Made 4 You

Written by Eric Walters

DCB

978-1-77086-661-4

296 pp.

Ages 13+

September 2022

 

Except for the headaches which have started plaguing her–and for which she has had multiple MRIs–seventeen-year-old Becky James's senior year is mapped out as getting good grades, prepping for the SATs, volunteering at a seniors' residence, and partaking in extracurricular activities like school band and social justice club and managing the boys' basketball team.  Then she meets Gene Newman, a previously-homeschooled student from New York state whom she will host and offer assistance.

As smart as Gene is, he needs support to fit in at their Nobleton, Indiana high school. His first-day blue suit and shiny brief case, as well as his formal speech, make him a standout. But he's a fast learner, following Becky's advice with respect to dress and more. Soon he's not just fitting in but he's attracting attention as an exceptional student, saxophone musician and basketball player. As they spend more and more time together, and Gene reveals the research his adoptive parents have been conducting on human intelligence and strategies for learning, the two teens become closer. But it's not smooth sailing for the young couple as there are secrets that could put them both in danger and perhaps keep them separated forever.

When science fiction is written well, it becomes less fantasy and more possibility, and Made 4 You is so plausible that readers will wonder if the story is based in reality. (Of course, that's also the finesse that is Eric Walters's writing.) Research on human intelligence is vast and expanding, as scientists look to how we learn, apply and adapt, so raising a young man like Gene who can learn anything quickly and thoroughly is not surprising. However, the depth of his learning, from math to sports and social interactions, is astounding, especially as it is coupled with empathy and love. Because Eric Walters takes Gene beyond the genius he is and makes him into a teen in love, Gene is a complete, albeit extraordinary, human.  And with dangerous adversaries looking to exploit the science behind Gene's intellectual development, Made 4 You goes beyond a sci fi romance into a thriller and action adventure. It's a story that has it all: sweet moments of falling in love, mysterious scientific research, and chase scenes across land and sky. Moreover, with Eric Walters at the writing helm, not only is it a story made for any middle-grader or teen who reads across genres, Made 4 You is also complex, nuanced and full of heart. (Even the dedication will give readers an "Awww" moment of pause.)

The Shaman's Apprentice

Written by Zacharias Kunuk

Illustrated by Megan Kyak-Monteith

Inhabit Media

978-1-77227-268-0

32 pp.

Ages 9-12

May 2021

In this picture book based on his animated short film Angakuksajaujuq: The Shaman's Apprentice, Inuk director Zacharias Kunuk delivers a powerful story about a young girl facing her fears as she learns from her grandmother, a shaman, in finding healing help from the underworld.

From The Shaman's Apprentice by Zacharias Kunuk, illus. by Megan Kyak-Monteith

Qunguliq and her granddaughter Supijaq are summoned by a young man to provide healing for an ill man at his camp. Packing up their qamutiik (sled), they head to the nearby camp, unaware that the qurvik (bed pan) has fallen off in their travels.

Though Qunguliq questions the ill man about why he is sick and what he may have done wrong, he refuses to answer her. Qunguliq requests Supijaq retrieve the qurvik which the girl cannot locate but, sent out again to the qamutiik, the pot has reappeared. Using the pot for its intended purpose, Qunguliq smears the urine on the ill man's face but without any of the expected healing.

Qunguliq decides they must travel underground and, with a magic song, opens a deep hole leading there. Cautioning her granddaughter that she must not be fearful if their journey underground is to be successful, Qunguliq leads them down a slope deep into the earth. But as they travel down, Supijaq realizes that their bodies have changed, becoming limp and soft as if their bones had left their bodies.

From The Shaman's Apprentice by Zacharias Kunuk, illus. by Megan Kyak-Monteith

At the bottom, they face a giant husky protecting a doorway. Again, Supijaq is warned not to show fear, and the two proceed into a darkened room of tormented human spirits and Kannaaluk, also known as The One Below.

Kannaaluk reveals something to them which triggers a vision for the shamans of what the man had done, exposing a selfishness as the cause of his own illness. Returning to the sick man's qarmaq (sod house), Qunguliq confronts the man about breaking a taboo before he is healed.

From The Shaman's Apprentice by Zacharias Kunuk, illus. by Megan Kyak-Monteith

This traditional Inuit story is rich with culture, language and an inter-generational relationship blended with subtle lessons about facing fears and karma. From the qarmaq with its qulliq (seal oil lamp) to healing practices and the presence of Kannaaluk (the legendary spirit, also known as Takannaaluk and Nuliajuk, who controls the sea mammals), Zacharias Kunuk embeds us in a traditional setting of the Inuit and honours this story with its messages of customs and beliefs. Born in a qarmaq on Baffin Island, Zacharias Kunuk tells this story with authenticity and insight and with the eye of a filmmaker. Qunguliq, whose voice is the only one given words, brings the wisdom and affection while her granddaughter listens and learns through her silence and actions. But with the artwork of Megan Kyak-Monteith, also born in Nunavut, The Shaman's Apprentice is radiant, whether in the qarmaq lit by the qulliq, or across the tundra of glowing blue snow, or even in the depths of the underworld. Though her palette is limited, Megan Kyak-Monteith evokes warmth and cold, comfort and tension with the profoundness of her technique. 

