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.

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.

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!