New Acquisitions

Series "Literacy Place for the Early Years" / by Anne Brailsford and Tony Stead.
Toronto: Scholastic Canada 2006

It is the result of a totally Canadian effort by experts in the field coming from all regions of Canada. It covers levels K-3.

It comprises such items as - phonological and phonemic awareness:

• letter knowledge
• word building
• oral language development
• assessment

Only levels K and Grade 1 have been published so far : we hope to get Grades 2 and 3 in a not too distant future.
The ones we have received and bound are:

• Kindergarten - Reading Guide 428.6 .B734 2006
• Kindergarten - Writing Guide 428.6 .B735 2006
• Kindergarten - Working with Words Guide 428.6 .B735 2006
• Grade 1 - Reading Guide 428.6 .B724 2006
• Grade 1 - Writing Guide 428.6 .B726 2006
• Grade 1 - Working with Words Guide 428.6 .B725 2006
• Grades K - 3 Planning Guide 428.6 .B73 2006

The Planning Guide is an important feature of the series because it provides us with ideas on how to manage and set-up a classroom, how to start off the basic literacy skills and assessment and outlines the general continuum of the K-3 streamline.

Finally, Scholastic Canada has produced in 2000, with a different team of collaborators, the series from Grades 4 to 6 that is entitled:

Literacy Place Teacher's Toolkit Grade 4, Grade 5,Grade 6: 372.6044 .L576 2000 .

Michel Boucher's Pick

Où est le loup? = Where is the wolf? / Jean-Denis Côté, illustrations by Daniela Zekina ; translation by Rainier Grutman.
Montréal : Isatis
E .C77 O8 2005

Francis and his grandfather take a walk in the woods. Francis wants to find the wolf. But the wolf is hiding? Will Francis find the wolf?

Jean-Denis Côté is a teacher of Quebec literature in Sudbury, Ontario. In his book, Côté demonstrates the diversity and beauty of the Canadian wilderness. Daniela Zekina, the artist that assisted Côté, provides beautiful renditions of Canadian wildlife, with each page containing an animal that has been illustrated in a different fashion. Incidentally, the wolf has been cleverly camouflaged each of the pages, can you locate him? This wonderful story is written in both French and English languages in order to facilitate the learning process for young readers between the ages of 4 and 8 years old. This learning resource is highly recommended for those who seek material geared towards students in French immersion.

Solange Filion's Pick

The Subway Mouse by Barbara Reid
Toronto : North Winds Press/Scholastic Canada, 2003.
E .R3487 S83 2003

Another beautiful picture book by award-winner Barbara Reid. In The Subway Mouse, the author has integrated subway trash in her Plasticine pictures. The story makes me think of children building a world of fantasy with the little treasures they find all around that we, adults, call trash. The little mouse's quest to discover the world of Tunnel's End is inspiring as much for the artistic quality of the illustrations as by the dream-evoking story.

Julie Caron's Pick

Tipi Tales : Season 1
Winnipeg : Century Street Distribution, 2002-2003. (7 DVD)
398.208998 .T565 2002

Tipi Tales is a Canadian TV series. The series follows the adventures of Elizabeth, Junior, Russell and Sam, four Ojibway children in the Canadian Prairies. In each episode, the cousins must learn to solve a moral dilemma or community conflict, using the traditional teaching of their ancestors. The stories reflect the Ojibway culture. The series has won the 2003 Parent's Choice Gold Award.

Solange Filion's pick