A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

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The Inquisitive Raven

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product The Inquisitive Raven through Douglas & McIntyre. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and it is so much appreciated. 🙂

The Inquisitive Raven introduces us to Rueben.   He’s a smart raven who wants to know everything about everything.  A lover of his community and a teacher of what he has learned, he loves to help as much as he loves to learn. But he is sometimes laughed at, and this bothers Rueben.  Whatever shall he do? 

the inquisitive raven by robert wagamese, a review

The Basic Details

Title: The Inquisitive Raven
Author: Richard Wagamese
Illustrator: Bridget George
Series: The Richard Wagamese Storybook Collection
Publisher: Douglas & McIntyre
Pages: 32
Intended Audience: children, 6-8 years,
Genre: indigenous, Canada, children’s Canada books, children’s growth, creation, indigenous stories
Available formats: Hardcover
Received: hardcover
Reviewed for: Douglas & McIntyre

Book and Author

Richard Wagamese also wrote The Animal People Choose a Leader which I also reviewed.  A member of the Obijway people, he was a gifted storyteller.  Despite being abandoned by his parents and being ill-treated in the foster care system, Richard learned to read. His life was not an easy-one, he was married, divorced, fathered children, and lived his life.  He lived out his calling of being a storyteller with several published works. 

In The Inquisitive Raven we learn about Rueben.  He’s such a smart, inquisitive bird, sticking his beak into everything.  He wanted to know as much about his world as he could, and he shared his knowledge with his community.   One day he noticed an eagle soaring high above and watched how the other animals respected the eagle.  He also wanted to be respected, and so we get to read of his experiences.

Looking deeper into The Inquisitive Raven

Oh, the artwork in The Inquisitive Raven helps to bring the story to life.  It has a very indigenous feel to it. You can see the beauty in his coat, and the intelligence in his eyes.   He seems like a very likable chap not wanting to miss an iota of life. 

page from the inquisitive raven book

Some pages are full colour images and others only have an image on part of the page.  Lots of white space to allow for ease of reading. 

Large font makes it easy to read to a group of children.  Wouldn’t it be fun to read with a group and stopping once in a while to ask questions?   Thinking about the story you are listening to and building anticipation.  What will Rueben learn through all of this?  Can we learn together you think? 

You’ll find that it’s a beautiful hardcover tome.  It done up so nicely with a slightly rough texture making it very easy to handle/hold.  The Douglas and McIntyre of have done a wonderful job of presenting Wagamese’s story.  Rueben learned so much in this story, won’t you come and see the learning?  

You will love this story and the artwork.  It gives a good touch to First Nations language and history.  Learn with Rueben. Accept what you have and who you are!   

A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region through Harbour Publishing. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and it is so much appreciated. 🙂

MAN…. Sometimes I wish I had a child to homeschool again.   If I did, when going through Canada, and particularly Ontario, A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region would be EVER so useful!  Loaded with activities, tons of easily accessible information, descriptive photos and so much more. You need to check out this delightful book that helps children and youth access the plants growing around them. 

kids guide to the plants of the great lakes region

The Basic Details for A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region

Title: A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region
Author: Philippa Joly, contributing author Danielle Gehl Hagel
Publisher: Harbour Publishing Co
Pages: 224
Intended Audience: grade 3-4, 6-12 years
Genre: plants, Great Lakes, kid’s guide, Nature guide, Botany, homeschool, kid’s activity book, 
Available formats: Kindle, Paperback, 
Received: Paperback
Reviewed for: Harbour Publishing

About the Book and Author

As a clinical and community herbalist, Philippa Joly has her hands in many pots.  She works with individual clients, leads workshops and classes for children and adults, draws nature based pictures, and writes books.  She uses her skills in a variety of ways just like all of us!  🙂   A fellow Canadian she spends her time out in British Columbia. 

A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region is a middle-school friendly introduction to the plants of the Great Lakes Region.  You’ll discover outdoor activities, games, activities and quizzes that make learning about nature fun.  Dig up some roots!  Make some jam! Create a salve to cure an itch.  Discover new berries to eat and to definitely NOT eat!   Foster a love of the outdoors, increase attention spans and physical well-being, learn about the plants the surround, and connect with nature.   Contributing author is Danielle Gehl Hagel.

