2013 CLA Book Awards

On April 15 the Canadian Library Association (CLA), announced winners for three prestigious awards in children and young adult literature. All of the title listed are available at the Library. Take home one today and find a new favourite book!

Winners include...

Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award


WINNER
You Are Stardust
By Elin Kelsey
Looks at how we are connected to nature in unexpected ways.

Book of the Year for Children

WINNER
The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
By Susin Nielsen
A lovable, difficult protagonist struggles to come to terms with the

horrible crime his brother has committed.

HONOUR BOOKS

A Tinfoil Sky
By Cyndi San-Eveland
Mel and her mother Cecily live rough on the streets and sometimes in the apartment of an abusive man. When Cecily says they've had enough and are going home to her mother's, Mel dreams of security, a comfortable bed, and a grandmother’s love. But her grandmother is not what Mel expects, and though the local library offers her a place to belong, a real home seems beyond her grasp. Mel determines to rise above her fate and find that one special place called home.

The Grave Robber's Apprentice
By Allan Stratton
Hans, a foundling raised by a grave robber, joins the countess Angela von Schwanenberg on a quest to save her parents from an evil archduke and to discover his true identity.

Young Adult Book Award

WINNER

My Book of Life by Angel
By Martine Leavitt
Angel, a sixteen-year-old girl working the streets of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, befriends Melli, an 11-year-old girl in the same situation and realizes she must do all that she can to save Melli and perhaps save herself at the same time.

HONOUR BOOKS

40 Things I Want to Tell You
By Alice Kuipers
Amy (a.k.a. Bird) has a seemingly perfect life, including a hot boyfriend. She writes an online advice column to help other teens take control of their lives, but after Pete--the consummate bad boy-- shows up at school, Bird can't seem to follow her own wisdom, affecting her relationship with her boyfriend.

What Happened to Ivy
By Kathy Stinson
When David's severely disabled younger sister drowns while in the care of their father, he suspects that her death might not have been an accident and must confront his own feelings of guilt while struggling with moral questions about what is right, what is merciful, and what can be forgiven.

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Shelf Life [adult]

Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacqueline Winspear

@SPL: FIC Winsp

Maisie Dobbs has come a long way from her start as a kitchen maid in a large country estate. Given a formal education, she lied about her age and enlisted as a nurse in WWI. She got wounded, lost her first love, and was mentored by a man to whom world leaders turned for advice. She opened and ran a successful private investigation firm, was left a fortune by her mentor, and is close to becoming the mistress of the same country estate where she was a kitchen maid, through her relationship with the family’s son. This may make Miss Maisie Dobb seem a very ambitious woman, but she is far from ruthless in her ambition. In fact, Maisie Dobbs is probably one of the most compassionate detectives ever penned. Her inability to bring a murderer to justice in her last case weighs heavily on her – the murderer is a man who holds a key to keeping the rising threat of Germany at bay. This, combined with her current case involving the deaths of two Indian women, bring her to the brink of a decision that will change her future. When an Indian woman is found in a canal, having been shot between the eyes, Scotland Yard allows the case to slide for months until the young woman’s brother comes to England. He had served England in WWI himself but this passes no muster with the local police, so he visits Maisie Dobbs. As Maisie investigates she finds that the woman, Usha, had a special gift; courageous and unafraid – even in a foreign country where the colour of her skin and the bright softness of her sari is regarded with suspicion – Usha used her knowledge of exotic herbs and spices to ease the pain of those others would shun. Is this the reason someone chose to shoot her, afraid of her very courage? Then why shoot – in the exact same manner – her friend Maya, a homesick former ayah with no such talent? In the course of her investigation, Maisie encounters blatant racism, underhanded exploitation, dubious alternative churches, the continuing influence of shell-shock, and the lasting effects of domestic abuse. But she also encounters resilience, indomitable human spirits, true love and kindness, even as she prepares to make a life-altering choice that will affect everyone around her.  Those familiar with the Maisie Dobbs series will find Leaving Everything Most Loved a hugely satisfactory addition that will have audiences eagerly anticipating her next novel, which is sure to be the most adventurous yet; I would recommend new readers for the series to start with the first novel, simply called Maisie Dobbs, to get a better sense of her back story, before moving on to any of the others. 

