Small Medium at Large

Written by Joanne Levy

Bloomsbury Children's Books

978-1-59990-836-6

193 pp.

Ages 9-13

2012

Lilah is the Small Medium at Large.  She is only 12 (hence, the small) and her newly acquired psychic ability (making her a medium) is released (i.e., at large) after she is struck by lightning while clutching a metal tent pole at her mother's outdoor wedding.  Luckily, as the great cover indicates, Lilah is an endearing child with a colourful supporting cast to help her manage:  her kind but awkward Dad, just getting back into dating; her loving mother and new step-dad Stan, now away on their month long honeymoon; her best friend, Alex, who finds the value in Lilah's new gift; and her dead grandmother, Bubby Dora, who tells it like it is with wisdom and love, advising Lilah she can't "be everything to everybody."

Getting this psychic ability is a shock in itself but having dead people talking to her wherever she goes could become problematic.  Luckily, most of the spirits she "meets" are good-hearted souls who want to help: her Bubby Dora wants to help Lilah's dad find someone nice so he wouldn't be so lonely; Serena, a former bandmate of Lilah's music teacher, wants him to start up their old band; Miss Marion, the lunch lady, who is able to steer Lilah away from lousy meatloaf and such in the school cafeteria; and Mr. Finkel, the father of the boy on whom Lilah is crushing, just wants to connect with his son.

But, sharing her gift with others is especially awkward, even though Alex is sure that Lilah could make loads of money selling her services.  Luckily, Lilah is more apt to use her gift to help others, including those whose nasty behaviour could have earned them her disdain and disregard.

Small Medium at Large has all the hallmarks of a great middle-grade read.  The plot focus is simple i.e., Lilah's new-found psychic ability.  The characters are mostly of the kind variety with only a couple of nasty ones added for flavour and even they can be redeemed.  And the stories resolve themselves amicably when characters connect.  Even the book trailer from Joanne Levy demonstrates the light-heartedness of the book.  Joanne Levy shares, without preaching, that supporting one's family and friends can bring good karma even if you have to live through the awkwardness of puberty and first crushes.

One Step at a Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way

by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

Pajama Press
978-1-927485-02-6
128 pp.
Ages 8-12
2012

Eight-year-old Son Thi Anh Tuyet's story begins in Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan's Rescue From War (Pajama Press, 2011) with her rescue from Saigon when the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong relentlessly bombarded the city at the conclusion of the Vietnam War.  Along with numerous babies from the orphanage, Tuyet is given transport to Canada.  And, regardless of her polio-stricken left foot and leg which she believes makes her unadoptable, Tuyet is welcomed into the Morris household in Ontario.

So begins One Step at a Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way, the next chapter of Tuyet's life, as a new sister to Beth, 4; Lara, 3, adopted from Calcutta; and baby Aaron, also from Vietnam.  Though far from the bombings and orphanage life in Vietnam, Tuyet is still troubled.  She experiences nightmares and poor sleep, finding reassurance in sleeping on the floor near family so that she might hear them nearby.  She cannot understand English very well yet, so communication is difficult, though she recognizes the love and safety she feels in the Morris' home, now hers.  And she continues to suffer with her disabled foot and leg that prevent her from walking properly, running, and even kicking a ball.  Overriding everything, though, is her fear that she may have to leave the Morris' and perhaps return to Vietnam.

Though it has been explained to her that she will be going to McMaster Hospital for an operation for her leg and foot, Tuyet is not prepared emotionally for being separated from her new family and the aftermath of the operation.  In the 1970's, Canada's multicultural identify had not quite blossomed fully and translation services were essentially non-existent.  Awakening to find her leg "in cement" is distraction enough, but being unable to communicate her overwhelming pain leaves Tuyet feeling even more vulnerable.  Luckily her simple "I want Mom and Dad" brings Dad to help, as he does throughout the whole process of Tuyet using her crutches, being fitted for braces, and getting regular physiotherapy.

