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Title: Rainbow Fish And The Storyteller Author: Marcus Pfister Illustrator: Marcus Pfister Publisher: NorthSouth Books, Inc. Copyright: 2022 Original Language: German Translator: David Henry Wilson Original Title: Der Regegbogenfisch glaubt nicht alles Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag, AG. Zurich, Switzerland Original Copyright: 2022 ISBN: 978-0-7358-4500-8 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-9 Genre: Picture book Author’s ethnicity: Swiss Author’s residence: Bern, Switzerland Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swiss Illustrator’s residence: Bern, Switzerland Subjects: Animal fiction, Fish, Friendship, Honesty, Truthfulness, Values |
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Hana’s Hundreds Of Hijabs
![]() Hana has hundreds of hijabs and accessories – sparkling, glimmering, and beaded. She always styles them beautifully. But she has way too many. Her hijabs have taken over the entire house. She just can’t stop styling. She is an artist and her hijab is her canvas. When she visits her Aunty Huda’s salon, she gets the idea to supply the salon with her hijabs and offer her fashion-coordinating talents to Aunty Huda’s customers. The language in this story about creativity, problem-solving, and making others happy is lively and fun. The colorful, detailed, and fanciful illustrations were created digitally using Procreate. Back matter includes a Meet the Author and Illustrator section that rounds out this joyful book. mjw |
Title: Hana’s Hundreds Of Hijabs Author: Razeena Omar Gutta Illustrator: Manal Mirza Publisher: Barefoot Books. Concord, MA Copyright: 2022 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-64686-620-5 Hardcover pages: 24 Age range: 4-9 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: South Asian, born in Zimbabwe Author’s residence: Australia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Pakistani-American Illustrator’s residence: Chicago, IL Awards: 2022 Best Muslim Illustrations, Muslim Bookstagram Award Subjects: Creativity, Diversity, Fashion, Hijabs, Muslim, Problem-solving, Tradition |
Run, Little Chaski! An Inka Trail Adventure
![]() It is Little Chaski’s first day of delivering royal messages. He has to be strong, swift, and sharp. He gets his first mission from Queen Qoya. He is to take an important khipu (a knotted rope and thread recording system) to the King. He puts the khipu into his bag, called a ch’uspa. He runs off as fast as a puma. Along the way, he stops to help a chinchilla, a drowning allqu, and a trapped condor. When he finally gets to the temple and the King asks for the khipu, Little Chaski discovers that his ch’uspa is empty. But just then, his three grateful animal friends soar from the clouds and drop the message into Little Chaski’s hands. He is so relieved. The King tells him that his adventure was a test and since he was so kind along the way, he is now an official messenger – Big-Hearted Chaski. The colorful, bold illustrations in this engaging tale combine traditional Peruvian folk art techniques and digital media. A glossary of Quechua words, interesting information about the culture, history, and animals of the Inka, and a map of the Inka Empire at around 1525 CE further distinguish the storytelling. mjw |
Title: Run, Little Chaski! An Inka Adventure Author: Mariana Llanos Illustrator: Mariana Ruiz Johnson Publisher: Barefoot Books. Concord, MA Copyright: 2021 Original Language: English. Also a Spanish edition. ISBN: 978-1-64686-164-4 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book, Historical Fiction, Information Book Book setting: Ancient Inka (Inca) Empire, Peru Author’s ethnicity: Peruvian Author’s residence: Oklahoma Illustrator’s ethnicity: Peruvian Illustrator’s residence: Buenos Aires Argentina Subjects: Action, Ancient civilizations, Cultures, Incan Empire, Kindness, Multicultural, Peru, Peruvian tales, South America |
Pablo Neruda Book of Questions
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Title: Pablo Neruda Book Of Questions – Bilingual Spanish-English Author: Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) Illustrator: Paloma Valdivia Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books Copyright: 2022 Original Language: Spanish Translator: Sara Lissa Paulson Original Title: Libro de las Preguntas Original Copyright: 1974 ISBN: 978-1-59270-322-7 Hardcover pages: 80 Age range: 5 up Genre: Picture Book, Poetry Author’s ethnicity: Chilean Illustrator’s ethnicity: Chilean Illustrator’s residence: Santiago, Chile Awards: Nobel Prize in Literature 1971 Subjects: Bilingual, Chilean, Hispanic, Imagination, Poetry, Questions, Spanish |
