Summer reading

Oh, Rats! ; the story of rats and people by Albert Marrin

Those of us that live in Alberta don't really know the problem with rats - the Alberta Department of Agriculture has enforced a strick rat control since the 1950's. It wasn't until my first trip to Europe, staying with a friend in an apartment that was built in the 1500's that I came across my first rat. OMG! these things are huge! and scary! and ugly!, So it was with some trepidation that I took home Oh, Rats! the story of rats and people. In the end I was rewarded with a fascinating book that reveals tons of details about the rat and its relationship with humans.

Here's the summary:

Able to claw straight up a brick wall, squeeze through a pipe the size of a quarter, gnaw through iron and concrete, rats are also revealed in this fascinating book to be incredibly intelligent and capable of great compassion. Weaving science, history, culture, and folklore, awarding winning author Albert Marrin offers a look at rats that goes from curious to replusive, horrifying to comic, fearsome to inspiring. Arresting black and white scratchboard illustrations with bold red accents add visual punch to this study of a creature that has annoyed, disgusted, nourished and intrigued its human neighbours throughout the centuries.

Make Magazine

My most excellent husband surprized me with a copy of Make Magazine this past Sunday. Tons of projects that I can't wait to explore. Make has been a favourite of mine, since discovering it a couple of years ago. I know I'll be making the marshmellow shooter before long. We're also planning to try to make our own silk screening operation. I'll do a test run on the Kryptonite Kandy. The LED hula hoop looks fun. There's all these and more!!! I'll try to remember to take pictures along the way, so you can be learning from my mistakes.
Here's an image of the m.m.shooter.

No dribbling the squid

No Dribbling the Squid by Michael J. Rosen with Ben Kassoy

For those of you who enjoy the randomness of Guinness World Book of Records or Ripley's Believe It or Not,  this book may be for you. Consider it the wierd sports edition. This is a collection of unusual sports, games and competitions from around the world. Each featured sport is given a brief history, where it originates and a rough outline of the rules (plus a few photos.)

What I liked about this book is that you can flip to any page and learn about some zany sport. Some I'd love to see in action -- Speedball, Sepak Takraw, and Unicycle Basketball. Others I'd want to stay as far away as possible -- Egg throwing, Spitting contests and Outhouse racing.

The Spirit of Canada

The Spirit of Canada / Barbara Hehner, editor

I find it curious that many Canadians can tell stories, legends, tall tales, recite poems, and sing songs from other countries (especially our neighbours to the south) and yet we don't often celebrate our own creative spirit. The Spirit of Canada brings together some of Canada's best storytellers, song-writers, poets and illustrators to express our history, culture and our unique identity. This is a book that every Canadian household should have, these are stories, poems and songs that we all should know and be able to share.

From the book jacket:
As vast in scope asx Canada itself, this outstanding anthology is a book that children and their families will treasure for years to come. From Bonavista to Vancouver Island, from Native creation myths to the history being made in our own time, The Spirit of Canada celebrates our country and the people, places, and events that have made it unique.
More than one hundred selections are brought together with some 150 original illustrations by fifteen of Canada's most accomplished children's artists. Arranged both chronologically and thematically, the pieces deal with subjects as diverse as First Contact, pioneering in the West, exploration in the North, the Great Depression, and Canada's centennial.
The Spirit of Canada includes old favourites like "Jack Was Every Inch a Sailor" and "The Cremation of Sam McGee," new classics like Gordon Lightfoot's "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" and Roch Carrier's "Hockey Sweater," and lesser-known treasures such as Mona Gould's "This Was My Brother" and Duke Redbird's "I Am a Canadian."
Each selection is enhanced by a cultural or historical note. Capsule biographies of the authors and illustrators, as well as a useful index, round off this essential collection.

