The Deakin Review of Children's Literature
Not a member yet
772 research outputs found
Sort by
Drawn Together by M. Le
No full textLe, Minh. Drawn Together. Illustrated by Dan Santat, Disney Hyperion, 2018. Drawn Together is a work of art created by Minh Le, author of award winning, Let Me Finish!, and illustrated by Caldecott Medalist, Dan Santat. This beautiful story depicts the cultural and linguistic divide between a young boy and his grandfather. The book invites the reader to walk alongside these two characters as they struggle with their differences only to stumble upon their similarities. Bringing together two generations of artists, the story revels in the characters’ imaginations as they create a vivid world of artistic adventures and compassion. Inhibited by the linguistic barriers that once isolated the characters, Minh Le’s limited, yet well crafted, text serves to support Dan Santat’s captivating illustrations that “draw” the grandfather and young boy closer. Detailed facial expressions and rich illustrations heighten the reading experience and weave together a story that both literally and metaphorically bridges the space between a grandfather and his grandson. Whether you are curling up with young ones at home or searching for a beautiful book for your classroom library, look no further. This one is guaranteed to draw you in! Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 StarsReviewer: Darcy Courtland Darcy Courtland loves a good picture book! After seven years in the classroom, Darcy has returned to the University of Alberta to pursue a PhD in Elementary Education. Always up for a new adventure, Darcy is excited to be furthering her education in language and literacy and Indigenous education
Happy Spring Deakin Readers!
No full textHello!
As this issue quickly follows our last there are only a few news items to share with you.
The Forest of Reading / Festival of Trees 2019 which is a national festival, held its largest event in Toronto from May 14 to 16. Students read a variety of Canadian children’s books throughout the year and then vote on their favourite book. Awards are then granted for books in a variety of different categories. The Canadian Children’s Book Centre has a lovely summary article about the festival that includes a lengthy list of all the winners. You can also see all the nominees for the various awards on the Ontario Library Association website.
The Vancouver Children\u27s Literature Roundtable (VCLR) has announced it’s Information Book Award Shortlist. It includes eight juvenile non-fiction titles. Voting for winners continues into the fall and the winner will be announced in November.
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Annual General Meeting will be taking place on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at 6:00 pm. CCBC members and the general public are welcome to attend: Room 224, Northern District Library / 40 Orchard View Blvd. / Toronto, Ontario M4R 1B9
On a final note, the Children’s book author Judith Kerr passed away earlier this month. Kerr was known for her book The Tiger that Came to Tea. The New York Times recently published an obituary tribute to Kerr.
Best wishes for a wonderful summer!
Hann
Kiviuq and the Bee Woman by N. McDermott
No full textMcDermott, Noel. Kiviuq and the Bee Woman. Iqauit, NU, Inhabit Media, 2019.
When we last heard of Kiviuq, he had just survived a harrowing encounter with scary monster mermaids or tuutalik (Deakin Review by Kirk MacLeod). In Kiviuq and the Bee Woman, the grandfather who narrated Kiviuq and the Mermaid continues the bedtime story to his grandchildren. Kiviuq begins paddling home, but comes upon a tent where an old woman invites him to rest and dry his clothing. She turns out to be a giant Bee Woman who wants to cut up Kiviuq and put him in her cooking pot.
For a bedtime story, both the text and the illustrations are quite scary. Illustrator Toma Feizo Gas lets us see into the dark, dramatic and frightening world of the Bee Woman, who is a determined killer. “She shouted, ‘I am Iguttarjuaq, the Bee Woman, and I am going to kill you with my ulu’.” The accompanying image shows a woman with pointy teeth and insect mouth pincers, who is shaking a sharp ulu (knife) at Kiviuq.
As is the case with many of Inhabit Media’s publications, the reading level is higher than one would expect to find in a picture book. For younger children, this book will need some adult intervention. In addition to the scary content, human skulls talk, the woman eats her own eyelids and “Kiviuq, realized the woman was boiling human meat.” Some of the language is difficult. For example, Kiviuq “fainted” of fright, but “feinted” to get away. McDermott also intersperses many Inuktitut words, which will slow down younger readers. These are defined at the end of the book.
Overall, this excellent product from Inhabit Media should be included in public library collections and school library collections, but should probably be placed in collections designed for older children.
Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Sandy Campbell
Sandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines. Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give. 
The Day War Came by N. Davies
No full textDavies, Nicola. The Day War Came. Illustrated by Rebecca Cobb. Somerville, Massachusetts, Candlewick Press, in association with Help Refugees, 2018.
A young school girl begins her day happily by breakfasting with her family, walking to school with her mother, and commencing the normal, pleasant learning activities of her classroom. In an instant, her world changes; she is orphaned and alone in a devastated landscape. War has come; she articulates its reality:
“War took everything.
War took everyone.
I was ragged, bloody, all alone.”
Simple, forceful, poetic lines such as these carry forward this story of a child refugee. Though it could be read and understood by primary school children, it would resonate with readers young and old alike.
