Annotated list of Canadian
Fiction and Non-Fiction books which I read for a children's literature
class. All of these books are quite good so the quality rating
generally reflects how much I enjoyed the book.
Picture
Books (Fiction) | Novels | Non-Fiction
FICTION
Title:
The Balloon Tree
Author: Phoebe Gilman
Publisher: Scholastic
Date: 1984
ISBN: 0-590-24313-6
Genre: Picture book; Fantasy
Age Suitability: 4-8
Topics or
Themes: Princess
Quality Rating: 3.5
Synopsis: The King goes on trip leaving his daughter, Princess
Leora, in the care of his brother the Archduke. She is told to
let balloons go if there is a problem and she needs him to return
home, but as soon as he leaves the Archduke outlaws all balloons
and tries to take over the kingdom. This book is beautifully illustrated
with detailed, vivid pictures as well as borders around the text
and illustrations. The Princess is a strong character who saves
herself, and the plot twist at the very end is simple but brilliant.
Title:
Bear on the Train
Author:
Julie Lawson
Illustrator: Brian Deines
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Date: 1999
ISBN: 1-55074-560-3
Genre: Picture book; Realistic fiction
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 5-8
Topics or Themes: Bears; Hibernation; Western Canada
Quality Rating: 3.5
Awards/Distinctions: OLA Best Bet
Synopsis: Jeffey spots a bear getting onto a train in the
Prairies in order to eat grain and yells at him to get off the
train so he doesn't get frozen, scared, or end up all alone. The
bear pays no attention and actually ends up hibernating in the
train as it goes back and forth from the Prairie to the coast
until the Spring when he wakes up and gets off the train as Jeffrey
watches. The fact that only Jeffrey can notices the bear is a
nice aspect of the story, and it frames this story of a bear's
hibernation. The paintings in this book set the mood for the story
and ideally complement the feeling of vastness in terms of geography
and calmness in terms of the bear's hibernation.
Title:
Bubblegum Delicious
Author: Dennis Lee
Illustrator: David McPhail
Publisher: Key Porter Books
Date: 2000
ISBN: 1-55263-159-1
Genre: Picture book; Poetry
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: Ages 5-12
Topics or Themes: Various fun poems for children
Quality Rating: 4.5
Synopsis: Collection of poems from Dennis Lee that are
rhythmic, funny, and really seem to tap into a child's world of
imagination. The poems vary in topic, and there are a couple such
as Dead Men in Edmonton which have Canadian settings. The watercolour
illustrations capture the humour of the poems and extend that
humour. There are also a serious of bug poems in small type, and
bug illustrations which run throughout the book and are an amusing
added feature.
Title:
The Bye-Bye Pie
Author: Sharon Jennings
Illustrator: Ruth Ohi
Publisher: Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Date: 1999
ISBN: 1-55041-405-1
Genre: Picture book; Realistic fiction
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 4-6
Topics or Themes: Brothers
Quality Rating: 4
Awards/Distinctions: OLA Best Bet
Synopsis: Joey and his younger brother, Alfie, help their
mother prepare a going away party for their grandmother who is
going to Greenland for a year. Alfie is the typical younger brother
who can't quite get things right, but he comes through when the
boys accidentally drop the party's dessert. Although this book
is written for early primary with relatively short sentences,
the story itself is interesting and well-written. The relationship
between the brothers is entertaining, and there are unique character
details such as their grandmother riding a motorcycle.
Title:
Eagle Dreams
Author: Sheryl McFarlane
Illustrator: Ron Lightburn
Publisher: Orca Books
Date: 1994
ISBN: 1-55143-016-9
Genre: Picture book; Realistic Fiction
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 4-7
Topics or Themes: Bald Eagles; Dreams; Fathers and Sons
Quality Rating: 4
Awards/Distinctions: The Canadian Children's Book Centre
Choice
Synopsis: Robin finds an injured bald eagle and convinces
his father to let him nurse it back to health which he does, and
then the bird is released. This book can be shared with young
students and is also complex enough to share with older students.
This is a beautiful book with realistic paintings that capture
the subtle nature of the story. The story shows Robin's determination
to help the eagle and how this relates to his own dreams to fly.
Title:
Fairy
Author: David Bouchard
Illustrator: Dean Griffiths
Publisher: Orca Books
Date: 2001
ISBN: 1551432129
Genre: Picture book; Fantasy
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 5-8
Topics or Themes: Tooth fairy
Quality Rating: 3.5
Synopsis: Victoria's tooth is about to fall out and she
is feeling very exciting about the tooth fairy, but then her father
implies that the tooth fairy does not exist. The tooth fairy overhears
this conversation and decides to teach Victoria's dad a little
lesson. This book is a lot of fun because it challenges the conventional
image of the tooth fairy by giving us a fairy who rides a motorcycle
and dresses like a biker while doing her job. The illustrations
in this book enhance this image of a tooth fairy with a twist,
and it makes for fun story.
