Author Archives: omnilibros

Anne Arrives: Inspired By Anne Of Green Gables

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In this first of a charming early reader series that reimagines L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, Anne Shirley arrives at the farm of Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. They had adopted what they thought would be a sturdy boy to help on their farm.  Instead, they got imaginative – and outspoken – red-headed Anne-with-an-e.  This book covers the first few chapters of Montgomery’s book.  The lovely illustrations are rendered in graphite, watercolor, and colored pencil and completed digitally.  And the chapters are short enough to keep young readers’ attention. mjw

Title: Anne Arrives: Inspired By Anne Of Green Gables Author: Kallie George Illustrator: Abigail Halpin Publisher: Tundra Books, and imprint of Penguin Random House. Canada Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-77149-930-9 Hardcover pages: 72 Age range: 6-8 Genre: Historical fiction Book setting: Prince Edward Island, Canada Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Vancouver, British Columbia Illustrator’s ethnicity: U.S. Illustrator’s residence: Maine.  U.S. Subjects: Farms, Foster homes, Orphans

Why The Elephant Has Tiny Eyes

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Told in verse, this folktale from the Tai Phake people of India’s northeast tells why the elephant has tiny eyes.  The first elephant (chaang) had large eyes. Along came a wagtail bird that made the elephant laugh so hard that his eyes crinkled small.  An unusually limited palette recreates the region’s landscape. mjw

Title: Why The Elephant Has Tiny Eyes Author: Pow Aim Hailowng Illustrator: Priya Kuriyan Publisher: Tulika Publishers.  Chennai, India Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-93-86667-71-7 Paperback pages: 26 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture book, Folktale Book setting: India, Tai Phake people of northeast India Author’s ethnicity: Tai Phake Indian Author’s residence: India Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s residence: Kochi, India Subjects: Birds, Bridges, Elephants, Fables, Myths

Pashmina

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Pryanka is a teenage girl whose mother emigrated from India years ago, leaving Pri’s father behind. After finding a magical pashmina, Pri travels to India to learn more about her family and her culture.  She is greeted by an elephant and a peacock, that show her around the country.  This story of self-discovery is heartwarming, inspiring, funny, and thought-provoking. Most of the artwork is black and white with thick lines, but whenever someone wears the pashmina, the pages become full-colored. mjw

Title: Pashmina Author: Nidhi Chanani Illustrator: Nidhi Chanani Publisher: First Second, an imprint of Roaring Book Press Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-62672-087-9 Paperback pages: 176 Age range: 10-14 Genre: Fiction, Graphic novel, Fantasy Book setting: U.S. Author’s ethnicity: born in Kolkata, India Author’s residence: San Francisco, U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: born in Kolkata, India Illustrator’s residence: San Francisco, U.S. Awards: 2018 South Asia Book Award Subjects: Asia, Cashmere shawls, Comics, Culture, East Indian Americans, Heritage, Magic realism, Mothers and daughters, Self-discovery, Teenage girls

Hello, Horse

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When the little boy’s friend Catherine asks him to come meet her horse named Shannon, he replies that he’s not so sure he likes horses.  Shannon is very big, but Catherine says she’s very kind.  Catherine teaches the boy to talk quietly to the horse, how to feed her carrots, how to lead her across a field, and even how to blow at her softly to show that he likes her.  Catherine helps him up onto the horse for his first ride.  Facts about horses are sprinkled throughout this gentle story. The book ends with an author’s note that tells that Shannon is the illustrator’s horse.  An index and more information are also included.  The beautiful illustrations were done in mixed media. mjw

Title: Hello, Horse Author: Vivian French Illustrator: Catherine Rayner Publisher: Candlewick Press.  Somerville, MA Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-5362-0167-3 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Scotland Author’s ethnicity: British Author’s residence: Scotland Subjects: Farm animals, Horses, New experiences

