BOOK REVIEWS ~ "Wibble Wobble" By: Miriam Moss

When I ordered "Wibble Wobble" through inter-library loans, I had no idea how appropriate this "Tiger Tale" book, written by Miriam Moss, would be for both Alisdair and Isobel!

"Wibble Wobble" is a heartwarming story about a little boy named William.  On the first page the reader is told, "All William ever wanted in the whole world was to have a loose tooth."

It seems to William that his "teeth seemed stuck, superglued to his gums.  'It isn't fair,' said William.  'Everyone else at school tells loose tooth stories.  'Sammy swallowed his . . .  Rosa's fell down the toilet . . . and Louie's flew out when he scored a goal!' "

Then William learns he could get a silver dollar from the Tooth Fairy, if he had a loose tooth that came out!  He tells Grandma about three children who lost their teeth at school. 

" . . . 'if it comes out at school, you have to keep it somewhere safe.'  William continued, 'Vicky tied hers into the knot in her shoelaces . . . and Martin hid his in a cotton ball in his ear.  AND . . . today Jasmine's got lost up her nose.  Mrs. King said she'd keep them safe from now on.' "

The very next day, William discovers his very first loose tooth.  He is excited and shows his friends.  For several pages William is busy with his tooth ~ "push, pull, jiggle, joggle.  poke, flick, wibble, wobble."

Then, one day in gym class "William did his best somersault ever.  And when he stood up, his tooth was sitting on his tongue!  William took it out and looked at it.  It was so tiny!  'I'll look after it until you go home,' said Mrs. King, wrapping it in a tissue and puttling it on top of the filing cabinet. 'Then can I take it home?' asked William, feeling a bit wobbly himself.  'Of course,' said Mrs. King.

When William's mother arrived to pick him up, he tells her, "My tooth came out!'  'Oh William!' said Mom.  'Where is it?'  'It's on the filing cabinet, wrapped up in a tissue,' said William.  'Here it is,' said Mrs. King.  Then she said, 'Oh, it's gone.'

They searched everywhere, to no avail.  Then William remembers that when Louie got red paint in his eye, Rosa had handed him a tissue to wipe it out.

"Mom and Mrs. King looked at each other."  Despite their obvious misgivings, the two women continued searching in the classroom and Mom eventually finds the tooth in a crumpled up tissue in the wastebasket.  A very relieved William took his tooth home and the "next morning [he] looked under his pillow.  There lay a little wooden box.  He lifted the lid and inside was a shiny silver dollar!  When William got to school, he told everyone his loose tooth story. 'I would think you'd like a rest from loose teeth for a while, William!' said Mrs. King.  'Yes,' said William.  'I would.'

But when William spends his silver dollar on an enormous ice cream, unwraps it and takes a big bite of the "ice-cold, rock-hard toffee ... another tooth wiggled!  Push, pull, jiggle, joggle, poke, flick, wibble, wobble."

***  

One evening, after we had read this book, Isobel was complaining that eating the meat on her dinner plate was "hurting her teeth."  I was scared she had another cavity... at least until I looked into her little mouth and discovered that one of her bottom front teeth was very loose. A few days later, it fell out and we discovered there was a new tooth coming in a little bit back of where the original one had been.  Now she has a second wiggly tooth!

Meanwhile, in about the space of a week, Alisdair lost, not one, but TWO molars!  I laughed and said pretty soon I'd have to start feeding them both baby food again as they wouldn't have enough teeth to chew their dinner anymore!

This photo, taken on the plane
 to Victoria, shows all the spaces
 Alisdair currently has between his teeth!

 It's funny how, although they are almost six years apart in age, that in many ways, they are going through the same stages together -- learning how to ride two-wheeled bikes and losing teeth are just two of these areas.

Push, pull, jiggle, joggle, poke, flick, wibble, wobble ... I wonder who will be the next to lose another ....Isobel?  Or her brother?!

... One missing and the tooth next to it is wiggly,too!

***

On our last trip to the main library in North Battleford we borrowed another book on this topic.  It is called "My Tooth Is About to Fall Out" by Grace Maccarone and is published as part of the "Hello Reader -- Level One" Scholastic series.  It's a rhyming book about a little girl.  The conclusion of the poem follows:

"Then tonight I'll go to sleep

And the Tooth Fairy will creep

into my room.

She'll take my baby tooth,

and maybe,

if I am lucky,

she will leave

something behind

for me to find.

I had twenty baby teeth --

with big ones growing underneath.

My roots, I think,

dissolve and shrink

until they're small.

And so my teeth get loose and fall.

My big teeth will begin to show

from under my gums, way below.

I can't wait to see them.  They'll look great!"

BOOK REVIEWS ~ "Mark Twain at Work!" By: Howard Goldsmith

If you've ever read "Tom Sawyer" you will recall the incident where the mischievous lad encourages other folk to whitewash a fence, thus getting out of the work, himself.  But you may be surprised to learn this situation actually took place in the life of the author, Mark Twain.

"Mark Twain at Work!" is a "Level 2" book in the "Ready-to-Read" series.  It is one of several books that focus on the "Childhood of Famous Americans."

The reader soon learns that "Mark Twain was born in a small Missouri town in 1835" and that "his real name was Samuel Clemens" (Pages 3 and 4).

It seems he had a happy childhood, playing with his cousins, exploring the woods, climbing trees, picking berries and swimming in the brook. The text indicates Clemens was always busy "hopping about like a jumping bean" (Page 7).

Once he took a garter snake to school.  "The snake wriggled its way across the room.  It stopped at the feet of their teacher, Mr. Cross.  Mr. Cross glared across the room at Sam.  'Sam-u-el Lang-horne Clem-ens!' he called.  'Take that snake outside!  At once!' " (Pages 11-13).

