Upcoming Program: Family Movie Night!

One Saturday night a month, we’ll be showing fun and family-friendly films to enjoy together. We kick off our family movie series this Saturday, May 18th, at 7 p.m. with a screening of The Secret World of Arietty.

“In a secret world hidden beneath the floorboards, little people called Borrowers live quietly among us. But when tenacious and tiny Arrietty is discovered by Shawn, a human boy, their secret and forbidden friendship blossoms into an extraordinary adventure.”

The Secret World of Arietty is based on the fantastical children’s book The Borrowers, by Mary Norton. This reinterpreted classic has gotten great reviews! Arietty is written by Hayao Miyazaki, who created such gems as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. It’s the perfect family film: the imaginative mix of enchanting music and lush animation tell this magical story for viewers 5 and older. There is just enough suspense to keep the audience captivated. The movie has been praised for its sensitivity, beauty, and charming portrayal of friendship and loyalty. Come get swept into the magical world of Arietty and her family this Saturday!

To register, come by the Children’s Department, send us an e-mail at childrendept@cotesaintluc.org, or call us at (514) 485-6900.

Hidden Gem: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Fantasy novels have always appealed to me, although I’m a bit of a picky fantasy enthusiast – I can be a little hard to please, and I often start books of this genre with a hint of skepticism in my heart. However, they still draws me in despite my reservations, so after a few months of eyeing The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson, I decided it was time to give it a try, and I’m glad I did.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns takes place in a world with a Spanish influence (and some Spanish-inspired words). It centers on a young girl, the second daughter of a king, who has been betrothed to the ruler from a neighbouring kingdom. Elisa has always compared herself to her older sister, Alodia, who was born to rule and carries herself with confidence and poise. Alodia demands respect, and gets it! Elisa, on the other hand, is overweight, shy, and suffers from a lack of self-confidence; she thinks people tend to overlook her, and she doesn’t entirely mind that they do. Her feelings of inadequacy are made all the worse by the fact that she is the Chosen One, gifted at birth with a gemstone in her navel, called a godstone, a sign that she has been called to complete a great service. Over the years, many have been gifted with a godstone, and many have completed their great service, but some died before they could and Elisa fears, above all else, that she will be unable to complete her service – perhaps she will even be found unworthy.

When she reaches her new home and meets her betrothed  she feels completely out-of-place and judged by her new countrymen. She believes that they see her as a necessary price for a strategic alliance, as their kingdom is plagued with the near-constant threat of war. As time passes, Elisa slowly beings to settle into her new role and makes an impression on King Alejandro and his subjects. And then everything changes. Elisa is suddenly abducted and taken to the far east of the kingdom where a war that she thought long-resolved is raging.

This book has a lot going for it. Carson is a master of pacing; when you start the novel, you are slowly introduced to the world and the mythology as you get to know Elisa. Before you know it, you find yourself in the middle of political intrigue and maneuvering. As a reader, you struggle for your footing along with Elisa, so it was really easy to establish a rapport with the main character. And just as you get comfortable with the political scheming in Brisadulce, Carson flips things around, and you find yourself following Elisa as she ends up in the middle of a guerrilla-style war.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns was full of surprises, and it’s fun when a book keeps you unbalanced. Every time I thought I had a handle on where things were going, the author switched things around. She also created very elaborate characters. I really appreciated that the people populating her book were neither fully good or fully evil. For example King Alejandro is handsome and charming, but he’s indecisive (not a great characteristic in a king) and can be insensitive and self-centered. And much like the characters, the world that Carson has built is impressively detailed and realistic.

While this book is the first in a trilogy, the novel can stand alone, although once you’ve finished it, you will probably want to read the sequel, The Crown of Embers. The final novel in the series, The Bitter Kingdom, comes out at the end of the summer, and I, for one, can’t wait to see how this all wraps up.

Happy reading!

-Valerie

Book Review: Erebos by Ursula Poznanski

I am a science fiction lover, and I was really excited to see Erebos in our new arrivals. On the blood-red cover is a foreboding eye with the words “IT’S A GAME. IT WATCHES YOU.”

When Nick sees a mysterious brown package being passed around at school, he is intrigued. He asks other students about it, but everyone is being terribly secretive. Finally, a girl at school offers it to him, not saying anything except that it’s an “incredibly awesome” video game, he can’t talk about it to anyone, and that he must be alone when he plays. Nick goes home and excitedly installs the game. What he finds when he enters the world of Erebos is both sinister and thrilling. The game has an unsettling intelligence, and seems to take on a life of its own. As Nick and his classmates are pulled into the world of Erebos, strange things begin happening, and the game starts to leak into the real world.

