Chickadee Criminal Mastermind: Guest review

This review was written by teacher Elizabeth Cook.

 

Written by Monica Silvie 

Illustrated by Elina Ellis

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-0338-8

36 pp.

Ages 4-7

June 2022

A Chickadee Criminal Mastermind? This book captured my interest right away. The story is narrated by the chickadee himself and it starts with him telling the reader how the forest has a criminal living there. It is him, calling himself "a real rapscallion and all-around bad seed.” He then explains to the other animals, and the readers, how he started his life of crime in the forest.

From Chickadee Criminal Mastermind by Monica Silvie, illus. by Elina Ellis

His story starts when he was a pink, featherless baby still in the nest learning all that he could from his parents. After his long childhood of sixteen days, he flew off to start his own adult life in the forest. He quickly discovered that finding food was of the utmost importance and that it got harder and harder as winter encroached on the forest. As such, he had to start stealing from the mother lode of all treasures…a box full of bird seed hanging from the tree branches. Using a map reminiscent of Kevin's battle plan from the movie “Home Alone,” the chickadee steals his seed each day. This may have made him a well-fed “King of Thieves” in the forest…but it also made him lonely.

From Chickadee Criminal Mastermind by Monica Silvie, illus. by Elina Ellis

One day, when Chickadee hears young children gleefully watching him, he remembers one of his parents' lessons about something called a bird feeder. They'd told him that a bird feeder was a safe place for birds. Realizing this, Chickadee wonders if he perhaps isn't the "bad seed" he'd always seen himself as and that perhaps his forest peers might now become his friends. In fact, it looks like he just might make one new friend when another chickadee appears.

From Chickadee Criminal Mastermind by Monica Silvie, illus. by Elina Ellis

This picture book by BC's Monica Silvie is adorable. From the outset, I was engaged with the story of this criminal mastermind bird. Monica Silvie’s writing helps the reader see the humour in a story of our chickadee while still teaching readers quite a bit about these common birds. I found myself cheering for the little chickadee on his adventures as a “King of Thieves” and also in his quest to make friends. The story is appended with additional information about chickadees, including sources for further research. The artwork by Ukrainian-born UK-resident Elina Ellis is quite precious as she brings expressions to our dear chickadee that really help the reader feel connected to him.

This story will be a delight to share in classrooms and with children in your home. As a teacher, I am already thinking of some great activities including watching for chickadees in the forest behind my school, making bird feeders with the students, and even some creative writing from Chickadee’s perspective. This book will also tie in nicely with many science curricula. You definitely want this delightful book in your school library.

~ Elizabeth Cook is a teacher in the Halton District School Board. She is an avid reader and fan of Canadian literature.  

 

My Book of Butterflies: Guest review

The following review was written by 

teacher-librarian Elizabeth Cook.

 

Written and illustrated by Geraldo Valério

Groundwood Books

978-1-77306-335-5

48 pp.

Ages 3-6

2021

I was instantly drawn to My Book of Butterflies when I saw its cover. The bright yellow and oversized butterfly wing will capture the attention of everyone when they see My Book of Butterflies by Geraldo Valério. The lively cover made me feel like this was going to be such a happy book that I couldn’t wait to open the cover to discover what the book was all about. The inside cover is equally spectacular with drawings of all of the caterpillars of the book and the back cover has all of them drawn in their chrysalis stages too. I explored these images for a surprisingly long time as I was drawn in by their illustrations and their names (Itys Leafwing and Common Jezebel are my personal favourites).

From My Book of Butterflies by Geraldo Valério

The book begins with Geraldo Valério recounting his childhood experiences watching the caterpillars and butterflies in his home in Brazil. His fascination with these beautiful creatures never ceased and he wanted to share the beauty of the butterflies with all of his readers. The book depicts, with detailed drawings, the metamorphosis from egg to butterfly and the parts of the butterfly, as well including a map of the world where butterflies can be found and a glossary to help inform the reader.  To help organize the various butterflies depicted, Geraldo Valério uses different coloured backgrounds to identify the part of the world where the butterflies can be found. It is a bright and fun way to engage readers with the book.

