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Showing 1 - 20 of 89 items
The great fire
By Jim Murphy. 1995
An account of the conflagration that levelled much of Chicago in 1871. Chronicles events from the fire's outbreak and rapid…
spread to its extinguishment by rain, as reported by survivors and in documents of the period. Examines the origins, circumstances, and official failures that contributed to the disaster. Grades 5-8. A 1996 Newbery Honor Book. c1995.The bite of the mango
By Mariatu Kamara, Susan McClelland. 2008
Sierra Leone. At the age of 12, Mariatu Kamara was raped by a family friend, then captured by rebels who…
cut off her hands. Despite her wounds, Kamara walked out of the bush and sought help, ending up in an amputee camp, where she gave birth to a son who died of malnutrition. When foreign journalists interviewed Kamara in the camp, her story garnered international interest and assistance, which eventually brought her to Toronto. Her autobiography testifies to Kamara's horrific trauma, but with the aim of fostering hope and reconciliation. Winner of the 2011 Red Maple Non-Fiction Award. For junior high and older readers. Some strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some descriptions of violence. c2008.The 57 bus: a true story of two teenagers and the crime that changed their lives
By Dashka Slater. 2017
One teenager in a skirt. One teenager with a lighter. One moment that changes both of their lives forever. If…
it weren't for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met. Both were high school students from Oakland, California, one of the most diverse cities in the country, but they inhabited different worlds. Sasha, a white teen, lived in the middle-class foothills and attended a small private school. Richard, a black teen, lived in the crime-plagued flatlands and attended a large public one. Each day, their paths overlapped for a mere eight minutes. But one afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single reckless act left Sasha severely burned, and Richard charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. The case garnered international attention, thrusting both teenagers into the spotlight. For junior and senior high readers. 2017.Survivors!: true death-defying escapes
By Larry Verstraete. 2003
Think about your worst fears - being attacked by a wild animal, swept away by a killer storm, trapped in…
a wrecked car or a burning building. Here are 29 stories of real people who survived life-threatening situations. Each section includes Survival Tips that give readers essential information about what to do in dangerous circumstances. Some descriptions of violence. Winner of the 2004 Silver Birch Award. Grades 4-7. Bestseller 2005. 2003.Sex is a funny word: a book about bodies, feelings, and YOU
By Cory Silverberg, Fiona Smyth. 2015
A comic book for kids that includes children and families of all makeups, orientations, and gender identities, this is an…
essential resource about bodies, gender, and sexuality for children ages 8 to 10 as well as their parents and caregivers. Much more than the "facts of life" or "the birds and the bees," it opens up conversations between young people and their caregivers in a way that allows adults to convey their values and beliefs while providing information about boundaries, safety, and joy. The follow up to the Lambda-nominated "What Makes a Baby". Winner of the 2016 Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction. Grades 2-4. 2015.Smiley: a journey of love
By Joanne George. 2017
Smiley, a most remarkable Golden Retriever, was born without eyes. He was rescued from a puppy mill and has become…
a superb therapy dog, providing therapy to people all over the world through social media and television. This is his story. Winner of the 2018 Silver Birch Express Award. Winner of the 2019 Red Cedar Information Book Award. Winner of the 2019 Hackmatack Award for non-fiction. Grades 4-6. 2017. Smiley, the therapy dog -- Smiley and Joanne -- Smiley and Joanne's new family -- St. John Ambulance therapy dogs -- Smiley, the blind therapy dog -- Smiley, the celebrity -- Ways you can help.Stormy seas: stories of young boat refugees
By Mary Beth Leatherdale. 2017
The plight of refugees risking their lives at sea has, unfortunately, made the headlines all too often in the past…
few years. This book presents five true stories, from 1939 to today, about young people who lived through the harrowing experience of setting sail in search of asylum: Ruth and her family board the St. Louis to escape Nazism; Phu sets out alone from war-torn Vietnam; José tries to reach the United States from Cuba; Najeeba flees Afghanistan and the Taliban; and after losing his family, Mohamed abandons his village on the Ivory Coast in search of a new life. Grades 4-7. Winner of the 2018 Silver Birch Non-Fiction Honour Book Award. 2017.At nine years old, Eugenie Clark developed an unexpected passion for sharks after a visit to the Battery Park Aquarium…
in New York City. At the time, sharks were seen as mindless killing machines, but Eugenie knew better and set out to prove it. Despite many obstacles in her path, Eugenie was able to study the creatures she loved so much. From her many discoveries to the shark-related myths she dispelled, Eugenie made wide scientific contributions that led to her being nicknamed Shark Lady. Winner of 2018 Forest of Reading The Blue Spruce Award. Grades K-3. 2017.Sir Walter Raleigh and the quest for El Dorado
By Marc Aronson. 2000
Biography of the adventurous English explorer and courtier of Queen Elizabeth I. Describes the numerous expeditions to the New World…
in search of a golden kingdom and how court politics determined his fortunes. For junior and senior high readers. Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. 2000.Royal murder: the deadly intrigue of ten sovereigns
