Summer Reading

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Posted on 1st June 2011 by Teresa Berezowski in Character | Curriculum | Young Adult Novels

Summer Reading

The weather has suddenly turned warm, as it is prone to do in Ontario – no gradual change, just cold one day and hot the next. This is so ingrained in all of us Canadians that we automatically head to the outdoor patios for a beer, pull out lawn chairs, get into our shorts and tee shirts, and buy mosquito spray. We know you have to make the most of a good thing because it doesn’t last long in this neck of the woods.

Part of summer tradition to me is a lounge chair, a beer, and a book by the backyard pool. It can be almost any book but not one that requires too much thinking. I find summer is a good time for “fluff” of “no brainer” books that can take me into imaginary worlds of adventure, mystery, and romance. They seem to make the words “summertime, when the livin’ is easy” come to life.

A book that is still on Green Gables Books shelves is My Boyfriends’ Dogs by Dandi Daley Mackall. It totally fits the picture of a cute, easy-to-read, romance novel for young people (and even adults). I picked it up to read as one of the books for a Book Talk recently and found myself enjoying it more than I thought I would.

The story is told in an interesting manner. It begins with the lead character, a girl named Bailey Daley, seeking shelter in a little cafe in St. Louis during a rainstorm.
She arrives soaken wet with three equally wet dogs. There are three men in the cafe, the owner, an elderly gentleman, the cook, who is in the process of cleaning up for the day, and a young man who is there having a coffee and reading the daily newspaper. The owner is quite fascinated by the girl and her dogs. He asks her to tell the story of how she came to own the dogs. Before she tells the story of the first dog, we get a glimpse into who the owner is and a learn a bit about him and so it is before the story of each dog, there is a section about the other men in the cafe.

It’s an interesting way to make connections between the characters.

The book, My Boyfriends’ Dogs is an innocent look at loves that come and go in our lives and leave a piece of themselves behind – in this case the dogs. It could be on your summer list of books if you want that moment of wistful memory of that “first romance” as you sit in the warm sunshine.

So, I leave you to your summer reading. May you enjoy the warm weather, relax, and come back to your schools in the Fall with renewed energy to face all the challenges of your classrooms and libraries.

International Recognition for Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer

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Posted on 3rd May 2011 by Teresa Berezowski in Curriculum

It’s hot and humid in Singapore. In Singapore it doesn’t make any difference as the weather is almost the same year round – about 30 to 35 degrees with a bit of rain at some point most days. In Ontario however, March and April are the months that deceive us daily; promising spring, teasing us with some warmth, but never quite delivering the consistent warmer weather that everyone is dreaming of after a long winter. I set out during February to the hot climes of Singapore as I am lucky enough to have a son teaching there at the Canadian International School.
I must say that Singapore is wonderful – a place well worth putting on your list of places to visit. Unlike Toronto, it is filled with trees and flowers everywhere throughout the city, has an excellent transportation system – imagine that they can build two rapid transit lines in about 3 years! – and has an innumerable variety of architectural styles of buildings.
However, enough about Singapore itself. What I noticed, and of course learned from my son and daughter-in-law is that education is so prized that parents strive to do everything they can to help their children achieve a good education. Like in most parts of the world other than North America, uniforms are the norm in all schools and yes, testing is used to establish standards of learning. However, the thing that caught my eye was the number of children’s book stores and educational supplies that one could find everywhere in every mall and there are literally thousands of malls (Ladies a shopper’s paradise!). Most books are in English, though I did see some in Chinese, Malay, and Tamil, the four official languages of Singapore. Taxi drivers, bus drivers, and most shopkeepers speak at least a passable version of all four languages – and we have a hard time getting students to be interested in learning French!!!
When I arrived, I brought with me some of the new books from Green Gables Books. My son immediately recognized one entitled Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Josee Masse and said that his Librarian had the book and that it had been nominated for “The Red Dot Award”.
I looked up the site to find out about the books and awards, www.reddotawards.com, which are quite similar to Ontario’s “Forest of Reading”. The site has great blogs about all the nominated books and all kinds of information about authors. Mirror Mirror is in the Junior section, though I feel the book opens up a realm of ideas for children from Primary to Intermediate.
Here’s what it had to say about the book: “What’s brewing when two favorites—poetry and fairy tales—are turned (literally) on their heads? It’s a revolutionary recipe: an infectious new genre of poetry and a lovably modern take on classic stories. First, read the poems forward (how old-fashioned!), then reverse the lines and read again to give familiar tales, from Sleeping Beauty to that Charming Prince, a delicious new spin. Witty, irreverent, and warm, this gorgeously illustrated and utterly unique offering holds a mirror up to language and fairy tales, and renews the fun and magic of both.”
I so totally agree and think you will too once you have read it. It is one of the more unusual books to come along recently and for those of you who want to try this with your Intermediate students watch the You Tube video entitled “Lost Generation” which features a reverse statement that could bring about great discussion and be an inspiration for a writing assignment.
Enjoy the book! Spring is on the way!