From My Book of Butterflies by Geraldo Valério

The pages which focus on each butterfly are gorgeous. Simply stunning. The double-spreads are filled with oversized artwork of the butterflies with impressive details demonstrating the delicacy of the wings. Each page turn had me gasping at how pretty each butterfly was. Surrounding the enormous butterfly is a highly modern and almost geometric representation of what the environment looks like for that particular butterfly (I was very fond of the geometric tall grasses and yellow flowers of the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing in Papua New Guinea). 

From My Book of Butterflies by Geraldo Valério

While the artwork of the book is clearly the star, the information on each page is also fun to read. Each butterfly is identified by its Latin name and there is a short paragraph with important facts. Most paragraphs focus on one unique fact about the butterfly and would be a great starting point for further research. I enjoyed learning how the European Peacock butterfly hibernates over winter and can hiss to scare away predators such as small rodents.

As a teacher-librarian, I can already tell that this book will be hard to keep on my shelves. However, the students will have to try to be quick to check out this book, as I know a lot of teachers will want to use this book for their science curriculum, particularly the Grade 2 Growth and Changes in Animals unit in Ontario.  Moreover, I know that the art teachers will be checking out the book for students to create some beautiful masterpieces using the illustrations in My Book of Butterflies for inspiration. I will definitely need to get more than one copy for my library...and perhaps one for my home collection!

~Elizabeth Cook is a teacher-librarian in the Halton District School Board. She is an avid reader and fan of Canadian literature. 

Canadian Women Now and Then: Guest Review

This review was written by Elizabeth Cook.

 

Written by Elizabeth MacLeod
Illustrated by Maia Faddoul

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-0061-5

80 pp.

Ages 9-12

2020

I saw this book on a shelf and was interested to see who would be represented inside.  I am so glad I picked it up. Once I opened the cover, I couldn’t put it down. I love how this book is organized. Each double-page spread is organized by a theme such as doctors. One side of the page focuses on an important Canadian woman who spearheaded change in the past and the other side highlights a contemporary woman who continues to be inspirational or influential in their respective fields, hence, the “Now” and “Then” title for the book. This format will engage young readers to learn about the history of women in Canada, but also to find current connections to people they may hear about in the news. The range of vocations selected for this book is excellent. The book highlights women in the roles of culture keepers, activists, Paralympians, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, military members, and so much more.  

From Canadian Women Now and Then by Elizabeth MacLeod, illus. by Maia Faddoul

Elizabeth MacLeod has kept the text brief for each entry. Trying to narrow down the amazing lives of these women must have been a daunting task. Each featured woman has about three to five paragraphs devoted to explaining their lives and achievements. The text is engaging and it kept me reading such that that I completed the book in one sitting. I was drawn in by the stories of these women. Each person is highlighted to show their significance and it sparked my curiosity to do more research on my own. Knowing that every woman who has helped to pave the way for future generations could not be included in the “Then” sections, Elizabeth MacLeod added a text box that features more amazing women with brief notes about their historic roles, thereby offering another great starting point for a reader to conduct further research on that topic. The book also includes a brief timeline of significant events for women throughout history in Canada. I am sure many children will also choose to go forward to research many wonderful Canadian women or events represented in this book. Moreover, Elizabeth MacLeod included quotes from the women showcased and these really spoke to me and I am sure they will inspire young readers to be brave and bold in their lives too. 

 

The artistry in the portraits done by Maia Faddoul is beautiful. The style of the portraits of the women is simple but realistic. Because the pages are dominated by text and white space, Maia Faddoul's artwork really draws your eyes. I also really love the colour palette used throughout the book, for headings, borders and in the portraits. The colours are rich but muted. Because of a lack of bright primary colours, the book feels more significant.

