Thomas' Snowsuit

Written and performed by Robert Munsch
Originally published in 1989.
MP3 file, 4:33 minutes
<www.robertmunsch.com>

Thomas hates the new snowsuit his mother has bought him. In fact, he hates it so much that he puts up a fight every time he has to wear it. First Thomas' mother manages to wrangle him into the snowsuit, but when recess comes at school, it's another story. Both the teacher and the principal end up involved in the kind of silly hijinks young children enjoy the most.

This is a treasured story from my own childhood. We had a Robert Munsch cassette tape that was played over and over again, never failing to draw major giggles from my brothers and me. When I discovered that MP3 files of Munsch telling his stories are available for free on his website, I was pretty excited. The small files are easy to download, and there are two versions for each story: one of Munsch reading directly from the book and one of Munsch telling the story to an audience of children.

When listening to Robert Munsch, it is impossible not to be carried away by his enthusiasm. His voice communicates both the humour of his stories and his love of entertaining children. He makes great sound effects and pokes fun at the seriousness of adult authority. One of the things I love the most about his recording of Thomas' Snowsuit in front of an audience is how he uses a real child's name in place of Thomas throughout the story. I saw Munsch perform at a Canada Day concert a few years ago, and I was impressed with his genuine interest in his audience then too.

Finally, according to Munsch's website, Thomas' Snowsuit was created at the Mount Saint Vincent University daycare when a kid asked for a story about snowsuits. It was fun to discover after all these years that my favourite Munsch story has a Maritime connection!

Igraine the Brave

Written and illustrated by Cornelia Funke
Translated from German by Anthea Bell
Originally published in 1998
Chicken House, 2007
Ages 8-12
4/5


Twelve-year old Igraine would like nothing more than to be a noble knight. However, not only is she small for her age, Igraine's wizarding family is uninterested in mighty steeds and shining armour. But when her parents accidentally turn themselves into pigs and can't stop the dastardly Greedy Osmund from laying seige to their castle in oder to steal the family's singing magic books, Igraine is determined that her size won't hold her back from protecting her home.

The strength of this quirky novel is its interesting characters, which are introduced in an illustrated "Who's Who" at the beginning of the book. Surprisingly it wasn't Igraine who grabbed my attention, but the secondary characters of the singing books, the Sorrowful Knight, and even Pimpernel Castle itself. That being said, Igraine, despite being both stubborn and impatient, is a great role model for young girls: although she is afraid of Greedy Osmund and the Iron Hedgehog, she takes action to ensure her family remains safe.

Like most fairy tales, in this book it is very obvious who is good and who is bad. Bad characters are justly punished, and good characters are justly rewarded. However, this does not take away from the charm of Funke's cheerful, whimsical story.

Kids' CBC

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 2007
<www.cbc.ca/kids>
Regular site: Ages 8-11
Preschool site: Ages 5-7
3.5/5

The CBC Kids website is divided into two sections, one for children ages 8 to 11 and one for preschoolers. Visually, both of these pages are very appropriate for the age groups for which they are designed.

The preschool page uses bright colours and cartoon-style graphics and sound effects in an interactive layout. Children can play simple games, learn about their favourite characters from CBC TV, and watch video clips from CBC TV shows. An animated, speaking cartoon of Canada offers an introduction to each section of the preschool website and explains how to navigate the website. Unfortunately, unless children click on cartoon Canada, it is unclear that she is supposed to be there to offer help.

The website for elementary-school aged children uses a mix of different styles of graphics, including anime and more traditional cartoons. Like the preschool site, there are all kinds of sound effects and animations, although the general feel is more mature. Kids can play games; read and write reviews of books, music, movies, and more; download screensavers; or learn more about their favourite CBC TV shows.

I was surprised that CBC, which I have always considered pretty educational in comparison to many other TV channels, did not include more distinctly Canadian material on these websites. This is particularly true of the website aimed at older children. Although the games are interesting and age-appropriate, they are also pretty much the same as what I'd expect to find on any other children's television channel's website.

That being said, one crucial difference I did notice is the complete lack of advertising. CBC for Kids does not even have a sponsor. I think it's wonderful to see websites for children that are not encouraging the formation of commercial habits at a young age.

Overall, the Kid's CBC webpages are among the better children's television channel websites I have seen.

Piper

By Natale Ghent
Orca Book Publishers, 2000
Ages 9-12
2.5/5

After Wesley's father dies in an accident, she and her mother move to her Aunt Cindy's farm in southern Ontario. In addition to raising sheep, Aunt Cindy breeds and trains Australian shepherd dogs. Grieving the sudden loss of her father, Wesley hates living in the middle of nowhere until she witnesses the birth of Piper, an undersized red merle. Wesley names the puppy Piper, and, with the help of a neighbour, begins to train her as a competitive sheep dog. Piper and Wesley are a huge success on the competitive circuit, but everything falls apart when Piper is mauled while saving Wesley's life from a coyote attack. Of course, even though this is realistic fiction, both Wesley and Piper are saved.

This is really only an okay book. Ghent's dialogue is stiff, and it took me quite a while to warm up to the character of Wesley. When Wesley and Piper are attacked, I realized I was more upset at something happening to the dog than I was at the danger to Wesley! The author's notes about Australian shepherds was useful for learning about a dog breed of which I was previously unaware.

