the Virtual Bookmark

From Conference Disaster to District Literacy Success

From Conference Disaster to District Literacy Success

By J. Gillett & P. Kirkey

____________________

The Central Okanagan Teacher Librarians’ Association’s

Education Week Author Visits

Background, Win-Win Situation

Resiliency is the new buzz word in education and business. Things go wrong—how successfully you bounce back is a measure of your resiliency. The dedicated teacher-librarians in School District 23 are certainly a resilient crew! When the 2005 BCTF strike resulted in cancellation of BCTLA’s fall conference in Kelowna, the Central Okanagan Teacher Librarians’ Association (COTLA) was left exhausted, disheartened, and with a huge debt. At the same time, a seed of hope was planted when Roch Carrier, one of the conference’s keynote speakers, offered to return to the Okanagan sometime in the future. Who knew then that almost four years later we would be looking back and saying, “I don’t know if this would be happening if the conference hadn’t been cancelled!”

Mr. Carrier’s postponed visit took place in the spring of 2006 and coincided with Education Week. From that modest beginning COTLA’s annual Education Week Author Visit was born. Instead of having our keynote presenter speak to the already converted teacher-librarians at a BCTLA conference, Roch Carrier spoke to students and staff members in our district, university students and faculty, the public. It was such a success that COTLA has been organizing major literary events as part of our district's Education Week celebration ever since. These sessions continue to grow in popularity and in the process attract the best of the Canadian literary world. Each year thousands of students and adults in our community are impacted by the author presentations. Everyone wins in the process: Students get to see, hear and interact with Canada's finest writers; authors get to share their craft with appreciative audiences; teacher-librarians benefit from the public's increased awareness of the valuable role we play in the literacy chain.

Authors, Formats, Venues, Numbers, Involving the Community

Presenters, presentation formats and venues have varied over the years, but the one constant has always been the promotion of the three Ls: Libraries, Literacy and the Love of reading. As mentioned, in 2006 Canadian literary icon Roch Carrier was our guest. He spoke to large groups of students who had been bussed to five of our schools (elementary, middle, secondary, immersion, non-immersion). He also spoke to students and faculty at UBC-Okanagan and made an evening presentation to our community at large. He read from The Hockey Sweater and shared his vision of Canada and what it means to be Canadian. Students knew they were in the presence of someone special (and were equally impressed when told that excerpts of The Hockey Sweater appear on the back of every Canadian five dollar bill!). Everyone went away happy—the 2000+ students and adults who took in the sessions, the teacher-librarians who had made a connection with the French Canadian community, and district administrative personnel who immediately saw the benefit of these presentations.

In 2007 our presenter was Governor General Literary Award winner Paul Yee. His itinerary mushroomed into a two-week visit that saw him speak at 21 schools (elementary, middle, and secondary), at UBC-Okanagan and to the community at large. Mr. Yee brought Canadian history and folklore to life with his tales of the experiences of the Chinese in “Gold Mountain.” 2500+ students and adults took in Mr. Yee's presentations; the teacher-librarians connected with the Chinese community, and district administrative staff immediately asked, “What have you planned for next year?”

In 2008 our presenter was CBC producer/writer Karen Levine. Ms. Levine is the author of Hana’s Suitcase, a multi-award winning book about the holocaust. Her presentations were not “readings,” nor were they viewings of the award-winning CBC documentary, but rather audio visual presentations narrated by Ms. Levine in the style of a detective story where three strands are interwoven: the story of Hana Brady, the story of Fumiko Ishioka, and the story of how Karen Levine herself came to write the book. Her message was powerful and well received by both students and adults. Over the course of a week Ms. Levine made four presentations to large groups of students at our community theatre, two presentations at secondary schools, and an evening presentation to our community at large. Close to 3000 people took in Karen Levine's presentations, collaboration between the teacher-librarians and the Jewish community was rewarding, and district administrative staff listed the event as a major highlight of Education Week!

One of our main goals has been to involve the community. With this in mind, COTLA has always sponsored a free evening presentation to the community at large. Where possible, we have also tried to involve outside agencies such as UBC-Okanagan and the Okanagan Regional Library System. Connecting with Kelowna's French-Canadian, Chinese-Canadian and Jewish communities took our civic involvement to new levels. Even our corporate sponsors have embraced the enthusiasm for literacy by reading and sharing the guest authors’ books and stories. The feelings engendered by these events for our association are always positive and serve as a subtle form of advocacy.

Budgets, Sponsorship, Profits, Giving Back

There are costs associated with bringing a major author to town for an extended period of time (flights, hotels, meals, incidentals, social gatherings, agreed upon fees, etc.). These costs have to be factored into the budget and passed along to the schools that choose to participate. In an effort to limit costs charged to schools, COTLA decided early on to try to partner financially with the school district and local businesses or service clubs. Initially, this required rounds of letter writing, phone calls and offers to present at meetings, but with the success of the program it is easier to attract sustaining sponsors. For our 2009 Education Week author visit we already have financial commitments from three local organizations. These partnerships have proven to be win-win-win situations: Sponsors are quietly acknowledged in mail-outs to schools, parents, teachers, media outlets and in advertising campaigns; costs to schools are reduced; our teacher-librarians' association has been able to turn a yearly profit which can be parleyed into professional development opportunities for our members and increased literacy opportunities for our students. For example, in 2008 COTLA subsidized the cost of hundreds of copies of Hana's Suitcase that were brought in for gifts and sales to students and the community.

Added Bonus: Advocacy without Formally Advocating!

We began this adventure with literacy in mind, but have reaped the benefits of public awareness and quiet advocacy. Everyone in the Central Okanagan—children, parents, teachers, CUPE members, administrators, school board trustees, media personnel, sponsors, UBC-O faculty and students, the public at large—is reading and hearing about libraries, literacy and teacher-librarians. The whole endeavour has had a ripple affect that has boosted the profile of teacher-librarians within our educational system and the community at large.

Organizing a Similar Event

Mounting a major literary event for your community might sound like a daunting task, but in reality it can be done if there is a small group with a strong will and a degree of organizational skills. Stay tuned. For the fall issue of The Bookmark we are hoping to put together a step-by-step manual for organizing a major literary event (time lines, budget, example letters, etc.). In the interim, should you have questions that need answering, you can contact the authors at these email addresses: jgillett@sd23.bc.ca or kirkey@shaw.ca

About the authors:

James Gillett, elementary teacher-librarian SD23, has written for/spoken at various levels (Saskatchewan's Minister of Education, Canadian Modern Language Review, Canadian Learned Society, The Bookmark, etc.).

Pat Kirkey, retired teacher-librarian SD23, was BCTLA's 2006 co-recipient of the Diana Poole Memorial Award of Merit as the most outstanding teacher-librarian in the province.

New On the Net-June08

NEW ON THE NET

John Goldsmith
cyberjohn@detools.ca
http://www.detools.ca

TAGGING
It's called "Tagging". No, I don't mean the popular children's game or the anti-social behaviour of spray painting graffiti on busses, buildings and boxcars. Instead, I'm referring to the popular Web 2.0 practice.

Web 2.0 – the new face of the web known by many different names such as, "Read/Write Web", "Semantic Web", "Two Way Web", and "Participatory Web". The new web is all about participation and sharing.

Back in the early days – the Web 1.0 days – users simply read or consumed information in the same way they would extract information from more traditional mediums such as books, magazines or even television. There was no interaction, no engagement, and no feedback. Creators created – readers consumed.

Web 2.0 is different. Instead of simply consuming information, Web 2.0 folks are expected to participate, get involved, comment, react, take what they have consumed and create new content through a host of readily available and easy to use online tools such as blogs, wikis, pod casts, social networking applications and video sharing. The venue doesn't matter. Participation does.

And participate, they do! Be it vacation pictures on Flickr or lesson plans on Slide Share; there are millions of Web 2.0 folks (including educators) who are creating, contributing and sharing; so much so, in fact, that the web has quadrupled in size over the past few years.

All this participation (and resulting content) has been both positive and negative. It has been positive in the sense that Web 2.0 has given voice and opportunity to those who previously had none. The result has been projects such as Wikipedia – the citizen encyclopedia and citizen journalism. No longer is demonstrated expertise necessary. Everyone is welcome to join in, take part and contribute.

But, there's a down side too. More content does not always equate to better content. A groundbreaking report on a new cancer treatment could end up buried beneath the flotsam of My Space pages and YouTube videos.

Positive or negative, the web has a lot more stuff then ever before. Unfortunately none of it is organized. This may not bother some free thinking folks but most of us like at least a modicum of order in our information – if for no other reason then to be able to find it again later. Enter: the "Tag".

The Tag has become a popular accessory for most Web 2.0 applications. Tags allow users to assign subject headings to various bits of information. Perhaps the best-known use of Tags and Tagging is associated with social book marking applications such as "Del.icio.us" or "Furl". Social book marking sites allow the user to have a place online to save important URL's. Once saved, the URL's can easily be accessed at work, at school or at home. This allows the user access to the URLs from anywhere there's an internet connection.

Social book marking sites also allow one user to share a list of book marks with other users. In terms of educational application, a teacher could save a list of URL's on a particular topic then share that list with students or colleagues.

To provide a list of URL's with some meaning or context, users are encouraged to use Tags or user defined subject headings to categorize their URL's. Often the application itself will suggest a Tag or subject heading based on information pulled from the Web Page metadata, however, it's ultimately the user's decision as to what label, category or subject heading is assigned to each URL.

There is one "small" problem with user defined tags. Let's imagine that a Social Studies teacher in school "A" uses the social book marking website called "Del.icio.us" (http://www.del.icio.us) as a way to share links and URL's with the students in their class. To make things easy for students, the teacher might group a set of URL's under the heading or Tag of, "SS11, World War 1" or "SS11, The Depression" or "SS11, The Cold War".

At school "B" nearby, another Social Studies teacher is doing the same thing, also using the "Del.icio.us" site but this teacher might group the same URL's using different Tags or subject headings such as, "History, Canada, 1914-1919" or "History, Canada, 1919-1939".

Everything works great as long as the two teachers don't try to share their Del.icio.us information with each other. If they do, the tags which each teacher has created are also shared. Now each teacher could potentially have a list of the same URL's but grouped together under two different sets of Tags. If a group of Social Studies teachers were to share with each other, the result could be more Tags then URL's. This would be a chaotic and confusing situation to say the least.