A Phenomenal Two Letter Word

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Posted on 3rd May 2011 by Teresa Berezowski in Curriculum

I’m sure you will enjoy this. A friend sent it to me a few days ago and I sent it to some teacher friends of mine. It is fun, funny, and a good assignment to help fill in that time at the end of a school year.

I did not knew that one word in the English language could be a noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition.
This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is UP. It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].

It’s easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election (if there is a tie, it is a toss UP) and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and fix UP the old car.

At other times, this little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.

This UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don’t give UP, you may wind UP with (UP to) a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it soaks UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I’ll wrap it UP, for now . . . my time is UP!

Oh . . . one more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night?
U

P!

Did that one crack you UP?

Don’t screw UP. Send this on to everyone you look UP in your address book . . . or not . . . it’s UP to you.

Now I’ll shut UP!

War and All Its (Lack of) Glory

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Posted on 9th February 2011 by Teresa Berezowski in Character | Curriculum | Reading and Motivation | Young Adult Novels

War in recent years has been seen for the tragedy and senseless loss of life that it is. The media which keeps us directly in the line of fire – literally – has brought war right into our living rooms and shown its devastation.

Now I must admit that I come from a family that survived World War II despite great personal loss but never would my dad have thought that he was not fighting for the right thing and refusing to fight was something he could never get his head around. It was expected of you to defend your country and others who held similar beliefs. I guess we could look at it in the context of what would the world be like today if Poland, Great Britain, and the USA along with many others had refused to fight Hitler? What would the map of Europe look like? How different would the world be? The question arises – What price freedom???

Today’s teachers often face the dilemma of explaining war – especially History teachers – to students who live in a world where war is looked upon in a very different manner than in years gone by. It is hard to explain how Canadians (actually ex-Americans) were willing to fight against the Americans (actually ex-British) in the War of 1812. Even then, if we know our history well, there was resistance from the farmers in the Niagara area who had farms to run and families that stretched across the border into the newly formed United States. General Isaac Brock had a difficult time rounding up a militia and in New England the people of the new United States outright refused to fight. To this day each side sees it as a victory for itself.

War, despite its horrors is a fascinating topic. It has political intrigue, danger, adventure, action, and sometimes even romance. All of these make it a good read for any age but especially for boys. I always picked the novels that I used with my classes for novel studies on the grounds that boys had to buy into them – be engaged. Girls at the grade 7/8 level are more tolerant readers. If a book is well written they will read it. Boys need action and adventure that jumps out at them.

My favourite book for my grade 8 literature circles was “And in the Morning” by John Wilson, a Canadian of Scottish descent, who has written several other books about conflicts in world history – some non-fiction. This book was, I knew, a challenging read for the students but it was so rich in detail. It is actually a diary with newspaper clippings, and letters written by a young Scottish boy who sets off for the adventure of his life and to avenge his father’s death during the early days of World War I. The news articles are snippets of various major events of WWI and are an interesting way to introduce students to the history of the times. Though the book takes place in Europe, it has a Canadian connection which brings the book closer to home for students.

When I first read the book, I was shocked – outraged – by the ending. I too, though a history buff (and teacher), had not realised the extreme cruelty of the army’s commanders toward the common soldier. The ending brought me and later many of my students to tears. “And in the Morning” is, for the teacher who likes books that have tons of information and points of discussion, perfect for a novel study particularly in literature circles. Even my weakest readers, because of pre-reading and group input got the story and were interested and engaged.