Readers who love animals, especially dogs, will enjoy this book. I found it a little boring.

Love from Your Friend, Hannah

By Mindy Warshaw Skolsky
Harper Trophy, 1998
Ages 8-11
5/5

When Hannah's best friend moves away during the summer of 1937, Hannah is sad, but excited: she and Aggie have promised to be pen pals, and Hannah has always wanted a pen pal. After sending Aggie six letters and not getting any answer, Hannah picks a name out of the "Pen Pal Box" on her teacher's desk, but she thinks Edward Winchley's reply to her letter is so stupid she does not want to write him back again. Determined to have a pen pal, Hannah begins sending letters to her grandparents in New York, her aunt, and even President Roosevelt. Then Edward Winchley writes again: if Hannah doesn't send him another letter, he's going to get a zero in being a pen pal! Hannah and Edward begin exchanging letters, and although they start out antagonizing each other, they quickly realize they have become friends from across the country.

Written entirely in epistolary style, this is one of the best novels I have read in months. The story of Hannah's letter writing adventures, as well as her developing friendship with Edward, is sweet, but with a funny, honest edge. Hannah's voice is earnest and her observations of life around her are hilarious. Just as enjoyable are the letters she receives as replies, especially those from President Roosevelt and his wife. One of the things that impressed me most about this novel is that Warshaw Skolskycan write convincingly from so many points of view, including the President, Hannah's grandparents, Hannah's aunt, and dopey Edward Winchley from Kansas.

In addition to the funny story, this book contains a great deal of interesting information about the Great Depression and Roosevelt's response to it. Readers learn about popular culture in 1937: Hannah is fascinated by The Wizard of Oz, the Dionne Quintuplets, and the radio show The Witch's Tale. However, this information is completely secondary to the story and is so subtle children probably won't even realize they are learning.

A great novel about an interesting little girl - I highly recommend it.

The Mud Flat Mystery

Written and illustrated by James Stevenson
Level 3, Halifax Public Library
The Mud Flat Friends Series
Harper Trophy, 2003
Ages 6-8
3/5

A large, mysterious package is delivered to Duncan's house, but because Duncan is away on vacation. The Mud Flat animals speculate about what might be inside the box, and their curiosity starts to drive them crazy. Eventually the box is opened "accidentally-on-purpose" and the animals discover a bicycle inside. Now how will they get the bike back in the box?

Stevenson's story is a little bland, although there is lots of dialogue and a few interesting sound effects. Chapters are short and keep the book divided into small sections. Most of the anthropomorphized animals are not very interesting, except Ferdie and Norris, a pig and a beaver: unfortunately, the book makes it impossible to tell which is which. However, because this is part of the Mud Flat Friends series, perhaps most readers will already be familiar with the characters. The black and white illustrations are entertaining, especially the ones of Norris and Ferdie guarding the box, but they are not overly spectacular.

Although this 55-page chapter book does not have a publisher-assigned reading level, Halifax Public Libraries has classified it as a Level 3 reader. According to the back cover, this book is recommended for children ages 7 to 10, but I think this may be a bit of an overestimation. My guess is that the story's humour and reading level will be more appropriate to slightly younger readers.

Me and My Robot

By Tracy West
Illustrated by Cindy Revell
Level 1, All Aboard Reading Series
Grosset & Dunlap, 2003
Ages 6-7
4/5

Lucy's kitten is lost, and Reese and his robot must help find it. Lucy and Reese explain to Robot what a kitten is, but Robot keeps leading them to the wrong animals. Finally, Robot discovers that the kitten is the small, fluffy animal that has been asleep inside his metal robot torso the whole time!

This is a fantastic book, with a fast-paced, interesting story and bright, cheerful pictures. Robot's misunderstanding of Reese's and Lucy's attempts to explain the word "kitten" is a simple premise, but one that creates opportunities for the kind of funny mix-ups children find hilarious. The ending is especially fantastic, with Robot's final words: "I LIKE KITTENS."

Something that sets Me and My Robot apart from many other levelled readers is that the book's text works closely with its pictures. Usually this is a characteristic of high-quality children's picture books, rather than books for beginning readers.

This is a great book for kids who are just starting to learn how to read: excellent story and pictures, appropriate vocabulary, and a distinct lack of the "Now you will learn something" vibe that accompanies many other levelled readers.

Baby, I'm Bigger!

By Harriet M. Ziefert
Illustrated by Kae Nishimura
Level 2, I'm Going to Read! Series
Sterling Publishing, 2007
Ages 5-7
3.5/5

Max's little sister can't wait in line or build with blocks or draw pictures. She can't do anything! Max can't wait for Baby to start talking and for her to be big enough to play with him.

This is a cute story with cheerful illustrations. The character of Max expresses frustrations that will be familiar for many older siblings, and the "Word Bank" at the top of each page helps new readers review all the words they have just learned. However, overall the book seems much more focussed on reassuring parents that their children will learn to read and offering suggestions for ways they can help their children learn to read faster. There are several pages of advice for parents at the beginning of the book, as well as detailed explanations of each level in the I'm Going to Read! series. These do not detract from the charm of the story, but in my opinion parents should be careful not to make reading too much like work: Learning is important, but so is introducing children to the joys of reading for pleasure.

