Minnow

E. Jane Philipps is head of the Biology Library at Queen’s University
in Kingston.

This charming compilation of original stories, poems, and prayers aims
to convey positive messages and values to children. The contributors,
all of whom work or spend time with young people, include a retired
schoolteacher, a physiotherapist, ordained ministers, parents, and
professional storytellers. Their work provides clear evidence of their
understanding of the worldview and experience of the child and a shared
gift for communicating fundamental ethical principles without being
overtly moralistic.

Uniformly imaginative and well written, the individual pieces deal with
friendship, families, tolerance, cooperation, joy, and appreciation of
the natural world. Varied in genre and setting, the stories feature
characters that include a bent tree, a refugee from El Salvador, a
little song, a visually impaired child, and a polar bear. Whether
sampled at random or perused from beginning to end, Minnow will delight,
instruct, and inspire adult and young readers. Most of the stories and
verses require advanced reading skills, but all lend themselves readily
to being reading aloud and are of an ideal length for bedtime stories or
as a focus for lessons and discussions.

A sole reservation stems from in the fact that although the values
expressed are universal, the focus of the collection is exclusively
Christian; a number of the works feature or refer to Jesus, God, and
Christian saints. It is to be hoped that future editions will broaden
the scope and hence the value of Minnow by including stories and poems
representative of Canada’s many religions and cultures. Recommended
with a single reservation.