Silver Birch 2015

How to Add Your Comments:

Once you have read a book, use this blog to comment about the book(s) you read!

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1. All bloggers must follow UGDSB's "Acceptable Use of Digital Technologies" policy.

2. Identify yourself by first name and school only (e.g., Beth 4B).

3. All blog comments must be on topic and respectful. To be accepted your blog comment must include: 

a)  Your rating of the book from 1-10 (e.g., 7/10 = pretty good read!)

b) Your likes/dislikes. 

It must be clear to all other bloggers that you've read the book (you must include specific details about characters (their names), the plot, and/or the setting).  Feel free to converse with other bloggers about the books - you can comment more than once!!

4. Have fun :)

NOTE: All blog submissions are read by Ms. McEwen prior to posting (this means that they are emailed to Ms. McEwen and comments she accepts get posted to the blog).

Zoobots - NON FICTION

Innovations in the world of robotics are multiplying, with many cutting-edge breakthroughs, and this exciting and timely new book for young readers explores one particularly intriguing area: the world of robo-animals, or zoobots. In an attempt to design robots that can solve problems or perform tasks that humans can't, or just can't do easily, roboticists have been looking at the unique skills some animals have. Using something called mechatronics — mechanical and electrical engineering combined with computer science — they are finding ways to closely mirror those skills in robot form. Some fascinating examples from the book of what zoobots can do include: finding survivors of a fire using sensitive, computerized "whiskers"; scaling skyscraper walls using super stickiness; or delivering drugs deep within the human body using microscopic whiptails for locomotion. Twelve zoobots are described, each on its own two-page spread. 

Award-winning children's author Helaine Becker's text is comprehensive, yet clear and lively, and is made more manageable by being broken up into shorter segments. The futuristic design of the book includes vivid, detailed color illustrations by Alex Ries, of both the zoobot prototypes as well as the animals from which their skills were derived. This imaginative and interesting nonfiction book will definitely capture the imaginations of technology buffs. 

It's a Feudal, Feudal World - NON FICTION

Enter a medieval world unlike any you’ve seen before.

Welcome to an innovative and reader-friendly approach to medieval history, one that combines visually appealing infographics, whimsical cartoons and lively, informative text. Each spread offers a snapshot that highlights an aspect of the diversity and intercultural dynamics of the medieval world, from Europe to the Byzantine, Ottoman and Islamic empires.

Readers get the inside scoop on crusaders and caliphs, Mongols and midwives, as they read about expanding trade routes, power shifts, conquests, adventure, and persecutions. From the daily life of the medieval child to Rabban bar Sauma’s extraordinary pilgrimage, the result is a colorful and varied picture of what life was like a thousand years ago. For example, did you know:

-5% of babies in English peasants’ homes died from pig bites?
- what medieval workers did for a living?
- you could buy a Turkish horse for 455 cartloads of dung?
- the best way to stop the unstoppable knight?
- A Viking longship is the length of two of today’s school buses?
- who was most likely to die from the Black Death?
- how Rome and Constantinople rose and fell?

Shapiro’s meticulous research is brought to life by Ross Kinnaird’s historically based, humorous, illustrations. Who would imagine medieval history could be this much fun!

A History of Just About Everything - NON FICTION

Here is a thorough and thoroughly entertaining compendium of important people and events.

From Buddha and Muhammad to King and Mandela, from the discovery of fire to the invention of the World Wide Web, and from Romeo and Juliet to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, this is a thorough and thoroughly entertaining compendium of important people and events.

From Vimy to Victory - NON FICTION

Hugh Brewster captures the remarkable heroism, sacrifice, and victories of Canadian soldiers during the Great War.

All was not quiet on the Western Front during the last years of WWI. Soldiers faced mud, trench foot, bombardments, barbed wire, snipers, and poison gas. Despite dreadful odds, the Canadian Corps moved forward, reaching deep inside enemy-occupied Belgium. The war cost Canada 60,661 of its finest citizens and thousands more who were wounded in body and mind.

After their hard-won victory at Vimy Ridge, Canadians earned the admiration of the world - and a reputation as soldiers who could get the job done. From that moment in 1917, Canadian soldiers proved themselves again and again on the bloody battlefields of Passchendaele, Lens, Hill 70, and Amiens, during the Hundred Day''s offensive.

