Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Baghdad Clock

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This story, narrated by a teenage Iraqi girl in the midst of the first Gulf War mixes dreams with real life and fantasies with reality.  She huddles in an air raid shelter with her friend Nadia and the two imagine a world not torn apart by war.  They share dreams, hopes, desires, and first loves.  As they grow older and the bombs continue to fall, their friends begin to flee the country.  The use of metaphor, dream interpretations, and soothsayers helps build the narrative and the sense of place and time.  mjw

Title: The Baghdad Clock Author: Shahad Al Rawi Publisher: Oneworld Publications, London Copyright: 2018 Original Language: Arabic Translator: Luke Leafgren Original Publisher: Dar al Hikma Original Copyright: 2016 ISBN: 978-1-78607-324-2 Hardcover pages: 288 Age range: 14 up Genre: Fiction Book setting: Baghdad, Iraq Author’s ethnicity: Born in Baghdad Author’s residence: Dubai Awards: 2018 Shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction Subjects: Air raid shelters, Biography, Coming of age, Persian Gulf War – 1991, Teenage girls

Old Hat

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Harbet’s favorite hat is the colorful one with pompoms and earflaps that his nana knit for him when he was a puppy. Unfortunately, his friends wear Carmen Miranda fruit bowl hats and mock him, “OLD HAT!” He tries a new hat like theirs, but it is already outdated. They cry, “OLD HAT!” He tries a traffic cone, a saucepan, a pink work boot and many more, but he cannot win. Finally Harbet takes off his hat to reveal a surprise and his friends are filled with envy. Harbet discovers how much more fun it is to stop following others and to think for yourself. The pencil, watercolor, and acrylic ink illustrations of the hats are cheerful and hilarious. mjw

Title: Old Hat Author: Emily Gravett Illustrator: Emily Gravett Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English  Original Publisher: Original Copyright: Macmillan Children’s Books. Great Britain ISBN: 978-1-5344-0917-0 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: Brighton, England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: Brighton, England Subjects: Fashion, Hats, Peer pressure, Self esteem, Self respect, Teasing

Bambi: A Life In The Woods

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This is an exquisite new collectible edition of the classic story.  Bambi lives in a woodland thicket.  He and his family and friends discover the wonders and the dangers of the woods.  Superb oil paintings feature gold foiling.  The story inspired the beloved 1942 Disney film. mjw

Title: Bambi: A Life In The Woods Author: Felix Salten (1869-1945) Illustrator: Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2014 Original Language: German Translator: Whittaker Chambers Original Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc. Original Copyright: 1928 ISBN: 978-1442-9345-2 Hardcover pages: 192 Age range: 10 up Genre: Fiction Author’s ethnicity: Austrian Illustrator’s ethnicity: U.S. Illustrator’s residence: San Francisco, U.S. Subjects: Deer, Forest

Fishing With Grandma

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Grandma and her two grandchildren go out on the lake for a fishing trip. She teaches them everything they need to know for a day of jigging in the ice for fish. They learn what to wear, what tools are needed, and how to use them. At the end of the day, they have caught enough Arctic char for a delicious dinner. Illustrations show Inuit fishing tools and a glossary with pronunciations explains Inuit terms. mjw

Title: Fishing With Grandma Author: Susan Avingaq and Maren Vsetula Illustrator: Charlene Chua Publisher: Inhabit Media Inc.  Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada Copyright: 2015 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-77227-084-6 Paperback pages: 32 Age range: 5-7 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Canada Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Nunavut Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Toronto Subjects: Canada, Grandchildren, Grandmothers, Ice fishing, Multigenerational, Polar regions

The Breadwinner

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Eleven-year-old Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan.  Her father is a history teacher.  He is arrested by the Taliban for having a foreign education and put in prison. This leaves the family without anyone who can earn money and buy food, since according to Taliban rules, women cannot go out on their own.  Parvana cuts her hair and wears boys’ clothes so that she can become the family’s breadwinner.  This is the fifteenth anniversary edition of the four-volume story. It includes a new forward by the author, a new map, and a glossary.  There is also an animated, award-winning movie and a graphic novel based on this inspiring novel. mjw

Title: The Breadwinner Author: Deborah Ellis Publisher: Groundwood Books, House of Anansi Press. Toronto Copyright: 2015 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Groundwood Books Original Copyright: 2000 ISBN: 978-1-55498-767-8 Paperback pages: 176 Age range: 10-14 Genre: Fiction Book setting: Afghanistan Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Ontario Awards: Middle East Book Award Subjects: Afghanistan, Girls and women, Taliban. Refugees

The Pruwahaha Monster

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A five-year-old boy goes with his father to swing on a swing near a farmhouse. The little boy does not know that a huge monster that likes to eat children lurks near the farmhouse. When the monster wakes up, spies the little boy on the swing, and roars “prruwwwahhahahaha,” the little boy just laughs. Two-color playful illustrations with clues never really reveal who the “monster” is. Rhythmic language and monster sounds will delight young readers. mjw

Title: The Pruwahaha Monster Author: Jean-Paul Mulders Illustrator: Jacques Maes and Lise Braekers Publisher: Kids Can Press Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Dutch Translator: English version edited by Yvette Ghione Original Title: Het prullala monster Original Publisher: Abimo Uitgeverij, Belgium Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-1-77138-566-4 Hardcover pages: 26 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Flemish Author’s residence: Belgium Illustrator’s ethnicity: Flemish Illustrator’s residence: Belgium Subjects: Fathers and sons, Monsters, Mystery, Seasons

