Author Archives: omnilibros

About omnilibros

Professor of Education Carthage College Kenosha, WI PhD. Children's Literature

Apple And Rain

Thirteen-year-old Apollinia Apostolopoulou (Apple) has lived with her strict grandmother since her flighty mother went off to America to be a Broadway actress eleven years ago. Her grandmother makes her go to church on Sundays, won’t let her hang out with her girlfriends, and is too watchful. Apple craves the return of her mother and when she returns, Apple eagerly chooses to live with her. But things aren’t as Apple expects. Her mother does not have a job, is not responsible, and has another ten-year-old daughter, Rain, who has her own set of problems. Rain carries around a doll, which she believes is real and can’t take care of herself. Apple is reduced to being Rain’s babysitter and maid. Del, the boy next door, is a wonderful character who is sweet, smart, geeky, and adds humor to the book. Mr. Gaydon, Apple’s teacher, helps Apple by encouraging her to see poetry and writing as a creative outlet. This quick read about forgiveness, complicated relationships, and Apple’s growth and change is heartbreaking, emotionally intense, but honest. mjw

Title: Apple And Rain
Author: Sarah Crossan
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-4088-5306-1
Hardcover pages: 332
Age range: 12 up
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Book setting: England
Author’s ethnicity: Grew up in Dublin and London
Author’s residence: Hertfordshire, England
Awards: 2015 Carnegie Medal Nominee
Subjects: Coming of age, Dysfunctional families, Family problems, Mothers and daughters, Poetry, Sisters

Alpha

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Alpha, Bravo, Charlie . . . The NATO phonetic alphabetic was adopted in 1956 and is used by various emergency services, including firefighters, police, the military, and the Red Cross, as a way to communicate clearly and precisely in urgent situations. Each spread features a colorful watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustration on the right and the word printed in large block letters on a white page on the left. The illustrations are quite sophisticated in this nontraditional ABC book. A black derby represents “Charlie” (Charlie Chaplin). A red plastic Monopoly piece defines “hotel.” O portrays a beautiful evening gown (Oscar de la Renta). A note at the back of the book gives more information about the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet and suggests that the images will invite imagination and interpretation. mjw

Title: Alpha
Author: Isabelle Arsenault
Illustrator: Isabelle Arsenault
Publisher: Candlewick Press, Somerville, Massachusetts
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: French, NATO phonetic alphabet
Original Publisher: Les Editions de la Pasteque
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7852-4
Hardcover pages: 64
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Picture Book, ABC Book
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: Montreal
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian
Illustrator’s residence: Montreal
Awards: Author/illustrator has won the Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature three times
Subjects: Alphabet, ICAO alphabet code

Sadako’s Cranes

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The true story of Sadako is told through the eyes of her cat in this beautifully illustrated tribute to hope and peace. Sadako Sasaki was two and a half when the atomic bomb “Little Boy” was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. She survived and seemed healthy until ten years later, when she was diagnosed with leukemia, a result of radiation from the bomb. Her brother told her of an old Japanese legend that says that a person who folds 1000 paper cranes would be granted a wish. She began folding cranes, but died before finishing her task. The digitally processed colored pencil drawings are decorated with images of brightly patterned Origami cranes. Back matter provides more information about Sadako and a website with directions for folding a paper crane. mjw

Title: Sadako’s Cranes
Author: Judith Loske
Illustrator: Judith Loske
Publisher: Michael Neugebauer Publishing Ltd.
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: German
Translator: Kate Westerlund
Original Title: Sadako’s Kraniche
Original Publisher: Minedition
Original Copyright: 2011
ISBN: 978-988-8341-00-9
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 6-8
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Hiroshima, Japan
Author’s ethnicity: German
Author’s residence: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s residence: Germany
Subjects: Asia, Death, Girls, Leukemia-patients, Origami, Sadako Sasaki (1943-1955), World War II

Child Soldier: When Boys And Girls Are Used In War

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At age five, in 1993, Michel Chikwanine was kidnapped from his schoolyard soccer game in the Democratic Republic of Congo and forced to become a child soldier for a brutal rebel militia. He managed to escape, find his family, and emigrate to Canada at age eleven, where his teacher encouraged him to share what happened to him in order to raise awareness about child soldiers around the world. He has since traveled to 35 African countries and become an activist. The story is told in first person in graphic novel format, with earthy-tone illustrations that are gentle and child-friendly. A map and a bit of history help readers understand Michel’s experience. This true story concludes with a photograph and more information about Michel, facts about child soldiers, what is being done to help, and a list of primary sources for further research. This book is part of the CitizenKid series of books that inform children about the world and inspire them to make a difference locally and globally. mjw

Title: Child Soldier: When Boys And Girls Are Used In War
Author: Jessica Dee Humphreys and Michel Chikwanine
Illustrator: Claudia Davila
Publisher: CitizenKid, Kids Can Press Ltd.
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-77138-126-0
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 8-14
Genre: Information Book, Nonfiction, Graphic Novel
Book setting: Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa
Author’s ethnicity: Chikwanine – Born in Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa
Author’s residence: Chikwanine – Toronto, Canada. Humphrey – Toronto, Canada
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Chile
Illustrator’s residence: Toronto, Canada
Subjects: Autobiography, Children and war, Comic books, Conflict and change, Global awareness, Social justice.