Nour’s Secret Library
![]() Nour and her friends live a happy life in Damascus, Syria. But one day war comes to the city with its smelly tanks and noisy guns. Nour, her family, and friends need to hide in the basement to be safe. Some days when there is no fighting, Nour and her friends bravely roam their neighborhood rubble looking for abandoned books so that they can start a secret library. Eventually, their library is filled with books from floor to ceiling. Some are Arabic, while others are English, Armenian, Greek, French, Hebrew, and Syriac. Nour thinks that the world of books is wonderful. “Like a galaxy full of stars. Some are shinier than others, but together they make the sky sparkle.”The illustrations in pencil, gouache, and charcoal depict the rough and ruined landscapes in grays and the hopeful story of the children and the library in vibrant blues and oranges. Back matter includes information about Syria, a map, a glossary, facts about famous libraries in the Middle East, information about the inspiration for the story, and both an author’s and illustrator’s note. This book is a story of hope and longing for peace. mjw |
Title: Nour’s Secret Library Author: Wafa Tarnowska Illustrator: Yali Mintzi Publisher: Barefoot Books Copyright: 2022 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-64686-292-4 Paperback pages: 32 Age range: 6-10 Genre: Picture book Book setting: Syria Author’s ethnicity: Lebanese Author’s residence: U.K. and Poland Illustrator’s ethnicity: Romanian Illustrator’s residence: Jerusalem Subjects: Books, Libraries, Middle East, Reading, Syria, War |
The Katha Chest
![]() Asiya loves visiting Nanu’s house. It is filled with all sorts of treasures, the best being the katha chest. This is an old trunk full of quilts made from the old saris of her grandma, aunts, and mother. Each quilt has a story to tell. The illustrations are inspired by the Bengali folk art called Pattachitra – cloth paintings with simple colors, bold lines, and intricate details. Author’s and illustrator’s notes are provided. mjw |
Title: The Katha Chest Author: Radhiah Chowdhury Illustrator: Lavanya Naidu Publisher: Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Copyright: 2021 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1665903905 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture book Book setting: Bangladesh Author’s ethnicity: Bengali Author’s residence: Australia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s residence: Australia Subjects: Aunts, Grandmothers, Memories Mothers, Quilts, Saris |
Girl On The Run
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Title: Girl On The Run Author: Nancy McDonald Publisher: Iguana Books. Toronto Copyright: 2021 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-77180-517-9 Paperback pages: 174 Age range: 10 up Genre: Historical fiction, Novel Book setting: Berlin, Paris Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Stratford, Ontario Subjects: Coming of age, Germany, Holocaust, Jewish persecution, Nazis, Stepmothers, World War II |
Lands Of Belonging: A History of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain
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Title: Lands Of Belonging: A History Of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain Author: Donna and Vikesh Amey Bhatt Illustrator: Salini Perera Publisher: Nosy Crow, London Copyright: 2022 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-83994-468-0 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 7-12 Genre: Nonfiction, Information Book Book setting: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Britain Author’s ethnicity: East African (Vikesh) Author’s residence: London Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Sri Lanka Illustrator’s residence: Toronto Subjects: Ancient empires, East India Company, Festivals, Food, Games, Holidays, Independence, Partition, World War I, World War II |
Madani’s Best Game
![]() Madani is the neighborhood soccer star, who plays on his bare feet. Everyone watches when he plays and wonders what he could do if he only had a proper pair of cleats. Madani is saving money, but not for soccer shoes. Instead, he buys a new sewing machine for his mother. The story is narrated by one of Madani’s teammates. The author explains that the story was inspired by his work with immigrant families. The beautiful, smudgy illustrations, created with pencil, gouache, and colored pencil, capture the city neighborhood and the movement of the soccer games. mjw |