Title:
Franklin Goes to School
Author: Paulette Bourgeois
Illustrator: Brenda Clark
Publisher: Kids Can Press Ltd.
Date: 1995
ISBN: 1-55074-268-X (bound)
Genre: Picture book
Number of Pages: 29
Age Suitability: 4-6
Topics or Themes: First day of school
Quality Rating: 2.5
Synopsis: Franklin is feeling a little anxious on his first
day of school as he gets ready in the morning and then boards
the school bus but his teacher Mr. Owl helps him have a good day.
The story is very simple but it is a colourful book that uses
text and illustration to show how scary and fun school can be.
Title:
The Great Poochini
Author: Gary Clement
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Date: 1999
ISBN: 0-88899-331-5
Genre: Picture book; Fantasy
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 5-8
Topics or Themes: Dogs; Opera
Quality Rating: 3.5
Awards/Distinctions: Governor General's Literary Award
Winner
Synopsis: Signor Poochini is an ordinary dog by day living
with his owner Hersh, but in the evening after Hersh goes to sleep
he is the Great Poochini, one of the best canine lyric tenors
ever. The idea of the story is fun and unique, and the author
and illustrator succeed in creating this world where dogs go to
the opera and then return to their ordinary lives during the day.
Title:
The Hangashore
Author: Geoff Butler
Publisher: Tundra Books
Date: 1998
ISBN: 0-88776-444-4
Genre: Picture book; Historical
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 9+
Topics or Themes: Down's Syndrome; Acceptance; 1940s Saskatchewan
Quality Rating: 3
Awards/Distinctions: Governor General's Literary Award
Winner
Synopsis: This book is set at the end of WWII when a new
magistrate is sent to a small fishing village. The magistrate
has an inflated image of his status and offends the villagers
with his ways, and the minister's son, John, who has Down's Syndrome
continually challenges his self-importance until the magistrate
threatens to have him committed. John rescues the magistrate one
day, and the magistrate comes to recognize both his own failings
and John's strengths of character. The story itself does a good
job of exploring both the minister's and John's worldviews with
sensitivity, and the beautiful paintings of Newfoundland give
a feel for the fishing village as well as these two characters.
Title:
I Know an Old Laddie
Author: Jean Little
Illustrator: Rose Cowles
Publisher: Viking (Penguin Books of Canada)
Date: 1999
ISBN: 0-670-88085-X
Genre: Picture book; Poetry
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 5-8
Topics or Themes: Parody of a nursery rhyme
Quality Rating: 3.5
Awards/Distinctions: Governor General's Literary Award
Nominee
Synopsis: Takes the form of the "old lady who swallowed
the fly" to tell the story of the old laddie who swallowed a series
of bizarre creatures. The illustrations in this book are colourful
and filled with humour. The illustrations are done over a 2-page
spread and the text is placed in the blank spaces so they do a
wonderful job of playing off each other and creating a bizarre
story students are sure to enjoy.
Title:
Jessie's Island
Author: Sheryl McFarlane
Illustrator: Sheena Lott
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Date: 1992
ISBN: 0-920501-76-1
Genre: Picture book; Realistic Fiction
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 4-8
Topics or Themes: BC; life on an island; nature
Quality Rating: 3
Awards/Distinctions: Choice of the Canadian Children's
Book Centre
Synopsis: Jessie gets a letter from her cousin talking
about how great city life is, and how she should come for a visit
since she must be so bored living on the island. Jessie writes
him back, inviting him to come visit her island and enjoy the
natural beauty and outdoor activities that her home offers. The
warm water-colour illustrations provide the story with the feeling
of a summer's day, and the naming of the natural elements in the
story gives students a lot of information without straying from
the story's basic plot.
Title:
Little Red Riding Hood
Author: Mireill Levert
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Date: 1995
ISBN: 0-88899-226-2
Genre: Picture book; Fairy Tale
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 4-8
Topics or Themes: Fairy tale; Listening to parents
Quality Rating: 3
Synopsis: In this version of the traditional tale, the
woodsman cuts open the wolf so the grandmother and Little Red
Riding can escape. Little Red Riding Hood then puts stones in
his stomach and when he tries to run away he dies from the exertion.
Book contains a folk art style of illustration that gives the
story a lively feel. Illustrations are arranged for the most part
with one full-page illustration on one facing page and text with
a small illustration on the other page with a few two-page spreads
which makes for a well-illustrated book. One part that I did not
like all that much was the ending where the moral of the story
is explicitly stated which is unnecessary but on the whole it
is an entertaining and visually interesting version of the tale.
Title:
Mary Margaret's Tree
Author: Blair Dawson
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Date: 1996
ISBN: 0-88899-259-9
Genre: Picture Book; Fantasy (framed)
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 4-7
Topics or Themes: Trees
Quality Rating: 3.5
Synopsis: Mary Margaret plants a tree one day and as the
tree starts to grow she starts to shrink. She then has a wonderful
time experiencing the natural world from her new perspective,
and even hibernates with the other animals until she wakes up
and find herself with roots and shoots and becomes a tree herself,
at least until her mother calls her in for dinner. This creative
story is beautifully illustrated in a way that shows the magic
of the natural world and Mary Margaret's enjoyment of this world.