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on April 25, 2013. Written by Robyn Godfrey, Librarian. 

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Shelf Life [kids]

Bedtime is Canceled! By Cece Meng, 32 pages.

@ SPL:  JP Meng   

    

Young Maggie’s wishful note said “Bedtime is canceled!”  Her parents didn’t believe it for a second.  They put the note directly into the trash.

    

But the note didn’t stay there. Before long, a gust of wind got ahold of the note and blew it across town into an open window.

    

It landed on a news reporter’s desk and was reprinted in the headlines of next morning’s newspaper. “BEDTIME IS CANCELED!”  Everyone read it - or heard about it. Everyone believed it (except for Maggie and her brother).

    

The principal at Maggie’s school read it and immediately sent a notice home to all the parents – who were, understandably, not happy. (In fact, some parents threw temper tantrums - and were given time-outs by the principal!)

    

That night, there was no bedtime. Pajamas lay unworn and teddy bears sat unhugged. Kids played tag, bounced on their beds and climbed the walls - as did their parents. No one slept.

    

The next morning, weary parents poured coffee in their briefcases and purses and buttered pets’ tails instead of toast. Tired teachers couldn’t remember the answers to “1+1” and “2+2”. At dinnertime, parents fell asleep at the dinner table with their heads in plates of mashed potatoes or bowls of soup.

    

Things were quickly getting out of hand.

    

The new note said, “Bedtime is NOT cancelled!” Maggie wrote it – and this time, her parents believed it. The newspapers printed it and the television stations reported it. And that night, everyone went to bed and slept and slept, except for Maggie and her brother….

    

Preschoolers may want to delay (or cancel) their own bedtime to hear this hilarious story one more time!

** Recommended for ages 3 to 6 years.

Small Bunny’s Blue Blanket by Tatyana Feeney, 32 pages.

@ SPL:  JP Feene

    

Small Bunny loves his blue “blankie” so much that he always has it with him. It does everything that he does, from going for a swing ride to painting a picture or reading a book. Somehow, his blanket buddy seems to help Small Bunny to swing the highest, paint the best pictures and read the hardest words.

    

Small Bunny thinks his blankie is perfect – but Mother Bunny thinks differently.  One day she insists that both he and his blanket need a good bath.

    

After Small Bunny’s bath, his mother puts his blue blanket into the washing machine, assuring him that “it will only take a minute.”

    

For a full 107 minutes, Small Bunny anxiously watches his blanket being laundered. When he finally gets it back, it somehow isn’t the same.

    

Young listeners (many of whom will have their own special blanket or other comfort toy such as a stuffed animal) will agree with the clever way in which Small Bunny makes his blanket “perfect” again in this appealing story, enhanced with Tatyana Feeney’s whimsical line drawings.

** Recommended for ages 2 to 4 years.

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on April 25, 2013. Written by Sally Hengeveld, Librarian.

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Shelf Life [adult]

Meatless: More than 200 of the Very Best Vegetarian Recipes

From the Kitchens of Maratha Stewart Living

641.5636 Mea
Despite the many recipe websites and blogs online today there is still something special about holding a recipe book full of glossy pictures that simply makes your mouth drool.  Meatless isn’t only for vegetarians but for anyone who wants to eat a more veggie-based diet.  While some vegetarian recipe books include trendy ingredients that I cannot find at the local groceries (or pronounce), Meatlessgets back to basics with a twist that is both inexpensive and convenient.  My favourites? There is a whole section on pesto (not just for pasta!) and a variety of pizza options. For winter try Lentil and Sweet-Potato Stew, or Pea and Potato Curry, and in the summer experiment with Sweet potatoes with Coconut, Pomegranate, and Lime or one of the many Vegetable Slaws suggested including one with golden beets. If you were under the assumption that vegetarian means ‘light’ or ‘just salad’ think again. These meals pack a punch in flavour and many contain protein substitutes to keep your meals nutritionally balanced.  Best of all, every recipe includes a legend providing vegan, gluten free and special diet (no dairy, wheat, soy or nuts) information as well as a nutritional value statement per one serving.  Want to eat healthier and still crave a delicious dinner? Start here!

