Yellow Cedar Award - NEW (Grades 4-8, non-fiction every year)
For the 2020 program year, the Forest of Reading consolidated our two school-aged non-fiction programs, the Silver Birch Non-Fiction Award and the Red Maple Non-Fiction Award, into one award program - the Yellow Cedar Award. It is a curated list of 10 non-fiction titles. This Award will be given at the annual Festival of Trees in Toronto every May.
Be Prepared! The Frankie MacDonald Guide to Life, the Weather, and Everything Written By Frankie MacDonald & Sarah Sawler Nimbus Publishing Limited Ever wonder where clouds come from? Or how meteorologists predict the weather? This brand new book, starring Nova Scotia’s favourite weather reporter, Frankie MacDonald, and written by author Sarah Sawler, shares stories from Frankie’s early years, along with facts about all things sunny, rainy, snowy, and stormy. Filled with pictures, graphics, and advice from Frankie himself, this book has everything you need to Be Prepared!
Beavers Written By Rachel Poliquin, Illustrated by Nicholas John Frith Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Beavers, the first book in the new middle-grade nonfiction Superhero Field Guide series by Rachel Poliquin and award-winning illustrator Nicholas John Frith, is a delightfully informative, laugh-out-loud full-colour look at the most unsuspecting of animal heroes, perfect for readers who like their facts served with a large dose of humour.
Extreme Abilities: Amazing Human Feats and the Simple Science Behind Them Written By Galadriel Watson, Illustrated by Cornelia Li Annick Press These people did what?! Join author Galadriel Watson as she takes us on a journey of discovery — a tour of the human body’s amazing abilities, featuring masters of muscle, speed demons, brain bosses, and more! Extreme Abilities is a fun and fascinating survey of what humans are capable of and how these achievements are scientifically possible. Short sketches of famous individuals from around the world and throughout history, such as Louis Cyr and Usain Bolt, are mixed with the amazing feats of others not-so-famous to draw readers in and bring these astounding abilities to life in vivid colour. Each chapter also features a section on how young readers can work at improving their own skills (and a section on how not to get hurt in the process), plus bite-sized related fast facts and sidebars. Easy-to-follow explanations of anatomy, physics, and other sciences are enhanced by Cornelia Li’s energetic and engaging artwork, and photos throughout further help to illustrate the awesome displays of the human body at work.
Follow Your Stuff: What Makes It, Where Does It Come From, How Does It Get To You? Written By Kevin Sylvester & Michael Hlinka, Illustrated by Kevin Sylvester Annick Press Get ready to go global! Our cellphones, our clothes, our food: all are everyday things we consider essential, but we seldom think of what and who is involved in making them and getting them into our hands. In Follow Your Stuff, award-winning children’s author Kevin Sylvester and business professor Michael Hlinka team up again, this time to tackle the dynamics of the global economy, examining the often-complex journey of ordinary goods from production right to our doorsteps. Using familiar examples, easy-to-follow charts and graphs, and a big helping of humour, Hlinka and Sylvester introduce young readers to concepts such as relative value and fair wages and how to think critically about our purchasing decisions. Sylvester’s lively illustrations add even more kid-appeal, making this sequel to the critically acclaimed Follow Your Money the perfect introduction to socio-economics and an eye-opening essential read for young people.
Hayley Wickenheiser: Amazing Hockey Stories Written By Lorna Schultz Nicholson, Illustrated by D.A. Bishop Scholastic Canada Ltd. An exciting, behind-the scenes look at the achievements of the greatest women's hockey player of all time! When Hayley Wickenheiser was young, there weren't any teams for girls in her small Saskatchewan town, so she played on boys’ teams instead. Hayley was always a standout on the ice, making the Canadian Women’s team at age 15. Her skills and legendary hard shot earned Hayley the record for most points in Olympic hockey, in addition to five medals. And she continues to inspire — her annual hockey festival for girls is empowering a new generation. Go, Hayley, go! This new series features an action-packed format combining the excitement of full-colour comic book illustration segments with lively text and lots of photographs, including some never before seen.
Highrise: The Towers in the World & The World in the Towers Written By Katerina Cizek, Adapted by Kristy Woudstra Firefly Books Adapted from the Emmy-winning, multimedia interactive documentary of the same name, Highrise is an in-depth exploration of the world's highrises and the people who live inside them. From the multi-story dwellings of Ancient Rome to the soaring glass skyscrapers of today, humans have used highrises for thousands of years to house the poor, protect the rich and sometimes narrow the gap between the two. Highrise first examines the history of vertical living in a 20-page chapter on the origins, technological triumphs, social failures and future of the highrise. The book then invites young readers into homes around the world. Through the lens of the highrise, readers will learn about 10 cities and hear stories that capture what life is like in these diverse places.
