Thunder over Kandahar by Sharon E. McKay

Thunder over Kandahar

By Sharon E.McKay

Photographs by Rafal Gerszak.
Toronto, ON: Annick Press, 2010.
260 pp., pbk. & hc., $12.95 (pbk.), $21.95 (hc.).
ISBN 978-1-55451-266-9 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-55451-267-6 (hc.).

Subject Heading:
Afghan War, 2001- -Juvenile fiction.

Grades 7 and up / Ages 12 and up

 

Highly Recommended

* Canadian Author 

Excerpt

"I wish with all my heart that you were in school. I love my country, Daughter, but here we have been robbed of our most precious gifts: thought and imagination. Only in an atmosphere of peace and security can artists, poets, and writers flourish. Without our artists and storytellers, we have

 no history, and without history our future is unmoored-we drift. It is art, never war, that carries culture forward."

McKay tells the story from the perspective of Yasmine, an Afghan girl, who has just moved with her family  to Afghanistan from England. Initially, Yasmine does not understand the culture, land, attitudes, or the misogynistic society. As the story unravels Yasmine befriends Tamanna and the story is told through alternating viewpoints that present both sides of the cultural divide, question the role of foreigners and the military, uncover the opression of women, highlight the bond of friendship, and most of all capture the love and pride that Afghans have for their country.  

To learn more about the premise of the book watch the book trailer of Thunder over Kandahar created by Annick Publishing.

When I picked up Thunder Over Kandahar I assumed it would be similar to other novels dealing with war torn countries. In a lot of ways it was: the author spent time overseas to research and immerse herself in the culture,and the main characters were faced with the chaos and terrors of war. So what makes this book stand out, and how is it different than the others? To me, it was the unique perspective and insight that McKay shared with the reader, and the tough questions the reader is left to ponder and grapple with.

A riveting story of current day Afghanistan, the perils of war, and how friendship, hope, and love can prevail even in the most darkest of times.

To learn more about the Sharon McKay's experiences in Afghanistan watch the interview below.

Reviews and Awards

• Nominated for the Saskatchewan Young Readers Choice Awards (SYRCA Willows)
• Quill and Quire Review
• CM Magazine
• School Library Journal
• Amelia Bloomer Project 2011 List, ALA
• 2011 USBBY Outstanding International Books Honor List
• 2011 Notable Books for a Global Society
• 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Award
• Cybils, Blogger Literary Award nomination

Saskatchewan Curriculum Connections

• Glossary is provided
• This book is available as an audio book through the Public Library. It is important to note that there is no glossary or authors note provided in the audio book.
• English Language Arts: Social, cultural, and historical context.
• Social Studies: Power and Authority, Interactions and interdependence.



Piece by Piece: Stories About Fitting into Canada

Piece by Piece: Stories About Fitting Into Canada

Toronto, ON: Puffin Canada, 2010

183pp., hardcover $20.00

ISBN 978-0-670-06849-4

Subject Headings: Immigrants-Canada-Biography-Juvenile literature.

Authors, Canadian (English)-20th century-Biography-Juvenille literature.

Grades 7-12/ Ages 12-17

Highly Recommended

* Canadian Authors and Content

Piece by Piece: Stories About Fitting into Canada is a young adult anthology featuring original stories by some of Canada's most distinguished authors who were born in another country and struggled to fit in when they moved to Canada. The authors share their personal experiences and feelings about belonging. An excellent addition to a school library and a valuable resource for teachers who are looking for a variety of perspectives about fitting in, overcoming obstacles, discrimination, and immigration to share with their students.

I have included a list of the contributors, and in some cases a glimpse into their stories, hardships, and celebrations about being Canadian.   

Red Maple Leaves: Svetlana Chmakova

Manga author born and rasied in Russia, and moved to Canada when she was sixteen years old. 

excerpt:

When we arrived, all we had were our hastily packed suitcases.

They weren't big enough to fit everything.

What I brought with me: clothes, books, my best drawings, diaries, and my stamp collection.

What we left behind: my older sister, my hometown, and a lifetime of memories.

Tales From the Twilight Zone:Richard Poplak

Author and director born in South Africa and now lives in Toronto.

Snapshots from the Fringes: Rachina Gilmore

Governor General's Award-winning author born in India.

excerpt:

It's difficult to come up with only a few snapshots of belonging because mostly I do belong. Canada and I have grown and evolved together, so that belonging is a status that is rarely jolted now, although it does still happen.

A Caravan of Words: Rachel Manley

Poet and author born in Cornwall England, grew up in Jamaica and now resides in Toronto.



You're Not From Around Here, Are You?: Linda Granfield

Canadian history author born in the United States of America.

excerpt:

When you are born in Canada, perhaps you never think about why others want to become Canadians. You don't know whether war, famine, cruel government regimes, jobs, or love drives people to Canada's shores. You might not even know the steps people take to become citizens. There are rules to be followed. Years to be lived in Canada. And tests to be taken.

One Foot in The Future: Alice Kuipers

Young adult author born in London England and now resides in Saskatoon, SK.