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on April 18, 2013. Written by Laura Paprocki, Librarian. 

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Shelf Life [kids]

The Tree that Bear Climbed by Marianne Berkes, 32 pages.

@ SPL:  JP Berke

There are many parts to a tree, and all of them have a role to play in its well-being. Roots anchor it in the ground, prevent soil erosion and draw in water and nutrients. The trunk moves water and nutrients from the roots to the leaves, which draw in sunlight and carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air. The tree’s leaves and branches shelter birds, bees and many other creatures, and some types of trees bear edible fruit.

    

Trees are a very vital part of our world.

     

In The Tree that Bear Climbed, Marianne Berkes introduces one part of a tree and its environment at a time – the soil, roots, trunk, branches, leaves, sun, blossoms, pollen, etc. as a young bear climbs high up into a tree where a beehive is overflowing with honey. Young readers will chuckle at the conclusion to this cumulative story when some very angry bees react to the young bear’s arrival at their hive.

    

The entertaining story, the detailed artwork and four pages of learning activities at the end of the book will enlighten children about the important interaction between trees/plants and animals, and about the many ways in which we benefit from trees.

** Recommended for ages 3 to 8 years.

Out of the Way! Out of the Way! By Uma Krishnaswami, 24 pages.

@ SPL:  JP Krish

    

A dusty mud path ran through a village. Every day, people and animals would walk along the path, traveling from here to there and back again.

     

One day, a little boy discovered something small and green in the middle of the path. It was a sapling. The little boy took some rocks and put them around the tree to protect it just as the local mango seller rushed past, calling “Out of the way! Out of the way!”

    

As time passed, the tree grew bigger and bigger. Its trunk thickened and its branches spread wider and wider. One day, a pair of birds built their nest in the tree.

    

As the tree grew still larger, more birds, and squirrels too, sat in the tree. People gathered beneath it, grateful for the shade that its canopy provided.

    

Years later, the path became a road. It was graded and flattened by machines, which were careful to avoid the large tree.

    

By this time, the village had become a bustling city.

    

Now, all sorts of noisy traffic rushed by the tree, traveling from here to there and back again – bicycles, scooters, cars, buses and trucks. The tree remained standing in the middle of the busy road, a small oasis of peace, still sheltering birds and other creatures and providing shade, its roots digging deep into the ground and its leaves rustling in the evening breeze.

    

Then one day, an elderly man visited the magnificent tree with his grandchildren and paused to remember the tree as a small sapling needing protection in the middle of a dusty path….

    

This insightful story, set in India, evokes the peace and the magic that a tree can instill in our too-busy world.

** Recommended for ages 3 to 8 years. 

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on April 18, 2013. Written by Sally Hengeveld, Librarian.

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Shelf Life [adult]

Veganissimo A to Z: A Comprehensive Guide to Identifying and Avoiding Ingredients of Animal Origin in Everyday Products By Reuben Proctor and Lars Thomsen

