OUT OF SLAVERY: THE JOURNEY TO AMAZING GRACE by Linda Granfield

Granfield, Linda. Out of Slavery: The Journey to Amazing Grace. Illustrated by Janet Wilson. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2009. ISBN# 978-0887769153. $15.95. Grades 4-7. Picture book—nonfiction.

Originally published in 1997 as Amazing Grace: The Story of the Hymn, Out of Slavery was selected as a nonfiction best book by Quill & Quire (a Canadian award). This historical account of the slave trade focuses on ship captain John Newton during the mid-1700s. Granfield’s writing is descriptive, rich, and engaging. She uses vivid metaphors and a relatively high level of vocabulary, with many interesting historical facts and details that older elementary age readers would probably find fascinating. Clearly Granfield conducted extensive research for this book, including Newton’s Journal of a Slave Trader. However, she does not sugarcoat the story and she presents information about the reality of the slave trade that could be disturbing for some readers, presenting information such as babies that were born on a ship were often “tossed overboard.” Somewhat ironically, devout Captain John Newton prays for the Lord’s help to “deliver his cargo of 207 African men, women, and children to be sold in the marketplaces of the West Indies.”

Eventually he decides to find a “more humane calling” and becomes a minister, writing sermons and a book of hymns, including “Amazing Grace” (which had a different title at the time). Additionally, he wrote a pamphlet entitled “Thoughts Upon the African Slave Trade” in which he decided in retrospect that slavery should be banned. Newton worked to abolish slavery in Britain and the British colonies, which actually occurred the same year he died in 1833. Additionally, readers will probably feel relieved by the relatively happy ending.

Wilson has won many awards for her illustrations and her work in Out of Slavery captures the tone and advances the story. For example, the first page shows the ship African during a fierce storm in 1752. She captures the movement of the “vicious, glitter tipped waves” and shows the ship pitched sideways as “the masts strained and moaned in the relentless winds.” Many of the illustrations depict horrendous situations, but of course, this book is presenting a horrific time period in human history.

According to Wilson, Out of Slavery is a companion book to In Flanders Fields, in which she used a similar artistic style. She says, “some readers miss the fact that I've depicted the same boy on his forced journey from Africa. Also, the inspiration for the image of the captives in Africa came from reading a diary of a slave driver of the time [Newton]. He wrote about seeing Africans with tears streaming down their faces as they walked.” The paintings were done in oil on canvas.

I highly recommend Out of Slavery for any reader who wants to learn more about the realities of slavery. This is an honest account of human greed and suffering. Considering the fact that slavery still exists in the world today (although it is more covert) perhaps this book will inspire others to help make a difference.

--Cynthia McDaniel

NINI by Francois Thisdale

Thisdale, Francois. Nini. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2011. ISBN# 9781770492707. $15.95. 

Thisdale is both author and illustrator of Nini, which begins in Asia with a baby in the womb who hears her mother’s soothing voice. However, she goes to an orphanage when she is only one day old. She is not mistreated, but she does not hear the comforting voice anymore. It is not clear why the baby is sent to an orphanage, but that detail may not be necessary. Readers learn that a husband and wife “on the other side of the world” are unable to have a baby. The story is fairly simple, almost like a fairy tale—which may be part of the point. Clearly, Nini will “live happily ever after” with her new family.

One of the strengths of this picture book is that it does not try too hard to cover every aspect of adoption. Children in adopted families would probably feel comforted knowing that Nini’s birth mother cared about her and in a sense she has two families. There are some words that would be difficult for young readers, such as “falter,” “shrill, and “frail.” Apparently Nini is a tribute to the baby Thisdale and his wife adopted. The illustrations complement and further the story. Thisdale uses drawing, painting, and digital images to create a calm but vibrant mood. The result is a serene depiction of a present-day family situation that would be enlightening for all readers.

--Cynthia McDaniel

GOING APE! by Eduardo Bustos

Bustos, Eduardo, and Lucho Rodriguez. Going Ape! New York: Tundra, 2012. ISBN: 978-1-77049-282-0, $9.95. 