Tuyet's new life is filled with many "firsts", which she sometimes sadly connects with her past.  Balloons, the hospital, birthday presents and cake with burning candles, leg casts, and even a crop duster plane cause some confusion and even distress but the compassion and support John and Dorothy Morris extend to their new daughter and the unconditional love of her new siblings remedies most of her fears and pains.  Ultimately, coupled with a pair of little red shoes, Tuyet's life is changed forever.

Just as she so eloquently did in Last Airlift, Marsha Skrypuch gently takes the reader by the hand to observe the young girl's new life from Tuyet's viewpoint.  The thoughts in Tuyet's young mind are varied, complex and even irrational (from an adult's point of view, of course) but they are real and overwhelming to an eight-year-old, and even Tuyet astutely recognizes that "not all hurts show on the outside." (pg. 90) Not the princess dreams and perfect endings of fairy tales, Tuyet's story is all the more satisfying when her anxieties and confusions are resolved fittingly, just as her shoes are, though not perfectly, and provide the hope necessary to help her take her next steps.  A wonderful tale of making things fit, whether they be people or shoes.

* * * * * * * * * *

If you can make the book launch for One Step at a Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way on Wednesday September 19, you will be fortunate enough to visit with both author Marsha Skrypuch and her guest, Tuyet. 

Middle Ages (Medieval Times) Book List III

Clip art from www.teacherfiles.com

This is the third list of Canadian titles that deal with Medieval Times or the Middle Ages, which is generally accepted to have occurred from about 500 to 1500 C.E., after the fall of the Roman Empire until the Renaissance Era (14th c. to 16th c.). Only exceptional non-fiction is included here.

Non-Fiction

Adventures in the Middle Ages

by Linda Bailey

Illustrated by Bill Slavin

Kids Can Press

48 pp.

Ages 8-12

2000

Part of the Good Times Travel Agency series by author Linda Bailey and illustrator Bill Slavin, Adventures in the Middle Ages follows siblings Josh, Emma and Libby into medieval times of battles, catapults and unsanitary conditions.

Archers, Alchemists and 98 Other Medieval Jobs You Might Have Loved or Loathed

by Priscilla Galloway

Illustrated by Martha Newbigging

Annick Press

96 pp.

Ages 9-13
2003
Read about the wide variety of occupations by folks in the middle ages, far beyond the knights and castle folk most children know.

Clay Man: The Golem of Prague

by Irene N. Watts

Illustrated by Kathryn E. Shoemaker

Tundra

84 pp.

Ages 9+

2009

A retelling of the classic tale of a man formed of clay by the Jewish people in Prague in the late 1500's.

The Serpent Bride: Stories from Medieval Danish Ballads

by K. V. Johansen

Thistledown Press

187 pp.

Ages 13+

1998

Ten stories from Medieval Denmark include witches or trolls, love stories, dark magic and sailing the high seas.

The Seventh Expert: An Interactive Medieval Adventure

by Mark Oakley

Illustrated by John Mantha

Annick

96 pp.

Ages 10-12

2008
Following violent weather in the 1300's, a medieval village must be rebuilt, with the help of the reader and the expert advice and tools of those who lived in the middle ages.

Book Launch: One Step at a Time, A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way

Join

Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

author of 

Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan's Rescue from War

on   
Wednesday, September 19, 2012

7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

at

The Station Coffee House and Gallery
5 Wadsworth Street
Brantford, ON
(519) 309-0008

for the launch of the sequel

One Step at a Time
A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way

Eight-year-old Tuyet's harrowing escape from Saigon in 1975 and adoption by her new family in Brantford, Ontario was the focus of Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan's Rescue from War (Pajama Press, 2011).  One Step at a Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way recounts Tuyet's true story of adjusting to her new family and country and accepting the unconditional love and support extended to her, regardless of her polio-stricken left foot and leg which she had always believed made her unadoptable.

Marsha Skrypuch accompanied by Tuyet will generously answer questions and autograph books at this book launch.

