The Yellow Road
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On the last day of sixth grade, all of Nora’s classmates tell about their exciting summer plans – Italy, Croatia, Florida, Denmark, Paris, Portugal, and Spain. Nora lies and tells the class that she is going to the tropics. She keeps the lie growing through social media. The problem is that a new boy, Wilmer, has moved into the neighborhood and finds out that she has not gone to the tropics. Nora and Wilmer secretly build their own “tropics” in an abandoned apartment. By the end of summer, her whole class finds out that she lied, but the resolution is satisfyingly happy. This wonderful middle age story, with short chapters, addresses the struggles of trying to fit in, finding true friends, and different social classes. mjw |
| Title: Our Own Little Paradise Author: Marianne Kaurin Publisher: Arctis Books. Stamford, CT, USA Copyright: 2022 Original Language: Norwegian Translator: Olivia Lasky Original Title: Syden Original Publisher: H. Aschehoug and Co. (W. Nygaard) AS Original Copyright: 2018 ISBN: 978-1-64690-018-3 Hardcover pages: 300 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction, Novel Book setting: Norway Author’s ethnicity: Norwegian Author’s residence: Oslo. Norway Translator’s ethnicity: US Translator’s residence: Oslo, Norway Awards: 2021 German Youth Literature Prize Subjects: First love, Holidays, Lies, Peer pressure, Relationships, Social media, Summer, Vacations |
Yellow canaries sing melodies to the silver miners in the Harz Mountains in Germany. Today, a bird dealer has come to put the canaries into individual wooden cages and take them on a voyage by train and then by steamship across the Atlantic Ocean to bustling New York City. Beautiful mixed media illustrations enhance this fascinating story about the little-known history of the canaries and their lovely melodies. Back matter includes notes on the history of canaries and the ways they were used and transported by humans in the 1800s. In the year 1882 alone, 120,000 canaries were shipped to New York City. A map of their journey is featured on the book’s endpapers. mjw |
| Title: 189 Canaries Author: Dieter Boge Illustrator: Elsa Klever Publisher: Eerdmans Book for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan Copyright: 2021 Original Language: German Translator: Laura Watkinson Original Title: 189 Original Publisher: Aladin Verlag, an imprint of Thienemann-Esslinger. Stuttgart Original Copyright: 2020 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5574-9 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 6-10 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Germany and United States Author’s ethnicity: German Author’s residence: Germany Illustrator’s ethnicity: German Illustrator’s residence: Germany Awards: 2022 USBBY Outstanding International Books List. Author has won the German Youth Literature Prize and has been included in the White Ravens Catalog Subjects: Birds, Canaries, Harz Mountains, Home, Miners, Voyages |
German eighth grader, Mike Klingenberg, is a boring kid with no friends. He is left alone for two weeks while his mother is in rehab and his father is away on a “business trip” with his attractive secretary. Andrej Tschichatschow, aka Tschick, is a Russian immigrant, the new kid in school, and also not popular. When Tschick shows up in a stolen beat-up Soviet-era car, the boys head out of Berlin on a road trip adventure across Germany. They have no map, no cell phone, and no plan. They meet some bizarre characters, dodge the police, and travel the autobahn. This is an insightful, exuberant, and highly engaging coming of age novel. mjw |
| Title: Why We Took The Car Author: Wolfgang Herrndorf Illustrator: Wolfgang Herrndorf Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc., New York Copyright: 2014 Original language: German Translator: Tim Mohr Original title: Tschick Original publisher: Rowohlt Verlag Original copyright: 2010 ISBN: 978-0-545-48180-9 Hardcover pages: 256 Age range: 14-17 Genre: Contemporary realistic fiction Book setting: Germany Author’s residence: Germany Awards: German Youth Literature Prize Subjects: Adventure, Automobile theft, Berlin, Cars, Friends, Germany, Russians, Western Europe |
Rico is “a child proddity,” not prodigy, because his brain works like a “drum full of bingo balls.” He is also directionally challenged. His wondering about a single strand of spaghetti on the sidewalk outside his Berlin apartment leads him to Oscar, who is a true child prodigy. Oscar has a high IQ, a lot of anxieties, and he always wears a blue motorcycle helmet to protect his brain. When Oscar is kidnapped, Rico sets out to find his friend and catch the serial kidnapper know as Mr. 2000. This short novel with compelling characters is thoughtful and fun. mjw |
| Title: The Spaghetti Detectives Author: Andreas Steinhofel Publisher: Chicken House, an imprint of Scholastic Inc. Copyright: 2011 Original language: German Translator: Chantal Wright Original title: Rico, Oskar und die Tieferschatten Original publisher: Carlsen Verlag Gmb H, Hamburg Original copyright: 2008 ISBN: 978-0-545-28975-7 Hardcover pages: 176 Age range: 8-14 Genre: Fiction Book setting: Berlin, Germany Author’s residence: Germany Awards: 2009 German Youth Literature Prize, 2011 Marsh Award for Translation shortlist Subjects: Apartment houses, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Berlin, Europe, Germany, Mystery and detective stories, Single parent families, Western Europe |
Death, a cute, robe-clad skull figure bearing a deep red tulip, comes to visit Duck in this quiet and strange picture book. They develop an unusual, but beautiful friendship. At the pond, Death gets chilled, and Duck comforts him. They climb a tree. Duck wonders about dying and the afterlife. She is not afraid. In the end, Duck dies and Death gently lays the tulip on her. Surrealistic mixed-media artwork and deadpan humor extend the tender treatment of this difficult topic. mjw |
| Title: Duck, Death And The Tulip Author: Wolf Erlbruch Illustrator: Wolf Erlbruch Publisher: Gecko Press Copyright: 2011 Original language: German Translator: Catherine Chidgey Original title: Ente, Tod und Tulpe Original publisher: Verlag Antje Kunstmann Gmb H, Munchen Original copyright: 2007 ISBN: 978-1-877579-02-8 Hardcover pages: 36 Age range: 6-8 Genre: Picture book Author’s residence: Germany Awards: 2008 German Youth Literature Prize Nomination, Illustrator has won 2006 Hans Christian Andersen a Award and the 2017 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Subjects: Death, Ducks, Western Europe |