Athough the boy obeyed, the next day the teacher told the lad's Mother what had happened.  "Sam's Mother punished him by making him paint the tall, wide fence around their yard.  'That's an awful lot of work!' Sam complained, staring at the fence.  It looked a mile high.  'Blame yourself!' his Mother answered." (Pages 15 and 16).

Sam tried to get his friend, Sandy, to help him paint the fence, but he was on an errand to fetch water from a well.  Then along came another friend, Will Bowen.  Clemens told Will painting was fun. "'Nothing is work if you enjoy doing it,' Sam said.  'Can I brush awhile?' Will asked. 'What will you give me to brush?' Sam said.  'Give you?'  Will asked, puzzled.  'Of course,' Sam said.  'Nothing for nothing.' "  (Pages 22 and 23).  So Will traded an apple for a chance to paint the fence!

Later, John Briggs came along.  He gave Sam a tadpole for an opportunity to swing the paint brush.  When he got tired, a friend name Frank had the next chance to brush the fence. "By late afternoon all the boys in town had painted the fence.  Sam was not tired at all!  Plus he now had two tadpoles, ten marbles, a box of worms, five pieces of orange peel and other things" (Pages 26 and 27).

" 'Someday,' Sam promised himself, ' I am going to write all this down.'  He would turn it into a funny story.  He loved making people laugh.  As he grew older he learned to weave webs of magic words that cast a spell.  Years later Sam wrote books under the name Mark Twain.  The story of the fence grew into one of Mark Twain's most famous books "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer."  Mark Twain became one of America's favorite humorists.  After The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  He said most of those adventures were true.  They all happened when he was a boy" (Pages 28 to 31).

***

TIMELINE OF MARK TWAIN'S LIFE

1835 - Born in Florida, Missouri, as Samuel Langhorne Clemens
1839 - Clemens moves to Hannibal, Missouri
1843 - Twain attends William Cross's one-room schoolhouse.  Young Twain writes:

'Cross by name and cross by nature --

Cross jumped over an Irish potato."

1848 - Apprentices at the Missouri Courier
1852 - Twain's first published sketch appears in the Boston Carpet Bag
1857 - Begins work as an apprentice pilot on the Mississippi River
1861 - Moves to Nevada with his brother Orion and tries mining
1862 - Takes a job as a reporter, for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise
1865 - Wins fame with his comic take "Jim Smiley and his Jumping Frog" (later published as 'The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.')
1866 - Gives his first lecture on his experiences, beginning a career as a humorous lecturer
1870 - Marries Olivia Langdon
1871 - They settle in Hartford, Connecticut
1876 - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a great success
1882 - Publishes The Prince and the Pauper
1884 - The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is published in London; comes out the following year in America
1889 - Publishes A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
1904 - Wife Olivia dies at age sixty

1910 - Dies at age seventy-five in Redding, Connecticut.   

***

BOOK REVIEWS ~ Robin Hill School ~ "The Garden Project" By: Margaret McNamara

Since our garden is growing fast and furiously (thanks to abundant rains lately), Isobel especially enjoyed the book, "The Garden Project" from the Robin Hill School "Ready-to-Read" series (Level 1), written by Margaret McNamara.

In the book, the teacher, Mrs. Connor, decides to turn on old sandbox into a garden plot.  "Parents filled the sandbox with dark brown dirt." After dividing the garden into four smaller plots, four students were assigned to planting seeds in each "square." 

"Nick, Katie, Emma and Eigen planted radish seeds.  Nick made holes in the dirt with his fingers.  Emma dropped one seed in each hole.  Eigen covered them up."

Some of our radish crop...

At this point, Isobel told me about her own experiences, poking her finger into the dirt and helping her stepdad, John, planting seeds.

Another foursome planted sunflower seeds.  "Sunflowers are big.  'And they need a lot of sun!' said Jamie."  (We have a few sunflower plants in our garden, too!)

Some other students planted pea pods while "Neil, Nia, James and Megan planted lettuce."

When Neil begins complaining about disliking vegetables, Mrs. Connor takes it in stride and says, "We shall see." 

"Every day the first graders tended their garden.  They watered.  They waited.  After one week tiny green sprouts came up.  The class picked weeds.  They kept birds away.  They watered some more.  They waited some more.  After three weeks, little lettuces were growing."

The sunflowers started to grow taller -- even taller than some of the children!  When the garden produce was ready to harvest, "Mrs. Connor made a lettuce and radish salad, with pea pods on top."

'Yummy!' said Neil. "Yes," said Becky.  She bit into a pea pod.  "It tastes just like sunshine."

Reading this little book to your child will help encourage them to try gardening for themselves. 

***

Alisdair and I were only gone to Victoria for six short days but the growth of the garden over that brief period was remarkable!  We took a few photos of our plants to show Grandma and Grandpa.  The potatoes are almost waist high ... it's unlikely we'll be able to rotovate between the rows again this season!  We thought we'd post a few photos of our radish crop (and the other plants) to accompany this book review.  I know Isobel will be very busy helping out, once harvest time arrives in Saskatchewan!

The potato patch ... plants are up to Alisdair's waist!

Tomato plants ... Isobel's already eating cherry tomatoes from the garden!

Giant sunflowers and squash ...

BOOK REVIEWS ~ "Little Sure Shot: The Story of ANNIE OAKLEY" By: Stephanie Spinner

"The Story of Annie Oakley" is told in a "Step into Reading" book called "Little Sure Shot."  This is a "Step 3" book and is written by Stephanie Spinner and illustrated by Jose Miralles.  It was published by Random House:  New York in 1993.