From Vimy to Victory is presented in an engaging and accessible scrapbook style, with facts and details accompanied by first-person accounts, letters describing life at the Front, wartime diaries, and numerous images, maps, and diagrams that bring World War I to vivid life.

The Extraordinary Life of Anna Swan - NON FICTION

On a balmy August morning in 1846, a child was born to Ann and Alexander Swan in the couple’s small wood cabin in Millbrook, Colchester County, Nova Scotia. This in itself was not odd, as home was where babies were most often born in the mid-19th century. What was surprising, however, was that Anna Swan weighed an amazing 6 kilograms (13 pounds) – almost twice the size of an average newborn. Anna Swan grew to an astonishing size – nearly 2.5 metres (almost 8 feet) tall. She was billed as “The Nova Scotia Giant Girl” at P.T. Barnum’s American Museum in New York. But despite her unusual and challenging physical attributes, she rose above adversity and led a life of love, happiness and great accomplishments. This is her remarkable story.

Every Last Drop - NON FICTION

In the developed world, if you want a drink of water you just turn on a tap or open a bottle. But for millions of families worldwide, finding clean water is a daily challenge, and kids are often the ones responsible for carrying water to their homes. Every Last Drop looks at why the world’s water resources are at risk and how communities around the world are finding innovative ways to quench their thirst and water their crops. Maybe you’re not ready to drink fog, as they do in Chile, or use water made from treated sewage, but you can get a low-flush toilet, plant a tree, protect a wetland or just take shorter showers. Every last drop counts!

Cat Champions - NON FICTION

Around the world, young people are making a difference in the lives of cats. In Cat Champions: Caring for our Feline Friends, meet kids who are helping at shelters, fostering kittens, volunteering with sterilization programs and caring for abandoned cats. Animal advocate Rob Laidlaw brings readers a hopeful, inspiring look at the issues facing domesticated and feral cats, and the cat champions who are working to help them. 
 
Informational sidebars throughout the book describe issues facing cats (“The Cat’s Out of the Bag”) as well as good-news feline facts (“The Cat’s Meow”). Filled with color photographs and real-life stories,Cat Champions will inspire and empower readers of all ages.

The Big Book of Hockey for Kids - NON FICTION

Find out EVERYTHING there is to know about hockey!

Who are the "Original Six"? What are some of the most historic hockey games? What jobs are available in the hockey industry, other than being an NHL all-star?

This book will answer all your questions, and more! From the first game (with roots in Irish hurling and Scottish shinty) to the billion-dollar industry it is today - including the evolution of hockey equipment, the Stanley Cup, and every NHL team - fans will learn the complete A to Z of hockey.

Annaleise Carr - NON FICTION

Over eight months of planning, hundreds of hours of hard physical training, amassing a team of dedicated crew mates, approaching sponsors and collecting donations--and, finally, swimming for twenty-seven hours across the cold, rough waters of Lake Ontario. Why would a fourteen-year-old girl take on such a challenge? For Annaleise Carr, the motivation did not come from a desire for glory. Her ultimate goal was to raise money for her new friends at Camp Trillium, a charity that provides a camping experience for kids with cancer. What kept her going through the cold water, the exhaustion and the terrifying night swim was the thought of those kids and their families that she was helping. In August 2012, she became the youngest person to cross Lake Ontario. Readers will meet an extraordinary fourteen-year-old girl in this book. As she tells her story, it becomes clear how idealism and an intense desire to help others can lead a young teen to almost unimaginable achievements.

50 Body Questions - NON FICTION

Unbelievable facts about an amazing specimen—YOU!

Most of us eat, run, or sleep without thinking about it. But our bodies are masterful machines of intricate design that perform amazing feats daily.
The fifth book in Annick’s successful 50 Questions series guides readers through the details of how our bodies function, from the miracles of genetics, to immune cells shaped like sea monsters.
With her engaging, lucid style, Lloyd Kyi incorporates recent scientific research to explain our body’s complex workings. Kids will love finding the answers to questions such as:

-Do blood cells travel single file? (In our capillaries, blood cells have to squeeze through one at a time.)
-How is your spine like a racetrack? (Messages race down the nerves in your spinal cord faster than a NASCAR driver.)
-Is your brain like plastic? (Your brain’s ability to change is called “plasticity.”)
-Can your lungs take a hike? (Your lungs and blood vessels adapt to altitude changes.)
-Are there aliens inside you? (The invasion of microscopic living organisms started the moment you were born.)

