The Dark.
Shoot for the Moon, Robyn.
The Divide.
Welcome to the World of Bears.
Welcome to the World of Otters.
NBA by the Numbers.
Spirit of the Dragon: The Story of Jean Lumb, A Proud
Chinese-Canadian.
The Runaways.
One Thing That's True.
A Farley Mowat Reader.
Robert Munsch. Illustrated by Michael Martchenko.
Toronto, ON: Annick Press, 1997.
32pp., cloth, $15.95.
ISBN 1-55037-451-6.
Grades preschool - 2 / Ages 4 - 7.
Review by Dave Jenkinson.
**** /4
excerpt:
Jule Ann came thump, thump, thump, thump down the stairs to eat breakfast. There was a cookie jar on the table. She turned it upside down, but nothing came out.In the children's lit. world, the linkage between Robert Munsch and illustrator Michael Martchenko is virtually automatic. However, Munsch's first two books, The Dark and Mud Puddle, both published in 1979, were illustrated by Sami Suomalainen, and it wasn't until Munsch's 1980 book, The Paper Bag Princess that the creative duo of Munsch and Martchenko began. While it is most unusual for fiction to have "revised" editions, Munsch's texts are but the static form of an ever changing dynamic, his storytelling. Consequently, over time, the printed version can depart from what children are hearing when Munsch tells the story to a live audience. Dwindling stock and the need for reprinting provide publisher and author with an occasion to make modifications, and, in the case of The Dark, the opportunity to change illustrators.She pounded on the bottom, but still nothing cam out. She held it up and looked in.
A small dark thing fell out, bounced on her nose - boing - and bounced across the table - boing, boing, boing, boing. [1984 edition]
When Jule Ann came down the stairs for breakfast, there was a big cookie jar on the kitchen table. She turned it upside down, but nothing came out.
So she hit the bottom of the jar, whap, whap, whap, whap; and still nothing came out. Finally she held the jar up over her head and looked in it.
A small dark lump fell out, bounced on her nose and rolled across the table. [1997 edition]
Most readers likely know the story of the little girl, Jule Ann, who accidentally releases the shadow-eating dark. As the dark consumes more shadows, its size increases until it blocks out all light. A clever Jule Ann, however, finds a way to trap the benign monster. In the 1997 version, the basic story remains unchanged, but Munsch adds greatly to the dark's personification simply by transforming it into a proper name, i.e. the Dark. Some few sentences are deleted while others are combined into longer, more effective ones. The biggest alteration in the text occurs through Martchenko's using his own page breaks. As a consequence, the book shrinks from 28 to 24 pages. While Suomalainen boxed both Munsch's text and his own illustrations, Martchenko utilizes the entire page as well as four double-page spreads for his cartoon-like, action-filled illustrations. The overall result is that the 1997 version seems to be faster, brighter and more lively while offering much more for the eye.
School and public libraries will want to add the new version of The Dark to their collections, but they should not discard the original Suomalainen-illustrated rendition for language arts and art classes could be enlivened through a comparison of the two editions.
Highly recommended.
Dave Jenkinson teaches courses in children's and YA lit. in the Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba.
Hazel Hutchins. Illustrated by Yvonne Cathcart.
Halifax, NS: Formac, 1997.
58 pp., paper, $5.95.
ISBN 0-88780-388-1 paper, ISBN 0-88780-389-X boards.
Grades 1 - 4 / Ages 5 - 9.
Review by Janice Foster.
**1/2 /4
excerpt:
"I stood beside you at the Christmas concert. You sing like a sick cow!" hooted Grant.Award-winning author Hazel Hutchins has written sixteen books for children.
Shoot for the Moon, Robyn, which is part of the "first Novel" series written by well-known Canadian authors for juveniles, is an easy-to-read work that is divided into ten chapters, each containing four to six pages. The large font and grade appropriate vocabulary will appeal to children making the transition from picturebooks to narrative text. The informal language, which includes expressions such as "tattletale: and 'the Three Twerps," adds to the book' appeal. Children in the targeted age range will also be able to identify with the characters and the situations in which they find themselves. The delightful, black and white cartoon drawings by Yvonne Cathcart add to the book's appeal to young readers.
For children who dream of becoming the world's best at something, Robyn the Dreamer will provide them with both inspiration and laughter as she aspires to be a singer like Celine Dion. In order to add variety to her "Music Appreciation" class and perhaps to help the teacher with three annoying boys who shoot spitballs, Robyn volunteers to sing for the class. However, she finds herself faced with two major problems. She can't practise at home because her singing will disturb the new, fretful twin babies in the next apartment and the only songs to which she knows all the words are Christmas carols and it's not Christmas.
