Category Archives: Uncategorized

Amal Unbound

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

A Different Pond

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This quiet story is about a young Vietnamese boy and his father who go fishing early in the morning in Minneapolis so that the family can have food to eat. They don’t fish for recreation. They bond as the father tells the boy about fishing in his homeland of Vietnam, as well as a bit about the war where he was a soldier. Beautifully illustrated in vividly colored, graphic novel panels, the book conveys a powerful message. Notes from both the poet-author and the illustrator are included. mjw

Title: A Different Pond
Author: Bao Phi
Illustrator: Thi Bui
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers. North Mankato, Minnesota
Copyright: 2017
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1479597468
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 6-8
Genre: Picture book
Book setting: Minneapolis
Author’s ethnicity: Vietnamese
Author’s residence: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Vietnamese
Illustrator’s residence: U.S.
Awards: 2018 Caldecott Honor
Subjects: Asian Americans, Fathers and sons, Fishing, Emigrants and immigrants, Poverty, Vietnam

The Murderer’s Ape

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This thrilling mystery is narrated by a gorilla named Sally Jones who can read and type on a 1908 Underwood No. 5 typewriter. She is an engineer working for Chief Henry Koskela who is falsely accused of murder. Sally Jones embarks on a whirlwind journey from Lisbon, Portugal, to the Maharaja of Bhapur’s magnificent court in India to clear the chief’s name. This suspenseful adventure is accompanied by detailed black and white drawings. Maps of the voyage appear on the endpapers. mjw

Title: The Murderer’s Ape
Author: Jakob Wegelius
Illustrator: Jakob Wegelius
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Copyright: 2017
Original Language: Swedish
Translator: Peter Graves
Original Title: Mordarens Apa
Original Publisher: Bonnier Carlsen
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-1-101-93175-2
Hardcover pages: 624
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Fiction, Mystery
Book setting: Portugal, India
Author’s ethnicity: Swedish
Author’s residence: Sweden
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swedish
Illustrator’s residence: Sweden
Awards: 2018 Batchelder Winner, International Youth Library White Raven Selection
Subjects: Detective stories, Gorilla, Human-animal relationships, Music, Sailing

The Night Diary

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It’s 1947, and India, newly independent from British rule, has been divided into two countries: Pakistan and India. Twelve-year-old Nisha, who is half Muslim and half Hindu, doesn’t know where she belongs. Her Muslim mother died when Nisha was a baby. Her Hindu father decides it is too dangerous to stay in what has become Pakistan. Nisha and her family become refugees. They travel by train and foot to reach their new home. Nisha is finally able to meet her mother’s brother and find where she really belongs. Nisha’s story is told through diary entries she writes nightly to her mother. Included in the back is a helpful glossary. The author uses her own father’s story as a basis for this compelling historical novel. mjw

Title: The Night Diary
Author: Veer Hiranandani
Publisher: Dial Books
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0735-2285-11
Hardcover pages: 272
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Historical Fiction
Book setting: India, Pakistan
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Author’s residence: U.S.
Subjects: Diaries, Family life, Hindus, Muslims, Partition 1947, Refugees, Siblings

Imagine A City

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Imagine a world where rabbits and lions read books, trees grow out of pictures, and flying fish are buses. Bears ride bicycles, gargoyles sip tea, and pterodactyls soar through the sky. Two children and their mother go on a wonderful adventure to a city where anything is possible in this creative book. The simple rhyming text is accompanied by surreal black and white drawings filled to the brim with unusual fanciful details. mjw

Title: Imagine A City
Author: Elise Hurst
Illustrator: Elise Hurst
Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: Omnibus Books, an imprint of Scholastic Australia
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-1-101-93457-9
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 3-7
Genre: Picture Book, Fantasy
Author’s ethnicity: Australian
Author’s residence: Australia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Australian
Illustrator’s residence: Australia
Subjects: City life, Dreams, Fantasy, Imagination

Wilderness: An Interactive Atlas Of Animals

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wilderness-an-interactive-atlas-of-animals This information book explores animals all over the world through the use of pop-ups and other movable pieces made of paper. The illustrations accurately depict animals through the use of digital illustrations. Moreover, the book features plenty of facts and explanations of animals from all over the globe. Content specific vocabulary within the text includes definitions and helpful examples. The maps, facts, and creative interactive pages make this book accessible for students doing a broad overview about animals in a research project. This atlas is truly a must have for those who are fans of all animals. ema

