Dino Dana: Dino Field Guides

Last year, the wildly popular Canadian television series that features young dinosaur-loving Dana took to print in the form of two volumes of Dino Field Guides. Read below why they will be a great addition to the libraries of paleo-lovers young and old.

Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide

 Written by J. J. Johnson, Christin Simms and 

Colleen Russo Johnson

 Mango Publishing Group
978-1-64250-284-8
230 pp.
Ages 8-12
April 2020

 

 

Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide Volume 2

 Written by J.J. Johnson, Christin Simms and  

Colleen Russo Johnson

Mango Publishing Group
978-1-64250-521-4
230 pp.
Ages 8-12
December 2020

 

Books about dinosaurs are plentiful. Check out any school library to find evidence of a collection that is regularly signed out and well-loved. But these field guides are much more than encyclopedias of dino info and it's because of the premise upon which the TV series was founded. Originating from the Canadian series Dino Dan and then Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures, Dino Dana stars a young girl who not only knows about dinosaurs and wants to learn more but imagines them to life. Using CGI animation along with live action, the TV series are less lecture and more interactive and these field guides continue to emphasize that strength.

From Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide by J. J. Johnson, Christin Simms and Colleen Russo Johnson

In the first volume of this series, Dino Dana teaches young readers about Albertosaurus, Amargasaurus, Brachiosaurus, Compsognathus, Corythosaurus, Diabloceratops, Diplodocus, Dracorex, Dromaeosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Euoplocephalus, Europasaurus, Futalognkosaurus, Giganotosaurus, Gigantoraptor, Hippodraco, Incisivosaurus, Kentrosaurus, Kosmoceratops, Maiasaura, Microraptor, Nanotyrannus, Nanuqsaurus, Ozraptor, Pachycephalosaurus, Psittacosaurus, Sinornithosaurus, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Stygimoloch, Therizinosaurus, Triceratops, Troodon, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Ugrunaaluk and Zuul. (Whew! That's a whole lot of dinosaurs.) For each, there are three double-spreads. In the first, the animal is showcased with its name, pronunciation and meaning, location, and time scale to show when they lived. On the next spread, more details about the creature's size, morphology and behaviour as well as interesting tidbits are shared. 

From Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide by J. J. Johnson, Christin Simms and Colleen RussoJohnson

Finally, Dino Dana engages her readers in an experiment she undertakes to answer a question she has about that particular dinosaur. It could be about its defense mechanisms or feeding preferences or behaviours with respect to taking care of their young. Her experiments honour the scientific method, asking a question, getting background research information, making a plan, keeping track of results, and drawing conclusions. And because Dana often involves her family, including baby Dexter, in her investigations, or dresses up in wonderful dinosaur costumes–who knits those amazing headpieces?!–they are all the more colourful in their results.

From Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide by J. J. Johnson, Christin Simms and Colleen Russo Johnson

In the second volume of Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide, which was just released last month, Dino Dana pursues more research into tectonic plates and fossils but also extends her knowledge about Pterosaurs like Pterodactylus, Pterodaustro and Quetzalcoatlus; Flying Dinosaurs like Archaeopteryx; Prehistoric Marine Creatures including Archelon, Deinosuchus, Livyatan, Megalodon and Plesiosaur; Prehistoric Mammals such as Brontotherium, Woolly Mammoth and Smilodon; Terror Birds like Titanus; Prehistoric Snakes like Titanoboa; and finally Prehistoric Insects like Meganeura. In addition to new species and groups of creatures beyond dinosaurs, Dino Dana gives special consideration to the young of several, like the Baby Smilon, Baby Wooly Mammoth and Baby Plesiosaur, in this second volume.

 

From Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide Volume 2 by J. J. Johnson, Christin Simms and Colleen Russo Johnson

As with any nature field guide, Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide and Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide Volume 2 are informative handbooks that include just about everything you wanted to know about dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. But, because Dino Dana is always learning and engaging in discovery activities to feed her knowledge, her field guides don't just tell the reader stuff. They also demonstrate their own development. There are numerous instances where Dana has corrected previously-held truths about dinosaurs, like the theory that "Dinos are like lizards" being replaced with "more like birds." By always asking questions, like the great investigator she is, and attempting to find the answers, whether through research or active inquiry, Dino Dana engages her readers in the process of learning.