@SPL: 613.2622 Pro

A title like that should tell you everything you want to know about the contents of a book, and for the most part this is a dictionary of every chemical or mineral that is added to food, cosmetics, clothing, cleaners, supplements and anything else you are likely to consume or use in the home.  Literally, it lists products from “Ascetic Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Foods” (sounds yummy but they’re used in food glazes) – to “Zinc Stearate” (an anti-caking agent in cosmetics).  But this little volume is packed with a lot more good stuff. First of all, it’s the Canadian edition, so it includes many local websites for consumer information, and links to Canadian legislation that govern the use and labeling of vegan, vegetarian or organic products. Each dictionary entry has a number of icons indicating, at a glance, whether the ingredient comes from animal, vegetable or mineral (or a combination thereof). In the case of “definitely not vegan” entries, there are descriptions of how the ingredient is produced – for instance we all know that silk comes from silk worms, but in case any of us had images of a peaceful garden full of worms busily spinning away, it turns out they are all killed before turning into (apparently less useful) moths. A list of several thousand ingredients may be too much to remember for the average shopper, so the book also includes an enormously helpful section on product labeling – in Canada labeling requirements are, shall we say, a bit nebulous, so the sections on foods, cosmetics and even footwear and textiles can be filed under “good to know”. This is also applies to the section on the various vegan / vegetarian / organic and cruelty-free logos that dot products on store shelves, and tells who uses each logo from which country and why. Anyone following a vegan lifestyle should find Veganissimo essential reading, but it is also a good guide for vegetarians and those choosing to eat more organically. For the rest of us, it doesn’t hurt to get enlightened on some of the products we take for granted, even if it doesn’t lead to a switch in diet or lifestyle. 

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on April 11, 2013. Written by Robyn Godfrey, Librarian. 

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Shelf Life [kids]

Heroes and Villains by Anthony Horowitz, 166 pages.

@ SPL:  J FIC Horow

The stories of such legendary heroes as Achilles, Gawain, Beowolf, Theseus and Hercules - and villains such as the Cyclops and Grendel - are retold in Anthony Horowitz’s recently-published book of short stories, Heroes and Villains.

     

The battle between good and evil, with its heroes and villains, has been waged throughout time, place and culture.  The champions and evildoers portrayed in Heroes and Villains are from various times and cultures:  English, Greek, Polynesian, Scandinavian and others. 

     

In his stories, Horowitz is clear that heroes, like other people, aren’t perfect.  For example, Achilles, one of the best-known warriors of Greek mythology, is unpleasant, argumentative, often angry and sometimes even cruel. 

     

Some heroes have superior strength or speed; others use cunning and trickery to prevail, and one legendary knight, Gawain, is a hero more because of what he doesn’t do than what he does.

      

Horowitz’s introduction notes the ever-present link between hero and villain... “You simply can’t have one without the other .... How could you have Robin Hood without the Sheriff of Nottingham?  Where would Batman be without the Joker?”

    

Retold with humour and accompanied by black and white graphic illustrations, these action-filled stories of heroes and villains will keep readers – even reluctant readers - engaged.

     

Heroes and Villains is one title in the “Legends” series by Anthony Horowitz, who is also the author of the popular M16 Agent Alex Rider stories.  Other Legends titles include The Wrath of the Gods and Tricks and Transformations.

** Recommended for ages 9 to 12 years.

Horse Heroes by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce, 124 pages.

@ SPL:  J 636.1 Osb

Heroes aren’t always people.  Sometimes they are animals, such as horses.

     

Mythology and sports are populated with such famous equine heroes as Pegasus, Man o’ War, Seabiscuit, Secretariat and others.

      

However, horses in general can be considered to be everyday heroes because of the many ways in which they have helped the human race.  Our history is closely allied with that of horses.  These animals helped to open up new worlds by carrying settlers and their supplies to new lands.  They pulled wagons, stagecoaches, railway cars, and river barges.  For many years they were our main method of communication, carrying news and mail from place to place.  Up to and including the First World War, horses have carried soldiers into battle.... did you know that during World War I, one million horses were sent to the front but only 62,000 survived? 

     

Before fire trucks came on the scene, fire horses worked side by side with firefighters in cities and rural areas.  And before the mass production of tractors and other agricultural machinery, nowhere did horses work harder than on the farm. 