Title:
Mischief City
Author: Tim Wynne-Jones
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Date: 1986
ISBN: 0-88899-049-9
Genre: Picture book; Poetry
Number of Pages: 36
Age Suitability: 4-8
Topics or Themes: Poetry
Quality Rating: 2.5
Synopsis: Variety of poems on topics of interest to students
such as imaginary friends, baby sisters, monsters, and more. Some
of these poems are quite humourous and fun to read but others
are less so. The book is very colourfully illustrated with spaces
left within the illustrations for text, and these pictures add
humour to the poems as well. Book could be fun for students to
read or individual poems could be selected and shared with a class.
Title:
Mister Got to Go: The cat that wouldn't leave
Author: Lois Simmie
Illustrator: Cynthia Nugent
Publisher: Northern Light Books for Children
Date: 1995
ISBN: 0-88995-127-6
Genre: Picture book; Realistic Fiction
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 5-8
Topics or Themes: Cats
Quality Rating: 3.5
Synopsis: Based on a true story about a cat at the Sylvia
Hotel in Vancouver whom a hotel worker said had to go as soon
as it stopped raining but it being Vancouver the cat had been
there for quite awhile. Sentimental story that is both humourous
and touching. The watercolour illustrations emphasize the humourous
side of the story and contain various details that children will
enjoy looking at such as the series about the cat's fight with
the raccoon.
Title:
Mister Once-Upon-A-Time [fr. Monsieur Ilétaitunefois]
Author: Rémy Simard
Illustrator: Pierre Pratt
Publisher: Annick Press
Date: 1998
ISBN: 1-55037-539-3 (bound)
Genre: Picture book; Fantasy
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 5-8
Topics or Themes: Storytelling; Names
Quality Rating: 4.5
Awards/Distinctions: Governor General's Literary Award
Winner
Synopsis: This story is an English translation of a French
book about Mr. Once-upon-time who shows up at people's houses
whenever they begin to tell a story with "Once upon a time…" The
townspeople find his behaviour very annoying and after trying
everything to keep him out of their homes they resort to locking
him up in jail, but then the stories lose their fun so the villagers
come up with another solution to their problem by having him change
his name to Mr. The-end… This story is funny and clever, and the
delightful ink illustrations perfectly complement the humour of
the story.
Title:
On My Island
Author: Marie-Louise Gay
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Date: 2000
ISBN: 0-88899-396-X (bound)
Genre: Picture book; Fantasy
Number of Pages: 35
Age Suitability: Ages 5-8
Topics or Themes: Boredom
Quality Rating: 4
Synopsis: A boy living alone on an island with a wolf,
two cats, three ants, and a bat is so busy complaining about being
bored on his island that he does not see the many exciting things
happening around him such as the cowboys riding sharks or the
flying elephants. The illustrations are done in 2-page spreads
so the text becomes part of the illustrations in various ways
through their placement in "blank" spaces or sometimes following
the shape of corresponding illustrations. The illustrations also
do a good job of showing all the colourful activity going on around
this boy on his largely colourless island.
Title:
On Tumbledown Hill
Author:
Tim Wynne-Jones
Illustrator: Dusan Petricic
Publisher: Northern Lights Books for Children
Date: 1998
ISBN: 0-88995-186-1
Genre: Picture book; Poetry
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 5+
Topics or Themes: Monsters
Quality Rating: 4.5
Awards/Distinctions: OLA Best Bet
Synopsis: The book is cleverly written in rhyme with 26
sentences beginning with a 26-word sentence and going down to
a 1-word sentence. There are 26 colourful monsters tormenting
a painter who is determined to finish his painting despite their
antics. The writing style of the book makes it very easy to read,
and lends itself to being read aloud. The text dominates the earlier
pages where it is quite lengthy with only a couple of small illustrations
but gradually the illustrations get larger and larger.
Title:
The Paper Bag Princess
Author:
Robert Munsch
Illustrator: Michael Martchenko
Publisher: Annick Press Ltd.
Date: 1980
ISBN: 1-920236-82-0 (bound)
Genre: Picture book; Fantasy
Number of Pages: 24
Age Suitability: 4-8
Topics or Themes: Fairy tale parody; Independence; Gender
roles
Quality Rating: 4.5
Synopsis: Princess Elizabeth was engaged to marry Prince
Ronald until a dragon came and carried off Ronald after burning
all her clothes so she was left wearing a paper bag. Elizabeth
decides to rescue Ronald and outwits the dragon to save an ungrateful
Ronald who is not impressed with her current appearance - she
decides that he's really not that much of a prince and heads off
into the sunset by herself. The story and illustrations work well
together to give the story the feeling of a traditional fairy
tale, which makes her saving the prince and then leaving him at
the end very effective.
