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Showing 1 - 20 of 38 items
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.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.By Robin Stevenson. 2016
For lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people around the world, Pride is both protest and celebration. It's about embracing diversity.…
It's about fighting for freedom and equality. It's about history, and it's about the future. It's about all of us. Grades 4-7. 2016.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.By Mona Chiang. 2010
On April 20, 2010, disaster struck in the Gulf of Mexico - the offshore oil rig Deepwater Horizon exploded, causing…
one of the worst environmental catastrophes in American history. More than a million gallons of oil leaked into the water each day for months, as the oil company BP tried to stop it and scientists and emergency response crews tried to repair the damage. What caused this disaster and how can we stop it from happening again? Learn the answers to these questions and more as you find out about the oil spill, relief efforts, and the future of energy use. Grades 4-7. 2010.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.By Gail Vaz-Oxlade. 2015
"Money talks" is Gail's answer to the toughest - and most common - problem that sits at the heart of…
money and relationships: how to tell your mate, your father, your best friend or your grandmother it's time for a change. With over 75 different scenarios drawn from years of working with real Canadians, Gail helps readers see their own situations through stories that reflect what they're experiencing. Then she gives readers the language to negotiate effectively, showing them that for each problem there are steps they can take to find a solution. 2015.By Wendy Cooling. 2015
For this celebration of our Earth, distinguished anthologist Wendy Cooling has chosen poems to make children look, think, and ask…
questions. Why are trees so important? How are motorways damaging our countryside? What can we do about rubbish? What can we do to protect our Earth for the future? Grades 3-6. 2015.By Etta Kaner. 2015
Rats, mosquitoes, bats, cockroaches, leeches, vultures - it’s easy to fear and despise them. But are they all bad? You…
probably know that rats destroy food supplies and can cause house fires when they gnaw on electrical wires, but did you know their supersensitive noses can help detect tuberculosis or even land mines? Are these conventionally icky critters really public enemies, or do they have merits worth appreciating? Takes a close look at what we dislike about each of 10 unpopular animals, and then presents the flip side: these very same animals are often smart, helpful to humans and the environment, or inspiring to scientists. Grades 2-4. Winner of the 2017 Silver Birch Non-Fiction Honour Book Award. 2015.By Jill Dunn. 2011
By Keltie Thomas. 2010
Rats, through the diseases they carry, have probably killed more people than any war or natural disaster, and goats may…
have been the first to discover coffee. Among the more than 20 animals featured in this book are dogs, sheep, dolphins, silk moths and beavers, all of which have changed the course of history for better or for worse. Grades 3-6. 2010.By Erinne Paisley. 2017
"Can Your Smartphone Change the World?" is a twenty-first-century guide for anyone who has access to a smartphone. This how-to…
manual looks at specific ways you can create social change through the tap of a screen. Filled with examples of successful hashtag campaigns, viral videos and new socially conscious apps, the book provides practical advice for using your smartphone as a tool for social justice. For junior and senior high readers. 2017.By Michelle Mulder. 2013
Did you know that cars can run on french-fry grease? Kids in Mexico help light up their houses by playing…
soccer, and in the Philippines, pop-bottle skylights are improving the quality of life for thousands of families. Brilliant! is about what happens when you harness the power of imagination and innovation: the world changes for the better! Full of examples of unusual power sources, encourages kids to look around for new and sustainable ways to light up the world. Grades 3-6. 2013Some people think monsters are the stuff of nightmares--the stuff of scary movies and Halloween. But monsters can also be…
found right in your backyard. Animals like aye-ayes, goblin sharks and vampire bats may look scary, but they pose no threat to humans. Others, such as the prairie dog, seem innocent--cute, even--yet their behaviour could give you goose bumps. What makes a monster? Read this book to find out, if you dare... Grades 2-4. Winner of the 2019 Silver Birch Non-Fiction Honour Book Award. 2017. Aye-aye -- Vampire bat -- Honey badger -- Portuguese man-of-war -- Horror frog -- Greater honeyguide -- Cordyceps fungus -- Deathstalker scorpion -- Prairie dog -- Assassin bug -- Fangtooth moray eel -- Tyrant leech king -- Goblin shark -- Komodo dragon -- Japanese giant hornet -- Humboldt squid -- Human.Naturalist and artist Peggy Kochanoff answers these questions and more in this illustrated guide to solving nature mysteries in the…
city. From the author of Silver Birch-nominated Be a Nature Detective series comes a new adventure full of fascinating facts and original watercolours. From scuttling cockroaches to waves of starlings to burdock heads on your clothes, Kochanoff takes readers through city streets to show them the amazing nature growing there. Features a glossary, identification page, and further reading. Grades 5-8. 2018.By Etta Kaner. 2018
Do polar bears build homes to keep warm? Do penguins snuggle with a friend? Yes! But their homes aren't made…
of wood, and penguins don't cuddle on a couch. Instead, these animals -- and many others -- have adapted in amazing ways to survive chilly weather. A light-hearted introduction to animal adaptations around the world. Grades K-3. 2018.By Michelle Mulder. 2018
Part of the nonfiction Orca Footprints series for middle readers, illustrated with many color photographs. Readers will find out what…
urban rewilding is and how it can make our lives (and our planet) safer and healthier. Grades 2-4. 2018.By Elizabeth MacLeod. 2017
True stories about dogs whose actions influenced the course of history, including the first seeing-eye dog, search and rescue dogs,…
and military dogs. Among the dogs featured are Stubby, a mutt who rescued American soldiers in the trenches of WWI, Buddy, the first seeing-eye-dog in North America, Brandy, a German Shepherd who discovered a bomb aboard a plane, and Seaman, the Newfoundland, who accompanied Lewis and Clark, helping them complete their expedition by protecting them from wild animals and providing them with food. Grades 4-7. 2017.By Heather Camlot. 2020
What if the impossible were actually possible? What if we turned our dreams into action? What if our imagination could…
help solve real-world crises, like war, famine, and human rights violations? Through a series of seemingly whimsical questions, this middle-grade nonfiction book introduces readers to people and organizations that are subverting violence, war, and totalitarian power. What if soldiers refused to carry weapons? What if fighter pilots dropped seeds instead of bombs? What if music could be a creative force for democracy? None of these ideas are impossible—in fact, they are all true historical examples of ideas that have been put into action. Accessible, engaging text introduces a different question and example on each spread. Evocative conceptual illustrations provide a light-hearted reminder of the power of imagination. This timely book encourages readers to think critically and dare to ask big questions, which might just change the world.By Maria Birmingham. 2019
How are humans different from other animals? This is a question scientists have long tried to answer. As it turns…
out, some of the very things researchers once though distinguished humans—our creativity, our problem-solving ability, our capacity for planning or abstract thought—actually make us very similar to other animals! This nonfiction book introduces several different behaviors that humans and other animals share, including farming, teaching, laughing, building, mourning, communicating, grooming, playing, traveling, using tools, and working together. Narrated by a funny and friendly ant, this book is packed with humor and playful phrasing to bring lightness to the exploration of animal behavior. Brought to life by bright and wacky cartoon-style illustrations, Acting Wild will leave kids with the understanding that acting like an animal is simply in their nature.