________________ CM . . . . Volume VI Number 7 . . . . November 26, 1999

cover Canadian Trees.

Colleayn O. Mastin. Illustrated by Jan Sovak.
Kamloops, BC: Grasshopper Books (Distributed by Raincoast Books), 1998.
32 pp., cloth, $26.95.
ISBN 1-895910-X.

Subject Heading:
Trees-Canada-Juvenile literature.

Preschool - grade 3 / Ages 4 - 8.
Review by Jo-Anne Mary Benson.

*** /4

excerpt:

The oak is called the King of Trees
Its growth is long and slow.
You'd wonder how such mighty oaks
From tiny acorns grow.

There are so many kinds of oaks
That to name them might get boring
But one thing should be noted -
These trees make great oak flooring.
image It is always a challenge to introduce factual information to young readers. In Canadian Trees, part of the "Nature Canada Series," Colleayn Mastin incorporates a variety of techniques that subtly delivers tidbits of information.
     The most obvious is the use of a poem to introduce the fifteen species of trees being discussed. This method allows children to easily retain the facts that they have learned through the simple use of rhyme. As the material is geared towards the five to eight age group, one will find the short concise paragraphs are generously complemented with colourful illustrations by the renowned naturalist, Jan Sovak. Mastin touches on a wide range of subject matter in her brief text, including such things as tree identification, the uses of wood in the past and the present, and how trees provide food to forest animals.
     Canadian Trees joins six other titles in the series: Wild Animals, Animals of the Arctic, Birds, Endangered Species, Ocean Creatures and Wildflowers. Each book offers an age-appropriate introduction to the subject matter that will whet a child's appetite and encourage further exploration. The book would is an ideal choice for public and school libraries as it is an excellent choice for students in early grades beginning research projects.

Recommended.

Jo-Anne Mary Benson, of Osgoode, ON, is a writer/reviewer for magazines, newspapers, and journals.

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - November 26, 1999.

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