Looking More Closely

So let’s take a closer look at the treasures you will find in this lovely guide.  Eight chapters as well as a chapter dedicated to parents and educators.   Learn about the original peoples of the area, the regions covered, and so much more.   You’ll see plant profiles (of some 50 plants), learn about some invasive plants and learn the do’s and don’t of wildcrafting.  This reminds me of a facebook group I’m part of where people talk about the mushrooms they are harvesting from the wild.  The encouragement is always to do no damage, but to harvest thoughtfully. 

As you continue to work your way through, you’ll discover some easy crafts to make and activities to do.  Have you ever thought of playing Burdock tag? Sounds like a sticky situation eh?  🙂 

Make Plantain Salve to ease the pain of insect bites. Dig into some wild leek pesto!  Find out how to measure a Bracken fern.  Dish up some juices, oils, lotions, and jams from plants you discover. 

Learn about all sorts of plants.  I have to admit that I knew most of these, but would middle-schoolers?  Probably not!  Descriptive text written for the target age range, with a sense of humour.  🙂 Be prepared to discover interesting little tidbits and to read responses from other middle-schoolers.  Learn some Latin.  Observe illustrations and photos.

The Parents and educators section is filled with tips for making the best use of nature study.  Not just tips for using this book in the best way, but more on how to introduce wildcrafting, and various skills.  Skills such as handling a knife for cutting samples or making wood carvings. 

My Over-all Thoughts

Should you add The Kid’s Guide to the Plants of the Great Lakes Region to your library?   Yes!   Find it, borrow it, give it a good read.  Be inspired and watch your children/students be amazed at everything around them!  

The plethora of illustrations, photos, and descriptive text make this an engaging tome. The engaging activities and crafts add a fantastic hands-on component that helps to hammer home what they are learning (and it’s fun!). 

I do wish the invasive plant section had been a bit larger.  But I can understand the brevity, the focus is on the plants of the Great Lakes Region, not on the invaders that don’t belong.  One does not wish to create a massive book that would then be unwieldy.   

This kid’s guide is just the right size to provide variety in activities and help provide assistance in learning regardless of where you are in the Great Lakes Region.  That is what makes this book so valuable.  It is a helpful resource whether you are living in city, town or country.

The Animal People Choose a Leader

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product The Animal People Choose a Leader through D & M Kids. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and it is so much appreciated. 🙂

Before people came into the world the animals could talk with each other.  They decided they needed a leader and so they sought one out!  Would the quickest be it?  What about the strongest?  Would quick wits be the answer? Just what makes a good leader anyways?  Perhaps the animals will discover the answer!

the animal people choose a leader

Basic Details for The Animal People Choose a Leader

Title: The Animal People Choose a Leader
Author: Richard Wagamese
Illustrator: Bridget George
Publisher: D & M Kids
Pages: 32
Intended Audience: 6-8 years
Genre: First Nations, Animals, Picture Book, Indigenous,
Available formats: hardcover, Kindle
Received: hardcover
Reviewed for: D & M Kids

Author and Story

Richard Wagamese brings us into a world before humans walked on earth, a world where animals talk and make choices.  In this story they want a leader and set out to choose one. 

Richard Wagamese brings this story steeped in the culture of the Ojibway peoples.  Though Mr. Wagamese is no longer with us, he brings his story-telling talent to life in this story that emphasizes the true talents that leaders need.   He was an Ojibway member, a journalist living in Northwestern Ontario.  Interesting fact, when he was starting to reconnect to his cultural heritage he was told by an elder he was meant to tell stories.  And so he told stories.   Best known for his novel Indian Horse (which I read and found good), he has lived up to that calling.  

the animal people choose a leader

Looking more closely

This is not a simple picture book, but a meaty story destined to help children think through what a good leader is.   But it’s not so simple right? Is a good leader the one to takes their time in completing a challenge, one who offers encouragement, or one who commits fully to the challenge? 

Even if the answer seems obvious by the end of the book, I found qualities in many of the competitors that help make a good leader. So this story could lead to many a good discussion by elementary students.  (At least I’d like to be there for that discussion). 