Erebos has the effect of isolating its players, making them desperate–at all costs–for recognition from “The Messenger” (one of the scariest characters I’ve read in a while), who has the power to reward players for their actions, and asks the players to do strange and dangerous errands in their daily lives. As Nick plays, he begins to identify more with his character, Sarius, than he does with people in his life. He has friends in both camps: those who are playing and thus not talking about it (or to each other), and those who are doing all that they can to stop its distribution. Nick’s friend Jamie believes that the game is dangerous, which puts an incredible strain on their friendship. Erebos has gladiator-like fights to the death the determine who will be a part of the “Inner Circle,” and Nick suspects a few of his friends of being his bitter rivals in the game.

I was totally absorbed by the book from the moment I opened it. Like Nick, I always wanted to get back to Erebos to see what was going to happen next. This is a great sci-fi thriller, and will certainly be appreciated by gamers (although I must say, video games aren’t portrayed in the best light)! Ursula Poznanski blends an incredibly vivid portrait of the world of Erebos with Nick’s life in London. Although I wasn’t attached to any of the characters, who are essentially under the spell of the game, the suspense and well-wrought atmosphere made this book worth the read.

Enjoy,

Bronwen

Upcoming Programs: Hebrew Storytime and Panadream Marionette Show

We’ve had a busy month in the Children’s Department, with lots of programs for people with all sorts of different interests. With the start of May, we also have a great selection, and here are just two that we hope will grab your attention.

First off, the Children’s Department will be having a new evening storytime. What’s particularly exciting is that this storytime will be in Hebrew. Shir Rubin will be reading stories to interested youngsters. This free activity will take place on Tuesday evenings (6 pm) starting May 7 and is for children aged 5 and up. If this sounds like an activity for you, give us a call at 514-485-6900 ext. 4111 to register.

We are also proud to be hosting Panadream Theatre for a wonderful marionette show titled The Giant Magician. Panadream Theatre is known for their creative and enchanting stories, as well as their beautifully crafted marionettes. This event will be taking place Sunday, May 5 at 11 am, and tickets cost $5.  This is a great event for the whole family! You can purchase your tickets at the main desk.

We hope to see you there!

Favourite: Piglet and Papa by Margaret Wild

There are a lot of picture books featuring pigs out there, but very few are as much of a gem as Piglet and Papa, written by Margaret Wild and illustrated by Stephen Michael King.

I love this wonderful picture book for a number of reasons: first, it is about family. Piglet and Papa are playing one day, when Piglet plays just a little bit too roughly. Papa chases her out of the sty, saying “You little rascal!” Piglet is confused: is her father really angry at her? Does he still love her? When she asks him if he loves her, he doesn’t answer (he doesn’t hear her, in fact) and so she creeps away, sure that she has made a big mistake.

Like any child, Piglet needs reassurance: with each animal she passes, she asks, “Do you love me?” Each of her animal friends comments on her adorable qualities (unfortunately they are more outward than inward), and says, “but someone else loves you a hundred times more.” The repetition through these passages is lovely and lyrical, and allows children to predict how Piglet will ask and how the animals will answer.

Ultimately, I like Piglet and Papa because Piglet discovers that she can always come home to her Papa when she needs food and a hug, even if she has done something he doesn’t like. Piglet and Papa’s comforting message about the unconditional affection that parents feel for their children is a nice one indeed.

Enjoy,

Bronwen

Upcoming Program: Come Celebrate Earth Day!

Tomorrow is Earth Day, and we have tons of activities happening to celebrate! We’ll start with a Family Storytime at 11 a.m. For teens and adults, Montréal-based author Taras Grescoe will come discuss hisbook Straphanger at 11 a.m.. We’ll continue the festivities with the Eco Fair at 12 p.m., and we’re showing The Lorax in the Children’s Department at 2 p.m. Fun will certainly be had by all! In honour of Earth Day, here are a few great titles from the Children’s collection:

Oh Say Can You Seed / by Bonnie Worth, illustrated by Aristides Ruiz

Embark on a journey from seed to plant, guided by the illustrious Cat in the Hat. This is from a great educational series, The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library, and is a great way to present interesting facts (in rhyme, no less!) for kids from 5-8.

La planète verte / par Yvonne Morrison

Avec ce livre, les enfants vont partir à la rencontre d’une science résolument moderne: l’écologie: Qu’est-ce qu’un écosystème? Comment préserver la biodiversité de notre planète? Qu’est-ce qu’une chaîne alimentaire?

Planète vivante : comprendre et préserver la biodiversité 

Voici un ouvrage exceptionnel conçu pour les jeunes, mais qui intéressera tous les lecteurs soucieux de préserver l’extraordinaire biodiversité du monde dans lequel nous vivons. Grâce à son contenu encyclopédique étonnant, accessible et validé par les experts en écologie du Biodôme de Montréal, et à ses images percutantes de l’impact des activités humaines sur la nature, le lecteur se retrouve aux premières loges d’un spectacle grandiose et vital.