I am excited to add this book to my school library collection. The many contributions of women throughout history have often been ignored and are largely underrepresented in our books on the shelves. I am glad that all students will be able to learn about the fabulous women that have helped shape Canada and that these women will now be represented in  library collections everywhere.

~Elizabeth Cook is a teacher-librarian in the Halton District School Board. She is an avid reader and fan of Canadian literature. 

Rescue at Lake Wild: Guest review

 

This review was written by teacher Elizabeth Cook.

 

 

Written by Terry Lynn Johnson

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

978-0-358334859

208 pp.

Ages 8-12

April 2021

I am a big animal lover.  My friends know to send me cute animal videos from the internet, my trips are often centered around animal experiences (e.g., diving with sharks, trekking with gorillas), and I volunteer for a local cat rescue organization. When I was young, our house was the stray cat and dog sanctuary of the neighbourhood.  It seemed that all local cats knew we couldn’t say no to helping them find forever homes (which usually was our own).  So, it should be no surprise that I was immediately taken in by Terry Lynn Johnson’s Rescue at Lake Wild. Between the cover image of a girl on a paddle board alongside two beavers and a boat with two boys and a dog, and the first page alluding to an animal whisperer, I was captivated. 

Twelve-year-old Madison Lewis and her friends Aaron and Jack, accompanied by Jack's tracking dog Lid, have been watching a beaver house where they'd earlier heard kits crying. Having found the adult beavers shot, the kids are worried that the adults may have been the kits' only family and are trying to decide if they should rescue the little ones. Madison, well known as an animal whisperer, knows it's best for wild animals to remain in the wild but, as night draws near, Madison follows her personal motto: "If you see something, do something.”  So she ends up diving down into the depths of the darkened beaver dam to save two orphaned beaver kits she affectionately names Cooler and Phragmites (Phrag). Together the trio of young people work to secretly save the beaver kits and discover those responsible for killing the adult beavers and for flooding the roadways in town, knowing the beavers weren't responsible for the damage seen around town. 

Using the knowledge she learned from her grandmother on raising and caring for beaver kits, Madison sets up a secret habitat in her clubhouse, determined to safely release the kits later into the wild. But Madison has to keep this secret from her older sister and mother, especially as her mother has told her that Madison could go and see her hero, Jane Goodall, speak only if she can resist rescuing more animals. Madison may dream of being the next Jane Goodall but she's already too dedicated to Cooler and Phrag to give up on them, and she's willing to risk it all to save them. Meanwhile, Aaron, Jack and Lid work to solve the mystery of the flooding around town, which is harder than expected because most adults won’t listen to a couple of kids who are sure that humans are responsible for the destruction, not the beavers.  

Terry Lynn Johnson’s Rescue at Lake Wild is a great novel for middle grade readers. The story focuses on how children learn to do what is right and help others while solving a town mystery. Because the theme of animal stewardship permeates the whole story, Rescue at Lake Wild is a great book for any animal lover you might know.  I especially liked the “Dos of Wildlife” at the back of the book which will help guide animal champions to properly care for wildlife and where to go for more reliable information on the topic.  This will be a great book to read during the upcoming cottage season!   

~ Reviewer Elizabeth Cook is a teacher in the Halton District School Board. She is an avid reader and fan of Canadian literature.

The Upside of Falling: Guest review

This review was written by teacher Elizabeth Cook.

 

Written by Alex Light

HarperTeen

9780062918055

288 pp.

Ages 12-18

February 2020

 

Also available as an audiobook from

HarperAudio

 Narrated by Caitlin Kelly and Austin Rising

6 hr 41 min

 

The Upside of Falling is a YA novel that focuses on two teenagers in high school who improbably come together under unique circumstances. Coming together is weird enough; staying together is another matter.

 

Brett Wells is the most liked guy in high school. He's captain of the football team and is helping the team achieve great success this year. Moreover he's a really good guy, known for being kind to everyone, a trait which he may have inherited from his generous parents who've just donated a ton of money to redo the football field.  Brett Wells would be considered the guy who had it all. 