For fans of the Dino Dana series and for those who have never seen it but are lovers of dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures, Dino Dana: Dino Field Guides are an absolute treat of visual entertainment and comprehensive knowledge.

 

Nature All Around: Trees & Nature All Around: Plants

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of reviewing Nature All Around: Birds, Pamela Hickman and Carolyn Gavin's newest book in Kids Can Press's Nature All Around series, and I was reminded of earlier books that I hadn't reviewed. Here are my reviews of two additional titles published earlier in the series.

🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲

 

Nature All Around: Trees

Written by Pamela Hickman

Illustrated by Carolyn Gavin

Kids Can Press

978-1-77138-804-7

32 pp.

Ages 7-10

2019

 

Nature All Around: Plants

Written by Pamela Hickman

Illustrated by Carolyn Gavin

Kids Can Press

978-1-77138-819-1

32 pp.

Ages 7-10

2020  

As with Nature All Around: Birds, Pamela Hickman and Carolyn Gavin offer children a broad introduction to a group of living things in an illustrated text perfect for the early middle grade reader. They cover life cycles, behaviour, identification, seasonal variation, and unique species, as well as offering an opportunity for learning through activity

From Nature All Around: Trees by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

In Nature All Around: Trees, children will become familiar with the basics of tree morphology (i.e., trunk, bark, roots, crown, leaves, seeds and branches) and the differences between deciduous and evergreen trees. The different types of leaves and their role in photosynthesis and respiration are also covered. Looking at the tree through the seasons, Pamela Hickman details pollination, fruit production, and the making of maple syrup from sap. She also reports on the forest regions of North America, the role of trees as habitat, and tree identification. Still as scientifically accurate as the details are, Nature All Around: Trees is also a celebration of trees and their wondrous role in different ecosystems, and Carolyn Gavin's illustrations of watercolour and gouache honour both the science and the magic. (The joy of colour and shape in the illustration below is just one superb example.)

From Nature All Around: Trees by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

In Nature All Around: Plants, Pamela Hickman discusses flowering and non-flowering plants, life cycles, adaptations to the environment, to attract pollinators and for protection, and the many quirky species and anomalies to the norm. Of course, there is always the activity-based learning which here includes "Beginner Plant-Watching" and growing microgreens.

From Nature All Around: Plants by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

Children are spending a lot more time indoors right now and being out in nature offers a plethora of opportunities for learning, for exercise, for quiet time and for connection. With the Nature All Around series from Pamela Hickman and illustrated by Carolyn Gavin, heading out to take in the natural world and make those worthwhile connections that remind us that we're much more than entities on screens is all the more possible. 

From Nature All Around: Plants by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

 🌲🌳🐛🌲🌳🐛🌲🌳🐛🌲🌳🐛🌲

 

The complete Nature All Around series includes four books to date:

Nature All Around: Trees (2019)

Nature All Around: Bugs (2019)

Nature All Around: Plants (2020) 

Nature All Around: Birds (2020)

Nature All Around: Birds

Written by Pamela Hickman

Illustrated by Carolyn Gavin

Kids Can Press

978-1-77138-818-4

32 pp.

Ages 7-10

2020

 

With so many kids' activities curtailed, especially those involving team sports and getting together with others, it may be a great time to get your little ones involved in an activity like birding i.e., bird-watching which they can do alone, with family, or later with friends, developing it into the life-long passion enjoyed by many.

Pamela Hickman, whose collection of books about nature will astound, takes children through the basics about birds, from their life cycle to changes through the seasons, attributes of eggs, feathers, beaks, behaviour and more, and inviting them to watch birds.

