YAACING is the quarterly newsletter of the Young Adults And Children’s Services section of the British Columbia Library Association. We publish articles by librarians and library paraprofessionals serving children and teens. Topics range from library programs and events, to book reviews, storytime ideas, literacy tips and more! If you would like to submit something for consideration, please email yaacing@gmail.com.
CONTENTS MESSAGE FROM THE PAST PRESIDENT MESSAGE FROM THE INCOMING PRESIDENT MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORS NEWS Open YAACS Positions: Call for volunteers! COLUMNS Jbrary: We’ll Link to That! -Lindsey Krabbenhoft New and Noteworthy Books - Sadie Tucker & Nicola MacNeil FEATURES Community Story Award Winner Announcement - Stephanie Usher Community Story Award Winner: Plant Your Undies! - Mel Edgar Crack the Lid – It's Growing Fur! - SRC Story Award Nomination - Leianne Emery Early Years Resources on Outdoor Play - Nick Murphy Picturing Canada Exhibition (Part 1) - Vanessa Gill Building an Arabic Children’s Literature Collection (Part 3) - Anita Fata From Apple Pies to Astronauts: A Chronology of Alphabet Books with Aphorisms, Amusements, and Anecdotes – Part six - Sarah Bagshaw YAACING's editors would like to acknowledge that we work on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples including the Sḵwx̱ wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam) Nations. This issue features pieces from what is currently known as Metro Vauncouver which includes ancestral and unceded territory from many nations. If you would like to learn which territories you occupy, we recommend native-land.ca
Message from the Past President What an incredible year it has been so far! We’ve had many wonderful successes including a fantastic 2022 Youth Services Institute, and a terrific start to Summer Reading Club 2022. It was a pleasure being part of YSI this year, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the presentations from HELP BC (Human Early Learning Partnership) and CWILL (Children’s Writers and Illustrators). As with all YSIs, I felt tremendously inspired at the end of the day and was so very proud of all the incredible people that I am honoured enough to work with in this field. Here’s hoping that we will be able to have an in person YSI in 2023! I would also like to extend my congratulations to our 2022 YAACS Award Winner, Sonia Zagwyn of Powell River Public Library. Sonia has done some tremendous work with her community, including implementing the awareness and learning of ʔayʔaǰuθəm (Ayajuthem) language which is spoken by the local Tla’amin Nation. This is such a thoughtful and intentional way of working on reconciliation and celebrating diversity in her library system. You can read further about Sonia’s achievements in our fall issue of YAACING. Thank you to everyone who has helped to make my time as YAACS President (formerly YAACS Chair) memorable and wonderful. I am truly humbled to have this opportunity and excited for the year ahead. I know that Rhiannon is going to do a terrific job in her role as President. Thank you to Patricia Lesku for guiding me this past year in her role as Past President, and to the support from Rhiannon in her role as Incoming President. As the saying goes “team work makes the dream work” and this was such a wonderful team to work with! Thank you to everyone else that I have had the pleasure of working with in my capacity as President over the past year and I look forward to continuing to work together in this amazing field of Young Adult and Children’s Services! I look forward to hearing about the memorable moments and successes from Summer Reading Club 2022, and hope that everyone has a wonderful, sun safe, summer! Keep up the amazing work, YAACS community! Kate Past President 2022 - 2023 YAACS, BCLA Section
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Message from the YAACS President It’s hard to believe that another year has passed and it’s spring of 2022! Thank you to all of our YAACS members who have organized and participated in events, workshops, newsletters, and more. Your continued dedication to youth services in challenging times does not go unnoticed. Whether or not you were able to take part in YAACS meetings and events this past year, I also want to recognize all of the fabulous library workers and students who have continued to serve our communities under difficult and changing conditions. This is an incredible achievement. We appreciate you very much, as do the youth and families you support! As we start to look forward to meeting in-person more often, we also plan to use our newfound remote collaboration skills to continue making YAACS more supportive of members across the province. Virtual workshops and meet-ups and two virtual Youth Services Institutes have allowed us to connect across geographical space, and to learn from each other in a way that many of us had not imagined possible before. As the Presidents before me, Patricia Lesku and Kate Wood have shown flexibility, creativity, and dedication to giving members the chance to learn and collaborate through the pandemic. I also want to recognize Avi Silberstein, our outgoing Continuing Education Coordinator for the Kootenays, who has worked hard to create professional development opportunities for library workers in that region and beyond. Avi’s work has inspired me to think about how our organization can build on what we have learned and how we can continue to create opportunities for connection within communities and across the province. If you have feedback or ideas for how YAACS can best support your community, I encourage you to reach out to us. Want to get more involved in YAACS? We are currently looking for an Incoming President as well as a Secretary, several Continuing Education Coordinators, and other roles. Stay tuned for more details, and don’t hesitate to send us an email at yaacsbc@gmail.com if you have questions. I look forward to working with all of you in the coming year! Rhiannon Wallace (she/her) YAACS President, 2022-2023 Acting Digital Access Librarian West Vancouver Memorial Library
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Message from the Editors Greetings library folk! Well, our Spring issue is finally here - just in time for Summer! So we are calling this a Spring/Summer blend (or “Sprummer”), sparkling with bright summery goodness. On that theme, Nick Murphy has some great resources for outdoor play in BC. Fitting in nicely with that is the SRC community award winner Mel Edgar's fun and education underwear-planting activity as well as a hilarious story from Lianne Emery about some quick-thinking librarians facing an attack from some unpleasant mold. We also have the third and final part of Anita's essay on building an Arabic collection (be sure to check out the first two in previous issues!) as well as a new installment of the Alphabet book series from Sarah Bagshaw, a report-back from the Picturing Canada Exhibit by Vanessa Gill, the always illuminating Jbrary column (Storytime tips!) and Sadie Tucker's lovely spread of new books, perfect for recommendations for all the eager Summer Book Club readers coming into the libraries. Thanks again to co-editor Sabrina for taking on the design work for this issue. Happy rest of the summer to you all!
Your YAACING editors, Sabrina Gurniak Children’s Librarian Vancouver Public Library Raoul Fernandes Library Public Service Associate Vancouver Public Library
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News Open YAACS Postitions: Call for Volunteers! YAACS is looking for volunteers! If you're looking to expand your professional experience and contribute to professional development across the province, consider joining this awesome team of lovely humans! We've got a position for you! To qualify, you must work in a library, work with children and/or youth, and be a member of BCLA. If membership fees pose a barrier, please still reach out to us! Secretary: 1 year term. Takes minutes at YAACS meetings and manages documentation.
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NEWS Continuing Education Coordinators: Three (3) available positions: 1. a Teen coordinator, 2. a coordinator for the Kootenay region, and 3. a coordinator on Vancouver Island. The term is 1 year. If you're interested or have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out!
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NEWS Incoming President: This is a 3-year commitment. The first year you serve as the incoming president, learning about the role from the current and past/outgoing presidents. The second year you serve as president, still having support from the outgoing president and training the incoming president. Then during the third year you are the outgoing president. As you can see, you get plenty of support! As president, you also get to sit on the board of BCLA and organize the annual Youth Services Institute!
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The main goal of this role is to help coordinate and organize YAACS activities.