Eric Walters, also a Canadian author, has written several books that are about war and his “Camp X” series has been extremely popular. Now, he has written a new book called “Fly Boy” and I can’t help but compare it to the one by John Wilson.

There are of course many differences. “Fly Boy” takes place during the Second World War and involves, as the title would suggest, a young man who joins the air force. It begins in Canada, a more familiar setting for students, and then moves to England. It does not have newspaper articles but there is information about the planes used in WWII and their missions.

However, there are many similarities between the two books and I would say that most grade 7 students could handle reading the novel, let alone grade 8’s, in comparison to “And in the Morning”. The book has all the ingredients for a captivating war story. The protagonist in “Fly Boy” like the one in John Wilson’s book sets out to try to emulate his father who in this case is captured by the Nazi’s after having to bailout of his Spitfire. He too discovers that there is more to war than just the glamour and exhilaration of flying a plane.

The ending of “Fly Boy” is not as callous as the one in “And in the Morning” but it has its dramatic moments and clearly shows the realities and dangers that the pilots faced on a daily basis. The book is very good as a source to teach students about the Royal Canadian Air Force’s role in World War II and the bravery of the men who flew the bombers and spitfires.

Once again, Eric Walters has managed to write a book for Canadian students that brings reality to life in a language that they can comprehend. Neither book preaches about the glory of war – rather they point out many of its horrors – but both books show the bravery and honour associated with fighting for one’s country as it was felt by our veterans. This is something that we as Canadians, living in this great nation, should never forget.

Families, Laughter, and Tradition

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Posted on 17th January 2011 by Teresa Berezowski in Character | Picture Books

As we approach Christmas or perhaps  Hanukkah or Kwanza, or just some time off work,  we all get that warm and fuzzy feeling about times gone by, about our childhood, the times spent playing with cousins, family friends, and laughter.

Laughter which emits from children is always joyous and carefree. Those commercials on television that have babies laughing always draw my attention. Is there a more beautiful sound than a child’s laugh? When families get together for a joyous occasion there is usually laughter.

This is one of my favourite times of year. I always hope there is some snow on the ground (not as much as London, Ontario has had recently perhaps), lights on the houses on our street, and a chance to toast the holidays with friends. My house is filled with my collection of various Santa’s which I have acquired over the years and most have some story behind them. I love the hum and the hustle and bustle of the season. I know not everyone does but if you step back and watch, there is a stir in the air and a general feeling of joy that does not exist at other times of year in our world.

My children are grown and live far away (Australia and Singapore) so Christmas is spent with long talks on Skype where my eldest grandson shows off all his new toys. My nephew and his family make the trek up from the USA each year and traditionally spend what we refer to as “Polish Christmas” – which is Christmas Eve – at our home along with my mother-in-law and in the last few years, my son’s mother-in-law. The rest of my long distance family also tunes in on Skype. Though it is not a conventional way of being together, for us it has become a routine. I often wonder how sad it was for my parents to not be able to see their families when we first came to Canada. So I count my blessings that we now have the means to do so.

Ah yes, tradition!! Like the song from “Fiddler on the Roof” tells us, tradition is something that was started long ago. How the traditions developed is not as important as actually carrying them on . Each generation may add to, or modify traditions, but they are vital to family holidays. Without them there would be no memories of years gone bye or the people who once were part of the celebrations but are no longer there. Traditions are the ribbons that tie families together.

Family, traditions, and laughter are featured in several books that I have reviewed over the past while. Three Pebbles and a Song , written by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by S. D. Schindler has a struggling mouse family that finds joy in the simple act of singing and dancing together to get through the harsh winter. Snowbots ,written by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by David Barneda is about robot children enjoying the first snowfall and then, when they are tired and cold, getting welcome warmth and care from their parents. All of the Fancy Nancy books written by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser have stories about a family that allows their children to be different and yet find ways to fit in. One of the books that made me laugh was I Wanna New Room by Karen Kaufman Orloff, illustrated by David Catrow. As with many picture books, the drawings add to the story and in this case the humour. I love the fact that the mother bows out of the conversation (a series of cleverly worded letters) immediately saying she’s tired - ”ask your dad”. What mother who just had her third child isn’t tired? This book deals with a typical sibling issue without preaching but rather with common sense and good old fashioned humour. There are many more books about families to be found on the Green Gables Books website www.greengablesbooks.com . Some of the families are ordinary and some unusual but all of them have a story to tell as most families do when they get together for the holidays.