     

It’s safe to say that throughout history, few other animals have worked as hard for people as horses. 

     

Today, these animals are still serving people in various roles, including that of therapy horses.   

     

Did you know that a horse’s eyes are the biggest of any land animal’s (including the elephant), and that a horse can remember instructions for ten years or more?  Readers will discover many intriguing facts about horses in this book.

     

Intended as a “nonfiction companion” volume to Mary Pope Osborne’s Stallion by Starlight, a “Magic Tree House” book, Horse Heroes stands on its own as a very readable and informative resource about the history, behaviour and characteristics of these intelligent, loyal animals.  Photos, a table of contents, an index and a list of relevant web links are included.

** Recommended for ages 8 to 12 years.

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on April 11, 2013. Written by Sally Hengeveld, Librarian.

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National Poetry Month

Books and poetry go hand in hand. What better way to show it with Book Spine Poetry in celebration of National Poetry Month! 

All you need to do is create a poem using book spine titles, take a picture, and email it to webmaster@pcin.on.ca.  Throughout the month of April, we will be posting your Book Spine Poems on the SPL Facebook page and our Flickr feed.

Here's one that one of our staff members came up with. 

Now go and have fun expressing your inner poet!

Also as part of National Poetry Month, Poetry Stratford Presents:

Four Women, Celebrating Women in Poetry

Sunday April 21, 2:30pm
Library Auditorium
Free, all are welcome

Gloria Alvernaz Mulcahy, Penn Kemp and Marianne Micros read their poems with energy and joy and also celebrate the poetry of Colleen Thibaudeau.

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Save Some Cash

When items are returned late to the Library, they are charged a small fee per day.  For adult material it is generally $.30 per day and for children's materials it is $.20 per day - and DVDs are $1 per day. As you can imagine - this can add up.  We want to help - we want to help you save your money (and return things on time).  We have a few recommendations:

1. Be sure to take your checkout slip. Many people put it up on their fridge so they have a constant reminder that things are coming due.  Or use it as a bookmark - that way every night you are reading, you see when the item is due.
2. If you have a smartphone,  program the due dates in the calendar with a reminder 2 days before so that you have the time to renew or return before the late fee begins. 
3. Sign up for an account in our online catalogue (aka BiblioCommons) and then use the Email reminder service.  This service will notify you by email that things are coming due - giving you time to renew them before the due date.  All you need is your library card and PIN (last 4 digits of your phone number) and you are in. If you need help, give us a call. 
4. Sign up for email notification for your overdue notices  This way when notices are generated (14 days past their due dates for books, 3 days for DVDs), you get the message immediately - not when it arrives in through the snail mail service. To get this set up, ask the next time you are in. You will also start to receive email notices of your requested items when thy come in too. 
5. Use our ebook or audiobook serivce.  There never any late fees and things are returned automatically - how sweet is that?

And as always, most material can now be returned in the library book drop - any hour of the day, and we can do phone renewals (so long as there are no requests!) over the phone during business hours. 

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Shelf Life [adult]

Insane City by Dave Barry
@SPL: FIC Barry
 
At this point, winter’s hung on long enough that most of us are past yeti jokes and fort building and are well into the kind of resigned stalwart ennui that fuels so much prairie CanLit. What better way to get away from the maddening drear than a comic romp through Miami?

 Dave Barry’s Insane City is just the thing to chase away extended-winter blahs – a hilarious comedy of errors set in a city with no filter, taken to all the ridiculous extremes the author could think of in the name of laughs and adventure.

 Seth Weinstein is your typical nice guy who can’t win. He went to college and did passably well, only to wind up living back in his parents’ basement tweeting PR pap for a living. When he meets gorgeous, sophisticated Tina Clark, he can’t believe his luck. He wastes no time proposing to the clever, socially conscious lawyer from a family of famous investors. Before he knows it, he and his lovable-loser friends from college arrive in Miami for the bachelor party before the beachside wedding.