Title: Madani’s Best Game Author: Fran Pintadera Illustrator: Raquel Catalina Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2022 Original Language: Spanish Translator: Lawrence Schimel Original Title: La mejor jugada de Madani Original Publisher: Ediciones Ekare. Barcelona, Spain Original Copyright: 2021 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5597-8 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 5-9 Genre: Picture book, Sports fiction Book setting: Spain Author’s ethnicity: Spanish Author’s residence: Spain Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish Illustrator’s residence: Spain Subjects: Immigrant life, Love, Poverty, Sewing machines, Shoes, Soccer, Teamwork, Values |
It’s So Difficult
![]() A child leaves the house and everything is so difficult. The school day is overwhelming. Counting things or calculating relaxes him. His mother tells him not to rush, that someday words will happen. But the noise makes everything so difficult. The book was inspired by the author’s experiences as a secondary school teacher in Spain. Interesting line illustrations created with collage, pencil, gouache, and digital media enrich this look at anxiety and overstimulation. mjw |
Title: It’s So Difficult Author: Raul Nieto Guridi Illustrator: Raul Nieto Guridi Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan Copyright: 2022 Original Language: Spanish Translator: Lawrence Schimel Original Title: Lo Dificil Original Publisher: Tres Tigres Tristes Original Copyright: 2020 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5584-8 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 5-9 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Spanish Author’s residence: Spain Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish Illustrator’s residence: Spain Subjects: Anxiety, Math, Overstimulation, Special needs |
My Name Is Bana
![]() Seven-year-old Bana, a Syrian girl from Aleppo, took to Twitter to describe her war-torn home. In this picture book memoir, she offers her perspective on the war and being a refugee. She explains the origin of her name. Bana is a tall bushy tree that grows in Syria. Her father and mother wanted her to be strong just like the tree – being kind to others, standing up against injustice, and being brave in the face of fear. She also shows her strength by bringing joy to her brothers amidst bombings, starting over in a new country, and speaking to world leaders on behalf of Syrian refugee children. The illustrations rendered in acrylic paint and finished in procreate are emotional and bright. Arabic words are smoothly integrated into the text. An author’s note tells that the book is based on a true story. mjw |
Title: My Name Is Bana Author: Bana Alabed Illustrator: Nez Riaz Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2021 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1534412484 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture book, Autobiography Book setting: Syria and Turkey Author’s ethnicity: Syrian Author’s residence: Turkey Illustrator’s ethnicity: Pakistani Illustrator’s residence: Boston, MA Awards: 2022 NCSS Notable Books Subjects: Autobiography, Biography, Children’s writings, Human rights, Refugee children, Syria – Civil War, Trees |
It’s Up To Us: Building A Brighter Future For Nature, People, and Planet
![]() This beautifully illustrated book is introduced by King Charles. His call to action for our planet is divided into four sections –Nature, People, Planet, and Terra Carta. The Terra Carta is a plan of action for the Earth created by HRH the Prince of Wales, now King Charles. The text is included in the book. Thirty-three award-winning artists from around the world have contributed wonderful artwork. Profiles of the illustrators are included as back-matter. The story tells how Nature operates and how People have damaged it. Information about the Prince’s Foundation and an index/glossary are also provided. mjw |
Title: It’s Up To Us: Building A Brighter Future For Nature, People, and Planet Author: Christopher Lloyd Illustrator: 33 artists from around the world Publisher: What On Earth Books Copyright: 2022 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-9137505-6-5 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 6-10 Genre: Picture book, Information book, Nonfiction Author’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s ethnicity: 33 illustrators from around the world Subjects: Climate change, Conservation, Earth, Environment, Global community, Green living, Prince of Wales, Recycling, Sustainability. Terra Carta, Values |