A Passion for Victory

A Passion for Victory: the story of the Olympics in Ancient and Early Modern Times by Benson Bobrick

from netgallies

So I read this advanced reader copy online from NetGalley, and I can say that I learned a lot and found this to be a fun and very educational book on the Olympics from its inception (a celebration to honour the Greek god Zeus, to how things have fallen apart along the way, to the idea of including winter sports.) I now know the following: originally foot races were run in the nude, wrestling went on for hours (I'm talking seven or eight hours), the orginal discus was three time the weight it is now and was thrown from standing still position, chariat races were included in some of the early games, dumbbells were used in long jump, some of the first womens events were tennis and crochet. There's so much more but I guess you will have to discover some of these curiousities for yourself - the book is on order for us.

Things I liked: I learned alot about the Olympics, famous Olympians, curious beginnings, odd events, interesting photos.

Things I wasn't crazy about: sometimes I thought it was text heavy - for me that was okay, but for middle school readers who want to find just those fun bits it will be challenging.

How they croaked

How They Croaked : the awful ends of the awfully famous by Georgia Bragg ; illustrated by Kevin O'Malley

WARNING: If you don't have the guts for gore, do not read this book.
This fascinating collection of remarkable deaths is not for the faint of heart.
Over the course of historymen and women have lived and died. In fact, getting sick and dying can be a big ugly mess, especially before modern medical care that we all know today. How They Croaked relays all gory details of how nineteen would figure gave  up the ghost. For example:

• It is believed that Henry VIII's remains exploded within his coffin (gross!!!)
• Doctors "treated" George Washington by draining almost 80 ounces of blood before he finally kicked the bucket
• Right before Beethoven wrote his last notes, doctors drilled a hole in his stomach without pain medication

Readers will be interested well past the final curtain, and feel lucky to live in a world with painkillers, X-rays, soap and 911.

I loved this one!!!! Fun, gorey, quirky facts, great illustrations.The chapter sub-titles are hilarious. I don't think there is a thing I would change, in fact I want another volume with more awfully famous deaths. 
Here's a list of the famous deaths that are included in the book: King Tut, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Christopher Columbus, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Pocahontas, Galileo Galilei, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Marie Antionette, George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, James A. Garfield, Charles Darwin, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein.
Here's the book trailer:

Titanic Sinks!

Titanic sinks! by Barry Denenberg

I think this has to be my new favourite Titanic book. to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic this book makes you feel as though you were living during that time period and you'll be in the same kind of disbelief that people around the world were that fateful  night 100 years ago. Denenberg has created a unique way to tells his story, he has created a fictional magazine that then relays all the people and events leading up to April 14, 1912.

Summary from the book jacket:
Filled with photographs, details and firsthand accounts, Tintanic Sinks! is a meticulously researched account that uses fact and fiction to tell the dramatic tale of the building, launching and sinking of the legendary ship. It explores the people behind the Titanic's creation, imagines what it might have been like to be a passengers on the doomed crossing, and shares how some survivors coped in the aftermath. This is the ultimat "you are there" experience - welcome aboard!

Kinetic Contraptions

Kinetic Contraptions : build a hovercaft, airboat, and more with a hobby motor by Curt Gabrielson

This book is chock full of cool projects, right away we wanted to build a hovercraft and the three wheeler car. I sent my husband off to find us a hobby motor (found one at Best Buy for $3.50), rounded up a paint stick, some rubberbands, a bulldog clip, the gluegun, and some connection wire and I think we're ready to create.
Things we both liked about the book:
 - simple materials that can be found around the house, everything from paperclips, paint sticks, and clothes pins to paperplates, empty pop bottles and corks.
- Black and white photos explaining the steps to take in contructing the contraption.
- The science behine what makes it work.
- The basics of how electricity works (my husband is an electrician and he thought some of his first year apprentices should have a look at this.)
- The projects are cool and once you've built one, you could easily disassemble it and build a different one.

Once we've got it up and running I will post some photos.
Read On

Candy Construction

Candy Construction: How to build edible race cars, castles, and other cool stuff out of store-bought candy by Sharon Bowers

With shows like Cake Boss, Ace of Cakes, Cupcake Wars and Kid in a Candy Store inspiring our future bakers is it any wonder that I could not resist picking up this book for our library.

