Posts Tagged ‘Review’

“Threatened with extinction across North America, peregrine falcons were bred in captivity and provided with new territories until their populations rebounded. Godkin begins her account of this environmental good news by introducing a peregrine pair who return from migration, court and lay eggs, only to have their first eggs taken by a rock-climbing human being…Dramatic […]

“K-Gr 2–A look at the peregrine falcon, whose population was almost decimated as a result of the extensive use of the pesticide DDT. In clear and engaging language, Godkin frames this informative book around the story of a pair of falcons and their offspring. The dramatic mating display of the male and the courtship dance […]

“Gr 1-3–Internationally renowned Canadian artist and writer Emily Carr (1871–1945) painted the Pacific Northwest landscape and its indigenous culture at a time when these subjects were unfamiliar outside of this region. Kulling briefly describes how the fiercely independent and eccentric Carr lived during a period when opportunities for women were limited: few people bought her […]

“Award-winning author Monica Kulling’s When Emily Carr Met Woo offers a glimpse into the world of an iconic Canadian artist…Dean Griffith’s watercolour and pencil crayon illustrations capture Woo’s mischievous antics, from chasing dog’s tails, to plucking artificial cherries from the hat of an unsuspecting visitor…. This captivating picture book biography, written with elegance and straightforward […]

“Innes and Endrulat cleverly tell the story from Teddy’s point of view, so the reader, like Teddy, hears Aileen’s explanations of what is going on as well as William’s and Grace’s secrets.  Like the two children, Teddy ends up spending the war far from his beloved Aileen wondering if he will ever see her again. […]

“One of the best Canadian picture books of 2012 was A Bear in War. The team of Stephanie Innes, Harry Endrulat, and Brian Deines have collaborated again to bring readers another adventure of the teddy bear that now resides in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa..Those who enjoyed the first book will find the quality […]

“…Nakamura’s imaginative but slimmer version [of the iconic Japanese ‘Peach Boy’ story], features a gender twist and is lighter and somewhat quirky, with a fearless, daring heroine…Bender’s illustrations enhance and mimic the energy of the lighthearted story. Painted in acrylics on illustration board with a textured surface, the results are wonderfully appealing pictures, many featuring […]

“In 1988 Iran, wealthy fifteen-year-old Farrin avoids anything that could draw attention to her family; she knows her mother’s anti-Ayatollah political gatherings could bring trouble. However, Farrin’s burgeoning friendship and then romance with new girl Sadira leads her to become more inquisitive and involved in the world around her, and eventually leads to the couple’s […]

In his engaging debut, author Raymond Nakamura puts a feminist bent on the Japanese folk tale Momotaro (Peach Boy). In Nakamura’s version, a young girl emerges from a giant peach discovered on the doorstep of an elderly couple (who are, notably, a farmer and her husband). Momoko, which translates as “Peach Girl,” is a feisty […]

“A young girl springs forth from a giant peach declaring she is here to make the world a better place. Dressed in peach attire, she heads off with her three animal friends to confront the local ogre. Vivid pictures and fun characters remind the reader that looks can be deceiving. This quirky Japanese tale will […]