 

Becca Hart would be the opposite. Few people at school would know who she is. A bookworm, Becca regularly has her nose between the pages of a book while she sits under a tree on the far side of the school property. Unlike Brett, Becca's life is one that is far from perfect. Her father left her and her mother five years ago and her best friend abandoned her for the popular crowd two years ago. It's no surprise that Becca prefers to shy away from any connections just to avoid being left behind and disappointed yet again.

When Becca finds herself being publicly accused of being a loveless loner by her former best friend, she lies that she is in a secret relationship. Brett, overhearing this declaration, steps in and puts his arm around Becca to save her from a horrible confrontation. Later, they agree  to continue the fake relationship so they might both achieve something they need: for Becca, to avoid being made into a laughing stock and for Brett, to appease his father about getting a girlfriend. Along the way, they both learn more about the other and what they need for themselves.

 

Written in the alternating voices of Becca and Brett, a style of writing I especially like and which was enhanced by the audiobook's dual narrators, Alex Light's portrayal of her characters was authentic and powerful. Becca's character especially resonated with me as, like many readers, Becca uses books as a personal means of escape. Her anticipation of the happy ending in her books is a balm to daily stresses, as it is for so many, and helps her deal with feelings of abandonment. It's no wonder she carries a book around everywhere, even to a high school football game where she's expected to be paying attention to her boyfriend.

As a young adult novel, The Upside of Falling offers a fabulous read while addressing important and true-to-life issues of belonging, divorce, relationships, and love, and still giving readers the happy ending Becca always looked for.

 

~ Reviewer Elizabeth Cook is a teacher in the Halton District School Board. She is an avid reader and fan of Canadian literature.

Sara and the Search For Normal: Guest review

This review was written by teacher Elizabeth Cook.

Written by Wesley King

Simon & Schuster/ Paula Wiseman Books

978-1-534421134

272 pp.

Ages 8-12

June 2020

Is it bad to admit that I pick books based on their covers and titles?  Well, sometimes I do. I loved Wesley King’s Laura Monster Crusher, but didn’t even notice that he was the author when I saw the title Sara and the Search For Normal.  The title just drew me in. After all, what is normal?  I know that, while on a European trip with my parents, we were deemed "that crazy family" when we continued to sit on a patio enjoying our schnitzel in a downpour. Even though I had deemed our lives to be pretty normal, others, including friends, recognized our eccentricities. When I spotted Sara and the Search for Normal, I couldn’t wait to see how Sara’s search for "normal" would go.

Seventh-grader Sara hates the labels of the four disorders which have been tacked on her: bipolar disorder, general anxiety disorder, mild schizophrenia, and depression. But she really only wants one title and that's normal. Her school days are spent in an isolated classroom with her one-on-one teacher Mrs. Hugger, and she only speaks to a handful of people including her parents, teacher, and therapist. It's not surprising that she studies other students for normalcy on the rare occasions she is allowed to go to the cafeteria with Mrs. Hugger. Then Sara keeps a secret list of what "normal" kids do so that it might help her on her own journey to normal.

Though she is hesitant, Sara begins to attend group therapy for kids her age with similar issues. There she meets the very different Erin, who speaks a mile a minute, and loves ice cream and Ryan Gosling movies. Erin has trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder) and dubs Sara her new bestie within seconds of meeting her. These two mismatched friends navigate therapy, adolescence, and friendship together all while trying to manage their own family problems.

I really enjoyed living the novel through Sara’s perspective. It can be hard for neurotypical people to fully understand the struggles of those with various mental disorders. While most readers might not be able to fully empathize with all that Sara goes through on a daily basis with her many diagnoses, everyone will be able to feel her emotions. There's her first crush, the ups and downs in friendships, trying to fit in at school, and dealing with family members, and Wesley King does a fabulous job of balancing Sara’s search for "normal" with the joys and anguish that come with being a teenager.