Title:
Rabbit Blue
Author: Marie-Louise Gay
Publisher: Stoddart
Date: 1993
ISBN: 0-7737-2750-7
Genre: Picture book; Fantasy
Number of Pages: 31
Age Suitability: Ages 5-7
Topics or Themes: Rhyming
Quality Rating: 3
Synopsis: This book is about the narrator's friend "Rabbit
Blue" and the things he likes to do such as flying, swimming,
and playing catch. The illustrations are what make this story
special with beautiful cartoon-style, watercolour illustrations
of Rabbit Blue and all the things he likes to do. The layout of
the page is unique in that there are these not quite straight
edged rectangles that contain the majority of the illustration
with bits sticking out in the white space, coming into the illustration
from the white space, or even filling the white space with a separate
background illustration. Rabbit Blue is a creature who obviously
likes to have fun, and that fun is communicated through the illustration.
Title:
Show and Tell
Author: Robert Munsch
Illustrator: Michael Martchenko
Publisher: Annick Press Ltd.
Date: 1991
ISBN: 1-55037-195-9 (bound)
Genre: Picture book; Realistic fiction
Number of Pages: 24
Age Suitability: 4-6
Topics or Themes: School; show and tell; baby sister
Quality Rating: 3.5
Synopsis: Benjamin decides to take his baby sister to school
for show and tell in his knapsack but neglects to mention his
plan to his mother. The baby's crying wreaks havoc in the classroom,
and there's quite a bit of panic until his mother comes to get
the baby. The story is very simple but there is a lot of humour
in its telling, and students should be able to easily relate to
the topic. The cartoon style illustration is very simple in this
book but it is very warm and fits the feeling of the story perfectly.
Title:
Sleep Tight, Mrs. Ming
Author: Sharon Jennings
Illustrator: Mireille Levert
Publisher: Annick Press Ltd.
Date: 1993
ISBN: 1-55037-322-6 (bound)
Genre: Picture book
Number of Pages: 20
Age Suitability: 4-8
Topics or Themes: Nightmares
Quality Rating: 3.5
Awards/Distinctions: Governor General's Literary Award
Synopsis: Jeremiah has trouble sleeping. Something pushes
him out of bed, takes his bear, scares him, hides his blanket,
wets his bed, and makes him sad. Mrs. Ming goes to him throughout
the night until finally he falls asleep and she becomes scared
of the thunderstorm so she goes to him. This book is apparently
the third in a series but it stands on its own as an imaginative
story about the fears children having about sleeping. The full
colour illustrations do a wonderful job of blending fantasy and
reality in a way that extends the story and really brings it to
life.
Title:
The Snow Cat
Author: Dayal Kaur Khalsa
Publisher: Tundra Books
Date: 1992
ISBN: 0-88776-293-X
Genre: Picture book; Fantasy
Number of Pages: 24
Age Suitability: 8-11
Topics or Themes: Friendship; cats
Quality Rating: 3.5
Synopsis: Elsie lives alone at the edge of the woods and
she prayed for a big, unhungry cat to keep her company. God made
Elsie a Snow Cat out of snow and ice that was as big as a cow,
and warned her not to bring the cat into the house but she did
not listen to his warning. This is a unique story with a style
of illustration that is also unique. This story is predictable
in someways but it has an unpredictable ending that balances that
somewhat.
Title:
Travels for Two: Stories and lies from my childhood [fr. Voyage
Pour Deux] Author: Stephane Poulin
Publisher: Annick Press Ltd.
Date: 1991
ISBN: 1-55037-20-5-x (bound)
Genre: Picture book; Tall tale
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 4-8
Topics or Themes: Travel; Voyages
Quality Rating: 3
Synopsis: Story begins as a conventional childhood tale
about a pleasant house and family until a letter arrives announcing
that they have won a vacation. Unfortunately the vacation is for
two and they are a family of ten including the dog so they decide
that the mother and baby will go on the voyage and the rest of
the children and the dog will go in there trunk. They are then
dropped from a plane, stranded on a deserted island, encounter
pirates, and finally picked up by a cruise ship. This is a humourous
story that contains double-paged spreads for the illustrations
with boxes of text. Ridiculous story but children will recognize
that and enjoy seeing what the author comes up with next.
Title:
Weighing The Elephant
Author: Ye, Ting-xing
Illustrator: Suzanne Langlois
Publisher: Annick Press
Date: 1998
ISBN: 155037527X
Genre: Picture book
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 5-8
Topics or Themes: China; Math - weighing
Quality Rating: 2.5
Synopsis: Hei-dou, a 7 year-old boy, tries to save an elephant
by solving the emperor's riddle about how much the elephant weighs
but even the scholars have not been able to solve this question.
They try out a couple of different methods to solve the question
until the boy finally comes up with an ingenious solution that
ends up saving the elephant and keeping him in the area with his
family. The first couple of pages which set up the story are a
bit lengthy but once the story gets going it is actually quite
interesting to ponder ways in which to weigh an elephant.
Title:
What Do Fairies Do With All Those Teeth?
