Author Archives: omnilibros

Book Uncle And Me

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Since energetic Yasmin turned eight, she vowed, “to read one book everyday. Every single day, forever.” She’s already up to more than 400, thanks to Book Uncle’s street-corner lending library. His street sign invites “Books. Free. Give One. Take one. Read-read-read.” Book Uncle is a retired teacher who always has the “right book for the right person for the right day.” When an order from the mayor threatens to have the lending library shut down and a mayoral election is on the horizon, Yasmin convinces all her friends, family, and neighbors to write letters to the mayoral candidates. Her campaign succeeds in making the voices of her community heard and Book Uncle is allowed to re-open his library. This universal story about the power of reading and grassroots activism offers insights into Indian culture and daily life, including the istri lady, who irons for customers, and descriptions of tasty coconut puttu. Expressive pencil drawings are sprinkled throughout the text. mjw

Title: Book Uncle And Me Author: Uma Krishnaswami Illustrator: Julianna Swaney Publisher: Groundwood Books.  House of Anansi Press. Toronto Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Scholastic India, Pvt. Ltd. Original Copyright: 2012 ISBN: 978-1-55498-808-2 Hardcover pages: 96 Age range: 7-10 Genre: Fiction Book setting: India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: Victoria, British Columbia Illustrator’s residence: Portland, Oregon Awards: Scholastic Asian Book Award Subjects: Books, Community activism Elections, Karate, Libraries, Mayors, People and places – Asia

Dragonfly Kites/Pimithaagansa

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Two young Cree brothers, Joe and Cody, are spending the summer with their made-up toys, like stick friends and stone children. They find a wild baby Arctic tern, squirrels, rabbits, and chipmunks, and they make up names for everything, even the ants. Their favorite activity is flying dragonfly kites. They make them by catching dragonflies and tying thread around the middle of each dragonfly before letting it go. They then chase their dragonfly kites. At night, when they go to bed, they dream of the dragonflies. The creative, clear, and delicate collage illustrations are influenced by Cree artists. The book is written in English and Cree and is the second book in the Magical Songs of the North Wind trilogy. mjw

Title: Dragonfly Kites/Pimithaagansa Author: Tomson Highway Illustrator: Julie Flett Publisher: Fifth House Publishers, Canada Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English/Cree Translator: Tomson Highway Original publisher:  Harper Collins Original Copyright: 2002 ISBN: 978-1-897252-63-5 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 6-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Manitoba Author’s ethnicity: Born in Manitoba, Canadian, Aboriginal Author’s residence: Ontario Illustrator’s ethnicity: Cree-Metis ancestry Illustrator’s residence: Vancouver, BC Awards: Illustrator has won the first PMC Aboriginal Literature Award in 2014 Subjects: Bilingual books, Canada, Cree children, Dragonflies, Dreams, Kites, Siblings, Sleep

The Bear Who Wasn’t There: And The Fabulous Forest

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A very positive bear, who is nice and handsome, too, sets out on a journey to find himself. With the help of Turtle Taxi, he travels through the Fabulous Forest that has eight directions – north, south, east, west, breakfast, lunch, right, and wrong. He meets Convenience Cow, Lazy Lizard, and Penultimate Penguin. In the end, he finds that he himself is just what he has been looking for all along. The musical wordplay and unusual illustrations in this absurd, clever, and philosophical story will remind readers of Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, and The Wizard of Oz. mjw

Title: The Bear Who Wasn’t There: And The Fabulous Forest Author: Oren Lavie Illustrator: Wolf Erlbruch Publisher: Black Sheep/Akashic Books Copyright: 2016 Original Language: German Original Title: Der Bar Der Nicht da War Original Publisher: Verlag Antje Kunstmann GmbH Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-1-61775-490-6 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-10 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Born in Tel Aviv Author’s residence: Tel Aviv Illustrator’s ethnicity: German Illustrator’s residence: Germany Awards: Illustrator has won the German Children’s Book Prize,  the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, and the 2017 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Subjects: Bears, Identity, Nature

Drawing From The City

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Thirteen-year-old Tejubehan lives with her lower caste family, in poverty, in western India. Her father works in fields and sings for a living. Teju dreams of traveling to unknown places.   At age 16, her parents find her a husband with kind eyes, who is also a singer. He encourages her to sing, too. They move to Mumbai, where they meet an artist who inspires them to draw. Drawing is like magic for Teju and she loses herself in her rich imagination. Teju’s exquisite, intricate black ink drawings tell her autobiographical story. This oversize format, fine art book includes photos of Tejubehan and her husband Ganeshbhai Jogi and a note about the story. It is silk-screen printed and bound by hand on handmade paper. mjw