By now, most librarians are slapping their foreheads and saying, "Dhaaa!" This situation is as predictable as a rainy winter's day in Vancouver. Without the use of a common set of Tags or some form of controlled language such as Sears or Library of Congress subject headings there will be no consistency.

This growing situation, I suspect, may be the next great Web 2.0 hurdle. The rumblings have already started. Technology-wise, the sharing of tagged information is very easy. It's the human interface that presents the "challenge". For Tagging to really work, not just for one or two people but across the Net, the intervention of trained professionals will be required. I have no idea how, when or even if this will ever happen but at a time when advocacy has taken on such great importance, this may be the perfect opportunity to show the Web 2.0 folks just how indispensable librarians – all librarians – really are.

In other words, "Tag, we may be IT."

NEW ON THE NET

ARTS & CRAFTS

EXPLORE ART

http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/

"The Getty Museum has long been a leader in online exhibitions and educational resources, and their "Explore Art" feature is one that will delight anyone with a penchant for the visual arts. On the homepage, visitors can browse artists by name, or they can also look over the collection by object type or subject. The "Natural World" theme is well-worth a look, as it contains hundreds of offerings such as a Roman sculpture of a bear and a meticulously carved bee that appears on a four-drachma coin from the 4th century BC. On the right side of the page, visitors can browse through the "Getty Guide" area. Here they can watch videos of artists at work, explore the modern outdoor sculpture collection, and learn about the painting technique of Lucas Cranach, the noted Old Master painter and printmaker. Finally, visitors can use the Getty Bookmarks feature to collect and save their favorite artists and works from the collection via their own customized bookmarks page." (Linda Hof: Webbits)

EDUCATION

A TO Z TEACHER STUFF

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/

This site claims to have thousands of pages of educational material including lesson plans, thematic units, teacher tips, discussion forums for teachers, downloadable teaching materials & e-Books, printable worksheets and black line masters, emergent reader books, themes, and more. All the resources are said to be teacher-created and designed to help teachers find online resources more quickly and easily. (David Dillard: Educator-Gold Newsletter)

ACTIVITY VILLAGE

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/index.htm

Activity Village is a British Web Site with a vast amount of resources and materials for Primary teachers. These resources include, coloring pages, kids crafts, puzzles, printable work sheets, Sudoku for kids and much, much more. The site claims to have more than 3000 pages with new content being added regularly. The site also provides a subscription service to their free newsletter or RSS feed to keep up with what's new. (Newsletters4Teachers)

AERO-POP

http://www.aero-pop.com/INTRO.html

"This high energy site may be the cure for getting youngsters moving and improving their health. It can be incorporated into school fitness programs or done at home and is appropriate for all children. Best of all, the entire program can be downloaded for free. Teachers will find thirty-five easy to follow lesson plans with a video clip to demonstrate each new move. A PDF file is also available explaining in detail the lesson plan for each session. Parents can easily use the program at home to get and keep kids moving and having fun while they're doing it. Just choose your own upbeat music and start Aero-popping!! It's the fun way to change the way children think about exercise and physical education." (Education World Site Reviews)

BRAIN FOOD

http://www.rinkworks.com/brainfood/c/word.shtml

This website offers a variety of interactive word puzzles and games that will enhance any Language Arts curriculum. The site has a variety of activities such as word searches, associated words, word fragments, garbled proverbs, cryptograms, word puzzles. (Diane Flynn Keith: ClickSchooling)

CROSSWORD PUZZLE MAKER

http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/

The Crossword puzzle maker is a free, simple and easy to use online program for creating crossword puzzles. The user enters the clue and the word and the program will create an online puzzle which can also be printed out. The puzzle will remain online for two months. (David Dillard: Educator-Gold Newsletter)

IDE@S

http://www.ideas.wisconsin.edu/

IDE@S is a database of lessons and resources created by and for Wisconsin teachers. Grade levels include pre-kindergarten through adult/continuing education. The database is divided into twenty-five subject areas including everything from agriculture and dance to special education and theatre with each having several sub-categories. The VideoIde@s section offers more than 160 videos on such topics as acid rain, the Bernoulli Effect, carbon dioxide, circuits, pendulums and more. The BrightIde@s section features the most popular resources for the month while a "new" section offers resources that have been added in the last thirty days. (Education World Site Reviews)

FROM DOMESTICITY TO MODERNITY: WHAT WAS HOME ECONOMICS?

http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/homeEc/

This site contains a review of home economics as a collegiate field of study, begun in the early 20th century and "dedicated to improving the quality of life in the American home through the application of modern science and management." The site includes introductory essays and annotated images on educational techniques, role in national emergencies, and related topics. Also found on the site are materials about the College of Home Economics at Cornell University (1900-1969) taken from the Division of Rare & Manuscript Collections, Cornell University. (Librarian's Internet Index)

MANGO LANGUAGES

http://www.mangolanguages.com/

"Mango is the place to go to learn foreign language at your own pace and in a fun and engaging way. Teachers and students can use this site to easily add practice to the curriculum or the general public can use it to sharpen their mind by learning a new language. Users can listen to the phrases and words spoken by a native speaker and the words are color coded for translation. Each sentence is preceded by an icon for replaying and each word can be scrolled to see the phonetic pronunciation. The lessons include grammatical and cultural notes that provide insight into the language and customs as well as quizzes and conversations that focus on practical experiences. The slides can be replayed as many times as necessary to learn and reinforce the content." (Education World Site Reviews)

PACIFIC EDGE PUBLISHING: FREE WORKSHEETS

http://www.pacificedgepublishing.com/download.shtml

Pacific Edge Publishing is a publishing and distribution company located in British Columbia, Canada. The company has been serving Canadian educators for over 19 years, with the development and creation of educational resources and the publishing of the periodical called, "Canadian Teacher Magazine". Recently, Pacific Edge Publishing has made available at no cost, a number of downloadable teacher resources including maps of Canada, map skill worksheets, book bingo, word games and many more. Pacific Edge Publishing grants a limited copyright for the person who may photocopy the black line masters for his/her own classroom use. (Margo Porro)

POWER POINT PALOOZA

http://www.pptpalooza.net/

Power point palooza is a web site with over 200 PowerPoint presentations on a vast array of educational topics including AP European History and Global Studies. While most of the presentations were made by the site's creator, there are many more slide shows by other teachers and students. The presentations range in size from 12 to over 145 slides each. Several PPTs contain large sound/music files. The presentations may be downloaded and used for educational purposes.

ENGLISH

JANE AUSTEN'S WORLD

http://www.freewebs.com/janeaustenworld/

This site contains a collection of links to material related to early 19th-century novelist Jane Austen and her life and times. Also included are links to full text of her novels, material about film adaptations, culture and fashion of the Regency Era, academic articles, and links to related blogs. (Linda Hof: Webbits)

KU WRITING CENTER

http://www.writing.ku.edu/

"The University of Kansas has developed a wealth of resources to help their students become proficient writers and the materials are available to anyone with a computer and Internet access. The Student section (written for undergraduate and graduate students) offers many resources that are also useful for secondary students. These resources include guides, created by the writing professionals a KU's Writing Center, that cover pre-writing strategies, developing an effective thesis statement, citing and documenting your sources, and avoiding plagiarism. Students can also view writing samples in the gallery or use the assignment planner to put the writing process in a timeline for completing their research paper on time. Teachers wanting to incorporate more writing into the curriculum can find resources and information on an array of topics." (Education World Site Reviews)

LEARN ENGLISH WITH PICTURES

http://www.my-english-dictionary.com/

"Learn English with Pictures is a free, online resource to learn English words in a fun way. The site has over 400 words and photographs ranging from animals to kitchen appliances. The interface is simple and both kids and adults who are learning English will find this educational website entertaining and useful." (EDTECH)

LITERATURE CIRCLES RESOURCE CENTER
http://www.litcircles.org/

Literature Circles Resource Center web site was created by Katherine L. Schlick Noe, Ph.D., Professor and Director of Literacy, College of Education, Seattle University as an educational service to teachers in elementary grades through middle school. The purpose of this site is to provide in-depth information and resources on literature circles. The site evolved from a classroom action research project in which Dr Noe spent one day a week in each of six classrooms in the Seattle area-- grades 1 through 6 -- learning with and from teachers and students as they tried out literature circles for the first time. The site is designed to be interactive with book lists, guidelines, and resources for literature. (David Dillard: Educator-Gold Newsletter)

SIX STEPS TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER (ELL) LESSON DESIGN
http://www.bbc.co.uk/SixSteps to ELL Lesson Design/

"Six Steps to ELL Lesson Design offers classroom teachers resources and information for meeting the needs of all degrees of English speakers within the same classroom and curriculum. It was created in 2002 as an education course project at Arizona State University, but is still broadly relevant and useful today. The site is written in a conversational form and includes six steps for planning and organizing your curriculum, including determining the needs of your class, identifying adaptable activities, modifying materials, creating new activities, and designing lessons. This step-by-step approach is easily adapted to the needs of any classroom teacher who finds herself/himself charged with teaching ELL students to the same high standards as others in the regular classroom. Also included are other Web resources and a printable collection of job aids, charts, and other documents as well as a summary of the six steps to print out." (Education World Site Reviews)

STORY-IT

http://www.storyit.com/

This website offers a variety of free Language Arts games, story starters, printable writing worksheets and other activities to encourage students to read and write. Included on this site are printable classic rhymes such as, "Little Miss Muffet," "Jack Be Nimble," "Little Robin Redbreast," and more. There are also interactive games for phonics reinforcement and sentence building exercises including non-violent hangman games for spelling practice. The site has lots of resources to enhance any language arts curriculum or program. (Diane Flynn Keith: ClickSchooling)

LIBRARY

MDBG CHINESE-ENGLISH DICTIONARY

http://usa.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php

The MDBG free online Chinese-English dictionary calls itself the No. 1 Chinese study aid! The website however, offers more than just a dictionary. It offers various tools such as: flashcards, quizzes, text annotation, Chinese text input and more. The MDBG dictionary is used in many schools and universities all over the world. The site also provides help information. Help links in the web page link directly to the related subject in the help page. (Peter MacKay: The Teacher List)

NATIONAL MAGAZINE AWARDS

http://www.magazine.org/Editorial/National_Magazine_Awards/

A Website for these awards that "honor magazines, whether in print or online, that consistently demonstrate superior execution of editorial objectives, innovative editorial techniques, noteworthy journalistic enterprise and imaginative design. The Awards were established by the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) in 1966. The program is sponsored by ASME in association with the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism." The site also includes information about eligibility and a database of winners and finalists. (Librarian's Internet Index)