Author: Michel Luppens
Illustrator: Philippe Béha
Publisher: North Wind Press
Date: 1991 (English); 1989 (French)
ISBN: 0-590-74050-4
Genre: Picture book; Fantasy
Number of Pages: 24
Age Suitability: 5-6
Topics or Themes: Tooth fairy
Quality Rating: 2.5
Synopsis: This books answers the question what do fairies
do with all those teeth? The answers given are creative, humourous,
and nicely illustrated. It is a colourful book suitable for young
students, and allows students to use their imagination in trying
to answer the question themselves.
Up
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NOVELS
Title:
The Boggart and the Monster
Author: Susan Cooper
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Date: 1997
ISBN: 0-689-81330-9
Genre: Fantasy
Number of Pages: 185
Age Suitability: 8-12
Topics or Themes: Loch Ness Monster; Scotland; Importance
of family
Quality Rating: 4
Synopsis: Sequel to the Boggart, who is an invisible spirit
with a penchant for playing tricks on people. In this book, the
Boggart tries to help his cousin, Nessie the Loch Ness Monster,
return to her original Boggart form. Story is a very enjoyable
read with lots of humour, and paints an engaging picture of Scotland.
There is also a deeper theme that is very touching as Nessie seems
to be in a depression, and the Boggart is desperate to help her
regain her natural form so she can return to an active life, and
be there as his family.
Title:
Dancing Naked
Author: Shelley Hrdlitschka
Publisher: Orca Books
Date: 2001
ISBN: 1551432102
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Number of Pages: 249
Age Suitability: 13+
Topics or Themes: Teenage pregnancy; Adoption
Quality Rating: 3
Synopsis: Kia is a teenager who discovers that she is pregnant
and then has to deal with the heart-wrenching decision of whether
or not to keep her child or put the baby up for adoption. This
book deals with a controversial topic with a lot of sensitivity
and shows the thought process that goes into making the decision
to put a child up for adoption, and places this process within
a teenage world. Many of the other characters in the novel are
not as well-developed as Kia but the book still makes for a good
individual read for older students.
Title:
The Divorced Kids Club and other stories
Author: W. D. Valgardson
Publisher: A Groundwood Book (Douglas & McIntyre)
Date: 1999
ISBN: 0-88899-370-6 (pbk.)
Genre: Short Fiction; Contemporary Realism
Number of Pages: 184
Age Suitability: 9-12
Topics or Themes: Growing up (divorce, earning money, dealing
with adults who are not perfect, etc.)
Quality Rating: 4
Awards/Distinctions: Nominee Governor General's Literary
Award
Synopsis: Collection of seven short stories with adolescents
as main characters in realistic situations dealing with such issues
as earning money in the summer, competitiveness, moving to a new
community, Internet addiction, nervous breakdown, parents, divorce,
alienation, and crime. Realistic treatment of serious issues but
not heavy-handed and with a lot of humour. Characters are well-developed
and deal with their various situations head-on showing a lot of
personal strength. Stories set in various Canadian locations such
as Victoria.
Title:
The Dragon's Tapestry
Author: Martine Bates
Publisher: Red Deer College Press
Date: 1992
ISBN: 0-88995-080-6
Genre: Fantasy
Number of Pages: 183
Age Suitability: 11-14
Topics or Themes: Dragons; Adventure
Quality Rating: 2.5
Synopsis: Marwen lives as somewhat of an outcast in a village
where she is apprenticed to the Oldwife. She is banished from
the village after the Oldwife dies, and discovers she is the daughter
of a wizard and will have to face a dragon in order to stop him
from gaining power. This book is an adventurous fantasy story
with a strong female character suitable for older intermediate
students. The story and characters are weak at times but it can
be a good recreational read for female fans of fantasy adventure.
Title:
Draugr
Author: Arthur Slade
Publisher: Orca Books
Date: 1997
ISBN: 1551430940
Genre: Fantasy
Number of Pages: 171
Age Suitability: 9-12
Topics or Themes: Ghost stories; Icelandic mythology
Quality Rating: 3
Synopsis: Sarah, her twin brother Michael, and her cousin
Angie are spending two weeks with their grandfather in Gimli,
Manitoba but soon after their arrival they encounter a young boy's
ghost and then their grandfather goes missing after their home
is attacked by a large creature, a draugr. This story is a fast-paced
adventure that is very enjoyable to read although the characters
and story do lack depth. The humour in the story is one of its
strong points as well as the use of Icelandic myths.
Title:
Dust
Author: Arthur Slade
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date: 2001
ISBN: 0-00-648593-6
Genre: Fantasy
Number of Pages: 168
Age Suitability: 12+
Topics or Themes: Fantasy; Child Abduction; Mysterious
Stranger; 1930s Saskatchewan
Quality Rating: 4
Awards/Distinctions: Governor General's Literary Awards
Winner
Synopsis: Robert's younger brother, Matthew, walks to town
on his own and vanishes, and soon after a mysterious stranger
appears in town. This book is well-written and does a wonderful
job of creating a suspenseful and ominous atmosphere although
the ending is somewhat abrupt. The setting of 1930s drought-ridden
Saskatchewan adds realism to the story that blends seamlessly
with the magical elements and mythology of Abram. This book should
appeal to older readers especially boys.