Title: Drawing From The City Author: Based on the oral stories of Tejubehan.  Tamil text by Saalai Selvam Illustrator: Tejubehan Publisher: Tara Books Pvt. Ltd Copyright: 2012 Original Language: Tamil Translator: V. Geetha and Gita Wolf ISBN: 978-93-80340-17-3 Hardcover pages: 28 Age range: 10-13 Genre: Picture Book Biography Book setting: India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: India Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s residence: India Subjects: Ahmadabad, Biography, Drawing, Folk art, Music, Singers, Women artists

One

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Sixteen-year-old Tippi and Grace are conjoined twins. They were homeschooled all their lives, but the funding was pulled and now they attend Hornbeacon private school. They manage to make friends in Yasmeen and Jon. The girls have their own personalities, yet they obviously share a special closeness and love. They begin to have health issues and are faced with the toughest decision of their lives. Grace narrates their fascinating and powerful story, which is told in verse. An author’s note gives information about conjoined twins. mjw

Title: One Author: Sarah Crossan Publisher: Greenwillow Books, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers Copyright: 2015 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Bloomsbury  ISBN: 978-0-06-211875-2 Hardcover pages: 400 Age range: 14 up Genre: Fiction, Novel in verse Book setting: U.S. Author’s ethnicity: Originally from Dublin Author’s residence: London Awards: 2016 CLIP Carnegie Medal Subjects: Conjoined twins. Emotions and feelings, Family problems, High school, Sisters, Special needs, Twins

Are You An Echo? The Lost Poetry Of Misuzu Kaneko

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Misuzu was born in a Japanese fishing village in 1903. She loved school and books and, unlike most girls, got to stay in school until she was seventeen. Her mother managed a bookstore, where Misuzu spent many hours. Young Misuzu wrote poetry and quickly became a successful children’s writer. She wrote about stars, snow, fish, silkworms on mulberry leaves, dandelions, and all the world. An author’s note and a translator’s note provide more information and tell that her work was nearly forgotten. This meticulously researched picture book, with lovely paintings of early 20th century Japanese life, features Misuzu’s heart-breaking story and a collection of her poetry in English and the original Japanese. mjw

Title: Are You An Echo?  The Lost Poetry Of Misuzu Kaneko Author: Misuzu Kaneko (1903-1930), David Jacobson Illustrator: Toshikado Hajiri Publisher: Chin Music Press,  Seattle, Washington Copyright: 20116 Original Language: Japanese Translator: Sally Ito and Michiko Tsuboi Original Copyright: 1923-1928 ISBN: 978-1-634059626 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 9-14 Genre: Poetry, Picture Book Biography Book setting: Japan Author’s ethnicity: Japanese Author’s residence: Kaneko lived in Japan Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese Illustrator’s residence: Japan Subjects: Authors, Fishes, Haiku, Japanese Poets

Written And Drawn By Henrietta

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Henrietta receives a box of colored pencils from her mom and decides to write and illustrate a book, entitled “The Monster with Three Heads and Two Hats.” Her cat, Fellini, often inspires her. She thinks aloud, deals with writer’s block, creates her finished product, and sets off to find a publisher. The playful cartoon drawings are rendered in ink, watercolor, and colored pencil. This celebration of the creative process will inspire kids to draw their own comics. mjw

Title: Written And Drawn By Henrietta Author: Liniers (Ricardo Liniers) Illustrator: Liniers (Ricardo Liniers) Publisher: Toon Books, an imprint of RAW, Junior LLC Copyright: 2015 Original Language: Spanish Translator: Liniers Original Title: Escrito y Dibujado por Enriqueta Original Publisher: Toon Books Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-1-935179-90-0 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture Book, Graphic Novel Author’s ethnicity: Argentine Author’s residence: Argentina Illustrator’s ethnicity: Argentine Illustrator’s residence: Argentina Awards: 2016 Batchelder Honor Subjects: Art, Books, Comic strips, Creativity, Determination, Imagination, Reading

Finders Keepers? A True Story In India

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This introduction to the traditions, daily life, and culture of India takes readers on a bus journey through the Rajasthan countryside. The narrator describes how, when he lost his wallet, a young boy returned it and refused to accept a reward for his honesty. Terms like chapatis, saris, torans, and more are smoothly integrated into the text. A map sets the scene for the journey. Back matter includes a glossary, pronunciations, Indian facts, character building questions, and a craft activity to make a paper toran. The book is available in a Spanish edition, Es Mio? mjw

