Category Archives: Hans Christian Andersen

Big Gorilla: A Book Of Opposites

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This brief, oversized concept book teaches young readers about opposites. What’s the opposite of alone? Together. What’s the opposite of old? Young. Anthony Browne’s delightful depictions of different kinds of primates, with their intriguingly detailed facial expressions, will educate and entertain. The surreal primate portraits were rendered in watercolor and gouache. mjw

Title: Big Gorilla: A Book Of Opposites Author: Anthony Browne Illustrator: Anthony Browne Publisher: Candlewick Press Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Walker Books Ltd. UK  Original Copyright: 2024 ISBN: 978- 1-5362-3569-2 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-5 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: England Awards: 2000 Hans Christian Andersen Award Subjects: Apes, Concepts, Gorillas, Monkeys, Opposites, Primates

Puppet

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The aging English puppeteer Silvester creates one last puppet, named Puppet.  Puppet is different because he can talk and move on his own. Silvester takes Puppet to show him the wonders of the big wide world – reading books, love, growing up, music, play-acting, and much more. They meet new friends, Fleur and her mother, and they share Silvester’s puppet-making skills with the next generation. This is a heartwarming story about creativity, imagination, and the circle of life. The language is rich and warm. This beautiful tale, inspired by Pinocchio, is illustrated with quirky black-and-white drawings. mjw

Title: Puppet Author: David Almond Illustrator: Lizzy Stewart Publisher: Candlewick Press. Somerville, Massachusetts Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Walker Books Ltd. UK Original Copyright: 2024 ISBN: 978-1-5362-3917-1 Hardcover pages: 240 Age range: 8 up Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Book setting: England Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: London Awards: Hans Christian Andersen Award, Carnegie Medal, Printz Medal Subjects: Circle of life, Community, Creativity, Death, Imagination, Magic, Old age, Play, Puppetmasters, Puppets, Storytelling, Trust

Umbrella Over Berlin

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An umbrella goes to Berlin on holiday with its owner, Ed, but is left in the hotel because every day, the weather is sunny and warm. Ed visits the Brandenburg Gate, what’s left of the Berlin Wall. and the Holocaust Memorial. On the last day of the holiday, the umbrella rolls off the windowsill, pops open, and floats outside. The umbrella flies over all the sights Ed had talked about. It also flies over the Berlin Zoo, Central Square, and the Reichstag building. Later at the hotel, Ed and his umbrella are reunited and Ed says, “Well old sport, I guess you got to see Berlin after all!” The expressionistic paintings in mostly earth tones round out this fun story. mjw

Title: Umbrella Over Berlin Author: Cao Wenxuan Illustrator: Pan Jian and Pan Ying Publisher: Cardinal Media. Chicago, Illinois Copyright: 2021 Original Language: Chinese Original Copyright: 2012 ISBN: 978-1-64996-171-6 Hardcover pages: 22 Age range: 5-9 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Berlin Author’s ethnicity: Chinese Author’s residence: China Illustrator’s ethnicity: Chinese Illustrator’s residence: China Awards: The author won the 2016 Hans Christian Andersen Award Subjects: Berlin, Sightseeing, Travel, Umbrellas

Imagine!: Rhymes Of Hope To Shout Together

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Twenty-four thoughtful musical poems about a better world and future are illustrated with colorful, vibrant collages. Dreams of peace, harmony between nations, healing the planet, school friendships, and more are included in this manifesto of hope. Each spread contains four lines beginning with “if only” and ending with the call “Imagine!” Some rhyme; Some do not. The illustrated children are joyful and diverse. This is the first of Andersen Award Winner Tognolini’s works to appear in English. mjw

Title: Imagine!: Rhymes Of Hope To Shout Together Author: Bruno Tognolini Illustrator: Guila Orecchia Publisher: Red Comet Press, LLC. Brooklyn, NY Copyright: 2022 Original Language: Italian Translator: Denise Muir Original Title: Magari!: Rimi dei desideria da strillare insieme Original Publisher: Camelozampa Original Copyright: 2021 ISBN: 978-1-63655-014-5 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture book, Poetry Author’s ethnicity: Italian Author’s residence: Bologna Illustrator’s ethnicity: Italian Illustrator’s residence: Milan Awards: Tognolini has won the Hans Christian Andersen Award (2007) Subjects: Activity, Emotions, Feelings, Hope, Imagination, Poetry