Alhtough the 48 page book was too difficult for a beginning reader like Isobel, she still enjoyed the story of Annie Oakley and listened to the tale with interest.

This photograph of Annie was on Page 4, however in the copy we were reading, it was slightly ripped, so we could not see her face:

Annie Oakley

The story begins in the fall of 1869.  Phoebe Ann Moses is nine-years old and "sits alone in a run-down farmhouse.  She is worried her family is very poor.  They work hard, but they have no money.  They never have enough to eat.  The girl wants to help.  She has an idea.  That is why she is in the house by herself.  The idea scares her a little.  The girl looks at her father's gun.  No one in the family is allowed to shoot it.  Her mother says it is only for protection.  But the girl knows guns are good for hunting.  She has watched men shoot birds and animals for food.  Now she wants to try.  The girl takes the gun off the wall.  It is heavy.  It is taller than she is.  It smells of oil and gunpowder.  Mama will not like this, thinks the girl.  But I cam going to do it anyhow.  I have to" (Pages 5 and 6).

And so the reader is introduced to the girl who would eventually become famous as "Annie Oakley."  Phoebe takes the gun into the woods and shoots the first things she aims at ~ a squirrel.  "Her family will have a good meal that night.  She has found a way to feed them." (Page 8).  "Life was never the same for the Moses family after Annie picked up that gun.  She put food on the table.  She even sold the game she shot.  A fancy restaurant bought the quail and grouse.  A trader named Frenchy La Motte bought the foxes, minks and raccons for their skins.  For the first time ever, Annie's family didn't have to worry about money" (Pages 9 and 10).

But the hard times didn't completely end.  Annie's mother remarried but she still "struggled to work as a country nurse and take care of her children.  They wore old, raggedy clothes.  Often they went hungry.  There was never any money for books.  That meant Annie and her brothers and sisters couldn't go to school" (Pages 10 and 11). 

"Annie wished she could read and write.  Once she even took a job so she could go to school.  But the other children made fun of her hand-me-down dresses and her worn-out shoes.  They even made fun of her name, calling her Moses-Poses.  Annie never went back" (Pages 11 and 12).

Annie's mother wanted her daughter to get an education.  Her mother wanted Annie to "act like a lady" and felt that "guns were for boys."  "Annie wanted to be a lady.  But shooting was important to her.  Why couldn't a lady be strong, and brave, and a crack shot, too?  Annie just couldn't understand" (Page 12).

So, when she was fifteen, Annie was sent to Cincinnati, Ohio to live with her sister Lyda and her husband Joe.  Lyda told her mother that in the city Annie would be able to go to school and become a young lady.

"Annie did like Cincinnati.  She liked the crowds, the bright lights and the steamboats on the Ohio River.  But best of all she liked the shooting galleries.  There she could shoot to her heart's content.  The tin ducks gliding by were so much easier to hit than live birds!" (Page 14).

"One day Annie noticed a man watching her shoot.  When she put down her gun, he came over and tipped his hat. 'Miss, would you like to earn some money doing that?' he asked.  'How?' said Annie.  'In a shooting match,' he said.  'Winner gets a hundred dollars.'  Annie was amazed.  A hundred dollars was a lot of money -- more than many people earned in a year" (Page 14).

Annie agreed and a date was set.  "She was up against a famous sharpshooter named Frank Butler.  He went around the country giving shooting exhibitions to crowds even bigger than this one.  When Frank Butler saw Annie, he laughed.  'That little thing?' he said.  'She's only a girl!'  Annie's cheeks burned.  Suddenly she didn't care that Frank Butler was famous.  Or that he was wearing medals from all the contests he'd won.  She forgot about being nervous.  I am going to win this, she decided.  Butler fired the first shot.  It was a hit.  Then Annie fired.  Her shot was a hit, too.  Target after target was thrown into the air.  Time after time, both Annie and Frank hit them.  Then, on his last turn, Frank Butler missed.  The crowd got very quiet.  This was Annie's chance.  She raised her gun.  She took aim, fired -- and hit the target.  She had won!  The crowd cheered.  They had never seen anything like Annie.  Neither had Frank Butler.  'That little girl is one heck of a shot!' he said.  'One heck of a shot!  After the match Frank could not stop thinking about her.  She was not only a heck of a shot, she was also very pretty.  Frank called on Annie at Lyda's house.  They began to see a lot of each other.  A year later they were married" (Pages 17 to 19).

Annie was happy.  "It was fun being married to a famous sharpshooter.  Annie loved to watch his act.  Frank could hit three glass balls that were thrown into the air at the same time.  He could shoot the number off a playing card.  He could even shoot an apple into pieces -- off the head of his dog!" (Page 20).

When Frank went on tour, Annie went to stay with her mother.  She finally learned to read and write so she could write letters to her husband.  She also spent time, on the farm, learning how to do trick shooting.  "She wanted to surprise Frank when he came back.  So every day she went out into the fields to practice.  And by the time Frank returned, Annie could do all the stunts he did" (Pages 21 and 22).

When Butler's regular partner, in his stunt show, "got sick and couldn't perform there was no one to take his place -- except Annie.  Annie was not used to stages, or bright lights, or large audiences.  She missed her first shot, and the audience groaned.  There were boos and hisses.  'Go, home, girlie!' someone shouted.  Annie's eyes flashed.  She took a deep breath and shot again.  This time she scored a hit.  Each shot after that was perfect.  Soon the audience was clapping and cheering.  The little girl with the big gun had won them over.  And Frank Butler had a new partner for his sharpshooting act!" (Pages 22 and 23).

It was at this point in time, that Annie took the stage name "Annie Oakley."  "She remembered the shooting match where she and Frank first met.  It was held at a place called Oakley.  That's it, she thought.  And from that time on, her name was Annie Oakley" (Page 24).