Upon finishing the novel, I read the "Author Notes" at the back of the book and realized this book is a companion novel to Wesley King’s popular book OCDaniel (2016).  If you have read that multi-award-winning book, you will have already been introduced to Sara.  Because her character was so well-received by the readers who wanted to know more about her, Wesley King has given us Sara and the Search for Normal.  Regardless, this book can easily be read as a stand-alone novel and enjoyed without knowing the story of OCDaniel, though if you're like me and have not read OCDaniel, it's sure to be on your To Be Read list too.  As such, I look forward to reading the beginnings of Sara’s story in OCDaniel.


~ Reviewer Elizabeth Cook is a teacher in the Halton District School Board. She is an avid reader and fan of Canadian literature. 

Switchback: Guest review

This review was written by teacher Elizabeth Cook.

Written by Danika Stone 

Swoon Reads

978-1250221650

320 pp.

Ages 12-18
2019

Warning: Do not start this book right before bedtime as you will be compelled to read until the very end...which for me was three in the morning!

Danika Stone’s Switchback is a story of two best friends in Grade 10 who are required to go on an overnight camping trip in the Rocky Mountains to earn their gym class credit.  Vale (Valeria) and Ash (Ashton) couldn’t be more different.  Vale loves learning about new topics and going on hikes with her family.  She stands up for what is right against the school bullies, Mike and Brodie, which made her an easy target and a social outcast. On the other hand, Ash is loved by everyone for his self-deprecating humour and corny jokes (“Hey, Vale.  You know how trees get onto the internet?  They log on!”) but he would never choose to be outside, preferring to spend all day inside playing D&D or video games.

The group's two-day climb up the mountain begins with a small hike followed by a lunch break during which Vale sees Mike and Brodie littering the national park with their lunch wrappers.  Worried for the safety of the animals, she convinces Ash to help her pick up the garbage, which unfortunately results in them being left behind by their group.  Hoping to reach the designated camping spot at Twin Lakes, the pair continue on the path, until the cloud cover causes them to lose their way. As the dark night sky looms and the rains begin, Vale and Ash decide to set up a shelter to keep warm and hopefully avoid the forecast snow. 

The two teens face numerous challenges in the wilderness while trying to find a way back to civilization. Their biggest concerns are staying healthy and safe. First, they have limited food and water, as their meals disappeared with the rest of the school group. Other than a couple of sticks of gum, a handful of GORP (granola, oats, raisins, peanuts), the pair must fend for themselves. They also have to fight off hypothermia–their clothes get wet when the snow comes–and tend to their hiking injuries with only the small first aid kit that Vale had packed. Moreover, the two have to worry about the many animals they encounter along the way. When it is dark on the side of a mountain, every snap of a branch sends a new wave of panic through them as they pray for a harmless deer rather than a larger predator looking for a snack.

This YA novel is a definite page turner!  I started this novel hoping I would enjoy it for a couple of days, but I loved it too much to stop. I had to know what would happen next and read through the night until I was done.  Switchback is a real nail biter and it definitely kept my heart beating fast during many scenes. The story of these two friends trying to survive in the wilderness is a story of bravery, perseverance, and true friendship!

~ Reviewer Elizabeth Cook is a teacher in the Halton District School Board. She is an avid reader and fan of Canadian literature. 

Con Quest!: Guest review

This review was written by teacher Elizabeth Cook.

Written by Sam Maggs

Imprint

978-1-250307279

256 pp.

Ages 8-12

June 2020

Con Quest! by Sam Maggs is a middle grade novel that centers around eleven-year-old twin siblings, Cat and Alex, who attend a comic convention with their comic-writing parents and extremely unenthusiastic fourteen-year old-sister Fi. Though Fi has been tasked with babysitting the twins while their parents participate in panel sessions, headstrong Cat has other plans, managing to sneak out with her brother Alex to complete a series of insane tasks as part of a scavenger hunt Quest at the comic con.  Winning is paramount for them as the prize is time with the handsome celebrity Corwin Blake and a mentorship for budding comic artists. Winning the challenge will be tough enough for the young twins but it's even more complicated when they have to avoid Fi and the overzealous security at the convention. 