While readers in the early years will be able to identify with Robyn, some of the incidents might not be familiar to their experience. For example, spitballs in the younger grades is not always a common occurrence, and yet this happening is an important plot incident. As well, reasons for Robyn's mixed feelings towards the twins might not be readily evident to younger readers. However, these story aspects can become excellent discussion points. In this way, Shoot for the Moon, Robyn invites adults to join in the reading so that transitional young readers can experience the enjoyment of sharing and discussing what they read with others.
Recommended.
Janice Foster is a teacher-librarian at Oakenwald Elementary School in Fort Garry School Division, Winnipeg, MB.
Michael Bedard. Illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully.
Toronto, ON: Tundra Books, 1997.
32pp., cloth, $17.99.
ISBN 0-88776-0407-X.
Grades 1 - 6 / Ages 6 - 11.
Review by Val Nielsen.
**** /4
In the last few years, there have been several memorable picture books published celebrating the unique beauty of the prairies. Jo Bannatyne Cugnet's A Prairie Alphabet (1995) and David Bouchard's If You're Not From the Prairie (1994) are just two outstanding examples of what could be on the way to becoming a genre all of its own. Michael Bedard's new picture book, The Divide, lovingly and lavishly illustrated by award-winning artist Emily Arnold McCully, falls neatly into such a genre. It is the story of nine-year-old Willa Cather who, in 1883, moves with her family from the wooded hills of her beloved Vermont home to the barren and inhospitable flat lands of Nebraska. At first, Willa is repelled by her new environment. She sits on her bed surrounded by the treasures she has brought from her old home... "A music box, a scrapbook of cloth, a few books and seashells - memories. She would not put them out; she could not stay. No one could live in such a place." Slowly, however, with the arrival of spring, the landscape comes to life. During the long, hot summer that follows, Willa begins to explore her surroundings on the back of her pony. She discovers a pond where ducks come, a solitary elm beneath which she sits to watch a hawk turn circles in a sky "... as bright as blue enamel." She meets her neighbours, settlers who are "...scattered like wildflowers in the low places on the land." and who love this strange harsh country. She begins to see the land with their eyes. "It seemed beautiful to her now, strong and still and free." Bedard's poetic language stimulates the inner eye of our imagination while McCully's delicate and richly-hued illustrations provide our outer eyes with a complementary visual feast. The Divide is a truly beautiful and soul-satisfying marriage of prose and pictures.
The connection between Willa Cather, as a writer, and her years on the Nebraska prairie is made clear by way of an "Afterword" in which the author tells readers that Cather's most famous novels were about the first settlers on the Divide; their courage, strength and devotion to the land. In The Divide, as in his previous picture book about Emily Dickinson, entitled Emily, Michael Bedard has given us a wonderful opportunity to interest young people in a great literary figure. Parents and teachers should find The Divide's lyrical text and poignant paintings a joy to share with children.
Highly recommended.
Valerie Nielsen is teacher-librarian at Bairdmore Elementary School in Winnipeg, MB.
Diane Swanson.
Vancouver, BC: Whitecap Books, 1997.
32 pp., paper, $6.95.
ISBN 1-55110-520-9
Grades 2 - 4 and up / Ages 5 - 9 and up.
Review by Janice Foster.
*** /4
Welcome to the World of Bears.
Diane Swanson.
Vancouver, BC: Whitecap Books, 1997.
32 pp., paper, $6.95.
ISBN 1-55110-519-5.
Grades 2 - 4 and up / Ages 5 - 9 and up.
Review by Janice Foster.
*** /4
excerpt:
"HOME IS WHERE THE TREES ARE - for most black bears and many grizzlies. But polar bears live on treeless sea coasts, islands and ice." Welcome to the World of Bears.Diane Swanson specializes in nature writing for children. Welcome to the World of Bears and Welcome to the World of Otters join her two previous series titles which dealt with wolves and whales. Swanson provides young readers with factual information about these amazing animals in a style that is both interesting and appealing. The accompanying captioned photographs provide further visual information."OODLES OF ENERGY BUNDLED IN FUR. That's what otters are. Although they swim and hunt for food each day, they have plenty of pep left for play." Welcome to the World of Otters.