As with all traditional storytelling that is destined to teach and carry forward culture, The Shaman's Apprentice does so admirably in words and art, informing those outside of the culture and preserving it for those within.

A Funny Sort of Minister

Written by Dominique Demers

Illustrated by Tony Ross

Translated by Sander Berg

Alma Books

978-1-84688-456-6

96 pp.

Ages 7-11

January 2020 

The unconventional and spirited woman of Dominique Demers's The Adventures of Miss Charlotte has returned and this time she's accidentally delving into politics (hence the ministerial role in the title).

Miss Charlotte is heading by train to see her friends in Saint-Anatole when she accidentally grabs the bag of the Prime Minister, Roger Rarejoy. When she goes to the address with which it is labelled, she is sent away as a crazy lady (she doesn't just tell them outright she has his bag). But the prime minister's son, Gustave-Aurèle, wants to help her find his father and make his father proud, something the boy never feels he has accomplished, no matter how hard he works.  So together Miss Charlotte and Gustave-Aurèle follow the prime minister's schedule, hoping to catch up with him.

But, when the two unlikely companions end up at a car factory and learn the prime minister has not arrived to the impatient crowd, Miss Charlotte takes it upon herself to act as his representative, unveiling a new car and renaming it GA-GA after Gustave-Aurèle. She delights everyone with her lively presentation that includes a song and dance and has them heralding her as the new kind of politician. That is, everyone except the prime minister and his entourage who start to believe that Gustave-Aurèle has been kidnapped by the woman who incidentally reminds the PM of happy times with his own Auntie Josephine.

The hilarity continues with Miss Charlotte and Gustave-Aurèle seeking to get the important papers to the prime minister, particularly those that set out a new policy for education that requires more and more time in school and none for play, with the two parties ultimately converging to a charming reunion between father and son and the realization that play is an important part of learning.

Dominique Demers's original French-language series has charmed countless young readers across the world and we're fortunate that these English translations are being published now. These early chapter books provide straightforward but engaging plots with strong characters and subtle messages about creativity and play, bridging the genre between early readers and middle grade fiction beautifully. The writing draws the reader in immediately, as the distracted Miss Charlotte loses her bag and the Prime Minister, through a series of mishaps, enters the station. Then it's one scene after another, visually explicit and always funny with misunderstanding and confusion, that leads to the story's end when Miss Charlotte disappears with only a letter to tie up her latest adventure.

From A Funny Sort of Minister by Dominique Demers, illus. by Tony Ross

Complemented with the illustrations of well-known British artist Tony Ross, A Funny Sort of Minister will tickle young readers with its cheerful yet silly circumstances while they applaud Miss Charlotte's recognition of the value of learning outside the box, and the classroom.

••••••••••••••••••••••
 

I encourage young readers who are looking for funny early chapter books to consider reading the whole series (two of which I have reviewed):

The New Teacher (2016)

The Mysterious Librarian (2017)

The New Football Coach (2019)
A Funny Sort of Minister (2020)

Alien Nate

Written and illustrated by Dave Whamond

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-0209-1

64 pp.

Ages 6-9

April 2020

It all started with a pizza. A pizza that NASA scientists had accidentally left on board Voyager 1 in 1977 and which a ship from Vega found. Now the Vegans want more of that pizza. (Pizza is pretty great.)

Alien Nate was chosen for the mission. When he crashes his space-ship on Earth, he is discovered by kindly Fazel who, when approached by two Men in Beige suits, grabs Nate and makes a run for it, with a little help from a mysterious figure. 

From Alien Nate by Dave Whamond

Fazel decides to take the purple alien to school, covering his antennae with Dad's back-up toupee. Nate is enamoured with learning, rather than just having knowledge plugged into his head, and he loves all earth food but pizza is his favourite, except "the pineapple one. Who puts pineapples on a pizza. I mean, that's just...odd."

From Alien Nate by Dave Whamond

After his boorish classmate Frank discovers Nate is an alien, Fazel creates the Secret Alien Society to keep him quiet. Together they learn much about Vega, which Nate misses terribly, regardless of its technological brilliance and lack of imagination, and is desperate to find a way back to it.

Don't get me wrong...I love it here on Earth. I mean, you're only a one-star planet on Galaxy Advisor, but you've timed your rotation around the sun to match your calendar year. Unheard of! Plus, you have penguins, and they're so cute...