Frank and Annie traveled all through the Midwest.  "Annie loved going from town to town with Frank.  And her shooting kept getting better.  Soon she was doing things no one else could do -- not even her husband.  She could shoot a dime out of his hand.  She could shoot the end off a lit cigarette that he held in his mouth.  She could shoot bending over backward.  She could even shoot behind her by looking in a mirror -- or a knife blade!  It is no wonder that her fame grew." (Page 24.)

When Sitting Bull came to see the show he jumped to his feet and yelled "Watanya cicilia!" which means "Little Sure Shot" in the Sioux language.  Oakley became friends with the Chief.  He even adopted her and made her a Sioux princess.  Soon the whole world would know about "Little Sure Shot" -- thanks to Buffalo Bill and his traveling show, which was part circus and part rodeo.

Annie's act in the Buffalo Bill "show went something like this:

'Ladies and gentlemen!' cries the announcer.  'The Wild West presents the lovely lass of the Western Plains, Little Sure Shot -- the one and only Annie Oakley!'

Annie comes riding in on a fast little pinto pony.  She wears a buckskin dress with fringe and a big hat pinned with a silver star.  Her long brown hair flies out behind her.  She smiles at the audience.

A cowboy rides into the ring.  He races past Annie hurling clay targets into the air.  Annie leans way down from her galloping pony.  A pistol is on the ground.  Now it's in her hand!

"Bang! Bang!  Bang!  She hits each target at a full gallop.  Then she leaps off her pony.  She runs over to a table and picks up a rifle.  Her husband, Frank, throws six glass balls into the air.  Just for an instant they are points of light.  Then Annie aims -- and they're gone.  Frank whirls a glass ball on a string.  Annie watches it in a mirror.  She aims her gun backward.  Bang!  The ball disappears.

Now Frank holds up a playing card -- the ace of hearts.  Annie stands thirty feet away.  She takes aim.  Bang!  Her bullet goes right through the heart at the center of the card.  But Annie's not finished yet.  Frank turns the card sideways.  Is it possible?  Can she do it?  Yes!  She shoots the card in half.  Thousands of fans leap to their feet, shouting Annie's name.  She smiles and curtsies.  Then she's on her pony again, racing out of the ring.  She takes the hearts of the audience with her.  And makes Buffalo Bill's Wild West show the most popular entertainment in America" (Pages 29 to 32).

In 1887 Annie, and the entire Wild West show, traveled to England to help celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee.  "The show set up its tents and tepees on a huge field in London.  Annie got ready to perform in front of forty thousand people.  It was the biggest crowd she had ever seen.  But if Annie was nervous, no one could tell.  Her shooting was perfect.  The audience went wild.  The next day newspapers called her Annie Oakley of the Magic Gun.  After that, everyone in London wanted tickets.  Then a message came from Buckingham Palace.  Queen Victoria herself was coming to the show -- but only for an hour.  Everyone was very excited.  The Queen almost never went out in public.  Annie came on at the end of the show.  She could see Queen Victoria far across the ring -- a little old lady in black sitting on a platform covered with flowers.  The show was running late.  The Queen's hour was almost up.  Annie was disappointed.  Guess she won't see much of me, she thought.  But the Queen did not leave.  She sat through Annie's entire act. And when it was finished, she asked to meet her  The Queen was tiny and frail.  But her eyes sparkles as she pinned a medal to Annie's buckskin dress.  'You are a very, very clever little girl,' she said" (Pages 34 to 38).



Annie's next brush with royalty was when she was invited to shoot for the Emperor of Germany and his son, Crown Prince Wilhelm.  She went to Germany and "as usual, Annie put on a great show.  She shot clay pigeons.  She shot glass balls.  Her audience began to applaud her.  They were German princes, generals, and military men -- all good shots.  They had heard about Annie.  But they had not believed this tiny American woman could shoot so well.  She had surprised them.  Now their stern faces were smiling.  Things were going smoothly.  Annie was pleased.  Then she got the surprise of her life.  Crown Prince Wilhelm stepped into the ring.  He lit a cigarette and put it in his mouth.  An aide came up to Annie.  'The prince commands you to put his cigarette out by shooting off the tip,' he said.  'He says he has seen you do this and now you must do it again.'  Annie's heart began to thud.  She had done this trick many times before -- with her husband, Frank. But Crown Prince Wilhelm was the future emperor of Germany!  What if she missed?  What if she hit the prince?  That was too terrible to think about.  Annie gathered up all her courage.  She walked thirty paces from the prince.  She raised her rifle and smoothly took aim.  Crack!  The prince's head jerked back.  His cigarette was only a stub.  Annie had made the shot.  The audience broke into wild cheers.  Crown Prince Wilhelm gave Annie a bow.  She smiled sweetly.  Then she left the ring. Frank was waiting for her.  'That was really something, Annie," he said.  'That was the scariest moment of my life,' she answered" (Pages 40 to 44).

After spending three winters in Europe, Annie and Frank returned to the United States.  The couple settled in New Jersey but before long, Annie was once again starring in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.
"Annie stayed with the show for almost seventeen years -- longer than any other performer.  Then, one night in 1901, the show was in a terrible train wreck.  Annie was hurt badly.  The shock was so great that her long dark hair turned completely white.  It was time, she decided, for a change.  She and Frank left the show for good" (Page 46).

Later, Annie starred in a show called "The Western Girl, which was written just for her.  She competed in shooting matches, won a fortune in prize money, and gave a lot of it to charities that helped poor children.  She taught thousands of women how to shoot.  She performed for the troops during World War I.  She raised money for the Red Cross.  And when the war was over, she kept on shooting.  She celebrated her sixty-second birthday by hitting a hundred clay pigeons in a row!" (Page 47).
 