Dragonfly Eyes

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This moving work of historical fiction spans over 50 years and three generations of a family. It starts in France in the 1920s and ends during the time of the 1960s Chinese Cultural Revolution in Shanghai. Young teen Ah Mei is close to her French grandmother. They even look alike. But in 1960s Shanghai, people are suspicious of their European heritage and looks, and of the grandmother’s interracial marriage. Maintaining the family’s silk business becomes difficult and the government takes the business away from them. They are left with very little, but there is still a way to live with grace and love and hope. The writing is beautiful, emotional, and very descriptive in this story of the importance of family bonds. mjw

Title: Dragonfly Eyes Author: Cao Wenxuan Publisher: Candlewick Press Copyright: 2022 Original Language: Chinese Translator: Helen Wang Original Publisher: First published in English by Walker Books Ltd. (UK)  2021 Original Copyright: 2016 ISBN: 978-1-5362-0018-8 Hardcover pages: 384 Age range: 9-12 Genre: Historical Fiction, Novel Book setting: France and Shanghai Author’s ethnicity: Chinese Author’s residence: Peking Awards: Author is the winner of the 2016 Hans Christian Andersen Award. 2023 ALA Batchelder Honor Award. Subjects: China, Cultural Revolution, France, Grandmothers, Interracial marriages, Multigenerational, Piano, Racism

Lemon Butterfly

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This abstract and artsy picture book is an amazing picture book because both the author and the illustrator have won the Hans Christian Andersen Award. A lemon butterfly searches for a field of flowers. To a butterfly, a field of flowers is the most beautiful thing in the world. The butterfly searches through real and imagined landscapes until it finally finds the water where it becomes a lemon butterfly fish.  There are many lessons along the way. Most of the illustrations are rendered in vivid colors, with a few being only black and white graphic forms. mjw

Title: Lemon Butterfly Author: Cao Wenxuan Illustrator: Roger Mello Publisher: Reycraft Books. New York Copyright: 2020 Original Language: Chinese Original Publisher: China Children’s Press and Publication Group. China Original Copyright: 2020 ISBN: 978-1-4788-6975-7 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Chinese Author’s residence: China Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian Illustrator’s residence: Brazil Awards: Both author and illustrator have won the Hans Christian Andersen Award Subjects: Butterflies, Fish, Flowers, Horses, Insects, Mountains, Rivers

Hans Christian Andersen: The Journey Of His Life

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Through a magical conversation with a young girl in a horse-drawn carriage, Hans Christian Andersen tells his life story. “The most wonderful fairytale is life itself.” He was a cobbler’s son who left his town in Denmark, with thirteen coins in his pocket, to go to Copenhagen to seek his fortune. He wanted to be an actor or a dancer, but things did not work out for him. What he really enjoyed was writing. A sheet of paper became his stage. He wrote poems, stories, fairytales, and plays. He traveled around the country meeting people who loved the theatre – people like himself. Hans goes on to tell the girl some of his stories, such as The Flying Trunk, Thumbelina, The Princess and the Pea, The Ugly Duckling, Clumsy Hans, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and The Snow Queen. The sumptuous illustrations use graphic novel elements to tell the story. In the illustrations, there are references to well-known authors of children’s books and some famous children’s book characters, like The Little Prince, Pinocchio, and more. An author’s note tells more about Hans Christian Andersen’s life. mjw

Title: Hans Christian Andersen: The Journey Of His Life Author: Heinz Janisch Illustrator: Maja Kastelic Publisher: NorthSouth Books, Inc., New York Copyright: 2020 Original Language: German Translator: David Henry Wilson Original Title: Hans Christian Andersen: Die Reise seines Lebens Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag AG> Zurich, Switzerland Original Copyright: 2020 ISBN: 978-0-7358-4388-2 Hardcover pages: 56 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Biography Book setting: Denmark Author’s ethnicity: Austrian Author’s residence: Vienna Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Slovenia Awards: White Ravens Award – Illustrator, Janisch has won the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award Subjects: Biography, Denmark, European history, Fairytales, Literary biography

The Color Of The Sun

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This story takes place in one day of Davie’s life in Tyneside, his small town home.  He takes off on a journey after what appears to be the murder of a boy he knows.  Half real and half imagined, he meets characters from his town, which has rival gangs,. Davie thinks he knows who the murderer is.  As the story progresses, it gets harder to fathom what is real.  The ending is brilliant and leaves readers feeling positive and hopeful.  The book is beautifully written. mjw