I want to wish all of my readers (whoever you may be) a very Happy New Year. May you be healthy in body and mind, may your happiness come from the simple things in life – laughter, family, and tradition and may you have the time to enjoy a good book over the holidays!!!

Colonel Mustard in the Library with a Hammer

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Posted on 11th January 2011 by Teresa Berezowski in Character | Curriculum | Reading and Motivation

Don’t we all remember playing “Clue”? There is something about a good mystery that captivates us. Look at how many television programs use mystery as their main genre, how many movies have a plot with twists and turns, how many books have red herrings that lead the reader away from the true culprit. It is what brings the audience back for more each time.

I particularly like mystery novels that have unique settings. Even the children’s game of “Clue’ uses a British manor as its setting, requiring some imagination and general knowledge. My favourite settings are ones in some other era and in some fascinating part of the world. By writing the story in the past and in some country or city rich in history, the author/filmmaker entices the reader’s/viewer’s curiosity, teaches some facts about the past, and enhances the visual or mental picture of the story.

Personally, I like all mystery stories but put it in olden England (or futuristic England for that matter) and add in actual historical figures and I’m lost for the next day or two that it takes me to read the book. So it was with two books that I recently read for a book talk for Green Gables Books.

The first was a graphic novel. I have to state here that I am not a huge fan of graphic novels. They are too visually distracting to me and I don’t like the fact that my eyes jump from picture to text all over the page. I guess I show my age because I feel the same about video games. I do, however, recognize that graphic novels have been a great lure to get boys back into reading – girls too.

The Amulet of Samarkand A Bartimaeus Graphic Novel adapted by Jonathan Stroud and Andrew Donkin, art by Lee Sullivan, and colour by Nicolas Chapus is set in a modern day but strangely futuristic London, England which is ruled by magicians. Having been to London several times, the artwork of the settings is excellent and rich in detail. The characters are intriguing, evil, naive, and funny. The central character, Bartimaeus, is a 5,000 djinni, a sort of half demon, half spirit. He is such a funny character with a sharp tongue. I actually laughed aloud as I read parts of the story. The story has good action and twists and turns. Many students will recognize it as part of the Bartimaeus trilogy that has been out for a while and of course the movie of the same name “The Amulet of Samarkand”.

Wicked Will by Bailey MacDonald is set in olden England; in fact in the times of young William Shakespeare. A troupe of travelling actors comes to the town of Stratford. Among them is a young boy named Thomas Pryne the nephew of Matthew Bailey, the company’s director. The members of the cast are all seasoned professionals especially the ever-complaining Ben Fadger. When Will (Shakespeare) joins the group as their guide into town, Tom does not take to the young talkative boy right away. It isn’t until Tom’s uncle is imprisoned for the murder of a local farmer, Edmund Speight, that Tom quite unwillingly becomes allies with Will who is full of grandiose ideas and imaginative schemes to try to prove Matthew Bailey’s innocence. The story has many red herrings leading the reader astray. It tells us a bit about William Shakespeare’s early childhood and what life may have been like in Stratford-on-Avon in that era. It has secrets, ghosts and a surprise ending. This is a book any mystery reader will love and would be a great read-aloud for a grade 4 to grade 6 class.

Enjoy!

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

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Posted on 22nd November 2010 by Teresa Berezowski in Curriculum | Picture Books | Reading and Motivation

I must admit that the kid in me comes out with the first snowfall. I love the soft white flakes and the quiet that seems to descend especially as it gets dark. Even though Toronto does not get many snowfalls, when it does, it’s magical to me. I know, the traffic stops, the roads become slick, it’s cold and wet — but it is so white and glistening as the lights shine down on our quiet little street. It can seem as if I’m miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city. That is until the plough comes swooping down the street!