By Elizabeth MacLeod, Barbara Pulling, Heather Sangster. 2008
What would you do for absolute power? Step into the world of palatial intrigue, where holding the throne means evading…
death... or causing it. While Cleopatra of Egypt once rolled herself into a rug and was carried out past her enemies' noses, other royals were brutal when dealing with foes. Read the stories of ten sovereigns, including Vlad the Impaler, "Bloody Mary", and The Romanovs of Russia. Descriptions of violence. Grades 4-7. Winner of the 2009 Red Maple Non-fiction Award. 2008.Real justice: sentenced to life at seventeen : the story of David Milgaard (Real justice)
By Cynthia J Faryon. 2009
David Milgaard was a kid who got into lots of trouble. Unfortunately, that made it easy for the Saskatoon police…
to brand him as a murderer. At seventeen, David was arrested, jailed, and convicted for the rape and murder of a young nursing assistant, Gail Miller. Throughout his twenty-three years in prison, David maintained that he was innocent and refused to admit to the crime, even though it meant he was never granted parole. Finally, through the incredible determination of his mother and new lawyers who believed in him, David was released and proven not guilty. This is the true story of how bad decisions, tunnel vision, poor representation, and outright lying and coercion by those within the justice system caused a tragic miscarriage of justice. For junior high and older readers. 2009.Pink is for blobfish: discovering the world's perfectly pink animals
By Jess Keating. 2016
Some people think pink is a pretty colour. A fluffy, sparkly, princess-y colour. But it's so much more. Sure, pink…
is the colour of princesses and bubblegum, but it's also the colour of monster slugs and poisonous insects. Not to mention ultra-intelligent dolphins, naked mole rats and bizarre, bloated blobfish. Isn't it about time to rethink pink? Grades 3-6. Winner of the 2017 Silver Birch Express Honour Book Award. 2016.La mouche (Petits dégoûtants.)
By Élise Gravel. 2012
Signes distinctif : elle peut marcher au plafond. Alimentation : les déchets. Sortes de mouches : plus de 100000! Elle…
est le poubelle du monde – et elle est dégoûtante! Dégoûtante? Oui, mais pas seulement. Années 1-3. Gagnant de Prix littéraire Hackmatack 2013-14, documentaire français. 2012.Out of darkness: the Jeff Healey story
By Cindy Watson. 2010
Losing both eyes to retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer, opened a door to another world for Jeff Healey. Out…
of darkness he created music, becoming one of the most influential blues-rock and jazz performers of our time. Winner of the 2012 Golden Oak Award. Grades 5-8. 2010.On board the Titanic: what it was like when the great liner sank (I was there book)
By Shelley Tanaka, Ken Marschall. 1996
The story of the Titanic, once the world's largest ocean liner, as told through the experiences of two of its…
survivors. Detailed explanations about the ship, passengers, and crew are interwoven with an account of its tragic sinking in 1912. Grades 4-7. Winner of the 1997 Silver Birch Award. c1996.No shelter here: making the world a kinder place for dogs
By Rob Laidlaw. 2011
Dogs have been loyal to humankind for thousands of years, but today, millions of dogs are neglected and malnourished, and…
millions of other dogs are used in scientific research and for entertainment, and kept as pets in a remarkable diversity of conditions. Laidlaw explores the world of homeless, mistreated, and exploited dogs, and the challenges they face, but he also focuses on the people he calls "dog champions" – people around the world who dedicate their lives to helping dogs. Some descriptions of violence. Grades 3-6. Winner of the 2013 Silver Birch Non-Fiction Award. Winner of the 2013-14 Hackmatack Award for non-fiction. 2011.Mingan my village
By Solange Messier. 2014
"Mingan my village" is a collection of 15 faces and 15 poems written by young Innu. Given a platform to…
be heard, the children chose to transport readers far away from the difficulties and problems related to their realities to see the beauty that surrounds them in nature. Winner of the 2013 Prix jeunesse des libraires du Québec (5-11 years category). Grades K-3 and older readers. 2014.Hidden gold
By Ella Burakowski. 2015
The Gold family lived an idyllic life in pre-war Poland, but that life was shattered in 1939 when Germany invaded…
Poland and Jewish people were forced into the streets, their homes, schools, and businesses burned. Eventually, the Golds hid in a cramped, secret enclosure for twenty-six months. Appalling conditions, starvation, fear of imminent betrayal and capture makes this a heart-stopping testament to the human spirit. For junior high readers. Winner of the 2017 Red Maple Non-Fiction Honour Book Award. 2015.Courage and compassion: ten Canadians who made a difference (A Wow Canada! book)
By Rona Arato. 2008
The heroes of this book are men, women, and even children from different points in Canadian history who have worked…
and fought for basic human liberties. Beginning with Jeanne Mance's tireless care of others in the earliest days of New France, and ending with young Hannah Taylor's campaign against homelessness, the book spans four hundred years in our nation's story. Grades 4-7. Winner of the OLA White Pine Award 2011. 2008.Hiding Edith: a true story (A Holocaust remembrance book for young readers #7)
By Kathy Kacer. 2006
The true story of Edith Schwalb, a young Jewish girl sent to live in a safe house after the Nazi…
invasion of France. Edith's courage was remarkable, as was the bravery of those who helped her: an entire village, including its mayor, that heroically conspired to conceal the presence of hundreds of Jewish children who lived in the safe house. Grades 4-7. Winner of the 2007 Silver Birch Award. 2006.