And the Crowd Goes Wild! A Global Gathering of Sports Poems

Edited by Carol-Ann Hoyte and Heidi Bee Roemer

Illustrated by Kevin Sylvester

Friesen Press

978-1-77097-953-6

67 pp.

Ages 7–12

August 2012

Reviewed from digital file

978-1-77097-954-3

Fans of sports, poetry, humour and youngCanLit will be sure to cheer for this anthology of poetry that stretches from the experiences of going to the stadium to playing and watching various sports and games (including lacrosse, chess, table tennis, football, baseball and dogsled racing) and finales like the World Series and closing ceremonies.

And the Crowd Goes Wild! editors, Canadian Carol-Ann Hoyte and American Heidi Bee Roemer, have chosen poetry from around the world, hence the global gathering, which includes Canada, U.S.A., Australia, Liberia, England, Scotland, New Zealand, Ghana, Ireland and Wales.  Young readers will recognize many sports like hockey, tennis and football, and learn about nontraditional endeavours such as goalball and monoskiing.  Whether in contexts of global events such as the Olympics and the Paralympics, or based in neighbourhood fields and playgrounds, the poetry will touch readers with its humour, poignancy or familiarity.  From the young girl whose letter asks her coach (also her father) to let her play (The Letter by Eileen R. Meyer), to a girl's relationship with her father solidified over sport (I Watch Football with My Father by Savannah Tesla) or Tiffany Stone's I Hate Hockey, surprisingly told from the puck's point of view, the poetry emphasizes the relation of young people to sport from their own perspectives and experiences.  The reader need not be familiar with the sport or topic to enjoy the poetry, but experiences, personal or observational, will introduce another layer of appreciation and comprehension of the poetry.

One of the numerous poems by Canadians is Pianoball by Jocelyn Shipley, author of How to Tend a Grave (reviewed here).  Showing her writing versatility, Jocelyn Shipley's poem about a child practising piano while yearning for the baseball game is enhanced by a Kevin Sylvester drawing.  Kevin Sylvester, author of the wildly popular Neil Flambé series, is also recognized for his sports-based non-fiction (e.g., Game Day, Annick, 2010; Sports Hall of Weird, Kids Can Press, 2005) and award-winning illustrations (e.g., Don't Touch That Toad and Other Strange Things Adults Tell You, Kids Can Press, 2010) so he was the definitive choice for illustrator of And the Crowd Goes Wild!

I haven't even mentioned a valuable resource for teachers who'd love to meld poetry with sports.  The editors generously referenced each poem to its form (e.g., shape poems, acrostic) and poetic devices such as hyperbole and metaphor. And if that wasn't enough, there is a website at http://crowdgoeswildpoems.wordpress.com/ that is slated to provide primers on writing poetry and interviews with the editors and others related to And the Crowd Goes Wild! book.

As I'm always promoting CanLit for young readers, the inclusion of poetry by non-Canadians does not negate the value of this wonderful anthology.  Published in Canada with the efforts of a Canadian editor and illustrated by a well-known illustrator and sports enthusiast, in addition to the numerous poets from Canada, I can safely attest that And the Crowd Goes Wild! hits one out of the park, no matter who's on the teams. Go, Team Hoyte-Roemer, Go!

I'm Bored: Book Launch

Join 

illustrator 

Debbie Ridpath Ohi 

on Tuesday, September 18, 2012 

from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

at  TYPE Books

883 Queen St. West

(between Bathurst and Ossington)

Toronto

for the launch of her first picture book

I'm Bored

Written by Michael Ian Black

Illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

978-1442414037

40 pp.

For release September 4, 2012
 

This simple but highly relevant picture book focuses on a bored little girl who must change her way of thinking and demonstrate, to a potato, that children are not boring but amazing. 

More about Debbie Ridpath Ohi, a children's book illustrator and writer who lives in  Toronto, can be read at her website http://debbieohi.com

n.b. I'm Bored will be released on September 4th but the official launch will take place on September 18th.