The Fox Girl And The White Gazelle

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Twelve-year-old Reema is a Syrian refugee trying to find her place in Glasgow.  She struggles with a new language and culture and misses her older brother who got left behind in Aleppo.  Caylin feels completely alone.  She has to look after her alcoholic mother.  She bullies the other kids and steals from them so that she can eat. Reema and Caylin become friends when they discover an injured fox and her babies. The girls also discover that they both like to run. Told in alternating perspectives, this is a great story of friendship. mjw

Title: The Fox Girl And The White Gazelle Author: Victoria Williamson Publisher: Kelpies, an imprint of Floris Books. Edinburgh, Scotland Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English  ISBN: 978-178250-490-0 Paperback pages: 272 Age range: 10-12 Genre: Fiction Book setting: Scotland Author’s ethnicity: Scottish Author’s residence: U.K. Subjects: Foxes, Glasgow, Poetry, Prejudice and racism, Refugees, Running, Syria

Mina Vs. The Monsoon

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Mina, a young girl living in India, really wants to go outdoors to play soccer, but it’s monsoon season and she has to stay in.  Her mother prepares to celebrate the monsoon by making chai and samosas.  Mina plays her tabla (drum) to cheer herself up.  The doodh wallah (milkman) explains how important rain is for the rice paddies, but Mina is still sad.  When her mother asks her to get thread for stringing flower garlands, Mina discovers her mother’s soccer jersey. As her mother explains that she used to play soccer, the dark clouds disappear and they head outside together.  The bold, bright illustrations accompany the energetic text.  The book concludes with a glossary of Urdu and Hindi words and a note to parents and educators. mjw

Title: Mina Vs. The Monsoon Author: Rukhsanna Guidrozz Illustrator: Debasmita Dasgupta Publisher: Yali Books, New York Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-949528-98-5 Hardcover pages: 38 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture book Book setting: Bijar and Jharkhand, India Author’s ethnicity: Persian-Indian-Chinese Author’s residence: Hawaii Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s residence: Singapore Subjects: Drums, Girls and women, Monsoons, Peacocks, Soccer

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga

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Cherokee people say otsaliheliga to express gratitude. Journey through the seasons with a Cherokee family as cool breezes blow and colored leaves fall during uligohvsdi– fall.  As bears sleep deep and snow blankets the ground in gola– winter, the elders share stories and savor buttery bean bread and steamy hominy soup.  In spring – gogeyi, they say otsaliheliga while men sing asking for rain’s protection of the emerging sprouts that women tend.  And as the crops mature, they celebrate the first harvest at the Green Corn Ceremony in gogi – summer.  Every day, every season, they are grateful. Cherokee words are smoothly integrated into the text, which is illustrated with bright gouache paintings. Definitions, an author’s note, and the Cherokee syllabary are included. mjw

Title: We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga Author: Traci Sorell Illustrator: Frane Lessac Publisher: Charlesbridge. Watertown, MA Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English, Cherokee Translator: Mr. Feeling ISBN: 978-1580897723 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: U.S. Author’s ethnicity: Cherokee Author’s residence: Kansas City Illustrator’s residence: Monsterrat, London, Australia Awards:  2019 NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor, 2020 ALA American Indian Youth Award Subjects: Cherokee Indians, Cherokee language, Multicultural, Native Americans, Religion Seasons

Outside In

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Twelve-year-old Ram, who lives on the streets of Chandigarh in northern India, discovers a hidden garden full of sculptures.  He follows a man on a bicycle who seems to be collecting rocks and cast off materials. The man, Nek Chand, uses scraps of metal, bike tires, broken glass and dishes, old rags – junk according to Ram – to create a secret world of thousands of odd statues.  Ram and Nek become friends and learn how the story of the Ramayana parallels their story.  This heartwarming book was inspired by the true story of the famous Indian artist who was displaced from his home after Partition and illegally built an entire village in Chandigarh.  Today, Nek Chand’s Rock Garden is the second most visited site in India, after the Taj Mahal.  A glossary of Indian terms and an author’s note are included.  mjw