As a child, I loved all the activities snow would bring; making a snowman, tobogganing or sledding, making angels in the snow, skiing, and yes, even building that snow fort from which all the neighbourhood children tossed snowballs. Snowballs were not “forbidden’ as they are today at school. Recess was filled with sliding on ice patches created by rubbing your boots in one area for a while, playing tag in the snow, and if your school had a hill, rolling down it and laughing until you couldn’t breathe.

Snowfalls in Toronto rarely close schools, I can remember a few but if it snowed on the weekend, it meant hours of fun – after I’d helped shovel the snow of course!
So, as I read the book Super Snow Day – Seek and Find ,I was reminded of the joy of snowy days in Canada.

The book is filled with various things associated with winter. It challenges students to locate them in the pictures and the clues of the story. Every page has a variety of things to find. In fact there are more than 200 things to find!! It all begins with a poem that gives clues as to what students should look for. The poem is written by Aunt Jeanne who is found on most of the pages of the book but students have to hunt for her. As Tommy enjoys his day off from school he finds a series of notes from Aunt Jeanne which take him on a snowy day adventure.

Students can learn how the word “snow” is written (and perhaps said) by finding the word for snow in each picture. It would be interesting to know how many students had not even seen snow until they came to Canada. Is there a language with no word for “snow”?

Students can search in the book for 20 titles of songs, poems, or stories with the word “snow” in them. Famous stories such as “The Snow Queen” or poems such as “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost appear on various pages. A whole unit about “snow” could be created using the titles for further readings and research which could be suitable for students from the Primary level to the Intermediate one.

Throughout the book there are 80 different six-pointed snowflakes. They can be found on every page as well as on the front and back cover and the flaps of the book cover that fold in! I don’t think there is anyone who has attended school in Canada, who at sometime in their elementary school career did not make snowflakes to decorate the classroom during the Christmas or winter season. These snowflakes may inspire some beautiful ones for the classroom.

Science teachers will enjoy the variety of animals displayed in the book. One page has 12 hibernators shown in their winter hideouts. Many other animals adorn the pages as well. Besides that, there are 9 different animal tracks to spot and identify. Perhaps, if a school is near a park students could go out to identify various tracks.

Finally there are 17 symbols of winter sports and activities on the various pages. Students could do some research about winter sports especially ones that are new to them.

So much to do with just one book!! Super Snow Day – Seek and Find is a great source of entertainment and learning. It reminds us all that winter is a part of our lives and it can be fun. Perhaps as adults we forget this and today’s children often don’t take advantage of the activities and pleasures of growing up in a part of the world that has snow.

Interestingly enough, I leave tomorrow for Edmonton and Calgary where winter has set in with snow and winds and well below zero degree temperatures. I’m not sure about enjoying the shock of getting off the plane to very different weather than in Toronto right now but I’m sure that the sight of snow will somehow warm me and bring back wonderful memories of childhood days. Better pack my warm jacket and boots. Don’t know if I’ll have an opportunity to make a snowman but perhaps my great-niece has made one for the front of the house.

The Canada Prayer

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Posted on 1st November 2010 by Teresa Berezowski in Character | Curriculum

Approaching what I consider a very important day of the year, Remembrance Day, I was inspired by a prayer that I heard recently. I was actually at the 30th Anniversary Gala for the Canadian Ethnocultural Council where we each received a copy of “The Canada Prayer”. The CEC is an organization uniting over 45 different cultural groups from all over the world who reside in Canada. It is an impressive reminder of the vast input of immigration to the growth of Canada and its rich fabric. It made me stop and think about all the things we Canadians – immigrants all except our aboriginal people - have to appreciate.
For years as a teacher I ran the school assembly for Remembrance Day. It was something I felt was needed to stress the memory of those who fought for our freedoms. Too often young people don’t realize the huge sacrifices that were made so that their lives could be lived in peace. I also taught at ethnically diverse schools where many of the students did not come from European backgrounds and did not often have the historical background about WWI and WWII. The assemblies were always done with respect and serenity. Students were asked to enter and exit the auditorium in silence and there was no applause after any part of the assembly. Music, films, skits, and poetry were part of each assembly and the students always lived up to the expectations. I was always moved by their sincerity.
So as I read the prayer that was at my place at the table at the CEC Gala, I thought what a wonderful idea it was to have this prayer read or recited at a school Remembrance Day assembly or for that matter at any assembly. It is non-denominational and touches all of us no matter what our ethnic heritage is. I’d like to share it with you.

