Author Archives: aostrem

The Perfect Tree

mediumYoung Jack travels through the forest one night to find the perfect tree. The perfect tree to chop down. As Jack journeys through the woods he finds many trees, but finding the perfect tree is difficult. Suddenly, there is a breakthrough. A kind woodpecker promises Jack that he will take him to the perfect tree. Many animals show Jack the perfect tree and he starts to see that the perfect tree shouldn’t be cut down but instead lived in, climbed on, and loved. The whimsical cut-paper collages show the natural beauty of nature and help the reader understand that any tree can be the perfect tree. amo
Title: The Perfect Tree
Author: Chloe Bonfield
Illustrator
: Chloe Bonfield
Publisher
: Running Press Kids
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-7624-5586-7
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 3-6
Genre
: Fantasy, Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Author’s residence
: London, England
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: English
Illustrator’s residence
: London, England
Subjects
: Animals, Nature, Trees

Smart About Sharks

Screen Shot 2016-07-26 at 1.44.10 PMAnother outstanding information picture book written and illustrated by Owen Davey. Readers will love the crisp, realistic colors that portray their favorite sharks, such as the great white and hammerhead, as well as unusual sharks like the sand devil shark. With an informational table of contents and an index, it is easy to navigate to learn anything about sharks from their place in mythology to shark social life. Each page is perfectly balanced with educational facts intermixed with lively sharks that look as if they are swimming in and out of the pages. This well researched book will immerse all readers in fascinating facts about the most well-known predator of the seas.  amo
Title: Smart About Sharks
Author: Owen Davey
Illustrator
: Owen Davey
Publisher
: Flying Eye Books
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-9092-6391-8
Hardcover pages
: 40
Age range
: 7-12
Genre
: Information Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Author’s residence
: United Kingdom
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: English
Illustrator’s residence
: United Kingdom
Subjects
: Mythology, Ocean Animals, Sharks, World Records

Every Falling Star

 

517TmezUbLL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_In this young adult novel, Sungju Lee narrates the true story of his life in North Korea as a street boy. Sungju starts life in the capital of North Korea, Pyongyang, as part of an elite family with strong influence in the military. Sangju had dreams of becoming a general when at age eleven his family loses everything and is excommunicated by the regime. Over the next few years his world falls apart as his parents disappear while searching for food. In order to survive he formed a street gang of seven boys who became his brothers in his hard times. While in the street gang Sangju never gave up hope to see his parents again. To foster his hope he wished on every falling star to be reunited with family and free from his suffering.  amo
Title: Every Falling Star
Author: Sungju Lee & Susan McClelland
Publisher
: Amulet Books
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-4197-2132-8
Paperback pages
: 336
Age range
: 13-16
Genre
: Autobiography
Book setting
: North Korea
Author’s ethnicity
: North Korean
Author’s residence
: United Kingdom
Subjects: Gangs, North Korea, Pyongyang, Street Boys, Work Camps

Mister H

7a78e99c8c4f0c50fc616fca19782734Mister H, one of the zoo’s resident hippopotamuses, has listened to the zoo visitors for a long time in order to talk. He decides his time to show off his new skill is when a young girl, Rosanna, walks by. Through some persuasive conversation he convinces Rosanna to unlock his gate so that he can escape the zoo. Once free from the zoo Mister H explores the city by eating pizzas and splashing around in fountains. The detailed paintings illustrate Mister H’s wild adventures through his new surroundings. amo
Title: Mister H
Author: Daniel Nesquens
Illustrator
: Luciano Lozano
Publisher
: Eerdmans Books
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: Spanish
Translator
: Lawrence Schimel
Original Title
: El señor H
Original Publisher
: Editorial Bambú
Original Copyright
: 2011
ISBN
:978-0802-8544-0-7
Hardcover pages
: 61
Age range
: 7-10
Genre
: Young Reader Chapter Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Spanish
Author’s residence
: Spain
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Spanish
Illustrator’s residence
: Spain
Subjects
: Fountains, Hippopotamuses, Pizza, Zoos