This novel is a bit of a departure from my typical reading choices.  Because I know my students would love the story, I wanted to read it. Still, never being into comics, superheroes, and fandoms, I was a little hesitant to read a book about a comic convention. After all, I have only seen one Star Wars movie (my boyfriend got to pick the movie that night), I can’t tell you which superheroes are DC vs. Marvel, and my only real knowledge of anything sci-fi or fantasy is based in Harry Potter of which I am a big fan. Still I really wanted to see if the twins would be successful in completing their Con Quest and Sam Maggs does an exceptional job of placing the reader at that comic con. As a reader, the energy and exhilaration of the convention was palpable, from the jostling among the crowds, trying to meet favourite comic writers and actors, and even running around in decoupaged shoes (worth 19 points)!

Sam Maggs does an excellent job of ensuring diversity among her Con Quest characters. Cat’s parents are from Slovakia and, when they speak to their kids, it's in Slovakian which was of great interest to me as a reader. Alex has autism and struggles with large crowds which poses a challenge for him at a crowded comic convention. However, his family knows how to help him when he requires it while allowing him the independence to run around the convention all day completing the challenges. (A ketchup and relish portrait for 40 points!) Moreover, this novel is enriched with a number of LGBTQ+ characters and addresses the issue of personal pronouns including how preferred gender and non binary terms are added to convention badges.

Regardless of my typical reading preferences, Con Quest was a perfect read. It is fast-paced, fun, engaging, and a little nail-biting at times.  While I might not be a weird mega fan like Fi would say...I am a little weird in my own way.  As Sam Maggs wrote in the acknowledgement section at the back, “And to you my reader!  Embrace your wacky, your weird, your wonderful!”  So, I will!

 • • • • •

~ Reviewer Elizabeth Cook is a teacher in the Halton District School Board. She is an avid reader and fan of Canadian literature.  
 

The Keeper of Wild Words: Guest review

Today's review was written by teacher Elizabeth Cook.

Written by Brooke Smith

Illustrated by Madeline Kloepper

Chronicle Books

64 pp.

Ages 5-8

March 2020

In Brooke Smith’s The Keeper of Wild Words, young Brook looks forward to spending the last day of summer vacation with her grandmother, whom she calls Mimi.  Secretly, Brook is worried that she won’t have anything good to share on the first day of school about her summer.  Even as Brook goes to confide in Mimi, her grandmother asks Brook to help save some of her favourite words from disappearing.

From The Keeper of Wild Words by Brooke Smith, illus. by Madeline Kloepper

Words disappear if we don’t share them when we talk.  If we don’t write them in our stories.  If we don’t read them in our books.  If we don’t use words, they can be forgotten.  And if they’re forgotten...they disappear.

Armed with a list of disappearing words, they set out to find each one. It isn’t long before they spot their first wild word, a wren sitting in a tree outside Mimi’s house.  Brook and Mimi spend the day exploring nature to find all of the wild words to ensure they don’t disappear forever. As they find each wild word, they also take the time to explore. Noting the smells of the flowers, the sounds at the pond, and the taste of freshly-picked mint leaves, Brook and Mimi have a truly magical day as they become Keepers of the Wild Words.

From The Keeper of Wild Words by Brooke Smith, illus. by Madeline Kloepper

At the end of this book, American author Brooke Smith explains her inspiration for this book, which originated with a news article that angered her.  The article listed words that would no longer be in the Oxford Junior Dictionary and included over a hundred words related to nature and the wild.  Even more upsetting to her was the fact that words such as “chatroom”, “database”, and “MP3 player” were being introduced. With an emphasis on technology leaving the wild world behind, it is understandable why such a book is needed for our young readers. Enhanced by Canadian Madeline Kloepper's stunning artwork, created in mixed media and Photoshop, the message about the importance of the natural world is threaded throughout.