From Nature All Around: Birds by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

Organized with a simple table of contents, glossary and index, Nature All Around: Birds is an easy non-fiction read for early readers and middle grade children without bogging them down in scientific names and other minutiae that might dissuade them from learning. Pamela Hickman has made Nature All Around: Birds comprehensive but reader-friendly, drawing children in with the short blurbs of explanatory text.  Coupled with the colourful gouache and watercolour illustrations by Carolyn Gavin which blend realism with a touch of whimsy, it's all bright and informative without reading like a field guide or textbook.

From Nature All Around: Birds by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

Learning about birds for young children will require looking out their windows or taking a walk and opening their eyes to the feathered creatures who share our landscapes. But, with Nature All Around: Birds, their focus will be bolstered by Pamela Hickman's descriptive and guiding text and Carolyn Gavin's detailed and communicative art and undoubtedly help establish an abiding appreciation for birds.

From Nature All Around: Birds by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

You Were Never Here

Written by Kathleen Peacock

HarperTeen

978-0-06-300251-7

392 pp.

Ages 13+ 

October 2020

 

I used to think that once things broke, you couldn't put them back together, that the cracks would always be present and there was no point in trying. (pg. 388)

Seventeen year old Mary Catherine Montgomery a.k.a. Cat undoubtedly thinks of herself as broken, or at least not normal, and it has nothing to do with her physique, though she often deprecates herself for her wild red hair and chubbiness. What Cat can do, since puberty, is feel others' desires and fears when she has skin-to-skin contact. Consequently, she wears long sleeves as much as possible and avoids crowds and any chance of close contact with anyone. She's learned from experience how damaging it can be to reveal what she knows. The first time was with Riley Fraser, the boy next door to her Aunt Jet's in Montgomery Falls, New Brunswick. Now after another incident because of her gift, Cat is leaving her home in NYC and going to stay with her aunt. But things are much different now. Oh, she still has her gift, though she generally knows how to avoid its consequences. It's Riley. He's disappeared.

At her aunt's home, now a rooming house, Cat meets eighteen-year-old Aidan Porter, as well as his friends Chase, Joey and Skylar, and reconnects with Riley's older brother Noah who returned from university when his brother disappeared three months earlier. As Cat tries to fit in with her horror film-loving new acquaintances and piece together the bullying that Skylar is experiencing related to Riley, as well as help Noah learn what happened to his brother, Cat gets caught up in another incident when they discover the near-dead body of another student, Rachel Larsen.

In a thrilling YA novel of a suspicious disappearance, a supernatural gift and the natural need for acceptance and human contact, Kathleen Peacock sends us into the community of Montgomery Falls and into the heads of Cat and several others to recognize that,

Sometimes... people fear the things they want or want the things they fear. (pg. 154)

Discovering what happened to Riley is paramount in You Were Never Here but learning about Cat's ability and how that has impacted her relationships with Riley, her NYC friend Lacey, her father, and others is also relevant. Because of that power, Cat avoids getting close to people, including her own family, and can't trust herself to feel for anyone, worried that they might run out on her or accuse her of being a monster. How do you trust others when you can't trust yourself? Blending Cat's gift with regular teenage angst, a craving for friendship and a bit of romance, and a mystery or two to be solved, Kathleen Peacock has created a story teeming with emotions and tension, and reminds us what it takes to be human, and Cat most certainly is. She's bright, realistic, compassionate, and cautiously trusting, though not always of herself. She is not the monster but there is one around. And, as with any good mystery, the reveal is both unexpected and convincing.

Goldibooks and the Wee Bear

Written by Troy Wilson

Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor

Running Press Kids

978-0-7624-9620-4

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

January 2021

 

When Goldibooks and her reading-loving parents head to the library to exchange their books, they spot a wee bear that the girl thinks is adorable. Though her parents caution her away because adult bears can be protective of their young, she needn't have worried as the cub is just desperate to find something to read.

 

From Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor

When the wee bear comes across the humans' cottage, he can't resist peeking in and is elated to spot three packed bookshelves. As in the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, upon which Troy Wilson has based his story, the wee bear tries out the books on each case. Of course, Mom's are too hard, and Dad's are too soft, but Goldi's are just right.

From Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor

Similarly, the wee bear looks for a comfy spot to read and finally finds that Goldi's chair is just right, though he does have a bit of a fumble with it. So he tries the beds because what better place to read, right? And as every reader knows, when gets comfortable reading, he falls asleep.

 

From Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor

When the family returns from the library, they are shocked to see the mayhem with their books, and their chairs, and beds. Just as Goldibooks discovers the wee bear who knows he shouldn't have trespassed, his bear parents show up, distressed that he didn't stay away from the wee human whose parents could be dangerous if you get near their kids. (Sounds familiar, doesn't it?)

From Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor

But books can do so much to help us overcome fears and discrimination, and soon enough the wee ones, human and bear, have encouraged their families to enjoy reading together.

 

By writing this story as a fractured fairy tale, Troy Wilson is able to incorporate important messages about reading and the coming together of cultures in a familiar narrative that kids will love. They'll know where the story should go—i.e., the first is too hard, the next is too soft and the last is just right—but they won't exactly know where Troy Wilson will take them. And by blanketing the story about a little bear who wants to read and parents who want to protect their young, even if their fears are unfounded, Troy Wilson gives us more to the story than just respecting other's stuff. 

American Edwardian Taylor's cartoon illustrations, with his apple-cheeked characters and fairy-tale setting of forests and cottages, keep the story light and cheerful. Even when the wee bear causes a bit of damage and the bears and humans meet, his colours and shapes add whimsy and brightness.

 

Goldibooks and the Wee Bear, Troy Wilson's second fractured fairy tale (Little Red Reading Hood and the Misread Wolf  in 2019 was his first) among his rich collection of picture books, releases today. With it, Troy Wilson is becoming a stand out in twisting a classic tale into a more contemporary and more meaningful story for teaching and entertaining young readers.

Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School)

Written by Lana Button

Illustrated by Hatem Aly

Owlkids Books

978-1-77147-340-8

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

August 2020

Rules are often put in place to keep us safe. Some are imposed by others and adopted by everyone, and some are very personal and created to meet our own needs and preferences. The latter is the case for Raj whose reluctance to use the bathrooms at school compels him to adhere to some very strict and strange rules. But, some rules are doomed to be broken.

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

Not unlike a lot of people, Raj is reluctant to use any bathroom other than the one at home. In order to abide by this rule, Raj offers some charming and very practical tips to prevent the need for school bathroom breaks. He avoids drinking at school, not from the water fountain or from juice boxes. He may wash his hands at the sink but quickly and he avoids the water table. 

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

He definitely stays away from the very funny Kyle and avoids distractions and movements that might keep him from sitting still, often squeezing his knees together. But, when a sneeze necessitates a visit to the school bathroom, all his rules are for naught and Raj learns that the outcome is better than he thought.

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

You have to wonder how many people deny themselves the opportunities for happiness because of the fear of the "what ifs." Raj is obviously afraid of something associated with using a public washroom–and nowadays with COVID19, who isn't?–but the distress on his poor little body as he attempts to keep it from its natural functions is apparent. (Doctors would probably advise against this as well.) But Lana Button's gentle text doesn't poke fun at Raj and his predilection. She offers a compassionate, even rational, perspective and allows Raj the opportunity to problem solve his own solutions, both how not to use the bathroom and how to manage when he must use it.  As she has unequivocally accomplished in her earlier books like Willow Finds a Way (2013), My Teacher's Not Here! (2018) and What If Bunny's Not a Bully? (2020), Lana Button is respectful of how young children think, emphasizing their very legitimate struggles with bullies, friends, routines, and change but still giving them the vehicle to find their own solutions. And, as all teachers and parents should know, by allowing children the opportunity to problem solve their own answers, they are encouraging them to accept them.

 

New Brunswick illustrator Hatem Aly, who also created the art for The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family (2019), is no stranger to blending lightness with the important messages of authors. He never makes Raj look silly or insignificant, instead making Raj just one of the kids whose issue just happens to be not wanting to use the bathroom at school. It could have been never eating the crusts on bread, or wearing his favourite red socks every day, or carrying a stuffie everywhere. But Hatem Aly has made the adorable Raj, the boy with a bounty of dark wavy hair, big eyes and wish to avoid a public bathroom, just another kid in diverse class of kids of different sizes, colours and abilities. They're boisterous and quiet, impetuous and cautious, and Raj is just one of them.

