Inuit sports

Games of Survival: Traditional Inuit Games for Elementary Students
by Johnny Issaluk


On a recent trip to the Arctic, our tour group were treated to a demonstration of Inuit games performed by Johnny Issaluk! So I am very pleased to present his book for today. 

Traditional Inuit games like the high kick, arm pull, knuckle hop, and back push were important for keeping muscles strong and flexible when hunting. Inuit hunters needed the agility and strength to chase caribou across uneven terrain or haul walruses onto the ice. They also needed the endurance to carry the animals back to camp or face a family's starvation.

Today the games are performed not for survival, but for fun. This sense of joy and energy is  expertly captured in the vibrant photos of children as they demonstrate the moves.

An excellent book.

A long flight

The Long, Long Journey: The Godwit's Amazing Migration
by Sandra Markle
illustrated by Mia Posada


A little godwit hatches on a June night in Alaska. For the next three months, she eats and eats and practices flying. She needs fuel and strong wings for the long journey to New Zealand. What makes the godwit's migration amazing? She flies nonstop for eight days!

The picture book format is a wonderful way to tell the godwit's story. The graceful watercolour illustrations add to the charm, making it an appealing book for young readers.

How birds migrate

On the Wing: American Birds in Migration
by Carol Lerner


This is an in-depth look at the migration patterns of North American birds. Specific birds are used as examples to explain partial migration, migration within continents, east-west migration, and other seasonal movements. Accompanying maps show summer, winter, and year-round ranges. Other pictures and diagrams clarify flight patterns, diet changes, and ornithological experiments, which explain how birds find their way.

Well-researched and clearly written, this is an excellent book for beginner birdwatchers.

A young bird's first migration

Is This Panama? A Migration Story
by Jan Thornhill
illustrations by Soyeon Kim 


When Sammy, a young Wilson's warbler, wakes up with cold toes, he knows that it's time to migrate to Panama. But all the other warblers have already left, and Sammy has no idea where Panama is! Sammy bravely sets off anyway, asking other birds and animals for help. He soon discovers that everyone is heading in a different direction: the caribou is moving to his winter forest, the sandhill cranes are going to Texas, and the darner dragonflies are flying east. Sammy also encounters danger in city windows, heavy rain, and open ocean. But with the help of some monarch butterflies and a humpback whale, Sammy makes it to his winter home.

A map at the end shows Sammy's route, and notes about animal migration round out the book.

Charmingly illustrated with cut-paper illustrations, this is a winning combination of fact and story.

Identifying shells

National Audubon Society First Field Guide: Shells
by Brian Cassie


Easy-to-read text and full-colour photographs make this an ideal shell identification guide. It provides a great deal of information about mollusks - how they make their shells, how they reproduce, what they eat - as well as the best places to find them on land or shore.

An excellent reference.

Animal architects

Animal Architects: How Shellmakers Build Their Amazing Homes
by W. Wright Robinson


Mollusks such as snails, clams and mussels construct some of the most amazing homes in nature. Decorated with spikes, spines, and chambers, their shells are marvels of ingenuity. Filled with photos, this book will tell you how various mollusks make their shells.

Endlessly fascinating.

Seashells by the seashore

The Shell Book
by Barbara Hirsch Lember


Children often spend their summer vacations at a beach. Those who like digging holes in the sand may encounter beautiful shells. For help in identifying shells, Lember's book is an ideal start. Her close-up, hand-tinted photographs are accompanied by interesting facts about each of the shell's inhabitants.

Discovering Seashells
by Douglas Florian


Florian's detailed illustrations capture a wider variety of shells in this introductory book. He also includes information about mollusk anatomy.

Engaging and easy-to-read, this is a good book to add to a cottage library.

How to be a writer

Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Writer
by Janet E. Grant

This is a good, practical guide to beginning and maintaining a writing career. It'll help young writers discover their writing style, critically evaluate their writing, and experiment with it to achieve their goals. It also offers useful suggestions to finding the right publishers, preparing manuscripts, entering writing contests, and getting support from authors and teachers. 

Good for ages 9 and up.

Write with style!

Writing Maniac
by Sheree Fitch

Poet Sheree Fitch’s exuberant personality is all over this lively book. You can tell that she really loves words! She begins with her childhood memories and how she became a writer. Then she talks about where she gets her ideas - by listening, dreaming, and remembering - and how she views the world. Writing ideas and exercises are sprinkled throughout the text. 

A glossary is included at the end of the book, filled with Fitch's own, unique definitions. 

A fun, enjoyable book for readers of all ages.

Creative writing

Spilling Ink: A Young Writer's Handbook

by Anne Mazer & Ellen Potter

A witty and fun book, full of encouraging advice for writers of all ages. It provides a good view of the writer’s life with all its joys and challenges. The intelligent writing exercises, under the heading “I Dare You”, will help to broaden your writing. 

An excellent book every writer should have on his or her bookshelf. 

Help your child worry less

Seven Steps to Help Your Child Worry Less
by Sam Goldstein, Kristy Hagar and Robert Brooks


This is a good book that can help both parents and children who suffer from worry, fear, and anxiety. It explains the causes of fear and anxiety and how to recognize if your child is overly worried. It then provides practical advice on how to reduce anxiety and foster resilience. The authors encourage parents and children to work together to develop a worry-less plan, and offer solutions to any obstacles that may arise. They also do a good job in reminding parents to always treat their children with support and empathy instead of criticism. By being sympathetic, you can go a long way towards easing your child's worries.

Imagination can overcome fear

No More Monsters in the Closet: Teaching Your Children to Overcome Everyday Fears and Phobias
by Jeffrey L. Brown


Imaginative or fantasy play is something many children do every day. In No More Monsters in the Closet, pediatrician Jeffrey L. Brown shows you how to use your child's vivid imagination to reduce common fears and physical pain. He calls it Imagination Training (IT). If you already know how to distract your child from a doctor's needle or a sudden sound, you'll be able to learn this technique.

Having an imaginary Take-along Friend, riding a Magic Carpet, or putting on an invisible Magic Glove can help children cope with social insecurity, nighttime worries, and dental visits. These relaxation and visualization techniques are not difficult to learn and are perfectly suited for ages 2-12. Even teens can benefit from IT;  they just need more sophisticated imagery. Dr. Brown also knows when parents have to be strict, and offers clear guidelines on how to get your kids to behave without too much stress. With IT, your child can successfully face and conquer their fears.

A very useful parenting book.

The anxious child

What To Do When You're Scared & Worried: A Guide for Kids
by James J. Crist


Every child has fears and worries. Some worries are fleeting, but others persist. If these anxious feelings interfere will day-to-day activities, it's time to get help. In this kid-friendly book, James J. Crist explains where fears and worries come from and how they affect the body. He reassures children that they are not alone and suggests various coping skills that they can use to calm themselves.

Sometimes, when fears turn into phobias, panic attacks, or obsessive-compulsive behaviours, counselling is required. Crist clearly explains how counselling works and answers common questions that children may have about it. He ends with a note to parents and a list of resources for further help.

A good book for children who need sympathy and support.