It's True! This Book is Bugged

By Sue Bursztynski
Pictures by Mitch Vane
Annick Press, 2007
Ages 8-12
3.5/5

Spies and spying are perennially popular topics among younger readers, especially boys. This book describes the history of espionage, from ancient Rome to today's hackers. Written in a funny, conversational style, it includes information on famous spies, spy gadgets, and spying disasters.

Although it is divided into chapters and sprinkled with black and white cartoons, Bursztynski's book has enough dense text and difficult vocabulary that it would probably be most appealing to kids in the later grades of elementary school. The sense of humour expressed in the writing is appropriate to this age group as well.

Children will enjoy this book for its silly, irreverent tone and the fascinating stories it contains.

Eyewitness Books: Seashore

Written by Steve Parker
Stoddard Publishing, 1989
Ages 8-12
4/5

Parker's book contains information about the plants and animals that live on seashores around the world. Readers learn about seaweeds, tidal pools, crustaceans, mollusks, birds, marine mammals, and shoreline conservation. Facts and explanations are accompanied by colour photographs (many of which are extreme close-ups to allow for detail visibility), illustrations, and diagrams.

Parker shares interesting scientific information in simple, easily-understood language. The book is well-organized, with a table of contents, an index, and plainly labelled pictures. These features would be helpful for an elementary-school student learning how to use non-fiction resources for research. However, the book is still easily browseable, for readers who are more interested in casually reading about seashores.

Alligator Pie

Poems by Dennis Lee
Pictures by Frank Newfeld
Macmillan Company, 1974
All ages
5/5

"Alligator pie, alligator pie, / If I don't get some I think I'm gonna die." These are actually the first words I learned how to read when I was in Grade One; however, I had never read the rest of Lee's classic book.

The poems are catchy, with sing-song rhythms and silly plots that invite readers to chant them aloud. Many rhymes include Canadian twists, such as the names of Canadian cities or references to the folkloric figure of Oopik. Although Newfeld's illustrations feel a bit dated, there are other versions of the book available.

Overall, I feel Alligator Pie definitely deserves the title of children's classic.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

By Judy Blume
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1970.
Revised 2001.
Ages 9-13
4/5

Almost twelve-year old Margaret Simon's family may not have a religion, but Margaret herself has her own private conversations with God. This book is made up of her thoughts about moving to New Jersey from New York, getting along with her new friends, as well as the usual concerns of young adolescent girls: bras, boys, and first periods.

Margaret is a strong, funny character, and her observations of early teenage life perfectly capture the awkwardness and excitement of growing up. This book is a classic that continues to resonate with many readers. That being said, I have to admit that I did not enjoy Are You There God? when I was a teenager myself, and I still did not really like the novel after re-reading it as an adult.

In this 2001 version, Blume has updated the parts of the book that describe sanitary belts to reflect more modern products, such as adhesive sanitary napkins and tampons.

Disney Princess Magazine

Walt Disney Company and Redan Publishing
Edited by Frevisse Dearsley-Hitchcock
Published 8 times a year
Ages 5 to 9
1/5

This is a terrible magazine, but, unfortunately, I can also see why many little girls would love it: it is focussed around being pretty, dainty, wearing beautiful gowns, and generally being just like the princesses in Disney movies.

The magazine is filled with advertisements for Disney products, including dolls, DVDs, and personalized Disney princess lunch bags, wall clocks, photo albums, etc. Some of these ads are even embedded within the "activities", such as "Draw lines to match each Soft & Sweet doll to her shadow." I feel this is an unfair marketing tactic because most children in the age range at which this magazine is aimed may not be aware of the differences between an advertisement and the rest of the publication.

The activities in the magazine are uncreative and poorly designed. The level of difficulty of the mazes, colouring sheets, matching games, and finding games does not match the level of difficulty of the text.

Finally, although I appreciated that the princesses do not spend all their time day-dreaming about their princes, every time they appear in a picture they are either brushing their hair, looking in the mirror, or holding a little woodland creature on their fingers. While some of the stories and games try to encourage good manners and kindness towards others, most focus on having the prettiest dress, giving the best present, or being the most beautiful princess.

Dreadful.

The Prince's Diary

Written by Renee Ting
Illustrated by Elizabeth O. Dulemba
Shen's Books, 2005
Ages 7-12
3/5

Ting's version of Cinderella gives readers a peek into the Prince's diary so they can discover the fairy tale from his point of view.

Although this is an interesting concept, unfortunately it does not really work. The story is supposed to sound as though it has been written by the Prince, but the narrator's voice is stilted or formal and not at all like that of a mischievous boy/young man. Cinderella herself is a compelling character, but her personality is communicated through the illustrations, rather than the text itself. Finally, although I enjoyed hearing a male character's version of Cinderella (since the majority of characters in the traditional story are female), I felt the plot was clunky and unexciting - a retelling should add something new and exciting to a story everyone already knows.

Children who love Cinderella may want to read this, but probably no more than once.

Club Penguin

Walt Disney Company, 2007
<www.clubpenguin.com>
Ages 6-12
3.5/5

There was a big news story last year about how Club Penguin, a site for children started in Canada, was a huge financial success and was being purchased by the Disney Corporation. I was curious: what exactly is Club Penguin and why is it so popular among kids and parents alike?

