Category Archives: Hans Christian Andersen

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

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

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

Three Little Monkeys

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Tim, Sam, and Lulu are naughty, lively little monkeys that belong to Hilda Snibbs.  Each day when she returns home from doing her errands, she finds that the monkeys have made a bigger mess than they did the day before.  This delightful story is illustrated with detailed, mixed media and collage. mjw

Title: Three Little Monkeys Author: Quentin Blake Illustrator: Emma Chichester Clark Publisher: Harper Collins Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-06-267067-0 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: England Awards: Blake has won the Hans Christian Andersen Illustrator Award, 2002 Subjects: Animal behavior, Manners, Monkeys, Pets

You Can’t Be Too Careful

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Follow the white rose and the gardener along alternative space-time paths in this study of causality, consequence, and the interconnectedness of life. More than a dozen eccentric characters are introduced – a circus monkey, a fake doctor who wants to play the bagpipes, Rajah the Malodorous, and more. The book expresses serious questions about the dangers of greed and the importance of kindness. Complex colored pencil drawings and torn paper illustrations will make you want to look again at this paradoxical story. mjw

Title: You Can’t Be Too Careful Author: Roger Mello Illustrator: Roger Mello Publisher: Elsewhere Editions.   Brooklyn, NY Copyright: 2017 Original Language: Portuguese Translator: Daniel Hahn Original Title: Todo Cuidado e pouco! Original Publisher: Companhia das Letras, Sao Paolo Original Copyright: 1999 ISBN: 978-0-914671-64-0 Hardcover pages: 36 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Brazilian Author’s residence: Brazil Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian Illustrator’s residence: Brazil Awards: 2014 Hans Christian Andersen Award, 2018 Batchelder Honor Award Subjects: Action, Avarice, Kindness, Greed, Roses

Daytime Visions : An Alphabet

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This surrealistic alphabet book consists of letters, written in upper and lower case, manuscript, and cursive and a series of unconnected phrases. Some make sense (D shows a downpour and K is a kiwi), but many are obscure (X is for “XX chromosome and I am expanding” and R shows two birds – “never meant to be rude.”) This is not a book for teaching the alphabet, but one that tells stories for each letter. Square pages with mixed media collage illustrations of cut paper, charcoal sketches, and broad brushstrokes on thick paper provide the interpretations for the letters. The author/illustrator is also a well-known cartoonist, graphic artist, singer, and composer in Argentina. mjw

Title: Daytime Visions: An Alphabet Author: Isol (Marisol Misenta) Illustrator: Isol (Marisol Misenta) Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books, New York Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Spanish Translator: Isol and Elisa Amado Original Title: Abecedario a mano (Libros Para Ninos series) Original Publisher: Fondo de Cultura Economica Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-1-59270-195-7 Hardcover pages: 56 Age range: 2-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Argentine Author’s residence: Buenos Aires Illustrator’s ethnicity: Argentine Illustrator’s residence: Buenos Aires Awards: 2013 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, twice a finalist for the Hans Christian Andersen Award – 2006 and 2008 Subjects: Alphabets, Animals

Bicycling To The Moon

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Purdy the cat and Barker the dog live in a sky blue house on top of a hill. Purdy dreams big. He wants to bicycle to the moon, win the singing contest, fly south with the migrating birds, be Supercat, and search for treasure. Barker is Purdy’s good friend, who likes to garden and take care of the house. The twenty short stories take place over a year and are accompanied by clever, quirky cartoon-style illustrations rendered in oil pastels, crayon, and watercolor. This laugh out-loud chapter book about two very opposite friends was written by Finland’s top children’s writer. mjw

Title: Bicycling To The Moon Author: Timo Parvela Illustrator: Virpi Talvite Publisher: Gecko Press.  Wellington, New Zealand Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Finnish Translator: Rith Urbom Original Title: Maukka ja Vaykka Original Publisher: Werner Soderstrom Ltd.  Finland Original Copyright: 2009 ISBN: 978-1-776570=32-4 Paperback pages: 128 Age range: 7-9 Genre: Fiction Author’s ethnicity: Finnish Author’s residence: Finland Illustrator’s ethnicity: Finnish Illustrator’s residence: Finland Awards: Author has been shortlisted for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.  Illustrator has been nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award and was awarded the Finlandia Junior Prize in 2006 Subjects: Cats, Dogs, Fishing, Gardening, Honesty, Loyalty, Short stories, Weather