OMNIBIOGRAPHY.COM

http://www.omnibiography.com/

Omnibiography.com calls itself the largest directory of biographies on the Web. The site has biographic information on more than 110,000 important people from antiquity to the present time. Searches can be done by name, country or alphabetically. (David Dillard: Educator-Gold Newsletter)

BIG THINK

http://www.bigthink.com/

The site contains a searchable archive of "hundreds of hours of direct, unfiltered

interviews with today's leading thinkers, movers and shakers." The information is browsable by the experts' names and by categories like science & technology, truth & justice, faith & beliefs, media & the press, etc. (Marylaine Block: Neat New Stuff)

MATHEMATICS

THE MACTUTOR HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS ARCHIVE

http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/

"Created and maintained by John J. O'Connor and Edmund F. Robertson of the University of St. Andrews, this site contains a cornucopia of materials related to the history of mathematics and well-known mathematicians through the ages." Mathematician biographies are arranged by alphabetical index and by timeline. The mathematical history index provides brief overviews of mathematics in the Indian, Mayan, Arabic, and Babylonian cultures. In addition, there are also pieces on the history of algebra, analysis, mathematical physics, and number theory. (Linda Hof: Webbits)

TEACHING MATHEMATICAL THINKING THROUGH ORIGAMI
http://newmedia.purchase.edu/~Jeanine/origami/

"This website offers up some ways to use origami to teach mathematical thinking. Created by Daniel Meyer, Jeanine Meyer, and Aviva Meyer, this site includes a background essay on this art, a set of teaching strategies for incorporating origami into the classroom, and some sample models. The "Teaching Strategies" area is a good place to look after reading the background essay, and users should also make use of the "Origami Sources" area, as it features external links to other origami sites. (Linda Hof: Webbits)

WEBMATH.COM

http://www.webmath.com/

Have you ever gotten stuck trying to work out a math problem? If so, then this site is for you! The site is composed of many math "fill-in-forms". Enter the details of your math problem and hit the solve button. Linked to these forms is a powerful set of math-solvers, which can instantly analyze the problem, and when possible, provide students with a step-by-step solution, instantly! (Diane Flynn Keith: ClickSchooling)

SCIENCE

ASSESSING-TO-LEARN PHYSICS: PROJECT WEBSITE

http://a21.physics.umass.edu/

"The Physics Education Research Group undertook this project to study how continuous formative assessment could be implemented in the high school physics class. This site offers materials for teachers as they use this strategy in their own classrooms. It includes papers that explain the pedagogic philosophy behind the approach and how to implement it in the classroom, an items library (questions and problems for instructional use) and a page that describes how to use the items effectively. The Items Library can be searched by level, keyword, phrase or any combination of the three. Many of the items include teacher aids for using them effectively in the classroom. Also included are references and a discussion forum." (Education World Site Reviews)

BIG LITTLE SCIENCE CENTRE

http://www.biglittlesciencecentre.org/index.htm

"The BIG Little Science Centre (BLSC) was started in February 2000 by Gordon R. Gore, a retired science teacher who has dedicated his life to teaching science in an interactive environment. The Centre currently operates out of four classrooms leased from School District 73 at Bert Edwards Science and Technology School, Kamloops, BC. The current program format allows visitors a period of time to experiment on their own at any of 120 plus hands-on stations located in two classrooms. A third room is used for demonstrations while the fourth room is used for demonstrations and serves as a basic teaching laboratory with capacity for 32 visitors." (Peter MacKay: The Teacher List)

BIOLOGY ANIMATION LIBRARY

http://www.dnalc.org/ddnalc/resources/animations.html

This web site, created by the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, provides a number of helpful and well-designed educational resources including a dozen animations, which can be downloaded and used by teachers at no cost. The animations include a brief overview of cloning, several on DNA, gel electrophoresis, and polymerase chain reaction. (Linda Hof: Webbits)

BIOLOGY BROWSER: http://www.biologybrowser.org/bb/Subject/Education/Biology_Teaching_Resources/index.shtml

This site, created by Thomson Scientific, provides science educators with a wide array of activities that can be used in the classroom. Currently there are over 190 listed resources related to various areas of biology. Resources can be searched by subject, geography, or organism. The site also contains a glossary of zoology terms and news from the world of taxonomy. (Linda Hof: Webbits)

CHALKBORED

http://www.chalkbored.com/lessons/chemistry-12.htm

Before becoming an author, Jeremy Schneider was a chemistry teacher. Over the past several years he has placed a number of helpful instructional resources on his site including resources on atomic structure, quantum mechanics, atomic size, bonding, and many more additional topics. Each topic area includes a brief description of what is covered in each set of materials plus labs, assignments, worksheets, and handouts. Many of the resources draw on examples from the "Fundamentals of Chemistry" textbook, but the site suggests that page references from other textbooks can be substituted. (Linda Hof: Webbits)

CHEMTUTOR

http://www.chemtutor.com/

"Chemtutor is a useful resource for students and teachers. It can be used for independent study, review of lessons taught in class, or a tutoring program for students in basic chemistry. The content is grouped into sections by topic including how to learn, the periodic table, kinetics, reactions, atomic structure, elements, solutions, and thermochemistry. Within each topic area, users can read the text and view charts, tables, sample problems, and diagrams. According to the site, "Chemtutor begins with the fundamentals and gives expert help with the most difficult phases of understanding your first course in chemistry." (Education World Site Reviews)

CHEMSHORTS FOR KIDS

http://membership.acs.org/C/Chicago/ChmShort/kidindex.html

This website, sponsored by the American Chemical Society, provides all kinds of chemical experiments for kids. Beginning in 1992, the American Chemical Society has added 10 new experiments each year. There are now more 160 available. Each experiment is very simple, requiring little in the way of specialized equipment or facilities. In addition each experiment has an explanation as to what principal or concept is to be demonstrated, a materials list, instructions, illustrations, photos, reference materials and helpful tips. (Diane Flynn Keith: ClickSchooling)

THE EDUCATIONAL MULTIMEDIA VISUALIZATION CENTER

http://emvc.geol.ucsb.edu/

"Teachers looking for ways to incorporate dynamic visuals into their earth science courses need look no further than this fine site. Created by staff members at the department of earth science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, the site contains dozens of interactive animations and visualization tools that can be used in the classroom to demonstrate various processes. These resources are contained within the "Downloads" section, and visitors can peruse the table of contents for specific features. The table of contents includes global tectonics, regional plate tectonics, Ice Age earth, and four other chapters. Some of these animations include the deglaciation of North America, the South Atlantic spreading, and the Himalayan collision." (Linda Hof: Webbits)

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LIFE (EOL)

http://www.eol.org/

"This website 'is an unprecedented global effort. ... by [n]atural history museums, botanical gardens, other research institutions, and dedicated individuals ... to create the most complete biodiversity database on the Web.' As of March 2008 there were about 25 exemplar species pages, covering species such as the yellow fever mosquito, peregrine falcon, death cap mushroom, and cacao. Materials include photos, description and details about ecology and cultural relevance." (Librarian's Internet Index)

ERIC WEISSTEIN'S WORLD OF SCIENTIFIC BIOGRAPHY

http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/biography/

This website offers over 1,000 encyclopedia-style biographies of scientists along with illustrations. Information is arranged alphabetically, by scientific field, by the scientists' country of origin, and by gender. Each entry contains a picture of the scientist, the branch of science and a brief biography. (Diane Flynn Keith: ClickSchooling)

I WAS WONDERING: A CURIOUS LOOK AT WOMEN'S ADVENTURES IN SCIENCE

http://iwaswondering.com/

This site, created by the National Academy of Science and inspired by a biography series for middle-school-aged students, is "intended to showcase the accomplishments of contemporary women in science as well as highlight for young people – especially young women - the varied and intriguing careers of some of today's most prominent scientists." The site features background and suggested experiments related to 10 recent women scientists (such as a robot designer, gene hunter, and space geologist) and includes links to related sites. (Librarian's Internet Index)

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION: AN INTERACTIVE REFERENCE GUIDE

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/ISSRG/index.htm

"This reference guide begins with a fascinating introduction featuring a docking animation and then moves to Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke explaining the various activities that make up the Station's mission. The bulk of the material is divided into three sections: How the Crew Lives, How It Works, ISS 360 Tour. Additionally, there is a music video with in-flight scenes of space scientists and their daily activities." (Education World Site Reviews)

MUSEUM OF VISION

http://www.aaofoundation.org/what/heritage/learn.cfm

This website, sponsored by the Museum of Vision, was created to educate people of all ages about the eye, vision, and the history of eye care. Besides having general information on the eye and eyesight, this web site also contains a number of changing Online exhibits. In addition, the website has 3 curriculum guides which focus on the human eye, perspective and how the brain processes images like optical illusions and 3-D. (Diane Flynn Keith: ClickSchooling)

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH: OFFICE OF SCIENCE EDUCATION

http://science.education.nih.gov/

The National Institute of Health (NIH) is the biomedical research arm of the US Department of Health and Human Services. In 1991, the NIH created the Office of Science Education (OSE) to coordinate science education activities and develop science education projects to serve elementary, secondary, and college students, teachers and the public. (Kathy Schrock: S.O.S. - Help for Busy Teachers)

NORTH CAROLINA STATE PHYSICS DEMONSTRATIONS http://demoroom.physics.ncsu.edu/resources.html

"The physics department at North Carolina State University has created this very fine list of online physics demonstration manuals that will be quite a boon to physics educators in high schools and colleges. Visitors can search 28 online demonstration manuals simultaneously or they can also choose to look over a demonstrations bibliography that contains over 7500 references. Visitors may also wish to check out the public lecture demonstration shows offered on the site along with a collection of links to professional organizations including The American Association of Physics Teachers." (Linda Hof: Webbits)

PHYSICS TO GO

ttp://www.compadre.org/informal/

Physics to Go is a collection of more than 600 websites with games, web casts, online exhibits, and activities that can be searched or browsed by content, topic, resource type, and grade level. (David Dillard: Educator-Gold Newsletter)

SCIENCE ANIMATIONS

http://science.nhmccd.edu/biol/animatio.htm#ecology

"The use of a well-placed animation in a lecture can help illuminate any number of important concepts in the sciences. Educators seeking high-quality animations need look no further than this very useful site created by staff members at North Harris Community College. The animations are divided into a number of topics including plants, ecology, astronomy, geology, anatomy, and biology. Each section contains links to a host of fascinating and helpful animations from institutions like Florida State University, Cambridge University Press, the University of Nebraska, and the University of Alberta." (Linda Hof: Webbits)