The basic premise of the site is that a child chooses a penguin character and then explores "Club Penguin" as that character. Penguins can play games to earn coins, which can then be used to buy clothes for the penguin or decorations for the penguin's igloo. Penguins can talk to each other and become friends. Although children can join for free, their penguins can only buy things if they have paid their $6/month membership fee.

Taking a look at the site, it's easy to see why parents like it so much: not only has Club Penguin won awards for protecting children's privacy and keeping children safe, in its Parents' Guide the site stresses that it is 100% ad-free and all discussions between penguins are moderated. Parents can choose what level of freedom their children have in chat sessions: there are settings that allow children to type whatever they want into the chat box (with a warning that inappropriate talk in not allowed) or only allow children to select from a list of pre-typed phrases, such as "Hello" or "Will you be my friend?"

To be honest, I'm not sure what makes this site so popular with children. Although I did create my own penguin just to see what the inside of Club Penguin looks like, I didn't chat to anyone or make any friends (I didn't feel it was ethical since I'm an adult), which may mean I'm missing the whole point of the game. Plus since I didn't pay a membership fee, my poor penguin is naked. However, I do like that there are no winner or losers on this site. Friendship, fair play, and co-operation among penguins are encouraged. There is plenty of information for parents and children about how to play and how to be safe online.

Considering some of the available options, Club Penguin seems pretty great to me, even though as an adult I found it pretty boring.

Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Author of Anne of Green Gables

Written and illustrated by Alexandra Wallner
Holiday House, 2006
Ages 7-11
4.5/5

The graduate work I did before I started my MLIS focussed on the life and work of L.M. Montgomery, so I was prepared to be extra critical of Wallner's biography of a celebrated Canadian icon. Not only would I be looking at the criteria that make a good non-fiction book for children, but I knew I couldn't help analyzing pictures and text to see if Wallner had truly done her homework on Montgomery.

I'm pleased to report that I consider this book successful in both areas. Wallner's writing style is simple, with short sentences and a relatively basic vocbulary, but the book still manages to communicate the important facts about Montgomery's life. While sometimes a little date-heavy, the chronological arrangement of the story, from Montgomery's birth to her death, clearly shows how Montgomery went from a little girl in Cavendish, PEI to an internationally-renowned author. The thorough index at the back of the book makes this a good source for children learning to use non-fiction books for research projects, although the lack of headings within the text itself might prove confusing.

However, what really impressed me about Wallner's biography is the illustrations. First of all, it appears as though Wallner has actually researched PEI; the buildings, the beach (particularly the last two-page spread of the Cavendish capes), the home decor, and the red dirt are accurate colours and designs. When Montgomery moves from PEI to Nova Scotia and eventually to Ontario, the landscapes and buildings change too. In fact, Montgomery herself ages in the illustrations, and it is evident from the composition of several pictures that Wallner studied some of the well-known photographs of Montgomery when creating her paintings. In addition, the lightness and brightness of the illustrations reflects the happy, romantic mood Montgomery herself liked to create in her writings.

I also enjoyed several of the small details that might go unnoticed by a child, but would be noticed by a Montgomery fan or scholar. The little black cat on the dedication page looks like the cat Montgomery often drew as part of her signature. The homes in PEI are all wooden and no stone buildings appear until Montgomery goes to school in Halifax. Several of the outfits in which Montgomery is pictured are actually items of clothing she treasured and described in detail in her own journals. Indeed, whenever Wallner writes "Montgomery thought" she quotes directly from the journals.

Because she has often been dismissed as simply a writer for young girls, Montgomery's biographies (for children and adults alike) have not always been of the greatest quality. However, in my opinion, this is good non-fiction book for elementary school children who may be reading Anne of Green Gables (or one of Montgomery's other works) for the first time and might be curious about the author.

One Elephant, Deux Éléphants

Sharon, Lois, and Bram
Casablanca Kids, 1978
All ages
5/5

There's a reason One Elephant, Deux Éléphants was recently re-released as a twenty-fifth anniversary special edition CD - it's a classic children's album that is as enjoyable today as it was back in 1978. With its mix of playground chants, traditional songs (such as "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain" and "Paw Paw Patch"), and Sharon, Lois, and Bram specials (such as "One Elephant, Deux Éléphants" and "Skinnamarink"), this CD is a great example of high-quality children's entertainment.

The tracks encourage audience participation through the inclusion of children's voices as a central part of the recording. The lyrics of songs such as "Candy Man, Salty Dog" are suitably ridiculous and amusing, while parents will enjoy singing "'A'. You're Adorable" and "Yes Sir, You're My Baby" to their kids. With a mix of English and French songs, as well as one Iroquois lullaby, the CD is also staunchly Canadian.

In my opinion, some of the best children's music ever!

Tacky and the Emperor

By Helen Lester
Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
Houghton Mifflin, 2000
Ages 4-7
3/5

Tacky the Penguin, that odd bird who never seems to fit in, returns in a story about mixed-up identities and true hospitality. The Emperor is coming to visit, and Tacky's companions throw themselves into elaborate plans to entertain him. When Tacky finds the Emperor's crown and robes, he is mistaken for the Emperor and given royal treatment. When the Emperor himself arrives, Tacky provides a much simpler visit than his friends had planned, but it turns out that the Emperor loves being treated like an ordinary penguin best of all.