Annie Oakley died on November 3, 1926 in Greenville, Ohio.  Frank died eighteen days later, on November 21. They are buried side by side at Brock Cemetery in Greenville.

"Annie first picked up a gun more than a hundred years ago.  Life was very different for women then.  They stayed at home and took care of the children.  They did not shoot guns.  They did not compete against men.  They did not move freely in the world, winning fame and fortune.  Annie Oakley did all of those things.  She was one in a million."   

BOOK REVIEWS ~ "Election Day" ~ By: Margaret McNamara

It's a thin (32-page) "Ready-to-Read" book, but I think every politican should take a moment or two to read this childrens' book!  It's called "Election Day" and was written by Margaret McNamara, as part of the "Robin Hill School" series.

There is a new student in Mrs. Connor's class at Robin Hill School.  Becky has arrived on the day voting was to take place for the position of class president.  Who will lead the students in the room?

"After lunch, the children gave speeches.  'I promise to get us a candy machine!' said Nick.  'Hooray!' said the class.

" 'I promise no homework!' said Emma.  'Hooray!  Hooray!' said the class.

" 'I promise summer vacation will last for six months!' said Nia.  'Hooray!  Hooray!  Hooray!' said the class."

At this point, Mrs. Connor asks if there are any other students who would like to give a speech.

"Becky thought she could be a good class president.  But she was new.  She did not have any friends.  She did not have a speech."

" 'Anyone?' asked Mrs. Connor.  She was looking right at Becky."

"Becky took a deep breath.  She got up from her chair.  'I cannot promise candy machines, or less homework, or more vacation,' she said.  'I can only promise to do my best.'  Becky sat down.  No one else said a word.  Especially not 'Hooray.' "

" 'Now,' said Mrs. Connor.  'It is time to vote.'  The children put their heads on their desks and their hands in the air.  Mrs. Connor counted all the votes.  'Becky is the winner!' she said.  The new class president was happy."

" 'You made a good promise,' Hannah said.  'It is a promise I will keep,' said Becky."

***

That message seems particularly appropriate as Monday, May 2 was "Election Day" in Canada. The results were somewhat surprising ~ with the Liberals losing most of their seats, the New Democratic Party becoming the official opposition, and Harper's Conservatives gaining a majority for the first time ever.

It's true ~ we DON'T need empty promises or charismatic, flamboyant individuals to represent us. But we DO need honest, dedicated, hard-working politicians at all levels of governance ~ local, provincial and federal. Are you willing to run for office and to serve your country in that way? Perhaps YOU could make a difference next time the call for nominations goes forth.

*** 

 

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.
                                                                                                                          ~  John Quincy Adams

BOOK REVIEWS ~ Kids Can Read ~ A Series of Books About A Little White Dog Named "Sam" ~ By: Mary Labatt



Sam is a little white female dog.  She gets into mischief.  She eats pizza, plays with the children next door and likes to eat candy on Halloween.  Joan and Bob are her kind owners who take good care of their pet.  Sam also teaches youngsters how to read!

Isobel loves the "Sam" book series.  When we read the book about Halloween, the word "candy" was repeated many times.  So, as I read aloud, I would pause every time we got to that word.  By the end of the book, Isobel knew the word "candy" was spelled "C-A-N-D-Y."  She even phoned her Grandma to announce that she now knew how to spell it!

These colourful books, by Mary Labatt, are published by "Kids Can Press" and are part of their "Start to Read" series.  Each one has a banner across the top of the front cover positively stating "Kids Can Read."  There are three levels in this reading program.  The levels are "Kids Can Start to Read," "Kids Can Read With Help" and "Kids Can Read Alone."

The back of each "Sam" book says:  "It's one adventure after another for this adorable puppy!  Kids will discover the joys of reading as they watch Sam discover the world around her.  Part of the "Kids Can Read" series, the Puppy Sam books have been written especially for the beginning reader." 

We have two other "Sam" books borrowed from the library, at the moment, "Sam Gets Lost" and "Sam's Goes Next Door."  In the first one, Sam escapes from a convertible, while Joan and Bob are driving downtown.  Luckily she is reunited with her loving owners at the end of the book.  (We don't want tears at bedtime!) 

In the other, the little dog goes next door and plays with two new neighbour children who have just moved in. 

We have already read two other titles in the series ~ "Sam Goes to School" and "Pizza For Sam."  Our first introduction to the lovable white dog was when she went to school, on the bus, as a stowaway in a backpack.  Of course the canine was discovered and had to reluctantly return home!

In the second story, Bob and Joan are hosting a party.  There is a lot of delicious food on the table but all Sam gets to eat is kibble.  Eventually a deliveryman comes to the door bearing pizza.  When Bob and Joan are distracted, Sam takes the opportunity to help herself to some of the contents of the cardboard box!  The cover is amusing as the little dog is obviously enjoying nibbling on the pizza.  At the back of the book there is an illustration where Sam's white fur is covered in tomato sauce and green peppers!  

I'm sure we'll be reading about more adventures of the little puppy named "Sam" in the future.  In other titles she goes on an adventure at the seaside, finds a monster, experiences a snowy day, takes part in a parade and makes a new friend.  It's fun to learn what mischief the furry white dog is getting up to ~ while learning to read ~ simultaneously!

GRAPHIC NOVEL ~ The Hound of the Baskervilles ~ By: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Stone Arch Books

This colourful "graphic novel" is similar in format to "The Speckled Band and The Blue Carbuncle" that was the subject of a post on December 7, 2010.  However, this book is in full colour and contains eight chapters:  "The Great Detective,"  "Legend of the Hound," "A Dangerous Game," "Baskerville Hall," "Mystery on the Moor," "The Hound's Next Victim," "Holmes Closes In" and "Death on the Moor."