Alive Again

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A boy wonders if the blossoms that fall from trees will ever return. When there is no rain, will it rain again? If no wheat grows, will it grow again? And if no one goes on a journey, will there be new journeys? When spring comes, the boy’s father points out new blossoms, fresh rain, and born-again wheat. And tomorrow will be a day for a new journey. Striking collage artwork enhances this simple story about trust and understanding that will leave readers asking similar questions. mjw

Title: Alive Again Author: Ahmadreza Ahmadi Illustrator: Nahid Kazemi Publisher: Tiny Owl Publishing Ltd.  England Copyright: 2015 Original Language: Persian Translator: Azita Rassi Original Publisher: Salis Publisher. Tehran, Iran Original Copyright: 2013 ISBN: 978-1-910328-05-7 Hardcover pages: 24 Age range: 4-9 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Iranian Author’s residence: Iran Illustrator’s ethnicity: Iranian Illustrator’s residence: Montreal, Canada Awards: Author was shortlisted for the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Award Subjects: Blossoms, Flowers, Journeys, Questions, Rain, Trust, Understanding, Wheat

The Life And Times Of Martin Luther

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This informative biography begins with Luther’s birth, and moves through his youth, his decision to enter the priesthood, and his disenchantment with the church. The book focuses on the impact that Luther had on his times, including his translation of the Bible into German. Some of his 95 theses are explained. The detailed, historically accurate illustrations have a key at the end of the book providing more information. This book commemorates the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. mjw

Title: The Life And Times Of Martin Luther Author: Meike Roth-Beck Illustrator: Klaus Ensikat Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2017 Original Language: German Translator: Laura Watkinson Original Title: Von Martins Luthers Wittenberger Thesen Original Publisher: Kindermann Verlag. Berlin Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5495-7 Hardcover pages: 44 Age range: 7 up Genre: Information Book, Biography, Picture Book, Nonfiction Book setting: Europe Author’s ethnicity: German Author’s residence: Germany Illustrator’s ethnicity: German Illustrator’s residence: Germany Awards: Illustrator has won the Hans Christian Andersen Award 1996 Subjects: Christian Europe, History, Religion, Religious

The Little Black Fish

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An old fish tells the story of Little Black Fish to her 12,000 children and grandchildren. Little Black Fish leaves the safety of his small stream to venture out and see the world. He meets many different creatures along the way, including the dreaded pelican and the helpful lizard. Little Black Fish has big questions and is determined to find answers. He makes it to the edge of the sea and finds his answers, though he does not survive. He learns about life, dangers, enemies, and friends. This famous Iranian children’s story is considered to be a political allegory and was banned in pre-revolutionary (1978) Iran. mjw

Title: The Little Black Fish Author: Samad Behrangi (1939-1967) Illustrator: Farshid Mesghali Publisher: Tiny Owl Publishing Ltd.  London, England Copyright: 2015 Original Language: Persian Translator: Azita Rassi Original Publisher: Kanoun Par Varesh Fekri.  Tehran, Iran Original Copyright: 1968 ISBN: 978-1-910328-00-2 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 9 up Genre: Fiction, Allegory Author’s ethnicity: Iranian Author’s residence: Author lived in Iran Illustrator’s ethnicity: Iranian Illustrator’s residence: U.S. Awards: Illustrator has won 1974 Hans Christian Andersen Award for illustration Subjects: Coming of age, Fishes, Freedom, Independence

What A Party!

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Be careful when your mother says you can invite anyone you like to your birthday party, or you may have the craziest party ever. Children, pets, parents, salsa dancers, and a reggae band all join together in this celebration of diversity. Jack brings Larry, a soccer ball, and coconut cookies. Jack tells Beto and Antonieta, who bring their parrot, pineapples, mangoes, and passion fruit. The buffet grows in this chain reaction to include pizza, couscous, sushi, and much more. This is a great introduction to different countries, and everyone relates to food! Friends, family, and food from around the world are illustrated in acrylic and oil pastels. mjw

Title: What A Party! Author: Ana Maria Machado Illustrator: Helene Moreau Publisher: Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press. Toronto Copyright: 2013 Original Language: Portuguese Translator: Elisa Amado Original Title: Mas que festa! Original Publisher: Nova Fronteira.  Rio de Janeiro Original Copyright: 1999 text, 2005 illustrations ISBN: 978-1-55498-168-7 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Brazilian Author’s residence: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Illustrator’s ethnicity: French Illustrator’s residence: Paris, France Awards: Author has won the 2000 Hans Christian Andersen Award Subjects: Birthdays, Cautionary tales, Celebrations, Diversity, Holidays, Invitations, Multigenerational, Parties