Author Archives: omnilibros

One Fun Day With Lewis Carroll: A Celebration Of Wordplay And A Girl Named Alice

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This wonderful picture book is part Lewis Carroll biography and part word game. Nonsense words and phrases take readers through Carroll’s fantasy world. Along the way readers learn about Carroll’s life as a mathematician and his friendship with the Liddell family and the real Alice. The frabjous illustrations breathe new life into the famous characters. A glossary explains the words and ideas invented by Carroll and reveals that nearly two hundred of them appear in the Oxford English Dictionary. A closing note gives more information about Carroll. mjw

Title: One Fun Day With Lewis Carroll: A Celebration Of Wordplay And A Girl Named Alice Author: Kathleen Krull Illustrator: Julia Sarda Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0544348233 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 6-9 Genre: Picture Book Biography Book setting: England Author’s ethnicity: U.S. Author’s residence: U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish Illustrator’s residence: Spain  Subjects: Authors, Books, Charles Dodgson, Language, Literature, Imagination, Wordplay

La Frontera: El Viaje Con Papa, My Journey With Papa

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This bilingual book (Spanish and English) follows Alfredo and his father during the 1980s as they leave behind their home in Mexico for Texas.  The story is told through Alfredo’s eyes and is based on one of the author’s own experiences in crossing the border, la frontera.  It tells why they left Mexico, describes their difficult journey, and shows how courage and determination can lead to a better and more productive life. Colorful pictures prepared in graphite, acrylic, and digital collage complement the vivid narrative.  Back matter includes more on Alfredo’s story, information about borders and cultures, a map, notes about immigration, and photographs.  mjw

Title: La Frontera: El Viaje Con Papa, My Journey With Papa Author: Deborah Mills and Alfredo Alva Illustrator: Claudia Navarro Publisher: Barefoot Books. Cambridge, MA and London Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English and Spanish Translator: Maria A. Perez ISBN: 978-1-78285-388-6 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Mexico and Texas Author’s ethnicity: Mills – U.S.  Alva – Mexican Author’s residence: Mills – U.S.  Alva – Texas Illustrator’s ethnicity: Mexican Illustrator’s residence: Mexico Subjects: Central America, Emigrants and immigrants, Hispanic and Latino, Mexican Americans, Mexico, United States

Feather

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This philosophical picture book is by two Hans Christian Andersen Medal winners. A single feather is blown across the sky. It meets a kingfisher, a cuckoo, a heron, a peacock, and more birds, each one being asked by the feather, “Am I yours?” The feather is either ignored or dismissed, until she gets close to earth, where a mother hen and her chicks discover her. Feather has no courage left to ask the mother hen, but as the hen slowly unfolds her wings, she thinks, perhaps, that she is missing a feather. This profound story is illustrated with striking double-page spreads of the birds. mjw

Title: Feather Author: Cao Wenxuan Illustrator: Roger Mello Publisher: Elsewhere Editions, New York Copyright: 2017 Original Language: Chinese Translator: Chloe Garcia-Roberts Original Publisher: China Children’s Press and Publication Group Original Copyright: 2017 ISBN: 978-0914671855 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Chinese Author’s residence: China Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian Illustrator’s residence: Brazil Awards: Author has received the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2016.  Illustrator has received the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2014 Subjects: Birds, Emotions

The Wooden Camel

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Young Etabo dreams of becoming a camel racer and beating his older brother in a camel race.  But the family must sell their camels and find work for his siblings because of the rising cost of water.  Inspired by the Turkana people of northwest Kenya, this story of love and hope is beautifully illustrated with exaggerated animals and dreamy landscapes. mjw

