After Hamelin

by Bill Richardson

    The town of Hamelin had finally gotten rid of the rats which infested the whole town. The Pied Piper had gotten rid of them by magically leading them away with music that could not be heard by humans. But the townspeople decided not to pay him his requested fee. So one day the Pied Piper came back, and all the children in the town went away dancing to his music, except two – Penelope and Alloway. Penelope is now 101 years old and recalls the morning of her eleventh birthday. This is the day on which she is to be told about her special gift, by a wise old man named Cuthbert. But 11-year-old Penelope wakes up suddenly deaf, on that fateful day when the Pied Piper returns. So she does not get lured away by the Pied Piper's music, and neither does a blind harpist boy named Alloway.

She is given a charge by Cuthbert to go and find out what happened to the children of Hamelin and rescue them if she can. She is sent on her mission by going into a state called "Deep Dreaming." Accompanying her is Scally (her old cat who can suddenly talk). In her Deep Dreaming, she finds other companions, a Trolavian (a singing, flying, cold weather creature), and a boy dragon called Quentin (a nervous, but great skip rope jumper).

The world that Penelope finds herself in is filled with strange creatures and even stranger adventures. And scattered throughout the book, skip rope rhymes and nonsense chants advance the story. There are many creative writing opportunities which can arise from this story. What did the children, other than Penelope and Alloway, remember about the events following the Pied Piper's alluring tune? Describe Penelope's life after the book ends , and before she reached the age of 101 years old. Readers might find it interesting to collect the skipping rope rhymes and chants used today, and compare them with the ones their parents sang or chanted.

A fantasy book that is bound to stir the reader's imagination, and recommended for grades 5-7.

Animals Eating: How animals chomp, Chew, Slurp and Swallow.

By Pamela Hickman, Illustrated by Pat Stephens.

Animals Eating is a well illustrated and fact filled book that will be enjoyed by young animal lovers of all ages. This book deals with all kinds of animals including omnivores, herbivores and carnivores. The reader is not only informed about what various animals eat but details are given about their special eating adaptations and the amounts they must eat to remain alive.

Detailed facts about many interesting animals are presented in this fabulous book. Some examples are: the blue whale drinking more than 200 liters of mother’s milk per day; the tongue of a giraffe being covered by a natural sunscreen to protect it from the hot sun; the bison using its large, flat nose as a snowplough to uncover grass during the winter; the longtail weasel eating half of its body weight in food each day; and the turkey vulture sometimes eating so much at one time that it become too heavy to fly.

Full colour illustrations on each page work with the text to emphasize each animal’s adaptation to its environment. Some of these explanations include: the desert living elf owl only hunting at night when it is cooler; the snake having developed a way to unhinge its lower jaw so it can swallow prey bigger than its own head; and wolves learning to work together as a team to kill very large animals.

The author has also included a number of simple but effective demonstrations that students can create to mimic the ways different animals eat. Children can use simple materials to make a "Tongue Trapper" which simulates a frog’s tongue. They can build a model gizzard and see how a bird’s gizzard helps grind up seeds. Another demonstration shows how two different insects feed on liquids.

Animal lovers will love this book. Easy to understand facts, detailed illustrations and an index also make this book a useful research tool for young students.

The Bone Talker

by Shelley Leedahl.

    Have you ever flown over the prairies and wondered why the fields look like a quilt? Shelley Leedahl did and she wrote this story. And believe it or not, the first line, "Not so very long ago or far away lived an old woman whose life had wound down like a clock." came to her in a dream.

    Grandmother Bones spent all her days sitting in her rocking chair talking to her bones. The neighbours and people of the village tried many things to distract her. But it wasn’t until a small child brought her two pieces of cloth that Grandmother Bones’ interest was sparked and she started making a quilt. Neighbours and friends brought their memories in pieces of cloth for Grandmother Bones to make into her quilt. She outlived all her contemporaries and to this day when you fly above the prairies you can look down and see her quilt.

    This is a beautifully written book, full of metaphor and rich, vivid language. It is a delight to read aloud or on one’s own. The language communicates magnificent pictures. Ms. Leedahl’s exquisite words are enhanced by Bill Slavin’s illustrations. Together they explore the spark of creativity and the power of community.