In Candy Construction author Sharon Bowers reveals how inexpensive and readily available store-bought candy offers an irresistable treasure trove of crafting material. Armed with a bedazzling variety of sugary shapes, there is no limit to what kids can build. Every project is accompanied by full-colour photos and easy to follow, step-by-step building instructions.

I can't wait to sample some of your creations.
Read On

The Magic of Paper Sculpture

The Magic of Paper Sculpture by David Swinton

With Christmas just around the corner, I seem to start getting crafty, this year I'm into  making paper ornaments, so I took a little trip to the public library for some inspiration and look what i found :-D
This is so cool I can hardly wait to start trying my hand at paper sculpture. Who know maybe you'll be seeing some of my creations or this title added to our collection soon.

Roadsworth

Roadsworth by Roadsworth and Bethany Gibson

Yesterday I took our "Guess the Reader" contest winner with me on a lunch hour shopping spree. The above is one of the choice books we brought back with us for our library.

Here's the write up:
In Oct. of 2001 paint was spilled on the streets of Montreal. A stark primative bike symbol, looking suspiciously like the one the city used to designate the bike path; a giant zipper, pulled open down the centre line of the street on a busy commuter route ; the footprint of a giant, stomping through the city while the people slept. By 2004 Roadsworth had pulled off close to 300 pieces of urban art on the streets of Montreal. In the fall he was charged with 51 counts of public mischief. It seemed to signal the end of his career. Instead the citizens of Montreal and lovers of his work from around the world rallied their support. A year later he was let off with a slap on the wrist.

This is a thought provoking look at-  What is considered public space?, Is graffiti art? When is graffiti art?  Will societies views on graffiti change? Are they changing now?

Here's a small clip from the National Film Board  film titled -  Roadsworth: Crossing the line.

MC Escher

M C  Escher by Sandra Forty

M C Escher's works might be some of the most famous, most recognized works going. You've probably seen posters, cards or prints of these amazing perspective drawings and block prints. This will be the perfect book for those aspiring artists or those of you fascinated with optical illusions. The book contains a brief history of Escher, followed by a chronology of his works. I hope you enjoy this one, I did.

Read On.

Book Inspiration

This past spring my husband and I were at the public library, browsing around, this was the book he brought home with him. It was his inspiration to build a go-cart (he had one when he was a kid, and dreamed of building his own). He quickly gathered pieces and began the build. Here are some photos.

So I guess it isn't any wonder that I've added a new title to the Lakie collection. I'm hoping it will inspire some of you. P.S. his next build is book mobile. Maybe you'll be seeing it at a school near you ;-D

In search of Sasquatch

In Search of Sasquatch by Kelly Milner Halls

I'm not sure whether it was all the creepy stories my brothers told me about mysterious creatures lurking in the dark and the shadows or if it's because it's Halloween night. But as I sat curled up reading this book, I couldn't help but wonder if there really is or could be such a thing as Sasquatch.

This book takes a look at the native american myths and legends of Bigfoot, current scientists that are actively researching and investigating any evidence that comes up, as well as debunking some stories that have circulated. It was fascinating to hear of real science being applied to these investigations. The question is do you believe? and if not maybe this book will convince you for the next time your out in the woods.
Oh Yeah, this book even references an article from the Lethbridge Herald of 1959. And I especially love the end papers featuring a deep dark forest and quotes Hall has collected during her research of the book.

Case closed?

Case closed? nine mysteries unlocked by modern science by Susan Hughes

This was a fascinating read suggested by one of our students. The nine mysteries are: ancient eypgtian female pharoh Hatshepsut -was it murder?, Could early explorer Hsu Fu reach North America in a bamboo boat?, What happened to the city of Ubar? Where did the Anasazi people disappear to? What happened to the men of  Sir John Franklin's mission to find the North West Passage?, Could Russian princess Anastasia escaped ?,  Did George Mallory summit Mt. Everest first?,   What happened to the airliner Stardust?,  Where did INS Dakar go?,

These mysteries are researched and debunked with the use of modern science. I learned alot and found these cases to be filled with intrigue, some of them get completely solved, others are still part mystery. 