Once again Lester shows readers how being different can sometimes save the day. In this case, Tacky's unique spin on entertaining the Emperor makes everyone happy. The story also shows that sometimes special "important" people just want to be treated like everyone else.

Not as good as the original Tacky, but still pretty entertaining.

Tacky the Penguin

By Helen Lester
Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
Houghton Mifflin, 1988
Ages 4-7
4.5/5

Tacky the Penguin is an odd bird who doesn't fit in with his companions, the aptly-named Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect. However, when rough and tough hunters arrive to catch some pretty penguins, it's Tacky who manages to save the day.

This is a hilarious story that can help children see that being different can have its advantages.

Munsinger's illustrations suit the tone of the book and help to show readers the contrast between Tacky and his friends. The illustrations and text complement each other particularly well on the pages where the penguins march in rows and Tacky bounces all other the place.

Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots?

Written by Carmela LaVigna Coyle
Illustrated by Mike Gordan
Rising Moon, 2003
Ages 3-7
4/5

In this book, a little girl asks all kinds of questions about being a princess: Do princesses wear hiking boots? Do they climb trees? Do they do chores? Do they eat their crusts? Her mother replies in rhyme, explaining that princesses do all the things every little girl does and that "A princess is a place in your heart."

This is a simple book with great repetition and rhythm for reading aloud. The pictures are lively and bright, full of the vivacious personality of the little girl. The story contains a positive message about being yourself and believing in your "inner princess" that I think is very valuable in this heyday of Disney princesses.

Saint George and the Dragon

Retold by Margaret Hodges
Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
Little, Brown, and Company, 1984
Ages 8+
4/5

This book retells the familiar legend of Saint George's battle with a ferocious dragon. As the champion of the Queen of Faeries, George is sent to defeat a terrible dragon that is destroying the kingdom of a beautiful princess named Una. Although the fight lasts for several days, George is eventually able to kill the dragon and claim Una for his bride.

Hodges has obviously tried to remain true to the tone and style of Spenser's poem in her version of George's story; however, this means that the text is dense, with long, complex paragraphs and the rhythm of the words may be less familiar to some readers. The language is beautifully descriptive, but younger readers may become frustrated at how long it takes to get through the story.

Although I have some misgivings about the story, the illustrations are exquisite! (The book is a Caldecott winner.) The pictures are done in the style of an old-fashioned manuscript or tapestry and expertly portray both the action of the battle and the beauty of the surrounding scenery. The small illustrations that frame each page of text show another story, this one of a Viking ship that voyages across the sea and then returns home.

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Directed by Steve Box and Nick Park
With the Voices of Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes, and Helena Bonham Carter
Dreamworks Animated, 2005
85 minutes
All ages
5/5

When a vegetable-ravaging were-rabbit threatens to ruin the town's annual giant vegetable growing contest, Wallace and his faithful companion, Gromit, set out to capture the bunny monster. However, the duo faces competition from Victor Quartermain, a hunter who is jealous of Wallace's friendly relationship with the competition's sponsor, Lady Tottington.

With its endearingly eccentric characters and homages to classic horror movies such as King Kong and Frankenstein, it's not surprising this stop-animation film won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. In fact, Gromit is one of my favourite movie characters of all time: it's amazing how much emotion he can express simply by furrowing his brow!

In my opinion, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit exemplifies family-friendly entertainment. This film can be enjoyed by both parents and children, as well as university students like me!

The Day My Butt Went Psycho!

By Andy Griffiths
Scholastic, 2003
8-12
2/5

Zack's butt has run away and appears to be leading a butt rebellion. Determined to stop it, Zack embarks on a butt-blasting adventure with the B-Team (the Kicker, the Smacker, and the Kisser) and Eleanor, the Butt Hunter's daughter. In the end, Zack and his friends must stop the explosion of a buttcano and defeat the Great White Butt.

This book comes with a warning for parents, teachers, and other adults that they will not like this story because they "won't understand it" and "will be totally grossed out by it": this is certainly very accurate! While Griffith's The Day My Butt Went Psycho! is creative, it is very disgusting. Unwiped butts, the smell of methane, and pimple-popping figure largely in the plot.

The quality is poor at best, but I can see this book having a strong appeal to boys in elementary school.

The Glass Castle

Our Canadian Girl Series
By Sharon E. McKay
Penguin Books, 2002
Ages 8-12
2.5/5

After the Halifax Explosion, Penny Reid's father sends her to live with her rich grandmother in Montreal. Unfortunately, Grandmother dislikes Penny's father and forbids the mention of his name. Homesick and lonely, Penny must learn to adapt to her new life and find a way to become friends with her grandmother.

Although The Glass Castle is filled with information about Halifax and Montreal during World War I, including discrimination against the Irish and the conflict between French and English Canadians over participation in a British war, the story's plot is weak and uninteresting. There is minimal character development: Penny is headstrong, Aunt Colleen is kind, and Grandmother is stern. In addition, the writing is poor; several chapters end with cliff-hangers that are not resolved, or even mentioned, in the next chapter.

While I like the idea of the Our Canadian Girl series, The Glass Castle is not a great book.

It's Hard to Be Five: Learning How to Work My Control Panel

Written by Jamie Lee Curtis
Illustrated by Laura Cornell
Joanna Cotler Books, 2004
5/5

I was pleasantly surprised when I realized this book was by Jamie Lee Curtis. I usually assume books with celebrity authors are not the best quality, but in this case my own biases are completely unjustified. It's Hard to be Five is a delightfully silly book about a five year old struggling to learn self-control.

