book reviews Archives

Spark Book Review: The Science of Exercise and the Brain

Leave a Comment / book review, book reviews, Creative Thinking Teaching and Learning, non-fiction, Teaching / Maaja

Changing thinking about exercise and the brain Written by bestselling author and psychiatrist John J. Ratey with Eric Hagerman, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain is a positive book that looks at how exercise can improve neuroplasticity, learning, and executive function. It suggests exercise as a helpful addition to medication, or sometimes even a replacement […]

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Robert J. Sawyer — Quantum Night

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Book Launch There was such a snowstorm March first for the Toronto launch of Quantum Night, that some feared attendance would be sparse, but Canadians are hardy. Returning home afterward I saw one cyclist on the road, riding through blowing snow. Despite the blanket of flurries, Lansdowne Brewery was packed, even before the advertised start time.

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Ideamancy – Ideas for Back-To-School Magic

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The first week of school is over. Routines are starting to gel, kids are on their best behaviour and starting to make friends. Teachers are breathing a sigh of relief. It’s the honeymoon period for elementary teachers. This glistening doorway of opportunity, lit by September magic, will not stay open long. Invite all the kids in,

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Out of Our Minds by Sir Ken Robinson

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Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative with Sir Ken Robinson When you research creativity in education, it is impossible not to come across Ken Robinson’s provocative work. His book, Out of Our Minds, published in 2001, revised in 2011, is still fresh and powerful. In part a scathing critique of the factory model

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Word on the Street Toronto

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I visited Word on the Street this past weekend. It’s my favourite celebration of booky goodness. The weather was sunny and warm, the crowds large and cheerful. There was even some fun street theatre to compliment the books, talks, signings, sales, giveaways and concerts. I came away with too many books but why not? As vices go,

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There is no Dog — And his name is Bob

Leave a Comment / book review, Teen Novel, YA / Maaja

I found Meg Rosoff’s There Is No Dog in the YA section of a Chapters store. Teens should find the book funny for its irreverent philosophy but I wouldn’t expect every adolescent boy to appreciate it. The premise is that God is incompetent and apathetic because he is a teenage boy. The job is foisted on

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Margaret Atwood – Live from Word on the Street

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Margaret Atwood celebrated the 20th Annual Word on the Street festival with a technological twist. Known for her invention of the LongPen, a multimedia device which allows her to remotely sign autographs and talk to fans, Atwood has gone one step further on the book tour for her latest novel, The Year of the Flood.

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Made to Stick

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I enjoyed Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. The subtitle, Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, explains much of its appeal. If you want to get across a message that people will understand, remember, and act on, this is your book. A lot of the Heath brother’s advice is common sense but

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Grown Up Digital

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I have to recommend Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World by Don Tapscott. I found it excellent preparation for back to school, both for understanding my students and giving extra insight into the group dynamics of my co-workers. It’s also a handy guide for those who wish to market to

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Bios by Robert Charles Wilson

Leave a Comment / book review, SF, Writing / Maaja

To inform my current novel-in-progress, I went to all the vendors at WorldCon, requesting books of biological takeover and spores from outer space. Bios was one of the recommendations. There is a much more thorough review here, which you might want to look at, since I read Bios with impure motives. This is half-review, half encouragement

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