Fantastic artwork fills the pages. Some pages illustrate wonderfully the indigenous nature of this story.  Other pages the illustrations flit around the edges, drawing us in to considering more of the story.  Can a horse really get trapped in brambles?  Or a wolverine struggle climbing a ridge, or the struggles that Cougar and Buffalo had be real?  Does rabbit even have a chance? What qualities of leadership will this race around the lake showcase?

The text is easy to read, but not really in the 6-8 year old reading level.  Doesn’t mean they couldn’t understand the story, but they’d be asking for help with a lot of the words.  You might also notice that of all the animals taking part in the race, only one has a name other than what type of animal it is.  Makes it rather obvious who to pay attention to eh? 

Recommendation?

I think that The Animal People Choose a Leader is well-worth reading.  I love the talking points found throughout, and the artwork is well done. Bridget George did a good job of bringing the work of Richard Wagamese to life.   Give it a read.  Share it with your classroom.  Discuss what ideas of leadership came up.  Get the teacher’s guide to assist you in leading discussions. 

The Bears and the Magic Masks

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product The Bears and the Magic Masks through Nightwood Editions. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and it is so much appreciated. 🙂

First nations author Joseph Dandurand brings to life some helpful bears and a thankful wood carver.  The Bears and the Magic Masks showcases five animals and bears who figure out how to use the masks.  Masks can be such useful things (particularly if you are hungry, helpful bear. 

the bears and the magic masks

Basic Details for The Bears and the Magic Masks

Title: The Bears and the Magic Masks
Author: Joseph Dandurand
Illustrator: Elinor Atkins
Series: Kwantlen Stories Then and Now, book 4
Publisher: Nightwood Editions
Pages: 28
Intended Audience: 6-8 years
Genre: First Nations, Animals, Picture Book,
Available formats: Paperback
Received: Paperback
Reviewed for: Nightwood Editions

Author and Story

Joseph Dandurand is a member of the Kwantlen First Nations in British Columbia.  An author of several children’s books, he lives with his three children.  He also writes poetry and was shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize.  His work relates to his indigenous culture. 

The Bears and the Magic Masks features the first nations group he is part of.  Afterall, it’s a Kwantlen wood carver that the bears thank, who then in turn makes the masks the bears have much fun with. 

the bears and the magic masks

Mr. Dandurand’s story is reminiscent of other native/first nations stories that I have read.  They have a certain flow and tone to them.  So I supposed you’d stay this is written in a classic first nations style!  🙂 

The story is simple.  The bears saved a life.  A thank you gift was made.  The bears had to discover the secret (magical) nature of the gift.  And then a thank you was again extended from the bears to the carver.  Such a good lesson to be heard. 

The art work is very first nation in design and style. The shape of the masks reminds me of the totem poles I’ve seen in videos (when my son was studying Canada) from British Columbia. Along with the animal masks made.   Generally very much what I would have expected from this traditional First Nations tale.

I totally expected and discovered an eagle, a raven, a wolf, and a coyote.   I thought the fifth would be a salmon but ended up being a sasquatch.  So I learned something new in this story … about the importance of the Sasquatch in their history. 

Recommendation?

So should you read this story with your children?  I think so yes.  It is not an exciting, grab you by the seat of your pants story, but it’s a learn about us story.  See what happens when you are helpful and kind and thankful kind of story. And that’s a good thing yes?  Don’t we all need more thankful, kind, and helpful people surrounding us? 

I can TOTALLY see a homeschool connection here eh?   If you are studying Canada or even just the First Nations people, read this book.  Get a bit of a feel for the culture, and then perhaps make a paper totem from the animals you learned about, or even the bears themselves! Learn about the Kwantlen people, study the Fraser River, learn the history of Vancouver, and British Columbia.  

Medici Heist

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product Medici Heist through Raincoast Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and it is so much appreciated. 🙂

Take a trip into the past with Medici Heist.   Back into Italy in the days of the Medici brothers and political upheaval, where revenge, friendship, and family are all put to the test.  Secrets abound, and difficult situation raise ugly heads, and through it all, a bit of history is revealed. Medici Heist keeps you on your toes wondering who will win out in the end. 