Princess Sylvie

princess-sylvie-elsa-beskow-booksPrincess Sylvie persuades her father to explore the woods outside of the castle gates. The woods enchant the royal family as they delve into new surroundings. Along with her dog Oskar, Sylvie meets a rabbit and a bear that live in the woods. New friendships are formed as the adventure continues. This classical fairytale is filled with vibrant watercolor paintings that add realistic detail to the timeless story.  amo
Title: Princess Sylvie
Author: Elsa Beskow (1874-1953)
Illustrator
: Elsa Beskow (1874-1953)
Publisher
: Floris Books
Copyright
: 2012
Original Language
: Swedish
Original Title
Sessalätts Äventyr
Original Copyright
: 1934
ISBN
: 978-0-863315-813-1
Hardcover pages
: 28
Age range: 3-6
Genre
: Fairytale, Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Swedish
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Swedish
Subjects
: Bears, Dogs, Kings, Princesses

The Seven Voyages Of Sinbad The Sailor

51nQhxp25rL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_This classic tale is part of the collection of stories known as the Thousand and One Nights. Sindbad is a sailor who tells a porter of his seven voyages at sea. On each voyage Sindbad falls into trouble such as battling an island that turns into a whale, giant birds, and even cannibals. Through his voyages Sindbad must be clever in order to survive his misadventures and live to tell the tales. Sindbad has an unbroken spirit as he learns lessons during his travels. Readers will be enchanted by the intricately painted illustrations that show Sindbad’s failures and triumphs along the way.   amo
Title: The Seven Voyages Of Sinbad The Sailor
Author: SAID
Illustrator
: Rashin Kheiriyeh
Publisher
: NorthSouth Books
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: Turkish
Translator
: David Henry Wilson
ISBN
: 978-0-7358-4240-3
Hardcover pages
: 64
Age range
: 4-8
Genre
: Folklore, Picture Book
Book setting
: Baghdad
Author’s ethnicity
: Iranian 
Author’s residence
: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Iranian
Illustrator’s residence
: Washington D.C.
Subjects
: Caves, Horses, Islands, Monkeys, Porter, Sailor, Treasure, Whales

Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

17110021The first book in the sensational Harry Potter series is brought to new life in this new illustrated edition. Jim Kay enchants readers with full, double page multimedia paintings of every aspect of the Harry Potter world. With over 100 different illustrations the book is filled with details from the Hogwarts Express, to an infographic about the different types of dragon eggs. All of J.K. Rowling’s beloved characters are expressed with vibrant colors in order to add even more depth to their personalities. Veteran Harry Potter fans and first time readers will love this breathtaking interpretation of the Wizarding World.  amo
Title: Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone
Author: J.K. Rowling
Illustrator
: Jim Kay
Publisher
: Bloomsbury Publishing 
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
Original Copyright
: 1997
ISBN
: 978-0-545-79035-2
Hardcover pages
: 256
Age range
: 9-12
Genre
: Fantasy
Book setting
: England
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Author’s residence
: England
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: English
Illustrator’s residence
: England
Subjects
: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, Magic, Witches, Wizards,

Wild Eggs: A Tale Of Arctic Egg Collecting

51qvfSQI8DL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_Akuluk, a young girl living in the Northwest Territories of Canada, travels to Nunavut to visit her grandparents. She travels through the tundra of the Arctic and learns about her grandparents’ traditions. In this peaceful book, she grows to understand the customs and rules of egg collecting in the Arctic and grows closer to her family heritage. Beautifully illustrated pages show the natural landscape and intricate egg shells encouraging readers to look closely at the painting as they follow the story.  amo
Title: Wild Eggs: A Tale Of Arctic Egg Collecting
Author: Suzie Napayok-Short
Illustrator
: Jonathan Wright
Publisher
: Inhabit Media
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-77227-025-9
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 5-7
Genre
: Realistic Fiction, Picture Book
Book setting
: Nunavut, Canada
Author’s ethnicity
: Canadian
Author’s residence
: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Canadian
Illustrator’s residence
: Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
Subjects
: Arctic, Canada, Eggs