Title: Wilderness: An Interactive Atlas Of Animals
Author: Hannah Pang
Illustrator: Jenny Wren
Publisher: 360 Degrees; Ltf Pop edition
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: 360 Degrees
Original Copyright: 2016
ISBN: 978-1944530037
Hardcover pages: 16
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Nonfiction Picture Book
Authors’ ethnicity: English
Authors’ residence: England
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: Birmingham, England
Subjects: Atlas, Creatures, Global, Maps

The Wild Book

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Thirteen-year-old Juan is spending the summer with his strange Uncle Tito who has an enchanted library where books have supernatural powers. Uncle Tito tells Juan that he is a Princeps Reader, which means books respond magically to him and that he is the only one who can find the evasive Wild Book. Each chapter is accompanied by whimsical woodcut-style illustrations. More than one million copies have been sold in the Spanish edition. mjw

Title: The Wild Book
Author: Juan Villoro
Illustrator: EKO
Publisher: Yonder Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2017
Original Language: Spanish
Translator: Lawrence Schimel
Original Title: El libro salvaje
Original Publisher: Fondo de Cultura Economica, Mexico City
Original Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-1-63206-147-8
Hardcover pages: 240
Age range: 10-14
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Author’s ethnicity: Mexican
Author’s residence: Mexico City
Subjects: Books, Magic, Reading, Science fiction, Supernatural, Uncles

Yokki And The Parno Gry

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This traditional Traveler-family folktale tells of Yokki, a young boy who inspires his hard-working family with a tale of a magical white horse. His family experiences hard times and there is no work to be had. They travel from town to town looking for work mending household objects and trying to sell wooden spoons and beautiful paper flowers that they make. At night, they gather around a fire to tell stories they have heard on their travels. Yokki tells the best story about the Parno Gry, which is a horse that comes to take them to a new and better land. Colorful and gentle detailed mixed media illustrations bring Yokki’s family to life in this imaginative Romani folktale. An author’s note gives information about Romani and Traveling People. mjw

Title: Yokki And The Parno Gry
Author: Richard O’Neill and Katherine Quarmby
Illustrator: Marieke Nelissen
Publisher: Child’s Play Inc.
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-84643-927-8
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-7
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Romani (O’Neill)
Author’s residence: England
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Dutch
Illustrator’s residence: Netherlands
Subjects: Fairytales, Folktales, Gypsies, Horses, Mythical animals, Romanis, Storytelling, Traveling people

Macy McMillan And The Rainbow Goddess

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Sixth grader Macy McMillan, who is deaf, is facing big changes. Her house is for sale and her mother is about to remarry, adding a stepfather and six-year-old twin stepsisters. Macy’s mother has Macy go next door to help 86-year–old Iris Gillan pack, as Iris is moving into an assisted living facility. Iris doesn’t know sign language, but through notes, books, and cookies, Macy and Iris, the rainbow goddess, develop a beautiful friendship. This heartwarming story is written in free verse. There are many book references throughout, like The Tale of Despereaux, El Deafo, and Anne of Green Gables. mjw

Title: Macy McMillan And The Rainbow Goddess
Author: Shari Green
Publisher: Pajama Press
Copyright: 2017
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-77278-017-8
Paperback pages: 240
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Fiction, Verse
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: British Columbia, Canada
Awards: 2018 Schneider Family Book Award
Subjects: Deaf children, Intergenerational, Special needs, Step families, Stories in verse

Poles Apart

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Penguins are found at the South Pole – except when they get lost on their way to a picnic. When the Pilchard-Brown penguin family find themselves at the North Pole, they meet friendly Mr. White, the polar bear, who guides them back home. They follow him over land and sea to New York, England, Italy, India, Australia, and finally the South Pole and a surprise ending. Foreign words are sprinkled throughout this whimsical introduction to different cultures across the globe. Fun, digitally created illustrations show the travelers walking along Fifth Avenue, riding a double-decker bus in London, water skiing in the Sydney harbor, and more. mjw

Title: Poles Apart
Author: Jeanne Willis
Illustrator: Peter Jarvis
Publisher: Nosy Crow, an imprint of Candlewick
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: Nosy Crow, London
Original Copyright: 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-8944-5
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: North Pole, South Pole, U.S., England, Italy, India, Australia
Author’s ethnicity: Born in the United Kingdom
Author’s residence: London
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: Manchester, England
Subjects: Arctic Ocean, North Pole, Penguins, Polar bears, South Pole