Author Archives: omnilibros

Daytime Visions : An Alphabet

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This surrealistic alphabet book consists of letters, written in upper and lower case, manuscript, and cursive and a series of unconnected phrases. Some make sense (D shows a downpour and K is a kiwi), but many are obscure (X is for “XX chromosome and I am expanding” and R shows two birds – “never meant to be rude.”) This is not a book for teaching the alphabet, but one that tells stories for each letter. Square pages with mixed media collage illustrations of cut paper, charcoal sketches, and broad brushstrokes on thick paper provide the interpretations for the letters. The author/illustrator is also a well-known cartoonist, graphic artist, singer, and composer in Argentina. mjw

Title: Daytime Visions: An Alphabet Author: Isol (Marisol Misenta) Illustrator: Isol (Marisol Misenta) Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books, New York Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Spanish Translator: Isol and Elisa Amado Original Title: Abecedario a mano (Libros Para Ninos series) Original Publisher: Fondo de Cultura Economica Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-1-59270-195-7 Hardcover pages: 56 Age range: 2-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Argentine Author’s residence: Buenos Aires Illustrator’s ethnicity: Argentine Illustrator’s residence: Buenos Aires Awards: 2013 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, twice a finalist for the Hans Christian Andersen Award – 2006 and 2008 Subjects: Alphabets, Animals

Escape From Aleppo

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Fourteen-year-old Nadia is accidentally separated from her family while fleeing from war-torn Syria in 2013. She meets an elderly man who agrees to help her. She eventually makes it to Turkey. Inspired by current events this coming-of-age novel deals with the horrors of the war. In the first part of the book, Nadia flashes back to more pleasant times of her life. Senzai does a wonderful job of describing Aleppo before and during the war. This is an informative and exciting story. mjw

Title: Escape From Aleppo Author: N.H. Senzai Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, New York Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-4814-7217-3 Hardcover pages: 336 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction Book setting: Syria Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: U.S.  Subjects: Arab Spring, Middle East, Refugees, Secrecy, Syria-Civil War 2011, Wars

The Rabbit And The Shadow

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The little white rabbit in this story meets many creatures along his journey growing up. An anxious stag, and angry soldier looking for peace, and a cat looking for his ball help each other confront their own fears. They grow up together and learn. This moving story has beautiful watercolor and ink vignettes. mjw

Title: The Rabbit And The Shadow Author: Melanie Rutten Illustrator: Melanie Rutten Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2018 Original Language: French Translator: Sarah Ardizzone Original Title: L’ombre de chacun Original Publisher: Editions MeMo Original Copyright: 2013 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5485-8 Hardcover pages: 56 Age range: 5-9 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Born in Belgium Author’s residence: Brussels Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Belgium Illustrator’s residence: Brussels Subjects: Emotions and feelings, Fear, Growing up, Soldiers

A Different Pond

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This quiet story is about a young Vietnamese boy and his father who go fishing early in the morning in Minneapolis so that the family can have food to eat. They don’t fish for recreation. They bond as the father tells the boy about fishing in his homeland of Vietnam, as well as a bit about the war where he was a soldier. Beautifully illustrated in vividly colored, graphic novel panels, the book conveys a powerful message. Notes from both the poet-author and the illustrator are included. mjw

Title: A Different Pond Author: Bao Phi Illustrator: Thi Bui Publisher: Capstone Young Readers. North Mankato, Minnesota Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1479597468 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 6-8 Genre: Picture book Book setting: Minneapolis Author’s ethnicity: Vietnamese Author’s residence: Minneapolis, Minnesota  Illustrator’s ethnicity: Vietnamese Illustrator’s residence: U.S. Awards: 2018 Caldecott Honor Subjects: Asian Americans, Fathers and sons, Fishing, Emigrants and immigrants, Poverty, Vietnam

The Murderer’s Ape

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This thrilling mystery is narrated by a gorilla named Sally Jones who can read and type on a 1908 Underwood No. 5 typewriter. She is an engineer working for Chief Henry Koskela who is falsely accused of murder. Sally Jones embarks on a whirlwind journey from Lisbon, Portugal, to the Maharaja of Bhapur’s magnificent court in India to clear the chief’s name. This suspenseful adventure is accompanied by detailed black and white drawings. Maps of the voyage appear on the endpapers. mjw