The story is told through rhythmic verse with a nursery-rhyme feeling. Instead of a traditional font, the text helps express the moods of the narrator by getting bigger or smaller, bolder or less bold, and mixing up upper and lower case letters. It also complements the illustrations; for example, on one page the words form a circle around a picture of children sitting in a circle. The illustrations themselves are filled with extra jokes for parents, such as the T-shirt that reads "The 5th Beatle" or the map that shows "Five Around the World".

This is a fantastic book that shows real empathy with a five-year old's attempts to become more responsible and desire to still enjoy some of the perks of being "little".

I Found a Dead Bird: The Kids' Guide to the Cycle of Life and Death

By Jan Thornhill
Maple Tree Press, 2006
Ages 8+
5/5

In simple, factual language, Thornhill's book explains what death is and why it is a necessary part of life. Thornhill describes what happens to bodies after they die and talks about different kinds of death, including when people kill animals for food, when people die in accidents, and when people kill other people. Although death can be a scary and emotional topic, Thornhill's calm, matter-of-fact tone allows readers to learn about death without making their curiosity seem morbid or inappropriate.

The creative layout and bright colours of the book are extremely attractive and draw the eye across each page. The text has been divided into smaller sections and placed in boxes, which makes it easier to read. Most of the pictures in this book are actually photographs. In fact, some of these pictures may be considered too intense by parents: for example, the stages of decomposition as illustrated by a decaying pig carcass, the child afflicted by smallpox, or the Tollund Man. One of the major strengths of this book is that it is constructed using the same template as more complex research materials, allowing children to gain experience in using things like tables of contents, headings, and indexes.

While not suitable for younger children, this book truly deserves the many awards and accolades it has received.

The Spiderwick Chronicles

The Field Guide
Written by Holly Black
Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003
Ages 8-12
4/5










The Seeing Stone
Written by Holly Black
Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003
Ages 8-12
4/5










Lucinda's Secret
Written by Holly Black
Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003
Ages 8-12
3.5/5










The Ironwood Tree
Written by Holly Black
Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003
Ages 8-12
3.5/5









The Wrath of Mulgrath
Written by Holly Black
Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003
Ages 8-12
3.5/5









The Spiderwick Chronicles is a series of five books about the Grace children, who discover Arthur Spiderwick's Guide to the Fantastical World Around You in the attic of their new home. This Guide contains information about all kinds of magical creatures, both friendly and not-so-friendly. Twins Jared (often in trouble for fighting at school) and Simon (an animal-lover), along with their big sister, Mallory (an expert fencer), discover that the ogre, Mulgarath, wants the Guide and will do anything to get it. Together with the help of Thimbletack, a house brownie, and Hogsqueal, a hobgoblin, the Graces must find out what happened to Arthur Spiderwick, rescue their mother from the clutches of Mulgarath, and save the book from being used for evil.

It's easy to see why the Spiderwick Chronicles are so popular. They are extremely attractive books, with beautifully detailed and labelled black and white drawings and richly coloured covers. The chapter titles in the table of contents, the map of the Spiderwick Estate, and list of pictures in each book feel delightfully old-fashioned, making it seem as though the books are a special secret for readers. This is helped along by the "letters" from the author and illustrator, as well as the Grace children, included at the beginning of every story.

The writing itself is mediocre. Much of the dialogue feels stilted and many of the chapters end with unnecessary cliffhangers. However, the short chapters are well-suited to a less experienced reader and the vocabulary is not too complicated either. Jared's anger at the absence of his father and his slow realization that he must accept the way things have changed is the strongest depiction of character in the novels, although Hogsqueal is also entertaining. Some parents may be unhappy with the use of the word "crappy" at several points during the books.

While these books are not of the highest calibre, they are still entertaining and will be thoroughly enjoyed by those with an interest in fantasy. Perhaps a good suggestion for kids who are not yet confident enough to tackle the longer Harry Potter books?

Don't Forget I Love You

Written by Miriam Moss
Illustrated by Anna Currey
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2004
Ages 3-7
4/5

Billy's Mama is late for work because Billy keeps playing with his favourite toy, Rabbit. Mama is cranky when she drops Billy off at nursery school; she forgets to tell Billy she loves him and accidentally takes Rabbit with her in her coat pocket. Just as Billy, who thinks Rabbit is lost in the rain, begins to cry, Mama comes back: not only did she just realize she has Rabbit, but she knows the most important thing of all is to say, "I love you."

This story is simple, but the rush of getting ready for school and work in the morning will be familiar to many children. Mama's reappearance with Rabbit is a reassurance that parents may sometimes seem to forget things or be too busy, but they still love their children.

Currey's watercolour pictures perfectly complement Moss's writing. The illustrations of Rabbit are particularly expressive, even though he's a stuffed animal, and illustrations of Billy show a little kid dawdling on a rainy morning.

This would be a great story for parents to read with their children.

The Borrowers

Written by Mary Norton
Illustrated by Beth and Joe Krush
Harcourt Brace & Company, 1952
Ages 8-12
3.5/5

Pod, Homily, and Arrietty Clock are Borrowers, little people who "borrow" things from larger "human beans" to feed themselves and furnish their tiny home under the kitchen floor. When the Borrowers are "seen" they must escape, and the only person who can help them is a human boy.