Title: The Wooden Camel Author: Wanuri Hahiu Illustrator: Manuela Adreani Publisher: Lantana Publishing Ltd. London Copyright: 2017 ISBN: 978-1-911373-12-4 Hardcover pages: 32  Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Kenya Author’s ethnicity: Born in Nairobi, Kenya Illustrator’s ethnicity: Italian Illustrator’s residence: Turin, Italy Awards: 2018 Children’s Africana Book Award Honor Book Subjects: Africa, Brothers and sisters, Camels, Camel racing, Imagination

Three Little Monkeys

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Tim, Sam, and Lulu are naughty, lively little monkeys that belong to Hilda Snibbs.  Each day when she returns home from doing her errands, she finds that the monkeys have made a bigger mess than they did the day before.  This delightful story is illustrated with detailed, mixed media and collage. mjw

Title: Three Little Monkeys Author: Quentin Blake Illustrator: Emma Chichester Clark Publisher: Harper Collins Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-06-267067-0 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: England Awards: Blake has won the Hans Christian Andersen Illustrator Award, 2002 Subjects: Animal behavior, Manners, Monkeys, Pets

Ahimsa

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In 1940s India, Anjali’s mother joins Gandhi’s freedom movement. Her family has to make many adjustments and use “ahimsa” – non-violent resistance to stand up to the British government. Ten-year-old Anjali learns that even she can contribute to the cause. The caste system, English colonialism, religious strife between Muslim and Hindu groups, and social justice are all important topics in Anjali’s story. The book was inspired by the author’s great grandmother’s experience working with Gandhi. An extensive author’s note about India’s history, suggestions for further reading, and a glossary are included. mjw

Title: Ahimsa Author: Supriya Kelkar Publisher: Lee & Low Books, Inc. New York Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1620-1435-68 Hardcover pages: 307 Age range: 8 up Genre: Historical fiction Book setting: India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: U.S. Subjects: British occupation, Dalit, Gandhi, Girls and women, India – history, Non-violence, Reformers, Social classes, Untouchables

When A Wolf Is Hungry

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Edmond Bigsnout is a lone wolf living in the woods who has a hankering for some rabbit – a city bunny. Wearing a tuxedo and carrying a knife, he hops on his bike and heads for the city. He stops at a tall apartment building where a miniature rabbit lives on the fifth floor. The residents in the elevator mistake him for a friendly new neighbor. He has to return to the woods several times to get new weapons because the residents find innocent uses for them. He finally gets to the roof of the building and is invited to the party all the animal residents are having. The rabbit says, “Please join us! We won’t eat you!” Vegetarianism wins out and the ending is happy for everyone. Clever illustrations add to this big bad wolf with a twist. mjw

Title: When A Wolf Is Hungry Author: Christine Naumann-Villemin Illustrator: Kris Di Giacomo Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.  Grand Rapids, Michigan Copyright: 2017 Original Language: French Original Title: Quand le Loup a Faim Original Publisher: Editions Kaleidoscope Original Copyright: 2011 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5482-7 Hardcover pages: 34 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: France Illustrator’s ethnicity: U.S. Illustrator’s residence: Paris Awards: 2018 Batchelder Honor Subjects: Apartment houses, City life, Humor, Neighborliness, Rabbits, Wolves

The Baghdad Clock

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This story, narrated by a teenage Iraqi girl in the midst of the first Gulf War mixes dreams with real life and fantasies with reality.  She huddles in an air raid shelter with her friend Nadia and the two imagine a world not torn apart by war.  They share dreams, hopes, desires, and first loves.  As they grow older and the bombs continue to fall, their friends begin to flee the country.  The use of metaphor, dream interpretations, and soothsayers helps build the narrative and the sense of place and time.  mjw

Title: The Baghdad Clock Author: Shahad Al Rawi Publisher: Oneworld Publications, London Copyright: 2018 Original Language: Arabic Translator: Luke Leafgren Original Publisher: Dar al Hikma Original Copyright: 2016 ISBN: 978-1-78607-324-2 Hardcover pages: 288 Age range: 14 up Genre: Fiction Book setting: Baghdad, Iraq Author’s ethnicity: Born in Baghdad Author’s residence: Dubai Awards: 2018 Shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction Subjects: Air raid shelters, Biography, Coming of age, Persian Gulf War – 1991, Teenage girls