SKY WATCHERS PROGRAM: ENVIRONMENT CANADA

http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/skywatchers/index_e.html

The Sky Watchers Program was begun by Environment Canada in 2007. The site provides free teaching material on the subject of weather including explanations, experiments and activities, which overlap into related subjects like mathematics and geography. There are also free downloadable teacher's guides, which address the learning outcomes in the Pan Canadian curriculum and opportunities for classes to participate in collaborative activities. (Peter MacKay: The Teacher List)

THE VIRTUAL BODY

http://www.medtropolis.com/vbody.asp

This site contains an incredible interactive exhibit of the human body with sections and cross sections of the "Brain", "Skeleton", "Heart", and "Digestive Tract". Each section has detailed information and images of the particular organ. For example, the "Heart" area has information about the individual parts of the heart, views of an animated heart, and a narrated tour of the heart. (Linda Hof: Webbits)

WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY PHYSICS DEMONSTRATION VIDEOS

http://www.wfu.edu/physics/demolabs/demos/avimov/videointro.htm

"Physics is plenty exciting on its own, but this clutch of physics demonstration videos offered up by Wake Forest University's Physics departments will probably have students running out to learn more about string theory and cosmology. Teachers will definitely appreciate this resource, as they can use these videos in the classroom or just recommend it to their students. Visitors can view the videos in their entirety by subject headings, which include "Motion", "Heat", "Optics", and not surprisingly, "Newton". All told there are dozens of videos, including "Bed of Nails", "Cartesian Diver", and the surreal yet appropriately titled "Marshmallow Man". "(Linda Hof: Webbits)

SOCIAL STUDIES

THE BERLIN AIRLIFT

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/airlift/index.html

This site, created by PBS, documents the first major conflict between the Soviets and the West after WWII. Created as a companion site to the January 29th broadcast, this site contains a variety of instructional materials including an interactive map of the airlift routes, essays, a timeline of events from 1945 to 1990, and teacher guide. The guide includes activities that are grouped into four categories; history, geography, civics, and leadership. (Education World Site Reviews)

BEST OF HISTORY WEB SITES

http://www.besthistorysites.net/

The "Best of History Web Sites" is an award-winning portal containing annotated links to over 1000 history web sites as well as links to hundreds of quality K-12 history lesson plans, history teacher guides, history activities, history games, history quizzes, and more. (David Dillard: Educator-Gold Newsletter)

CANADA INFO

http://www.craigmarlatt.com/canada/index.html#home

The Canada Info site claims to have more than 400 pages of information about Canada and its government, history, facts, people, security, geography, provinces, symbols, and more. The site has maps, statistics, photographs and fact sheets which can be downloaded to a computer. Information is arranged in 9 broad categories which include, "Government of Canada", "Provinces & Territories", "History & People" and "Maps". (Peter MacKay: The Teacher List)

COUNCIL OF WOMEN WORLD LEADERS

http://www.womenworldleaders.org/

'The goal of this "network of current and former women presidents and prime ministers" is "to promote good governance and enhance the experience of democracy globally by increasing the number, effectiveness, and visibility of women who lead at the highest levels in their countries." The site includes a member's list and descriptions of initiatives in the areas of health, environment, and education. (Some areas of this site are under construction.)' (Librarian's Internet Index)

ECONOMIC EDUCATION WEB SITE

http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/home.cfm

Created and supported by the University of Nebraska, this site contains a wealth of information and resources on the topic of economics for the K-12 teacher. On this site you will find K-12 teaching resources, lessons and lesson plans. (LM_Net)

ENGLISH MEDIEVAL LEGAL DOCUMENTS: AD 600 - AD 1535:

http://emld.usc.edu/tiki-index.php

University of Southern California is currently creating a wiki/collaborative web site focusing on English medieval legal documents. The goal of the project is to create a collaborative database on the published sources of English medieval legal documents, and to provide links to the growing number of online sources currently being developed. Even though the site is still under development, it contains an impressive amount of material from that period. (David Dillard: Educator-Gold Newsletter)

EXPERIENCES OF AN ENGLISH SOLDIER IN WORLD WAR ONE

http://www.wwar1.blogspot.com/

This blog has been made up of transcripts of Harry Lamin's letters from the First World War. The letters will be posted exactly 90 years after they were written. To find out Harry's fate, follow the blog! (Jane's E-Learning Pick of the Day)

ETERNAL EGYPT

http://www.eternalegypt.org/EternalEgyptWebsiteWeb/HomeServlet

This amazing interactive site was created by IBM in co-operation with the Egyptian Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage. 3 years work and $2.5 million have resulted in an interactive, multimedia experience of Egyptian cultural artifacts, places and history for a global audience. While the amount of content on the site is incredible, it's the visual way in which it's presented that's stunning. For example one exhibit displays a three-dimensional reconstruction of Tutankhamen's tomb, as it was when British Archaeologist Howard Carter and his colleagues first discovered it and wiped the dust of a grave of 3000 years age. (David Dillard: Educator-Gold Newsletter)

THE FOOD MUSEUM

http://www.foodmuseum.com/

The FOOD Museum is a web site dedicated to the essential subject of food. The site celebrates food, and through its collections, educational programs, publications and Internet presence, engages people in an exploration of what people eat and how they eat it, where the food came from, how it has evolved, what its impact is on the world, and what its future may be. (David Dillard: Educator-Gold Newsletter)

FROM WARRIOR WOMEN TO FEMALE PHARAOHS: CAREERS FOR WOMEN IN ANCIENT EGYPT

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/women_01.shtml

This site, created by Dr Joann Fletcher, is a fascinating look at lives of women in ancient Egypt. For three thousand years, the women who lived on the banks of the Nile enjoyed a form of equality which has rarely been equaled. The Egyptians recognized female violence in all its forms. Their queens are portrayed crushing their enemies, executing prisoners or firing arrows at male opponents. Even non-royal women are shown as stabbing and overpower invading soldiers. (Librarian's Internet Index)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION OF POVERTY

http://sedac.ciesin.org/povmap/

'This project's mission is "to enhance current understanding of the global distribution of poverty and the geographic and biophysical conditions of where the poor live." Its website features maps, datasets (with information about malnutrition and infant mortality rates), papers and presentations, and the 2006 "Atlas of Poverty." From: The Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University. (Librarian's Internet Index)

FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA'S DIGITAL COLLECTION OF MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE MANUSCRIPTS

http://libwww.library.phila.gov/medievalman/

According to the Free Library's web site, "Our manuscript collection includes most of the kinds of books used between 1000 and 1500 A.D.: prayer books and poetry, Bibles and political propaganda, philosophical works, and fantastic histories. Some manuscripts are elaborate and beautiful works of art; others are humble "owner-produced" books, copied out from a borrowed copy by someone who needed a particular text. Each one tells us something about a long-vanished age. The Free Library's digital manuscript collection includes two different sorts of objects: complete manuscript books, or "codices," and separate leaves and cuttings fragments separated from their original contexts. With the images users will find basic information about the object pictured: when and where it was made, and what its imagery depicts. When the image is from an intact book, the accompanying information will describe the book." (David Dillard: Educator-Gold Newsletter)

IN THEIR WORDS: THE STORY OF BC PACKERS

http://www.intheirwords.ca/

This site provides profiles and interviews with the men and women who worked in the Imperial Cannery factory in British Columbia during the twentieth century. The site opens up with a dynamic map that zooms in on the cannery's original location in southwestern British Columbia. There are sections on "Fishing & The Fleet", "Canning & Processing", and "Company & The People". Each section contains pictures, video clips and Flash animations as well as text. There is also a section of "Learning Resources" for educators. (Linda Hof: Webbits)

KIDIPEDE-HISTORY FOR KIDS

http://www.historyforkids.org

"History for Kids is a good site for students who are doing research for a short class report or working on other homework assignments. It is written in language that is appropriate for middle school students and has lots of visuals to supplement the text. The resources focus mostly on the ancient world and the Middle Ages and are written by a history professor and other scholars. A page for teachers offers guides for each section of the site as well as other ideas for using the site in the classroom. There is also a page for parents with suggestions for using the site and for craft projects." (Education World Site Reviews)

THE MAKING OF A HOMEMAKER

http://www.sil.si.edu/ondisplay/making-homemaker/

A presentation from the Smithsonian Institution Libraries featuring comprehensive domestic guidebooks from the 19th century. "These books were primarily aimed at the middle and upper class female, who saw keeping a healthy and happy home her role in life. Not only did they detail the day-to-day activities of a homemaker, but also prescribed the appropriate moral and religious outlooks." The book has topics such as care of the sick, decorating, etiquette, fashion, and raising children. (Librarian's Internet Index)

MAP OF EARLY MODERN LONDON

http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/

"This site maps the streets, sites, and significant boundaries of late sixteenth-century and early seventeenth-century London." Many of the theatres and landmarks of Shakespeare's time are shown as well as other important locations,

There are several ways to navigate the site. An Index lists sites, streets, and wards in London, as well as famous figures mentioned in the website. Click on the location marker (e.g., A1) to go to the relevant section of the map, or on the name to go to the explanatory page. To study the Map in detail, go to an enlarged section of the map, select "Show All," and move your mouse to activate the tags that identify buildings and streets; some of these tags are also links to explanatory pages. (David Dillard: Educator-Gold Newsletter)

MOSTLY MEDIEVAL: EXPLORING THE MIDDLE AGES

http://www.mostly-medieval.com/explore/

Mostly Medieval is a web site which focuses on information and resources pertaining to this period in history. The site was created by Susan Wallace as the result of research for a novel set in 13th century Scotland. Information is categorized under several broad subject headings such as "Beasties" (Mythical Medieval beasts and monsters), "Ballads" and "Heraldry" which are fun to browse through, and an "A to Z" subject index for more specific searching. (Linda Hof: Webbits)

WOMENWATCH

http://www.un.org/womenwatch/

'This site "is the central gateway to information and resources on the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women throughout the United Nations system." It features news and links to sites and reports on topics such as gender mainstreaming, statistics and indicators, education and training, health, violence against women, rural women, HIV/AIDS, and more. From the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE).' (Librarian's Internet Index)