Nicola Davies indicates that her book was inspired by the Guardian newspaper website which featured an account of a refugee child who was refused school entry because there was no chair for her to sit on. In Davies’ own words:
“…hundreds and hundreds of people posted images of empty chairs, with the hashtag #3000 chairs, as symbols of solidarity with children who had lost everything and had no place to go.”
Davies’ interpretation of this reality for young readers is engrossing and moving. Her storyline is perfectly interpreted by the watercolour and graphite pencil illustrations of Rebecca Cobb. Using an expressionistic style, Cobb captures the feelings of confusion and disbelief, abandonment and isolation felt by the displaced child. She also brings a sense of hope to the story’s conclusion.
The teamwork of Davies and Cobb is brilliant. Together, they have created a moving and memorable piece of children’s literature.
Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Leslie AitkenLeslie Aitken’s long career in librarianship included selection of children’s literature for school, public, special and academic libraries. She is a former Curriculum Librarian of the University of Alberta
You Hold Me Up by M. Gray Smith
No full textGray Smith, Monique. You Hold Me Up. Illustrated by Danielle Daniel. Orca Book Publishers, 2017.
Monique Gray Smith is not a prolific author, but her works have impact. She writes from her knowledge of the impact of the Indian Residential Schools on Canadian Indigenous people. Gray Smith is a mixed-heritage woman (Cree, Lakota and Scottish) who wrote this book “to remind us of our common humanity and the importance of holding each other up with respect and dignity.” “With this book,” she says, “we are embarking on a journey of reconciliation and healing.”
Gray Smith uses simple terms and sentences, appropriate to a Kindergarten to Grade 3 audience, to describe the things that individuals can do in their relationships to move forward in reconciliation. Danielle Daniel’s brightly coloured, stylized illustrations reflect these concepts. The concepts include being kind to each other, sharing, learning, playing, laughing and singing together, and comforting, respecting and listening to each other.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls all Canadians to move forward together in reconciliation, a task that can appear to be daunting and overwhelming. Gray Smith provides a simple blueprint for small steps forward, the most basic being that we can “hold each other up.”
This book is highly recommended for elementary school libraries and public libraries.
Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Sandy Campbell
Sandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines. Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give. 
A Bevy of 4-Star Books to Delight Readers
No full textDear Readers,
We are delighted to recommend a diverse group of children’s books for your reading pleasure. Remarkably, more than half of the books in this issue were “highly recommended” by Deakin reviewers, so I wanted to take this opportunity to explain the significance of a 4-star rating. Our reviewers are looking for books with captivating stories from start to finish that are worthy of reading over and over. Many of the books we review are illustrated, so we also pay close attention to the artful marriage of words and pictures. A four-star rating demands excellence in the book’s design and writing quality, and of course, the book should have a story that inspires readers to think and learn. It certainly isn’t easy to earn a 4-star review from our reviewers, and for that reason, I would like to congratulate the authors, illustrators, and publishing teams who produced the eight books that earned a 4-star rating in this issue: Cheerful Chick, Down by the River, Gluten Free is Part of Me, Here Comes Rhinoceros, That’s Not Hockey, Una Huna?: What Is This?, What’s My Superpower?, and You Hold Me Up. The creators of these excellent books deserve commendation for a job well done, and we owe them our thanks for capturing our interest and imagination.
I am thrilled to see so many books recommended by Deakin reviewers for their overall quality and I hope you’ll find something in this issue to fire your imagination.
Happy reading!
Robert Desmarais, Managing Edito
I Believe in Myself! by L. Wright
No full textWright, Laurie. I Believe in Myself! Illustrated by Ana Santos, Laurie Wright, 2018.
Laurie Wright is a childhood mental health specialist and this book is one of seven books within her Mindful Mantras collection. All the books are centered around BIG feelings and examples for creating positive self talk. These books are clearly designed to help both parents and teachers open the discussions regarding mental health with young children. The vocabulary and scenarios in this book are suitable for younger readers and listeners, and the book is quite accurately rated for ages 4 – 8. The theme is very well developed, in that after every scenario, there is a positive solution, and repeated phrase, “I believe in myself!”
This book invites the readers and listeners to think about times they have been in similar scenarios and how they reacted when faced with them. A vast array of emotions are covered, from anxiety, to shyness, to nervousness, to panic, to frustration, and many more. This provides the children with a diversity of feelings to relate to. The illustrations in the book are a strong and accurate representation of what specific feelings could look like, which can help younger students learn social skills and the virtue of empathy. The book\u27s format, font size, and images are big enough to be used for a group/class discussion, as well as one on one. The book also comes with free additional resources at the author’s website in regard to mental health, and how to talk to children about it. Overall, the book is a quick read aloud that is perfect for opening the door to start the conversations about BIG feelings, mental health, positive self talk and empathy.
Highly Recommend: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Jessica Osca
Mae Among the Stars by R. Ahmed
No full textAhmed, Roda. Mae Among the Stars. Illustrated by Stasia Burrington, Harper Collins, 2018.
