Bonnie Ferrante's Blog, page 28
July 3, 2017
Come Out Mr Poo! by Janelle McGuiness. Illustrated by Jess VP. Book Review.
Using humor to defuse a potentially tense situation is a positive idea especially when working with toddlers. This children’s picture book shows a child who is having difficulty emptying his bowels. He is already trained to urinate but seems to suffer from constipation or fear of pushing. The mother in the story convinces him to … Continue reading Come Out Mr Poo! by Janelle McGuiness. Illustrated by Jess VP. Book Review.
July 2, 2017
When Grandma Climbed the Magic Ladder by Priya Narayanan. Book Review.
This is a unusual story about what happens after death. When a little boy named Shashi’s grandmother dies, we follow her journey up the magic ladder into the sky to become a star with herpreviously deceased husband. Although the story begins with tears and grieving, once we switch to the Grandma’s point of view … Continue reading When Grandma Climbed the Magic Ladder by Priya Narayanan. Book Review.
July 1, 2017
Happy Birthday Canada and me too.
Today Canada turned 150 years old. Yesterday I turned 64. Tomorrow is Sunday, when I always run a recycled column from my years with the newspaper. I thought this one was appropriate and rather ironic considering how much I would love to be 40 again. Forgive me for running it a day early. From the … Continue reading Happy Birthday Canada and me too.
June 30, 2017
Why I Love Canada. Illustrated by Daniel Howarth. Book Review.
buy link – Why I Love Canada: Celebrating Canada, in children’s very own words Why I love Canada… How would you finish that sentence with a simple phrase? There are so many possibilities. This is the last book in my celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday. Fittingly, it is entitled “Why I Love Canada.” Also, it … Continue reading Why I Love Canada. Illustrated by Daniel Howarth. Book Review.
June 29, 2017
A Different Generation – Listen to the Wisest of All by Rita Blockman and Kimberly Morin. Photography by Charles Mercer. Book Review.
Listen to the Wisest of All is a collection of interviews with men and women aged 88 to 104 years old. One thing that impressed me was the positive attitude many of the interviewees had toward their childhood even if they were raised in difficult circumstances, even poverty. They were proud of their own contributions … Continue reading A Different Generation – Listen to the Wisest of All by Rita Blockman and Kimberly Morin. Photography by Charles Mercer. Book Review.
June 28, 2017
Only in Canada! From the Colossal to the Kooky by Vivien Bowers. Book Review.
buy link – Only in Canada!: From the Colossal to the Kooky (Wow Canada!) This hefty, nonfiction 95 page book has a humorous approach to engaging the reader. Scattered throughout the book are the narrators, a Canada goose and the moose, dressed in full clothing and making comments, some helpful and some silly. There are … Continue reading Only in Canada! From the Colossal to the Kooky by Vivien Bowers. Book Review.
June 27, 2017
Canada Celebrates Multiculturalism by Bobby Kalman. The Lands, Peoples, and Cultures Series. Book Review.
Canada Celebrates Multiculturalism (Lands, Peoples, & Cultures) buy link The topics covered in this nonfiction book are: Beginnings of multiculturalism Celebrating Canada’s history Heritage days Caribana Cross-cultural festivals Harvest festivals Christmas customs New year celebrations Religion Holidays Family days Festivals Recipes It also Includes a Glossary and an Index. This is a lot of things … Continue reading Canada Celebrates Multiculturalism by Bobby Kalman. The Lands, Peoples, and Cultures Series. Book Review.
June 26, 2017
Ride the Big Machines Across Canada. Illustrated by Carmen Mok. Book Review.
Ride The Big Machines Across Canada This is a thick, hefty board book. It begins “I’m going on a trip from sea to sea. How will I do it? Come ride with me!” We see a little boy lying on the lawn playing with a toy car over a map of Canada. His parents are … Continue reading Ride the Big Machines Across Canada. Illustrated by Carmen Mok. Book Review.
June 25, 2017
Good Morning, Canada by Andrea Lynn Beck. Book Review.
The double-page spread illustrations in this book are soft and inviting. It features racially diverse children in various Canadian environments and activities. The story is told in rhyme which, thankfully, holds up quite well. It reads aloud smoothly. The rhyming is never awkward or forced. It begins with two boys high up on a ladder … Continue reading Good Morning, Canada by Andrea Lynn Beck. Book Review.
June 24, 2017
All Fall Down: The Landslide Diary of Abby Roberts – Frank, District of Alberta, 1902 by Jean Little. Book Review.
Jean Little is a national treasure. Her body of work is phenomenal and this is up there with the best of them. You don’t have to be Canadian to enjoy this book, or the series, which is told in diary format. The story of the landslide that buried part of the town in the coal … Continue reading All Fall Down: The Landslide Diary of Abby Roberts – Frank, District of Alberta, 1902 by Jean Little. Book Review.