Thanks to Sadie Tucker for creating these images! If you have Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Pinterest, or Twitter please like and follow YAACS @bcyaacs
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COLUMNS
By Lindsey Krabbenhoft When you think “amazing support for early literacy in libraries'' do you think of Colorado? If you don’t, you should! I’ve long been impressed with the Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy (CLEL), a collaboration between public libraries and the State Library with the expressed goal of educating and training library staff in providing early literacy storytimes for children and caregivers and increasing awareness of the importance of early literacy to all communities. I first learned about CLEL when I discovered their Storyblocks videos of songs and rhymes in 9 languages. Then I found out about the Bell Awards, an annual recognition given to five picture books that provide excellent support of early literacy development in young children. And now I’m here to share another amazing resource from Colorado – the Libraries Learn website. Covering a broad range of topics, this online resource includes webinars, self-paced courses, and articles for free. I recently watched one of their “quick bites” webinars called Early Literacy Tips That Stick: Refining Your Early Literacy Message. At under 20 minutes this mini-webinar summarized how to craft early literacy messages that are meaningful, memorable, and sincere. Ever feel like your tone is off and you’re veering into preachiness? Ever feel like the things you say to caregivers aren’t really sticking? Here’s what the presenter suggests: Step one is to embrace your expertise. Part of our jobs as storytime presenters is to stay up-to-date on early literacy research and to understand the foundations of language development. Presenting this super cool information with excitement (I learned something intriguing I’d love to share with the group!”) gets the caregivers in the audience to perk up. The presenter suggests framing it as a life hack – something that will help their child develop, not something they should do or have to do.
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COLUMNS Next is to come up with early literacy messages that are intentional, transparent, and connected. Drawing on the research used in the Supercharged Storytimes model, intentionality means you take time during the planning process to think about why you are doing each activity. Even if you never share an early literacy message out loud in storytime, being intentional in your storytime planning can impact the outcomes for children. The presenter uses the example of the song B-I-N-G-O. When we think intentionally about the activities we notice that B-I-N-G-O reinforces letter knowledge and encourages families to practice making letters in new ways (i.e. tracing the letters in the air with a finger or a scarf). By being transparent we are “pulling back the curtain” and explaining to caregivers why and how continuing to do what we do in storytime at home will positively impact early learning. So what does it sound like? You can use the following template adapted from Melissa Depper: Grown-ups, when we (insert activity) Our children are learning (insert skill) And that prepares them to be good readers because (insert research) I personally find it helpful to use this template during the planning phase. What I actually say during storytime might be different – the more natural the better. The last piece is to connect what you are saying to what you are doing. Matching early literacy messages to the books and songs helps caregivers remember the tip later, when they are at home. Thinking about storytimes in this way forces me to slow down my planning. It keeps me accountable and pushes me to always be in learner mode. Here’s a few early literacy messages I’ve created using the template above.
Activity: Singing When Cows Get Up in the Morning Message: Grown-ups, when we sing songs with animal sounds, our little ones are learning to hear the sounds people say too. Animals sounds are fun and funny, and at the same time they break down the sounds in our language. This will help them become good readers because they’ll need a bank of familiar sounds in their mind when learning to sound out the words on the page.
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COLUMNS Activity: Singing Itsy Bitsy Spider Message: Grown-ups, when we sing Itsy Bitsy Spider, little ones have to use their fingers in interesting ways. Making the spider climb up the spout helps their hand and finger muscles develop. Little ones who have strong hands and fingers will be able to hold a book and pencil for longer which means they will have an easier time learning to read and write.
Activity: Reading a non-fiction book Message: Grown-ups, when we read information books to our little ones they are being exposed to so many new exciting words that we don’t say in everyday conversations. Learning new words is important because the larger a child’s vocabulary, the easier it is to figure out words on a page when learning to read. I’d love to know how you talk to caregivers at storytime about early literacy. Feel free to shoot me an email at jbrary@gmail.com
Lindsey Krabbenhoft is a Children’s Librarian in Vancouver, British Columbia and one half of Jbrary, the online children’s librarian treasure trove. She is also the co-founder of the Library Services for Children Journal Club and encourages any other research nerds to join. You can find Jbrary in its own little corner of the internet at jbrary.com
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New and Noteworthy Books By Sadie Tucker Just a few exciting titles for littles, kids, and teens. In this issue, Nicola MacNeil worked with me to select and annotate the picture books.
Picture Books – Babies & Preschoolers ONE YELLOW SUN Arndt, Michael 0-3 years A gorgeous, simple book dedicated to colours and counting. Babies will love sticking their fingers into the circle cutouts.
Time for Bed, Old House Bates, Janet Costa 3-7 years Isaac is afraid to sleep in a different house, but Grandpop gently teaches Isaac there is nothing to fear as they ritually put the house to sleep. This is a sweet bedtime read.
DOGS SAY BAU Bunting, Philip 0-2 years Adorable and hilarious account of different animal sounds in a variety of languages.
MAKING A BABY Greener, Rachel 3-8 years A factual, unromanticized, and non-judgmental exploration of all the ways that babies are made and come to be with their families. This would be a useful starting point for every family to discuss "where do babies come from?"
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COLUMNS RED'S NEST Grimbeek, Belinda 3-6 years Two birds, Red and Olive, are ready to start a family. As Red forages for extra twigs to reinforce their nest, he encounters a series of baby animals who are missing their parents. Red reassures each of them that they can live with him and Olive for as long as they need. The warmth and reassurance that this story exudes more than makes up for the low production quality of the book. DOING BUSINESS Harris, Shawn 2-5 years When a mysterious poop appears on the loving room floor, a serious discussion ensues as to what person or animal could have created it. Great for storytimes.
ROOM FOR EVERYONE Khan, Naaz 3-7 years Musa and Dada are taking the bus to the beach, but the bus keeps stopping to take on more and more passengers. How can everyone possibly fit?! A fun read-aloud, but best for older preschoolers due to the length. BATHE THE CAT McGinty, Alice B. 3-8 years When a dad tells his family that it's time to clean up for Grandma Marge's visit, he creates a to-do list on the fridge using magnetic letters. Unfortunately, their cat mixes up the words leading to a rather strange list of chores. Will they notice in time for Grandma's visit? A playful read that is casually (and delightfully) queer.
DANCING WITH DADDY Schulte, Anitra Rowe 3-7 years Elsie is looking forward to attending a father-daughter dance. As she and her mother buy a new dress, she worries that the dance will be cancelled because of snow. Fortunately, the event is able to go forward and Elsie and her two sisters have a great time. Elsie's disability (for example, she uses a wheelchair, feeding tube, and PODD book) is matter-of-fact and her family is warmly supportive. Spring/Summer 2022|YAACING 15
COLUMNS LOVE, VIOLET Wild, Charlotte Sullivan 3-6 years Violet has a crush on Mira. Just think of the adventures that they could go on together! The problem is, Violet gets shy every time Mira says hello. Will she work up the nerve to give Mira a Valentine? Canadian. OFF-LIMITS Yoon, Helen 3-6 years A young girl goes into her dad’s office to take a peek, but is enticed by all of the stationery. This is a hilarious and timely read whose sparse text and bold illustrations make it a hit for storytime.
Picture Books – Big(ger) Kids I AM GOLDEN Chen, Eva 4-7 years Adoring parents express their love for their daughter, Mei, and assure her that she can overcome the obstacles (including racism) that she may face in her life. The artwork is gorgeous. An affirming read that might appeal to grown-ups more than kids, but the message is powerful and brimming with love. BEAR WANTS TO SING Fagan, Cary 5-8 years A group of animals come across some abandoned instruments in the woods. Every time Bear tries to sing his song with the ukulele he finds another animal steals his thunder. A sweet and funny tale about embracing differences!
CALVIN Ford, Ronald Martin 5-8 years A hopeful story about what happens when a child’s transition is accepted, encouraged, and supported by their community. A great way to introduce gender diversity to young children.