Title: The Color Of The Sun Author: David Almond Publisher: Candlewick Press Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Hachette Children’s Group. U.K. Original Copyright: 2018 ISBN: 978-1-5362-0785-9 Hardcover pages: 224 Age range: 12 up Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Book setting: England Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K. Awards: Hans Christian Andersen Medal, Carnegie Medal Subjects: Adventure, Coming of Age, Death and dying, Violence, Young adult boys

When I Coloured In The World

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A young child gets a box of crayons and an eraser from his mum.  He rubs out bad words and replaces them with good words.  He rubs out desert and writes red roses. He makes roses grow all over the world.  He rubs out darkness and replaces it with yellow light.  Hunger gives way to green wheat, drought to silver rain, war to light blue peace, and much more.  The abstract, colorful drawings complement the poetic text and its positive message. mjw

Title: When I Colored In The World Author: Ahmadreza Ahmadi Illustrator: Ehsan Abdollahi Publisher: Tiny Owl Publishing Ltd. London Copyright: 2015 Original Language: Persian Translator: Azita Rassi Original Publisher: Nazar Publisher. Tehran, Iran Original Copyright: 2010 ISBN: 978-1-910328-07-1 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 5-9 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Iranian Author’s residence: Iran Awards: Iranian Flying Turtle Medal, 2010 Hans Christian Andersen shortlist Subjects: Colors, Crayons, Creativity, Erasers, Imagination, World

Inkling

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Ethan’s dad is a comic artist with writer’s block and Ethan has a graphic novel project at school that is giving him trouble.  When an ink blot from his dad’s sketchbook comes to life, it makes quite an impact on Ethan’s family and friends.  This is a funny and interesting story.  How can an ink blot be such a lovable character? mjw

Title: Inkling Author: Kenneth Oppel Illustrator: Sydney Smith Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-5247-7282-6 Hardcover pages: 256 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Toronto Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Toronto Awards: Both author and illustrator have won the Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature. The illustrator has won the Kate Greenaway Award. Smith has won the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award Subjects: Books, Creativity, Drawing, Humor

Town Is By The Sea

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This first-person narrative portrays a day in the life of a young boy and his family in a seaside-mining town.  He describes his morning – seagulls, a dog barking, and lupines and Queen Anne’s lace along the road.  He acknowledges that at the same time his father is already “deep down under the sea, digging for coal.”  He then describes more of what he sees throughout the rest of his day and his father is still “deep down under the sea, digging for coal.”  At suppertime, his father comes home.  They talk as the sun sets “deep down under the sea where his father digs for coal.” The boy falls asleep thinking that one day, it will be his turn – he is a miner’s son.  The ink, watercolor, and gouache illustrations are exquisite.  An author’s note is included.  mjw

Title: Town Is By The Sea Author: Joanne Schwartz Illustrator: Sydney Smith Publisher: Groundwood Books, House of Anansi Press. Toronto Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English  ISBN: 978-1-55498-871-6 Hardcover pages: 52 Age range: 5-9 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Cape Breton, Nova Scotia Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Toronto Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Toronto Awards: 2018 Kate Greenaway Award. Smith has won the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award Subjects: Canada, City and town life, Coal miners, Country life, Fathers and sons, Sea stories

Feather

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This philosophical picture book is by two Hans Christian Andersen Medal winners. A single feather is blown across the sky. It meets a kingfisher, a cuckoo, a heron, a peacock, and more birds, each one being asked by the feather, “Am I yours?” The feather is either ignored or dismissed, until she gets close to earth, where a mother hen and her chicks discover her. Feather has no courage left to ask the mother hen, but as the hen slowly unfolds her wings, she thinks, perhaps, that she is missing a feather. This profound story is illustrated with striking double-page spreads of the birds. mjw

Title: Feather Author: Cao Wenxuan Illustrator: Roger Mello Publisher: Elsewhere Editions, New York Copyright: 2017 Original Language: Chinese Translator: Chloe Garcia-Roberts Original Publisher: China Children’s Press and Publication Group Original Copyright: 2017 ISBN: 978-0914671855 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Chinese Author’s residence: China Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian Illustrator’s residence: Brazil Awards: Author has received the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2016.  Illustrator has received the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2014 Subjects: Birds, Emotions