What Is For You, Is For You: Richardo Keens-Douglas

Actor, playwright, and storyteller born in Grenada.

excerpt:

I was lucky to have parents who encouraged me to do what I wanted to do. When they realized my heart was set in performing, and there was not way of learning that "drama stuff" on the island, they sent me to Montreal to study theatre. I was nineteen, and I will never forget the surprise when I landed in Canada.

Under the Armpit of Noah: Boona Mohammed

Poet, rapper, and a child of refugee parents from Oromia, a part of Ethiopia still under colonial regime.

What's in a Name?" Mahtab Narsimham

Author born in Mumbai and now lives in Toronto.

Crossing Yonge Street: Marina Nemat

Author born in Tehran, Iran.

excerpt:

After my release out of prison, the government of Iran refustd to give me a passport, and I had to wait six years to leave the country.

The Languages I've Learned: Dimitri Nasrallah

Author born in Lebanon in 1977 and moved to Canada in 1988.

My Piece: Teresa Toten

Award winning writer who was born in Zagreb, Croatia.

excerpt:

My mom  and I arrived in Canada on October 26th, 1955, on the Queen Elizabeth II.

 I was thirteen days old.

Six months later my father died.

Shadow Play:Rui Umezawa

Martial artist and author born in Japan who now lives in Toronto.

The Airplane Overhead: Eva Wiseman

Historical fiction author who immigrated to Canada during the Hungarian Revolution who now lives in Winnipeg, MB.

excerpt: 

A roomful of eyes stared at me. Somebody snickered in the back of the room, but I couldn't tell who it was, for my oxfords drew my eyes like a magnet.

Permission to Work:Ting Xing Ye

Young Adult author born in Shanghai in 1952 and now lives in Orillia, Ontario.

Piece by Piece brought to the forefront that every immigrant has a story. I was able to identify with some of the stories, others provided thoughtful insight, and some were hard to fathom. The reality is, that some of these stories also mimic some of our own student's personal experiences. After reading this anthology I feel that I can better identify with some of the struggles that our EAL students may have in our schools, and most importantly I was reminded that at some point and time we all have struggled to belong.  A powerful message and reminder to share with all of our students.

Reviews and Awards

• Quill and Quire
• CM Magazine

Curriculum Connections

• English Language Arts: Personal and philosophical context
• Social Studies: Dynamic Relationships & Power and Authority
• Suitable for Middle Years and High School

Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks

Highly Recommended
* Canadian Author and Content

Excerpt:

" I was twelve," she starts off, "when I was diagnosed with
this stupid damn disease."

And she's even swearing! What will fall out of her mouth next?

"Go on"

I didn't even have- you know- breasts." She lowers her voice at the word "breasts."

"We're alone, Signy. And you got your breasts."

"Small ones," she says with a sob.

"Oh, for pete's sake. Everybody's are different. Even cows."

"Yes, but now," she goes on, recovering herself, "when I try to stand up straight I can't because one shoulder is lower than the other and my back is humped on one side. Even if I get out of this place, even if I dress up in the prettiest, most expensive clothes in the world, I won't look like a normal girl and that's never going to change, now is it? Really it won't."

What can I say to that? She's right. It won't.  

"And who will love me?" she adds in a small voice.

It is 1941 in Manitoba and fifteen year old Marie Claire Côté knows that, " TB crawls up to your back door and howls like a hungry wolf nobody saw coming." Yet the Côté family is startled to discover that their uncle Gérard, who lived a hard life and had recently come to live them, is diagnosed with tuberculosis. Shortly after losing their uncle to tuberculosis Marie-Claire, along with her two siblings, were sent to the Pembina Hills Sanatorium.

Despite living in a Sanatorium with a terrible disease Marie Claire still wondered if she would ever fall in love, worried about her appearance, thought about her family, came face to face with death, struggled with friendships, and even fantasized about her future. Brooks eloquently captures the fears and life of a young teen-age woman battling tuberculosis during World War II. Even though Marie Clarie's struggles depict life in the 1940's I beleive that young adult readers in 2011 will be able to identify with some of the same feelings and experiences that she encounters.

Queen of Hearts also brings to the forefront the many hardships families faced during WWII, as well as the impact and significance of  tuberculosis in Candian history. In many ways this is a significant part of our history, but it is important to realize that it is still an ongoing problem in Canada today. For more information about tuberculosis in Canada visit Saskatchewan Health or the Public Health Agency of Canada.


Even though Queen of Hearts is a fictional story, Martha Brooks writes from firsthand experience. Brooks was raised on the grounds of the Ninette Sanatorium in southwest Manitoba and her father`s position as a medical superintendent also took them to the Trudeau Sanatorium in upstate New York.  After discovering a haunting black and white photogtraph of an unidentified tubercular boy with his thin and sad sisters, Brooks was inspired to create a story. After you read Queen of Hearts you will realize that it is not just a story. It is our story, a piece of our history.