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

At a time when being vigilant in public is the norm, little Raj is wise to consider how to avoid potential problems by strategizing ways to bypass his school bathrooms. But, more importantly, Raj can still find a way to ease his worries while becoming happier at school, both physically and emotionally, by simply tweaking his rules so they work with his new reality.

The Desert Prince (Secrets of the Sands, Book 2)

Written by Alisha Sevigny

Dundurn

978-1-45974-432-5

364 pp.

Ages 8-13

September 2020 

"I know what it is like, how acting on your conscience can bring you into conflict with higher powers." (pg. 52)

 

When middle-grade readers first met Sesha in The Lost Scroll of the Physician, she was studying with other scribes and searching for the lost scroll of the Great Imhotep. Though those in power viewed the scroll as a tool of influence, whether for military surgery or more, Sesha needed it to help save the life of her younger brother Ky. So, even though Pharaoh's queen Anat stole the scroll and tried to kill Sesha and fellow scribes Paser and Reb, the Pharaoh's physician Ahmes was able to help Ky. Now the trio of teens are on the run and searching for Pharaoh's daughter, Merat, who'd been given to the Hyskos chieftain in betrothal.

 

To improve their chances of escape and survival, Sesha helps free a Hyskos spy who'd been in the pits alongside them. Under Pepi's guidance, Sesha, Paser and Reb are able to cross the dangerous desert of scorching heat, deadly quicksand, negligible water and terrifying sandstorms to reach the Chieftain's oasis community. Under the ruse of Sesha being betrothed to Pepi who is the Chieftain's cousin, and Reb and Paser being her brothers, they ingratiate themselves into the community and look for ways to free Merat and save themselves. 

But freeing Merat is not as easy as it sounds, especially at a secluded oasis where they all become integrated: Merat working with children, Sesha helping as a physician, and Paser and Reb training as Hyskos soldiers. When the Chieftain's right-hand man Akin is badly injured, Sesha devises a plan to retrieve the scroll from Thebes, ostensibly to help in his recovery, and to get them all to the city of Avaris from which they might escape. But will her scheme to return to Thebes and see her brother, recover the scroll, warn the Thebans about the Chieftain's plans for war, and return safely to her friends be as easy as she plots, especially with Pepi by her side? And will the skills he has taught her as a spy be enough to ensure their success?

If The Lost Scroll of the Physician was a thriller, then The Desert Prince is action adventure. By taking the action out of Thebes and into the desert, where survival requires skills beyond understanding how and why people act as they do, Alisha Sevigny has added a new dimension to her story. There is still the myriad of characters, some of whom we don't trust and learn to trust, and others whose motives are questionable all along, and they are key to the plot of the story and how it progresses but place and time become even more prominent. Being set in Ancient Egypt, the Secrets of the Sands series is already historical fiction with a different landscape, and Alisha Sevigny adds richness to her story by infusing it with the Ancient Egyptians' belief system, cultures, medical and funereal practices and more. But now she also brings us into the desert and to an oasis and introduces a new culture, that of the Hyksos, and an imminent new conflict. Alisha Sevigny has taken us to Ancient Egypt, making everything so real that young readers will be tempted to check how much is authentic (Thebes, Hyskos, Imhotep, Avaris, and Ahmes all are) and even if Sesha might be found in Wikipedia (she is not). 

That's the context of Alisha Sevigny's The Desert Prince but the story, of a prophetic scroll, of allegiances and spies, betrothals and family, and war and accord, provides us with the action and the mystery that will keep readers reading, especially as even more secrets are revealed. She may have left us satisfied with her story's resolution but, just as she did at the conclusion of The Lost Scroll of the Physician, Alisa Sevigny knows how to keep us wanting more and, with a secret prophecy and a looming war along with some budding romances, she's hooked us into anticipating Book 3.