Title:
In Spite of Killer Bees
Author: Julie Johnston
Publisher: Tundra Books
Date: 2001
ISBN: 0-88776-537-8
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Number of Pages: 253
Age Suitability: 12-14
Topics or Themes: Family
Quality Rating: 3.5
Synopsis: Aggie and her two older sisters inherit their
grandfather's home in a small town and cause quite a stir. Their
father is dead but his reputation as a thief is well-known in
his hometown and they have to contend with that as well as trying
to convince a great-aunt to move in with them so they can retain
their inheritance. The characters are well-developed especially
Aggie who initially distances herself from reality in many ways
and then slowly begins to live her life in the present. The story
of family is very strong in this novel, and it is filled with
interesting characters, humour, and a lot of love.
Title:
Janey's Girl
Author: Gayle Friesen
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Date: 1998
ISBN: 1-55074-461-5 (bound)
Genre: Juvenile Fiction; Contemporary realism
Number of Pages: 222
Age Suitability: 12+
Topics or Themes: Illegitimacy; Leukemia; Single Parents;
Family Tensions; Religion (minor); Independence
Quality Rating: 4
Awards/Distinctions: Red Cedar Winner; Nominee Governor
General's Literary Award
Synopsis: Claire visits her grandmother in the B.C. town
where her mother grew up, and meets her father for the first time
as well as a half-brother she knew nothing about. Story is very
touching and deals with some serious issues with thoughtfulness
and humour. Characters are well-drawn and interesting, and the
stories do a good job of exploring how the past can impact people's
lives in various ways.
Title:
Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang
Author: Mordecai Richler
Publisher: McClelland and Stewart Ltd.
Date: 1975
ISBN: 0-7710-7482-4
Genre: Fiction; Fantasy
Number of Pages: 84
Age Suitability: 8-12
Topics or Themes: Growing up; Being a child in an adult
world
Quality Rating: 4
Awards/Distinctions: CLA Book of the Year for Children
Award
Synopsis: Jacob Two-Two unintentionally insults an adult
by saying everything twice since that is the only way he can be
heard in his family. He is thrown into the children's jail for
this horrible crime where he meets the Hooded Fang. Jacob is a
charming character who is written with a lot of affection and
humour, and students will cheer him on as he tries to free himself
and the other children from jail.
Title:
My Name is Seepeetza
Author: Shirley Sterling
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Date: 1992
ISBN: 0888991657 (pbk.)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 126
Age Suitability: 10-12
Topics or Themes: Residential Schools; First Nations
Quality Rating: 3.5
Synopsis: Uses a diary format to tell the story of a young
girl who is sent to live in a residential school interspersed
with glimpses of her family life at home. This book provides a
glimpse into residential school life but it is not in-depth and
often a slow read. However the lack of depth or explicitness in
terms of the harsher side of residential schools may allow for
an avenue into a discussion on residential schools than can lead
to further reading and learning both in the classroom and for
students reading independently.
Title:
Naomi's Road
Author: Joy Kogawa
Publisher: Stoddart
Date: 1986
ISBN: 0-7737-5769-4
Genre: Realistic Fiction; Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 82
Age Suitability: 8-11
Topics or Themes: Japanese Canadians - Evacuation and Relocation
Quality Rating: 3
Synopsis: Naomi's family is evacuated and relocated during
the 1940s to the interior of BC and then to a farm in Alberta.
The story is told through the eyes of a young child so the story
focuses on her experiences during that time and not so much on
the political and social events of the time. This book is suitable
for younger readers but it lacks the depth and emotion of the
book upon which it is based, Obasan, which is for older readers.
However, the book could make a good read-aloud for a class and
softly raise some very important issues.
Title:
Silverwing
Author: Kenneth Oppel
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Date: 1997
ISBN: 0-00-648144-2
Genre: Fantasy
Number of Pages: 217
Age Suitability: 9+
Topics or Themes: Bats; Growing Up
Quality Rating: 5
Awards/Distinctions: CLA Book of the Year for Young Children;
Silver Birch Award
Synopsis: Shade is a Silverwing bat who is the runt of
his colony. He is always trying to prove himself, and gets his
chance to really do this when he is separated from his colony
during their migration to their winter home. He meets friends
and enemies during this extraordinary journey. Oppel does a wonderful
job in creating an entire society of bats, and putting in enough
detail to make this world believable and these bats engaging as
characters. Excellent book that will appeal to students of different
ages.
Title:
There Goes the Neighborhood
Author: Valerie Lupini
Publisher: Northern Lights Young Novels
Date: 1995
ISBN: 0-88995-128-4
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Number of Pages: 111
Age Suitability: 8-12
Topics or Themes: Change; Prejudice
Quality Rating: 2.5
Awards/Distinctions: Red Cedar Nominee; CLA Honour Book
Synopsis: Ivy's Vancouver neighborhood is changing with
the addition of monster houses and the corresponding loss of trees.
