A Journal of English, Language Arts and Media Education from The English Language Arts Network (Ontario, Canada)

Bottom Line Book Reviews

ELANguage is looking for reviews of print or non-print Professional texts for teachers, and texts for the English or Language Arts classroom: new, or old and needing fresh consideration. And for fun, taste, and discrimination, we are also looking for the duds.

As of January of 2004, our bottom line is this four-button rating system, blue for teacher texts; red for student texts. The title and our "Suggested Readers" will clearly indicate the text type.

Our Four-Star Rating
	Yawn	Thanks, but no thanks. The reviewer will explain.
	A supplementary read	Suggested Readers really should look for it - beyond the classroom, or beyond core professional books on the subject.
	Recommended - for extensive study	A good choice, among others. High interest for (and could be read independently by) our Suggested [student] Readers. Good, but not a standout among professional texts.
	Recommended - for intensive study	An outstanding text. An imaginative student text with accessible structure, or an insightful and fresh professional read.
Access our Review Template as a word processing file to be completed and returned.

The Circle of Silver, by Maxine Trottier (Stoddard Kids, 1990) ISBN 0-7737-6055-5 (Posted January 04)

The Hunger, by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch (Dundurn Press, 1999) (posted November 2003)

In too Deep, a Shelby Belgarden Mystery by Valerie Sherrard, 224 pgs. (Dundurn Press, 2003) ISBN: 1-55002-443-4

(posted November 2003)

Misinformation leads Shelby into and then out of some difficult times at school.

Seeds of Time, by K.C. Dyer, 200 pgs. (Dundurn Press, 2002) (posted November 2003)

Time travel rids a young girl of the anger she feels after a disfiguring car accident.

Out of the Ashes by Valerie Sherrard (Dundurn Press, 2002, 214pp) (March 2003)

A story about important discoveries made by a young protagonist who strives to understand the behavior of an arsonist.

Hope's War by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, 200 pgs. (Dundurn Press, 2002) ISBN: 1-895681-19-7

(March 2003)

A young girl deals with big challenges when Nazi war crimes suddenly become part of her family experience.

Shoulder the Sky by Lesley Choyce, 227 pgs. (Dundurn Press, 2000) (January, 2003)  

Jacqueline Renaud, Waterloo Catholic District School Board, reviews this new novel about a young boy dealing with the loss of his mother to Cancer.

Does The Apple Fall Far From the Tree? (February, 2002)

Mike Gange teaches Media Studies and Journalism at Fredericton High and takes a look at a new survey of the habits and attitudes of the teenagers we teach.

No Snow on Our TV (February, 2002)

Mike Gange reviews a new publication that makes him proud to view Canadian TV.

You Gotta BE the Book: (March 20, 2001)

Kim Alexander, a second year English teacher with the Dufferin Peel District Catholic School Board, reviews this book on motivating and teaching reading to adolescents.

Content Literacy (Feb 6, 2001)

Ken Draayer reviews a Content Literacy text and provides a quick reference to the strategies contained therein. (Tables involved extend loading time. Be patient.)