Title: Finders Keepers? A True Story In India Author: Robert Arnett Illustrator: Smita Turakhia Publisher: Atman Press Copyright: 2013 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-96529008-1 Hardcover pages: 34 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: India Author’s ethnicity: U.S. Author’s residence: Columbus, Georgia.  U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: born in Mumbai, India Illustrator’s residence: Texas Subjects: Character building, Culture, Hinduism, Religion, Values

Sea Change

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Twelve-year-old Eliot Dionisi’s parents send him to Point Aconi in Nova Scotia for the summer. He is not looking forward to spending time with his wrinkly old relatives who smell like fish. At first, it is not easy for him to fit in. He is pushed out of his comfort zone. But as the summer wears on, Eliot learns to fish, swim, and eat lobster. He discovers his great grandmother’s library, picks blueberries, enjoys a clambake, and even has his first kiss. He makes friends, deals with the local bully, and helps Mary Beth, his crush, with a secret. This warm and funny coming-of-age story is illustrated with artwork drawn in pencil and India ink and colored digitally. Some of the text is also transformed into unconventional illustrations. mjw

Title: Sea Change Author: Frank Viva Illustrator: Frank Viva Publisher: Tundra Books, a division of Random House of Canada Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-101-91852-4 Hardcover pages: 120 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction, Graphic Novel Book setting: Point Aconi, Nova Scotia Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Toronto Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Toronto Subjects: Abuse, Canada, Coming of age, Fishing, Growing up, Multigenerational, Nova Scotia, Summer

The New Teacher

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Miss Charlotte, the new teacher, is not like the others. She talks to a rock, has the class measure the room with cooked spaghetti, and tells captivating stories about a gorilla. Her students are convinced that she is crazy, but she makes learning fun and inspires them to think. However, not everyone approves of her methods. This modern-day Mary Poppins story is illustrated with quirky line drawings by Tony Ross. This is the first book in the Mademoiselle Charlotte series, which recounts the misadventures of the eccentric Mademoiselle in a variety of professions. mjw

Title: The New Teacher Author: Dominique Demers Illustrator: Tony Ross Publisher: Alma Books, Ltd. Copyright: 2016 Original Language: French Translator: Sander Berg Original Title: La Nouvelle Maitress Original Publisher: Editiones Quebec Amérique Original Copyright: 1994 ISBN: 978-1-84688-399-6 Paperback pages: 78 Age range: 7-9 Genre: Fiction Author’s ethnicity: French Canadian Author’s residence: Montreal Illustrator’s ethnicity: British Illustrator’s residence: England Awards: Illustrator was a 2004 Hans Christian Andersen nominee, 1968 Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis Subjects: Schools, Teachers

Chirri And Chirra

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Two young identical twin girls go on a bicycle ride through the natural world. They stop at the forest café for acorn coffee and clover blossom tea. Their next stop is the forest bakery, where they meet a bear and a rabbit, and have mulberry and strawberry jam sandwiches on honey bread and walnut bread. After lunch, they play in a nearby pond and nap under a big tree. Then, they move on to the forest hotel, where there is a concert with all the animals singing. “What a wonderful night in the forest!” Lively, adorable, and sweet colored pencil, pastel, and crayon illustrations look like mid-20th century lithographs. mjw

Title: Chirri And Chirra Author: Kaya Doi Illustrator: Kaya Doi Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books, New York Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Japanese Translator: Yuki Kaneko Original Publisher: Arranged with Alice-Kan, Inc. ISBN: 978-1-59270-199-5 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 3-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Japanese Author’s residence: Japan Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese Illustrator’s residence: Japan Subjects: Bicycle rides, Forest, Music

The Emergency Zoo

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It is the week before World War II in 1939 in England, and twelve-year-olds Rosy and Tilly try to outwit their families and the authorities by hiding their pets in a run-down hut in the woods. Other children bring their pets – rabbits, guinea pigs, cats, dogs, and more, and the emergency zoo grows to be a real challenge for the girls. An added problem is that all the children are about to be evacuated to the countryside for safety. The story is inspired by the unspeakable and little known episode in British history when pets were to be destroyed because it was believed that the animals could not cope with bombs and gas and that, with rationing, there would not be enough food for them. Told from the viewpoint of children, this is a moving novel about courage, resourcefulness, and animal welfare. An author’s note gives historical background and explains that organizations such as the Dumb Animal League tried to save as many pets as possible. It is estimated that around 750,000 pets were destroyed in Britain. mjw

Title: The Emergency Zoo Author: Miriam Halahmy Publisher: Alma Books.  Surry, U.K. Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-84688-397-2 Paperback pages: 254 Age range: 12 up Genre: Historical fiction Book setting: England Author’s residence: London, England Subjects: England, Evacuation, Pets, World War II, Zoo animals