Did you know that there are more than two hundred species of primates in the world and, except for humans, they are known as apes? Did you know that the Gibbon is the fastest mammal that lives in trees and cannot fly? Or that the Macaque can swim more than half a kilometer (a third of a mile for those of us in the US)? Or that the Allen’s Swamp Monkey has webbed feet? How about the fact that Orangutans, my favorite ape of all time, live with their mothers for seven years?

Well, not only is all of this true, there are many more facts to be learned about apes in Bustos and Rodrigeuz’s book. Originally written in Spanish, Going Ape!’s colorful and straightforward illustrations nicely complement its easily accessible text. This is an excellent book for the beginning reader—the text is large and, excepting the names of the apes, there aren’t too many multi-syllabic words. For those in San Diego, or anyone who lives near a zoo, this would be a very useful book to read in preparation for a zoo trip. As a final note, the large illustration of each ape’s face would serve as a neat template for a mask and there's a pretty cool poster with all the different ape faces on the backside of the cover!

Reviewed by Stephanie Ashley

HEY CANADA! by Vivien Bowers

Bowers, Vivien. Hey Canada! Illus. Milan Paviovic. Toronto: Tundra, 2012. ISBN 1-77049-255-4. $19.95.

Nine-year-old Alice is blogging this book on her grandmother’s netbook as she, Gran, and her younger brother drive through all of Canada’s capital cities, camping as they go. Alice is an engaging guide, and the book’s lay-out on each page of blocks of text and dialog, lots of illustrations, cartoons, photographs, and maps, embedded games provide not only information but entertainment. To travel across Canada is ambitious; to travel across from Newfoundland to B.C. and then head north and cross back through the Yukon to Baffin Island is impressive. Alice tells her story of thousands of miles with humor and an eye for things of interest and import. Brother Cal also travels well (as does his hamster), and accolades to Gran. This is a book the whole family will enjoy, whether reading it in the car in Canada or anywhere else.

 Alida Allison

ODE TO NEWFOUNDLAND by Geoff Butler

Butler, Geoff. Lyrics by Sir Cavendish Boyle. Ode to Newfoundland. Toronto: Tundra, 2003. ISBN 0=88776-631-5. $19.95.

Sir Cavendish Boyle was Newfoundland’s governor 1901-1904 and wrote the words for its anthem, which, as Geoff Butler writes in his eloquent introduction, focus on the beauty and overwhelming presence of nature in this easternmost place on the continent. I’m lucky to have been there and can attest that even a tourist feels the rugged grandeur of the rock and its solitary situation out there in the ocean.

Butler’s paintings are wonderful, full of color, action, information, and humor, worth many a second look. Page 9 is a favorite; it has an almost Van Gogh look—but happier.

Alida Allison

AMAZING ANIMALS: THE REMARKABLE THINGS THAT CREATURES DO by Margriet Ruurs

Ruurs, Margriet. Illus. W. Allan Hancock. Amazing Animals: The Remarkable Things that Creatures Do. New York: Tundra Books, 2011. ISBN:9780887769733. $19.99 

Amazing Animals shares facts and information about members of the animal kingdom. The categories it addresses are Size and Strength, Reproduction, Communication, Homebuilding, Migration and Navigation, Diet, Hunting, and Defense. Margriet Ruurs selected a variety of insects, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals that, when combined with beautiful oil paintings by W. Allan Hancock, encourages readers to pay just a bit more attention to the world around them. Ruurs states that her hope in compiling the book was that “it will urge [readers] to research and explore the animal world for [themselves],” and her careful selection of beautifully illustrated creatures succeeded in piquing my interest.

Here are some of the things I didn’t know:

1. A black ant can carry ten to twenty times its own weight—this would be like a human carrying a horse. Perhaps even more astonishing is the fact that if every insect in the world was weighed all at once on a scale, they would weigh more than all the other animals.

