Category Archives: Uncategorized

Moko Jumbi Dreams

Ten-year-old Lexi dreams of becoming a moko jumbi majorette, a stilt walker in a parade. Though Lexi misses her best friend, she befriends her new neighbors, Miss Ivy and her foster children. Unfortunately, people petition that they should move out of the neighborhood. Moreover, Lexi’s family worries about the threatening hurricane which is quickly approaching. This lively first book in a series has a glossary of terms, questions which accompany the reading, a list of vocabulary words, and a bibliography of helpful resources. ema

Title: Moko Jumbi Dreams
Author: Alscess Lewis-Brown
Illustrator: Wayne “Bully” Petersen and Cynthia Hatfield
Publisher: Little Bell Caribbean an imprint of Editorial Campana
Copyright: 2011
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-934370-22-3
Paperback pages: 112
Age range: 9-14
Genre: Fiction Novel
Book setting: The US Virgin Islands/ the Caribbean
Author’s ethnicity: Born in Antigua
Author’s residence: St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Petersen: Caribbean
Illustrator’s residence: Petersen: The Virgin Islands, Hatfield: St. Croix
Subjects: Caribbean, Dreams, Foster children, Neighbors, Racism, Small towns, Stilt walkers

When The Earth Lost Its Shapes

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One day, the Earth loses all of its shapes and nobody knows how or why they have gone. Triangles, rectangles, ovals, circles, and squares have all disappeared. Maybe it was a thief or giant aliens? Vibrant acrylic artwork shows eggs that are scrambled, oranges that are squeezed, sandwiches that are squished, and kites that look windswept. The only shape left is a little dot. She declares that she must do something and teams up with the other dots to save the world from shapeless confusion. Soon, everything is shipshape once again. The author is Co-founder and Publishing Director of Karadi Tales Company, an independent children’s publisher in Chennai. mjw

Title: When The Earth Lost Its Shapes
Author: Shobha Viswanath
Illustrator: Christine Kastl
Publisher: Karadi Tales Company Pvt. Ltd. Chennai, India
Copyright: 2011
Original Language: English
Original Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-81-8190-192-7
Paperback pages: 36
Age range: 3 up
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Author’s residence: Chennai, India
Illustrator’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s residence: Germany, France, and India
Subjects: Environment, Size and shape

The Day Everything Went Wrong

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One day Badger wakes up and tells himself that he will do only things he enjoys. From this moment on, it seems like everything is going wrong for Badger. He almost knocks his lamp off his bedpost, accidentally breaks his favorite mug, loses his colored pencils, trips over his shovel, and knocks his wheelbarrow over. Badger decides to visit his friends to see if they are having as bad of a day as he is. When he visits his friends, Badger helps solve their problems. Although everything has gone wrong for Badger, he finds some consolation in helping his friends. Badger wants to go straight to bed after his horrible day, but he finds a surprise when he returns home. Adorable illustrations created using playfully vibrant colors work with the text in showing readers that they can always find good even when it seems like everything is wrong. ema

Title: The Day Everything Went Wrong
Author: Moritz Petz
Illustrator: Amélie Jackowski
Publisher: North South Books
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: German
Translator: David Henry Wilson
Original Title: Der Dachs hat heute einfach Pech
Original Publisher: NordSüd Verlag AG
Original Copyright: 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4209-0
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: German
Author’s residence: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: France
Subjects: Bad days, Badgers, Friendship, Helping others

Tales From Rumi: Mathnawi Selections For Young Readers

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This collection of 32 anecdotes, fables, and tales of everyday life from the Mathnawi is adapted for younger audiences. The Mathnawi is a compilation of more than 24,000 verses by Rumi (1207-1273) and is considered by many to be one of the greatest works of mystical poetry. The stories, such as The Rabbit and The Lion, The Merchant and The Parrot, and The Teacher’s Fear, have interesting, action-packed plots that illustrate a point and morals at the end that reinforce the message. Amusing black-and–white drawings and a ribbon bookmark add to this lively and insightful introduction to world literature for young readers. mjw

Title: Tales from Rumi: Mathnawi Selections For Young Readers
Author: Mawlana Jalaladdin Rumi (1207-1273)
Edited by: A. Fuat Bilkan
Illustrator: Erdinc Semen
Publisher: Tughra Books, New Jersey
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: Persian, also Turkish, Arabic, Greek
Translator: Jeannette Squires Okur
Original Title: Mathnawi
Original Publisher: Rumi dictated the verses
Original Copyright: 1258-1273
ISBN: 978-1-59784-124-5
Hardcover pages: 128
Age range: 12 up
Genre: Fiction, Fables, Folklore
Author’s ethnicity: Persian
Subjects: Fables, Folk tales, Iran, Islam, Poetry, Religion, Storytelling

The Bernadette Watts Collection: Stories And Fairy Tales

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Watts’s works “display warm and pleasing colors that bathe each image in an almost theatre-like setting” -Eric Carle.

