Author Archives: omnilibros

About omnilibros

Professor of Education Carthage College Kenosha, WI PhD. Children's Literature

Kisses And Croissants

Sixteen-year-old Mia Jenrow is a talented ballerina whose dream is to dance with American Ballet Theatre. She has just arrived in Paris for a competitive summer dance program. While in Paris, she searches for the history behind a family legend that states that a distant relative danced for the Paris Opera and was painted by Edgar Degas. She is so passionate for ballet and she trains for a part in Swan Lake and a very important audition. And, she falls for Louis, an endearing and cute French boy who happens to be the son of her strict ballet master. They hop on his Vespa and discover the truth about her family legend. The book provides a beautiful look at Paris – museums, gardens, bakeries, art, love, and much more. mjw

Title: Kisses And Croissants
Author: Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Copyright: 2021
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-593-17357-2
Hardcover pages: 320
Age range: 12 up
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult
Book setting: Paris
Author’s ethnicity: French
Author’s residence: New York City
Subjects: Ballet, Ballet dancers, Coming of age, Edgar Degas, Friendship, Paris, Romance

War

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War spreads like a disease. It hears nothing, sees nothing, and feels nothing. It feeds on hate and spite. It saddens, crushes, and silences. It destroys everything in its path. This eye-opening book with sparse text reveals the many sides of war. The watercolor illustrations in black, grays, and browns are stunning and surreal. War is the perfect book for starting important discussions between children and their parents and teachers. mjw

Title: War
Author: Jose Jorge Letria
Illustrator: Andre Letria
Publisher: Greystone Kids. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Copyright: 2021
Original Language: Portuguese
Translator: Elisa Amado
Original Title: A Guerra
Original Publisher: Pato Logico Edicoes. Lisbon, Portugal
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-1-77164-726-7
Hardcover pages: 64
Age range: 9 up
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Portuguese
Author’s residence: Lisbon, Portugal
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Portuguese
Illustrator’s residence: Lisbon Portugal
Awards: Nami Concours 2018 (Grand Prix), White Raven 2018, 2022 USBBY Outstanding International Books List
Subjects: Conflict, Value of peace, War

Meet Me By The Sea

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A little girl feels overlooked by her busy parents, so she packs up and goes to her favorite place by the sea. On the way, she goes through a forest and meets a friendly fox. At the end of the book, her family comes to join her. Delicate pastel illustrations complement the simple text. mjw

Title: Meet Me By The Sea
Author: Taltal Levi
Illustrator: Taltal Levi
Publisher: NorthSouth Books
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: German
Original Title: Wo ihr mich findet
Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag AG
Original Copyright: 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4432-2
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Born in Galilee, Israel
Author’s residence: Basel , Switzerland
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Galilee, Israel
Illustrator’s residence: Basel, Switzerland
Subjects: Forest animals, Foxes, Girls, Parents and child, Running away, Sea

The Night Walk

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Two young children and their parents go for a summer nighttime walk through the darkness. The world is quiet and shadowy. They walk out of their village and through the forest until they come to a lake where they stop to play with the moon. They lie down in the grass to watch the glittering sky. Finally, they climb a hillside just in time to see the dawn of a new day. The rich illustrations were hand-drawn using graphite pencils and watercolors and finished digitally. The only lights in the evocative darkness are lamps, porch lights, lights in windows, a flashlight, and the moon, until the sun rises on a double-page spread of the sun and its bright yellow light. mjw

Title: The Night Walk
Author: Marie Dorleans
Illustrator: Marie Dorleans
Publisher: Floris Books
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: French
Translator: Polly Lawson
Original Title: Nous Avons Rendez-Vous
Original Publisher: Editions du Seuil
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-178250-639-3
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: French
Author’s residence: France
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: France
Awards: Prix Landerneau
Subjects: Forest, Natural world, Night, Lakes, Moon, Sunrise, Village

Peace

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This rhyming concept book explores peace for children. “Peace is a smile, a hug. Peace can be bold or quiet and snug.” At the end of the book, fold-out pages reveal children in delightful, peaceful interactions. The children in the colorful illustrations are diverse in skin color and abilities. Many of the animals in the book are cultural symbols of peace from nations around the world. The endpapers depict a tree, with the leaves showing the word for peace in many different languages. An author’s note tells how peace affects all inhabitants of our planet. A Spanish edition is also available. 978-0-7358-4455-1. mjw