TECHNOLOGY & THE INTERNET

BEST OF THE WEB DIRECTORY

http://botworg/

This site calls itself, "The Internet's Oldest Directory". Begun in 1994 by university student Brandon Plewe, the site was originally created as a place for users to nominate and vote for best-of-class websites in a variety of categories. Now the site has grown into a comprehensive directory categorizing content-rich, well-designed websites. To be listed on Best of the Web, a site must adhere to the strict criteria of editors who ensure that it contains substantive unique content, navigates in a user-friendly manner, contains no broken links or pictures, is up and running 24/7, and conforms to universally accepted web standards. Recently, Best of the Web has launched a new service - a guide to the best in the world of blogs. (David Dillard: Educator-Gold Newsletter)

CONNECTED EARTH: HOW COMMUNICATION SHAPES THE WORLD

http://www.connected-earth.com/

This site "lets you explore communications past, present and future." Features illustrated essays on types of telecommunications (such as telegraph, telephone, radio, and satellite), advertising, uses, and pioneers and personalities. Also includes images of telecommunications artifacts, personal stories, and material for children (games and how the technology works). Don't miss the "gadgets" section where you can "explode" equipment to see what is inside. From British Telecom (BT) and several museum partners in the UK. (Linda Hof: Webbits)

WWW.BULLYINGCOURSE.COM

http://www.bullying.org

'www.bullyingcourse.com offers affordable and easily accessible online courses and Webinars about bullying and cyberbullying for professional educators and parents. Bullying is often seen as the number one non-academic issue that teachers face today, and yet educators feel that they need more information, help and support to address the issue more effectively. www.bullyingcourse.com can go a long way to addressing this need," notes creator Belsey. A recent Canadian Press story reported that bullying is the biggest education worry of parents. "With the launch of www.bullyingcourse.com, parents can learn how to address their concerns about bullying with their child's school from a position of knowledge and greater understanding," said Mr. Belsey. "We've already had many people from around the world register for these online courses and Webinars about bullying and cyberbullying. I believe that it can really help to make a difference," Mr. Belsey believes.' (WWWEDU)

WHACKY, WILD AND JUST PLAIN WEIRD

HAPPY SMURFDAY

http://www.happysmurfday.com/

"This site celebrates the 50th anniversary (in 2008) of the creation of the Smurf cartoon characters by Belgian cartoonist Peyo. Includes background about the creation of these blue cartoon creatures and about individual Smurfs (such as Brainy and Jokey), and material about the 2008 celebrations in Europe, which include contests for decorating Smurf figurines. (The auction of Smurfs decorated by celebrities will benefit UNICEF.)" (Librarian's Internet Index)

STRANGEUSA.COM

http://www.strangeusa.com/Default.aspx

This site consolidates "…the vast amount of 'Strange Stuff' out there into 1 easy to use place: Haunted buildings, places, Urban legends, cemeteries, weird places, cool places, ghost towns, and anything else that is worth your time to visit." Click on a state and then browse by town name or by type of weirdness and you'll get descriptions of the incidents, plus links to news stories. (Marylaine Block: Neat New Stuff)

TELEVISION THEME SONGS

http://www.televisiontunes.com/browse.html

This site has an astounding 3,364 television theme songs. The themes are from both British and American shows and range from current shows such as "Grey's Anatomy" and "Bones" all the way back to shows of the eerily 50's such as "Leave It To Beaver" and "Howdy Dowdy". All tunes are in MP3 format. (David Dillard: Educator-Gold Newsletter)

WEB LINK SOURCES

The above web links were gathered from the following sources which have given their permission to use these resources.

"ClickSchooling", Diane Flynn Keith. ClickSchooling-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

"Educational Cyberplayground/NetHappenings", http://www.edu-cyberpg.com

"Educator-Gold", David Dillard: Educator-Gold@yahoogroups.com

"EDTECH", http://www.h-net.msu.edu/~edweb

"Education World Newsletter", http://www.educationworld.com/maillist.shtml.

"Librarians' Internet Index", http://lii.org/pub/htdocs/subscribe.htm

"LM_NET", http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/

"Neat New Stuff I Found This Week", Marylaine Block. http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html

"Site of the day". http://www.refdesk.com

"The Teacher List", Peter MacKay. pete@resco.ca

"Thinkport", http://www.thinkport.org/default.tp

"Webbits", Linda Hof. linda_hof@sfu.ca

What Do You Do When….

What Do You Do When….

You Have a Superintendent who Questions the Value of Teacher Librarians?
By Tish Sladden, Sands Secondary, North Delta

Make any Celebrations Public.

Ensure you have lots of media coverage for what people did for the National School Library Day Drop Everything and Read Challenge, are doing for Red Cedar, Penny Drives for Books, whatever....If nothing is coming up, create something, and write about it. How about a Parent Library Volunteers Week? What a great opportunity to honour your volunteers; but take the angle that the jobs the volunteers do make it possible for you to do yours. Of course, you will clearly use this opportunity to highlight what your job is. Just think how appreciative those parents will be for the recognition; you will have made very powerful allies doing this. Also, if someone in your group is outstanding at this stuff, make sure the superintendent gets an invitation to their event.

Take Pictures

Take pictures --lots of them--of all the good stuff you are doing in your school libraries. Put them in an album, park them on a website so you have something concrete to show anyone who asks, send them to the local newspaper, etc. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Educate your superintendent

Once a month send her something compelling, but short such as Don Hamilton's letter, the executive summary from the Ken Haycock study, David Cubberley's speech to the legislature, etc. Also think about doing a chart that has three columns: what library technicians do, what parents do, what teacher-librarians do. It seems obvious to us but many people just don't know. Make sure it looks pretty with lots of bars and colours.

Invite Your Trustees

Invite trustees to your events - especially the ones that are sympathetic to your cause. You are very fortunate to have library supporters on your Board. Remember, they are the ones who employ your superintendent! They can take a positive message to your superintendent - you don't have to. It's not always the message. Sometimes it's the messenger!

Make the Connection with Literacy

Align yourself fully and completely with the literacy cause. Get on the district literacy committee. How are the reading scores in your district? In Delta, ours are significantly lower than two years ago. Maybe we should bring back TLs and start funding libraries again.

Invite Superintendent to a PD Event

Every fall we get together as TLs and plan a PD evening with speakers and dinner. This year, we're inviting our new superintendent to address our group because we want to find out where he stands and what he knows. He will be welcomed and treated as an honoured guest (which he is); eating food we paid for in a location we are comfortable with. Twenty-six of us will be there. He may not be effusive, but I can guarantee you he will be prepared. He will be polite and well-informed, because he's on our turf. Get the superintendent on your "turf," somehow.

Keep the Union in the Loop about Your Plan

Ask for their suggestions. Make it clear you have expectations of them. Be clear about how you see their role.

Plan a Focussed Strategy

Get a few committed TLs together and plan a focussed strategy (maybe incorporating some ideas above) to take you through the next four months. Wine and laughter should definitely be involved!

And More Advocacy Ideas from Karen Lindsay

Attend a PAC meeting

Show parents how to access World Book Online at home, give a cyber safety talk, or give a talk about the value of home reading/modelling. Have lots of books
that parents could take out for their kids. Have student work displayed. Be upbeat. From the principal to the minister, parents have more influence than we do, and they support people who support their kids.

BCTLA Book Reviews 2007

BCTLA REVIEWS 2007

"BCTLA Reviews" is coordinated by:

REVIEWS COORDINATOR
Pat Parker
REVIEWS EDITOR
Carolyn Cutt

The Canadian Education Index regularly scans and indexes "BCTLA Reviews" which is published in The Bookmark.

Items reviewed include print and non-print materials. To be considered for inclusion items should have significant association with the province of British Columbia through the author, performer, producer or subject matter; and should have been published within the last three years.

Publishers are requested to send materials they wish to have reviewed by the Reviewing Service to:

Pat Parker

April 2007

Frizzell, Colin. Chill -- Orca Book Publishers, 2006. -- 112 pp. -- ISBN 1-55143-507-1, -- $9.95, paper.

Reviewed by: Tara Worden-Gill, Former Preschool Teacher/Student

This well-crafted story of friendship and loyalty will hold the reader's interest, especially with its element of mystery. Sprinkled with humour and clever imagery ("... and collapsed to the floor like a bulk bag of gummy bears slipping off the storeroom shelf." [p.94]), Frizzell's suspenseful tale of two tenth-grade boys, the protagonist, Sean, and the title character, Chill, should appeal to both boys and girls at the upper intermediate and junior secondary level. Frizzell creates vivid, consistent characters with dreams and aspirations that the reader can relate to. The antagonist, the humourously-named 'Mr. Sfinkter', is immediately detestable, yet enigmatic. The only minor flaw to this novel is the somewhat pat resolution of Mr. Sfinkter's story, one wishes there was more background given to this evil character.

The book's cover illustration is particularly intriguing and effective. Chill would make a worthwhile purchase for upper intermediate or junior secondary libraries.

Recommended Grade Level: Upper Intermediate / Junior Secondary

Brouwer, Sigmund. All-Star Pride-- Orca Book Publishers, 2006. -- 144 pp. -- ISBN 1-55143-635-3, -- $9.95, paper.

Reviewed by: Tara Worden-Gill, Former Preschool Teacher/Student

This fast-paced, upper-intermediate/ junior secondary level novel achieves a good balance between international intrigue and our national sport of hockey. Hog Burnell, a tough, big, but kind-hearted junior hockey star, is on a promotional 'East vs. West' tournament in present-day Russia, which is effectively shown as corrupt and oppressive. The plot moves between Moscow and St. Petersburg, and several pivotal scenes take place on the ancient, swaying train that travels between the two cities. Secondary characters like the beautiful Russian translator, Nadia, the sinister 'Mr. Eyepatch', and the wealthy, villainous tour promoter, Matthew Martin Henley, are well depicted. Priceless art smuggling, double agents and traitorous all-star players keep the reader unsure of whom to trust until the final pages.

Although both the book cover and its title suggest a story aimed at hockey fans, the actual game scenes are very accessible, detailed but not overlong. This novel will appeal to upper intermediate and junior secondary boys and girls.

Recommended Grade Level: Upper Intermediate / Junior Secondary

Goobie, Beth. Hello,Groin. –– Orca Book Publishers, 2006. –– 288pp. –– ISBN 1-55143-459-8. –– $19.95 hardcover.

Reviewed by: Willow Reichelt, teacher on call, SD#33 (Chilliwack).