As a teacher, I find myself thinking of ways to integrate picture books into my curriculum instruction whenever I can.  The Keeper of Wild Words would be great for a variety of lessons and age levels.  First, it could be used as inspiration for a dictionary hunt.  Moreover, it would be great to take a class walk into your neighbourhood to see how many wild words could be found, which is a great tie-in for science lessons of habitats and biodiversity.

From The Keeper of Wild Words by Brooke Smith, illus. by Madeline Kloepper

I also loved how the artwork emphasized the natural elements. From the petals on the poppies to the starlings in the sky, Madeline Kloepper's illustrations could definitely inspire some fabulous art lessons for all ages. 

Brook loved her day in nature and was excited to share her stories on the first day of school. We should all be inspired to venture outside to accept our own roles as Keepers of Wild Words and use our creativity to put something inspirational back into the world, as did Brooke Smith, thereby teaching our students how to counteract negativity with something positive.

Which wild words will you find today?

~ Elizabeth Cook is a teacher in the Halton District School Board. She is an avid reader and fan of Canadian literature.

An Owl at Sea: Guest review

Today's review was written by teacher Elizabeth Cook.

Written by Susan Vande Griek

Illustrated by Ian Wallace

Groundwood Books

978-1-77306-111-5

32 pp.

Ages 6-10

May 2019

This beautiful picture book was written by Susan Vande Griek after she read a news article about a Short-eared Owl that somehow flew to an oil rig many kilometres out in the ocean off Scotland.  An Owl At Sea starts with an owl resting on a fence post in a field looking to see if it can find a mouse to eat.

From An Owl at Sea by Susan Vande Griek, illus. by Ian Wallace

It doesn’t explain why or how the owl got so far from this field when we see it navigating the sky above the ocean next.  However, the story of its journey to that oil rig, and then home, is captivating to read.

I am always drawn into books written in verse.  For me, it makes the story all the more magical.  An Owl At Sea by Susan Vande Griek is written in verse and I was instantly struck by the power of a simple description of the owl written in verse. 

Chunky legs,
tired wings
drop,
fold,
talons searching
for something to hold.

These words helped me feel the exhaustion of the owl, desperate for a place to rest after finding itself so far from its field back home. Susan Vande Griek weaves words so beautifully that the scene unfolds before your own eyes.

From An Owl at Sea by Susan Vande Griek, illus. by Ian Wallace

The words alone create wonderful images for the reader; however, that shouldn’t take away from the stunning artwork by Ian Wallace. His watercolour artwork brings the scene alive. I especially loved his images of the owl on its harrowing journey above the crashing waves and in the misty weather. It is almost as if you can feel the salty spray on your face as you cross your fingers tight, hoping for a safe landing for the owl.

From An Owl at Sea by Susan Vande Griek, illus. by Ian Wallace

An Owl At Sea is a great story to read about the determination of animals.  In the classroom, it would be an interesting book to read in combination with a non-fiction book on owls to compare how extraordinary a feat this journey was for the Short-eared Owl.  It could inspire more research on astounding animal accomplishments and their stories.  This book also illustrated the kindness of the humans that all helped this feathered creature return to its grassy field.  Perhaps, it will inspire children to find ways to help out animals in their own community.

~ Elizabeth Cook is a teacher in the Halton District School Board. She is an avid reader and fan of Canadian literature.

Music for Tigers: Guest review

Today's review was written by teacher-librarian Elizabeth Cook.

Written by Michelle Kadarusman

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-054-3

192 pp.