    This should lead to classroom projects: writing "pour quoi" tales, discussions of community, unique talents and the contribution elderly members make to our communities.

The Book of You: The Science – and Fun! – of Why You Look, Feel, and Act the Way You Do.

By Sylvia Funston

Illustrations by Susanna Denti

Photographs by Gilbert Duclos

    What makes each human unique? The Book of You focuses on the way individuals look, feel and act. The book is presented in three sections: "How You Look", "What You Do" and "How You Think and Feel".

    In the "How You Look" section the author does an excellent job of explaining scientific information about such topics as growth, DNA and fingerprints in understandable terms. One of many interesting activities is the chart and formula that allows children to calculate their adult height. Other activities include an exercise that is designed to test and improve reflexes.

    The "What You Do" section deals with astrology, numerology, the study of handwriting, left and right handedness and body language. A chart is included that helps explain how birth order might affect personality. Other charts include an astrology star chart and a chart on how to analyze handwriting.

    The "How You Think and Feel" section touches on intelligence quotient, emotional quotient, senses, dreams and memory. An interesting activity suggests how to improve part of your emotional quotient. Other activities deal with memory and how boys and girls think differently.

    Children will enjoy the information that is presented in this book, the many fun activities and the little quizzes that may tell them something unique about themselves. Information is presented in short, easy to understand paragraphs that are supported by lots of illustrations and photographs.

The Bully Boys

By Eric Walters

    This action packed story is based on the real adventures of Lieutenant James FitzGibbon, a great Canadian hero. "The difference between a brave man and a coward is not how he feels but what he does despite those feelings."

    America has declared war on Britian and this historical story opens in the summer of 1813 and is set in the Niagara valley of what would now be Ontario. There are only a few soldiers loyal to the King still fighting in this area, one of them is James FitzGibbon, leader of the Green Tigers, mounted men called "The Bully Boys", who are feared by the Americans.

    Tom Roberts, who is 14 and too young to fight in the war, meets the legendary FitzGibbon in a chance encounter at the local general store, when FitzGibbon comes to the aid of the elderly owner. Tom clubs an American soldier over the head, an event that thrusts Tom into the middle of the war. For Tom’s protection he is asked to spend some time with "The Bully Boys". Almost immediately Tom is recruited as a guide into American territory on a planned raid for some supplies. Tom quickly learns the horrors of war and the honour that comes with fighting for a cause you support with all your heart.

    Teachers, this is a book that will give some life to Canadian history.

Charlie Wilcox

By Sharon E. McKay

Charlie Wilcox is born weighing only 2 pounds and with a club foot. He is the son of a highly respected sailing captain and sealer from Brigus, Newfoundland. When Charlie is 14 he is sent to St. John’s General Hospital to have his club foot repaired. The operation is a success and Charlie hopes that he will be able to follow the family tradition and become a sailor and even hunt seals on the ice flows. However, his mother and father have other ideas and send him off to a school in St. John’s to get a good education.

Charlie is determined to prove his parents wrong and hopes to make them proud. He stows away on a ship that he thinks is headed for the seal hunt. After the ship sails he discovers the truth – he is actually on board a troop ship bound for the First World War.

Unable to find a way back to Newfoundland from Europe he sets out to find a young Red Cross nurse that cared for him in the hospital. He volunteers to work as a medic and eventually finds the nurse. During his search he is exposed to the horror and heroism of war, especially when he is conscripted to be a stretcher bearer during the Battle of Beaumont Hamel.

Charlie Wilcox is a well-researched historical fiction novel. Sharon McKay brings Charlie to life in the details of the story setting, the excellent characterization and the grim reality of the life of soldiers during World War I. This is a book that will hold the attention of young readers until the very end.

Destination Gold!

by Julie Lawson

    When news of the gold discovery in the Yukon reached Victoria in 1897,  sixteen-year-old Ned is eager to travel to the Klondike. His goal is to find enough gold to get his mother out of debt. After buying enough food and equipment for his "outfit", Ned is tearfully sent off by his widowed mother and his 12-year-old sister, Sarah. His trip by ship from Victoria to Skagway, B.C. is fairly uneventful, and Ned meets a friendly man named Montana Jim Daley. Skagway is the last town before the would-be prospectors would tackle the horrible White Pass Trail on foot. However, Montana is not the friendly person he first appeared to be, and things don't get better as he and many other people tackle the difficult climbing of the White Pass Trail, and then discover the realities of the gold rush awaiting them.