Old Hat

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Harbet’s favorite hat is the colorful one with pompoms and earflaps that his nana knit for him when he was a puppy. Unfortunately, his friends wear Carmen Miranda fruit bowl hats and mock him, “OLD HAT!” He tries a new hat like theirs, but it is already outdated. They cry, “OLD HAT!” He tries a traffic cone, a saucepan, a pink work boot and many more, but he cannot win. Finally Harbet takes off his hat to reveal a surprise and his friends are filled with envy. Harbet discovers how much more fun it is to stop following others and to think for yourself. The pencil, watercolor, and acrylic ink illustrations of the hats are cheerful and hilarious. mjw

Title: Old Hat Author: Emily Gravett Illustrator: Emily Gravett Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English  Original Publisher: Original Copyright: Macmillan Children’s Books. Great Britain ISBN: 978-1-5344-0917-0 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: Brighton, England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: Brighton, England Subjects: Fashion, Hats, Peer pressure, Self esteem, Self respect, Teasing

You Can’t Be Too Careful

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Follow the white rose and the gardener along alternative space-time paths in this study of causality, consequence, and the interconnectedness of life. More than a dozen eccentric characters are introduced – a circus monkey, a fake doctor who wants to play the bagpipes, Rajah the Malodorous, and more. The book expresses serious questions about the dangers of greed and the importance of kindness. Complex colored pencil drawings and torn paper illustrations will make you want to look again at this paradoxical story. mjw

Title: You Can’t Be Too Careful Author: Roger Mello Illustrator: Roger Mello Publisher: Elsewhere Editions.   Brooklyn, NY Copyright: 2017 Original Language: Portuguese Translator: Daniel Hahn Original Title: Todo Cuidado e pouco! Original Publisher: Companhia das Letras, Sao Paolo Original Copyright: 1999 ISBN: 978-0-914671-64-0 Hardcover pages: 36 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Brazilian Author’s residence: Brazil Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian Illustrator’s residence: Brazil Awards: 2014 Hans Christian Andersen Award, 2018 Batchelder Honor Award Subjects: Action, Avarice, Kindness, Greed, Roses

Bambi: A Life In The Woods

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This is an exquisite new collectible edition of the classic story.  Bambi lives in a woodland thicket.  He and his family and friends discover the wonders and the dangers of the woods.  Superb oil paintings feature gold foiling.  The story inspired the beloved 1942 Disney film. mjw

Title: Bambi: A Life In The Woods Author: Felix Salten (1869-1945) Illustrator: Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2014 Original Language: German Translator: Whittaker Chambers Original Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc. Original Copyright: 1928 ISBN: 978-1442-9345-2 Hardcover pages: 192 Age range: 10 up Genre: Fiction Author’s ethnicity: Austrian Illustrator’s ethnicity: U.S. Illustrator’s residence: San Francisco, U.S. Subjects: Deer, Forest

Fishing With Grandma

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Grandma and her two grandchildren go out on the lake for a fishing trip. She teaches them everything they need to know for a day of jigging in the ice for fish. They learn what to wear, what tools are needed, and how to use them. At the end of the day, they have caught enough Arctic char for a delicious dinner. Illustrations show Inuit fishing tools and a glossary with pronunciations explains Inuit terms. mjw

Title: Fishing With Grandma Author: Susan Avingaq and Maren Vsetula Illustrator: Charlene Chua Publisher: Inhabit Media Inc.  Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada Copyright: 2015 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-77227-084-6 Paperback pages: 32 Age range: 5-7 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Canada Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Nunavut Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Toronto Subjects: Canada, Grandchildren, Grandmothers, Ice fishing, Multigenerational, Polar regions