The books share a common format. The table of contents lists seven similarly named chapters and an index. Every even-numbered page contains either a full or half-page coloured photograph. Each chapter also contains a teal blue text box with some unusual information under catchy headings such as "Toothy Tales" and "News Worth Smelling." The text font is large and easy to read with bold font being used for the captions. Chapters are four pages in length and provide information on the animal itself, its location and habitat, food, form of communication, babies and the young. In Welcome to the World of Bears, three types of bears are discussed: black bears, grizzlies and polar bears. Welcome to the World of Otters provides information on both river and sea otters.
Young readers will find both books equally appealing. The excellent photography captures a wealth of information about the topics discussed in the text. The bold font of the accompanying captions helps readers identify further information in the pictures. The text is written in a style which will hold children's interest and which connects with children's previous knowledge. For example, instead of simply listing the speed at which a grizzly can travel, Swanson states, "Grizzlies can run faster than cars are allowed to travel in towns." This approach enables young readers to obtain new information in a more applicable context. The added and, at times, unusual information included in the teal blue boxes adds further interest.
The brevity of the chapters, the spacing of the text and the vocabulary level enable both young readers and struggling older readers to obtain factual information on these animals with ease.
In summary, both of these titles are enjoyable, interesting information resources which will appeal to readers of varying ages and reading abilities.
Recommended.
Janice Foster is a teacher-librarian at Oakenwald Elementary School in Fort Garry School Division, Winnipeg, MB.
Bruce Brooks. Photographs from the National Basketball Association.
New York, NY: Scholastic Press, 1997. Distributed in Canada by Scholastic Canada.
32pp., cloth, $14.99.
ISBN 0-590-97578-1.
Grades 3 and up / Ages 8 and up.
Review by Dave Jenkinson.
* /4
excerpt:
1. Alert DribblerCounting books are usually thought of as the tools of the "early childhood" class where they can be used to introduce and reinforce number concepts. However, the focus of NBA by the Numbers is not the promotion of numbers, but basketball, specifically, professional basketball in the form of the National Basketball Association. In a series of double-page spreads, the book "counts" from 1 to 10 plus adds the remaining tens to 50. In most instances, the actual number only reflects the number of photos on the double page. For example, on "9 Slammin' Dunkers" two pages, readers will find a few lines of bland text and the more important collage of nine colour action photos of NBA players executing a slam dunk. Some of the numbers and photos make no sense whatsoever. "20 Sensational Shoes," for instance, has more than 20 shoes and less than 20 photos; "40 Frantic Fingers" offers far fewer than the promised digits should anyone actually still consider this to be a counting book. For the true NBA fan, the fact that none of the players in the photos are identified should not pose a problem; however, the less knowledgeable "reader" will have to use the cumbersome "Index of Key Players" found at the book's conclusion to identify the various athletes.For a basketball player, dribbling should become as natural as walking. The guards in the NBA never need to look at the ball to make sure it's under control. They have spent so much time dribbling - left and right - since childhood, that they FEEL the ball as it falls to the floor, bounces and comes back up, as if it were a part of their hands.
As a promotional piece for the NBA, NBA by the Numbers is excellent, but its usefulness within school and public libraries is highly questionable. Perhaps non-motivated readers might be enticed to pick it up, but older non-readers will be deterred by the book's "babyish" picturebook format. Beyond the bright action photos, readers will gain few insights into the sport. In short, more glitter than substance.
Not recommended.
Once upon a time, Dave Jenkinson, who now teaches children's and YA literature in the Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba, was the coach of a high school girls basketball team.
Arlene Chan.
Toronto, ON: Umbrella Press, 1997.
32pp., paper, $7.95.
ISBN 1-895642-24-8.
Grades 4 - 9 / Ages 10 - 15.
Review by Joan Payzant.
*** /4
excerpt:
At the age of 12, although she loved school, Jean had to quit to work in her father's fruit store to help support the family. In those days, there was no law about staying in school. Looking back, Jean says, "Father took me out of school to work so Robert, my older brother, could go on in school." She feels very proud of this sacrifice because her brother later graduated from university as an aeronautical engineer.The author of Spirit of the Dragon is Arlene Chan, a librarian and daughter of Jean Lumb, the subject of this biography. Jean's story is reminiscent of an Horatio Alger tale, but, in this case, success comes to a young Chinese-Canadian girl in spite of many drawbacks. One of a family of 12, Jean was brought up during the Depression and the Second World War. At age 12, she was taken out of school to work with her father, but at night he taught her, using her brother's text books. She went on to establish her own business, entered an arranged marriage, and, with her husband, opened a well-known Chinese restaurant in Toronto, the Kwong Chow. The couple worked very hard to make their restaurant a success, but Jean still devoted much time to her six children. To give them many advantages she, herself, had been denied, Jean became a Christian so that her children could attend Sunday School and join the Boy Scouts or Girl Guides.