2. A sturgeon can grow over 16 feet long and live over a century.

3. A coconut crab is a land dweller, and it's gigantic—stretching 1½ feet. Not only that, it can open up coconuts with its pincers. Just hearing this made me squirm.

There were many more things I learned (such as that a slug has three noses) that you will enjoy finding out, too. Along the lines of learning, a reading of Amazing Animals provides a bit of a vocabulary review. Fortunately, there is a glossary at the end of the book that helped me remember that “spiracles” are small breathing holes.

Stephanie Ashley

THE DRAGON TURN by Shane Peacock

Peacock, Shane. The Dragon Turn. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2011. ISBN 978-1-77049-231-8.

In the boy Sherlock Holmes’ 5th case, Shane Peacock takes his readers through a plethora of underground passages, secret tunnels and chambers, as well as mazes of late Victorian London streets, replete with fantastic villains, stumbling police detectives, and even a dragon. References to Charles Dickens place the setting between 1865 and 1870 (after Dickens’ last novel and before his death). Young Sherlock, who is apprenticed to the brilliant and eccentric apothecary Sigerson Bell (an allusion to Joseph Bell, one of the models for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock character) unravels a conundrum of near-murder and illusion involving a love triangle of infamous magician performers. An archrival character, Malefactor--reminiscent of the caricature-type villains from Batman--makes several totally irrelevant appearances, presumably for the continuation of the series’ antagonist.

Although Peacock is meticulous in his depiction of London’s geography in the 1860s, the narrative’s language and attitude are very contemporary North America. The reader has a sense of watching a recent formula teenage movie or video game in which the characters are dressed up in period-appropriate clothes, adventuring through a period-appropriate setting. Adult readers might tire of the shallow characterization and plot manipulations that result in flashy villain-hero stand-offs in terrific situations. The story is pointedly aimed at adolescent boys: girl readers will find themselves in the familiar position of watching the boys play the game, while the girls stand by the trophies or, at best, lend a little support. Early teen boys, however, may find much to love here, taking an easy step to narrative text from video/movie entertainment. Unlike Doyle’s original Holmes, young Sherlock is frequently distracted by the sexual attractions of women, all of whom are alluring, and all of whom impact the plot only by their impact on men. Although young Sherlock doubts his ability to engage their love, the reader observes the two beautiful potential mates frequently throwing themselves in Sherlock’s vicinity: thus the adolescent male reader has an opportunity for simultaneous hero identification and wish fulfillment. The only other women in the story, who are non-potential partners for Sherlock, enter the text with questionable virtue and a tendency toward a state of undress. Young Sherlock struggles for intellectual detachment, while the narrator, perhaps empathetic with his readers, exploits the tease.

The experienced reader will enjoy allusions to Doyle’s original text (references to cocaine, the name ‘Irene Doyle’ for one of the attractive young women, etc.). Also, the story has descriptions of Sherlock’s restless mind and developing deductive genius that hearken back to Doyle’s famous protagonist. Further, Peacock has fun allusions to other Victorian writers, especially Dickens (for example, references to spontaneous combustion taken from Bleak House, or a character’s name from Our Mutual Friend). Dickens actually appears in a gratuitous scene doing a reading of Nancy’s murder from Oliver Twist.

The plot concludes with an “Aha!” surprise. Thematically, Peacock takes some pains to underscore the value of virtue over vanity and pride. The villains, who are slaves to fame, escape justice; and young Sherlock Holmes, who has saved several victims’ lives, completes the case without recognition for his brilliance or daring. Bell, an alchemist, reminds Sherlock, “You must turn yourself into gold…. Here is what is more important than anything else--you, my young knight, did what was right.”

Alexandra Boyer

HARNESS HORSES, BUCKING BRONCOS & PIT PONIES: A HISTORY OF HORSE BREEDS by Jeff Crosby and Shelley Ann Jackson

Crosby, Jeff, and Shelley Ann Jackson. Harness Horses, Bucking Broncos & Pit Ponies: A History of Horse Breeds. Plattsburgh, NY: Tundra Books, 2011. $19.95 US, $21.95 CAN. ISBN: 978-0-88776-986-3. Ages 9-14

As a young horse lover and avid rider, I would have loved this book—so much horse minutiae and gorgeous pictures to boot!