Join us tomorrow (Sunday, April 21st) for a day of celebrating our planet and our community. Enjoy, and Happy Earth Day!

Hidden Gem: The Other Felix By Keir Graff

What would happen if your dreams felt real? Would your life during the day start to change? Felix wakes up in the middle of a forest, and doesn’t know how he got there. He knows he’s dreaming, but he’s still wearing the clothing he went to sleep in, and everything seems eerily real. All of a sudden he is aware of a monster, and the danger becomes even more palpable as he begins to run. The funny thing is, Felix has never known anything except for the huge city he lives in. He can’t imagine how he came up with this forest, which he hasn’t ever seen.

Felix is a bit of a loner. He spends time with the kids at school while he’s there, but he doesn’t consider them friends. Unfortunately, this means that there is no one to come to his aid when a new student, Chase, steals a calculator from the classroom and decides to frame Felix for it. As Felix grapples with his relationships at school, his dreams become even more frequent. He begins to wake up in the same forest night after night.  During one of these episodes, he meets his doppelganger.  The Other Felix looks and talks like “real” Felix, but he is brave where Felix is not. Instead of running from the monsters, he walks right up to them and they cower in his presence. The real Felix wishes he could be like his dream twin, but first he needs to learn how to fight the monsters.

The Other Felix is an allegorical coming-of-age story: as Felix learns what it is to be brave and honest in his waking life, he learns the same in his dreams. As Felix gathers the courage to battle difficult situations in both worlds, his relationship with his dream double begins to change. The Other Felix is rife with things to think about and discuss, and it’s also full of action and adventure. Felix’s dream and real life mirror each other in thought-provoking ways. For me, this book was interesting on a number of different levels, and Felix’s dreams remind me of my own dreaming experience as a child. This is a book that appeals to the practical as well as the whimsical, and that makes it really worth the read.

Enjoy!

Bronwen

Book Review: 33 Minutes by Todd Hasak-Lowy

Sam Lewis is the smartest boy in his class, maybe even the smartest boy in his entire middle school, but that isn’t going to help him come recess when Morgan Sturtz is planning to kick his butt. This funny book aimed at the 8 to 12 crowd, was an absolute pleasure to read from the title (33 Minutes…Until Morgan Sturtz kicks my butt) to the very last sentence. Todd Hasak-Lowy created a great main character who has a unique narrative style; I loved Sam Lewis!

We meet Sam when he has 33 minutes until recess. Once those 33 minutes are up, he knows that his former best friend is going to kick his butt. Sam may be smarter than the kids who are in school with him, but he isn’t the most popular. His ex-best friend, Morgan Sturtz, is one of those popular kids. Morgan is great at sports and not so great at school, but until this year started, it didn’t seem to make a difference. Morgan and Sam were the best of friends. Sure, Sam may have spent more time doing things that Morgan liked to do, but they had a lot of fun together. This year, however, Morgan doesn’t seem to like Sam anymore, and yesterday, he told Sam, in front of a group of other middle school boys, that he was going to kick Sam’s butt. And Sam isn’t sure what is going to happen.

This isn’t a book about bullying, although that topic is touched on in the novel. Morgan may be about to get into a fight with Sam, but most people agree that he is a nice kid. It’s just that recently, something happened to change the way Morgan looks at Sam. This book is mostly about what happens when friends change and friendships change, too. As the minutes tick by until recess, Sam remembers the progress from being best friends to being on opposite sides of a lunchroom brawl. From the first pages, Sam wins you over. He’s smart and funny, and he genuinely misses his friend. Peppered through the novel are little sketches of the people around him, my favourite being the visual list of the different kinds of teacher facial hair you can find at his middle school (Bethany Barton does a great job with all the illustrations). This book isn’t sappy and it doesn’t come across as heavy-handed. It’s a fast and compelling read, and one that I couldn’t wait to share when I was finished.

Bullying is a hot topic and there are lots of books about it, but 33 Minutes… Until Morgan Sturtz kicks my butt found that perfect balance between being entertaining, well-written and meaningful, a great trifecta for any book. If you want other books on bullying that find that nice blend between a serious topic and light-hearted humour, here are a few other titles that you might enjoy:

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen

Thirteen-year-old Henry’s happy, ordinary life comes to an abrupt halt when his older brother, Jesse, picks up their father’s hunting rifle and leaves the house one morning. What follows shatters Henry’s family, who are forced to resume their lives in a new city.

The Bully Book by Eric Kahn Gale

In this story told alternately through journal entries and instructions from a bullying manual, sixth-grader Eric embarks on a quest to find the reason why he is being teased and tormented in middle school. This book is loosely based on the author’s own experiences.