        Another main character in the book is Catherine, who is on the run after an altercation with a man. She stays in Victoria for a while to save enough money for an "outfit", by working as a seamstress. She is ultimately bound for the Klondike, to escape her troubled past. Meanwhile, Sarah and her mother wait anxiously for news of Ned. After hearing no news from him, Sarah sets out unwillingly to find her brother and find out what happened to him.

    Both Catherine and Sarah board the same steamboat for Skagway in 1989, and together with many other people tackle the Chilkoot Pass Trail to reach the Klondike. The trip is much more difficult than either girl ever imagined, but they eventually become friends through it all. Chapters in this book are alternately told by the three main characters in the story – Ned, Catherine, and Sarah – until their three paths cross. Each character provides different perspectives on the harsh journey they all take to the Klondike, to take part in the gold rush. This book is a product of extensive research on the part of the author, and is further supported by the addition of black-and-white photographs and maps of that time in Canadian history. This adventure-filled book will also be a helpful resource in describing the gold rush, as well as how rough and yet exciting life was in the Yukon near the end of the 20th century.

An exciting historical fiction book, recommended for grades 6-10.

Ellie’s New Home

By Becky Citra

    Ellie, a nine-year-old English girl, tells this 1835 pioneer story. Her mother is dead and she has been living in the home of her grandmother who is obviously quite well off. Her father decides to take Ellie and her little brother, Max, to Upper Canada to start a new life on a pioneer farm.

    Once they reach North America by ship they travel by wagon until they are near their new homestead. Father leaves the children with the Robertson family while he travels alone to find his land and build a cabin. Although the Robertson’s are kind, Ellie finds it very difficult to adapt to life on a very remote pioneer farm. At first she finds it impossible to be friends with Mary Robertson, who dislikes Ellie’s fine clothes and formal English manners.

    Ellie and Mary gradually become friends as they are forced to work together to overcome there difficult and harsh pioneer living conditions. As time goes on, Ellie becomes very concerned about her father and fears that he might never return for her and Max. When father does finally return he finds that Ellie has started to adapt to pioneer life.

Ellie’s New Home is an easy and enjoyable read for young readers who enjoy realistic chapter books.

IF YOU COULD WEAR MY SNEAKERS:

A Book About Children’s Rights

Secrets

Some things are for telling

Some things are for yelling

Some things are for whispering

To flowers or the sky

Other secrets wing their way

To light by and by

(Article 16: Children Have the Right to protection from interference, in privacy, family and home.)

 It is no secret that Sheree Fitch is an advocate for Children’s rights. She was asked by Unicef, the United Nations Children’s Fund to write these poems to heighten the awareness of the many different rights that Children have today. She has developed a wonderful collection of poems that interpret fifteen of the fifty-four articles of UNICEF. Each poem is fun to read and yet challenges one to understand the different rights that Children have. The 15 poems have catchy titles such as To Each A Home, The Stinky Truth and The Gnu-Ewe-Cockatoo-Emu All Are Welcome Crew. In each poem Fitch plays with the words in delightful, dynamic, deliberate ways while teaching the reader the importance of Children’s rights such as The right to a name and nationality, The right to protection from abuse, neglect and violence, and the Right to be Protected From War. The book concludes with a section that asks the Reader (Children) Do You Know Your Rights? And can you match the poem with the correct Right. Every Library should have this book and every child should read it or have it read to them. As quoted by Peter Gzowski in the forward of her book, "We should listen to her, she speaks for children everywhere."

Darcia Labrosse who uses animals to represent rights and therefore children illustrates the poems with colourful, bold, appealing pictures. The playfulness of the poems and illustrations combined with the message of Children’s rights make this powerful prose.

The Inuksuk Book

by Mary Wallace

    Inuit use stone structures called "inuksuit" (plural of "inuksuk") as ways of communicating with others. Inuksuk is defined as "a stone marker that acts in the place of a human being." There are many different kinds of inuksuit, each named something unique depending on their purpose. Some inuksuit are used to warn of dangerous places, to show where food is stored, to show where a significant event happened, and to help in hunting caribou. People are most familiar with the inuksuit that look like people, which are called "inunnguaq." Inuit built inuksuit very long ago, and they still stand as reminders of people long ago. But they are still being built today in the North.