A husband and wife team, Jeff Crosby and Shelley Ann Jackson take their readers on a comprehensive tour of horse breeds around the world. The book is loosely divided into categories by the horse breed’s intended purpose: rapid transit, military advantage, horsepower, equine entertainment, and feral horses. They detail not only common and well-known breeds such as Arabians, Shetland ponies, and Clydesdales, but also more unusual niche breeds such as the Kiso from Japan and the Basotho from South Africa. Each breed is given its own page, with stunning pastel illustrations of the horses in action.

Marisa Behan

THE WHITE BALLETS by Rajka Kupesic

Kupesic, Rajka. The White Ballets. Plattsburgh, NY: Tundra Books of Northern New York, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-88776-923-8. $19.95 US $21.99 CAN. Ages 9-12

The White Ballets is equally as much a work of art as a storybook. The book itself is stunningly gorgeous. All of the pages are edged with gold, and the illustrations are richly made in paint and gold leaf. The art is reminiscent of an illuminated fairy tale storybook and fits well with the elegant tales of dance told on the pages.

Kupesic retells the plot of three ballets: Swan Lake, Giselle, and La Bayadère. Her writing style is graceful and clear. The three stories are separated by full-page spreads written in the author’s voice explaining her paintings, which encourages readers to flip back to the earlier pages and examine the art in detail.

The White Ballets makes a beautiful gift for the young ballerina in your life. It belongs on display on a table or upright on a shelf – as elegant and gorgeous as the fairy tale ballets it retells!

Marisa Behan

Review: HERE COMES THE BRIDE by Beatrice Masini

Masini, Beatrice. Here Comes the Bride. Illus. Anna Laura Cantone. Toronto: Tundra, 2002. ISBN: 0-88776-898-9. Hardback $17.95. 

Filomena is a seamstress well-known for making bridal gowns, but she dreams of making the dress of her own dreams for her own wedding. She gets the chance when Rusty, the mechanic, finally asks for her hand, and she says yes! However, Rusty is not so happy when Filomena spends more time on her dress than spending time with him. And, when he sees her wearing the gigantic gown as she walks down the aisle, he’s struck with a fear that forces him to flee the church! What will happen when Filomena catches up with her scared groom?

The book seems to refer to adult issues. I can imagine a man giving his girlfriend this book, saying, “Let’s forget the big wedding and just go to Las Vegas.” On the other hand, many girls like fairy tales and Disney films that involve romance and marriage, so they might enjoy Masini’s story. In addition, the book was originally published in Italy and written for children in a different culture, which may something to keep in mind.

The illustrations by Cantone are full-page, with flowing lines and cartoonish characters. They sometimes overwhelm the words, but kids might enjoy the busyness and fanciful textures.

Marie Soriano

Review: HUMPTY DUMPTY AND FRIENDS by Oleg Lipchenko

Lipchenko, Oleg. Humpty Dumpty and Friends. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2010. ISBN 1-77049-205-9. $17.95.

This version of Mother Goose is superb. Lipchenko’s remarkably fine illustrations accompany Tundra Books’ unusual selection of nursery rhymes. With full color, full page pastel wonders of detailed perspective on the right page and two smaller, soft black and white pictures, page decorations, and two poems on the left, Lipchenko’s ingenuity is everywhere evident. A color page such as the one illustrating “Robbin the Bobbin,The big-bellied Ben…” are full of angles and sub-scenes and surprises, enough on each page to last a long time. In addition, this collection features rhymes not in the typical canon. For example:

The captain was a duck
With a packet on his back;
When the ship began to move,
The captain said, “Quack, quack!”

The illustration of this poem is hilarious, as are they all.

Alida Allison