Hubots: Real-World Robots Inspired by Humans Written By Helaine Becker, Illustrated by Alex Ries Kids Can Press Using increasingly sophisticated levels of artificial intelligence (AI) and embodied intelligence (EI), a new generation of robots is being designed to look, act and even think like humans. Hubots, or human-inspired robots, are expanding the boundaries of what robots can do. Here, ten different real-life hubots are described, highlighting each one's appearance, unique skills and purpose — from fighting fires on the high seas, to acting as setup crew for space colonies, to providing companionship for the elderly. The book also includes an illustrated graph of the uncanny valley, which shows us what distinguishes a friendly robot from a creepy one, and back matter that provides a closer examination of some of the robots' physical components and looks to the future of these fascinating machines. The creators of the popular Zoobots bring to life the groundbreaking robotics technology that's changing the world. Award-winning author Helaine Becker uses short paragraphs and accessible vocabulary to present a book that will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. Hyper-realistic illustrations by Alex Ries enhance the interest level of the material for children, especially those who love all things that are weird, unfamiliar and futuristic. Reference tools include a glossary and an index. This topic spans science, technology, inventions and engineering lessons. It also provides a terrific jumping-off point for classroom discussions about the larger societal issues surrounding these cutting-edge robots.
Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, and Murdered Through History Written By Allison Matthews-David & Serah-Marie McMahon, Illustrated by Gillian Wilson Owlkids Books The clothes we wear every day keep us comfortable, protect us from the elements, and express our unique style—but could fashion also be fatal? As it turns out, history is full of fashions that have harmed or even killed people. From silhouette-cinching corsets and combustible combs to lethal hair dyes and flammable flannel, this nonfiction book looks back at the times people have suffered pain, injury, and worse, all in the name of style. Historical examples like the tragic “Radium Girl” watchmakers and mercury-poisoned “Mad Hatters,” along with more recent factory accidents, raise discussion of unsafe workplaces—where those who make the clothes are often fashion’s first victims. Co-authored by a scholar in the history of textiles and dress with the founder of WORN Fashion Journal, this book is equal parts fab and frightening: a stylishly illustrated mash-up of STEAM content, historical anecdotes, and chilling stories. Nonfiction features including sidebars, sources, an index, and a list of further reading will support critical literacy skills and digging deeper with research on this topic.
My River: Cleaning Up the LaHave River Written by Anne Laurel Carter, with Stella Bowles Formac Publishing Company Limited Stella Bowles was a Grade 6 Nova Scotia student when she turned environmental activist to campaign against sewage pipes draining straight into the LaHave River. This is the inspirational first person account written by Anne Laurel Carter of Stella's Grade 6 science fair project, which caught the eyes of the media, the public, and government leaders propelling her into the limelight. Told with the help of award-winning author Anne Laurel Carter, Stella details her two and a half year fight to clean up the river, winning numerous awards for her environmental activism along the way. She succeeds in shaming three levels of government and rallying supporters into funding a $15.7 million clean up. Today, she continues to campaign for cleaner water and demonstrates to other children how to test water quality in their own backyards, and how to take action if they find their water is polluted too. Stella's actions will motivate readers to engage in local environmental activism. She demonstrates that doing what's right has no age barriers.
Too Young to Escape: A Vietnamese Girl Waits to be Reunited with Her Family Written By Van Ho & Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch Pajama Press One day they will send for her, but how long must Van Ho wait for her family to find a way to get her out of South Vietnam? During the aftermath of the Vietnam War, Van wakes up one morning to find that her mother, her sisters Loan and Lan, and her brother Tuan are gone. They have escaped the new communist regime that has taken over Ho Chi Minh City for freedom in the West. Four-year-old Van is too young—and her grandmother is too old—for such a dangerous journey by boat, so the two have been left behind. Once settled in North America, her parents will eventually be able to sponsor them, and Van and her grandmother will fly away to safety. But in the meantime, Van is forced to work hard to satisfy her aunt and uncle, who treat her like an unwelcome servant. And at school she must learn that calling attention to her is a mistake, especially when the bully who has been tormenting her turns out to be the son of a military policeman. Told with the help of award-winning author Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, Van Ho‘s true story strikes at the heart and will resonate with so many families affected by war, where so many children are forced to live under or escape from repressive regimes.