    Illustrations comprise of old black-and-white photographs of the Inuit or inuksuk in olden days, and color photographs of the modern day North. Colourful silk paintings at the beginning of each chapter illustrate the different inuksuit. The Inuktitut words used in each chapter heading, and throughout the book, are clearly explained in the glossary at the back of the book.

    In the last chapter readers are encouraged to make their own "inunnguaq" or stone person. Clear, step-by-step instructions plus accompanying pictures show how to make your own inuksuk.

    Teachers will find this information book to be a very useful resource not only in talking about inuksuit, but also describing the life of the Inuit then and now. It will be a great addition to the study of an Inuit community in Grade 3 Social Studies, along with other books about Northern Canada, like "The very last first time" by Jan Andrews.

Recommended for grades 3-6.

Jungle Islands

By Maria Coffey with Debora Pearson

    This adventure book with plenty of beautiful photographs, will take you on an exciting trip around the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific Ocean – and it is all done in a kayak. The author and her husband snorkled in coral reefs, watched giant sea turtles dig their nests and lay eggs, swam with sharks, were the first white people many of the children had ever seen, slept in houses built on stilts, ate lots of island food and paddled among some of the most beautiful islands in the world.

    You will be interested to read about all the animals they see, such as giant bats, crocodiles, and a mudskipper fish which can leave the water and "walk" on it’s fins.

    Most of us will never get to dip a paddle in the ocean as we kayak between tropical islands – this book is the next best thing and makes you feel like you are there.

The Keeper and the Crows

By Andrea Spalding

The Keeper and the Crows is a fantasy adventure. Misha’s rather mysterious Aunt Dora has moved to an old cottage located in a very historic town named Belfountain, Ontariio. During her first visit with her aunt at her new home Misha discovers that a flock of local crows are showing a very strange interest in her aunt and her house. The crows even seem to be listening whenever Misha and her aunt talk.

Before long Misha becomes part of her aunt’s secret world. She learns that her aunt is the Keeper of an ancient box of great power. The crows have managed to gain possession of one of the keys that can open the box and allow them to control the power the box holds.

The crows won’t let Dora out of their sight.

Looking for X

by Deborah Ellis.

    Who would be your friends if you lived in a rundown, poor neighbourhood, your dad was long gone, your mother used to be a stripper and your twin brothers had the severe disability of autism? Needless-to-say 11 year old Khyber (a name she has chosen for herself, after the Khyber Pass – "a wild and dangerous place, full of bandits and history") has trouble making friends. In the story she befriends a homeless woman, "X", a group of female Elvis impersonators, and a loud demanding waitress.

    Khyber starts telling her story by introducing us to her loving family, her mother Tammy and her brothers David and Daniel. She is a devoted big sister, taking on many responsibilities to help her mother raise the twins. Her friend "X" spends time in the park across the street from Khyber’s apartment building. And in spite of barely having enough food for herself and her family, Khyber takes peanut butter and corn syrup sandwiches to her.

    Khyber’s predictable world is shattered when a social worker makes a recommendation for the care of the twins. She gets into trouble at school and in order to clear herself, she must find her friend "X".

This book is the winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award. It makes us think about what makes a loving family, and how we define friendship and happiness.

Lucy Maud Montgomery – A Writer’s Life

By Elizabeth MacLeod

    An invitation to tea on a spring afternoon with Lucy Maud Montgomery to discuss her life, and how her beloved Anne was created, would be ideal for any fan of the Anne of Green Gables series. Unfortunately, this prolific author passed away in 1942. Fortunately, Lucy Maud Montgomery – A Writer’s Life, proves to be the next best thing.

    Written by Elizabeth MacLeod, the book is divided into sixteen sections, most of which focus on Lucy Maud Montgomery’s personal life. The reader is taken on a journey from Montgomery’s lonely childhood days while raised by her grandparents in Prince Edward Island, into her early attempts as a writer, through her teaching days, and finally onto her life as a wife and mother in Ontario.