Imaginary Fred

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Fred is the best imaginary friend for a boy named Sam. They act in plays, read, look at the clouds, imagine, figure out how the toilet works, and pretend they are French. Everything is fine until Sam meets a “real friend” named Sammi. Sammi has her own imaginary friend named Frieda. But the imaginary friends do not fade away when real friendships are found. The power of friendship is stronger than Fred had imagined. Fred’s shape is made of digital, blue dots with no outline. He floats “like a feather in the wind.” Sam and real objects are made of quirky line drawings. This engaging picture book is a perfect collaboration between two master book creators. mjw

Title: Imaginary Fred
Author: Eoin Colfer
Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers
Publisher: Harper Collins Children’s Books
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-06-237955-9
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Irish
Author’s residence: Ireland
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Originally from Northern Ireland
Illustrator’s residence: New York
Awards: 2105 Specsavers Ireland Children’s Book of the Year Junior Award
Subjects: Emotions and feelings, Friendship, Imaginary companions, Imaginary playmates, Social skills

A Prayer For World Peace

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Jane Goodall, world-renowned anthropologist and conservationist, speaks out against greed, slave labor, animal abuse, bullying and torture, harm to the natural world, and more in this “family book” for adults to read along with their children. She asks for generosity to the living world and justice for all humankind in this nondenominational prayer for peace and equality. Beautiful double-page spreads of birds, animals, flowers, and humans are set on glowing, mysterious abstract patterns. Back matter includes a message from Jane Goodall as the UN Ambassador of Peace, notes about the Jane Goodall Institute and her Roots and Shoots organization, and a biography of the illustrator. mjw

Title: A Prayer For World Peace
Author: Jane Goodall
Illustrator: Feeroozeh Golmohammadi
Publisher: Michael Neugebauer Publishing, Minedition
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-988-8240-49-4
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 7 up
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: British
Author’s residence: England
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Iranian
Illustrator’s residence: Tehran, Iran
Subjects: Hope, Justice, Peace, Prayers, Values

You Can’t See The Elephants

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Thirteen-year-old Mascha is bored living with her grandparents for the summer in their quiet, small town. She meets siblings, Max, 7, and Julia, 9, who are withdrawn and shy and covered with bruises. Mascha suspects that their father is physically abusing them and when the adults don’t listen, she takes matters into her own hands. She makes some unusual choices, kidnaps the children, and locks them in an abandoned farmhouse in a nearby field. Mascha is brave, helpless, and desperate, and she wants to do the right thing, but her actions bring unintended consequences for everyone. This disturbing, heartbreaking, and straightforward novel about child abuse is discussion provoking mjw

Title: You Can’t See The Elephants
Author: Susan Kreller
Publisher: G.P.Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, USA
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: German
Translator: Elizabeth Gaffney
Original Title: Elefanten sieht man nicht
Original Publisher: Carlsen Verlag Gmb H
Original Copyright: 2012
ISBN: 978-0-399-17209-0
Hardcover pages: 192
Age range: 10 up
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: The translator set the book in the USA
Author’s ethnicity: German
Author’s residence: Germany
Awards: Author has been nominated for the German Youth Literature prize twice and has won the Kranichsteiner Literary Prize
Subjects: Abuse, Brothers and sisters, Child abuse, Dysfunctional relationships, Grandparents, Siblings

The Snowman’s Wish

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The other toys made fun of the snowman who has been living in his little snow globe on the bottom shelf of the playroom toy case forever. “It hadn’t snowed in his globe for ages, his music was out of tune, and nobody had played with him for such a long time, he was beginning to gather dust.” The snowman was very sad. Then, one winter’s night, sweet music filled the air. The snowman’s wish to see who was singing was granted by the golden angel on the top of the mantelpiece clock. He was given one hour outside of his snow globe to dance with the beautiful little music box dancer in a pink tutu. She was the one who was singing! In the end, the angel grants the dancer her wish and the two dance together forever inside the snow globe. This sweet, holiday love story is adorned with soft watercolor and ink illustrations of the secret lives of the toys. mjw

