The Stonking Steps

The Stonking Steps

SEVEN-YEAR-OLD JUSTIN WALKER is unhappy living with his narrow-minded Aunty Doris and Uncle Ron. He wants more than anything to live with his beloved mother. His unhappiness increases when, just before Christmas, he overhears his aunt planning to send him to a foster home. The next day, while out on an errand, Justin discovers a portal into the world of ING-ONG-UNG. There he meets Benny the raccoon and his wife Loretta who tell Justin about THE STONKING STEPS, the fabled staircase to happiness. Maybe if Justin goes there he will be reunited with his mother! Benny and Loretta decide to accompany Justin on his journey. Along the way more friends join them in their quest - Nutmeg the gingerbread man, Gregory and Norman the horses, Paco the wooden boy. They all have their own reasons for going to the Stonking Steps. On their journey, they encounter the evil Nono who programs children's mischievous behaviour on his computer, the greedy Hip who intercepts presents children are supposed to receive from Santa, and the devious schoolteacher Miss Bloop who gives impossible homework assignments. Can they get past the villains to get to the Stonking Steps and find the happiness they are seeking?

Stories for Every Classroom

Academic study of children's literature has explored various aspects of diversity; however, little research has examined Canadian books that portray characters with disabilities. This relevant and timely text addresses the significant dearth of research by exploring the treatment of disability in Canadian literature for young people. Engaging and highly accessible, this text will assist teachers, teacher educators, and teacher candidates in finding and using books about characters where disability is a part of their characterization, supporting the development of curricula that reflect critical literacy and social justice issues. Stories for Every Classroom explores the historical patterns and trends, theoretical frameworks, and critical literacy methods used to understand and teach children's literature and its portrayal of characters with disabilities. It provides educators with curriculum ideas and enriches the body of resources shared with children in K-12 settings for the purposes of developing imagination, empathy, and understanding of self and others. Featuring author portraits, comprehensive annotated bibliographies of contemporary Canadian children's books that depict characters with disabilities, and read-on bibliographies that provide connections with other books in the field, this unique text will be an invaluable resource for educators.

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