Mae Among the Stars is the perfect picture book for any young child (3-8) interested in space. It tells the real-life story of Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space. This story urges children to explore even the most impossible dreams, or as Mae’s parents repeatedly encourage throughout: “If you can dream it, if you believe it and work hard for it, anything is possible.” The story revolves around the age-old question most of us are asked as children: What would you like to be when you grow up? Mae Jemison dreams about being an astronaut. Although her teacher tries to deter her from pursuing this dream, Mae refuses to give up. Thanks to her determination and parents’ reinforcement, she continues to work towards achieving her “impossible” dream of seeing Earth from space. Kids will find the last page of this book particularly interesting because it contains the bio of Mae Jemison and her accomplishments.
The illustrations in this book elevate the story to an exceptional level. The rich colours and imaginative drawings bring each page to life. The illustrations are so vivid that one page in particular stands out from the rest because it is depicted in a muted blue, representing Mae’s gloomy response to her teacher’s disapproval of her dream of becoming an astronaut. Although the story tackles the deep-rooted issues of racial and gender stereotypes, the writing is simple enough for young readers to connect with Mae’s story while still inspiring them to reach for the stars.
Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Bridget Harty
Bridget Harty is a University of Alberta undergraduate student in the Elementary Education program. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and rereading the Harry Potter series any chance she gets
The Caterpillar Woman by N. Sammurtok
No full textSammurtok, Nadia. The Caterpillar Woman. Inhabit Media, 2016In The Caterpillar Woman, Nadia Sammurtok tells a traditional Inuit version of “the princess and the frog” story. A kind young woman, Piujuq, trades coats with a woman who is cold. When she puts on the other woman’s coat she turns into a caterpillar. She lives alone because she thinks that no one will want to be around her until an older hunter sees past her strange exterior and marries her. Through the magic of an ancient drum beater, they are “rewarded for their kindness and unconditional love” and become young, strong and beautiful again. The language is too difficult for a picture book, so an older person would need to read this to small children. While the cover design is strangely uninviting and sad, not making the reader want to pick up the book, the rest of the illustration is well done. The pictures convey creepiness where appropriate, such as the darkness of the inside of a tent at night and many sweeping tundra landscapes.In the same way that this book’s cover is not a good representation of its content, the main health message in this book is “don’t judge a book by its cover” or learn to look past superficial physical differences to see the person, their character, and their abilities. The secondary message is that we should be kind to people, no matter what their appearance. These are good lessons for young children to learn. I highly recommend this book for as a starting place for classroom discussions on physical differences.Highly Recommended: 4 stars out of 4Reviewer: Sean BorleSean Borle is a University of Alberta undergraduate student who is an advocate for child health and safety.
Little Blue Chair by C. Fagan
No full textFagan, Cary. Little Blue Chair, illustrated by Madeline Kloepper. Tundra Books-Random House Canada, 2017.Cary Fagan has created many delightful picture books, among them, Ten Old Men and a Mouse, illustrated by Gary Clement (2007); Mr. Zinger’s Hat, illustrated by Dušan Petričić (2012); and A Cage Went in Search of a Bird, illustrated by Banafsheh Erfanian (2017). In each of these works, the illustrator has brilliantly conveyed the sense of the text.The storyline of Little Blue Chair would appear to have much potential for robust illustration. Fagan creates the classic circular journey. A little blue chair, outgrown by its initial child owner, is repeatedly given away, used for a time, and given away again. It serves, by turns, as a plant stand, a seat in a wheel house for a sea captain’s daughter, a howdah for children who want elephant rides, a bird feeder in a garden, a seat on a carnival Ferris wheel, and, finally, an air borne craft powered by balloons which carry it back to its original owner. The illustrations, however, are not quite as adventurous as the story.Whether by the artist’s intent, or the printer’s choice, the colour palette is muted. The choice works well for creating the ambiance of the “junk shop” [p.5], and is, arguably, appropriate for the seascapes [p.7-10], but it seems subdued for the carnival scenes [pp. 21-24].A further problem arises where the expectations raised by the story are not met by the artwork. Surely some glorious avian display should support the following text: From all around, birds appeared in the air. Little birds, big birds, plain birds and fancy birds—they all perched on the chair to eat the seeds.” [p.18] In fact, “the air” and “the chair” are devoid of any birds, and the few tiny ones perched in a tree are barely distinguishable because of the muted colours.A similar problem occurs in the Ferris wheel scene. Fagan writes: “The man installed the little blue chair. Up, up it went. Round, round it went! The children screamed with pleasure.“We see just a portion of the Ferris wheel—a few seats, one of which can be discerned as the little blue chair. There are three child passengers; two look vaguely pleased, one seems distracted by her candy floss. We cannot detect a single open mouth that might be indicative of a scream of pleasure.Young children who are not yet independent readers rely on illustration to convey the action, context and mood of their picture books—thus, the vital need for a “happy marriage” of text and illustration. Little Blue Chair seems to offer just a tentative courtship. Recommended with Reservations: 2 out of 4 starsReviewer: Leslie AitkenLeslie Aitken’s long career in librarianship included selection of children’s literature for school, public, special and academic libraries. She is a former Curriculum Librarian for the University of Alberta