I tried reading this book several times when I was younger and was never able to finish it. For some reason, I found the Borrowers far less interesting than the Littles. Although I finished the novel, it still took a while to become absorbed in the predicament of the Clock family. The writing is high-quality, particularly the descriptions of Arrietty's feelings of confinement and her longing to go outside. I think perhaps part of my problem with the book is my confusion over the time period in which events occur: the first narrator is Kate, and I assume she must be an adult when she is telling the story. Next Mrs. May begins to tell her story about the Borrowers, and her story took place when she was a child. This means that the Clock family lived a long time ago and makes it harder for me to imagine all the little things that would have been used to make their home comfortable.

A great novel, but perhaps ultimately more appreciated by older readers than young ones.

Dracula

By Bram Stoker
Retold by Tim Wynne-Jones
Illustrated by Laszlo Gal
Key Porter Kids, 1997
Ages 10+
1.5/5

Dracula is a re-telling of Stoker's novel by the same name. Englishman Jonathan Harker discovers that the Transylvanian count for whom he is negotiating the purchase of an estate near London is actually a vampire. When Dracula arrives in England he seduces and destroys the friend of Harker's fiancee. Harker and his friend, Dr. Van Helsing, must find a way to stop Dracula forever.

I had several problems with this book. The first is that although the idea of exposing young people to a piece of classic fiction by converting it into a picture book may seem smart, Dracula is simply too scary for most children, even when attempts have been made to lessen the fear factor. I consider this book unsuitable for children under the age of ten, and some parents may still find it inappropriate.

Secondly, although the story has been extensively edited, it is still very long and complicated. There is a lot of text on each page, and much of it reads with a stilted feeling (although this may be an effort to retain some of the style of the original novel). The several switches in narration would be confusing to a less advanced reader.

Thirdly, Gal's illustrations, while probably meant to enhance the creepy mood of the story, resemble the pencil-crayon drawings of a high school student. They are suitably somber, yet feel 2-D and fuzzy, as though something is wrong with the perspective. Some pages have dark text over backgrounds like falling snow or stone walls, which makes it difficult to read.

Although this book is meant to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the publication of Stoker's Dracula, in this case I think both the story and pictures are of unfortunately low quality.

The Quigleys

Written by Simon Mason
Illustrated by Helen Stephens
Dell Yearling, 2002
Ages 6 to 10
3/5

Each of the four chapters in Mason's book tell a story about a member of the Quigleys, an ordinary British family: Dad loses the neighbour's children while he's supposed to be babysitting them; Mum almost has a horrible birthday; Lucy is supposed to be a bridesmaid, but she wants to dress as a bee; and Will wants a harpy eagle for Christmas.

The characters are quirky, albeit in a very British way, and the novel paints a picture of a happy, loving family whose members get into the occasional scrape. The plots in each chapter are extremely simple, but this in no way detracts from the book's charm. The vocabulary Mason uses is relatively uncomplicated, although some parents may object to the way Dad says "Christ Almighty!" every time something goes wrong. This book would be most suitable for a child who has progressed beyond reading the most simple chapter books and is ready for something a little longer.

The Quigleys is the first in a series about the Quigley family.

Mary Poppins

Directed by Robert Stevenson
Starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke
Based on the books by P.L. Traverse
Walt Disney, 1964
139 minutes
All ages
5/5

I'll admit my bias from the beginning: Mary Poppins is my favourite movie of all time and Julie Andrews is my hero. That being said, there are many reasons why this Walt Disney film won five Academy Awards and is considered a children's classic.

Set in Edwardian England, Mary Poppins tells the story of how the Banks family is changed by the arrival of an unusual nanny. Jane and Michael Banks are neglected by their busy parents, a banker and a suffragette who are so caught up in their own affairs they forget to pay attention to their children. When Mary Poppins, with her flying umbrella and her seemingly bottomless carpet-bag, slides up the banister to their nursery, Jane and Micheal begin to experience all kinds of adventures. They take part in a horse race inside an enchanted chalk drawing, have tea on the ceiling, and dance with chimney sweeps on the rooftops of London. By the end of the movie, as Mr. and Mrs. Banks finally begin to see what they have been missing by ignoring their children, Mary Poppins leaves, presumably to find another family that needs her help.

This movie is filled with comedy, much of which pokes fun at boring, everyday events and too-serious adults. The songs are catchy without being annoying and would be fun to sing-along with, either while watching the film or as a soundtrack in the car. Children will particularly enjoy Jane and Michael tidying their nursery by snapping their fingers, the animated picnic sequence in the chalk drawing (who can resist dancing penguin waiters?) and the energetic, acrobatic dance of the chimney sweeps.

Even better, the movie is still appealing to adults. While kids may focus on the visual magic performed by Mary Poppins, parents can find a whole other level of humour in the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Banks and the interactions between adult characters. This means that when children want to watch it again and again, it will (hopefully) be less irritating than many other movies made for children.

Although Mary Poppins is long enough that it may not hold a pre-schooler's attention for the full length of the movie, its episodic nature makes it easy to watch in smaller segments.

