The Silver Birch Award is comprised of three separate lists: Fiction, Non-fiction and Express. The Express list is made up of both Fiction and Non-Fiction titles, and is geared to the more reluctant reader. The Silver Birch program Express list is typically suited to readers aged 8 to 1o, in grade 3 and 4.Readers are encouraged to chat about books they are reading, share their reviews, find out what their peers are reading, and begin to compile their own Top Ten book lists. For Silver Birch: http://www.silverbirchonline.ca
The Nominees for 2014 are:
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And The Winner Is...Amazing Animal Athletes by Etta Kaner, David Anderson In this unique facts book, animals compete in sporting events such as high jump, swimming and weight lifting. Readers are encouraged to guess which animal will win before turning the page, while walrus and cockatoo "announcers" provide funny commentary and interesting statistics about the athletes' amazing abilities. This is a winning format for kids who want to know which animals can be faster, stronger and more powerful, and how humans compare. |
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Ava and the Little Folk by Alan Neal & Neil
Christopher, Jonathan Wright
In the Arctic, tales of tiny people who live on the land abound. This children's story follows the adventures of an orphan named Ava who is left to fend for himself by the adults in his village. One day, cold and alone, Ava stumbles upon a group of magical dwarves who finally show him how it feels to have a home of his own. |
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Buzz About Bees by Kari-Lynn
Winters
Imagine a world without bees. Not only would it be less colourful — with fewer wildflowers and flowering plants — it would be less fruitful as well. A world without bees would mean a world where the food supply would be significantly diminished. Global bee researcher Laurence Packer estimates that bees are responsible for 1/3 of our food supply. Buzz About Bees is the latest addition to the series that includes Lowdown on Earthworms and follows the same formula offering an in-depth look at an endangered and vital part of the natural world. Accompanying information about the history, social structure and science behind the world of bees and honey are conservation activities to make the world a place where hives of bees can thrive. |
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Cryptic Canada: Unsolved Mysteries
From Coast To Coast by Natalie Hyde, Matt Hammill
While Canada cannot lay claim to wonders like the Great Pyramid of Egypt, Stonehenge of England, or ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru, Canada is by no means lacking for stories of intrigue and adventure. From buried treasure to ice mummies to bootleggers to shipwrecks, curious readers need look no further than Cryptic Canada to discover seven of the country’s most engaging unsolved mysteries. Beginning with the ongoing hunt in Nova Scotia for the legendary treasure of Captain Kidd and his crew, moving to the discovery of the mummified Franklin Expedition in Nunavut by modern-day scientists, and ending with an exploration of the Great Lakes Triangle phenomenon (with several other exciting stories in between), this book has something for every adventurous reader. Each chapter, bursting with illustrations by Matt Hammill and color photographs, ends with an interview with an expert in the field, who answers questions kids will be eager to ask after reading about each mysterious case. |
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Danny, Who Fell In A Hole by Cary
Fagan
Danny finds himself stranded at the bottom of a giant construction hole, armed with nothing but his school backpack, his wits — and the company of a poetry-spouting mole… Danny’s parents have always been a bit flaky, but this time they have gone too far. Now his mother wants to bake cheesecakes in the mountains, and his father wants to be an opera singer. That means Danny and his older brother will spend half the year in Banff (wherever that is) and half the year in New York City. Worst of all, in preparation for the big move, his parents have given away the family dog, Thwack. Furious with his family, Danny runs out of the house and keeps running — straight onto a construction site, where he ends up at the bottom of a very, very large hole. When it appears that help is not immediately forthcoming, he settles in for the short haul, like a subterranean Robinson Crusoe. Drawing on his ingenuity, he provides himself with shelter (garbage bag and paper clips), cereal (coffee creamer, rainwater, granola bars and a few rogue raisins found at the bottom of his backpack) and a washroom (a hole in a hole). He even does his homework! The only thing missing is a Man Friday. Who turns out to have a long, earth-covered snout, a taste for beetles, and no eyes to speak of. Oh, and he also talks. His name is Mole, and he is excellent company — until a snake appears, and Danny must be not only ingenious, but also brave, if he is going to save his new friend. |