You’ll discover how people avoided epidemics in ancient Pakistan and why your goldfish can see things you can’t. Hilarious illustrations will keep kids laughing as they learn.

Striker - FICTION

“Cancer is just a word, like pizza.” That is what Cody tells his overprotective mother to convince her to let him try out for the soccer team. He wants to play more than anything, but after going through treatment to remove a tumour from his leg he’s worried whether he’ll make it. But that’s not all he has to worry about. His dad dealt with his illness by working, and he misses the time they used to spend together; an overbearing team manager sends him to the bench so his son will get all the playing time; and a group of kids make it clear they have no interest in having an “Egg Head” on the team.

Cody is resilient, however; a kid who can handle cancer treatment and then make a competitive soccer team is no quitter. His skills begin to attract the attention of a few of his teammates; and when a new coach arrives on the team, Cody finally gets his chance. But can he overcome injuries and his fear of using his right leg to shoot, the one that had the tumour? It all boils down to one moment, one game; and the team needs him to score.

Striker is a story of courage, loyalty, fear, and teamwork. It’s about a kid who summons the strength to push through the pain, and by doing so helps heal a soccer team, his family, and himself.  

September 17 - FICTION

In July 1940, a British government-sponsored program called Children's Overseas Reception Board -- or CORB -- was set up to send children from Britain to Canada and other Commonwealth countries, in order to rescue them from the bombings of British cities. The City of Benares was a luxury liner that was recruited in September 1940 to transport 90 of these children to Canada, along with the ship's regular passenger complement. A convoy of ships including The City of Benares set off from Liverpool in mid-September. Approximately six hundred miles out, after the naval escorts had withdrawn, the ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat and sank in about half an hour. Only thirteen of the CORB children survived the sinking. As a result of this tragedy, the program was cancelled. September 17 is a novel that tells the story of three of the children that were on board The City of Benares, as they experience and survive the disaster and wait to be rescued. One lifeboat was not picked up by the destroyer sent to make the rescue, and was at sea with 46 children and adults for eight days until it was picked up near the Irish coast. Two teenaged girls held onto an overturned lifeboat for 18 hours before they were picked up, while another family, including two children not on the CORB program, floated on a tiny raft for hours before being rescued. The characters whose adventures are described are all real, though author Amanda Lewis has fictionalized some conversations and encounters.

Saving Houdini - FICTION

A classic adventure story set in historic Toronto—with a dash of humour and a lot of heart. Dashiel Woolf is ecstatic when famous magician Bloom the Beguiler brings him onstage during a special performance to mark the eighty-fifth anniversary of Harry Houdini’s death. But a century-old trick invented by Bloom’s grandfather goes inexplicably wrong—sending Dash back to 1926. Wandering the historic streets of Toronto, he barely recognizes his city but with the help of his new friend, Walt, he hatches a plan to invent the trick that will transport him home. In doing so, they just might prevent the Great Houdini from taking part in the event that ended his life, possibly changing history forever.

Red Wolf - FICTION

Life is changing for Canada's Anishnaabek Nation and for the wolf packs that share their territory. In the late 1800s, both Native people and wolves are being forced from the land. Starving and lonely, an orphaned timber wolf is befriended by a boy named Red Wolf. But under the Indian Act, Red Wolf is forced to attend a residential school far from the life he knows, and the wolf is alone once more. Courage, love and fate reunite the pair, and they embark on a perilous journey home. But with winter closing in, will Red Wolf and Crooked Ear survive? And if they do, what will they find?

The Night Gardener - FICTION

This much-anticipated follow-up to Jonathan Auxier’s exceptional debut, Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, is a Victorian ghost story with shades of Washington Irving and Henry James. More than just a spooky tale, it’s also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling. The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are confronted by a mysterious spectre and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives. With Auxier’s exquisite command of language, The Night Gardener is a mesmerizing read and a classic in the making.