Title: The Snowman’s Wish
Author: Harmen van Straaten
Illustrator: Harmen van Straaten
Publisher: NorthSouth Books Inc. New York
Copyright: 2013
Original Language: Dutch
Translator: Andrew Rushton
Original Title: Ik wil voor altijd bij je zijn
Original Publisher: Leopold Publishing in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Original Copyright: 2012
ISBN: 978- 0-7358-4144-4
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book, Fairy Tale
Author’s ethnicity: Dutch
Author’s residence: Amsterdam
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Dutch
Illustrator’s residence: Amsterdam
Subjects: Ballerinas, Dancers, Music boxes, Snow globes, Snowmen, Toys, Wishes

The Never Snowy Christmas

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A young boy living in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands wishes for snow on his island and comes up with ingenious and impetuous ways to get it. He asks a policeman. He saves his money to buy a snow maker he saw in an electronics magazine. He has a friend in Belgium send some snow. And he even puts flour in the freezer and then throws it in the air, only to get “grounded until he’s old.” Cartoon-like illustrations showing US Virgin Islands architecture and landscapes accompany the rhyming text. A note about the US Virgin Islands and information about the story and author are included. mjw

Title: The Never Snowy Christmas
Author: Zenzi Hodge
Illustrator: Jonathan Brown
Publisher: Sandscript Publishing, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-9905662-8-1
Hardcover pages: 36
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Author’s ethnicity: Born in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Author’s residence: St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Illustrator’s residence: Utah, USA
Subjects: Christmas, Dreams, Snow, Tropics

The Message Of The Birds

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The wise owl begins telling the Christmas story, with its message of peace, to a gathering of birds. The young robin asks why the birds don’t sing the story anymore and the partridge explains that people don’t listen. When the lark offers that perhaps people don’t understand the language, the inventive robin suggests that children listen with their hearts and they understand. And so, the birds fly far and wide singing the song of peace. The tale is not a traditional Christmas book. It is a universal story of peace that brings people together. The book ends with “Let there be peace. Peace on Earth!” and the word peace in over 60 different languages. The rich, soft, and realistic watercolor illustrations in wintry colors awaken warm emotions in readers and complement the text beautifully. mjw

Title: The Message Of The Birds
Author: Kate Westerlund
Illustrator: Feridun Oral
Publisher: Michael Neugebauer Publishing Ltd. Minedition
Copyright: 2014 North American edition
Original Language: German, French
Original Title: Doe Botschaft der Vogel, Le Message des Oiseaux
Original Copyright: 2011
ISBN: 978-988-8240-55-5
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 3-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Born in Florida, USA
Author’s residence: Salzburg, Austria
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Turkish
Illustrator’s residence: Istanbul, Turkey
Subjects: Birds, Christmas stories, Peace

The Nest

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Anxious, OCD-ridden, pre-adolescent Steve has a new baby brother who has congenital health problems. The baby needs surgery and may never be completely normal. Steve’s parents are pre-occupied with the baby and Steve starts to have dreams and nightmares with angels/wasps who promise that they can grow a new, healthy baby to replace his sickly newborn brother. And at the same time, a wasps’ nest is rapidly growing outside the baby’s bedroom window. Scientific information about wasps is woven into Steve’s first-person perspective. Black and white graphite drawings add to the mood of this very intense, intriguing, and scary story that will appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman mjw

Title: The Nest
Author: Kenneth Oppel
Illustrator: John Klassen
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-4814-3232-0
Hardcover pages: 256
Age range: 10 up
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Canada (Toronto)
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: Toronto, Canada
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian
Illustrator’s residence: Los Angeles, California, USA
Awards: Author has won the Canadian Governor General’s Literary Award. Illustrator has won the Caldecott Medal
Subjects: Babies, Changelings, Ghost stories, Horror stories, Infants, Paranormal fiction, Special needs, Supernatural, Wasps

When The Earth Lost Its Shapes

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One day, the Earth loses all of its shapes and nobody knows how or why they have gone. Triangles, rectangles, ovals, circles, and squares have all disappeared. Maybe it was a thief or giant aliens? Vibrant acrylic artwork shows eggs that are scrambled, oranges that are squeezed, sandwiches that are squished, and kites that look windswept. The only shape left is a little dot. She declares that she must do something and teams up with the other dots to save the world from shapeless confusion. Soon, everything is shipshape once again. The author is Co-founder and Publishing Director of Karadi Tales Company, an independent children’s publisher in Chennai. mjw

Title: When The Earth Lost Its Shapes
Author: Shobha Viswanath
Illustrator: Christine Kastl
Publisher: Karadi Tales Company Pvt. Ltd. Chennai, India
Copyright: 2011
Original Language: English
Original Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-81-8190-192-7
Paperback pages: 36
Age range: 3 up
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Author’s residence: Chennai, India
Illustrator’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s residence: Germany, France, and India
Subjects: Environment, Size and shape