Medici Heist by Caitlin Schneiderhan

General Info for Medici Heist

Title: Medici Heist
Author: Caitlin Schneiderhan
Publisher: Square Fish
Pages: 432
Intended Audience: grade 9-12, 13-18 years
Genre: Renaissance Historical Fiction, Young Adult, LGBTQ, Historical Romance
Available formats: Kindle, Hardcover, Audio, Paperback
Received: ARC Paperback
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

Author and the Story

Ms. Schneiderhan loves Terry Pratchet books and grew up on them as a 13 year old.  They remain as part of her adult library (I don’t blame her at all).  She’s also an writer for the TV show Stranger Things. 

In Medici Heist she brings us into the world of Florence in 1517.  The Medici brothers rule Florence getting richer while the poor get poorer (with the church taking part in the wealth distribution). Into this world of opulence and intrigue drops in Rosa Cellini, a con woman with a mission.  She wants to steal the money back!   She assembles a rather motley crew of skilled misfits including a tinkerer, a fighter, and a master of disguise.  Artist Michelangelo even plays a role.  But the Medici’s have their own crew, and this crew has it’s own problems.  What will happen?   You’ll have to read to find out!  🙂 

Medici Heist by Caitlin Schneiderhan

Taking a Closer Look

Mystery presented to us within the historic world of the Medici brothers in Florence, Italy.  We know the Medici brothers are wealthy, and wanting to become more wealthy and getting more money through the church would be helpful to them.  Helping the church sell indulgences may be part of their biggest pay out yet!

But we have a small problem.  There’s a lot of political unrest, more guards are needed to keep the people under control, and unbeknownst to the Medici brothers there’s a lady out for a payout of her own with… just a touch of revenge mixed in.  She’s assembled a crew and as the story progresses we get to hear them all. 

Clear up warning… some of the stories are hard to listen to.  Brutality and hardship abound in the lives of the crew.   Pain is managed and not always talked about, until it is. 

Character Development Pivotal

Relationships within the crew are flexible and not always as clear cut as one might wish.  Same gender relationships are part of the mix.  I was admittedly surprised by one of them.  

Good character development and lots of history is included.  One can well imagine being in the heart of Florence in 1517.   

I do have to admit I didn’t quite get all of the Michelangelo stuff.  He was an important figure but I had too many unanswered questions about him.  Part of that is of Michelangelo’s historic relevance right?  You expect bigger things and more details about him and his work.  It’s kinda hard to explain, but of all the characters, I found his development the weakness.

Ms. Schneiderhan’s writing style is easy to read, with a compelling desire to find out how the story ends.  Will Sarra’s prediction that her tinkering skills will be needed with the wagon?   Khalid’s past… will it catch up to him in a solidly bad way for him?  Does the life Giacomo lived through prevent his future from becoming a reality?  Will Rosa get her revenge or will that desire jeopardize everything?   These questions will fuel the desire to finish the story.   You need to know the answers eh? 🙂

I received an ARC copy to review, so I don’t know if the greyscale artwork will remain as such in the final review copy.  There are three distinct parts of this tale with the artwork remaining consistent for each part.

Should you read it?

Other than the one surprising to me same gender relationship that kinda spoiled the ending for me, I enjoyed this read.  I loved the history, the mystery, and the interplay between not only the main characters, but the little add-on ones as well.   

As a former homeschooler I would want my highschooler to see just how accurate the author was in depicting Italy and the Medici brothers in 1517.   I don’t know my history well enough to tell you how accurate it all is.  🙂  But the sights and sounds feel historically accurate. 

I enjoyed the story of Medici Heist, the stories of the crew drew me in, then the events they were going through swirled around me.  Their life stories brought the struggles and dangers they were to life in a tangible way.  Well-written and interesting. 

More Than Words

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product More Than Words: So Many Ways to Say What we Mean through Raincoast Books.  Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog.  It costs you nothing to do so, and is a huge encouragement to me.  As such it is deeply appreciated. 

Do you know what augmentative and alternative communication is? Do your children have any ideas about all the different ways that people can communicate?  More Than Words brought me back to my time with with differently abled children.  And honestly, I thought I knew a lot but there are even more ways to communicate than I had thought of!  Come along, learn the different ways people communicate! 

More than words

The Basic Details for More than Words

Title: More Than Words: So many ways to say what we mean
Author: Roz Maclean
Illustrator: Roz Maclean
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. 
Pages: 48
Intended Audience: 4-8 years
Genre: Picture Book, Children’s disabilities, Augmentative Communication, Communication, Children,  
Available formats: Hardcover, Kindle
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books
Received: Hardcover with fly

more than words

A Closer Look

Having worked with people who need to be creative in how they communicate I love how More Than Words expresses more variety than you can imagine.  