Under Water, Under Earth

9781783703647In this information picture book, readers are taken inside the earth and deep underwater. With two main topics, the book is split in the middle so readers can pick which area they’d like to explore first. In the colorful, digitally created images, thousands of interesting facts are unveiled as each page brings the reader further under water or under earth. You’ll want to spend hours looking through each detail from facts about the deepest caves to information about the first submarines.  amo
Title: Under Water, Under Earth
Author: Aleksandra Mizielińska and Daniel Mizieliński
Illustrator
: Aleksandra Mizielińska and Daniel Mizieliński
Publisher
: Big Picture Press
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: Polish
Translator
: Antonia Lloyd-Jones
Original Title
: Pod ziemią, pod wodą
Original Publisher
: Wydawnictwo Dwie Siostry
Original Copyright
: 2105
ISBN
: 978-1-78370-364-7
Hardcover pages
: 112
Age range
: 7-9
Genre
: Information Picture Book
Book setting
: Earth
Author’s ethnicity
: Polish
Author’s residence
: Poland
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Polish
Illustrator’s residence
: Poland
Subjects
: Animals, Deep Sea Vents, Geology, Inventions, Marine Life, Pipelines, Submarines, Tunnels, Titanic, Tectonic Plates, Volcanos

The Mouse Who Saved Egypt

i643.fsA small mouse stuck in a thorn-bush is freed by an Egyptian Prince. Soon after, the prince becomes the Pharaoh of Egypt. His country flourishes under his rule until the mountain men come to attack. The mouse hears the news so he gathers his friends to save Egypt from the mountain men in an unexpected way. Readers will learn that small acts of kindness can be returned in big ways.  amo
Title: The Mouse Who Saved Egypt
Author: Karim Alrawi
Illustrator
: Bee Willey
Publisher
: Tradewind Books
Copyright
: 2011
ISBN
: 978-1-8965-8079-1
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 3-6
Genre
: Folk Tale, Picture book
Book setting
: Egypt
Author’s ethnicity
: Egyptian
Author’s residence
: Egypt
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: English
Illustrator’s residence
: England
Subjects
: Egypt, Mice, Pharaohs

The Inquisitor’s Tale

Screen Shot 2016-06-17 at 4.15.51 PMThis fantasy novel about three magical children and their holy dog transports readers to Medieval France. The children and their dog are fugitives who battle dragons, knights, kings, and monks in order to protect what is most valuable. The story, being told by multiple quirky travelers at an inn, takes readers through the French countryside, Paris, and finally Mont-Saint-Michel.  The masterful storytelling was richly researched and intertwines real historical figures, such as King Louis and Gwenforte the Holy Greyhound, with characters such as Jeanne, based loosely upon Joan of Arc. The traditional illumination on the borders of the text adds to the fast paced action of the tale. amo
Title: The Inquisitor’s Tale
Author: Adam Gidwitz
Illustrator
: Hatem Aly
Publisher
: Dutton Children’s Books
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-7352-8737-2
Paperback pages
: 360
Age range
: 10-15
Genre
: Fantasy
Book setting
: France
Author’s ethnicity
: American
Author’s residence
: Brooklyn, NY
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Egyptian
Illustrator’s residence
: New Brunswick, Canada
Subjects
: Dogs, Religion, Dragons, Knights, Monks, Medieval France

Megalopolis And The Visitor From Outer Space

megalopolis-hiresThis vertical story book, over 10 feet tall, excites readers as they journey through the layers of Megalopolis along with an alien visiting from outer space. Each page narrates the visit, then flips down to reveal colorful, full bleed illustrations of the magnificent town. Readers will love finding the hidden details in the illustrations such as 17 different species of flowers, 8 ghosts, 33 fish, and more. amo
Title: Megalopolis And The Visitor From Outer Space
Author: Cléa Dieudonné
Illustrator
: Cléa Dieudonné
Publisher
: Thames & Hudson
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: French
Original Title
: La Mégalopole
Original Publisher
: L’Argume
Original Copyright
: 2015
ISBN
: 979-10-90743-30-4
Hardcover pages
: 38
Age range
: 4-8
Genre
: Fantasy, Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: French
Author’s residence
: Berlin, Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: French
Illustrator’s residence
: Berlin, Germany
Subjects
: Aliens, Animals, Cities, Games, Mermaids