She decides that she is not going to stand by and let it just
happen without a fight. This story deals with a current issue
facing a number of Lower Mainland neighborhoods and it shows the
different reasons why people are resisting this type of change
from ecological concerns to a bias towards Chinese people, and
it also shows why people want monster houses and why trees are
often cut down around these houses. This is a fairly straight-forward
story but there are enough character details and humour to make
this novel an enjoyable read on a controversial issue.
Title:
The Vampire's Visit
Author: David A. Poulsen
Publisher: Roussan Publishers Inc.
Date: 1996
ISBN: 1-896184-12-X
Genre: Suspense (Horror)
Number of Pages: 121
Age Suitability: 8-12
Topics or Themes: Vampires
Quality Rating: 3
Awards/Distinctions: Red Cedar Nominee
Synopsis: Salt (Christine) and her younger brother, Hal,
go on vacation to London with her friend, Pepper's family only
to become embroiled in a dispute between two groups of vampires.
This book is an entertaining read that is fairy fast-paced and
humourous, and is more suspenseful than scary. Book that would
be more suitable for individual use rather than classroom use.
Title:
Willow and Twig
Author: Jean Little
Publisher: Viking
Date: 2000
ISBN: 0-670-88856-7
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Number of Pages: 227
Age Suitability: 9-12
Topics or Themes: Abandoned Children; Family
Quality Rating: 3.5
Synopsis: Willow and her younger brother, Twig, are left
on their own in Vancouver until she goes to the police station
and they contact her grandmother. The two of them go to live with
their grandmother and her brother and sister in a country home
and learn to become part of this new family that they are building.
Twig is partially deaf and has fits, and Willow has her own trust
issues to deal with but they both attain a kind of peace by the
end of the book. The problems in the novel are a bit too easily
resolved at times but the family is depicted quite warmly and
students will enjoy reading about these characters and it is worthwhile
for them to touch on this difficult subject matter.
Title:
The Wreckers
Author: Iain Lawrence
Publisher: Bantom Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers
Date: 1998
ISBN: 0-440-41545-4
Genre: Suspense (Mystery)
Number of Pages: 196
Age Suitability: 10-14
Topics or Themes: Fathers and sons; Shipwrecks; Coming
of age; 1799 Great Britain
Quality Rating: 4
Awards/Distinctions: ALA Best Book for Young Adults
Synopsis: John and his father are the only two survivors
of a ship that is deliberately wrecked by a village in Cornwall
for its booty, and John has to find a way to survive the wreckers
while attempting to rescue his father. This book is a very suspenseful
read full of dark characters and also a fair bit of death and
violence. The story is fast-paced and adventurous and the characters
are well developed. Enjoyable read but not suitable for younger
readers.
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NON-FICTION
Title:
Alexandra Graham Bell
Author: Elizabeth MacLeod
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Date: 1999
ISBN: 1-55074-456-9 (bound)
Genre: Non-fiction illustrated book
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 9-11
Topics or Themes: Biography; Inventions
Quality Rating: 4.5
Awards/Distinctions: Red Cedar Nominee
Synopsis: A very enjoyable and easy to read book about
the life of Alexander Graham Bell and his many inventions. Facts,
stories, and primary documents are blended and cleverly arranged
in this book to create a fascinating and enjoyable look into the
life of Canada's most famous inventor. The book focuses as much
on Bell's personal life as his inventions and it paints an interesting
portrait of him as a man as well as an inventor.
Title:
Canada Votes: How We Elect Our Government
Author: Linda Granfield
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Date: 1994 (revised, 2nd edition)
ISBN: 1-55337-009-0
Genre: Non-fiction illustrated book
Number of Pages: 64
Age Suitability: 9-13
Topics or Themes: Voting; Canada: Elections
Quality Rating: 3.5
Synopsis: Explains the electoral process and its history
as well as information on politicians and campaigns. There is
quite a bit of information here but it is made readable by breaking
it into sections with cartoon-style illustrations, and accessible
text.
Title:
Discovering the Iceman: what was it like to find a 5,300-year-old
mummy? Author: Shelley Tanaka
Publisher: A Scholastic/Madison Press Book
Date: 1996
ISBN: 0-590-24950-9 (bound)
Genre: Non-fiction illustrated book
Number of
Pages: 48
Age Suitability: 9-12
Topics or Themes: Copper age; Mummies
Quality Rating: 4
Awards/Distinctions: Mr. Christie's Book Award; Red Cedar
Nominee
Synopsis: Book contains 3 parts: The Discovery, The Iceman's
Story, and The Iceman and Us. The Iceman's Story gives a fictional
account based on facts of what the Iceman's life may been like,
and how he may have died while the other two parts provide factual
accounts of how the Iceman was discovered and what we can learn
from the Iceman. The three parts of this book act together to
create a comprehensive picture of the iceman and his discovery,
and to provide avenues of further research for students. The blend
of text and illustration in the book also work together to depict
a very interesting story about science, history, and one man's
life.
