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CM . . . .
Volume V Number 19 . . . . May 21, 1999
Creating the Mosaic is an unusual combination: a resource book on Canadian children's
literature, both past and present; an annotated catalogue of Canadian children's books and videos;
and a picture gallery of several of the most colourful and artistic covers in contemporary Canadian
children's books.
This publication, with text in both English and Japanese, was produced to
accompany an exhibition of Canadian children's books which toured Japan in
1997. Its purpose, according to Tadashi Matsui, a leading publisher of
Japanese children's books, as quoted in the introduction, was to introduce
Japanese people to the diversity and richness of Canadian children's
literature: "What Japan needs most today is to live with more differences
among people."
The book contains a major essay by Judith Saltman, Associate Professor of
Children's Literature at the University of British Columbia. In it, Prof.
Saltman explores how children's books across Canada have both reflected
and encouraged the multicultural nature of our country. Dividing Canada
into regions, she gives specific examples of children's books which are
characteristic of ethnic traditions or cultural mores of each area. This
book is indeed a rich resource for any student of Canadian children's
literature!
Also included is an interesting essay by Japanese-Canadian artist and
author Warabe Aska on how he came to incorporate his feelings about the
life, the size, the freedom and the traditions of Canada, his adopted
country, into his art. He comments on how he did the paintings for Who
Goes to the Park? and Who Hides in the Park?
The catalogue portion of Creating the Mosaic contains annotations
and bibliographic information about 282 books plus 25 children's videos.
The sections of the book are separated by colour reproductions of eight
contemporary children's books, showcasing such artists as Ian Wallace
(Chin Chiang and the Dragon's Dance); Murray Kimber (Josepha- A
Prairie Boy's Story); Vladyana Krykorka (Baseball Bats for
Christmas) and Jo Bannatyne-Cugnet (A Prairie Alphabet).
This book is only available through the David See-Chai Lam Centre for
International Communication at $31.75 (including GST and S&H), by fax at
(604) 291-5112. Sample pages may also be viewed on the Internet at:
http://hoshi.clc.sfu.ca/japanese/mosaic/Mosaic.html
Highly Recommended.
Helen Norrie writes the children's book review column for the Winnipeg Free Press and is a
sessional lecturer in Children's Literature in the Faculty of Education, the University of Manitoba.
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
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - MAY 21,
1999.
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