As another bonus, the 40th Anniversary DVD set comes with a new animated short ("The Cat Who Looked at a King"), a new song, an interactive game, and behind-the-scenes footage showing how some of the special effects were created. Who knew that the sounds of the penguins' feet as they tapdanced was the sound of the movie's director slapping his bare stomach?

This is a solid movie that has stood the test of time, 1960s special effects and all. I feel it truly deserves the designation of "classic" and a 5 out of 5 rating.

Papa and the Pioneer Quilt

Written by Jean Van Leeuwen
Illustrated by Rebecca Bond
Dial Books, 2007
Ages 4-9
4.5/5

Papa has "wandering feet", so Rebecca's family must leave their farm in Missouri and journey west to Oregon. Along their journey, Rebecca collects scraps of cloth - from an apron, Papa's torn shirt, a friend's bonnet - to make a quilt when her family reaches their new home.

Told in Rebecca's voice, this book describes what it was like to travel in a covered-wagon train across the American west. Rebecca talks about how worn out her shoes are, how frightened she is when her father almost drowns, how her mother cries when they have to leave a chest of her fine china by the side of the trail, and how beautiful Oregon is when they finally arrive after six months. The story is enhanced by joyful watercolour illustrations that evoke the changing landscape and express a range of emotions through both people and animals.

The author's note about the pattern of Rebecca's quilt reminds readers that many families did travel across the American west, and that many girls may have made quilts like Rebecca's.

The strength of this book is that it gently teaches children about an important part of American heritage without sounding too preachy or boring. In effect, it makes history into a story.

That Stripy Cat

Written by Norene Smiley
Illustrated by Tara Anderson
Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2007
Ages 2-7
4/5

Smiley's picture book is about a stripy cat in an animal shelter who needs a home. No one wants him, and he almost gets sent to several unpleasant places instead (like the dump). By the end of the story the stripy cat has found a cozy home with an owner who loves him.

Kids will feel sorry for the stripy cat and happy when he finally gets a home. With its repetitive patterns and bright illustrations, this book would be a good choice for reading aloud. In particular, Anderson's pictures do a great job of expressing the personality of the stripy cat.

The Penguin and the Pea

Written and Illustrated by Janet Perlman
Kids Can Press, 2004
Ages 4-8
3.5/5

This picture book is a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, The Princess and the Pea. However, in this version Perlman has recast all the characters as penguins. The Penguin Prince falls in love with a penguin who arrives at the castle during a storm and claims to be a real princess. The Queen is suspicious, so she places a pea underneath twenty mattresses and twenty quilts on the penguin maiden's bed. When the penguin admits the next day she was unable to sleep because of something hard in her bed, the Queen realizes she is indeed a real Penguin Princess. They all live "flappily" ever after.

Of course, the best thing about this book is the mostly anthropomorphized penguins. Although they have hair, wear robes and crowns, sing, dance, and make shadow puppets, the characters also wear "rainflippers", ask for a "fin in marriage", and bruise their flippers and break feathers when they fall. Instead of the classic descriptions of the princess's golden hair and blue eyes, we read the Penguin Princess is beautiful "from the gentle curve of her beak down to her delicately webbed feet". The humour that stems from the idea of penguins acting like humans is present ed through text and pictures that complement each other. This would definitely be a solid read-aloud selection, especially for younger school-aged children.

The Princess and the Pea has never been my favourite fairy tale. I guess I don't like the idea that the only way someone can be a real princess is if she is so delicate and fragile she will be bothered by a pea in her bed. Although my love of penguins made it impossible for me to not enjoy this version of The Princess and the Pea, I think I prefer Perlman's version of Cinderella, titled Cinderella and the Little Glass Flipper.

What Do People Do All Day?

Written and Illustrated by Richard Scarry
Random House, 1968
Ages 4-9
4/5

This Richard Scarry classic describes what the workers of Busytown do each day, from farming corn and building houses to sailing ocean liners and mining coal for creating electricity. The book is divided into sixteen smaller stories, each of which introduces readers to a variety of occupations and shows different parts of life in Busytown. Some examples of story titles include, "Mother's Work is Never Done", "A Visit to the Hospital", and "Wood and How We Use It".

Scarry's illustrations are filled with the kind of comical details that kids love. Most buildings have windows that allow readers to see what is happening inside and almost all of the pictures show activity and movement; the people of Busytown are truly busy. Lowly Worm and Mortimer Mouse can be found in most illustrations, and Wrong Way Roger often flies his plane overhead with banners such as "Finish your meals". In addition, many objects in each picture are labeled so readers can easily identify them and Busytown is filled with amusing street signs. Most of the stories do not contain much plot and would not be exciting on their own, but in combination with the illustrations they are just the right amount of silly.

However, although this book brings back a lot of fond memories from my own childhood, many of the stories and illustrations are extremely dated. For example, the processes described in "Digging Coal to Make Electricity" and "Cotton and How We Use It" are no longer completely accurate. Some parents may also be concerned about the stereotypes presented by Scarry: the women are referred to only as "Mommy", Grocer Cat buys Mommy a new dress because "she earned it by taking such good care of the house", and the speed demon who causes traffic accidents is Wild Bill Hiccup, an Indian who drives a Buffalomobile.

Despite these drawbacks, What Do People Do All Day? is a great book for the reader who loves to know how things work and spends lots of time poring over illustrations.