Books by Tannis Calder

Mita and the OgrakMita and the Ograk (book)

Print: $14.28

In Mita and the Ograk, a young girl is kidnapped by a grotesque monster and forced to tend his stolen sheep. Her only chance of survival is to outwit and outcount the monstrous Ograk and devise clever counting methods to keep track of his ever-increasing flock of sheep. Through the character of Mita, this mathematical fable recapitulates some the ingenious counting methods that our ancestors invented to make counting large numbers easier over the ages.

Caterpillar's Colour QuestCaterpillar's Colour Quest (book)

Print: $11.93

Children, Parents and teachers alike will cherish this quest for colour and self discovery. In Caterpillar’s Colour Quest, a plain little caterpillar sets out on a quest of self-discovery. He discovers the primary colours, but being a little cheeky, rejects the gifts of colours he is given and sets off to find ‘something different’. Eventually with the help of wise Ms. Rainbow, the little caterpillar comes to realize that the multitude of colours he seeks is already within him (the primary colours that he had already been given) and that he must take these gifts to create the new colours he seeks and become a beautiful butterfly. Caterpillar's Colour Quest is also a lesson on colour mixing and a great resource for any primary teacher. A lesson plan is available as a companion to the story.

The Power to Choose and the LoraxThe Power to Choose and the Lorax (book)

Print: $12.98

Download: $7.25

This cooperative unit uses the story of the Lorax by Dr. Seuss to investigate legal issues and how the choices people make affect others. Students will assume the roles of the story's characters and legal representatives when the Once-ler is tried for criminal negligence. A mock court hearing determines whether the Once-ler is responsible for the environmental catastrophe. After the trial, the class continues to work with the story in a creative writing assignment in which the students create a sequel and then a choose-your-own-adventure story in which they imagine different connections and consequences if other choices had been made. A surprise event occurs after the trial, once again involving the cutting of Trufula trees, but this time, the suspects are right in the school. The class will investigate the mysterious crime and become forensic scientists as they examine the clues and evidence left behind in order to solve the mystery.

The End of the LineThe End of the Line (book)

Print: $10.99

Violet Vee hates to be at the end of the line, so when her teacher asks her to stand at the end of the line to spell a word, Violet is at the verge of tears. All children and adults who wonder about the strange spelling rules of the English language will enjoy this little tale that helps us remember that 'e' always follows 'v' at the end of a word.

Colour quest LessonColour quest Lesson (brochure)

Print: $6.38

Download: $1.25

Lesson Plan for Caterpillar'e Colour Quest

La petite chenille qui voulait être coloréeLa petite chenille qui voulait être colorée (book)

Print: $11.93

French translation of Caterpillar's Colour Quest Translation by Mélissa Gélinas

La oruguita que quería ser coloradaLa oruguita que quería ser colorada (book)

Print: $11.93

Spanish Translation of Caterpillar's Colour Quest. Translated by Mélissa Gélinas