Dylan has supportive parents and a great boyfriend. She is pretty and popular, but she is hiding a big secret, one that threatens to tear her world apart. She is a lesbian, and she's in love with her best friend, Jocelyn. When Dylan makes a display for the library window showing a girl and a boy made of books, she chooses Foxfire for the girl's groin. The principal censors the groin area of the display before anyone can see it, and Dylan won't tell anyone what book it was. Dylan had chosen the title as an example of a book that deals with female strength and honour, but as time goes by the lesbian overtones of the book gain more weight. Dylan must find a way to come to terms with her own groin and come out before she can fight to reveal the groin on her display.

Hello, Groin is a completely different coming out story than would have been possible even a decade ago. Dylan is not afraid of persecution, and there is even a group of out lesbians at the school. What Dylan is afraid of is giving up on the dream of having a happy marriage and kids like her parents have. She wants those things, yet she knows that she is a lesbian. By accepting her true nature she is also accepting that her life will be more complicated.

Beth Goobie has done an excellent job of writing a book about sexuality that is not merely voyeuristic. Teenagers spend a lot of their time thinking about sex, so the focus on sex in this book is entirely realistic. Dylan's character is compelling, and even heterosexual readers will be able to empathize with her situation.

Warning: this book contains descriptive masturbation scenes. Be prepared to defend your purchase.

Recommended for High School Libraries

Reading Level: 7

Recommended Grade Level: 10-12

Johansen, K.V. Illustrated by Christine Delezenne. Torrie and the firebird. –– Annick Press, 2006. –– 156pp. : b&w ill. –– ISBN 1-55037-960-7. –– $9.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Rosemary Anderson, teacher-librarian, W.L. McLeod Elementary School, SD#91 (Nechako Lakes).

This is a highly fictional and humorous account of adventures with pirates on the Great Southern Continent (very similar to Australia). The Old Thing who narrated Torrie and the Pirate Queen has returned to join the feisty Captain Anna and her crew on an adventure quest to recover the stolen gem. They are trying to prove the innocence of Kokako, a young boy who is fleeing the angry mob. Their journey takes them to many places including deep forest and desert, and they encounter many dangers. Torrie soon becomes convinced that there is great significance connected to the giant missing gem and the ones that guard it. They encounter many creatures, both friendly and unfriendly, and learn many things from their adventures. The firebird assists them because the giant gem is actually her egg in the Oyon, which hatched, and did not destroy the Oyon as previously feared. The firebird continues her quest to find peace. Captain Anna and her crew successfully complete their adventure.

This is an interesting book for higher level readers. Although there is lots of action, there are also lots of descriptive passages that might not appeal to readers. The many illustrations and glossary help in understanding the story. It is also quite a lengthy book and the content does not seem to match the reading level and style.

F KYI

Kyi, Tanya Lloyd. Illustrated by Martha Newbigging. Jared Lester, Fifth grade jester. –– Annick Press, 2006. –– 80pp. : B&W ill. –– ISBN 1-55451-025-2. –– $7.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Marv Worden, retired teacher-librarian, SD#68 (Nanaimo/Ladysmith).

After seeing a court jester in his sister's video, Jared decides to become one, relying on his years of gymnastics classes and his ability to juggle. A retired college expert on medieval courts shows Jared how jesters have changed the course of history through using sleight of hand or clowning skills to distract combatants and to calm international arguments.

Most importantly, the professor points out to Jared that a successful jester needs to exercise self-control so that he does not draw attention to himself until he wishes, but rather quietly observes and chooses the right moment for maximum effect.

In order to win the right to perform in a community presentation to the Queen of England, Jared first auditions for his school and is successful, along with the arch-bully, Violent. During the presentation to the queen, Violent's juggling of flaming torches goes amiss and the quick thinking of both Jared and the ambassador prevents the torch from landing on the queen. In talking with the ambassador, Jared found that his job description and skill requirements seem very much like those of a jester.

Illustrated with black and white cartoons , often full page, and cartoon drawings at the beginning of each un-numbered chapter, the book should appeal to readers in the intermediate grades.

Recommended Grade Level: Intermediate

Kyrkorka, Ian. Illustrated by Vladyana Krykorka. Carl the Christmas carp. –– Orca Book Publishers, 2006. –– 32pp. : ill. –– ISBN 1-55143-329-X. –– $19.95 hardcover.

Reviewed by: Willow Reichelt, teacher on call, SD#33 (Chilliwack).

Radim lives in Prague, and just like every year his family has bought a carp and is keeping it in the bathtub until they cook it for Christmas dinner. When Radim notices the fish's striking resemblance to his Uncle Carl he begins to feel sorry for it, and risks his parents' anger by setting Carl the Carp free in the river. His parents are indeed angry, but it is Christmas and all is forgiven. They are even able to laugh about it over their Christmas chicken dinner.

Ian Krykorka's text is enjoyable. North American readers will learn about a different Christmas tradition, but they will also see that some childhood experiences, like having to suffer through a meal of one's least-favourite vegetable, are universal. It is Vladyana Krykorka's illustrations that truly make this book stand out. The facing page for each page of text is a gorgeous full-colour illustration done in watercolour, tempera and mixed media. These illustrations sometimes spill across to the bottom of the text page. At other times there are small separate pictures under the text.

This is a beautiful book and would be an excellent resource for talking about holiday traditions around the world.

Highly Recommended

Reading Level: 5 Recommended Grade Level: 2-4

Langston, Laura. Exit point. –– Orca Book Publishers, 2006. –– 112pp. –– ISBN 1-55143-525-X. –– $16.95 hardcover.

Reviewed by: Garth Harkess

Exit Point opens with Logan, the sixteen year old hero, awakening to the reality that he is dead - killed in a car crash while drunk and speeding. He's dead, but there are things he has to do before he completely leaves the world behind. His family is grieving, and his little sister faces a terrifying future unless he can find a way to let someone know that she is being sexually abused by a relative. His deceased grandmother and a spirit 'guide', named Wade, help Logan understand the poor choices he made in life and help him to do the right thing before moving away from the land of the living. The plot is original and the characters and dialogue are interesting.

The author, Laura Langston, lives on Vancouver Island. She is the author of Lesia's Dream and Finding Cassidy.

The Orca Soundings series is extremely popular with teenage readers. At around one hundred pages, and with a reading level of about grade 3, they do not intimidate students who may be put off by the length of mainstream Young Adult novels. Canadian authors, interesting story lines and enticing cover art all help to make this series one of the very best for reluctant readers in secondary schools. Recommended for all junior and senior secondary school libraries.

McClintock, Norah. Snitch. –– Orca Book Publishers, 2005. –– 112pp. –– ISBN 1-55143-484-9. –– $9.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Garth Harkess

Josh lives with his older brother Andrew's family. He likes his nephew Digby, but he always seems to be at odds with Andrew's wife Miranda. Josh has been in trouble with the law for purse snatching and violent assault, and as part of his rehabilitation he has to attend a special program where people with anger management problems learn to train dogs. With the help of Mr. Weller, who runs the course, and his assistant Maggie, Josh bonds with his training dog, Sully, and learns to make peace with Miranda. He eventually reconnects with his old friend and partner in crime, Scott, who had snitched on Josh after their last robbery went wrong and who is the victim of a beating that Josh is falsely accused of committing. The plot is original and the characters and dialogue are interesting; the reading level scans at about grade 2, so this will appeal to the reluctant readers.

Nora McClintock writes Young Adult novels and mysteries including the Chloe & Levesque juvenile crime novels.

Recommended for ages 12+ Reading level 2.1.

Pausewang, Gudrun. Translated by John Brownjohn. Dark hours. –– Annick Press, 2006. –– 216pp. : b&w photos. –– ISBN 978-1-55451-042-9. –– $21.95 hardcover.

Reviewed by: Marv Worden, retired teacher-librarian, SD#68 (Nanaimo/Ladysmith).

This excellent story, set in Germany near the end of WW II, is written by a grandmother, Gisela, as a gift for her granddaughter's sixteenth birthday. It tells of how the evacuated family became separated as allied planes bombed a train station. Gisela, herself then sixteen, rationed food and water, and kept hope alive for her three younger brothers and an unrelated little girl for two days and two nights trapped in the darkness of a bombed air raid shelter.

The book, written in Germany, shows the background developments that led the German people into support of the war, and while frankly accepting responsibility, clearly shows the human love and strength common to all. Suspense is achieved through realistic human behaviour. At a Fry readability level of Grade 5 or 6, this book of 20 chapters with one photo and two maps would be a valuable holding for libraries serving upper intermediate or secondary students.

Recommended Grade Level: Upper intermediate, or secondary

Pohl-Weary, Emily. Strange times at Western High. –– Annick Press, 2006. –– 224pp. : b&w ill. –– ISBN 978-1-55451-039-9. –– $11.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Willow Reichelt, teacher on call, SD#33 (Chilliwack).

On her first day of school at Western High, Natalie Fuentes manages to be the only "witness to a brutal attack [on the school's janitor], get on the principal's bad side, and make an enemy of the queen of the ant hill". Despite her dyed red hair, multiple piercings and funky zine-queen persona, Natalie had hoped to blend in at her new school. Alas, she instead becomes embroiled in a mystery.

With the help of several new friends (Jacob, the techie son of the janitor; Ramiro Lopez, the misunderstood graffiti artist; Ruth and Matt, the friendly neighbours; Suzy, who handily can print Natalie's zine for free) Natalie gets closer and closer to finding the culprit. In the process she runs up against a racist teacher and is further persecuted by the popular crowd.

Although Emily Pohl-Weary tries a little too hard to show how hip Natalie is, her character does come off as quite appealing. The mystery is compelling, and the reader is kept guessing until nearly the end. Teenage readers will probably like it a lot. The interaction between the teen characters is realistic, and the action is fast-paced. The doodle-like illustrations on each page are a nice touch.

Recommended

Reading Level: 7

Recommended Grade Level: 8-12

Polak, Monique. Home invasion. –– Orca Book Publishers, 2005. –– 112pp. –– ISBN 1-55143-482-2. –– $9.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Willow Reichelt, teacher on call, SD#33 (Chilliwack).

Josh's mother has to leave town to look after her ill father, which means that Josh is stuck living alone with his dorky new stepfather, Clay. Meanwhile, there is a serial home invader at work in Montreal who is the talk of the town, and Josh starts doing some home invading of his own: sneaking into people's houses so he can watch "normal" families interact. Josh slowly learns that even "normal" families have problems, and that maybe his stepfather has some redeeming qualities. Luckily, while Josh is in the middle of one of his own "home invasions" the real home invader attacks the family and Josh is able to save the day.

