Author Archives: omnilibros

Macy McMillan And The Rainbow Goddess

Leave a reply

 

Sixth grader Macy McMillan, who is deaf, is facing big changes. Her house is for sale and her mother is about to remarry, adding a stepfather and six-year-old twin stepsisters. Macy’s mother has Macy go next door to help 86-year–old Iris Gillan pack, as Iris is moving into an assisted living facility. Iris doesn’t know sign language, but through notes, books, and cookies, Macy and Iris, the rainbow goddess, develop a beautiful friendship. This heartwarming story is written in free verse. There are many book references throughout, like The Tale of Despereaux, El Deafo, and Anne of Green Gables. mjw

Title: Macy McMillan And The Rainbow Goddess Author: Shari Green Publisher: Pajama Press Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-77278-017-8 Paperback pages: 240 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction, Verse Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: British Columbia, Canada Awards: 2018 Schneider Family Book Award Subjects: Deaf children, Intergenerational, Special needs, Step families, Stories in verse

Poles Apart

Leave a reply

Penguins are found at the South Pole – except when they get lost on their way to a picnic. When the Pilchard-Brown penguin family find themselves at the North Pole, they meet friendly Mr. White, the polar bear, who guides them back home. They follow him over land and sea to New York, England, Italy, India, Australia, and finally the South Pole and a surprise ending. Foreign words are sprinkled throughout this whimsical introduction to different cultures across the globe. Fun, digitally created illustrations show the travelers walking along Fifth Avenue, riding a double-decker bus in London, water skiing in the Sydney harbor, and more. mjw

Title: Poles Apart Author: Jeanne Willis Illustrator: Peter Jarvis Publisher: Nosy Crow, an imprint of Candlewick Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Nosy Crow, London Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-0-7636-8944-5 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: North Pole, South Pole, U.S., England, Italy, India, Australia Author’s ethnicity: Born in the United Kingdom Author’s residence: London Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: Manchester, England Subjects: Arctic Ocean, North Pole, Penguins, Polar bears, South Pole

Indian Tales: A Barefoot Collection

Leave a reply

 

Eight traditional tales from all over the Indian Subcontinent are included in this colorful anthology. Each story is taken from a different region in India, from Punjab in the north to Tamil Nadu in the south. A “Welcome to India!” introduces the country and provides a map. Each tale is accompanied by two pages of information about the state – geography, history, food, dance, culture, traditions, and more. Bright, colorful folk style illustrations in gouache present story elements and frame the narratives. mjw

Title: Indian Tales: A Barefoot Collection Author: Shenaaz Nanji Illustrator: Christopher Corr Publisher: Barefoot Books, Cambridge, MA Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English  Original Publisher: Barefoot Books Original Copyright: 2007 ISBN: 978-1-78285-357-2 Paperback pages: 96 Age range: 7-10 Genre: Folktales, Fairytales Book setting: India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: Calgary, Canada Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: London Subjects: Anthologies, Gods and goddesses, Myths

The Way Home In The Night

Leave a reply

A young bunny is carried home through the dark, quiet streets by her mother. She can see the lights on in her neighbors’ windows and she wonders what they might be doing. The bookshop is closing for the night. Someone is on the phone. Someone else is baking a pie. And there is a party going on next door. When they reach home, the father rabbit tucks the bunny into bed, but the bunny continues to wonder about her neighbors’ activities until she finally falls asleep. Charming, soft-focus, mostly black and white illustrations rendered in pencil, charcoal, and acrylic gouache enrich this perfect bedtime story. mjw

Title: The Way Home In The Night Author: Akiko Miyakoshi Illustrator: Akiko Miyakoshi Publisher: Kids Can Press, Toronto Copyright: 2017 Original Language: Japanese Original Title: Yoru no Kaerimichi Original Publisher: Kaisei – Sha Publishing Co. Lyd. Tokyo Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-1-77138-663-0 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Japanese Author’s residence: Japan Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese Illustrator’s residence: Japan Awards: Author has won the Japan Picture Book Award Grand Prix Subjects: Bedtime, City life, Night, Rabbits, Sleep