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COLUMNS THE STORY OF A STORY Hopkinson, Deborah 5-8 years Using second person narration, this book tells a story that will be alltoo-familiar to many writers. A child sits down to write, but finds themself at a loss. As frustration mounts, the young writer will need to power through their writer’s block and find inspiration around them. Good potential as a read-aloud for writing programs.
THE SOUR CHERRY TREE Hrab, Naseem 4-7 years A young girl visits her Baba’s home to “take care of a few things” with her mother after he has passed away, and the reader lives through the girl’s tender memories of him. Beautifully told from the perspective of a young child who is still trying to understand death.
KEEP YOUR HEAD UP King Neil, Aliya 5-9 years D's morning gets off to a rough start, but he does his best not to let that ruin his mood. As additional frustrations begin to mount, D struggles to keep it together. Fortunately, there are supportive adults who have his back.
LET ME FIX YOU A PLATE: A TALE OF TWO KITCHENS Lilly, Elizabeth 5-8 years A family goes on a road trip to visit their white American grandparents in West Virginia and then their Puerto Rican American grandparents in Florida. This book explores the beauty of culturally diverse backgrounds through food. THE BIG BATH HOUSE Maclear, Kyo 5-8 years A young girl accompanies her grandmother, mother, and aunties to the bath house. A book about family and cultural traditions that promotes body positivity. Heads up: The illustrations contain sketches of nudity. Canadian. Spring/Summer 2022|YAACING 17
COLUMNS LITTLE BIRD'S DAY Morgan, Sally 4-7 years With a lovely connection to the land Little Bird goes about their day “soaring with wind” and “fluttering with rain”. A great call and response book for babytimes and storytimes, with stunning and bold illustrations. THE DOG WALK Nordqvist, Sven 4-7 years Join the protagonist on their dog walk to extraordinary worlds that children will pour over. In the same vein as Where’s Waldo this is a wordless picture book with lots to find on every page. THE SECRET OF THE MAGIC PEARL Sabatinelli, Elisa 6-9 years Hector's family has toured people about the sea for a very long time, but now they have been put out of business by the ruthless Amedeo. When Hector finds the rumoured Magic Pearl, his family knows that it must eventually be returned to the sea. Amedeo disagrees. Colourful, lush illustrations accompany this imaginative tale. THE LONGEST LETSGOBOY Wilder, Derick 5-8 years Told from the perspective of an old dog taking a final walk with his “little” before passing on. The language and illustrations are beautiful. Though this is a heartbreaking read, it is ultimately a story of hope and how special the relationship between a pet and a child can be. THE YEAR WE LEARNED TO FLY Woodson, Jacqueline 5-9 years As two siblings face a series of life challenges, their grandmother reminds them that others have had similar feelings and learned to fly. A beautifully illustrated literary picture book that reassures readers that they are never alone in their experiences. EVERYBODY IN THE RED BRICK BUILDING Wynter, Anne 4-8 years The whole apartment building is asleep until Izzie the baby wakes up howling and starts a chain reaction among the neighbours. Sure to be a storytime hit as the sounds build to an uproar. 18 YAACING|Spring/Summer 2022
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School Age Fiction – Primary THE LEMONADE STAND Reid, C. L. Realistic fiction 5-8 years Emma and her friend Lizzie decide to set up a lemonade stand over the summer. Unfortunately, running a business is more difficult than they thought. This is an entry in a series called "Emma Everyday". Emma is deaf and uses both sign and a cochlear implant to communicate. Finger spelling and signs are provided for some words.
School Age Fiction – Intermediate OBIE IS MAN ENOUGH Bailar, Schuyler Contemporary fiction Grades 5-9 Obie came out as transgender last year and he doesn't regret it. But coming out has come with high costs: He was forced to change swim teams and he is experiencing horrific bullying. With his solid support network of trusted adults behind him, Obie will explore what it means to be himself and a boy. This is not an easy read, but the conclusion is ultimately positive. THE SWAG IS IN THE SOCKS Baptist, Kelly J. Contemporary fiction/Humour Grades 3-7 Xavier is generally happy to let the world go by and to keep to himself. When his great-uncle gifts him with eye-catching socks, he challenges Xavier to step up and put himself out there. Inspired, Xavier makes some changes and applies to an exclusive after-school club. But change isn't always easy. THE ROBBER GIRL Billingsley, Franny Western/Fantasy/Mystery/Literary fiction Grades 5-9 The Robber Girl has been with Gentleman Jack for as long as she can remember, living wild and helping him commit robberies. When Jack is apprehended, Robber Girl is taken in by a judge and faces being tamed. Accompanied by her ever-critical talking dagger, Robber Girl explores tamed society while also plotting Gentleman Jack's escape. Spring/Summer 2022|YAACING 19
COLUMNS FIFTY-FOUR THINGS WRONG WITH GWENDOLYN ROGERS Carter, Caela Contemporary fiction Grades 4-7 Gwendolyn took a look at her behavioural assessment and now knows by heart her 54 failings. Having been banned from the stables the only place she feels good about herself - Gwendolyn decides to fix these things in order to attend a horse camp. But some things can't be changed by sheer willpower alone.
BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA Dobbs, Alda P. Historical fiction Grades 4-8 Petra's mother has died and her father has just been conscripted by the Federales. Now she and what remains of her family flee North in the hopes that they will find a better life and, eventually, be reunited with her father.
JUST BE COOL, JENNA SAKAI Florence, Debbi Michiko Romance/contemporary fiction Grades 4-7 Jenna has just experienced her first break-up. On top of that, her parents are unamicably divorced, she and her best friend have hit a rough patch, and she's just met a boy that she might be interested in. Jenna generally keeps her feelings tightly held, but she might need to loosen that grip if she's going to get through this. A great option for tween fans of teen romance novels.
LIVING WITH VIOLA Fung, Rosena Contemporary fiction (graphic novel) Grades 4-8 Between her immigrant parents' high expectations and changing schools, Livy's anxiety has become the worst it's ever been. It becomes so bad that she begins to experience depression. Personified as "Viola", Livy's anxiety hovers over every aspect of her life but it's difficult to talk about it. As she makes friends and settles into her new school, will Livy find a way to speak up and get the support she needs? 20 YAACING|Spring/Summer 2022
COLUMNS THE LAST CUENTISTA Higuera, Donna Barba Science fiction Grades 5-9 Alongside a few hundred other Earth residents, Petra is crossing space to colonise a new planet after Earth is destroyed. During the voyage her ship is overtaken by the Collective, a fanatical alien group that has erased everyone's memories of Earth, culture, and conflict in order to create a utopia. Petra is the only one who remembers humanity’s past and must use the power of storytelling to regain what was lost.
BEATRICE AND CROC HARRY Hill, Lawrence Fantasy/mystery Grades 4-8 Beatrice has woken up in a cabin with little memory other than her name. Left with little choice, she explores the surrounding forest full of talking animals and reads the two books on her bedside table. What happened and why is Beatrice here? Canadian.
PLAYING THE CARDS YOU'RE DEALT Johnson, Varian Contemporary fiction Grades 4-6 Ant is excited to prove himself in an upcoming spades tournament. Things get complicated when his best friend, who doesn't always treat Ant kindly, is unable to partner with him. On top of that, his father is acting unpredictably and a new girl in class has Ant's stomach fluttering.