    Her colourful life provided many real experiences that were incorporated into her writing, and which are the most interesting aspect of the book. We learn that Maud, as she preferred to be called, couldn’t stand to have her name spelled with an "e", and thus Anne is very particular about the spelling of her name. A red headed boy in Maud’s class inspired the colour of Anne’s tresses: and a neighbour’s house, of which she was always fond, had green gables. The famous story regarding the flavoured cake as served to the unsuspecting minister in Anne of Green Gables actually happened to Maud’s landlady, and Maud’s emptiness in never feeling as if she belonged in her own home, ensured Anne a good one.

    Each section of the book is full of photographs: of Maude at many ages, her home, the table at which she wrote, her typewriter which could not type the letter "w", the men who courted her, her husband, her children, and even a stamp in her honour, to name a few. The last section gives the reader a timeline of her life, a list of all of her books, as well as museums and web sites to visit to learn more about her.

    Lucy Maud Montgomery – A Writer’s Life is an informative read, about and interesting lady, who created a character loved the world over!

Make-a-Saurus

by Brian Cooley and Mary Ann Wilson

    Make-a-Saurus is an incredibly interesting and beautifully illustrated book that will be the "prize" of any dinosaur enthusiast – young or old! The authors – a husband and wife duo – Brian Cooley and Mary Ann Wilson – who, actually, have built countless dinosaur sculptures – including the ones that grace the entrance to the Royal Tyrrell in Drumheller – have written one of the neatest how-to dinosaur books of our time. Their step-by-step process is simple to follow, even for a creatively challenged adult …so, it’s a sap for kids! I was lucky enough to have taken their dino-sculpting course, so, I can speak with some authority.

    The first half of the text takes you on a detailed "make" of a Sinornithosaurus – a birdlike dinosaur that Cooley constructs for the National geographic Magazine. He gives a detailed account of where and how the original bird-reptile lived. Actual photographs of the preserved fossils and all the steps to preparation of the model, make this a fascinating and colorful book. In the second half, he shares such details as selecting actual feathers from dead birds; making teeth from a hair comb; giving skin texture by sprinkling poppy seeds over glue - smeared plaster bandages. These and other unique techniques are described with full color photos. After reading this book, you will find it hard to resist going down to your local craft store to purchase the materials they list and rolling-up your sleeves and getting covered in plaster or papier mache paste. Enjoy – the end results are terrific (trust me).

    Dinosaur lovers will revel in this book. Easy to understand instructions, augmented with real photos of children actually constructing their own models, coupled with an index make this book a useful research and how to do tool for students of any age.

The Mystery of Ireland’s Eye

By Shane Peacock

    This realistic adventure/mystery story has a twelve year old main character named Dylan Maples. His parents are planning a somewhat risky trip by kayak to Ireland’s Eye, a deserted island off the coast of Newfoundland. Dylan has a strange feeling that he must accompany his parents on this adventure. To prove that he is capable he begins taking swimming lessons to develop strength and endurance, becomes a responsible team player on his hockey team and works hard to improve his school grades. His parents are impressed and agree to take him on their trip.

    Before leaving Newfoundland they encounter an old fisherman who warns Dylan that Ireland’s Eye is very dangerous, a foreshadowing of the perils and mysteries, Dylan and his family will soon face. The kayak trip is a terrifying experience with encounters involving whales and quickly changing weather conditions that test the strength and endurance of Dylan and his parents.

    Once they arrive on the island they begin to explore the deserted town that was once a fishing port. Dylan encounters a number of mysterious events that scare him. These events include a burning cigarette, his own name carved into an old school desk, figures that quickly appear and disappear in windows of abandoned houses and even the ghost of a long dead boy. Dylan discovers that a gang of smugglers that are trying to scare the family off the island are creating most of these weird happenings. Dylan helps capture the smugglers in a series of exciting and dangerous happenings.

Pier 21 : Gateway of Hope

by Linda Granfield.

    You packed everything you can carry, left your home, sailed for days on the sea and finally arrived in Canada. This was the beginning of life in a new home. Some knew the language, some didn’t. Some came with money, some didn’t. Some came to be with family, some came on their own. What was their first Canadian experience like?

