Category Archives: Uncategorized

Finders Keepers? A True Story In India

finders-keepersThis introduction to the traditions, daily life, and culture of India takes readers on a bus journey through the Rajasthan countryside. The narrator describes how, when he lost his wallet, a young boy returned it and refused to accept a reward for his honesty. Terms like chapatis, saris, torans, and more are smoothly integrated into the text. A map sets the scene for the journey. Back matter includes a glossary, pronunciations, Indian facts, character building questions, and a craft activity to make a paper toran. The book is available in a Spanish edition, Es Mio? mjw
Title: Finders Keepers? A True Story In India
Author: Robert Arnett
Illustrator
: Smita Turakhia
Publisher
: Atman Press
Copyright
: 2013
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-96529008-1
Hardcover pages
: 34
Age range
: 8-12
Genre
: Picture Book
Book setting
: India
Author’s ethnicity
: U.S.
Author’s residence
: Columbus, Georgia.  U.S.
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: born in Mumbai, India
Illustrator’s residence
: Texas
Subjects
: Character building, Culture, Hinduism, Religion, Values

Sea Change

Sea ChangeTwelve-year-old Eliot Dionisi’s parents send him to Point Aconi in Nova Scotia for the summer. He is not looking forward to spending time with his wrinkly old relatives who smell like fish. At first, it is not easy for him to fit in. He is pushed out of his comfort zone. But as the summer wears on, Eliot learns to fish, swim, and eat lobster. He discovers his great grandmother’s library, picks blueberries, enjoys a clambake, and even has his first kiss. He makes friends, deals with the local bully, and helps Mary Beth, his crush, with a secret. This warm and funny coming-of-age story is illustrated with artwork drawn in pencil and India ink and colored digitally. Some of the text is also transformed into unconventional illustrations. mjw
Title: Sea Change
Author: Frank Viva
Illustrator
: Frank Viva
Publisher
: Tundra Books, a division of Random House of Canada
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-101-91852-4
Hardcover pages
: 120
Age range
: 8-12
Genre
: Fiction, Graphic Novel
Book setting
: Point Aconi, Nova Scotia
Author’s ethnicity
: Canadian
Author’s residence
: Toronto
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Canadian
Illustrator’s residence
: Toronto
Subjects
: Abuse, Canada, Coming of age, Fishing, Growing up, Multigenerational, Nova Scotia, Summer

Mr. Matisse And His Cutouts

Mr Matisse And His CutoutsThis inspiring picture book describes the period that artist Heri Êmile Benoît Matisse was bedridden in a hospital for three months. Mr. Mattisse was appalled by the blank canvas walls in his hospital room. Matisse tried painting the hospital sheets, walls, and ceiling, but he quickly realized that he could not paint in his condition. When he spotted a pair of scissors, Matisse was inspired. He turned his room into a vibrant garden by cutting paper and fabrics. All readers will enjoy learning about this creative artist who is thought to be a leading innovator in modern art. ema

 

Title: Mr. Matisse And His Cutouts
Author: Annemarie van Haeringen
Illustrator
: Annemarie van Haeringen
Publisher
: North-South
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: Dutch
Translator: Jan Michael
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4263-2
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre
: Picture Book, Nonfiction
Authors’ ethnicity: Dutch
Authors’ residence
: Netherlands
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Dutch
Illustrator’s residence
: Netherlands
Subjects: Artists, Artwork, Creativity, Illness, Painting, Paper Cutouts

Chirri And Chirra

Chirri and ChirraTwo young identical twin girls go on a bicycle ride through the natural world. They stop at the forest café for acorn coffee and clover blossom tea. Their next stop is the forest bakery, where they meet a bear and a rabbit, and have mulberry and strawberry jam sandwiches on honey bread and walnut bread. After lunch, they play in a nearby pond and nap under a big tree. Then, they move on to the forest hotel, where there is a concert with all the animals singing. “What a wonderful night in the forest!” Lively, adorable, and sweet colored pencil, pastel, and crayon illustrations look like mid-20th century lithographs. mjw
Title: Chirri And Chirra
Author: Kaya Doi
Illustrator
: Kaya Doi
Publisher
: Enchanted Lion Books, New York
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: Japanese
Translator
: Yuki Kaneko
Original Publisher
: Arranged with Alice-Kan, Inc.
ISBN
: 978-1-59270-199-5
Hardcover pages
: 40
Age range
: 3-8
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Japanese
Author’s residence
: Japan
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Japanese
Illustrator’s residence
: Japan
Subjects
: Bicycle rides, Forest, Music