Me & Mr Bell - FICTION

Alexander Graham Bell, Baddeck’s most illustrious resident, and one of the world’s greatest inventors, is also famous for the greatness of his compassion. It’s 1908, and ten-year-old Eddie MacDonald shares the friendly inventor’s passion for solving problems and for taking long walks in the fields above Bras d’Or Lake.

But whereas Bell is renowned by many for being the smartest man in the world, Eddie is just a local farm boy who struggles to learn to read and write. After a few chance encounters, the elderly Bell befriends the young boy, and takes an interest in his struggle – encouraging Eddie to celebrate his successes and never give up.

When Bell’s long ambition for manned flight culminates in the Silver Dart soaring over Bras d’Or Lake, Eddie is inspired to find solutions to his own challenges.

The Madman of Piney Woods - FICTION

Benji and Red couldn't be more different. They aren't friends. They don't even live in the same town. But their fates are entwined. A chance meeting leads the boys to discover that they have more in common than meets the eye. Both of them have encountered a strange presence in the forest, watching them, tracking them. Could the Madman of Piney Woods be real? In a tale brimming with intrigue and adventure, Christopher Paul Curtis returns to the vibrant world he brought to life in Elijah of Buxton. Here is another novel that will break your heart -- and expand it, too.

The Hidden Agenda of Sigrid Sugden - FICTION

Sigrid Sugden is a Shrike, a member of one of the toughest group of girls in school. They are experts at blackmail, extortion and bullying their terrorized classmates.

But one day, the Shrikes go too far. Sigrid realizes that their favourite victim, Prinny Murphy, is in real danger. She makes a decision that will save Prinny from danger but will turn the Shrikes anger and bullying against the former friend who betrayed them to the authorities. For Sigrid, this is a transformative moment. She wants to be a better person and begins to reflect on the events that led to her being a Shrike. Participating in their mean pranks made her feel powerful and safe. But now, she realizes she needs and wants to turn over a new leaf - make new friends and be kinder to others. But overcoming her badgirl image is a whole lot harder to do than she originally thought. No one likes her, no one trusts her - no one is willing to give her a second chance. But then an unlikely ally comes forward to help her convince the rest of the students at school that she really does want to be a better person - her former victim, Prinny Murphy.

Dial M for Mona - FICTION

October Schwartz and her five deadest friends are back. The holiday season has descended upon the town of Sticksville like an eggnog rainstorm, but October has no time for candy canes or mistletoe. She’s busy dealing with an oddly pleasant new history teacher, her living friends’ new roles as high-school radio DJs, and two (!) new mysteries that need solving before the new year. October and her ghost friends are hot on the trail of the person (or persons) responsible for Morna MacIsaac’s death in 1914 — or as hot as one can be on a 100-year-old trail — when October’s friend Yumi finds herself the target of anti-Asian harassment at school. Solving two mysteries at once won’t be easy, but our intrepid heroine in black eyeliner loves a challenge. Follow October, Cyril, Tabetha, Morna, Kirby, and Derek as they sleuth their way through a blizzard of suffragettes, iceskating disasters, mystical telephones, and boats named Titanic, all set against a backdrop of yuletide pandemonium.

The Creature Department - FICTION

Elliot Von Doppler and his friend Leslie think nothing ever happens in Bickleburgh, except inside the gleaming headquarters of DENKi-3000—the world’s eighth-largest electronics factory. Beneath the glass towers and glittering skywalks, there’s a rambling old mansion from which all the company’s amazing inventions spring forth. And no one except Uncle Archie knows what’s behind the second-to-last door at the end of the hall.

Until Elliot and Leslie are invited to take a glimpse inside. They find stooped, troll-like creatures with jutting jaws and broken teeth. Tiny winged things that sparkle as they fly. And huge, hulking, hairy nonhumans (with horns). It is unlike anything they’ve ever seen. But when Chuck Brickweather threatens to shut down the DENKi-3000 factory if a new product isn’t presented soon, the creatures know they are in danger. And when Uncle Archie vanishes, it’s up to Elliot, Leslie, and every one of the unusual, er, “employees” to create an invention so astonishing it will save the Creature Department.