    For more than one million immigrants their first Canadian experience took place in Pier 21, a dusty warehouse filled with people from lands across the sea. Between 1928 and 1971 these immigrants passed through this port of entry, hoping to make a new life for themselves and their families in Canada. During the Second World War troops left for military service and returned home. Children from Britain evacuated from their war torn towns, war brides and their children, and prisoners of war entered Canada through these halls. If the walls could talk…

    If the walls could talk, they would tell the stories Linda Granfield relates in Pier 21 : Gateway of Hope. Photographs, stories, history and copies of historical documents blend together to illustrate the drama, hope, fright, and exhilaration that characterized the first experiences of immigrants to Canada.

    This is a great look at Canadian history, but it is also a great read for reading sake. This title will be an outstanding resource for classroom discussions of many topics including: Heritage Month, Canada Day, immigration and general Canadian history and social studies classes.

TOPHER

by ANITA HORROCKS

"But it’s true! I’ve been here before. At this cabin! I know the lake and the beach and the cove and…….and everything."

The passion in his sister’s voice unsettled Chris. He realized that Staci actually believed what she was saying. She didn’t think that she was telling stories at all. Did that make her crazy or something?

Seven-year-old Staci and her thirteen-year-old brother Chris, go on summer holidays with their father to Christopher Lake, in Northern Saskatchewan. Their father has reluctantly returned to the family cabin to prepare to sell it. It has been in the family for years but the kid’s father, Liam has not been there since childhood when his brother, Topher mysteriously drowned. Liam feels responsible somehow for his brother’s death and is anxious to restore the cabin, sell it, and leave the painful memories behind. Staci and Chris have different plans. They want to prevent the sale and help their father deal with the guilt by uncovering the truth of what happened to Topher some 30 years before.

Stacie’s memories of things that happened at the Lake well before her time and the strange behavior of her father keep the reader turning the pages. When Stacie starts to hear Topher’s voice in her dreams, the reader is engaged and will keep turning the pages to unravel the mystery of TOPHER!

This is a suspenseful story for children in Grades 5 to 7, particularly boys. Lethbridge author, Anita Horrocks gives mystery fans a good, solid, stimulating read!

(On a personal note: Anita Horrocks paints an accurate and memorable picture of Christopher Lake, a place where I spent many summers as a child.)

White Lily

By Ting-xing Ye

    At her birth she was thought to be the purest among the pure and the finest among the best, like a precious flower; and so she was named White Lily. Her father could barely conceal his disappointment that the new baby was not a boy. And this would appear to be White Lily’s fate throughout her life, always to be second best to the males in her world as was the Chinese custom in those days.

    At the age of four a brutal custom is inflicted upon White Lily which is meant to seal her fate in the world, but White Lily has her own plans and dreams for what her future should hold.

    This is a story of how indomitable spirit and determination can win out over centuries of tradition.

    Teachers, this is a great story to read aloud as it is wonderfully descriptive, not too long and of course makes a very important moral point, one that could lead to a wonderful class discussion.

You Asked for It! Strange But True Answers to 99 Wacky Questions.

By Marg Meikle

    Did you know that Canadians eat 245, 000 boxes of Kraft Dinner every day? This is only one of the many interesting, entertaining and educational facts revealed in You Asked for It! This is the second trivia book that Marg Meikle, who was The Answer Lady on CBC Radio’s The Gabereau Show, has written especially for kids. Most of the questions answered in You Asked for It! were emailed to the author by kids who read her first book Funny You Should Ask. Many entries give the name, town and country of the person who sent in the question.

    Anyone who is a trivia lover will enjoy this book. The answers to the questions are delivered in a straightforward fashion and often with a bit of humour added. The answers also contain many interesting facts on related topics sometimes including a recipe or joke.

    Topics include animals, underwear, weather, inventions, superstitions and sports to name just a few. An excellent section on holidays explains a variety of interesting facts about Halloween, Christmas and Easter. Readers will be interested in finding out who invented the first video game or how to figure out the weight of their heads. They will find out how WD-40 was named and the surprising reason of how chicken pox got its name.

    You Asked For It! is a great book to read aloud. It can be read in bits and pieces and in any order. This book would be a wonderful read for a family to enjoy together while on vacation. The inclusion of an index makes it easy to find information. The inside back cover of the book tells readers how to submit questions that may be answered in future books by the author.