Interviews with Canadian Authors and Illustrators

If you are a librarian, classroom teacher, or just any booklover, you might be int

erested in reading the interviews I conduct for each issue of Canadian Teacher Magazine.
The magazine is send to each school in the country but also has an online presence: http://www.canadianteachermagazine.com

Each month I interview a wide variety of writers and illustrators of different genres: scifi, a novelist, a poet, etc. I try to cover male and female, east, west, south, north and in between!

You can contact Canadian Teacher Magazine to receive a subscription in the mail, or check online for current issues.
My current column is available here: http://www.canadianteachermagazine.com/article_lt_canwrite_arthur_slade.html      and features author Arthur Slade.


Happy reading!

Book Review: Lydia, Queen of Palestine by Uri Orlev

Lydia, Queen of Palestine by Uri Orlev

Lydia, a typical but highly spirited child, must face her parents' divorce as well as the growing hostility toward Romania's Jewish population. Lydia's mother sends her to live in a kibbutz in Palestine during World War II, promising to follow her daughter soon.

Lydia finds it difficult to adjust to life in a kibbutz. When her mother fails to show up, she tries to find her father, who is already in Israel but remarried.

"Often outrageous and abrasive, yet also delightfully imaginative, bright, and tenacious, Lydia is the archetype of a survivor, while her experiences on the periphery of the war's horrors are authentic and fascinating."

School Library Journal says "This is an honest book peopled with convincing characters whose petty jealousies and concerns occupy them more than the larger events of the world in which they live. Lydia's experiences are often wryly humorous; she is both inventive and unpredictable, and never boring. This story offers a contrast to the spate of Holocaust books with harrowing escapes and heroic protagonists"

I found this a wonderful read that pulled me into the story, brought the character to live and opened my eyes to a whole new world.

Paperback, 176 pages
ISBN 0140370897 (ISBN13: 9780140370898)

Book Review Opportunity for Students!

Are you a (Canadian) teacher of Grade 4, 5 or 6 students?
Do your students love to read?
Here is a unique opportunity for you and your class.

For Kidswwwrite ezine, my online magazine in which we publish writing by children from around the world, we are looking for a new class to take on the responsibility to supply us, each month, with reviews of YA books.

In each issue we will publish these student-written reviews of books they like and recommend to peers. You might, eventually, even start receiving review copies from publishers to include.
You can see sample, previously published reviews here:  http://www.kalwriters.com/kidswwwrite/reviewarchive.html

If you are interested, please make sure your students can continue this project into other school years. They don't need to be the same kids, but your class should be able to continue providing reviews for the next few years. I hope you will consider this fun, authentic reading/writing experience with your students.
Contact me at margriet@margrietruurs.com for more details.

Entertaining an Elephant by Bill McBride

Why is it, that so often the most powerful books are tiny, thin volumes. Think of Stone Fox. Think of Sarah Plain and Tall. Think of Tuesdays with Morrie. All little books with a tremendous impact and a huge message.
Entertaining an Elephant  fits right into the category. A powerful story for every teacher in your life

This is the heartwarming story of a burned-out teacher struggling though fifteen year of teaching. He is stuck in the proverbial rut and no longer finds no joy in teaching.
Through a set of unexpected events, mostly through listening to wisdom from an unexpected corner, the teacher becomes re-inspired with both his profession and his own life.
Woven into this short novel are quotes from world-renown spiritual and philosophical writers who suggest ways for us to face the tough challenges of today’s world.

Already in its 16th printing, the book is a favorite among educators and parents. Half the proceeds of every sale go to charity. As I read the book I kept looking at the photo of the very young author. I kept wondering where all of his wisdom came from... Impressive. I also checked out his website: http://entertaininganelephant.com/index.html
Bill McBride has written several books, most to do with literacy and writing. I highly recommend you read his books and savour their wisdom.

Counting By 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan

You know those books that allow you to crawl inside the main character's head and allow you to dwell there for a while? Those comfortable, even if disturbing, books that are so real.  Those books that are like a lollipop - you start licking (reading) slower so that the good feeling with last longer...

That's how felt while reading Counting By 7's.
This is an intensely moving middle grade novel about being an outsider, coping with loss, and discovering the true meaning of family. Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn't kept her from leading a quietly happy life . . . until now. Willow's world is suddenly, tragically, changed when... well, I won't tell you 'cause you have to read it yourself. The triumph of this book is that it is "not" a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.

"Holly Goldberg Sloan writes about belonging in a way I've never quite seen in any other book. This is a gorgeous, funny, and heartwarming novel that I'll never forget."--John Corey Whaley, author of "Where Things Come Back"

"Willow Chance subtly drew me into her head and her life, so much so that I was holding my breath for her by the end. Holly Goldberg Sloan has created distinct characters who will stay with you long after you finish the book."--Sharon Creech, Newbery Award-winning author of "Walk Two Moons"

• Publisher: Dial Books
• Published: 29 August 2013
• Format: Hardback 380 pages
• See: Full bibliographic data
• Categories: Fiction Family School Stories Family Issues
• ISBN 13: 9780803738553 ISBN 10: 0803738552

Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner

Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner





This book is a classic by now. How did such a thin little book become both a classic bestseller as well as a major motion picture?
Because it is a good story! A heart string pulling, tear jerking good tale.