Jean was the only woman who went with a Chinese delegation to Ottawa in 1957 to meet with Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. The objective was to persuade him to have the Exclusion Act of 1923 changed. She sat next to Mr. Diefenbaker and helped to make it clear to him exactly how they wished it to be changed. From that day on, writes the author, "Jean became known as the unofficial spokesperson for the Chinese community."
Spirit of the Dragon is well-illustrated with photographs of Jean Lumb in the company of her family and important people in her life, including John Diefenbaker, Queen Elizabeth, Governors General Roland Michener and Jules Leger, plus Lieutenant Governors of Ontario, Pauline McGibbon and Hal Jackman. A concluding section, as well as listing Jean's extensive accomplishments and awards, cites sources of more information about her and other Chinese-Canadians. An index is also included.
Recommended.
Joan Payzant is a retired teacher and teacher-librarian living in Dartmouth, N.S.
Kristin Butcher.
Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 1997.
168 pp., cloth, $16.95.
ISBN 1-55074-413-5.
Grades 5 - 8 / Ages 10 - 13.
Review by Darleen Golke.
*** /4
excerpt:
According to my research, the streets are the only place the poor can go. The poor, Mom. More than anybody else, that's who's out there. And being poor doesn't mean they're into drugs or crime. It means they can't find work. It means they're sick. It means they have no one to take care of them. It means they're hungry. The streets are all they have.When I started this report I wondered how people ended up on the street. I thought they were probably just too lazy to work. But that can't be right, because the people on the streets have to work all the time just to stay alive. You know where they live? In bug-infested apartments, maybe - if they're lucky enough to be on welfare. In abandoned cars, tents, cardboard boxes that fridges come in. The rest have to settle for even less--a bus shelter or a piece of sidewalk near a heating vent.
Butcher's first novel focuses attention on the plight of the homeless as it traces 12-year old Nick Battle's experiences. When Mom and Cole Armstrong, her new husband, tell Nick she is pregnant, he reacts by running away. In full flight, he collides with Luther, one of Andersonville's homeless. That night Nick shelters in the deserted McIntyre mansion only to discover that it is Luther's base. When the police arrive the next morning, Nick surrenders quietly to avoid revealing Luther's presence.
At home Nick reluctantly tries to get along with Mom and Cole. At school Nick decides to focus on the homeless for a research project after spending several Saturdays with Luther and becoming increasingly intrigued by his mixture of gruffness, intelligence, and humour. Mom, however, refuses to allow Nick to do in-person-on-the-street research, only relenting when Cole volunteers to accompany Nick. Most of the street people refuse to speak with Nick, with the exception of a pathetic but frightening old man who threatens Nick and forces him to flee.
Becoming obsessed with finding out more about Luther, Nick snoops in Luther's belongings and uncovers some personal information. Only when Nick and Mom sort through some of Nick's books and toys does he realize that "Luther the bum" is actually Luther St. Cyr, one of Nick's favorite children's authors who fled his identity after a tragic accident that claimed his wife and son. Nick's confronting Luther with his discovery precipitates Luther's running away. Happily, with Cole's help and Luther's change of heart, Nick's world settles back to normal.
Butcher has presented a likable set of characters in this first novel. The dialogue between Nick and Luther is especially well-developed and effective. The plot moves along smoothly and briskly. Nick's "battles" with Cole's presence in his life, with Mom's pregnancy, and with his growing awareness of social issues, like homelessness, are resolved and everyone, we assume, lives happily ever after. Lurking beneath the surface of this coming of age story, however, are questions about the perils of running away, the harsh realities of life on the streets, and the emotional pain of adjusting to family changes.
Recommended.
Darleen Golke is a teacher-librarian at Fort Richmond Collegiate in Winnipeg, MB.
Cheryl Foggo.
Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 1997.
128 pp., cloth, $16.95.
ISBN 1-55074-411-9.
Grades 5 and up / Ages 10 and up.
Review by Darleen Golke.
**** /4
excerpt:
I used to think of the universe as a thing that hangs static in the sky, like a photograph, but that was when I was very young and the stars had color. Now I know the earth whirls and so does everything else. It's like a dance that looks complicated the first time you see it, but isn't. Everything knows where it's supposed to go next.About to graduate from R. W. Douglas Junior High School in Calgary, Roxanne Jacob finds herself the target of a high school molester. Her older brother, Joel, defends her, but the fight triggers a series of events that substantially impacts on Roxanne's summer.I've learned one thing that's true this summer, which I'll try not to forget. Things can change and you can think you're lost. But you can find your way again. You can still end up where you're supposed to be.