I Funny by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein

Resolving to become the world’s greatest stand-up comedian despite less-than-funny challenges in his life, wheelchair-bound middle school student Jamie Grimm endures bullying from his mean-spirited cousin and hopes he will be fairly judged when he enters a local comedy contest.

Happy reading!

-Valerie

Focus on New Nonfiction

Lately, I have been seeing new arrivals in nonfiction that look a whole lot like fiction. Take these next four books, for example: they all come in interesting packages, from a graphic novel about Medgar Evers and the NAACP to what looks like a chapter book, which is actually The Young Scientist’s Guide to Faulty Freaks of Nature. These titles are not only nice to look at; they present information in innovative new ways. However, it’s what’s inside that counts, and these titles do not disappoint. They are packed full of cool facts, experiments, life stories, and the natural world, all written about in accessible and interesting ways.

The Alien Hunters’ Handbook: How to Look for Extraterrestrial Life
by Mark Brake ; illustrated by Colin Jack & Geraint Ford

A guide to the science behind the search for extraterrestrials, including the conditions necessary for life, where such conditions could exist, how aliens might look, and how we might be able to communicate with them.

Deadly! The Truth About the Most Dangerous Creatures on Earth
by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Neal Layton

Sometimes nature can be nasty: snakes that spit poison, insects with exploding bottoms, and tigers that have you for dinner. Throughout the animal kingdom, creatures are equipped with lethal weapons, from finger-length fangs to toxic tentacles, and have ingenious ways of killing one another poisoning, dive-bombing, strangling, and even electrocuting! Discover the murderous methods of attack and defense that make animals armed, dangerous, and deadly.

Medgar Evers and the NAACP by Gary Jeffrey

“Medgar Evers’s story of courage, dignity, and sacrifice is a reminder of the high price some paid to ensure that the United States would meet its promise of equal rights and equal opportunity for all.” -Provided by publisher.

A Young Scientist’s Guide to Faulty Freaks of Nature
by James Doyle ; illustrations by Andrew Brozyna

“Includes 20 experiments for the sink, bathtub, and backyard. Are you intrigued by the effects of smog or methane clouds, the “Harry Potter” dinosaur, the Australian blue bird that screeches chainsaw noises, ocean “snot,” or the pink tentacles in the Korean dish where they swallow wriggling tentacles? Then strap on your hat for adventure and learn how planet Earth has been modified by the crazy chemistry of birdbrained biology and foolhardy physics of humans.” – Provided by Publisher.

New Picture Books

For a children’s librarian, it is always so pleasant and relaxing to have the chance to sit down and discover great picture books. Just today I came across three new titles that I wanted to share: these books are all strikingly different from one another, but I enjoyed each one for its quirkiness and undeniable kid appeal.

Chu’s Day by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Adam Rex

When Chu the panda sneezes, “bad things happen.” Every day is a minefield, and this day is no exception: Chu’s parents worry as they take him to the library where book dust lurks, and a restaurant where there is too much pepper in the air. Each time it looks like Chu is going to sneeze, he holds it in and his family breathes a sigh of relief. Then, they go to the circus…With expressive and adorable illustrations and simple text, this is the perfect story for 3-5-year-olds, and will keep them on the edge of their seats as they try to guess whether Chu will sneeze (and what might happen if he does)!

Dirty Gert by Tedd Arnold

As a toddler, Gert loves eating dirt.  As Gert grows, her parents worry that she won’t stop; they try and try to “civilize her,” but to no avail. In a bizarre but very funny turn, Gert begins to grow roots and “photosynthesize.” All of a sudden, Gert is famous, but fame takes its toll: “Soon all the ruckus, all the fuss, began to traumatize her.” Dirty Gert has a happy ending, but poor Gert must go through a lot to get there.  This rhyming picture book is written and illustrated in Tedd Arnold’s humourous style. It has some challenging vocabulary words, but it is still accessible and funny. For those who may grow into Tedd Arnold’s tremendously popular Fly Guy series, Dirty Gert is a great place to start.

Rabbityness by Jo Empson

Rabbityness is a beautiful, simple book with lovely illustrations. With very little text, it tells the story of Rabbit, who likes doing “rabbity things” like jumping and cleaning his ears. Rabbit is not your typical bunny, however: he also likes “unrabbity things,” like painting and making music. One day Rabbit disappears, but he leaves his art and music behind. Thanks to his gifts, his sad, worried friends learn that they, too, like “unrabbity” things, and that doing what Rabbit loved is the best way to remember him. This poignant tale deals with loss in a graceful and sensitive way, and helps children learn that happy memories can be a wonderful way to celebrate the special people in their lives.

If you’re curious about what other new picture books we have to offer, some of our many new arrivals are displayed on our website, in French and English. Keep checking back for more great books!

Enjoy,

Bronwen