From Alien Nate by Dave Whamond

After a tasty "corn as fuel" misstep and a whole lot of brain power, plus a secret agent with girl power and booster cables, Nate evades the Men in Beige and finds his happy ending. 

Alien Nate may be classified as an early-reader graphic novel but this little pizza-craving alien has been sent by Dave Whamond to make us all laugh and appreciate imagination and pizza. The same chuckles that have drawn me to Dave Whamond's Reality Check cartoons and his earlier picture books (such as Nick the Sidekick, Rosie's Glasses, and Oddrey) will tickle those funny bones with the puns, the play on popular culture (like the blandness of Vegan food, the Men in Beige, and Galaxy Advisor ratings) and commentary on creativity, learning, always being plugged in, dealing with bullies, and diversity. The text is clever and sweet and readers will rise to support Alien Nate and Fazel in their growing friendship, in their sharing of cultures and more. 

Of course, being a graphic novel, Alien Nate does not disappoint with its illustrations. Dave Whamond's pen and ink with watercolour art is as cheeky as the story, vivid in its colours (his trademark pink-purple-periwinkle always make me smile) and inviting readers to see a story from different perspectives like front, back, above, background and up-close. It's all in good fun and in good taste too. (I can smell the pizza, and doughnuts and popcorn...)

Meet Alien Nate for a giggle or twenty and do some honest learning about the value of creativity to develop a real world of friends.

The Unteachables

Written by Gordon Korman

Scholastic Canada

978-1-4431-7016-1

279 pp.

Ages 9-13

January 2019

I can always rely on Gordon Korman's books to make me laugh. But, with The Unteachables, for the first time, Gordon Korman has made me cry too. Maybe it's because I'm a teacher. Maybe it's because an injustice is righted. Maybe it's because a motley group of kids steps up in a big and meaningful way. Whatever the reason, The Unteachables delivers more than expected, just like the students in Mr. Kermit's SCS-8 class.

In a comedy of errors or even negligence, Kiana Roubini who has moved in with her father and stepmom and baby brother while mom is off shooting a movie ends up inappropriately and unregistered in class SCS-8, a self-contained special grade eight class at Greenwich Middle School. The only other students in the class are the angry Aldo Braff; Elaine ("Rhymes with pain") Ostrover; Barnstorm Anderson, an injured jock who had been passed year after year but did no work; quirky comic-movie-TV fan Mateo Hendrickson; Rahim Barclay who sleeps all day; and Parker Elias, farm boy for whom reading is just an endless barrage of confusing anagrams. Their teacher is Mr. Zachary Kermit who, though once a dedicated and inspiring teacher, was ruined by a cheating scandal twenty-two years earlier in which he had no part but for which the superintendent, Dr. Thaddeus, is determined to make the man pay dearly, forever it would seem. Mr. Kermit, or Ribbit as his class calls him, was the teacher of a student, Jake Terranova, who'd stolen and sold copies of the aptitude test, marring the reputation of the school at which Dr. Thaddeus was then principal. Now after years of reassignment after reassignment, Mr. Kermit is coasting until his early retirement at the end of the school year. Unfortunately, Dr. Thaddeus is not going to let that happen.

To the whole school, SCS-8 is the class of Unteachables and Mr. Kermit is happy to accept that. He gives them worksheets that he never grades and works on his crossword puzzle. As long as they don't burn the school down, he's okay with whatever they do or don't. But, enthusiastic young Miss Fountain next door is determined to foist her primary class management ideas on him and his students. Worse yet, she engages car dealership mogul Jake Terranova, the cheating scandal lynchpin, to interact with the kids, hopeful that a reconciliation may return Mr. Kermit to great teaching.

As in life, Gordon Korman's novels are filled with a plethora of characters, all with their own foibles and strengths. By alternating the voice of the chapters between Kiana, Parker and Mr. Kermit, along with Mateo, Aldo, Barnstorm, principal Mrs, Vargas, Dr. Thaddeus and Jake Terranova, Gordon Korman embeds perspective and perception, not always accurate but always telling.

The guidance counsellors say I have anger management problems. They don't know what they're talking about. I manage to get angry better than anybody else in the whole school. No problem. (pg. 39)

Though there is redemption for those who never should have needed to redeem themselves, The Unteachables makes sure to impart positive messages about learning and teaching, and that no one is unteachable.

How can the school know they're unteachable if nobody ever tries to teach them? (pg. 60)

With a dedication "For all teachers who soldier on" Gordon Korman has written a story for the students and their teachers that inspires everyone to do their best because the impact of that choice may never be identified but it will undoubtedly be realized.