 Of course, nothing goes as planned. Before the night’s out, Seth’s lost the Groom Posse, an orangutan has Tina’s wedding ring, and a family of Haitian refugees are camping out in his suite at the wedding hotel. Tina, meanwhile, has gone full bridezilla, and refuses to tolerate Seth’s good-natured attempts to solve the problems. I won’t give away too much more other than to tell you the author employs some very well-timed special brownies and there’s a pirate battle.

Fans of Carl Hiaasen, Tom Cockey, or Bill Bryson’s more debauched material will find this book has everything they want from a winter escape novel. The characters are stock stereotypes, but that’s actually desirable in a slapstick plot this complicated. No psychology gets in the way of the laughs, and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that will get you dubious looks on public transit or in bed next to your partner. (I snorted! Most unladylike.) It’s The Hangover for people who read, written by a Pulitzer Prize winner. Winter, consider yourself owned.

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on April 4, 2013. Written by Shauna Thomas, Librarian.

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Shelf Life [kids]

Reasons to be Happy by Katrina Kittle, 281 pages.
@ SPL:  YA PB Kittl

    

The title, “Reasons to be Happy”, suggests that Katrina Kittle’s new teen novel is a cheerful, happy story … but it isn’t.

    

At one time, Hannah Carlisle had many reasons to be happy. Self-assured and confident, she had two loving parents and many friends. She enjoyed school, loved to run and was a talented artist.

    

Then her mother was diagnosed with cancer. The family moved and Hannah started eighth grade at a new school where she had trouble fitting in. For the first time, her “plain Jane” looks bothered her. Her self-assurance disappeared. And later, when her mother died and her dad withdrew into his grief, Hannah was intensely lonely.  Desperate to fit in with the crowd at school – and desperate to have a measure of control over some part of her life, she became bulimic.

    

The novel doesn’t ignore, gloss over or “sugar coat” the physical and emotional repercussions of bulimia – or the difficult road to recovery. Hannah’s own journey to recovery began when she accompanied her aunt to Ghana to film a documentary on starving orphans. There, Hannah was shocked out of her insecurities about her body image in the face of the desperation and death around her. Learning – and accepting - that inner beauty is so much more important than outer beauty, she was eventually able, upon returning to North America, to find reasons to be happy once again.

    

Unsettling and hard-hitting, this well-written novel paints a realistic portrait of bulimia for young readers who may be struggling with their own body image.       

** Recommended for ages 12 to 15 years.

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe, 309 pages.

@ SPL:  YA PB Crewe

    

A small island community is hit with a strange, deadly virus. Quickly infecting both young and old, it races through the population and becomes an epidemic.

    

Unfortunately, there is no cure for the flu-like virus.  

    

As the casualties begin to mount, the island is quarantined, cut off from mainland Canada and the rest of the world. No one can leave or enter the island.

    

The situation becomes increasingly desperate. Healthy residents fight for food supplies, of which there are never enough.

     

Sixteen-year-old Kaelyn, a resident, is grieving the loss of her mother and caring for her young cousin, Meredith. She is also working with her microbiologist father in a desperate attempt to develop antibodies to the virus. Previous tests have failed, but they have modified the serum again and believe that this time, it could work. But before they can try it, her dad is attacked by a crazed resident – and it’s unclear if he will recover.

      

With Meredith now very sick, Kaelyn makes the difficult decision to try the serum on herself.

     

The Way We Fall ends before the reader can find out if the test is successful but the story is continued in a just-published sequel,The Lives We Lost.

    

Megan Crewe’s haunting dystopian teen novel has been nominated for the Ontario Library Association’s 2013 White Pine Award. It is a thoroughly captivating story and leaves readers hungering to know what will happen to Kaelyn and Meredith.

** Recommended for ages 12 to 16 years.

This review appears in The Stratford Gazette on April 4, 2013. Written by Sally Hengeveld, Librarian.

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