Title: Peace
Author: Baptiste Paul and Miranda Paul
Illustrator: Esteli Meza
Publisher: NorthSouth Books Inc. New York
Copyright: 2021
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4449-0
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Baptiste- grew up in Saint Lucia
Author’s residence: Baptiste and Miranda – Wisconsin, U.S.A.
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Mexican
Illustrator’s residence: Mexico City
Awards: Illustrator has won A la Orilla del Viento in Mexico
Subjects: Friendship, Interpersonal relations, Peace, Stories in rhyme

The Elevator

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A girl and her dog Roco want to go on their afternoon walk. They get on the elevator on Floor 4 and the girl pushes the down button, but the elevator goes up. It stops at Floor 7 and Ms. Paula gets on. She is afraid of dogs. She presses the down button, but the elevator goes up again. On Floor 8, old Mr. Miguel gets on with his walker. He presses the down button and the elevator stops on Floor7 and Cora and the twins in their stroller get on. After pressing the button again, the elevator stops between Floor 5 and Floor 4. Then Ms. Paula opens the box that she is carrying and gives everyone a slice of birthday cake that she was planning to give to her friend. Next, Mr. Miguel tells a story called Who Cares? about a bear that always said he didn’t care when he really did. All of a sudden the elevator starts to move, though no one pushed the button. It stops at Floor 4 and everyone gets off and has tea at the girl’s apartment. At the end of the book, in a real envelope, there is a surprise mini-book titled Who Cares? The playful black, white and red illustrations were created with drawing, collage, and photography all assembled digitally. The tall and slender format of the book resembles an elevator. mjw

Title: The Elevator
Author: Yael Frankel
Illustrator: Yael Frankel
Publisher: Tapioca Stories. Huntington, New York.
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: Spanish
Translator: Kit Maude
Original Title: El ascensor
Original Publisher: Limonero, Argentina
Original Copyright: 2019
ISBN: 978-1-7347839-0-2
Hardcover pages: 44
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Argentinian
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Argentinian
Awards: 2021 Outstanding International Books USBBY, 2020 White Raven Award
Subjects: Apartment buildings, Dogs, Elevators, Pets, Twin

Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story Of The Oldest Person To Ever Run A Marathon

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This is the true story of Fauja Singh, the first one-hundred-year-old to run a marathon. He was born with legs that didn’t work in a Punjab village. He could not play with his friends or walk to school, but that did not stop him. He worked on his family’s farm and grew stronger. Throughout his life he made his mind, body, and heart stronger. At age 81, he ran his first marathon. He has broken many records and became the first person over one hundred (centenarian) to complete a marathon. The beautiful and enlivening illustrations were created digitally using hand drawings and collage pieces. A forward written by Fauja Singh introduces the book. Back matter includes a list of his world records and a photograph of him today. mjw

Title: Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story Of The Oldest Person To Ever Run A MarathonHannah’s Winter
Author: Simran Jeet Singh
Illustrator: Baljinder Kaur
Publisher: Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House. New York
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-525555094
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture book, Biography
Book setting: Punjab, India; England; New York City; Toronto
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Author’s residence: New York
Illustrator’s residence: England
Subjects: Biography, Centenarians, Marathons, Punjabi, Running, Sikh, Track and field

The Story Of Baldomera

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Baldomera the donkey became famous worldwide, when a video of her reunion with her owner, Ismael, after three months without seeing him due to COVID-19, went viral on YouTube. When they met, the little donkey burst into tears. This delightful picture book with its simple text and sweet, playful illustrations was inspired by the true story of the donkey and his owner. A Spanish edition is also available, La Burrita Baldomera. mjw

Title: The Story Of Baldomera
Author: Enrique G. Ballesteros and Ismael F. Arias
Illustrator: Ayesha L. Rubio
Publisher: NubeOcho
Copyright: 2021
Original Language: Spanish
Translator: Laura Fielden
Original Title: La Burrita Baldomera
Original Publisher: NubeOcho
Original Copyright: 2020
ISBN: 978-84-18133-69-5
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 3-8
Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction, Information Book
Book setting: Spain
Author’s ethnicity: Spanish
Author’s residence: Spain
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish
Illustrator’s residence: Spain
Subjects: Donkeys, Emotions, Feelings, Farm animals, Friendship, Pandemic, Reunion, Separation