Jacob family tensions simmer especially after the parents take Joel to see a psychologist. Emotionally, Roxanne roller coasts through the early summer. She must deal with the police, with her choices and their consequences, with friendship conflicts, and with growing family unease. The parents finally drive Joel and Roxanne to their grandparent's farm where they tell the children the truth about Joel's adoption. Joel's birth father, recently released from jail, has requested a custody hearing that precipitated the strain in a family that previously had operated smoothly. Joel reacts to the startling revelation by running away.
Back in town, Roxanne frantically tries to decide where Joel might have gone. In the process, however, she quarrels with her best friend and confidant, Laura. With the help of Michael, Joel's friend, to whom she is strongly attracted, Roxanne finally contacts Joel and persuades him to return home. After the drama of the summer, Roxanne is ready for the structure of high school.
Roxanne tells the story of her summer in first person with plenty of realistic dialogue especially in the sequences with Joel. Roxanne's observations of events and people are alternately humorous, sensitive, ironical, and clear-sighted. Although the Jacob family is Black living in a primarily white community, the story is not about racism but about Roxanne's coming of age. Joel and the supporting teenage characters, Laura and Michael, are also well-drawn and appealing. Foggo has effectively captured the ups and downs of adolescence in this well-paced first novel.
Note: One Thing That's True has been shortlisted for the 1997 Governor General's Award in the Children's Literature - Text category.
Highly recommended.
Darleen Golke is a teacher-librarian at Fort Richmond Collegiate in Winnipeg.
Edited by Wendy Thomas. Illustrated by Richard Row.
Toronto, ON: Key Porter, l997.
192pp., cloth, $26.95.
ISBN 1-55013-899-5
Grades 6 - 10 / Ages 11 - 15.
Review by Jennifer Johnson.
*** /4
excerpt:
During his first few weeks with us Mutt astonished us all by his maturity of outlook. He never really was a puppy, at least not after he came to us. Perhaps the ordeal with the ducks had aged him prematurely; perhaps he was simply born adult in mind. In any case he resolutely eschewed the usual antics of puppyhood. He left behind him no mangled slippers, no torn upholstery, and no stains upon the rugs. He did not wage mock warfare with people's bare feet, nor did he make the night hideous when he was left to spend the dark hours alone in the kitchen. There was about him, from the first day he came to us, an aura of resolution and restraint, and dignity. He took life seriously, and he expected us to do likewise.In A Farley Mowat Reader, editor Wendy Thomas provides an introduction to writings by Mowat, choosing selections from seven of his titles ranging over a forty year publishing career. Choices range from The Dog Who Wouldn't Be (l957) to Aftermath: Travels in a Post-War World (l995). Thomas tells her readers that she missed reading Mowat as a child and wants to start them on their discovery path right away. With this collection, she introduces young readers to the range of Mowat's works and clearly indicates that there is an abundance to choose from should they decide to explore Mowat more fully. Her choices showcase the various texts and are chosen to trace Mowat's life interests as well as his development as a writer. She does not include fiction titles in her selections, preferring to explore the real life adventures and escapades Mowat relates.
Mowat adds a "Foreword", recognizing that children may not be initially attracted to the compiled format. He welcomes readers to the pleasure of reading, emphasizing his pleasure in the writing and recording of his memories.
The Reader is beautifully produced. A selection of black and white illustrations by Richard Row complement selections of the text and provide new interpretations, in particular, of the childhood reminiscences.
This book allows children's librarians to add to their biographical coverage of Mowat without purchasing titles which are generally in adult collections. The coverage is an enhancement to the straight factual biographies in reference sources. One hopes that most children will still have their first introduction to Mowat through the complete version of Owls in the Family. This book, with its illustrations by Robert Frankenberg, is one which really speaks to child readers and endures in popularity. The stand alone format is almost mandatory for this title, as young readers may find the size of the Reader forbidding. Thomas' choices will increase the accessibility of some of Mowat's birding adventures, his experiences with Mutt, and his early naturalist writings. Some of the selections, however, illustrate an adult focus which will not likely attract or sustain the interest of young readers. Examples include some of the extended family history at the beginning and, in particular, the excerpts from My Father's Son. These last explore Mowat's own sense of depression as a beginning writer and the conflicted relationship he had with his father. While these may lead interested readers to the books, it is likely the adventure and animal stories that will make this book relevant.
Recommended
Jennifer Johnson works as a librarian in Ottawa, Ontario.
Copyright © 1997 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
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