Blizzard of Glass

Blizzard of Glass : the Halifax Explosion of 1917
by Sally M. Walker

Summary from back cover:
December 6, 1917, started lie any other day in Halifax, but everything stopped shortly before 9 a.m., when two ships collided in Halifax Harbour. One of those ships was loaded with munitions and the other held medical supplies, both intended for war-torn Europe.
The resulting disaster was the largest man-made explosion until the detonation of the atomic bomb in 1945. The blast flattened two towns, Halifax and Dartmouth, and killed nearly 2,000 people. As if that wasn't devastating enough, a blizzard hit the next day, dumping more than a foot of snow on the area and slowing much needed relief efforts.
Packed with period photographs, Blizzard of Glass is just what today's young nonfiction lovers are looking for: a fascinating true story and a gripping read.

Back in 2004 Cathy Beveridge wrote a fiction story based on the Halifax explosion titled : Chaos in Halifax, it's a great book and this is also a great book filling in some details about this harrowing event in Canadian history. I liked how the book followed the story of several young people (survivors) as they started their day and the aftermath that followed. The photos from the Nova Scotia archives also provide the reader with a true sense of how forceful the blast and the following tsunami was on the towns of Dartmouth and Halifax.
I can't wait to share this narrative non-fiction with G.S. Lakie students.

Cool Stuff Exploded

Cool Stuff Exploded by Chris Woodford

The third installment of the hugely popular Cool Stuff series will blow your mind. This super cool technology book deconstructs - or literally explodes everyday objects so readers can see exactly how they work. Beautifully photographed spreads show a piece-by-piece breakdown of cell-phones, computers, cars and more. Detailing how each part works and how they all fit together as a whole. This unique look at the items we use every day brings science, technology and wonder to the fore, giving us all a great appreciation for how our twenty-first century world works. Set into the cover is a CD Rom containing animations of the "exploded" views featured in the book.

I know there will be a lineup for this one.
READ ON!

They broke the law - you be the judge

They broke the law - You be the Judge : true cases of teen crime by Judge Tom Jacobs

Teens often hear about other teens who get into trouble with the law. But their seldom asked what they think should happen next and why. A unique introduction into the juvenile justice system, They broke the law - you be the judge, invites teen to preside over a variety of real-life cases.
They meet Adam who makes a threat in school; Erica, who assults another student; and more young students who commit crimes and are caught. Like a judge, readers learn each teen's background, the relevant facts and the sentencing options available. After deciding on a sentence, they find out what really happened - and where each offender is today.
Along the way, readers learn Judge Jacobs' concerns about each case, reflect on probing questions and discover that they can't jump to conclusions.
Thought provoking and eye-opening, this book is for all teens who want to know more about the juvenile justice system and the laws that pertain to them and their peers.

Warrior vs Warrior

Warrior vs. Warrior by Catherine Brereton, Philip Steele, and Hannah Wilson What would happen if a gladiator fought a samurai warrior? Who would win, and why? Warrior vs. Warrior recreates five deadly battles ; Viking vs. Aztec, Samurai vs. Gladiator, Spartan vs. Mongol, female ninja vs. female gladiator, Knight vs. Zulu. Data files compare and contrast weaponry, armor, tactics, codes of honour, while background spreads provide historical and cultural content. And at the end of the book, one of the ten is crowned histories ultimate warrior.

Dewey the Library Cat

Dewey the Library Cat by Vicki Myron
In the tradition of Marley a Dog Like No Other, this is the story of a cat who was more than a pet, and the amazing effect he had on the people around him. Abandoned in a library book drop in the dead of winter, this remarkable kitten miraculously endured the coldest night of the year. Dewey Readmore Books, as he became known, quickly embraced his new home inside the Spencer Public Library, charming the struggling small town library goer's young and old. As word of Dewey's winning tail, or rather his tale  spread, the cat gained worldwide fame as a symbol  of hope and proof positive that one small cat could change a town, one reader at a time.

Here's the trailer.