My Favorite Memories

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This gentle story tells of a young girl who is moving to a new country. She has a suitcase in which to pack her most favorite things. She wants to take her aquarium, a wooden chair, the pear tree outside, her best friend, and even the bus driver, but these things are all too big. She comes to understand that while we can’t always carry our favorite things physically, we can travel with them in other ways. The charming illustrations complement this hopeful story of change and resilience. mjw

Title: My Favorite Memories
Author: Sepideh Sarihi
Illustrator: Julie Volk
Publisher: Blue Dot Kids Press. San Francisco, CA
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: German
Translator: Elisabeth Lauffer
Original Title: Meine liebsten Dinge müssen mit
Original Publisher: Beltz & Gelberg
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-1-7331212-4-8
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Iranian
Author’s residence: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Austrian
Illustrator’s residence: Vienna
Awards: 2020 Bologna Ragazzi Award, Illustrator has won the White Raven Award
Subjects: Change, Emotions, Moving, Permanence, New experiences

Beyond Me

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This novel-in-verse examines the aftershocks of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan and damaged a nuclear power plant in March, 2011, through the eyes of eleven-year-old Maya. Maya and her family were lucky. They didn’t lose their Tokyo home or the lives of family members, but Maya is still terrified. She feels helpless and hopeless. What can she do to help? She chronicles the 24 days after the quake, sometimes minute by minute. Maya and her friend Yuka fold paper cranes and ask for sunflower seeds to plant. She continues writing her journal for 113 days with interesting formatting and timelines. An author’s note tells more about the Great Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of March 11, 2011. mjw

Title: Beyond Me
Author: Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-48143-789-9
Hardcover pages: 304
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Fiction, Verse
Book setting: Japan
Author’s ethnicity: U.S.
Author’s residence: Tokyo, Japan
Subjects: Earthquakes, Family life, Japan, Novels in verse, Paper cranes, Sunflowers, Survival, Tsunamis

Digging For Words: Jose Alberto Gutierrez And The Library He Built

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This picture book is based on the true story of Jose Alberto Gutierrez, a Colombian garbageman, who rescues thrown-away books from the trash and has created a library in his home. Local children look forward to Saturdays when they can visit Jose’s Paradise Library and be transported by the magic of the stories. Spanish words are integrated smoothly into the text. The beautiful illustrations were rendered digitally. An author’s note supplies photographs and biographical information about Jose Albert Gutierrez. A section called Featured Books describes several references to books that have been showcased in the illustrations. A Spanish edition of the book is also available.. mjw

Title: Digging For Words: Jose Alberto Gutierrez And The Library He Built
Author: Angela Burke Kunkel
Illustrator: Paola Escobar
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books. New York
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9263-8
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Bogota, Colombia
Author’s ethnicity: U.S.
Author’s residence: U.S.
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Colombian
Illustrator’s residence: Bogota, Colombia
Subjects: Bogota, Colombia; Books and reading; Latin American history; Libraries, South America books

Little Wise Wolf

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Little Wise Wolf lives far away on the other side of the mountains. He reads big books, knows a lot, and is very proud. When various animals come to him to get answers to their difficult questions, he has no time for them. One day a big black bird flies to Little Wise Wolf’s house to tell him that the king is ill and needs his help. Little Wise Wolf takes off, wearing his red boots, and riding on his bicycle to visit the king at the palace. He discovers along the way that he has much to learn from his friends about the real world. He gives the king some medicine and the king wants him to stay and be his royal doctor, but Little Wise Wolf decides that he needs to go back to his friends and his books. Enchanting illustrations of the little animals enhance this important book about friendship. mjw

Title: Little Wise Wolf
Author: Gijs van der Hammen
Illustrator: Hanneke Siemensma
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Copyright: 22020
Original Language: Dutch
Translator: Laura Watkinson
Original Title: Kleine wijze wolf
Original Publisher: Uitgeverij Hoogland. Hoorn, The Netherlands
Original Copyright: 2017
ISBN: 978-1-525305498
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture book
Author’s ethnicity: Dutch
Author’s residence: The Netherlands
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Dutch
Illustrator’s residence: The Netherlands
Awards: Nominated for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal
Subjects: Books, Friendship, Kings, Reading, Wolves