Major, K. (2000). Eh? To Zed: A Canadian abecedarium. Alberta, Canada: Red Deer Press.
Summary
This ABC Concept book shows its readers a variety of words starting with each letter of the alphabet that the author felt best represented Canadian culture, history, or their heroes. Some references are obscure, while others are more famous. The back of the book contains a reference list; where the author defines each word to help the reader better understand its meaning but also its importance to Canada. Additionally, the illustrator has presented an explanation for his work in the book.
Advisory Information
-Themes
a. Emphasis on Culture: Kevin Major focuses on examples of Canadian culture to emphasize certain letters. For example, for “K” he includes Komatik, which is an Inuit sled, or the
importance of hockey in Canadian culture by including Wayne Gretsky and Zamboni.
b. History: Major also focuses on Historical Events, such as Montreal’s Expo in 1967.
c. Heroes: Major looks at famous Canadians such as Louis Riel, Nancy Greene, and Nellie McClung to name a few.
-Age Recommendation:
I think while the pictures and the short words could appeal to all ages, the understanding of the text would be a better fit for juvenile readers aged 5 – 8.
-Other Information:
This book was illustrated by Alan Daniel.
Reaction:
I really enjoyed the illustrations of this book. They were completed as if the illustrator was assembling a collage of different types of pictures to represent the words. I also think that the book is dependent upon the reference list in the back. Since the words are not necessarily recognizable, even some Canadians would benefit from its explanations. Ultimately, this book is a good example of a concept book which has multiple tools for children to learn from.
Summary
This ABC Concept book shows its readers a variety of words starting with each letter of the alphabet that the author felt best represented Canadian culture, history, or their heroes. Some references are obscure, while others are more famous. The back of the book contains a reference list; where the author defines each word to help the reader better understand its meaning but also its importance to Canada. Additionally, the illustrator has presented an explanation for his work in the book.
Advisory Information
-Themes
a. Emphasis on Culture: Kevin Major focuses on examples of Canadian culture to emphasize certain letters. For example, for “K” he includes Komatik, which is an Inuit sled, or the
importance of hockey in Canadian culture by including Wayne Gretsky and Zamboni.b. History: Major also focuses on Historical Events, such as Montreal’s Expo in 1967.
c. Heroes: Major looks at famous Canadians such as Louis Riel, Nancy Greene, and Nellie McClung to name a few.
-Age Recommendation:
I think while the pictures and the short words could appeal to all ages, the understanding of the text would be a better fit for juvenile readers aged 5 – 8.
-Other Information:
This book was illustrated by Alan Daniel.
Reaction:
I really enjoyed the illustrations of this book. They were completed as if the illustrator was assembling a collage of different types of pictures to represent the words. I also think that the book is dependent upon the reference list in the back. Since the words are not necessarily recognizable, even some Canadians would benefit from its explanations. Ultimately, this book is a good example of a concept book which has multiple tools for children to learn from.
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