Bernadette Watts is an iconic English children’s book author and illustrator who has illustrated several fairy tales and fables. This huge collection of fairy tales features some stories written by world renowned storytellers and Watts herself. The gorgeous impressionistic illustrations of animals, creatures, people, and nature complement the wondrous stories. This collection is excellent for introducing readers to popular tales, such as Cinderella, Rapunzel, The Ugly Duckling, Sleeping Beauty, and The Snow Queen, as well as some unfamiliar works. ema

Title: The Bernadette Watts Collection: Stories And Fairy Tales
Author: Short stories by Bernadette Watts, Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786-1859), Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), Aesop (620-560 BC), Gerda Marie Scheidl (1913-2005), Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), and more
Illustrator: Bernadette Watts
Publisher: North-South
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: German
Translator: North-South Books
Original Title: Bernadette
Original Publisher: NordSüd
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4242-0
Hardcover pages: 317
Age range: 4 up
Genre: Fables, Fairy Tales, Picture Books
Author’s ethnicity: Watts: English, Grimm Brothers: German, Andersen: Danish, Aesop: Greek, Scheidl: German, Tolstoy: Russian
Author’s residence: Watts: England
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: England
Subjects: Fables, Fairy tales, Fairy tale reimaginings/ retellings, Folktales, Illustrated children’s books, Short stories

The Velveteen Rabbit

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Margery Williams wrote this classic in 1922 about a young boy and his soft stuffed rabbit. The oldest and wisest toy in the nursery, the Skin Horse, assures the rabbit that toys are made real by children’s love. The rabbit becomes the boy’s most beloved companion. When the boy falls ill, the rabbit stays by his side. As the boy recovers, the doctor advises the boy’s mother to burn all of his belongings, even the shabby rabbit because they may have become infected. In the magical ending, the beautiful nursery fairy transforms the rabbit into a “real to everyone” rabbit. Sakai’s text is simpler than the original, allowing the richly textured, gorgeous and luminous acrylic and oil pencil paintings to tell the gentle story. mjw

Title: The Velveteen Rabbit
Author: Komako Sakai, based on the story by Margery Williams (1881-1944)
Illustrator: Komako Sakai
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books, New York
Copyright: 2012
Original Language: Japanese
Translator: Yuki Kaneko
Original Title: Biroudo no Usagi
Original Publisher: Bronze Publishing Inc,, Tokyo
Original Copyright: 2007. 1922, Margery Williams for the original text, published as The Velveteen Rabbit: Or How Toys Become Real
ISBN: 978-1-59270-128-5
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Japanese. Margery Williams – English
Author’s residence: Japan
Translator’s ethnicity: Japanese
Translator’s residence: Brooklyn, U.S.
Subjects: Friendship, Imagination, Rabbits, Toys

Wall

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A young boy, his mother, and younger sister were separated from their father when the Berlin Wall was built between East and West Germany. Escape attempts were common. Some who tried “were lucky, others were not.” The boy succeeds in digging a tunnel to the West. A sympathetic guard helps him and when he and his family reach the West, they discover that their dad has begun a tunnel east to find them. Dark, dramatic digital illustrations pierced by spotlights and the carefully worded, minimalist text will appeal to young children’s natural instinct for fairness and justice. The book was published to coincide with the 25^th anniversary of the dismantling of the Berlin Wall and is based on true stories. A brief note provides more information about the Wall. mjw

Title: Wall
Author: Tom Clohosy Cole
Illustrator: Tom Clohosy Cole
Publisher: Templar books, an imprint of Candlewick
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7560-8
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 32
Genre: Historical Fiction, Picture book
Book setting: Berlin
Author’s ethnicity: British
Author’s residence: London
Illustrator’s ethnicity: British
Illustrator’s residence: London
Subjects: Berlin, Berlin Wall (1961-1989), Cold War

Painted Skies

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Leslie has recently moved to the Arctic. Her new friend, Oolipika, teaches her about one of the most amazing wonders of the world, the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights or aqsarniit in Inuktitut. Awe-striking illustrations depict these “painted skies” in various shades of greens, blues, yellows, purples, and pinks. The book includes exquisite artwork, text about the Inuit legend, and an explanation about the science behind the Northern Lights which sure will fascinate readers. ema

Title: Painted Skies
Author: Carolyn Mallory
Illustrator: Ameri Zhao
Publisher: Inhabit Media Inc.
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-77227-004-4
Hardcover pages: 36
Age range: 5 up
Genre: Picture Book, Contemporary Fiction
Book setting: the Arctic
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: Canada
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Australian
Illustrator’s residence: Sydney
Subjects: Arctic, Aqsarniit, Aurora Borealis, Beliefs, Inuit, Legends, Northern Lights, Science