Can play be a form of expression?  What about choosing between one thing and another?  How about facial expressions or written language?  Everyone has ways to communicate, and sometimes a preference or need to shown for one method over another!  

I suppose it’s no different than a mom saying to her child, I’m so disappointed… or just showing disappointment in her body language.  Both convey the same thing but are spoken differently.  So does it matter how a person communicates as long as they are trying? 

Good use of colour and facial expression fill the pages.  And I love Maclean adding a personal touch to each communication method.   Perhaps you might know a Jaya, Mateo, or Nathan who has preferred method of communicating different than you too? 

The font changes were fantastic.  The informative text appears as you see below.  A simple, easy-to-read font, but occasionally large colourful words will jump off the page.  Can you play, choose, dig, or cry?  In what manner will you express yourself today?  Who might you run into who talks differently? 

My Thoughts

Did you know that the Roz Maclean so wants people to understand alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) that section is included at the close of the book to teach more.  These forms of AAC might not be well-known to everyone.  Learning how others find ways to talk is ever so helpful don’t you think?   More Than Words is an easy read that I think children would enjoy reading.  Perhaps they can guess how people will communicate!  I love how even though we learned how a whole variety of people communicate, we needed to really think about how Nathan communicates.   So as you read, give it some thought.  What might Nathan be trying to say and how does he do it? 

Homeland

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product for Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine through Raincoast Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂

Taking the time to share our memories with our children tells them where we have come from, whether it just be general stories of our childhood, or specific memories of a former homeland.   In Homeland: My father dreams of Palestine we see a dad sharing his memories of Palestine with his family.   I found it poignant that his daughter considers his memories as memories of HER homeland as well. 

homeland: my father dreams of palestine

The Basic Details for Homeland

Title: Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine
Author: Hannan Moushabek
Illustrator: Reem Madooh
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Intended Audience: 5-8 years, kindergarten to grade 3
Style: Picture book
Genre: children’s social situations, children’s parents, immigration, emigration, memories, Palestine,
Formats available: kindle, hardcover
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books
Received: Hardcover

About the Author

Hannah Moushabeck has given us her first ever picture book that shows you her roots.  She is a second generation Palestinian-American.  Not only is Hannah an author, who grew up in a family of booksellers, but also an editor and marketer.  She learned the value of books and literature from an early age. 

About the book

Homeland is about a dad’s remembrance of his homeland of Palestine, retelling stories to his family of the food, smells, music , and activities.  He was surrounded by poets, musicians, historians, story-tellers and pigeon keepers!   Read his stories, and be inspired to tell your own. 

homeland: my father dreams of palestine

Taking a deeper look

There is so much that I enjoy about Homeland: My Father dreams of Palestine.  I love the dad taking the time to tell his stories to his family.  I love how his family claims his homeland as their own as well, even as they know they might never see it themselves.  Dad must make those stories so real for them.  🙂  Can you imagine having your stories make your children long to live your childhood? 

The font is easy to read, perhaps not quite large enough to read easily with a group of children, but easy enough to read with children sitting right next to you.   The illustrations draw the eye in and help tell the story so well. 

I love how you can see how music infused his childhood, and it makes me wonder, if music infuses the life of his children.  The guitar and drum I see in their family home hints at this truth.   So many talking points on each of the pages.  Can you imagine how you can follow up the pigeon keeper with perhaps finding a pigeon keeper in real life?  Seeing how homing pigeons always stay at home? 

In my family, my mom will talk about the food they had growing up, the difficulties during the war and how their parents helped.  My mom will speak to the faithfulness of God in so many of her life decisions.  But seeing the food and the memories it elicits for the dad, makes me wonder, what dishes from my childhood can I share with my boy?   What might you share with your children? 

At the close of this tale you will see arabic words and their definitions, in case you missed the meaning throughout reading.   Did you know what a fez was? 

If you were doing a study on Palestine and wanted to see what life might be like for a boy living there, you’ll find Homeland to be a useful primer.  It can definitely add a deeper element to your homeschooling studies into this war-torn land (without the scenes of battle).