Ages 8-12

April 2020

As an avid traveller, I love stories that help me relive fabulous trips I have taken in the past.  While I never made it all the way to Tasmania when adventuring around Australia, where Michelle Kadarusman’s Music For Tigers takes place, I felt as though I had.  Her description of the Tasmanian rainforest is breathtaking.  Michelle Kadarusman weaves her words in such a way that makes the world down under come alive.  The best way I can describe it is that she not only created a beautiful story, it felt like she created a melody with her words.  I could feel the rhythm and cadence of the eucalyptus trees and all of the animals contained on the island of Tasmania.

Music is all that the main character, Louisa, can think about when she arrives in Tasmania after a long flight from Toronto.  Clutching her violin, she would much rather be rehearsing for her upcoming audition for the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra than bushwhacking her way to a remote cabin with her Uncle Ruff that she has only just met.  At her cabin, Louisa finds solace in making her violin fill the emptiness around her with melodies to help her feel as though she were at home in Toronto.  Louisa can’t help but feel she is being watched from outside her window...and this time it isn’t the Huntsman spider that previously inhabited her cabin. 

When Louisa learns to live in the present and embrace her time in Tasmania she learns the true beauty of nature: the sound of cicadas among the gum trees, locating the Southern Cross in the dark night sky, and watching small wallabies bouncing along the forest floor.  Unfortunately, this is all under attack as Louisa learns that the camp of her great-grandmother, a safe haven for endangered animals in the wild, is soon to be bulldozed to make roads to the nearby mines.  Has Louisa learned the true value of what is important in life too late to make a difference?

Michelle Kadarusman’s Music For Tigers is a beautiful novel that is a captivating read.  It weaves in themes of animal stewardship, environmental protection, family, and friendship into one heartwarming book.  This novel would be an excellent read for adults as well as students in Grades 4 and up.  If you love protecting animals in their natural environment, you will love this book...just be sure to watch out for those bunyips!

~ Elizabeth Cook is a teacher-librarian in the Halton District School Board. She is an avid reader and fan of Canadian literature. 

Notorious: Guest review

Today's review was written by teacher-librarian Elizabeth Cook.

Written by Gordon Korman

Scholastic Canada

978-1-44317-592-0

312 pp.

Ages 8-12

March 2020

Gordon Korman has written another great book for children and adults alike.  Moreover, Notorious is a great book for both Canadians and Americans, as the story takes place on the island of Centrelight which sits in the middle of a river that bisects these two great nations and through which a border that zigzags through town equally divides it.

The story begins with spunky Zarabeth, known by everyone as Zeebee, and her dog Barney Two.  Zeebee inserts herself into the role of official tour guide to Keenan, the new boy in town, often focusing her tours on the history of the gangsters who used to run the island back in the 1920s and 1930s during Prohibition.  Zeebee’s stories about Al Capone, Myer Lansky, and Tommy-Gun Ferguson always contain a dramatic flair and seem to have direct links to every spot in town.  These gangsters were up to all sorts of criminal activities in their time, but it seems that contemporary life on the island might not be any more innocent.  Zeebee is convinced that her first dog, Barney, who was well-known as a town menace, was murdered by someone on the island several months earlier and it's up to her and Keenan to solve the mystery. 

Each chapter of this novel is written from a different character’s perspective, which advances the story in a fun way.  Gordon Korman uses both Zeebee and Keenan to narrate the majority of the story.  I always enjoy seeing how the different characters view the same event, especially when it is a teenager’s point of view.  Zeebee’s over-the-top nature lends itself well to some hilarious stories, while it was quite fun for me to see how Keenan reacted to his first taste of poutine.

Gordon Korman’s Notorious is a great story for students in the middle grades and up.  It is a story about friendship, fitting in, love of pets and, of course, tales of gangsters and lost treasure!  This story will keep you guessing from start to finish with many laughs along the way.  I do have one lingering thought however: if Zarabeth is a Canadian, shouldn’t her nickname be Zedbee? 

n.b. Teachers, you will find a character analysis of Barney One to be quite a fun endeavour with your class!

~ Elizabeth Cook is a teacher-librarian in the Halton District School Board. She is an avid reader and fan of Canadian literature.