Title: The Murderer’s Ape Author: Jakob Wegelius Illustrator: Jakob Wegelius Publisher: Delacorte Press Copyright: 2017 Original Language: Swedish Translator: Peter Graves Original Title: Mordarens Apa Original Publisher: Bonnier Carlsen Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-1-101-93175-2 Hardcover pages: 624 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction, Mystery Book setting: Portugal, India Author’s ethnicity: Swedish Author’s residence: Sweden Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swedish Illustrator’s residence: Sweden Awards: 2018 Batchelder Winner, International Youth Library White Raven Selection Subjects: Detective stories, Gorilla, Human-animal relationships, Music, Sailing

The Night Diary

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It’s 1947, and India, newly independent from British rule, has been divided into two countries: Pakistan and India. Twelve-year-old Nisha, who is half Muslim and half Hindu, doesn’t know where she belongs. Her Muslim mother died when Nisha was a baby. Her Hindu father decides it is too dangerous to stay in what has become Pakistan. Nisha and her family become refugees. They travel by train and foot to reach their new home. Nisha is finally able to meet her mother’s brother and find where she really belongs. Nisha’s story is told through diary entries she writes nightly to her mother. Included in the back is a helpful glossary. The author uses her own father’s story as a basis for this compelling historical novel. mjw

Title: The Night Diary Author: Veer Hiranandani Publisher: Dial Books Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0735-2285-11 Hardcover pages: 272 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Historical Fiction Book setting: India, Pakistan Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: U.S. Subjects: Diaries, Family life, Hindus, Muslims, Partition 1947, Refugees, Siblings

Mister Doctor: Janusz Korczak And The Orphans Of The Warsaw Ghetto

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Polish educator, writer, and doctor, Janusz Korczak (Mister Doctor) founded an orphanage for children in Warsaw. His remarkable story is told from the perspective of one of the orphans. In November of 1940, one hundred and sixty Jewish children, led by their beloved Mister Doctor, were forced by the Nazis to leave their famous orphanage on Krochmalna Street and walk to the other side – the ghetto. Their new home on Chlodna was nothing like their orphanage, but they would cling to their hope and celebrate their Jewish identity. Their final march on August 5, 1942, took them to trains bound for Treblinka camp, north of Warsaw. This is depicted in a powerful foldout of the children and Mister Doctor. Gray and sepia mood-setting drawings portray the horror and hope beautifully. An afterword, “About Janusz Korczak” offers details of his life. Further Reading and Resources are included. mjw

Title: Mister Doctor:  Janusz Korczak And The Orphans Of The Warsaw Ghetto Author: Irene Cohen-Janca Illustrator: Maurizio A.C. Quarello Publisher: Annick Press, Canada Copyright: 2016 Original Language: French Translator: Paula Ayer Original Title: Le dernier voyage Original Publisher: Les Editions des Elephants Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-1-55451-861-6 Paperback pages: 68 Age range: 11 up Genre: Historical Fiction, Biography Book setting: Poland Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: France Illustrator’s ethnicity: Italian Illustrator’s residence: Italy Awards: 2016 Sydney Taylor Book Award, Notable Book.  2016 USBBY Honor List of Outstanding International Books Subjects: Ant-Semitism, History, Holocaust, Jewish children, Orphans, Orphanage, Poland, Warsaw, World War II

Imagine A City

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Imagine a world where rabbits and lions read books, trees grow out of pictures, and flying fish are buses. Bears ride bicycles, gargoyles sip tea, and pterodactyls soar through the sky. Two children and their mother go on a wonderful adventure to a city where anything is possible in this creative book. The simple rhyming text is accompanied by surreal black and white drawings filled to the brim with unusual fanciful details. mjw

Title: Imagine A City Author: Elise Hurst Illustrator: Elise Hurst Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Omnibus Books, an imprint of Scholastic Australia Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-1-101-93457-9 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book, Fantasy Author’s ethnicity: Australian Author’s residence: Australia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Australian Illustrator’s residence: Australia Subjects: City life, Dreams, Fantasy, Imagination

