Year: 2017

Canadian, eh?

Sophie Rosen ,

Patterson, Heather. I Am Canada: A Celebration.Toronto: North Winds Press, 2017.
What does it mean to be a Canadian? This book joyously answers the question in simple language suitable for young children. The illustrations take the book to a whole new level: Marie-Louise Gay, Jon Klassen, Barbara Reid and other Canadian artists depict Canada, each in their own unique style. A wonderful book for art students and a great book as a read-aloud for children up to 8 years of age.

More books by Canadian authors HERE

Stories set in Canada HERE

Thank you!

Sophie Rosen , , , , ,

Hopkinson, Deborah. A Letter to My Teacher. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2017.
A young adult writes a letter to her second-grade teacher, recounting her memories and expressing her appreciation for all she learned during that inspiring year. The story is fun: flowing smoothly with conversation to enliven the narration. The pictures by Nancy Carpenter are lively: full of expression and a sense of spontaneity. Unfortunately, the style of the font and the layout of the text do not match the mood of the story. Despite that distraction, this picture book is still recommended for readers 8 years old and up. 

Find stories for Thanksgiving HERE

Find ideas for showing gratitude HERE

Find tips on critiquing stories HERE

What does it have to do with me?

Sophie Rosen , ,

Heos, Bridget. It’s Getting Hot in Here: The Past, Present, and Future of Climate Change. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015.
Climate change is in the news every day. But is the earth really getting warmer? How do we know? And why is it happening? How will it affect us? Should we try and do something about it? Can we make a difference?
This 15-chapter, 231-page book – full of photographs, graphs, and drawings – is highly recommended for adults both young and old. You won’t want to just read it once and return it to your library. There is so much information that you’ll want to buy a copy for yourself so you can read it slowly, small sections at a time. Then you’ll be ready to answer when someone says, “Global warming? I don’t believe it.”

More books to expand your general knowledge HERE.

Why get involved?

Sophie Rosen , ,

Keenan, Edward. The Art of the Possible: an Everyday Guide to Politics. Toronto: Owlkids Books, 2015.

Governments make a difference. They can provide protection. They can help settle conflicts and mike life fairer for everyone. They can also help people reach goals that are only possible with group effort.

Who does government involve politics? Why do politicians argue? What makes a good argument? What are the advantages and disadvantages of conflict? How can governments prevent a democracy from turning into a platform for bullying? And who are some young people who have made a positive difference in politics?

All these questions and more are answered in this highly recommended 63-page introduction to politics for readers 11 years old and up.

More books on expanding your general knowledge HERE.

 

Pearl’s Dream

Sophie Rosen , , , , ,

Parry, Rosanne. Written in Stone. New York: Random House, 2013.
A grandmother recalls her youth in the 1920s. Her tribe, the Makah on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, struggles to survive after Pearl’s father dies and outsiders threaten her people’s way of life. This engrossing 175-page story – told from the first person point of view – is accompanied by a map, a glossary, an extensive author’s note explaining historical details, and a list of resources. The relatively large font makes the book inviting for competent readers as young as 10 years old. The quality of the writing and depth of historical information make this a compelling novel for readers of any age. Highly recommended!

More stories of indigenous people HERE.

More historical fiction stories HERE.

Rivers of the World

Sophie Rosen , ,

September 24th is World Rivers Day!

Peters, Merilee. Ten Rivers That Shaped the World. Toronto: Annick Press, 2015.

The Nile. The Amazon. the Mississippi. The Tigris and Euphrates. The Thames and Rhine in Europe. The Yangtze and Ganges in Asia. The Zambezi and Awash in Africa. These 10 rivers have changed the course of history. And they still affect life today. 10 Rivers That Shaped the World, an easy-to-read book full of anecdotes, coloured photographs, maps, and drawings, is highly recommended for all readers – 11 years old and up – who enjoy expanding their general knowledge.

Did you know?

3,000 species of freshwater fish have been discovered in the Amazon.

Ancient Egyptians were the first people in the world to pay taxes, which were based on the height of the Nile floods: higher floods meant greater harvests which led to higher taxes.

The nursery rhyme of London Bridge falling down may recall the Viking invasion of 1014.

Musicians on riverboats helped spread jazz and blues north along the Mississippi in the early 20th century.

Find more books about rivers HERE

Adventure and courage

Sophie Rosen , , , ,

Kelly, Jacqueline. The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2015.
Twelve-year-old Callie continues her investigations into the natural world in this sequel to the Newbery Honor Book The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. When a veterinarian comes to town, Callie expands her knowledge of animal care but secretly, as only her grandfather encourages her dreams and hopes for the future.  Observant readers will notice that each chapter begins with a quotation from The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin, the English naturalist whose own father disapproved of his unconventional life but whose maternal grandfather encouraged him. This 312-page novel is highly recommended for readers 10 years old and up.  

Find more historical novels HERE  

Find biographies of Charles Darwin HEREÂ