BORDERS King, Thomas Contemporary fiction (graphic novel) Grades 5-10 A boy and his mother attempt to cross the border into the US in order to visit his sister, but run into a snag: When asked for their citizenship, the border guards will only accept "Canadian" or "American". The boy and his mother are Blackfoot, a tribe that was artificially split by the Canada-US border. Will they make it across or will they require reinforcements? Canadian. Spring/Summer 2022|YAACING 21
COLUMNS THE LIST OF UNSPEAKABLE FEARS Kramer, J. Kasper Historical fiction/Horror Grades 4-7 Essie has a staggeringly long list of fears and lives with intense anxiety. After moving into a quarantine hospital to live with her new step-father, Essie becomes convinced that something is very, very wrong. A creepy mystery that features a protagonist realising that “being scared is the first step to being brave.”
AVIVA VS. THE DYBBUK Lowe, Mari Magical realism Grades 3-7 Aviva and her mother have struggled since Aviva's father died. When Aviva discovers that their new home has a dybbuk (a prankster creature from Jewish folklore) and antisemitism rears its ugly head in her neighbourhood, she must join forces with an erstwhile friend in order to face off against these seemingly insurmountable challenges. Reviewers describe this title as nuanced, sad, tender, and hopeful, in turns. BARAKAH BEATS Siddiqui, Maleeha Contemporary fiction Grades 4-7 Nimra has just transferred to public school from a private Muslim school. The transition has not been easy. Against her family's religious teachings, Nimra joins a band in an effort to fit in. Turns out, she really likes it. The problem is that the lies she told to cover up her band activities are quickly starting to unravel.
THE OUTLAWS SCARLETT AND BROWNE Stroud, Jonathan Adventure/Dystopian Grades 5-9 Scarlett has no idea of the trouble she is taking on when she rescues a quiet young man called Browne from a vehicle wreck. She's accustomed to being pursued across the dangerous landscape for her numerous robberies, but soon she realises that something much deeper - and more dangerous - is afoot. First in a series.
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COLUMNS THIS IS OUR RAINBOW Short story compilation/Various genres Grades 4-8 A collection of short stories with a variety of genres. The tone is generally positive though not all tales are happy. At least one story features a fat protagonist where body type is not part of the conflict. Kirkus says, "An essential read, this collection breaks free from the dichotomy of representing LGBTQ+ lives as total tragedy or one-truelove, happily-ever-after coming-out stories."
High School HIMAWARI HOUSE Becker, Harmony Contemporary fiction (graphic novel) Grades 9+ Nao is spending her gap year in Japan in an attempt to reconnect with a culture that she rejected when she was younger. There, she meets Hyejung (who is from Korea) and Tina (who is from Singapore). Together, the three friends explore the wonders and challenges of navigating a new country and language.
FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES FROM THE SUN Garza Villa, Jonny Contemporary fiction/Romance Grades 9+ Juliàn had planned on staying in the closet until he got to university in order to avoid his abusive father's strict ideas about masculinity and sexuality. Then Juliàn drunkenly outed himself on Twitter. The pros of the situation? He can be his authentic self and begins an online romance with Mat. The cons? Everyone knows, including his father. THE RED PALACE Hur, June Historical fiction/Mystery/Suspense Grades 8+ Hyeon is a nurse at the palace, a rare achievement for an illegitimate woman. Horrified by a killing spree in the palace, she is further appalled to discover that her mentor is the prime suspect. Determined to uncover the real culprit, Hyeon pairs up with the detective assigned to the case. What they uncover may lead to royal fury. Canadian. Spring/Summer 2022|YAACING 23
COLUMNS AFRICAN TOWN Latham, Irene Historical fiction (novel in verse) Grades 8+ Based on actual events and thoroughly researched, this novel in verse tells the story of the last ship to transport slaves to the United States and the experiences of the people it carried. In 1860, over 50 years after the transatlantic slave trade had been outlawed, the Clotilda sailed to Africa, collected 110 people kidnapped from their homes, and took them to Alabama where they were clandestinely sold. Plenty of back-matter and an afterword do a good job of rounding out the narrative and providing additional context. A SNAKE FALLS TO EARTH Little Badger, Darcie Fantasy/Magical realism Grades 7+ Oli is a cottonmouth snake person in the Reflecting World, while Nina is a human in our world. When Oli's friend begins to die due to habitat and environmental destruction in the human world, he and his friends cross over to find a cure. There Oli meets Nina and helps her to uncover the meaning of her great-great-grandmother's fractured story. GALLANT Schwab, Victoria Horror/Mystery (illustrated) Grades 8+ Olivia lives in a strict school for girls and is treated badly because she is mute. All she has of her family is her mother's journal which warns her never to go to Gallant. When an invitation arrives from Olivia's family inviting her to the family estate - Gallant - she cannot resist. But Gallant is full of secrets, spirits, and curses. I MUST BETRAY YOU KiSepetys, Ruta Historical fiction Grades 8+ Cristian is a regular teen in Romania. He writes poetry, stands hours in line for food, and has a crush on a classmate. Then his acquaintance with the son of an American diplomat leads to Cristian being blackmailed into being an informant for the government. Now he must decide whether he will betray everyone he cares for or risk it all to undermine Romania's dictatorship. A well researched, gripping read. 24 YAACING|Spring/Summer 2022
COLUMNS THE WORDS WE KEEP Stewart, Erin Contemporary fiction/Romance Grades 8+ Lily's sister, Alice, is coming home after receiving treatment for bipolar disorder. Lily is apprehensive about her sister's return, but also determined to hold her family together at all costs. Unlike her sister, Lily will not break. But maintaining her high performance in school and elsewhere isn’t easy and Lily's anxiety is spiralling out of control. As she works on a guerrilla poetry project with a new classmate, Lily begins to realise that maybe she can't - and shouldn't keep it together.
WHEN WE MAKE IT Velasquez, Elisabet Historical fiction Grades 8+ Sarai lives with her mother and siblings in Brooklyn. Living hand-tomouth, Sarai's mami works hard and has high hopes that Sarai will make it out of poverty. Sarai is sceptical, torn between the towering injustices she witnesses around her and her love for her community and culture. Conversational poems were co-written with some of today's great poets.
Sadie and Nicola are children and teens’ librarians at the Vancouver Public Library.
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FEATURES BC Summer Reading Club - Community Story Award Winner By Stephanie Usher, Provincial Coordinator, BC Summer Reading Club We are delighted to share that the 2022 BC Summer Reading Club Community Story Award goes to Mel Edgar at the Powell River Public Library (PRPL). While the pandemic has changed the ways libraries share Summer Reading Club with their communities, so many libraries have gone outdoors to ensure that children and families could still find ways to safely connect and participate in the program. Mel’s story exemplifies how PRPL truly ran with the mystery theme and took it to the next level. Through their “Plant Your Undies” program, the PRPL team incorporated Crack the Case! with the outdoors and STEM programming, all with a delightful sense of humour and curiosity to enrich their community’s summer. Through this program, they were able to engage participants throughout the summer and incorporated their local community garden on this entertaining science experiment designed by the Soil Conservation Council of Canada. We hope you enjoy reading Mel’s story below and get inspired to reach out to local community partners this summer. As you plan, prepare, facilitate, and wrap up your SRC programming, please think about sharing your stories for a future Community Story Award nomination. We love to hear the ways that your hard work and dedication builds up your communities through this time-honoured tradition.
Image: Mel Edgar, Teen Services Coordinator at Powell River Public Library, scoping out the next great program for BC SRC 2022!
Thank you to everyone who submitted a Community Story Award nomination, and congratulations to Mel Edgar and the Powell River Public Library!
Stephanie Usher lives, works, learns, and plays on the traditional unceded homelands of xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She is the Provincial Coordinator for the BC Summer Reading Club, as well as a Library Technician in the Vancouver Public Library’s Children’s Library, and a MLIS candidate at UBC’s School of Information. Spring/Summer 2022|YAACING 26
FEATURES
Community Story Award Winner: Plant Your Undies By Mel Edgar I would hazard a guess that many kids (and adults) think the word “undies” is pretty funny – but did you know underwear could be an important part of scientific discovery, community connection, AND Summer Reading Club fun?!