There is a "Glossary" at the back of the 63-page book with 14 Vocabulary Words:

ancestor (AN-sess-tur) - a relative or family member that lived a long time ago

comrades (KOM-radz) - good friends

convict (KON-vikt) - someone who has been in prison for committing a crime

elderly (EL-dur-lee) - another word for old

fatigue (fuh-TEEG) - great tiredness

identify (eye-DEN-tuh-fye) - to recognize who a person is

loyalty (LOI-uhl-tee) - faithful support of someone

lunatic (LOO-nuh-tik) - a wildly insane or crazy person

maiden (MAYD-uhn) - a young, unmarried woman

mire (MYR) - an area of extremely wet and muddy ground

moor (MOR) - a grassy area with soft, spongy ground like a bog

phosphorus (FOSS-fur-uhss) - a kind of chemical that glows in the dark

prehistoric (pree-hi-STOR-ik) - happening in a time before history was written down by humans

revenge (ri-VENJ) - an action taken to pay someone back for something mean they did in the past"

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
1859 - 1930

There are also notes about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:

"Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born on May 22, 1859, in Edinburgh, Scotland.  In 1885, he graduated with a degree in medicine from Edinburgh University.  Shortly after, Conan Doyle opened a successful medical practice in England.  While there, he married Louise Hawkins, and the couple soon had two children, Mary Louise and Alleyne Kingsley.  Meanwhile, Conan Doyle published several stories including 'A Study in Scarlet' in 1887.  This was the first story to feature the character Sherlock Holmes.  Before his death on July 7, 1930, Conan Doyle wrote 55 more tales about the world's most famous detective."

Additional information is also provided about Sherlock Holmes:

"Sherlock Holmes is the world's most famous detective.  In fact, he's so well-known that many people believe he was a real person.  However, Sherlock Holmes is actually a fictional character created by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle."

"Although Sherlock Holmes wasn't a true-life detective, his character was based on a real person.  While at Edinburgh University, author Conan Doyle studied with a surgeon named Dr. Joseph Bell.  The author admired Dr. Bell's ability to diagnose his patients simply by examining the clues of their illness.  Conan Doyle gave Sherlock Holmes the same brilliant detective skills."

"So where did the name Sherlock Holmes come from?  Some people believe this question remains a mystery.  Others, however, think Conan Doyle used the last name of another doctor, Wendell Holmes.  The author may have also used the name of violinist Alfred Sherlock."

"At age 27, Conan Doyle wrote his first Sherlock Homes mystery in just three weeks.  The story, titled 'A Study in Scarlet,' appeared in the 'Beeton's Christmas Annual' magazine in 1887.  One year later, the story was published as a book with illustrations by the author's father, Charles Altamont Doyle."

"After 'A Study in Scarlet,' Conan Doyle wrote a dozen more Sherlock Holmes stories, which appeared in the Strand Magazine in London, England.  These stories also included illustrations by artist Sidney Paget.  Many people credit Paget for creating the detective's famous look, including his pipe, deerstalker cap, and inverness coat."

"By 1893, Conan Doyle decided to stop writing Sherlock Holmes mysteries.  In the story, 'The Final Problem,' the author killed off the great detective.  Readers around the world became extremely upset by this decision.  At their request, Conan Doyle continued writing Sherlock Holmes mysteries until 1927.  Before his death on July 7, 1930, Conan Doyle had written a total of 56 stories about the detective."  His passing was mourned the world over. 

The writer was buried at Minstead Churchyard,
 Hampshire, England under an oak tree. 
His headstone is a cross bearing the words:
Steel True
Blade Straight
Arthur Conan Doyle
Knight
Patriot, Physician and Man of Letters

"In the stories, Sherlock Holmes lived at 221B Baker Street in London, England.  Today, this real address has been turned into a museum for the great detective.  Visitors to the residence can learn more about Conan Doyle, his mysteries, and his character, the brilliant Sherlock Holmes."

The graphic novel also provides some "Discussion Questions" and "Writing Prompts."  It is also suggested that students could obtain further information, related to the book, by checking out a website called Facthound.  First select the child's grade  and then type in the ISBN number from the book (for 'The Hounds of the Baskervilles" the code is 9781434207555.)  Then click the "Fetch It" button and three website and five other "classic" books will pop up!

Prior to reading this "Graphic Novel," I was not familiar with the story, and on the first reading was a little confused.  I've read elsewhere that since this is a "graphic novel" format, portions of the original story were left out, which may be part of the reason I was flipping back a little to check who was who.

The illustrations, by Daniel Perez, are first rate.  Most are in sepia tones.  Here is an example of  one of the pages:

Pages 54 and 55
Sir Henry Baskerville is attacked
 and Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson
 save him from the beast

This graphic novel is, overall, an interesting read and I am sure it will inspire many youngsters to pick up other titles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  These may have been overlooked, were it not for the comic book format of this introductory volume.  Personally, I am interested in reading more tales by this well known author.

BOOK REVIEWS ~ Eloise Visits the Zoo ~ By: Lisa McClatchy ~ Learning about "Lorries"

Another enjoyable title featuring naughty Eloise.

Several titles from the "Eloise Ready-To-Read" series were included in the 75 titles we have enjoyed as bedtime reading.  Like the rest, Isobel enjoyed "Eloise Visits the Zoo."  In this volume, Nanny and her young charge don their "safari best" (hats and vests) and take their camera and binoculars and head off to the zoo.