Little Willy's grandfather is sick, and it's up to Willy to save their farm from tax collectors. Their only hope is the prize money from the National Dogsled Race. But a lot of other people want to win the race, too, including Stone Fox, who has never lost a race in his life.
Do Willy and his dog Searchlight stand a chance against the toughest racers around? Can they win the race to save the farm -- and Grandfather -- before it's too late?

I was lucky to have met the author, John Gardiner. He seemed a very kind man and was supportive of me as a fellow writer. We had a great chat about the struggles of writing, editing and rewriting. He showed me his first original manuscript. The paper was covered in red. It seems that every single word of it had been crossed out and edited. "I am dyslexic. I couldn't write at all...", he said.
I was in awe that his story had gone on to do so well.

Then, to my utter surprise, a few weeks later I received the Dutch version of Stone Fox in the mail. "I can't read it anyway so you enjoy!" he said.
And enjoy Stone Fox I have! A book that every teacher and parent should read aloud with their children.




Lesson Plans: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/stone-fox-lesson-plan

The London Jungle Book by Bhajju Shyam

The London Jungle Book by Bhajju Shyam
I felt very lucky when I 'discovered' this unique book, several years ago. It's one of those gorgeous books, and story, that makes a fascinating read for adults, a coffeetable art book AND a children's book.
“A beautiful book. I would like to give it to everyone I love when they are traveling by choice or necessity.”—John Berger

“Bhajju Shyam is causing quite a stir among museum-goers in London. . . . This is London as you’ve never seen it before. An incredible vision.”—BBC World Service

This stunning visual travelogue by an Indian tribal artist turns a modern metropolis into an exotic bestiary. Bhajju Shyam, from the Gond tribe in central India, had never left his native village when a European visitor encountered his art and invited him to London to paint the interiors of a chic Indian restaurant.
With radical innocence and great sophistication, Bhajju records his experiences and observations showing a modern city as you’ve never seen it before, combining his vision with native lore — the London Underground becomes a giant earthworm, Big Ben merges with a massive rooster, and English people are shown as bats that come out to play at night. It is rare to encounter a truly original vision that is capable of startling us into reexamining familiar sights. By breathing the ancient spirit of wonder back into the act of travel, The London Jungle Book does just that. Bhajju’s work is well known throughout India and has been exhibited in the United Kingdom, Germany, Holland, and Russia. From the walls of his tribal village home to international acclaim, Bhajju’s has been an incredible creative journey.

Check out what Delhi street children did with art based on this book:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5Np1dyG_o8

The World Needs Your Kid: Raising Children Who Care and Contribute' by Marc Kielburger, Craig Kielburger, and Shelley Page

If you want to give someone a gift that will make a huge difference in their life, here is a book you should give to every parents, grandparent or educator you know!!
You probably already know Free The Children (ISBN-10: 0978437500) by Craig Kielburger, the powerful story of a 12 year old Canadian boy who ends up truly changing the world. Shocked by the concept of child labor, he actually travels to India to tackle this evil. In the process he meets Mother Theresa and becomes actively involved in freeing children from child-labor factories. Craig ended up being a life time activist, changing laws, and minds of people around the world. He started Me To We, a global organization helping children to help children.

His current book is The World Needs Your Kid: Raising Children Who Care and Contribute by Marc Kielburger, Craig Kielburger, and Shelley Page, with a foreword by the Dalai Lama, ISBN - 10:1553655052. I'm not kidding: you need to rush out and buy this book for everyone who is raising a child!!
A practical guide to raising caring kids, lending a hand and changing the world - all at the same time! With simple, every day actions to strengthen a child's motivation to do more in the world, the book gives staggering statistics but also practical tools. As the Kielburgers reflect on lessons from their own childhood, they examine insights of activists such as Jane Fonda, Mia Farrow and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Over 200 interviews with remarkable parents, educators and experts make this is a valuable guide that will encourage children to become global citizens. A must have for all educators, parents and grandparents. See: http://www.metowe.com/

I Stood Upon A Mountain by Aileen Fisher

I Stood Upon A Mountain, a picture book by Aileen Fisher





This relatively unknown book is one of my all-time favorites. It's older, and may not be readily available anymore - but you can still find it online. And it's worth a search.

Standing on top of a mountain, a young child wonders about the creation of the world. How did it all happen?
One old man tells her it all started with an egg.
"Can it be true" she wonders.
"It all came from a word!" someone else tells her.
But what was before the word? How did oceans and deserts begin?

"With fire!" knows a native man.
"An explosion!" thinks someone else.
In the end, she realizes there are many answers. But does it really matter how it all began? Being filled with wonder if the most important thing as you gaze upon creation.

ISBN 0-690-03977-8

Edward the Emu, by Sheena Knowles, Ill by Rod Clement

"Edward the emu was sick of the zoo,
There was nowhere to go, there was nothing to do,
And compared to the seals that lived right next door,
Well being an emu was frankly a bore...."

Tired of his life as an emu, Edward decides to try being something else for a change. He tries swimming with the seals. He spends a day lounging with the lions. He even does a stint slithering with the snakes.

But Edward soon discovers that being an emu may be the best thing after all. And so he returns to his pen, only to find a big surprise awaiting him. .
I love Sheena Knowles' rhyming text but Rod Clement's amazing illustrations really make this a fabulous picture book. Right now I am in Australia and see this book everywhere. I've used it for years with both kids and teachers.

The fun continues with Edwina the Emu by the same two creators.

Paperback, 32 pages, HarperCollins ISBN
0064434990 (ISBN13: 9780064434997)

Lesson Plan: www.det.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/.../EdwardTheEmu.pdf