Such Wicked Intent: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, Book Two

by Kenneth Oppel

HarperCollins Canada

978-1-55468-342-0

310 pp.

Ages12+

Released August 28, 2012

Wicked.  Intense.  Dark.  A dash of sweetness. 

It could be dark chocolate I'm describing but it's Such Wicked Intent, the sequel to This Dark Endeavour, Kenneth Oppel's first book in The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein series.  Just like a good dark chocolate, Such Wicked Intent is a treat that should be savoured slowly, with pauses to contemplate the richness of the experience, even smoother than its predecessor.

In This Dark Endeavour (reviewed here on October 5, 2011), teen Victor Frankenstein pursues an alchemical cure for his deathly-ill twin brother, Konrad.  Following the tomes in the Dark Library of his ancestor Wilhelm Frankenstein, Victor sacrifices much, including two of his own fingers, to save his brother, sadly unsuccessfully.

Such Wicked Intent begins just three weeks after Konrad's death, with Victor's father destroying the Dark Library.  First the books are burned and then the structure itself dismantled, with two significant finds revealed.  Below the former Dark Library, workers discover caves with primitive art etched in the walls.  Perhaps more significant is Victor's discovery of a book-like metal box amongst the burnt books.  Within the box, a pendant and materials and instructions for building a Spirit Board for communicating with the dead capture Victor's attention.

With the help of Elizabeth, Konrad's love, and their friend Henry Percival, Victor unearths an elixir, spirit clock and directions for visiting the spirit world.  Victor is delighted to find Konrad, still in his funeral clothes, as well as another spirit, Analiese, a former servant at the chateau.  Awaiting their "gathering" by the brilliant light, Konrad and Analiese endure the terrorizing thumps and groans heard within the chateau, and the swirling mist outside that Analiese believes is an evil entity.  Sadly, seeing his brother and Elizabeth is almost unbearable for Konrad, as they emit blinding light and heat.  On the other hand, Victor finds that being on the other side leaves him empowered, energized and even pain-free. Victor is determined to deliver Konrad back to the world of the living.

And so begin the psychological and moral debates within and between the characters.  Should Konrad be allowed to remain in a kind of purgatory, waiting for the angels, or returned to his family and Elizabeth?  Should Victor pursue Elizabeth though he has vowed not to covet what was his brother's?  How can Elizabeth justify her visits to Konrad with her religious convictions?  What of the jealousies Victor, Elizabeth and even Henry seem to be experiencing?  Most importantly, are they playing God in recreating life and returning Konrad from the dead?

Victor may feel guilt due to his jealousy of Konrad and this may be colouring his actions, including attempting to save Konrad's life and now retrieving him.  But, Victor cannot resolve what he wants to do with what he feels he should want to do.  He is passionate about unlocking the secrets of the universe, especially those contrary to the laws of nature. But this passion, almost a compulsion, torments him when balanced against his family: his father who has asked Victor to cease his unnatural investigations; his mother debilitated with grief; his young brothers who love him; and Elizabeth who is contemplating entering the convent.  How can he ensure his decisions are just? And does it matter if they aren't?

Kenneth Oppel takes the turmoil of Victor's position, as the twin of a more highly admired brother to whom Victor feels disloyal, and embeds it in the darkness of the unknown afterlife and sorcery.  Embroiled in a shifting matrix of grief, lust, affection and faith, Victor's intents, as well as those of the others, seem to shift in response, vacillating between selfish and compassionate.  The Frankenstein madness of Mary Shelley may be growing in Victor but the elaborate veneer of creativity and ancestry may keep it from erupting. Only Kenneth Oppel's imagination and foresight will determine the full extent of Victor's apprenticeship. 

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Uploaded by HarperCollins Canada to coincide with the release of Such Wicked Intent on August 28th, the book trailer can be viewed at CanLit for LittleCanadians: BookTtrailers here.