Reviews and Awards

• CM Magazine
• The Globe and Mail

Saskatchewan Curriculum Connections

• English Language Arts: Environmental and technological context
• Grade 9 Health: Stigma and identities associated with individuals, families, and communities living with/affected by non curable infections/diseases, and those who advocate from them.
• Social Studies: Dynamic Relationships

No Safe Place by Deborah Ellis

Highly Recommended 
* Canadian Author

Deborah Ellis tackles the gritty and extremely relevant topic of child migrants in her newest novel No Safe Place. Fifteen year old Abdul is from Baghdad and his family was killed by an American bomb during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and his mother was murdered by a religious militia. Before losing his own life, Abdul flees his country in search of a safe place.

After months of travelling Abdul finds himself on a devious smugglers boat bound for England. Abdul is not the only passenger on the boat, nor is he the only one seeking a safe place. Rosalia,  is a Romani girl fleeing from a life of forced prostitution, and Cheslav has escaped from the army. Trusting no one but themselves, they embark on an unforgettable and adventurous journey across the English Channel in hope of escaping their miserable lives.

Through the use of flashbacks Deborah Ellis masterfully tells the story of how each child came to be on the smuggler's boat.  As the story unravels, the reader discovers that despite each character's unique life experiences and personalities they all yearn to be free and safe.

Ellis creates an accurate portrayal of migrant children's lives around the world in such a way that our students will be able to identify, connect, and empathize with the characters on many levels. An accessible read for our reluctant readers, yet captivating enough to catch the attention of our more avid readers.

Reviews and Awards

• There are currently no awards for this title
• CM Magazine
• Quill and Quire

Saskatchewan Curriculum Connections

• Social Studies: Power and Authority
• English Language Arts: Personal and Philosophical Context, Social, Cultural, and Historical Context
  
  

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

A captivating and well researched novel that leaves the reader wanting more. 
* Suitable for grades 9-12 

Jennifer Donnelly's book Revolution has made quite an impact this year in young adult literature.  After learning about the outstanding reviews and awards  Revolution received, I wanted to find out why this was one of the best YA books of 2010. I put all of my other reading aside and entered the fascinating worlds of Andi Alpers and Alexandrine Paradis.

Andi Alpers lives in modern day Brooklyn, New York. Andi attends a prestigious private school, is an extremely talented musician, and her dad is a Nobel Prize winning scientist. One would assume that Andi is living in a dream world. Unfortunately, her world is far from perfect. When Andi's father demands that she spends her winter break with him in Paris while he is on a business trip, she can only think about when she can go home. If it wasn't for Andi stumbling across the diary of Alexandrine Paradis, who was an aspiring actress and a friend to the son of Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI, she would have been on the next plane home. But there was something in Alex's diary that struck a chord with Andi. What could two girls centuries apart have in common? Find out how love, forgiveness, death, and the human condition transcend time.

Even though Revolution is more suitable for high school students, the story about how Jennifer Donnelly came across an article from 1999 that instigated what has become a fascinating piece of historical fiction, could be shared with students in grades 6-8. We never know where our inspiration may come from.

Learn more about what inspired Jennifer Donnelly's book Revolution.

Home Truths by Jill MacLean

A powerful and necessary read. Highly Recommended. 

* Canadian Author and Content

School is out for the summer and Brick MacAvoy, like any other 15 year old, is looking to make some cash. Most 15 year old boys would be saving up to buy their first car, but Brick is trying to put enough money away so that he can leave his home and family behind.  Why would a 15 year old want to leave home? Well for one, Brick's mother can't even give him the time of day, and she expects him to take care of his four year old sister because she can't be bothered to. Unfortunately, neglect is the least of his worries. Each and every day that Brick wakes up he wonders if this will be the day that Floyd, his dad, decides to whale on him.

Through the experiences of Brick, Jill MacLean shares with the reader the feelings of pain, anger, and revenge that victims of abuse undergo. Most importantly, through the events in the story the reader is able to empathize with Brick and begins to understand the incredible struggles that abuse victims face every day. His struggles aren't just about getting revenge, they go much deeper than that.  Brick's peers consider him as a bully, his dad thinks he is a wimp, his neighbors think of him as a hard worker, and to his sister he is a hero. How can one person be viewed so differently? Is it possible to break free from stereotypes? Learn how Brick discovers answers to these questions, challenges his sense of identity and place in this world, and how he discovers the important role that he plays in stopping the vicious cycle of abuse that affects his entire family. By the end of the book readers will be cheering Brick on from the sidelines.

Although Brick's story is fictitious, it is a reality for far too many young people. According to Unicef's The State of The World Children Report 2009 between 500 million and 1.5 billion children experience violence each year. Many cases of abuse are not reported each year, and just like Brick, many people are afraid to report as it may put them and their loved ones in jeopardy.  Reading this story may empower some of our readers to talk to someone, and may even enlighten those who are quick to judge and label.  

Reviews and Awards 

• There are currently no awards or reviews as of this date.

Saskatchewan Curriculum Connections 

• English Language Arts:  Personal and Philosophical Context, Social, Cultural, and Historical Context
• Social Studies: Power and Authority
• Health: Develop the understanding, skills, and confidences necessary to take action to improve health.