“Plant Your Undies?” In 2021, PRPL was still planning for their second remote delivery of SRC. In planning for our program of remote activities, we were searching for something special, something engaging that would set the tone for the entire Summer Reading Club. We were also looking for a fun AND attainable STEM activity for the wide age range of youth who attend Summer Reading Club. “Plant your Undies” involved more than just underwear – it met so many elements of the 2021 theme Crack the Case!, as well as, the goals of BC Summer Reading Club, which is to get kids excited about books are reading! Not only that, but it incorporated an ACTUAL science experiment inspired by the Soil Conservation Council of Canada (SCCC).
Image: Screenshot of PRPL’s Week 1 Activity Sheet for “Plant Your Undies” – We loved using Zoe Si’s artwork & children’s coordinator Sonia Zagwn even designed our own Top Secret Stamp which adorned every participant’s “Top Secret” notebook! (Source: PRPL Website) 27 YAACING|Spring/Summer 2022
FEATURES Tell Me More About “Plant Your Undies”! STEM: “Plant your Undies” combines patience with science, a necessary component of detective work and science! OUTSIDE & ACTIVE: “Plant your Undies” got kids outside and doing something physical with their families, and in connection with the community–in a safe way. This was a crucial component after so much isolation during the pandemic. FUNNY & AN INSTANT HIT: A humorous first activity also set an energetic tone for Summer Reading Club. Chloe Gruenhage, our Summer Reading Club Assistant, hit it out of the park with her pre-recorded “undie planting” video, which she screened at our Summer Reading Club virtual launch. We had so many positive comments about Chloe’s work and her inclusion of her dog Shiloh as her assistant! MAINTAINING INTEREST: We also found that the introduction of a “bookmark” activity at the beginning of Summer Reading Club that is then revisited seven weeks later at the end of SRC worked fantastically. Interest remained high throughout in what was happening to everyone’s undies! COMMUNITY CONNECTION: Community gardens loved being asked to participate in a library activity, this created fertile ground for further librarygarden cooperation. An early response to a first query returned “TOO FUNNY! Of course, we have room at both Commons’ for soiled undies! As one of my colleagues said, ‘If we plant them under a fruit tree then we’d have ‘Fruit of the Loom’.” MARKETABLE & ATTENTION GETTING: The underwear activity attracted some local news attention, with a local community gardener speculating on the possibility of “underwear trees.” Image: Chloe Gruenhage goes over the soil science with her assistant Shiloh in the final week’s SRC Activity, Dig Up Your Undies! (Source: PRPL YouTube)
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FEATURES Take Note Soil Conservation Council of Canada (SCCC): Jim Tokarchuk, the Executive Director of SCCC and is a FANTASTIC PERSON to connect with. He is accessible via email or phone and since the activity has corporate sponsorship at the SCCC (Stanfield’s) he can also connect you with size XL Cotton Y-Fronts if needed. He’d also like feedback on how the experiment went! Sourcing Undies: PRPL decided that XL cotton Y-Fronts might not be the right look for SRC, and set about sourcing 100 pairs of (affordable!) 100% cotton undies. What a fun challenge and doable! White Undies for Science: PRPL didn’t succeed in finding all white undies, but the differential rate of decomposition of varying colours proved to be an interesting additional scientific variable. Prepping the Undies: All undies must be washed (unscented laundry detergent) before burial. Fold and count those undies!
7 w eeks later Image: Summer Reading Club “Master of Mysteries” Chloe Gruenhage demonstrates how to “Plant Your Undies” (Source: PRPL Instagram)
Image: Seven Weeks Later: Where did the undies go? (Source: Photo Submitted by Children’s Services Coordinator)
Undies were planted at the start of Summer Reading Club, hypotheses developed, and then explored seven weeks later at the end of SRC when the undies were dug up … with intriguing results (see images above)! Side note: PRPL’s teen coordinator Mel Edgar also became known as the “underwear lady” around town for her enthusiastic coordination of community connection in relation to this activity. As official underwear lady, I would like to nominate Powell River Public Library (PRPL) for the SRC Community Story Award for 2022, for their “Plant your Undies” Summer Reading Club activity inspired by the Soil Conservation Council of Canada. Mel Edgar is the Teen Services Coordinator at the Powell River Public Library on the traditional territory of the Tla’amin Nation. Mel has many degrees, including a PhD in archaeology, and soon an MLIS from the University of Alberta. A life-long learner, Mel is curious about the how and why of things, and looks forward to bringing yet more inventive STEM activities into the library. 29 YAACING|Spring/Summer 2022
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Crack the Lid – It's Growing Fur! SRC Story Award Nomination by Leianne Emery Story Award Question: When you tell your friends and family about your work and the SRC, what story do you tell? Here we go, folks! This is a story about what NOT to do with Take n Make Kits. But let’s start at the beginning… Summer Reading Club 2021 for Sechelt Public Library was, despite COVID restrictions, a great success! Samantha (Sam) Iversen, our Children’s Services Coordinator, put together some incredible activities for children and youth including a drawing workshop with professional illustrator Zoe Si, rock painting, Pound Fitness, board games, treasure hunts, Storywalk, card making, a Crack the Case Geotour (which received corporate acclamation)…and weekly Take and Make Kits, a new idea due to COVID. The Take N Make kits themselves were a highlight for many families in Sechelt and the Sunshine Coast. Sam did an incredible job of creating unique and exciting activities that varied from week to week with packages full of intrigue education for the Summer Reading Club kids. Parents and grandparents were so appreciative! Here’s an overview of what that looked like… Week 1: Super Sleuths Ages 5-8: Who Stole the Library Book Mystery Ages 9-12: Who Stole the Ruby Necklace Mystery Week 2: Crack the Code Ages 5-8: Secret Message Glasses Ages 9-12: Flickerbugs and Water Fireworks Week 3: Hot on the Trail Ages 5-8: Binoculars craft Ages 9-12: Make your own edible animal scat
Image: Controlled chaos abounded in the Sechelt Library’s “Room of Requirement” (yes - name taken from Harry Potter) each week getting ready for Summer Reading Club Activities. Cathy, one of our three awesome casual staff, assisted Sam each week in the preparation of the incredibly popular "Take n Make Kits”. Spring/Summer 2022|YAACING 30
FEATURES Week 4: Secret Missions Ages 5-8: Yarn Laser Maze and Jellyfish Craft Ages 9-12: Yarn Laser Maze and Spy Badge
Week 6: History's Mysteries Ages 5-8: Salt Dough Dino Fossils Ages 9-12: Salt Dough Dino Fossils
Week 5: Whodunnit? Ages 5-8: Silhouette Self-Portraits Ages 9-12: Andy Warhol Self Portraits
Week 7: Is It Real? Ages 5-8: Monster Feet Ages 9-12: Sock monsters
All was well until WEEK 6… (drum roll sounds here) …
Image: Sam preparing WEEK 6 Take n Make - History Mysteries – Salt Dough Dino Fossils
Sam was to be away – a much deserved holiday with her family - but ever prepared and organized, she already had WEEK 6 and WEEK 7 created, wrapped, labeled and ready to go for the 55+ kids that collected them each week. Sam trusted we could handle giving out the Take N Make kits – Right? No problem. What could go wrong? Monday morning of WEEK 6 arrived. Staff collected the Salt Dough Dino Fossil kits from our back room to bring to the circulation desk. This was to be the highlight of the summer kits – excavating for dinosaur fossils and jewels!! What kid could be happier! hey were SO beautifully packaged with lids, instruction sheets, dinosaur education materials etc. They looked great! We were excited as this was Sam’s favorite week and she was really proud of them. 31 YAACING|Spring/Summer 2022
FEATURES Well, somehow, we decided to take a quick peek inside one of the lidded containers – and to our absolute HORROR – this particular Dino Dig Take N Make Kit was FULL OF NASTY FURRY MOLD! OMG!! With hearts racing we removed all of Sam’s beautiful packaging from each kit and discovered that every single package was literally a growing farm of disgusting (but very scientific looking) mold. The hardened mixture the kids were supposed to excavate had become a science experiment…could we rename the kit?? Hah…of course not. Besides, the furry stuff was all over the wooden digging tools as well. They were nasty. And it was 10 minutes to Library opening, with families already awaiting their kits! What to do???