First the pair go to the African section and study the lowland gorillas and the lions.  Eloise interacts with the giraffes.  Then they head to the Australian animals and take pictures of kangaroos and then "sketch the koalas in their eucalyptus trees."  On a two page spread, Eloise "feeds the lorries."  She says she "love, love, loves Lorries" and tries to encourage Nanny to feed them too.  As usual, she responds, "No, no, no, Eloise!"         

I didn't know what a Lorrie was (it was obvious from the illustration they were some kind of colourful bird).  So, after we read about Eloise's adventures in North America, (with gray wolves and black bears); in the petting zoo, (with the billy goats); and in the nursery (where Eloise sings to a baby chimpanzee, whispers to a sleeping wombat and sees the new baby elephant), we researched the birds online.

We discovered that:

Lorikeets

"Lorikeets or Lorries also belong to the parrot family. Its numerous varieties can be divided mainly as the small Australian Lorikeets and the larger Tropical Lorikeets. It is a parrot-type bird that is playful and energetic and eats nectar and fruits rather than seeds in its natural environment. Thus, a pet Lorrie would require a specialized diet of nectar mix, fruits, vegetables and seeds."

"Lorries are known to be very untidy eaters and spoil the cage and its surroundings with their large wet droppings. These birds require a diligent owner who is willing to clean the cage daily to prevent bacterial infections. Lorries are very susceptible to bacterial and yeast contamination from their food and cage."

"The smaller varieties make better pets because of their soft bite while the larger Lorries are highly intelligent and make excellent pets as well for those seeking a playful and energetic bird. Lorries make good talkers but can become extremely noisy. This can be tempered by continuing obedience training. They are also known for their tremendous mimicking ability and will often imitate household appliances such as a telephone or microwave."

"The cage of pet Lorries should allow them to move around freely and should have toys that would help them entertain themselves. Small Lorries can be successfully bred in both large communal aviaries and in suspended single pair cages. Larger Lorries demand an aviary that is not less than four to six meters long and one to two meters high."

Now that we know what they are, we love Lorries too!  We like going to the zoo, too, but unfortunately there aren't any nearby.  So, for now, we'll just have to enjoy our trips to the zoo while reading!

BOOK REVIEWS ~ Eloise At The Wedding ~ By: Margaret McNamara

What little girl doesn't love a wedding?  Eloise certainly does!  And Isobel does too!

Isobel also "loved, loved, loved" this Eloise book.  (Eloise has a habit of repeating herself three times!)  Perhaps she related to it so well because Eloise wears a pink fuzzy bathrobe for much of the story ~ just like the one Isobel got from her grandparents for a Christmas present!  Maybe it was because Isobel remembers being the flower girl when her stepfather and I got married back in January of 2009.  Or maybe it was simply imagining herself walking down the aisle clad in her pink bathrobe, tossing rose petals.  Whatever the reason, Margaret McNamara's "Eloise at the Wedding" was a big hit!

Is this Isobel or Eloise??

For more wedding fun, try this online game.  Your child can dress up a flower girl or other members of a  bridal party.

As Eloise says, (on the last page of the story), "Oooooooo I love, love love weddings!"  Don't you??! 

HUMOR: Isobel Meets an Apatosaurus!

Isobel usually has an especially affectionate relationship with her stepfather, John.  She looks forward to his days off as, being a trucker in the oilfield, he often leaves for work before she gets up and gets home long after Isobel is in bed.  Sometimes, on days when he won't see her, John will leave a small treat on her dresser for a surprise when she wakes up.

Last Tuesday was NOT a good day for John.  It was the first day that he worked for a new company and it was not without its glitches.  The brand new 2011 Kenworth semi he was driving broke down and had to be taken to the shop for warranty repairs.  So John was sent out with another employee and then that truck broke down too!  Luckily the second vehicle could be repaired without delay.  At any rate, it all made for a 15 hour day on the job.

Since the Kenworth was in the shop, John had Wednesday off work.  It wasn't a Kindergarten day so Isobel was in her glory.  No school AND her Johnny was home to spoil her!

Unlike most families, we have two houses next door to each other.  It's a long story ... but suffice it to say, that's what happens when you marry the neighbour!  John often goes next door to relax and watch television in his "man cave."  That's where he was last Wednesday when Isobel invaded his space.

It was fine for a while.  She was playing with the cats and colouring her oversized doodle pad with "The Little Mermaid" characters on it.  But then the trouble started....

It was the middle of the afternoon and John dozed off for a nap.  Isobel wanted something and so she woke him up.  Not once, not twice, but three times!

Unfortunately, by the third time, Johnny was no longer patient with his human alarm clock.  Apparently he lost his cool and yelled at Isobel to "Go home for an hour" so he could sleep.

This reaction was devastating for Isobel and her tender heart.  She came running into the house wailing loudly.  At first I couldn't figure out what the problem was.  When I managed to dry her eyes and wipe her runny nose, and she repeated her sad tale, I finally understood.

In between her sobs, Isobel said, "Johnny YELLED at me.  And it was louder than an APATOSAURUS would roar!"

Frankly, at that point, I wasn't even sure what an Apatosaurus was.  I knew it was some kind of a dinosaur, but I couldn't figure out where on earth Isobel had even heard of  the creature.

I didn't waste much time trying to make sense of the matter ~ Isobel soon got involved in another activity, Johnny got some much needed sleep and, before too long, the pair were fast friends once more.

Then, this evening, I was reading "Eloise and the Dinosaurs" to Isobel as a bedtime story and it all made perfect sense.

Eloise has fun at the Museum....

