Cooperation. (Values). Kimberley Jane Pryor. Collingwood, ON: Saunders Book Co., 2009. 32 pp., pbk. & hc., $10.95 (pbk.), $18.95 (hc.). ISBN 978-1-926722-16-0 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-4202-1871-8 (hc.). Subject Heading: Cooperation-Juvenile literature. Helping behaviour-Juvenile literature. Grades 1-3 / Ages 6-8. Review by Rosemary Hollett. ** /4

	Respect. (Values). Kimberley Jane Pryor. Collingwood, ON: Saunders Book Co., 2009. 32 pp., pbk. & hc., $10.95 (pbk.), $18.95 (hc.). ISBN 978-1-926722-19-1 (pbk.), Subject Heading: Respect-Juvenile literature. Grades 1-3 / Ages 6-8. Review by Rosemary Hollett. ** /4

excerpt:

Values are the things you believe in. They guide the way:

* you think

*you speak

*you behave

Values help you to decide what is right and what is wrong. They also help you to live your life in a meaningful way.

Author Kimberley Jane Pryor has written a series of books on values for children. These small well-developed books, suitable for the very young, provide simple definitions of values. There are four titles in the series, Respect, Cooperation, Honesty and Tolerance. Two are reviewed here. Each value is explained straightforwardly with examples of how it can be practiced in everyday living.

     In Cooperation, the author presents six basic ways to cooperate with family, friends and neighbours. These ways include working with others, sharing, and solving problems. In Respect, Pryor highlights six basic ways to show respect for family, friends and neighbours. Examples are being considerate, accepting differences and respecting older people.

     Each of the books follows a similar format and contains 32 pages with large print text. At the beginning of the book, there is a table of contents listing eight chapters. A double page spread covers each chapter and examples. The text is brief, simple and direct. Large, bright, captioned photographs reveal children in typical situations - at school, at play and at home. The text and the photos relate to each other quite well and demonstrate the behaviours as suggested.

     At the end of the book, there is a glossary of words that were bolded in the text as well as an index.

     A teacher or parent could use this series directly with very young children or as a starting point for discussion with slightly older students.

     As a librarian, however, I would hesitate to purchase the series. Books that firstly foster a love of reading and secondly teach values are a better fit for our collection. The advice - show, don’t tell - holds true. I would convey the same messages with titles such as Frog and Toad by Lobel and Stone Soup by Brown.

Recommended with reservations.

Rosemary Hollett is a teacher-librarian at St. Emile School in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

 

NEXT REVIEW | TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - January 29, 2010.

AUTHORS | TITLES | MEDIA REVIEWS | PROFILES | BACK ISSUES | SEARCH | CMARCHIVE | HOME