Canada

Materials from Canada

Cat Found

A heartwarming tale about the importance of caring for strays. In Billy’s small town, stray cats are running wild, and there’s growing pressure to get rid of them. The school bullies don’t even hesitate to throw rocks at the poor creatures! So when Billy finds a wounded, starving kitten and sneaks her home, he has to be extra-careful to keep her hidden while he nurses her back to health. However precious little Conga is to him, he knows his dad would take her away if he discovered her, safe and warm in Billy’s bedroom. Can Billy and his friends confront the cat abusers, convince the town of the importance of caring for abandoned animals, and find a safe haven for strays?

My Achy Body

Young children are full of questions about how their bodies work. With straightforward,  easy-to-understand language and a playful attitude, Liza Fromer and Francine Gerstein MD have collaborated to create books packed with solid information about the intricacies of the human body. Their reassuring text describes the body’s various systems and supplies parents and caregivers with answers that will help them provide the accurate, age-appropriate information young children need.

My Achy Body describes the central nervous system. What is happening to us when we feel pain, and how does our body repair itself when we are hurt?

Luz Sees The Light

Change is in the air. Power outages are increasing, and gas prices are soaring. At first, 12-year-old Luz balks, hardly thrilled by the prospect of actually having to walk to the mall. But Luz doesn’t mope for long. After all, her name — pronounced “loose” — means “light.” Soon, this intelligent and spirited chica begins to understand that she must change with the times. As food prices rise, Luz decides to help create a more self-sustainable community by transforming a run-down city lot into a garden where she and her neighbors can grow their own fruits and vegetables. But when she solicits help from her friends — boy-crazy Anika and computer-whiz Robby — they think she’s a little loco. Luz pedals her idea on the street, but the community is equally dismissive. Can Luz pull off her plan and help change her world alone? This graphic novel is a kid-friendly take on sustainable living in a fossil fuel dependent world. Preteens will love the fearless, fiery and resourceful heroine and will find inspiration in her efforts to steer her society toward self-sustainable living. Hip and energetic illustrations bring Luz and her world to life in a jazzy, appealing fashion, and a bonus chapter teaches kids how to make garden compost.

Motion, Magnets and More

Where do the bubbles come from in a piece of cake? Why do triangles make a structure stronger? And how come magnets don’t stick to the wall? This colorful and straightforward introduction to the physical sciences gives young readers an easy-to-understand overview of such concepts as materials, forces, structures, solids, liquids and gases. Explanations are accompanied by simple, fun activities, including building a structure out of dried spaghetti and inflating a balloon with a gas made by combining vinegar and baking soda. Parents and teachers will find more explanations, activity ideas and a helpful glossary in the back.

Look at that Building

Learning about buildings and how they are constructed has never been so much fun. This gem of a book introduces young readers to basic construction concepts through the eyes of five friends keen on building a doghouse for their pet pooch, Max. To find out more about the task, Yulee, Martin, Nick, Sally and Pedro head to the library, where they learn about foundations, beams, frames and other building fundamentals. Fun facts, bright illustrations and comic-book-style discussions among the characters add to the mix. An activity at the end of the book invites readers to make their own mini doghouse out of marshmallows, paper, glue and craft sticks.

Hocus Pocus

This zany tale pits a grouchy pooch against Hocus Pocus, a mischievous blue bunny who lives in a magician’s hat. When Hocus Pocus spots a bunch of tantalizing carrots poking out of a shopping bag, he decides he must have them. But to reach the kitchen counter, he must risk waking Dog, a pet canine who snoozes nearby. Tiptoeing in a pair of bunny slippers works beautifully at first — until a peanut shell gets crunched loudly underfoot. Soon, Dog is wide awake, and the two begin a hilarious battle, trading victories and defeats and ultimately attracting the attention of the none-too-pleased magician.A classic retro feel gives the illustrations and story a fun punch.

The Busy Beaver

The busy but careless beaver spends his days following random impulses, rarely thinking things through and leaving in his wake a devastated forest filled with stumps, half-nibbled trees and injured, homeless animals. But then one day the beaver finds himself on the wrong side of a falling tree, which as it turns out, is just the thing to knock some sense into him. After reflecting on his behavior, he decides to make some changes. Soon, the now wiser and gentler beaver is getting down to the business of making things right, much to the delighted surprise of his forest friends.

My Noisy Body

My Noisy Body describes the digestive system and the meaning of the noises it creates, including burps, hiccups, stomach growls, farts, sneezes, and coughs. This book describes the body’s various systems and why they are important to overall health, along with a helpful Glossary.