Pinocchio By Pinocchio

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This reworking of the classic story by the author of War Horse (the West End and Broadway play and blockbuster film) tells the full story of Pinocchio from Pinocchio’s point of view. He starts out as a tiny cherry pip, which grows into a cherry tree, eventually becomes the wooden puppet, and finally, the boy. His curious spirit leads him into many exciting adventures. The captivating full-color illustrations make this famous and much-loved puppet come alive. The original story, The Adventures of Pinocchio, was written by the Italian author, Carlo Collodi, in 1883, and made into the fantastic film by Walt Disney in 1940. mjw

Title: Pinocchio By Pinocchio
Author: Michael Morpurgo
Illustrator: Emma Chichester Clark
Publisher: Harper Collins Children’s Books
Copyright: 2013
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-00-733962-4
Paperback pages: 272
Age range: 6-11
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Book setting: Italy
Author’s ethnicity: English
Author’s residence: England
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: London
Awards: Author is a former Children’s Laureate – Britain
Subjects: Fairytales, Marionettes, Puppets

Malala, A Brave Girl From Pakistan/Iqbal, A Brave Boy From Pakistan: Two Stories Of Bravery

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Two stories of young heroes from Pakistan who were unafraid to speak out are told in this two-in-one, upside-down book. Iqbal Masih was an anti child labor activist born in 1982 in Lahore. He was a bonded worker in a carpet factory until he was liberated at age 10. He spoke out against injustice and slavery, which affect millions of children worldwide. He was shot and killed when he was 12. Malala Yousafzai was born in Mingora, in the Swat Valley, in 1997. She first spoke publicly at the age of 11 about the importance of education for girls. In 2012, she was shot by the Taliban. She was treated in many hospitals and today continues to speak out. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. The two stories, with their simple sentences and direct quotations from the young activists, are linked by a shared wordless center-spread, which shows brightly-colored Malala holding onto a kite that reaches out to Iqbal, and gray-toned Iqbal having let go of his kite that sails off to Malala. The simple, uncluttered flat folk art style paintings in brilliant colors reflect the culture of Pakistan. An Author’s Note provides background information about Malala and Iqbal. mjw

Title: Malala, A Brave Girl from Pakistan/Iqbal, A Brave Boy From Pakistan: Two Stories Of Bravery
Author: Jeannette Winter
Illustrator: Jeanette Winter
Publisher: Beach lane Books, Simon & Schuster, New York
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-4814-2294-9
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 6-10
Genre: Picture book biography
Book setting: Pakistan
Author’s ethnicity: U.S.
Author’s residence: U.S.
Illustrator’s ethnicity: U.S.
Illustrator’s residence: U.S.
Subjects: Boys, Child labor, Children’s rights, Education, Girls, Heroes, Peshgi, Rug and carpet industry, Upside-down books

John Diamond

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Twelve-year-old William Jones cannot stop hearing his father’s footsteps and sighs at night. When William learns that his father is troubled because he swindled his old business partner, Mr. Diamond, he promises to himself that he will travel to London to rectify his father’s wrongs. He quickly realizes that London is an eerie city full of danger, death, and betrayal. The author’s gothic writing is reminiscent of Charles Dickens’s works. Middle-grade readers who are fans of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events will devour this mystery novel. ema

Title: John Diamond
Author: Leon Garfield (1921-1996)
Illustrator: Isobel Lundie
Publisher: Random House
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: English
Original Title: John Diamond
Original Publisher: Kestrel Books
Original Copyright: 1980
ISBN:978-0099583271
Paperback pages: 256
Age range: 9-11
Genre: Historical Fiction
Book setting: Victorian London
Author’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: London
Awards:1980 Whitbread Prize for Children’s Novel
Subjects: Creepy, Death, Detective stories, Mystery, Scary stories

In Andal’s House (Tales Of The World)

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Young Kumar is invited to his classmate Andal’s house to watch the fireworks for the celebration of Diwali, India’s 5-day Festival of Light. Andal is a high-caste Brahmin and his family is wealthy. Kumar’s family had been Dalit, outcasts or untouchables. Kumar thinks he has been invited because he is the best student in their class, but when he arrives at Andal’s house, Andal’s grandmother sends him away. He cannot join the festivities. Disappointed, he returns home, where his grandfather explains how things used to be and that India is changing. Men like Mahatma Gandhi and Doctor B.R. Ambedkar have helped to outlaw discrimination against the Dalit, or the broken people. The story ends with Kumar feeling hopeful about both his and India’s future. A Glossary helps with unfamiliar words and an Author’s Note provides more information. Colorful folk-art illustrations in pencil crayon and watercolor ink depict the Diwali celebration and everyday life in contemporary India. mjw

Title: In Andal’s House (Tales Of the World)
Author: Gloria Whelan
Illustrator: Amanda Hall
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press. Ann Arbor , Michigan
Copyright: 2013
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-58536-603-3
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 6-10
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Gujarat, India
Author’s ethnicity: U.S.
Author’s residence: Michigan, U.S.
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: United Kingdom
Subjects: Castes, Diwali, Gandhi, Prejudice, Social classes, Untouchables