Phoebe Sounds It Out

Written by Julie Zwillich

Illustrated by Denise Holmes

Owlkids Books

978-1-77147-164-0

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

April 2017

Too many children like Phoebe avoid that which seems difficult or problematic especially in school.  So it’s not surprising that the young girl would prefer to play with her rain boots and a pencil rather than practise writing her name as instructed by the teacher.  Even though she has her name written on her backpack to use as a guide, she knows the letters don’t match the sounds that she is able to distinguish in her name. (Her Mama must have made a mistake.)

From Phoebe Sounds It Out

by Julie Zwillich 

illus. by Denise Holmes

So, Phoebe carefully chooses the sounds and letters that would make sense in her name and, for a child in kindergarten, she is absolutely en pointe!  She’s not copying her name out; she’s sounding it out and spelling it as the sounds dictate.  Moreover, she’s led by her heart to use letters that fit but still she chooses those that might have special meaning or add a little something extra like companionship for lonely letters.

“Maybe she could borrow the letter that was at the end of Nicky’s name.  It sounded right.  Nicky wouldn’t mind.”

And though her teacher could chastize Phoebe for incorrectly spelling her name, she instead celebrates all the children’s attempts with glitter glue and a clothespin display for all to enjoy.

From Phoebe Sounds It Out

by Julie Zwillich

illus. by Denise Holmes

Julie Zwillich’s picture book is based on a very familiar premise though not all teachers and parents would recognize it as so or be as accommodating as the children’s teacher Ms. Martha.  As daunting a task as writing your name for the first time, so is reading. Imagine needing to decipher letters before you can even put the sounds together to form words.  Still the story is very straightforward and told in an uncomplicated text so that young children just learning to read will want to attempt to decipher the words, especially since they’ll see themselves within Phoebe’s story.  Everyone is in this book, courtesy of illustrator Denise Holmes who creates a diverse class with students of different races, ethnicities, abilities and challenges, whether they be eyesight or mobility or spelling.  Judging by the names of students displayed (looks like there’s a Lakshmi, Maria, Finch, Ali, Aaron, Miguel, Hazel, Sam, Nicky, June and, of course, Phoebe), Ms. Martha’s classroom is wonderfully rich in diversity, inviting readers to empathize with her students and  respond to Phoebe’s circumstances with understanding.

There’s a wonderful Teachers’ Guide for download that encourages  activities with reading comprehension, writing, and the alphabet, but just reading Phoebe Sounds It Out will suffice to foster discussions about trying and making mistakes as a part of learning.

Rosario's Fig Tree

by Charis Wahl

Illustrated by Luc Melanson

Groundwood Books

978-1-55498-341-4

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

For release March, 2015

Every neighbourhood has a Rosario in their midst or, if they don't, they should.  Rosario is the gardening aficionado, "a garden magician", who knows the right time to turn over the soil, to plant, and how to tend to his outstanding collection of ginormous vegetables. No one grew vegetables like Rosario. And the young girl who narrates this story is fortunate to live next door and help the older man.

Then one spring, something a little different happens: Rosario brings a big potted fig tree out from his house.  He nurtures it through its summer growth and fruit and, when fall comes, prepares an unusual bed for the tree, essentially laying it to rest as if in a grave.  Our narrator is convinced Rosario is saying good-bye, expecting nothing else to come from the tree.  But when spring comes, Rosario surprises her with how much he still can teach her.

Rosario's Fig Tree is a perfect picture book to herald the beginning of spring, to start thinking about the promise of the earth to bring forth new life and fresh vegetables and fruit.  Charis Wahl's first picture book delivers a message about the value of inter-generational relationships, learning from those with the experience.  An elderly neighbour with a green thumb is the perfect mentor for a child wanting to learn about gardening.

While Luc Melanson is hardly the newbie when it comes to illustration, having previously illustrated The Grand Journey of Mr. Man (Tibo, 2001)–winning the 2002 Governor General's Literary Award for Children's Book Illustration for it–and his own Topsy-Turvy Town (2010), among others, he brings a freshness to the story.  His palette of colours are earthy and promising. His skinny characters with the long and large heads are very distinct in Rosario's Fig Tree, allowing the reader to focus on the expressive nature of the eyes and smiles, and the very simplest details like Rosario's wrinkles and the girl's freckles. As highly stylized as Luc Melanson's drawings may be, the reader, young and old alike, will be able to place themselves easily in Rosario's garden with its robust vegetables, elderly friends who come by to advise, and even its snow-covered and fenced-enclosed winter version.

Rosario's Fig Tree takes me back to another time and place but will deliver young readers to a place where they may search out their own Rosario or appreciate one already next door.  And I hope everyone will see the same magic that Rosario, Charis Wahl and Luc Melanson deliver in Rosario's Fig Tree.  It's ripe for the picking.