The Canada Prayer

Universal Power of Light and Love, we thank you for our country, Canada, and ask your blessing; illumine the hearts and minds of our people so that we may appreciate and respect our differences, yet work together in forging our common identity as Canadians.
May our common values promote national harmony in a spirit of unity, as we seek to banish ignorance, poverty, and suffering at home and abroad.
May we have the wisdom to encourage our children to love and respect the earth and each other.
May we recognize our responsibilities as citizens of this great land as we continue to assist the aspiring and displaced who have come from all corners of the world.
May we meet the challenge of constant change in our world.
May we remain dedicated toward the cause of peace, and as we seek to create a spirit of unity within our own country, let us be mindful of the connectedness of all humanity.

Faeries

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Posted on 20th October 2010 by Teresa Berezowski in Character | Curriculum | Young Adult Novels

I love fanciful creatures who flit about somewhere in our imaginations! It’s one of the leftovers from my childhood. Being of Polish descent, I was told many stories about “krasnoludki”, little people, and “wrozki”, enchanted folk, by my mother. If we look at various cultures throughout the world creatures like this exist in many children’s tales. The Irish are infamous for their legends of leprechauns, as are Greeks for their Nymphs, and the Norse for their elves and Disir who are from Teutonic traditions. All of these are part of folk culture and history.

As a website that I looked up says, “These generally benevolent creatures are guardians of nature, and are thought to be responsible for everything from blessing the birth of a child to a new love interest”. It is said that having artwork and figurines of faeries is a way of attracting faerie folk to our homes.

Various dictionaries define the word Faerie or Fairy as a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers or a tiny, mischievous, imaginary being.

With that in mind, I was enchanted, so to speak, by a new series entitled, The Chronicles of the Misplaced Prince by Sean Cullen. The first book is called, The Prince of Neither Here Nor There. I loved the first book so much that when I saw the second book, The Prince of Two Tribes on the shelf at Green Gables Books, I grabbed it and just like a child who can’t wait to open a present was reading the first page at a stop light as the car behind me honked to tell me the light had turned green!

I must comment that the author, Sean Cullen who is an actor, the winner of three Gemini awards, and a member of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival Acting Company, has obviously got a wicked sense of humour. I could actually say there is a mischievousness to it much like that of faeries.

Sean takes on the roll of the Narrator, the one who fills us, the readers, in on the little nuances and events in the background. Right away he captured me with “Hello, Person. Welcome to the book. I have been chosen to be your narrator for as long as this story lasts. I can’t help but point out that you are especially lucky. I am the best.” He goes on to tell the reader that there will be footnotes throughout the text – I might add a good teaching tool for all the English teachers out there! He then declares that he has “received the Footnoter of the Year Award for three years in a row.” Sean Cullen also explains the difference between the fairies of children’s books and the faeries that the book will be dealing with who “are a noble race, an ancient race, often marvellous and magical but just as often deadly and dangerous.”

The story then begins. It is full of adventure, intrigue, mystery, interesting characters, and humour (thanks to some of the footnotes). As the back of the book says, “In a world where Faeries exist, hidden in the cracks of our reality, we meet our hero Brendan.” Oh, and what a hero he is! He’s not daring and handsome or strong and wise but rather a nerdy 14 year old who is clumsy and picked on by bullies. Brendan is a very empathetic character for many readers. He has a sister who is merciless when it comes to his inadequacies and the bully at his school makes his life miserable. However, Brendan has some loyal and helpful friends – one of them being a new Polish immigrant who is learning English and often twists phrases around by mistake – another great teaching tool if this were to be a book chosen to be a read-aloud. His best friend, and help in great danger, turns out to be Kim, a gutsy, no nonsense girl who always has a field hockey stick in her backpack. Brendan, much to his surprise, has got many enemies and Brendan’s interaction with these evil characters makes the book a great read.

The book has the right mix of fantasy, adventure, reality, and humour. Since it takes place in Toronto, it will appeal to many readers who recognize various settings of the story. It is one of the extra things that captured my interest. Besides that, Brendan is a believable character trapped in two worlds through no fault of his own. The series should be very appealing to Intermediate level students but adults can also enjoy the tongue in cheek humour of Sean Cullen and the world of Faeries that he has created.

