CM Magazine has reviewed two of Alison Lohans’ recent books, Dog Alert and Germy Johnson’s Piano War.
About Germy Johnson:
Germy Johnson’s Piano War, by Alison Lohans
Germy Johnson’s Piano War is a fun story about a boy dealing with a less-than-ideal situation. J.J. is a little stubborn, very creative, and ultimately, he pushes through and accepts the lessons he has because he knows he is not a quitter. This book is a fairly fast read, at only 64 pages, and the quick nature of the plot makes this book great for reluctant readers or for a read aloud.
Zoe’s story is told directly; there is no stopping to muse upon the plot points that could be weighed down with “teachable moments” or life lessons. Great for new independent readers, the direct nature of the book is one of the major strengths of Dog Alert as Lohans seems to understand the need to allow readers the opportunity to form their own opinions rather than telling them what to take away from Zoe’s story.
Tumblebooks is an interactive reading site that helps kids of all ages learn to read. Now you can read Raspberry Room, by Alison Lohans, on this fun website.
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Author: Alison Lohans
Publisher: Pearson (New Zealand) 2011
Series: Nitty Gritty Novel Series 0
ISBN 978-1442-5413-6-8
Zoe is accustomed to getting around in her wheelchair and doesn’t let her disability hold her back. However, when her family moves to remote northern Saskatchewan everything becomes impossibly hard. Worse yet, she must come to grips with her fear of dogs – and there are plenty of dogs running loose….
Germy Johnson’s Secret Plan was published by Scholastic in 1992 and was widely used in Grade 3 classrooms across Canada. When it went out of print and Alison Lohans kept getting requests for it, she decided to re-issue it. The new edition was released by aamWORKS Publishing in 2008, with new artwork by A.E. Matheson of Saskatoon. At the book launch at Regina’s Book and Brier Patch, Alison and A.E. gave door prizes. Each lucky winner received a copy of the new Germy Johnson’s Secret Plan and a germ! The one with the tentacles is an e.coli and the round white one is a chicken pock.
Author: Anne Patton
Illustrator: Cathy Peng
Scholastic Literary Place for the Early Years, 2006
This book picks up where The Flight of the Little Swallow left off. Some old friends have welcomed Song Lei and her parents to Canada, but everything else is new: new home, new school, new ways of doing things. Song Lei even has a new English name–Lily. And she has a new “big brother.” Ling Wei has been in Canada for a few years already. He’ll help her get used to all these new Canadian things. Won’t he?
This book is available only to schools as part of a complete Grade 3 classroom set or in guided reading packages of six books. Each package comes with a teacher’s guide.
Order from Scholastic Canada. Click on “Education” on the left sidebar, then type the book title into the search bar.
Author: Adele Dueck
Illustrator: Janet Wilson
Scholastic Literary Place for the Early Years, 2006
This book is available only to schools as part of a complete Grade 3 classroom set or in guided reading packages of six books. Each package comes with a teacher’s guide.
Order from Scholastic Canada. Click on “Education” on the left sidebar, then type the book’s name into the search bar.
Mystery of the Lunchbox Criminal (Scholastic Canada, 1990)
One day at school J.J. finds a disgusting surprise in his lunchbox – but no lunch. Soon other kids’ lunches are being stolen too. J.J. and his friends set out to find the “criminal” and discover more than they’d bargained for.
Canadian Children’s Book Centre “Our Choice” list.
Winner of the South Sask. Reading Council/Sask. Writers Guild Young Readers’ Choice Award.
Y a-t-il un voleur dans l’ecole?(Scholastic, 1990, translation of Mystery of the Lunchbox Criminal).
Saskatchewan Children's Writers' Round Robin 