Sam And The Construction Site

Leave a reply

Big boys dare Sam to enter the construction site when the workers go on break. He drives the steamroller and flattens a car, operates the cement truck and pours concrete on the road, and works the crane and hoists a police car up into the air. Hidden clues and details in the lively, soft-color drawings lead to a surprise ending where Sam saves the day. mjw

Title: Sam And The Construction Site Author: Tjibbe Veldkamp Illustrator: Alice Hoogstad Publisher: Lemniscaat, USA, New York Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Dutch Translator: Ineke Lenting Original Title: Kom uit die Kraan!! Original Publisher: Lemniscaat, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-1-935954-49-1 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-6 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Dutch Author’s residence: Groningen, The Netherlands Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Rhoon, Zuid-Holland Illustrator’s residence: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Subjects: Building sites, Construction equipment, Cranes

In Focus: Cities

Leave a reply

 

Ten different illustrators explore ten cities in this large-size, gate-folded-page book. Cultural, social, and historical information is packed onto each page. The cities are New York, Tokyo, Paris, Rome, Moscow, Istanbul, Sydney, Cairo, Rio de Janeiro, and London. Each artist’s distinct color palette represents each city. mjw

Title: In Focus: Cities Author: Libby Walden Illustrator: 10 illustrators Publisher: 360 Degrees, an imprint of Tiger Tales Copyright: 2017 Original Publisher: Little Tiger Press, Great Britain Original Language: English Original Copyright: 2017 ISBN: 978-1-944530-08-2 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Information Book, Nonfiction Book setting: New York, Tokyo, Paris, Rome, Moscow, Istanbul, Sydney, Cairo, Rio de Janiero, London Author’s ethnicity: U.S. Author’s residence: U.S. Subjects: Atlas, Cities and towns

Sputnik’s Guide To Life On Earth

Leave a reply

 

Prez lives with a foster family out in the country in Scotland. One day he answers the door to meet Sputnik. Sputnik is a strange kid wearing aviator goggles, a kilt, and a backpack. Everyone, but Prez, sees Sputnik as a dog. Prez hears English when everyone else hears barking. Sputnik claims to be from outer space on a mission to help save the world from destruction. He can manipulate the laws of space and time. Together they come up with ten reasons why the planet should be saved. This is a touching tale that is out of this world funny. mjw

Title: Sputnik’s Guide To Life On Earth Author: Frank Cottrell Boyce Publisher: Walden Pond Press, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Macmillan Original Copyright: 2016 ISBN: 978-0-06-264362-9 Hardcover pages: 336 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction Book setting: Scotland Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: England Awards: Shortlisted for the 2017 Carnegie Medal Subjects: Dogs, Fantasy, Foster homes, Grandfathers, Orphans, Science Fiction

Little Polar Bear: Where Are You Going Lars?

Leave a reply

Lars, the little polar bear, is so tired after going with his father on his first hunting trip. He falls asleep on the ice and sleeps so soundly that he doesn’t hear the ice crack. His ice bed breaks off, he drifts south, and he wakes up in the middle of the sea, where it is getting warmer and warmer. This is where his adventures begin. He makes new friends, including Henry the hippopotamus. Lars gets homesick and wants to find his way back home. He gets help from Marcus the eagle and Samson the whale. Lars is finally reunited with his father, who catches Samson a big fish to thank him. The soft-colored illustrations have been refreshed in this Little Polar Bear 30th Anniversary Edition. mjw

Title: Little Polar Bear: Where Are You Going Lars? Author: Hans de Beer Illustrator: Hans de Beer Publisher: NorthSouth Books, Inc. Copyright: 2016 Original Language: German Original Title: Kleiner Eisbar – Wohin fahrst du, Lars? Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag AG, Switzerland Original Copyright: 1987 ISBN: 978-0-7358-4052-2 Paperback pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: North Pole, Tropics Author’s ethnicity: Dutch Illustrator’s ethnicity: Dutch Subjects: Bears, North Pole, Polar bears

The Librarian Of Auschwitz

Leave a reply

 

Fourteen-year-old Dita is imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz and selected to be the librarian of the eight smuggled books that the school possesses. There are also six “living books” that are stories remembered and told by other detainees at the Family Camp, Block 31. The school is a secret school, as teaching the children to read is forbidden. Spanish author Iturbe describes the horrors of the death camp in straightforward prose. This sophisticated novel with mature themes is based on the experiences of real life Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus. mjw