The Fishing Lesson

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A camera-wielding tourist wakes a fisherman who is napping in his boat.  He points out that if the fisherman went out more, he could catch more fish.  That would allow him to buy a proper motorboat.  He could then hire help, find the best fish, open a restaurant, and eventually relax in the harbor and nap in the sunshine.  The fisherman replies that is “exactly what he was doing just now.” He has his own ideas about what success looks like.  Funny, comic-like illustrations use panels in this adaptation of Boll’s fable about not letting work overtake one’s life. mjw

Title: The Fishing Lesson Author: Heinrich  Boll (1917-1985) Illustrator: Emile Bravo Publisher: Eerdmans Books For Young Readers Copyright: 2018 Original Language: German Translator: Bernard Friot Original Title: Anekdote zur Senkung der Arbeitsmoral Original Publisher: Verlag Kiepenheur & Witsch GmBH & Co. KG. Cologne, Germany Original Copyright: 1963 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5503-9 Hardcover pages: 44 Age range: 5 up Genre: Picture Book, Graphic Novel Author’s ethnicity: German Illustrator’s ethnicity: French Illustrator’s residence: France Awards: Author has won the 1972 Nobel Prize for Literature  Subjects: Contentment, Fishing

Boat Of Dreams

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This enigmatic 80-page wordless story bridges picture book and graphic novel territory as it tells of the encounter between an old man in a rundown seaside cottage and a child in a far off city. The man discovers a note in a bottle, which inspires him to draw a fantastic flying machine. He sends his drawing back to the sea. In the city, the boy finds the drawing in an envelope outside his home. He draws himself and his cat into the picture and then dreams he is sailing on the ship to meet the man. They embrace, the boy hands the man the envelope, and he flies off. Sharp-angled Expressionist drawings in sepia and blue invite multiple interpretations of the imaginative tale.mjw

Title: Boat Of Dreams Author: Rogerio Coelho Illustrator: Rogeriio Coelho Publisher: Tilbury House Publishers Copyright: 2017  Original Publisher: Editora Positivo Ltda, Brazil Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-9-88448-528-5 Hardcover pages: 80 Age range: 7-10 Genre: Picture Book, Graphic Novel Author’s ethnicity: Brazilian Author’s residence: Brazil Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian Illustrator’s residence: Brazil Awards: 2017 New York Public Library Best Books for Kids List.  Brazil’s 22015 Jabuti Award for Best Children’s Illustrations Subjects: Birds, Boats and boating, Boys, Dreams, Imagination, Magical realism, Ocean bottles, Older men, Steampunk, Stories without words, Voyages

Crescent Moons And Pointed Minarets: A Muslim Book Of Shapes

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This informative shape-concept book captures the vibrant world of Islam. A rectangle is the mosque’s carved wooden door. A cube is the Kaaba where Muslims worship. A square is an orange garden. Many more shapes celebrate the traditions of the narrator’s faith. The short, rhyming text is supplemented by beautiful mixed media illustrations that are influenced by Islamic art. A glossary with pronunciations and an author’s note complete this introduction to the culture and religion. mjw

Title: Crescent Moons And Pointed Minarets: A Muslim Book Of Shapes Author: Hena Khan Illustrator: Mehrdokht Amini Publisher: Chronicle Books, San Francisco Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1452155410 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-6 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Muslim countries Author’s ethnicity: Pakistani-American Author’s residence: U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: Grew up in Iran Illustrator’s residence: Surrey, England Subjects: Customs, Geography, Islam, Muslims, Shapes, Stories in rhyme

Amal Unbound

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Twelve-year-old Amal lives in a poor Pakistani village and dreams of being a teacher. As the eldest daughter, she has to stay home from school to take care of her younger sisters while her mother is bedridden. After an accidental run-in with the son of the corrupt village landlord, she is taken from her home to the opulent Khan estate where she becomes an indentured servant. Her chances of returning home are slim as she learns just how powerful the Khan family is. Amal’s bravery and resilience help her to persevere. mjw

Title: Amal Unbound Author: Aisha Saeed Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0399544682 Hardcover pages: 240 Age range: 10 up Genre: Fiction Book setting: Pakistan Author’s ethnicity: Pakistani-American Author’s residence: U.S. Subjects: Courage, Family life, Indentured servants, Middle East

Escape From Aleppo

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Fourteen-year-old Nadia is accidentally separated from her family while fleeing from war-torn Syria in 2013. She meets an elderly man who agrees to help her. She eventually makes it to Turkey. Inspired by current events this coming-of-age novel deals with the horrors of the war. In the first part of the book, Nadia flashes back to more pleasant times of her life. Senzai does a wonderful job of describing Aleppo before and during the war. This is an informative and exciting story. mjw

Title: Escape From Aleppo Author: N.H. Senzai Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, New York Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-4814-7217-3 Hardcover pages: 336 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction Book setting: Syria Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: U.S.  Subjects: Arab Spring, Middle East, Refugees, Secrecy, Syria-Civil War 2011, Wars

The Rabbit And The Shadow

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The little white rabbit in this story meets many creatures along his journey growing up. An anxious stag, and angry soldier looking for peace, and a cat looking for his ball help each other confront their own fears. They grow up together and learn. This moving story has beautiful watercolor and ink vignettes. mjw

Title: The Rabbit And The Shadow Author: Melanie Rutten Illustrator: Melanie Rutten Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2018 Original Language: French Translator: Sarah Ardizzone Original Title: L’ombre de chacun Original Publisher: Editions MeMo Original Copyright: 2013 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5485-8 Hardcover pages: 56 Age range: 5-9 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Born in Belgium Author’s residence: Brussels Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Belgium Illustrator’s residence: Brussels Subjects: Emotions and feelings, Fear, Growing up, Soldiers