Home Invasion is an Orca Soundings high/low novel for reluctant teen readers. Monique Polak manages to keep the chaotic plot and dizzyingly rapid character development, typical of the genre, from crossing the line into being utterly unbelievable. Teen readers will identify with Josh's feelings toward his stepfather, and the plot, while not totally realistic, is exciting and well-paced.

This book would be a solid addition to your high/low collection.

Recommended

Reading Level: 3.6

Recommended Grade Level: 8-12

Skene, Pat. Illustrated by Graham Ross. What a Hippopota-mess! –– Orca Book Publishers, 2006. –– 64pp. : b&w ill. –– ISBN 1-55143-402-4. –– $6.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Christopher Hunt, teacher-librarian, Chilliwack Central Elementary Community School, SD#33 (Chilliwack).

It is sometimes difficult for a reviewer to write a "bad" review of a book, however, this book, What a Hippopota-mess, unfortunately, appears to be a mediocre jumble.

The concept behind the book sounds promising: a series of light and humourous poems about animals, each followed by odd and interesting facts about those animals. This may evoke more an image of a beautiful picture book with illustrated poems, fact captions and insets on the facing page. The reality is a small book that looks more like a typical beginner novel. Perhaps having a subtitle on the book would best indicate that it was largely poetry so as not to confuse young library patrons expecting a novel (although, this info is clear on the back cover blurb).

The animal information sections are presented in a mixture of fact sheets and interviews with a character from the poem. The intended audience and reading level of the book is approximately grade two to three. Readers this age will enjoy the factual paragraphs on various living things, however, the "interviews" are a little stilted and awkward. It may be suggested that the humour simply doesn't appeal to an adult reviewer's sensibilities, but there are many other books with a knock-knock joke level of humour whose merits are appreciated.

The poetry in the book is somewhat weak. The lines often clunk rather than scanning smoothly and many lines have gnarled syntax in an effort to make a rhyme. This book is not recommended for purchase for the budget-constrained school library. If one seeks poetry or intriguing animal facts, there are many others resources to satisfy.

Recommended Grade Level: not recommended

Spalding, Andrea and Alfred Scow. Secret of the Dance. Illustrated by Darlene Gait. –– Orca Book Publishers, 2006. –– 32pp. : ill. –– ISBN 1-55143-396-6. –– $19.95 hardcover.

Reviewed by: Gloria Reinheimer, teacher-librarian, Bear Creek Elementary School, SD#36 (Surrey).

The year is 1935 and the Indian agent has come to tell the village that dancing, like potlatch, is against the law. Fishing boats are packed with food and clothing. That night, Watlkina hears strange noises outside his house. Peeking through the curtains, he sees strange, blanket-wrapped shapes also loaded onto the boats. The next day his family motors away from the village, hoping the Indian agent thinks they are going fishing. After traveling for most of the day, the family docks at a remote village by a sheltered inlet. When night falls all the children are put to bed, but Watlinka cannot sleep. He secretly watches as the strange shapes are carried to the big house. Later he follows the sounds of drums and chanting. At the big house he comes face to face with all the masked characters of his grandmother's stories.

Spalding has collaborated with Judge Alfred Scow, aka Watlinka, to tell this story from Scow's childhood. It was a time when the government thought the only way to assimilate First Nations was to stamp out their culture. Spalding is always very careful to seek permission to tell her native stories. The author's note at the back of the book explains the laws and threats the government used. It also has a glossary, but explains that a guide to pronunciation is impossible. This is a good story that would make a great addition to any First Nations collection.

Like Spalding's Solomon's Tree , this book is highly recommended for Grade 1-3.

Stinson, Kathy. Illustrated by Heather Collins. The bare naked book. –– Annick Press, 2006. –– 32pp. : ill. –– ISBN 978-1-55451-049-8, –– $6.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Willow Reichelt, teacher on call, SD#33 (Chilliwack).

The Bare Naked Book shows a wide variety of people going about their normal daily activities. In the process it gives young children the names for all their body parts. Each part has various examples with illustrations ("In-a-lump belly buttons/ In-a-hole belly buttons/ Scrunched up belly buttons") and ends with the question, "Where's your______?" This simple format will appeal to preschoolers, as they will have a sense of accomplishment when they are able to link the ideas in the book to their own bodies.

This is a 20th anniversary edition of the book, and it is easy to see why it has stood the test of time. The text employs straightforward language and subtle humour, and the illustrations look like everyday people. There is no difference in tone between talking about toes and talking about nipples or penises, so children will feel that no part of their body is shameful. In addition, nudity is shown only where it would naturally occur, like in the bath, so it is not embarrassing.

The Bare Naked Book should be available in elementary libraries for parents to take out and read to their children. It would obviously be inappropriate during library storytime to have a whole room full of children looking for their nipples, etc.

Recommended

Stinson, Kathy. Illustrated by Robin Baird Lewis. Red is best. –– Annick Press, 2006. –– 32pp. : ill. –– ISBN 978-1-55451-051-1. –– $6.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Marv Worden, retired teacher-librarian, SD#68 (Nanaimo/Ladysmith).

First published in 1982, this 25th Anniversary Edition includes forewords by both the author and the illustrator. The simplicity of the text and the illustrations, as a three-year-old dresses herself, makes this a timeless story celebrating independence and the joy of making choices, even when rational advice is being given by adults.

Highly recommended for inclusion in all primary school libraries.

Recommended Grade Level: Primary

Walsh, Ann. Flower power. –– Orca Book Publishers, 2005. –– 112pp. –– ISBN 1-55143-386-9. –– $9.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Willow Reichelt, teacher on call, SD#33 (Chilliwack).

Calendula (aka Callie) Powers wakes up one morning to find that her mother, Marigold, has chained herself to their neighbour's tree. Marigold is outraged that their neighbour is planning to cut down the tree to make room for a garage for his new motorcycle and she refuses to come down until he changes his mind. Chaos ensues as Callie's house is overrun with reporters, and things finally come to a head in a musical duel between the singing Grannies and the neighbour's biker friends. With all the adults behaving like children it is up to Callie to restore order and convince the adults to reach a compromise.

Flower Power is from the Orca Currents series of high/low books for middle school readers, and as such has the usual accelerated plot and sketchily rendered characters. Many high/low books manage to transcend their genre and create their own internal logic, but this one does not. The plot is too ridiculous to be believable, but not ridiculous enough to be laugh-out-loud funny. The character and story would appeal more to a grade four audience than to its intended middle-school one.

Ann Walsh is an award-winning author of historical novels for children. This story probably could have been expanded into a good novel for intermediate readers, but instead it is a mediocre high/low novel. If you buy all the Orca Currents books there is no reason to avoid this one, but if you are being choosy you could certainly do better.

Recommended with reservation.

Reading Level: 3.5

Recommended Grade Level: 5-8

Yee, Paul. What happened this summer. –– Tradewind Books, 2006. –– 192pp. –– ISBN 1-896580-88-2. –– $12.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Gloria Reinheimer, teacher-librarian, Bear Creek Elementary School, SD#36 (Surrey).

In What happened this summer, Yee has targeted a specific audience. All of his vignettes are about Chinese young people. His stories all deal with their struggles to balance the cultural ideals of our society with very traditional Chinese values. The teenagers in these stories are dealing with the issues of 'head tax' redress, homosexual siblings, church values, teenage marriage with the sole purpose of sponsoring a whole family for immigration, old family obligations, university versus art school, astronaut or long distance parents, pressure to do well academically, cheating, and returning to their own culture in Asia. Some of these problems are universal, but all of Yee's stories have a cultural twist.

These stories comprise the ultimate problem book. Each of the chapters deals with one issue, though the same character may be present in many. In one story Yee shifts from a male to a female character mid story, which is quite confusing for the reader. These are short, sharp tales that are almost like reading email. Yee is trying to show us that young Chinese, new immigrants or Canadian born, have a difficult time.

Recommended for Secondary Schools.

Brucker, Virginia Gifts from the heart : Simple ways to make your family's Christmas more meaningful. –– Insomniac Press, 2006. –– 336pp. –– ISBN 1-897178-30-1. –– $19.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Marv Worden, retired teacher-librarian, SD#68 (Nanaimo/Ladysmith).

The book is attractively laid-out; browsers will be charmed by the black and white line drawings signed by the child artists and the numerous recipes throughout the book that are all listed in the comprehensive index.

Pertinent quotes from literary greats begin and end each chapter, titled to indicate the contents. For example "Christmas and Divorce" provides a great number of ideas to help deal fairly with the potentially competitive pull of two homes and families. The chapter "When the Holidays Hurt" contributes ideas to help meet the needs of shut-ins or people who are going through a period of loss or poor health.

A portion of the proceeds from each purchase will be donated for research funded by the Canadian Cancer Society. Merely reading the ideas in the book buoys a reader's feelings so making the book available to others by giving it or including it in a library's holdings should expand the ripple effect of wholesome feelings. This book, with a Fry Readability Score of Grade 8 is recommended for purchase by any library serving a population who celebrates Christmas.

Recommended Grade Level: Parents with students of all ages from primary through secondary

Danlock, Tyrone. In the wilds of western Canada. –– Trafford Publishing, 2005. –– 198pp. : colour photos. –– ISBN 141203447-7. –– $37.00 paper.

Reviewed by: Gloria Reinheimer, teacher-librarian, Bear Creek Elementary School, SD#36 (Surrey).

Tyrone Danlock has written 27 short stories about his wilderness encounters in Western Canada. He has met numerous animals of all sizes. During the years he writes about, he was both living and working in the wilderness. He includes safety tips, a glossary and some very beautiful photographs. Danlock hunts with a camera and pepper spray, but sometimes carries a gun for protection. The twin themes of conservation and ecology run through these stories.

The stories, however, are text heavy and use some flowery language. There is a lot of description of landscape and weather to set up the brief animal encounters. Danlock says he has purposely obscured the locations to protect the animals. He has divided the stories into geographic areas, but they need a common theme to tie them together. Danlock's love and respect for nature is obvious in his stories. This book is self published and would have limited audience appeal at the secondary school level.

Tanner, Mike. Flat-out rock : Ten great bands of the '60s. –– Annick Press, 2006. –– 160pp. : colour and b&w photos. –– ISBN 978-1-55451-035-1. –– $14.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Marv Worden, retired teacher-librarian, SD#68 (Nanaimo/Ladysmith).

Simple, clear, factual and attractive, this book at a grade 11 reading level should fill any gap of general knowledge in the minds of high school rockers interested in Dylan, Beatles, Who, Doors, Joplin, Hendrix, CCR, Stones, CSN&Y and Led Zep.