I trust you and your students will enjoy the series as much as I have so far. I must finish now as book two, The Prince of Two Tribes, is calling me to read it!

Creative Thinking

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Posted on 6th October 2010 by Teresa Berezowski in Curriculum | Picture Books | Reading and Motivation

I like thinking outside the box.

The other day I was doing my regular write-up of several new picture books that have come into the showroom at Green Gables Books. I try to go through every picture book with the idea that it can be used in some way other than just a book that tells a story with pictures.

I must admit, I am a picture book addict! When I was teaching, my Grade 8 English classes and running the Library, I often used picture books to introduce units and as samples for Media assignments. In fact, as the Librarian, I was lucky enough to purchase books keeping the various curricula in mind. Picture books I feel, are an invaluable tool across the grade levels and for most subject areas. They can inspire students by stating facts simply and illustrating them also. Today’s picture books often offer even more such as websites that can be used for follow-up lessons.

Obviously not all picture books can be adapted to every subject, nor can they be used at all grade levels. However, with careful selection and attention to detail Librarians, classroom teachers, and parents can choose books that will be useful to their students/children.

Three such books that have recently arrived at Green Gables Books are excellent examples of case in point. They are: Welcome Home Mouse , written and illustrated by Elisa Kleven, Whole-y Cow! Fractions are Fun , written by Taryn Souders and illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss, and The Last Train , written by Gordon Titcomb , with a foreword by Arlo Guthrie, and paintings by Wendell Minor. Each of these books lends itself to many creative, innovative ideas for class assignments.

Welcome Home Mouse to begin with is a wonderful Primary grade story of perseverance, kindness, sharing, and thoughtfulness. It can also be used to teach prediction, having students predict what each of the items Stanley collects will be used for, and how. Art teachers will love the combination of watercolour and collage used throughout the book. All English teachers will appreciate the wonderful example of using a shoebox to create a scene. As a Media assignment at any grade level students can be asked to recreate their room or their dream room or they can be asked to create one of the scenes from their story or novel and then do an Oral presentation of their ideas. The pictures in the book help students who need some inspiration by letting them see various objects that were used to create the mouse’s new house.

Whole-y Cow! Fractions Are Fun is a wonderful way to introduce the concept of fractions to Primary grade students. Poetry is used to teach rhyming words, and also students can predict answers as they take a risk answering the questions. The book has an answer page at the back so students who take the book home can use it to reaffirm their answers. The best thing about this book is the booklet full of activities that can be downloaded at: www.gale.cengage.com/pdf/TeachersGuides/FractionsAreFun.pdf
The booklet’s first page has students learn where to find information about the author, publisher, and note other features of the book. There are several math work sheets that continue to teach the ideas presented in the book. Science teachers will find a sheet dealing with characteristics of different classes of animals. Music teachers can use the sheet about half notes and quarter notes. There is a sheet for Art teachers to introduce the concept of background, middle ground, and foreground. English teachers have a variety of activities to pick from such as a sheet with antonyms and synonyms and one for an acrostic poem. There is even a recipe for chocolate chip cookies which could be a culminating class project. In other words, besides being a good book for introducing fractions, Whole-y Cow! Fractions Are Fun allows teachers to develop a whole unit about the use of fractions involving various subject areas.

The Last Train is a very special book. Written as a song by Gordon Titcomb, it can be used to introduce Bluegrass music to students. Certainly this is not a form of music with which most students are familiar and it can lead to a look at the history of this form of music, its origins, and its particular sound. The song along with the paintings done by Wendell Minor and real footage of an old steam engine train can be seen by students on a “You Tube” video. Teachers and students can  type in “Steam Locomotive 2-8-2 Live Gordon Titcomb Wendell Minor” (it is not case sensitive). Once on the site, click on “You Tube” and the book is presented in two parts. This could be a wonderful introduction to any novel dealing with the time of train travel e.g., Bud, Not Buddy or History teachers may want to use this to begin a unit about the importance of trains to Confederation.

I encourage you to have a look at these books and any other picture books in the Library at your school. They are a rich resource for your classrooms.

Enjoy!

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