The Emergency Zoo

The Emergency ZooIt is the week before World War II in 1939 in England, and twelve-year-olds Rosy and Tilly try to outwit their families and the authorities by hiding their pets in a run-down hut in the woods. Other children bring their pets – rabbits, guinea pigs, cats, dogs, and more, and the emergency zoo grows to be a real challenge for the girls. An added problem is that all the children are about to be evacuated to the countryside for safety. The story is inspired by the unspeakable and little known episode in British history when pets were to be destroyed because it was believed that the animals could not cope with bombs and gas and that, with rationing, there would not be enough food for them. Told from the viewpoint of children, this is a moving novel about courage, resourcefulness, and animal welfare. An author’s note gives historical background and explains that organizations such as the Dumb Animal League tried to save as many pets as possible. It is estimated that around 750,000 pets were destroyed in Britain. mjw
Title: The Emergency Zoo
Author: Miriam Halahmy
Publisher
: Alma Books.  Surry, U.K.
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-84688-397-2
Paperback pages
: 254
Age range
: 12 up
Genre
: Historical fiction
Book setting
: England
Author’s residence
: London, England
Subjects
: England, Evacuation, Pets, World War II, Zoo animals

Teacup

teacupThis picture book is a simplistically beautiful tale about a boy who journeys to find a new home on a boat with a teacup that is filled with dirt. The gorgeous illustrations effectively reflect the various colors, light, and perspectives of the environments. Every page includes lovely views of the sky, water, ocean, and the various creatures that inhabit them. The book is a wonderful story about a voyage full of personal growth, perseverance, hope, and the promise of a friendship. Readers of all ages and backgrounds will find this story resonating. ema

 

 

Title: Teacup
Author: Rebecca Young
Illustrator
: Matt Ottley
Publisher
: Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
Original Publisher: Scholastic Australia
Original Copyright: 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7352-2777-4
Hardcover pages
: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre
: Fiction Picture Book
Authors’ ethnicity: Australian
Authors’ residence
: Australia
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Australian
Illustrator’s residence
: New South Wales, Australia
Awards: 2016 Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature, and the 2016 NSW Premier’s Literary Award
Subjects: Journeys, Oceans, Sailing, Trees

The World In A Second

The world in a secondInspired by the question – “What are they doing on the other side of the world right now?” – this wondrous, work-of-art picture book focuses on the natural and cultural events happening at the same moment in time in twenty-three different locations. A volcano rumbles in Papua-New Guinea, at 10:32 pm. A girl hurries home from school in Seydisfjordur, Iceland, at 12:32 pm. A ripe orange falls in an orchard in Mertola, Portugal, at 1:32 pm. The art is bold and graphic, with varying perspectives. A world map at the back of the book indicates where and when each moment took place and will get readers to think globally. mjw
Title: The World In A Second
Author: Isabel Minhos Martins
Illustrator
: Bernardo P. Carvalho
Publisher
: Enchanted Lion Book, New York
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: Portuguese
Translator
: Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Original Title
: O mundo num segundo
Original Publisher
: Planeta Tangerina, Portugal
Original Copyright
: 2008
ISBN
: 978-1-59270-157-5
Hardcover pages
: 56
Age range
: 4-8
Genre
: Pictire Book
Book setting
: 23 locations, including Angola, Argentina, Australia, Azores, Baltic Sea, Brazil, Hungary, Iceland, Indian Ocean, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Papua-New Guinea, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, Venezuela,and USA
Author’s ethnicity
: Portuguese
Author’s residence
: Portugal
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Portuguese
Illustrator’s residence
: Portugal
Awards
: 2011 Banco del Libro de Venezuela Best of the Year
Subjects
: Culture, Diveristy, Geography, Time World

Bartolome: The Infanta’s Pet

BartolomeBartolome is a ten-year-old disabled dwarf living in a small village in rural 17th century Spain. His family has to keep him hidden in a back room. His dream is to be able to read and write. When his father lands a job in the court of King Philip IV, the family moves to Madrid. The royal princess gets whatever she wants and she wants Bartolome as her “human dog.” He is dressed in a brown furry suit and is very scared, unhappy, and humiliated until he discovers the painter’s studio. One of the apprentices to Spanish artist Diego Velasquez lets Bartolome mix paints and paint a picture. The book shows how dwarfs were thought of and discriminated against in the 17th century. This heart-wrenching story was inspired by the painting Las Meninas, which was painted by Velasquez in 1656. Velasquez was employed as a court painter by Philip IV, where he frequently painted the royal family, especially the King’s daughter, the Infanta. mjw
Title: Bartolome: The Infanta’s Pet
Author: Rachel Van Kooij
Publisher
: Little Island.  Dublin, Ireland
Copyright
: 2012
Original Language
: German
Translator
: Sioban Parkinson
Original Title
: Kein Hundeleben fur Bartolome
Original Publisher
: Jungbrunnen Verlag.  Vienna
Original Copyright
: 2003
ISBN
: 978-1-908195-26-5
Paperback pages
: 208
Age range
: 12 up
Genre
: Historical Fiction
Book setting
: Spain
Author’s ethnicity
: Dutch
Author’s residence
: Vienna, Austria
Translator’s ethnicity
: Irish
Translator’s residence
: Dublin, Ireland
Awards
: Translator was Ireland’s first Children’s Laureate from 2010-2012.
Subjects
: Dwarfs; Europe; Madrid, Spain; Pets, Special needs: Velasquez