Almost every page turn reveals two illustrations or an illustration and a colourful, informative sidebar. Band names as chapter titles are printed in 60s style lettering and the sidebars are reminiscent of tie dye fashion.

Each chapter is devoted to information on one band and includes not only lists of what Tanner considers their best albums and best singles, but cites groups or artists that were chief influences and those who were in turn influenced by each of these remarkable bands.

Discussions of each band are firmly established against the background of political and social changes that grew out of the economic and scientific developments of the western world after WW II. This time period could not be discussed without mention of drug use and this book deals with the topic in an even handed way, pointing out the number of artists who died young or had their careers severely limited through drug use.

The usefulness of this book as resource material for secondary school libraries is enhanced by the four-page index and two pages each of bibliography, cited materials, photo credits, and a list of influential songs by artists other than the featured groups.

Recommended Grade Level: Secondary

Lesynski, Loris. Illustrated by Michael Martchenko. I did it because… : How a poem happens. –– Annick Press, 2006. –– 64pp. : ill. –– ISBN 978-1-55451-017-7. $10.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Karen Schweitzer, retired teacher-librarian, SD#61 (Greater Victoria).

Poetry is a form of writing that a majority of students fear. But why? Most young children enjoy the rhyme and rhythm expressed in poetry. Many can recite their favourites and never tire of hearing them over and over. So what makes the transition from hearing to writing so difficult?

In their book, I Did It Because…, Loris Leynski and Michael Martchenko have combined their talents to make the writing of poetry not scary, but fun. The book is divided into sections that guide the student along in the development of a poem. It begins with "Feeling the Beat", then "Sounds and Wordplay", "Inspiration Sparks" and finally, "Writing in Rhyme".

Loris' skilful choice of topics, such as "Sock Fluff" and "No Smirchling Allowed", will hopefully succeed in reuniting the hesitant writer with a renewed love of poetry. In Loris' world of poetry, anything goes!

Michael Martchenko's humorous illustrations add to the enjoyment of the book.

A list of websites is included at the end of the book. They give students, teachers and parents great sites to check out.

I Did It Because is a book that should be in every intermediate classroom. Both teachers and students would benefit from reading and working through the ideas presented.

Recommended Gr. Level Gr. 3-6

May 2007 Auger, Dale. Mwakwa talks to the loon : A Cree story for Children. – Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd., 2006. – 32pp. : ill. : glossary. – ISBN 978-1-894974-04-2,

$24.95, hardcover.

Reviewed by: Sheila Black, teacher-librarian (on leave) SD 32 (Vancouver)

Kayas is a young Cree hunter who is very skilled because he knows the ways of the animals, birds, and fishes and can even speak with the beings he hunts. His great talents are known by his People, who are grateful and lavish high praise upon him. However, Kayas soon stops hunting and is happy to rest on his laurels until he discovers that his own boastful attitude has diminished his talents and he is no longer able to provide for his People. Humbled and regretful, Kayas seeks out The Elders who encourage him to enlist the help of Mwakwa, the Loon, who owes the People a favour. Mwakwa, indeed, helps Kayas reconnect with the natural world, but Kayas and his People must in return rejoice always during their feasts and pay homage to the spirits of the animals, birds and fish who feed them.

In this Aboriginal tale of hubris, Kayas learns that to live a successful and fulfilling life one must learn to respect the special talents one has and not take them for granted. When Kayas is reconnected with the ways of his community, he honours the strong connection between spirituality and the land. Kayas understands his social responsibility in that he is part of a whole, no better and no worse than anyone or anything else.

The powerful lessons imparted in this story are reflected in the equally evocative and beautiful paintings illustrating the quiet simple words of oral tradition. The story is also interspersed with Cree words and phrases listed in a glossary with their meanings and phonetic pronunciations.

Dr. Dale Auger, who both wrote and illustrated this story, is a Sakaw Cree from the Bigstone Nation in northern Alberta. He has a Ph.D in education and is also a visual artist and public speaker.

It should be noted that Mwakwa talks to the loon has been honoured as a co-winner of the 2006 Aboriginal Book of the Year.

Highly recommended for K-6

Tate, Nikki. Jo's Journey. — Orca Book Publishers, 2006. —144pp. — ISBN 1-55143-536-5. — $7.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Christopher Hunt, teacher-librarian, Chilliwack Central Elementary Community School, SD#33 (Chilliwack).

Jo's Journey, by Nikki Tate, is a follow up to Jo's Pony Express adventures in the novel Jo's Triumph. This second book, however, stands on its own story, independent of the history contained in the first book.

Miss Joselyn Whyte is a preteen orphan disguising herself as a boy in the 1860s gold rush era. She is traveling with Bart Ridley, a friend from her previous adventures; as yet, he is unaware his companion is a girl. Naturally, by appearing to be a boy in that era, she gains considerable freedom that she is reluctant to give up.

When Jo convinces Bart to accompany her on a journey into the Cariboo gold fields, she has no idea how difficult the trip will be. The two are lucky enough to be taken on as employees of a Mr. Emerson. He is a grandiose talker with a barely hidden temper; his initial generous demeanour soon changes to that of a bitter slave driver. The two children lead a miserable, slogging, backbreaking existence on the long road north. The climax of the novel comes when Bart falls into a river and is swept downstream. Jo finds him nearly dead from exposure and has to nurse him back to health. Afterward, Jo reveals her true identity, and the relief of her honesty helps set the optimistic tone of the final pages.

This novel is a short, easy read (grade three level) that packs in a lot of facts about the gold rush and pioneering life. Nikki Tate is an experienced rider who has gone on re-created horseback journeys so her knowledge of horses and trail riding is evident in the book. The one small drawback to the story is that it may be compared to Frances Duncan's Cariboo Runaway which has similar elements: a girl traveling incognito as a boy who is heading north on the trail to the gold rush. Yet, despite surface similarities, the stories are quite different. Jo's Journey is a great novel for use in classrooms studying this era; it will engage students by bringing textbook learning to life.

Recommended Grade Level: 2 - 6 (and older)

Christie, Peter. Well-schooled fish and feathered bandits : The wondrous ways animals learn from animals. — 48 pp. : photos : index : bibliography. — ISBN 978-1-55451-045-0. — $9.95 paper.

Reviewed by: Christopher Hunt, teacher-librarian, Chilliwack Central Elementary Community School, SD#33 (Chilliwack).

Peter Christie's Well-schooled fish... is a fabulous non-fiction curiosity book. Its subject is "social learning," the process through which some animals go beyond mere instincts to develop new skills which other animals in their species copy. By presenting the observations of researchers, Christie allows the reader to see evolution in action.

Some of the examples of social learning have been well covered in the news media (especially on science shows) but other examples in the book are lesser known. The examples included are very entertaining: there were several British bird species that learned to break open milk bottle seals (in the days of home delivery) to drink the cream; starlings, who like shiny objects, found a way to steal quarters from a change machine; a crow using a water fountain, and so on.

Other examples of social learning include animals' use of tools and their ability to make or modify tools. There are many examples of animal learning via observation, even including whales and birds that develop new songs after hearing another innovator who breaks away from the usual.

This book is great for those library patrons interested in learning fascinating facts about the natural world. It is an interesting read from cover to cover. Its layout, with plenty of insets, pictures, and captions allows for informative browsing as well. The reading level is approximately grade 5-6, though it could be used to enhance animal studies with younger students.

Recommended Grade Level: 4 - 8 (suitable for younger/older as well)

Rud, Jeff. High and Inside. – Orca Book Publishers, 2006. – 176pp. – ISBN 1-55143-532-2. - $8.95 paper.

Reviewed by Pat Parker, teacher-librarian, Arthur Hatton/Dufferin Elementary Schools, SD#73 (Kamloops/North Thompson).

In this Sequel to In the Paint, baseball is central to the action. The South Side Sports series features fast-paced sports books and this time the focus is on making choices.

Matt is afraid of being hit by the ball, so Charly, the team manager, gives up his Saturday mornings to help Matt with hitting practice. Matt's friend, Jake, the best player on the team, is introduced to marijuana, by his older cousin. Matt and Jake's friendship is tested when Matt is thought to be using marijuana, when in fact, he was only carrying Jake's marijuana-smelling jacket in his bag. Matt made a good choice in not being peer-pressured into using marijuana, but is feeling bad that his mother and others think that he might be guilty. There is a great sport story as the Stingers pursue the play-offs and a nice romantic touch as Matt and Andrea's relationship becomes more serious.

It is a small format paperback with a bright cover. Inside, the paper quality is good, but there is very little margin space.

The author is a news journalist and also wrote Long Shot: Steve Nash's Journey to the NBA.

Recommended Grade level 6-8

Crooks, Sylvia. Homefront and battlefront: Nelson BC in World War II. – Heritage House Publishing Company, Ltd., 2005. – 228pp. : b&w photos ; endnotes : bibliography : index. – ISBN 1-894694-38-4. - $24.95

Reviewed by: Pat Parker, teacher-librarian, Arthur Hatton/Dufferin Elementary Schools, SD#73 (Kamloops/North Thompson).

Sylvia Crooks has written a tribute to the generation who lived through World War II. It is a well-researched, well-written, comprehensive history of both the battlefront and the home front. Although the title implies it is the history of one small town, it could be the history of any number of towns. It is a compelling account of personal and community stories.

Crooks' teacher, Maurice Latornell, was the impetus for the writing of the book. When she went to the Nelson cenotaph to check the spelling of his name, she was struck by the number of other names there, and began thinking about their lives and too-early deaths.

In all, seventy men left Nelson, never to return. They were badminton players, golfers, basketball players, students, and academics. This book, written in chronological order, tells their stories.

It is a story told in a straightforward fashion and uses contemporary accounts: letters, military records, and newspaper articles. It does not overly sentimentalize, but does convey the irony of war. The book almost seamlessly switches to the home front and reports on activities showing massive local support and fundraising.

Included are wonderful photographs of the people and the era. There are reproductions of newspaper ads promoting overseas service, mailing gifts overseas, and public meetings.

A number of postscripts are also added: a geographical listing of memorials in Nelson and district, a list of the casualties and the dates of death and place of burial, the military units of the casualties, home addresses of Nelson and district casualties, a record of sources, a bibliography, and a personal name index.

The author was born and raised in Nelson and her father was the mayor from 1958 to 1963. She has been an editor, quiz show writer, public librarian and UBC professor. She has authored two previous boo