Image: Digging tools with disgusting furry mold covering the hardened mixture.
Hold on…there’s a happy ending… Because Sam was so organized, we had WEEK 7 all ready to go and could use them instead. Luckily the number of kids that signed up was the same. We then scrambled to try and save at least
Image: Digging tools growing fur...
the digging tools from WEEK 6…soaking them in sinks full of bleach. But that mold is amazing stuff - mold marks had imbedded themselves in the wood. We didn’t even attempt to clean the hardened mixture part. Sadly, we had to “garbage” the entire 55 kits – even the expensive dinosaurs buried inside.
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FEATURES When Sam returned, she was crushed at the failure of her favorite Take N Make week! She then tried sleuthing out the problem. The recipe was from a blog which called for plaster of paris, sand and water. Was it that she used outdoor sand instead of indoor sand? Was it that the kits sat too long? Did the wooden tools contribute to the mold? Too much water? Truthfully, we really don’t know for sure… So, this is the 2021 Summer Reading Club story we tell… How solid rock and dinosaurs were defeated by fuzz. To us it is Hilarious! I even put these photos in my Report to the Library Board trustees. Everyone laughed. Moral of the story is this… Have fun, be creative and perhaps, if you are doing a dino dig – use a different blog recipe…it’s all fun and games until it grows fur! Leianne Emery is the Director of the Sechelt Public Library, located on BC's Sunshine Coast.
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Early Years Resources on Outdoor Play By Nick Murphy British Columbia has some of the most beautiful natural landscapes. It has lush rainforests, Pacific Ocean beaches, mountain ranges, and numerous islands. Playing outside is a fantastic way for children to learn about nature; it fosters curiosity and imagination while instilling a love for their environment and a respect for the planet. Here are some resources for educators and librarians to use when implementing outdoor play into their programs.
Aboriginal Resources for Teachers Aboriginal Resources for Teachers is a website with some great methods to take learning outdoors while introducing Indigenous Knowledge to children. This site provides some outdoor activities such as: learning how to identify trees and their cultural significance to Coast Salish peoples, what kinds of medicinal or edible plants of the area were used by First Nations peoples, the significance of the different seasons, an Indigenous-focused walking challenge, and many others. Additionally, it has a book list full of picture books, guide books, and books on Indigenous cultures that they recommend. Adopting these activities into library programming as well as inviting local First Nations community members to share their cultures can be a way for children to understand what it means to be a settler on unceded lands. In addition to the outdoor activities, this site links to local Coast Salish tribes’ websites and provides advice on how to be respectful and authentic for educators who are also settlers. This resource is unique in that it is an ongoing research project in the form of a how-to guidebook on building outdoor play areas. It describes itself as a resource for parents, students, teachers, community members, and design professionals. Not only is this a Vancouver-based project, but the way that different aspects of play area design are described is very useful to any adult who wants to understand what children need in an outdoor play area. 34 YAACING|Spring/Summer 2022
FEATURES There are so many different elements that come together to build these spaces, and this guide divides them into age, activity, and type. Some examples of possible design elements could include topography changes, ramps, gardens, sound makers, shade trees, trampolines, tunnels, and slides. There are plenty of pictures for inspiration as well; the image to the right is Plateau Sports Park in Vancouver. Schools, libraries, or museums that are considering an outdoor play area will find plenty of tools in the Outdoor PLAYbook.
Supporting Children with Disabilities and Exceptionalities Outdoors - Podcast Episode This resource is not specific to British Columbia, but it is Canadian and has a fantastic podcast on supporting children with disabilities during outside learning and play. Two special education teachers discuss the unique ways that traveling outside with their young students brings new opportunities for learning for their kids. They talk about safety plans and the different considerations and supports that are put into practice for each child before going outside, as well as the joy that these children have when they experience the world firsthand. There is a huge amount of overlap between teaching and children’s librarianship, and this information could help a librarian feel more prepared and confident in creating a similar program. To find this podcast, travel to this link and then select the “View More” button underneath the "Supporting Children with Disabilities and Exceptionalities Outdoors" heading. A PDF file with key notes from the podcast will download, and a link to the actual podcast is at the top of this file underneath the title.
NatureWILD Magazine This magazine, published by NatureKids BC, is the only British Columbia-specific nature magazine for kids and their families. It is educational and fun, and it encourages children to go out and learn about their local wildlife. To try to offer more resources to educators during the COVID-19 pandemic, NatureKids BC have provided issues from 2017 to 2020 available for free to download. Families, schools, libraries, or other early childhood learning centres may choose to subscribe to receive new issues four times a year, but there are currently 13 free issues for download that are packed
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FEATURES full of great content. Each issue may contain games, drawings, quizzes, activities, crafts, and local news. A huge focus of these issues is on conservation and what kids can do to help the environment. Along with facts about local animals, the issues will often feature sections from different First Nations members who describe the cultural significance of a certain animal and how it is traditionally used by their people.
Risk Benefit Assessment for Outdoor Play: A Canadian Toolkit Many parents and people who work with children are concerned about the possibility of injury or other danger while allowing their children to play outside. This toolkit uses current research and a Canadian lens to examine the risks and benefits of outdoor play. It supports practitioners (people who work with children) who want to allow the children in their care to play freely outside but are concerned about the “risk” of play by providing them with legal knowledge and tools to help argue the case for outside play. The toolkit provides several forms to adapt for your own purposes, such as an informed consent form, a standard of care checklist, a program risk-benefit assessment form, a site risk assessment form, and an incident report template. There are also helpful communication prompts and tips for dynamic risk assessment and monitoring children during outdoor play. The toolkit can be found here.
Conclusion and Additional Resources I hope that these readings have helped to convey the importance and joy of outdoor play. During the search for resources in British Columbia, I found some great databases and other resources that may be helpful to anyone interested in reading more about outdoor play. The Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre has an Outdoor Play and Learning section of their eResource page. Take Me Outside has a fantastic directory here. Outdoor Play Canada is another helpful directory. Wild About Vancouver is an outdoor education festival that keeps a list of all of its guest speakers’ lesson plans here. The Encyclopedia of Early Childhood Development has a page on Outdoor Play where relevant research studies are collected. OutsidePlay.ca is a collaboration between the University of British Columbia, the BC Children’s Hospital, and the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit who created an interactive guide on how caregivers can adopt a more balanced approach to risky play. Nick Murphy is a second year MLIS student at UBC.