The Story Of Hurry

7S-Hurry_cover_final_1024x1024.jpgA loveable donkey named Hurry lives in the Gaza Strip during 2008. He sees that the children around him are struggling and he tries to help cheer them up with rides on his back. Based on the true story of the Happy Land Zoo in the Gaza Strip, Hurry is taken in by a creative zookeeper who had lost his animals due to hunger or injury. Hurry is the solution to the lack of zebras when he is reintroduced to the community with black and white stripes. With an informative historical note at the end, this story shows the resilience of our human spirit. amo
Title: The Story Of Hurry
Author: Emma Williams
Illustrator
: Ibrahim Quraishi
Publisher
: Seven Stories Press
Copyright
: 2014
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-60980-589-0
Hardcover pages
: 36
Age range
: 3-7
Genre
: Picture Book
Book setting
: Gaza Strip
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Author’s residence
: New York City
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Kenyan
Illustrator’s residence
: Amsterdam
Subjects
: Animals, Donkeys, Gaza Strip, Zoos

The Wolves Of Currumpaw

The wolves of CThis beautifully illustrated tale follows the 19th century true story of Ernest Thompson Seton and Lobo, king wolf of the Currumpaw Valley in New Mexico. Seton set out to hunt and trap Lobo, but was torn between his love of nature and his hunting ability. The death of Lobo was a turning point for Seton. He then devoted his life to protecting the wolf species and to the conservation of American wildlife. Grill’s stunning colored pencil drawings enhance and extend his modern retelling of Seton’s drama, Lobo, the King of Currumpaw, originally published in 1898. Seton went on to found the Boy Scouts of America. Back matter includes an illustrated glossary and an appendix, which includes an author’s note and lists of books, websites, and places where readers can learn more. mjw
Title: The Wolves Of Currumpaw
Author: William Grill
Illustrator
: William Grill
Publisher
: Flying Eye Books, an imprint of Nobrow Ltd.  London
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-909263-83-3
Hardcover pages
: 80
Age range
: 7-14
Genre
: Picture book, Information book, Nonfiction
Book setting
: New Mexico, U.S.
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Author’s residence
: London
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: English
Illustrator’s residence
: London
Awards
: Author/illustrator has won the 2015 CLIP Kate Greenaway Medal
Subjects
: Foxes and wolves, Exploration and discoveries, Old West, Wildlife conservation

The Lie Tree

Screen Shot 2016-07-20 at 10.03.20 AM14-year-old, Faith, is trying to find her place in Victorian England. Her father, a natural scientist, is falling from power when his work is uncovered as a fabrication. The whole Sunderly family moves to the island of Vane to avoid disgrace. When Faith’s father is found dead in an apparent suicide, Faith refuses to believe the local narrative and starts a personal investigation into the death. She acts as a natural scientist to find clues including a strange tree that grows on lies that she whispers to it in the dead of the night. This gothic mystery will keep readers engrossed as they follow Faith’s journey to uncover the truth.  amo
Title: The Lie Tree
Author: Frances Hardinge
Publisher
: Amulet Books
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
Original Publisher
: Macmillan U.K.
Original Copyright
: 2015
ISBN
: 978-1-4197-1895-3
Hardcover pages
: 410
Age range
: 12-18
Genre
: Mystery
Book setting
: England
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Author’s residence
: England
Awards
: Costa Book Of The Year 2015, Carnegie Medal Shortlist 2016
Subjects
: Science, Victorian England

Somewhere Among

Somwhere AmongSet in 2001, eleven-year-old American-Japanese Ema has moved in with her grandparents in Tokyo because of her mother’s difficult pregnancy. Fitting in is difficult – she is a “foreigner.” In free verse, Ema describes her life and concerns. Her Papa is away at work too much. Obaachan (her grandmother) is stern and domineering. Jiichan (her grandfather) is sweet, but fragile. Japanese school is a challenge. And she worries about her soon-to-be Little Sister. The story is about connectedness, as Ema is stuck between two worlds and two cultures. Viewing the September 11, 2001 attacks on the Twin Towers from Japan is especially intriguing. The author’s very extensive website gives information about the history, holidays, anniversaries, and tragedies Japan and America share that are woven throughout the story. Also included are the author’s inspiration, photos, a story playlist, and peace education opportunities and programs. mjw
Title: Somewhere Among
Author: Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu
Publisher
: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English  
ISBN
: 978-1-4814-3786-8
Hardcover pages
: 448
Age range
: 9-12
Genre
: Historical Fiction, Verse
Book setting
: Tokyo, Japan
Author’s ethnicity
: Japan
Author’s residence
: U.S.
Subjects
: Asia, Asian-Americans, Belonging, Japan, Grandmothers, New baby, Novels in verse, Peace ,Pregnancy, Racially mixed people, September 11 Terrorist Attacks – 2001