Title: Outside In Author: Jennifer Bradbury Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.  New York Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-4424-6827-6 Hardcover pages: 288 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction Book setting: Chandigarh, India Author’s ethnicity: U.S. Author’s residence: U.S., taught in Chandigarh Awards: 2018 South Asia Book Award Subjects: Architecture, Asian, Chandigarh, Fables, Hindu, Homelessness, Legends, Myths, Nek Chand, Orphans, Poverty, Ramayana, Rock gardens, Sculptors

Peace And Me

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This beautiful, digitally illustrated book is a child-friendly exploration of what peace means. Featured are Jean Henry Dumont, Fridtjof Nansen, Jane Addams, John Boyd Orr, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa, Desmond Tutu, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Nelson Mandela, Shirin Ebadi, Wangari Maathai, and Malala Yousafzai.  Brief biographies describe the invaluable work of these caring people from around the world.  A timeline and a world map are included. mjw

Title: Peace And Me Author: Ali Winter Illustrator: Mickael El Fathi Publisher: Lantana Publishing Ltd. U.K. Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-911373-28-5 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 7-11 Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction, Information Book, Biography Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: U.K. Illustrator’s ethnicity: French-Moroccan Illustrator’s residence: France Subjects: Awards, Biography, Diversity, History, Nobel Prize winners, Pacifists

Someone Like Me: How One Undocumented Girl Fought For Her American Dream

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National bestselling author Julissa Arce tells of her journey from Taxco, Mexico, to growing up undocumented in Texas.  As a young girl, she, her two sisters, her nanny, and her grandmother were left behind in Taxco for months at a time, while her parents worked in America, hoping to build a home for the family.  At age eleven, her parents brought her to Texas where she secretly lived as an undocumented immigrant.  She worked tirelessly, achieved academic excellence, overcame cultural barriers, and ultimately climbed to a successful career on Wall Street. Eight pages of black and white photographs complement this compelling story. mjw

Title: Someone Like Me: How One Undocumented Girl Fought For Her American Dream Author: Julissa Arce Publisher: Little, Brown and Company Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-316-48174-8 Hardcover pages: 240 Age range: 11-14 Genre: Autobiography Book setting: Mexico, Texas Author’s ethnicity: Mexican Author’s residence: Los Angeles, U.S. Subjects: Biography, Illegal aliens, Immigrants, Mexican American women, Social justice, Texas

Nimesh the Adventurer

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School is over for the day and young South Asian Nimesh starts his walk home.  He meets a dragon and sharks and skates across the ice at the North Pole.  He encounters a guardsman for the Indian Maharaja.  And then, he happens upon  pirates and a princess.  Nimesh’s BIG imagination is complemented by vivid collage like images. mjw

Title: Names The Adventurer Author: Ranjit Singh Illustrator: Mehrdokht Amini Publisher: Lantana Publishing Ltd. U.K. Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English  ISBN: 978-1-911373-24-7 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: India Author’s ethnicity: British, of East Indian Heritage Illustrator’s ethnicity: Iranian Awards: Illustrator has won the Africana Best Book Award Subjects: Fantasy, Imagination, Magic, Multicultural

The Curiosity Cabinet

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Ian Wallace’s wordless tribute to Canada on her 150thbirthday includes graphite illustrations of treasures from his forty years of traveling the country.  He has made thousands of school and library visits inspiring young readers to become artists and he has received many gifts from the students.  His cabinet of curiosities includes these gifts and other discoveries he has made. Each illustration is devoted to a province or territory – tamarack geese made by Cree artists in Ontario, a snow globe illuminating the moment he stood on the Arctic Circle, the English heraldic lion from Prince Edward Island, and much more.  A table of contents and an introduction set the stage and detailed illustrator’s notes provide much information. mjw

Title: The Curiosity Cabinet Author: Ian Wallace Illustrator: Ian Wallace Publisher: Groundwood Books.  House of Anansi Press. Toronto Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-55498-922-5 Hardcover pages: 36 Age range: 5-9 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Canada Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Brookline, MA Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Brookline, MA Subjects: Biography, Mystery and wonders, Pictorial works, Travel