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Picturing Canada: an Exhibition on the History of Canadian Illustrated Books for Children
Picturing Canada was an exhibition that took visitors on a journey from the earliest published Canadian illustrated children’s books to current ones. Commencing with Northern Regions, published in 1825 to On the Trapline, a 2021 award winning picture book, nearly 200 years of children’s books in Canada were covered. This exhibition explored the changing historical and cultural aspects of Canadian identity through the lens of children’s illustrated books, a testament to the artists, authors, publishers, and ultimately readers, who shaped, and continue to shape, children’s literary culture in Canada. The Picturing Canada exhibition could be thought of as a tapestry of over 120 Canadian children’s books, with each thread made up of our curated individual book selections. We could not hope to have included every book and many threads were left out of the display, mostly due to space constraints. However, we encouraged the visitor to celebrate the books we chose and ponder how they might picture Canada at different points in history. Starting in 1825 with children’s books published in London, each display case chronicled distinct chapters in the history of children’s illustrated books. Early Canadian illustrated books, imported from England, often contained stories and illustrations of Canada as a land of snow and log cabins. These books about Canada were, more often than not, written to amuse British children. Anne of Green Gables let the world see a different side of Canada in 1908, as children and adults not only fell under the spell of Anne, but also Prince Edward Island. From a pop-up dollhouse to a 37 YAACING|Spring/Summer 2022
FEATURES graphic novel, publishers continue to celebrate all that is Anne Shirley. Up until 1970, under sixty children’s books were published each year in Canada. In the 1960’s French Canadian children's picture books transitioned from a realistic style to a playful Montreal style. Experimentation by Quebecois authors and illustrators continued to see the creation of unconventional material during the last 50 years. Tundra books, founded in 1967, emphasized the picture book as a work of art and often published books with difficult themes. Alligator Pie in 1974 was very successful, but it was not until the publishing house Annick received manuscripts from Robert Munsch in 1979 that book sales started to flourish. Kids Can publishing house, also established in the 1970’s, saw commercial success with the Franklin titles. Small, regional publishers began to establish themselves in the world of children’s books, such as Nimbus in Newfoundland, which focuses on Maritime stories. Groundwood Books was founded in 1978 to create a body of Canadian children’s literature, while highlighting the child’s point of view. The development of Indigenous children’s publishing began in the 1980’s with Theytus Books and Pemmican Publishing which allowed First Nations and Metis creators to tell their own stories. Prior to this, illustrated stories were often retellings of oral ones by non-Indigenous authors. More contemporary Indigenous books address issues of trauma, healing through language and cultural revitalization.
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FEATURES Picture book artists began to receive some serious recognition with the establishment of the Governor General Awards for illustrated books in 1987. A rise in the publication of picture books with diverse content started to occur at the beginning of the twenty first century. Positive representation of BIPOC children as well as the LGBT2S+ community was welcomed in response to the underrepresentation for so many decades. Twenty-first century picture books encapsulated the idea of radical change. Whether it was original formats, themes or diversity, these new styles of picture books are quite different from their twentieth century cousins. Vanessa is a second-year MLIS student and a student librarian at WVML and UBC Biomedical Library.
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Building an Arabic Children’s Literature Collection Part 3 A three part series on building Arabic children's collections in Canadian public libraries. By Anita Fata Here are ten Arabic children’s titles to consider adding to your collections, followed by a list of English websites that offer Arabic titles and ship to Canada, as well as additional resources to help you find more titles. CRESCENT MOONS AND POINTED MINARETS ()أقمار هاللية ومآذن مدببة. Written by Hena Khan. Illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. Published by Scholastic. Arabic. Softcover. Available at Maktabatee Books. This beautifully illustrated book celebrates the geometric patterns in Islamic art and architecture. Follow a child’s perspective as they stroll through the mosques, gardens and cities of the Islamic world. From crescent moons to octagonal fountains, this book creatively enriches a reader’s Arabic vocabulary with geometry terms. Recommended for ages 5+. How Do You Turn a Ghoula into a Butterfly? Written by Amal Naser. Illustrated by Ghazaleh Bigdeloo. Published by Al Salwa. Picture Book. Available at Al Salwa Publishers. This whimsical story follows what happens when Rabie pretends to be a wizard and accidentally conjures the giant (but adorable) Ghoula. Once Rabie discovers Ghoula is friendly, the adventure begins, with Rabie and his friends teaching Ghoula the ins and outs of human society, while she teaches Rabie some surprising things too! Recommended for ages 4+.
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FEATURES I love (Ana Oheb). Written by Nabiha Muhaidali. Illustrated by Nadeen Saidani. Published by Dar Al Hadaeq. Board book. Available at Sanabil Books. Brightly coloured with engaging illustrations, this board book will help readers discover the colours they see throughout their day. Little Mazen is accompanied by a rooster, bird, goose and star, as they all look for their favourite colours. 2009 winner of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature. Recommended for ages 0-5.
Koozy. Written by Anastasia Qarawani. Illustrated by Maja Kastelic. Published by Al Salwa. Available at Maktabatee and Al Salwa. This gentle story deals with the challenges children face when their pets get lost or pass away. Koozy is a well loved cat that disappears one day, leaving a little boy to deal with the loss. With soothing illustrations, understanding grown ups, and a new friendship, this emotional story comforts all readers. 2018 winner of the Etisalat Prize for Arabic Children's Literature. Recommended for ages 5+.
Learning My Arabic Colors, Shapes and Numbers ( األرقام، األشكال،)األلوان. Created by Asma Wahab. Designed by Nadia Afghani. Published by Civilian Publishing. Arabic with English transliterations. Board Book. Available at Civilian Publishing. With modern design and boldly illustrated, this appealing board book makes Arabic numbers, colours, and shapes engaging for readers of all ages. Arabic is accompanied by English transliterations, making this a great book for multilingual families. Well made to withstand younger readers, while older readers can trace the letters with a dry erase marker. Recommended for ages 0 to 7. 41 YAACING|Spring/Summer 2022
FEATURES LEARNING MY FIRST WORDS ()كلماتي األوىل. Created by Asma Wahab. Designed by Nadia Afghani. Published by Civilian Publishing. Arabic with English Transliterations. Board Book. Available at Civilian Publishing. Beautiful illustrations are accompanied by Arabic text with English transliterations in this sturdy board book. This is a great tool for learning vocabulary of everyday life, like food, clothing, and animals. A great book for intergenerational, multilingual families, as it includes Arabic with English transliterations. Recommended for ages 1-5.
My World ()عالمي. Written by Fatima Sharafeddine. Illustrated by Farsha Najfi. Published by Dar Al Saqi. Softcover. Available at Maktabatee Books. Gloriously illustrated with a kite’s view of the world, readers soar over neighbourhoods, cities, and countries that makeup our world. Descriptive text helps to build Arabic vocabulary and comprehension skills, while intricate illustrations engage readers. Short-listed for the 2017 Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature. Recommended for ages 2-5.
Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey. Written by Margriet Ruurs. Illustrated by Nizar Ali Badr. Published by Orca Books. Bi-lingual with Arabic and English. Hardcover. Available widely in Canada. Written in both Arabic and English, Stepping Stones illustrates the story of a Syrian girl named Rama and her family. Life in their village is peaceful, until war comes closer and closer to Rama’s home. Soon Rama and her family must leave their beloved village and they start a long journey towards a safer place. This unique picture work features photographs of the stone artwork of Syrian artist Nizar Ali Badr. Recommended for ages 5 to 8.