Bicycling To The Moon

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Purdy the cat and Barker the dog live in a sky blue house on top of a hill. Purdy dreams big. He wants to bicycle to the moon, win the singing contest, fly south with the migrating birds, be Supercat, and search for treasure. Barker is Purdy’s good friend, who likes to garden and take care of the house. The twenty short stories take place over a year and are accompanied by clever, quirky cartoon-style illustrations rendered in oil pastels, crayon, and watercolor. This laugh out-loud chapter book about two very opposite friends was written by Finland’s top children’s writer. mjw

Title: Bicycling To The Moon Author: Timo Parvela Illustrator: Virpi Talvite Publisher: Gecko Press.  Wellington, New Zealand Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Finnish Translator: Rith Urbom Original Title: Maukka ja Vaykka Original Publisher: Werner Soderstrom Ltd.  Finland Original Copyright: 2009 ISBN: 978-1-776570=32-4 Paperback pages: 128 Age range: 7-9 Genre: Fiction Author’s ethnicity: Finnish Author’s residence: Finland Illustrator’s ethnicity: Finnish Illustrator’s residence: Finland Awards: Author has been shortlisted for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.  Illustrator has been nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award and was awarded the Finlandia Junior Prize in 2006 Subjects: Cats, Dogs, Fishing, Gardening, Honesty, Loyalty, Short stories, Weather

Alive Again

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A boy wonders if the blossoms that fall from trees will ever return. When there is no rain, will it rain again? If no wheat grows, will it grow again? And if no one goes on a journey, will there be new journeys? When spring comes, the boy’s father points out new blossoms, fresh rain, and born-again wheat. And tomorrow will be a day for a new journey. Striking collage artwork enhances this simple story about trust and understanding that will leave readers asking similar questions. mjw

Title: Alive Again Author: Ahmadreza Ahmadi Illustrator: Nahid Kazemi Publisher: Tiny Owl Publishing Ltd.  England Copyright: 2015 Original Language: Persian Translator: Azita Rassi Original Publisher: Salis Publisher. Tehran, Iran Original Copyright: 2013 ISBN: 978-1-910328-05-7 Hardcover pages: 24 Age range: 4-9 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Iranian Author’s residence: Iran Illustrator’s ethnicity: Iranian Illustrator’s residence: Montreal, Canada Awards: Author was shortlisted for the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Award Subjects: Blossoms, Flowers, Journeys, Questions, Rain, Trust, Understanding, Wheat

The Wild Book

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Thirteen-year-old Juan is spending the summer with his strange Uncle Tito who has an enchanted library where books have supernatural powers. Uncle Tito tells Juan that he is a Princeps Reader, which means books respond magically to him and that he is the only one who can find the evasive Wild Book. Each chapter is accompanied by whimsical woodcut-style illustrations. More than one million copies have been sold in the Spanish edition. mjw

Title: The Wild Book Author: Juan Villoro Illustrator: EKO Publisher: Yonder Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2017 Original Language: Spanish Translator: Lawrence Schimel Original Title: El libro salvaje Original Publisher: Fondo de Cultura Economica, Mexico City Original Copyright: 2008 ISBN: 978-1-63206-147-8 Hardcover pages: 240 Age range: 10-14 Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Author’s ethnicity: Mexican Author’s residence: Mexico City  Subjects: Books, Magic, Reading, Science fiction, Supernatural, Uncles

Yokki And The Parno Gry

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This traditional Traveler-family folktale tells of Yokki, a young boy who inspires his hard-working family with a tale of a magical white horse. His family experiences hard times and there is no work to be had. They travel from town to town looking for work mending household objects and trying to sell wooden spoons and beautiful paper flowers that they make. At night, they gather around a fire to tell stories they have heard on their travels. Yokki tells the best story about the Parno Gry, which is a horse that comes to take them to a new and better land. Colorful and gentle detailed mixed media illustrations bring Yokki’s family to life in this imaginative Romani folktale. An author’s note gives information about Romani and Traveling People. mjw

Title: Yokki And The Parno Gry Author: Richard O’Neill and Katherine Quarmby Illustrator: Marieke Nelissen Publisher: Child’s Play Inc. Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-84643-927-8 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Romani (O’Neill) Author’s residence: England Illustrator’s ethnicity: Dutch Illustrator’s residence: Netherlands Subjects: Fairytales, Folktales, Gypsies, Horses, Mythical animals, Romanis, Storytelling, Traveling people