Title:
Earthlings Inside and Out: A space alien studies the human body
Author: Valerie Wyatt Illustrator: Dusan Petricic
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Date: 1999
ISBN: 1550745115
Genre: Non-fiction illustrated book; Science
Number of Pages: 64
Age Suitability: 8-11
Topics or Themes: Human Physiology
Quality Rating: 4
Awards/Distinctions: Red Cedar Nominee; Silver Birch Nominee
Synopsis: Explores the human body within the scenario that
an alien has come to Earth to write a report on human physiology
and uses the cooperation of a human boy to write this report.
Cartoon-style illustrations help to keep this book light-hearted
and humourous while still conveying the accuracy of scientific
details required to cover the topic. The book is also divided
into sections to help make the information accessible to children
and also by putting this material into terms that an alien would
understand the material is also made clearer to students.
Title:
Have You Seen Bugs?
Author: Joanne Oppenheim
Illustrator: Ron Broda
Publisher: Northwinds Press (Scholastic)
Date: 1996
ISBN: 0-590-23422-5
Genre: Non-fiction illustrated book; Poetry
Number of Pages: 30
Age Suitability: 5-8
Topics or Themes: Insects
Quality Rating: 3.5
Awards/Distinctions: OLA Canadian Materials Committee Best
Bet
Synopsis: Book that uses rhyme to explore the many types
of bugs that you see. This book contains full colour pages with
section of "white" space made to look like torn sections of paper
where the text appears. The illustrations in the book are actually
three-dimensional paper sculptures which are beautiful in their
detail, and in how lifelike they appear.
Title:
Ha! Ha! Ha!: 1,000+ Jokes, Riddles, Facts and More
Author: Lyn Thomas
Publisher: Owl Books
Date: 2001
ISBN: 1-894379-15-2 (bound)
Genre: Non-fiction illustrated book
Number of Pages: 128
Age Suitability: 6-10
Topics or Themes: Riddles, humour, puzzles
Quality Rating: 4
Awards/Distinctions: Silver Birch Winner
Synopsis: Entertaining book that contains jokes, riddles,
facts, puzzles, and optical illusions. The illustrations support
the text in extending the humour, and in the case of the optical
illustrations the illustrations are interesting and enjoyable
to play with. There is quite a bit packed into this book, and
it can be opened to any page for a good laugh or something to
ponder.
Title:
How to Make Holiday Pop-Up Cards
Author: Joan Irvine
Illustrator: Linda Hendry
Publisher: Kids Can Press Ltd.
Date: 1995
ISBN: 1-55075-230-2
Genre: Non-fiction illustrated book
Number of Pages: 64
Age Suitability: 7-12
Topics or Themes: Paper work; Greeting cards
Quality Rating: 4
Awards/Distinctions: Red Cedar Nominee; Honour Book Children's
Literature Round Tables
Synopsis: This book shows children how to create pop-up
greeting cards for a variety of holidays using fairly simple materials
and their own creativity. The instructions in this book are clearly
written and the illustrations are detailed enough that students
can follow them on their own to make cards.
Title:
In Flanders Fields: The Story of the Poem by John McCrae
Author: Linda Granfield
Illustrator: Janet Wilson
Publisher: Stoddart Kids
Date: 1995
ISBN: 0-7737-5925-5 (pbk.)
Genre: Poetry; Historical
Number of Pages: 32
Age Suitability: 8-12
Topics or Themes: John McCrae - In Flanders Field; Word
War I
Quality Rating: 4
Awards/Distinctions: CLA Book of the Year for Children:
Honour Book
Synopsis: This books tells the story behind the poem In
Flanders Field as well as telling the story of John McCrae, World
War I, life during the war, response to and use of the poem, combat
in the trenches, and the use of the poppy as a memorial flower.
This is a beautifully illustrated book that contains full-colour
paintings illustrating the poem with single lines placed beneath
the illustrations. The poem is divided into sections that are
placed between historical accounts containing various primary
documents. The book does a wonderful job of communicating the
emotion behind the poem while at the same time putting it into
historical context.
Title:
Kids Can Press Jumbo Book of Music
Author: Deborah Dunleavy
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Date: 2001
ISBN: 1-55074-723-1
Genre: Non-fiction illustrated book
Number of Pages: 280
Age Suitability: 7-12
Topics or
Themes: Music, Musical Instruments
Quality Rating: 4
Synopsis: The book does not go in-depth into any single
topic but it does a great job of providing an overview of different
types of music, and musical instruments. It is easy to read, well-organized,
and filled with creative ideas for readers. The best parts of
the book are the sections on making instruments using everyday
objects although they require varying degrees of adult supervision.
Music is presented as being something that is quite fun, and the
book does a wonderful job of catching the readers' imagination
and providing ways in which readers can make their own music.
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