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FEATURES The Ghoul (Al-Ghoul). Written by Taghreed Najjar. Illustrated by Hassan Manasra. Picture Book. Available at Al Salwa. English translation available at Crocodile/Interlink. A story for the child that loves monsters! The villagers in Hassan’s village are terrified of the “Ghoul” that lives nearby. But when brave Hassan actually encounters the mysterious creature, he finds out that the Ghoul is scared of humans. A fun tale of facing fears, overcoming stereotypes and finding friendship. Recommended for ages 3-8. A Kirkus review of the English translation titled “The Ghoul” is available here. The Watermelon. Written by Taghreed Najja. Illustrated by Maya Fidawi. Published by Al Salwa. Available at Al Salwa Publishers. A very relatable tale of a girl who loves watermelon. Noura decides to hide her favourite food so she can eat it all by herself…but before she gets a chance, it starts to grow and grow and grow! This vibrantly illustrated adventure shows us that there can be too much of a good thing. A Kirkus review of the English translation titled “Watermelon Madness” is available here.
Additional Resources: Arab America ArabKidLitNow English Websites that offer DiverseBookFinder Arabic Children’s Literature: Etisalat Awards Al Salwa Publishers IFLA’s The World Through Picture Books 100 Books for Children and Young People in Arabic Civilian Publishing (IBBY Europe) Maktabatee Books Vancouver Public Library’s Arabic collection Sanabil Book White Raven Awards Database World Kid Lit Anita Fata is a recent MLIS graduate from the UBC iSchool. She originally wrote a version of this report for the class Survey of Literature and Other Materials for Children. She would like to thank Tess Prendergast for her encouragement, Waleed Nesyif for sharing his family’s books, and Marcia Lynx Qualey at ArabLit Quarterly and ArabKidLitNow! and Gihan Faisal at Jeem Books for reading over the original report. 43 YAACING|Spring/Summer 2022
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From Apple Pies to Astronauts: A Chronology of Alphabet Books with Aphorisms, Amusements, and Anecdotes – Part Six By Sarah Bagshaw Revisiting the curated display created for iSchool@UBC LIBR594 – Directed Study done in conjunction with UBC Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections. Adapted from the exhibit and case labels written by Sarah Bagshaw & Laura Quintana. Exhibition poster = Jeff Porter Designs. All photographs from Sarah Bagshaw.
In February 2017 I mounted a display of alphabet books in the Rare Books and Special Collections library @ UBC. This was done with Laura for a directed study project under the supervision of Kathie Shoemaker and Chelsea Shriver. The display was opened in time for attendees of the Vancouver Children’s Literature Round Table spring conference to visit on their breaks (held in Irving K. Barber building where Rare Books is). We had so much fun researching the development of children’s literature, ABC books, picture book illustration, and looking at some incredibly old books as well as many new ones. I thought I could share some of the writing and images from this display in a multi-part series with YAACING members as a welcome distraction from our Covidinfluenced lives. Our journey continues through the alphabet with the case representing P, Q, and R and the post-war period
P Q R - After the War Alphabet Books
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FEATURES In the 1940s, publishing declined due to WWII. Books were still produced, but it was a diminished industry. As the ‘50s progressed, the industry picked up and books of higher quality with lower prices were being mass produced for a broader audience. This mirrors the changes in children’s book publishing a century earlier. An excellent example of this is The Little Golden Book series. Started in 1942, these books had sturdy covers and sold for 25 cents. They sold in bookstores, but also in chain and department stores. In fact, an alphabet book was one of the original twelve first published. Many of these books, incorporating the popular culture of the time were illustrated by famous artists. By the 1930s, photo-lithography had advanced along with greatly improved methods for colour-separated original art work. Those technological advances, along with the proliferation of print media, animation, and trade publishing promoted the development of illustration as a profession. These new professionals initiated the use of different media, colour, and cartoon imagery resulting in alphabet books that were innovative, distinct, and new. The baby boom produced schools full of young readers. Kindergarten became part of public education, and many schools developed their own libraries. Learning to read was a priority. While the text on the page still drew on the alliteration and nonsense rhymes of the 1800s, “learning your letters” was supplanted with “let’s have fun reading”. This is exemplified in books such as Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss (1957). The subversive quality of this book changed the nature of children’s literature and influenced classroom reading programs. Case Six representing P, Q, and R contained the following items plus extra information about a few: Eichenberg, Fritz. Ape in a Cape. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., 1952. Spring/Summer 2022|YAACING 45
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Brown, Marcia. Peter Piper’s Alphabet: Peter Piper’s practical principles of plain and perfect pronunciation. Manifold manifestations made by Marcia Brown. New York: Charles Scribner,1959.
Peter Piper’s Alphabet was first published in the UK in 1813. It was part of a wave of tongue twisters and word games showing up in reading materials for children during this time. The strict Puritanism of the previous century gave rise to learning and entertainment being combined in children’s books. Alliteration and limericks were used to teach the alphabet and the phonemes that went with the letter symbols. Peter Piper’s Alphabet, an excellent alliterative tongue twister was reimagined by Brown for a new and receptive child audience. This book is a good example of a children’s book style becoming popular again. Brown has received the Caldecott Medal and Caldecott Medal Honors more than once. She was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award twice. In 1992 she was awarded the ALA’s Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal for substantial and lasting contributions to children’s literature.
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Munari, Bruno. Bruno Munari’s ABC. San Francisco: Chronicle Books LLC, 2006. (Originally published in 1960)
In the 1930s Bruno Munari (1907 – 1998), a world renowned Italian graphic designer, began making books for his own children. This work initiated a fiftyyear career creating books for children. Characteristic of his design is the use of texture, tactile surfaces, die cuts, and colour to promote kinesthetic learning. To this day his books remain in print. He was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen award (the little Nobel) for his contributions to children’s literature in 1974, a graphic award for childhood at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in 1984, and the Lego Prize for individuals or organizations that have made an outstanding contribution to the lives of children in 1986. Spring/Summer 2022|YAACING 47
FEATURES
Sendak, Maurice. Alligators All Around. New York: HarperCollins Children’s Books, 1962.
Maurice Sendak (1928-2012) started illustrating children’s books with the help of Ursula Nordstrom of Harper and Brothers. His art emulates an earlier era when the general art movement was going to more abstract realms. His use of panels usually found only in comic books, and children’s feelings and fantasies, meant that Sendak stood out. One of the most famous alliterative alphabet books of the twentieth century is Alligators All Around, part of the Nutshell Library. It combines rhyming, cadence, and alliteration with simple illustrations of an alligator family. Sendak won the Hans Christian Andersen Award for lasting contributions to children’s literature in 1970 and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for career contributions to children’s literature in 2003.
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FEATURES Seuss, Dr. Dr. Seuss’s ABC. New York: Random House Children’s Books, 1991. (Originally published in 1963) This ABC book follows the trend of listing objects that begin with that letter, but the objects are not always what we expect. This quirkiness allows for excellent alliteration, and when paired with Seuss’s typical illustrations and bright colours, moves it beyond the regular ABC book. The repetition of sounds and the masterful cadence make it a delight to read out loud and to listen to.
PQR To be continued in the next YAACing newsletter… If you are interested in the full display text and accompanying bibliography, please email Sarah directly: Sarah.Bagshaw@vpl.ca
49 YAACING|Spring/Summer 2022
Call for Submissions YAACING is published quarterly and is always looking for submissions of interest to children’s and teen specialists in BC libraries. We accept articles, program descriptions and ideas, conference reports, reviews, felt stories, and more. If you would like to write a regular column, send us a brief pitch. Submissions should be no more than 1500 words, and sent in an editable format (not PDF). Please include a byline with your job title and workplace; for students, please include a byline with your school/program. We want to hear from you! What do you want to read in YAACING? Do you read every issue cover to cover or jump around to what's most interesting? Do you click on the links? If there are any recent contributions that have been especially helpful to you in your work we'd love to hear about it!
The deadline for the next issue of YAACING is Oct. 15, 2022. Please email your submissions to the editors at YAACING@gmail.com
Winter 2022|YAACING 49 (end)