeslie Aitken’s long career in librarianship involved selection of children’s literature for school, public, special, and university collections.  She is a former Curriculum Librarian at the University of Alberta.

scholarly journals Bug in a Vacuum by M. Watt

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanne Pearce
Keyword(s):  
Public Service ◽  
Graphic Design ◽  
Support Staff ◽  
Unexpected Event ◽  
Entire Life ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Complex Emotions ◽  
The World ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The University

Watt, Mélanie. Bug in a Vacuum. Toronto, Ontario: Tundra Books, 2015. Print.“It was on top of the world when it happened. Its entire life changed with the switch of a button.” – So begins Bug in a Vacuum, a fun yet serious exploration of the range of emotions one can feel when coping with an unexpected event. A bug’s life is suddenly interrupted when it is sucked up into a vacuum while flying about a house. Tossed and turned, it awakes inside the vacuum and becomes aware of its confinement.  As the bug comes to terms with his predicament, it undergoes an emotional journey of denial, bargaining, anger, despair and acceptance. Interlaced between the bug’s journey, a small dog undergoes the same emotions as it copes with the loss of a toy that was also sucked up by the vacuum.Watt, who is well known for her work on the Scaredy Squirrel series, has truly achieved a golden mean with Bug in a Vacuum. The story is simple and yet deals with very complex emotions. It would be an excellent way to broach the subject of coping and emotions with children, especially those confronting a loss or change. Children can laugh at the bug’s struggles but then also relate to them. The text flows at a good pace, while the illustrations draw you in to explore extra details.The artwork of Bug in Vacuum is particularly unique in that it uses mixed media. The colors are muted and earthy in quality. The textures of furniture, carpets and the interior of the vacuum contrast against the glossy super-large eyes of both the bug and his canine companion. The mixture of artistic and digital textures creates a visually stimulating story of its own, that the reader will want to revisit.With such an excellent narrative and engaging illustrations Bug in Vacuum is bound to become a favorite of children and adults alike.Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Hanne PearceHanne Pearce has worked at the University of Alberta Libraries in various support staff positions since 2004 and is currently a Public Service Librarian at the HT Coutts Education and Physical Education Library. Aside from being an avid reader she has continuing interests in writing, photography, graphic design and knitting.

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