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Jason’s Why by Beth Goobie
Jason's mom says he is a problem, and puts him in a group home. Now Jason has to live with boys and grown-ups he doesn't know. Jason thinks, Now I'm in a house that isn't my house. I watch their hands and feet. When hands and feet move fast, you're going to get hit. There's a big bubble of mad inside Jason. It makes him yell and throw things. Jason wants to be good and move home again, but the mad bubble just won't go away. Told in first person, Jason’s Why relates the story of a nine-year-old boy who has been sent to a treatment centre by his mother because she can’t handle him any longer. Jason is afraid that his mother is going to leave him in the home forever. He is afraid of trusting these strange new adults in his life. And he is worried about how his sister is doing at home without him. Jason begins to realize that the people in the group home are not going to hurt him but care about his welfare, and that the principal in his new school is also a figure he can trust to care for his best interests. The kindness and care he starts to receive allows him to gain the courage to tell these new adults about his fears – despite his concern that his mother will not take him back. |
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Secret of the Village Fool by Rebecca
Upjohn, Renné Benoit
Munio and his younger brother Milek live in a sleepy village in Poland where nothing exciting seems to happen. One of their neighbors is a poor man named Anton, who is so gentle that he won’t eat meat and he won’t harm so much as a fly. While the rest of the town makes fun of Anton, the boys’ mother is kind to him, often sending her reluctant sons with soup and clothing for the “fool” that no one respects. When war comes to their country, everything changes. The Nazi soldiers come marching into the town and begin to round up Jewish boys like Milek and Munio. Anton worries about them and their parents, and comes up with a plan to hide the family in his own home, putting his life at risk without a thought. Anton’s courage and kindness shine through, proving that fierce bravery can come from the most gentle of people. |
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The Gargoyle at the Gates by Philippa
Dowding
Christopher has a problem. He has just moved to Toronto. He has a new school and no friends. But even worse, the park next door is creepy: voices whisper in the bushes, and something throws apples at his window and howls at the moon. But what? Gargoyles! Their names are Gargoth and Ambergine, and they need help. An evil thief called the Collector is after them and wants to lock them away in his dark mansion, forever. Befriending a gargoyle takes courage, but it's worth it. Once he does, Christopher suddenly has more friends than he ever imagined, including Katherine, a girl from his class who knows the gargoyles, as well. When the Collector steals Ambergine, it's up to Christopher and Katherine to get her back, as long as something else doesn't catch them along the way. |
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The Stamp Collector by Jennifer
Lanthier, François Thisdale
A city boy finds a stamp that unlocks his imagination; a country boy is captivated by stories. When they grow up, the two boys take different paths—one becomes a prison guard, the other works in a factory—but their early childhood passions remain. When the country boy's stories of hope land him in prison, the letters and stamps sent to him from faraway places intrigue the prison guard and a unique friendship begins. |
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When I Get Older: The Story Behind
“Wavin’ Flag” by K’Naan with Sol Guy, Rudy Gutierrez
“Wavin’Flag” has become an international anthem. Its powerful words of hope have crossed generations and borders, and have made K’NAAN an international star. In his first book for children, When I Get Older, Somali-Canadian poet, rapper, singer, and songwriter K’NAAN tells his own story. Born in Somalia, he grew up in Mogadishu. His grandfather was a renowned poet who passed on his love of words to his grandson. When the Somali Civil War began in 1991, K’NAAN was just thirteen. His mother made the difficult decision to move her family so that they could grow up in safety. First in New York and then in Toronto, K’NAAN faced many challenges. Like so many other immigrants, he had to make a place for himself in a world of alien customs, clothes, and language. His road was a hard one: he lost many friends to violence. But K’NAAN’s love of music, and his enormous talent, became a way for him to connect with his past, with his classmates, and eventually, to millions of people around the world. Not only does K’NAAN tell a story that will inspire and encourage young readers, but he provides a brief history of the Somalian conflict. The lyrics of “Wavin’ Flag” are also included |
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