In this "Ready-to-Read" book, Eloise (who is currently one of Isobel's favourite characters), goes to a Museum with her Nanny and her tutor, Philip.  On their field trip, the trio tour the dinosaur halls and see the skeletons of several different types of these now extinct creatures.  There is a Tyrannosaurus rex, a Triceratops and, yes ~ an Apatosaurus!  However, its bony frame isn't doing much roaring!

After this incident, I looked up some information on dinosaurs and found this website.  It tells us the name  Apatosaurus (a-pat-oh-saw-rus) means "Deceptive Reptile."  They lived in the Late Jurassic era and were about 5.5m long.  They have "also been called Brontosaurus (thunder reptile) but the name Apatosaurus was given first. At birth, a baby Apaotosaurus weighed approximately 3kg (about the same as a human baby), however when fully grown it weighed about 30 tonnes! It therefore spent a great deal of time in the water which helped support its immense weight. They could live to be about 200 years old."

Paleontologists say dinosaurs are extinct ... but maybe these so called experts are wrong and there IS just one lone Apatosaurus left in the world!  Only Isobel knows for sure!

BOOK REVIEWS - Ready-To-Read: ELOISE HAS A LESSON

Isobel is at an exciting stage ~ learning the sounds of each letter and then having the ability to put it all together to sound out words!  I was very surprised she could do this, as she is only five and only halfway through her Kindergarten year.

One Thursday afternoon, on the way home from school, we stopped at the library so Isobel could pick out some books to read.  Usually I just order titles from the inter-library loan catalogue and we go into the local branch each Tuesday to pick up whatever has arrived that week.  That afternoon, Isobel gravitated to the "Easy to Read" books with the Level numbers in the corner.  We picked up a few and went home with them.  Later, when I was in North Battleford, I stopped by the larger library branch and grabbed about a dozen books of this nature from various publishers.

Little did I know, there were some gems in the stack.  I had never heard of "Eloise" - a 6-year old girl from New York City who lives in the Plaza Hotel.  But the books had cute illustrations on the covers and so I picked up about four.  Only later I would learn about the original author - Kay Thompson.

According to the Amazon website that sells her books, "Kay Thompson (1909-1998) was a singer, dancer, vocal arranger, and coach of many MGM musicals in the 1940s."  The article goes on to explain that "the Eloise character grew out of the voice of a precocious six-year-old that Miss Thompson put on to amuse her friends. Collaborating with Hilary Knight on what was an immediate bestseller, Kay Thompson became a literary sensation when Eloise was published in 1955. The book has sold more than two million copies to date. Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight created four more Eloise books, Eloise in Paris, Eloise at Christmas, Eloise in Moscow, and Eloise Takes a Bawth."  I plan to order these original books for Isobel and I to read together as she very much enjoys the "new" Eloise stories.

More interesting information about Thompson and the Plaza Hotel is available at this link.

"Eloise Has a Lesson" is one of the Ready-to-Read series and Isobel practically memorized it.  The Amazon description explains that "it's time for Eloise's lesson. Today her tutor, Philip, wants her to learn math, but Eloise has a better idea!"

The first page of every Eloise book begins "I am Eloise.  I am six.  I live in The Plaza hotel on the tippy-top floor."  As I was reading, one morning, Isobel pointed to the letters "S-I-X" and informed me that said, "Six!"  I was completely dumbfounded.

From theses introductory sentences, each individual story unfolds.  In "Eloise Has a Lesson," the mischievious girl has a tutor, named Philip, come to her penthouse to teach her math.  Eloise teases Philip unmercifully.  When Philip tells her that it is MATH time, Eloise parrots back that it is BATH time.  Only Nanny can make Eloise behave during her lesson.  When poor Philip asks Eloise, "What's five plus six?" she responds cheekily ~ "Don't YOU know?"  The second time her tutor asks, Eloise replies, "Five plus six is the same as six plus five."  Not to be distracted, Philip asks her a third time.  By now Eloise has frittered away most of the lesson and is staring at the clock on the mantelpiece.  The hands on the face of the clock are at exactly 11.  And when Eloise remarks, "It's eleven," Philip takes this as the correct response for his question about what five plus six makes!

And so, the other morning, after we'd already returned the book to the library, I was driving Isobel to school.  "What's five plus six," I queried (just to see what she would say!) ...  From the back seat chirped a little voice - "Don't YOU know?"

I asked again and got the response with the inverted numbers.  Then she told me, that 5 + 6 = 11.

High fives ensued, as I dropped Isobel off at the school. I had to smile as I drove away, wondering if maybe we'd made a mistake when we called our little girl Isobel.  Perhaps she should have been called Eloise!

It will be interesting to see what else else she'll learn from reading the stories in this Ready-to-Read series.

SPANISH - Dora's Perfect Pumpkin

Isobel has been sick -- again!  It seems like it is a relapse of the bronchitis she was suffering from before Christmas.  As a result of the heavy chest and coughing fits, she has had to miss Kindergarten and the regular Monday ballet session.

Trying to find activities for her to do, we went to the library and borrowed several Level One "Ready-To-Read" books which are printed by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division.

One of these was "Dora's Perfect Pumpkin" by Kirsten Larsen.  The book has little icons for words that are repeated -- like DORA, PIE, PUMPKIN, etc.  One of these icons is for "Abuela" and it is this strange person, "Abuela" that is baking the pumpkin pie. 

I was reading the book and said, as an aside, "I don't know who this 'Abuela' is," and Isobel astounded me by informing me that "ABUELA is DORA's Grandmother.  That's how you say Grandma in Spanish!"

Doesn't she look like a kindly grandmother??

Wow ~ !  A five year old that knows more than her Mum!  Once I had that tidbit of information, the whole heartwarming story made complete sense!

I wonder how many other Spanish words she has casually learned...