Title: The Librarian Of Auschwitz Author: Antonio Iturbe Publisher: Godwin Books, Henry Holt and Company Copyright: 2017 Original Language: Spanish Translator: Lilit Thwaites Original Title: La Bibliotecaria de Auschwitz Original Publisher: Editorial Planeta Original Copyright: 2012 ISBN: 978-1627796187 Hardcover pages: 432 Age range: 12 up Genre: Historical Fiction Book setting: Poland Author’s ethnicity: Spanish Author’s residence: Spain Subjects: Books and reading, Concentration camps, Germany, Holocaust, Jews, Libraries

The Day I Became A Bird

Leave a reply

A young boy narrates the story about how, on the first day of school, he fell in love with Sylvia. Sylvia is a bird lover. She observes them, cares for them, and even wears bird barrettes in her hair. Her voice sounds like a birdsong to the boy. To get her attention, he creates a bird costume, which he wears to school, even though climbing trees and playing soccer are difficult for him in the costume. When he and Sylvia finally meet face to face, she puts her arms around him and the boy feels like he is flying. Black line drawings tenderly illustrate this love story. mjw

Title: The Day I Became A Bird Author: Ingrid Chabbert Illustrator: Guridi (Raul Nieto Guridi) Publisher: Kids Can Press Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Spanish Original Title: El dia en que me converti en un pajaro Original Publisher: Editiones TTT Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-1-77138-621-0 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: France Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish Illustrator’s residence: Spain Subjects: Birds, Costumes, Friendship, Love

On A Magical Do-Nothing-Day

Leave a reply

 

In this magical picture book, a young child is lured away from technology to find fun in the forest. He is playing a game on his device destroying Martians until his mother takes it away from him. She hides the game, but he finds it and goes outside in a neon orange raincoat. He drops his computer console in a pond and then becomes captivated by what he finds – snails, squishy mushrooms, seeds, mud, icy rainwater, stones as clear as glass, and more. Soaked, he returns home, wanting to tell his mother what he has seen, felt, and tasted outside in the world. But he doesn’t tell her. Together they sit in the kitchen breathing in the smell of their hot chocolate. That’s all they did “on the magical do-nothing day.” The artist used gouache, oil, collage, and wax pencils to create the texture and details of nature in this breathtaking book. mjw

Title: On A Magical Do-Nothing-Day Author: Beatrice Alemagna Illustrator: Beatrice Alemagna Publisher: Harper Collins Copyright:  2017 Original Language: French Translator: Jill Davis Original Publisher: Albin Michel Original Copyright: 2016 ISBN: 978-0-06-275760-2 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Italian Author’s residence: Paris Illustrator’s ethnicity: Italian Illustrator’s residence: Paris Awards: A New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book 2017 Subjects: Forest, Imagination and play, Parents, Rain and rainfall, Technology, Video games

Three Balls Of Wool (Can Change The World)

Leave a reply

 

Narrated by an eight-year-old child, a family moves from 1960s Fascist Portugal to Communist Czechoslovakia in search of a better future. But the new country is far from ideal. Graphic designs on pale gray paper capture the darkness of the new city. The buildings are gray boxes and everyone wears monotone, orange, green, or gray sweaters knit in the same pattern. The mother unravels the sweaters and mixes the colors and stitches, knitting different bold checks, zigzags, and stripes. A foreword by Amnesty International gives the history of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Back matter gives the history of Portugal from 1962 to 1974. Maps, as well  as the Universal Declaration Of Human Rights are included.  mjw

Title: Three Balls Of Wool (Can Change The World) Author: Henriqueta Cristina Illustrator: Yaro Kono Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books Copyright: 2017 Translator: Lyn Miller Lachman Original Title: Com 3 Novelos (O Mundo Da Muitas Voltas Original Publisher: Planeta Tangerina, Portugal Original Copyright: 2017 ISBN: 978-1-59270-220-6 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-9 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Portugal, Czechoslovakia Author’s ethnicity: Portuguese Author’s residence: Portugal Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian Illustrator’s residence: Portugal Subjects: Europe, Knitting, Needlecrafts, Refugees