Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story Of One Ordinary Bicycle

In this amazing story about a red bike’s journey, Leo outgrows his bike and donates it to a charity which sends bikes to people in countries who cannot afford them. The bike touches all of the lives it encounters. The story invites readers to think about all of the ways a bicycle can help people. The digitally-inspired illustrations incorporate elements of real acrylic and silkscreen textures. The book also includes excellent resources and activities for educators. ema

Title: The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story Of One Ordinary Bicycle
Author: Jude Isabella
Illustrator: Simone Shin
Publisher: CitizenKid, a trademark of Kids Can Press Ltd.
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: Kids Can Press Ltd.
Original Copyright: 2015
ISBN: 978-1-77138-023-2
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: North America, Ghana, and Burkina Faso
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: British Columbia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: American
Illustrator’s residence: San Francisco Bay Area
Subjects: Africa, Altruism, Burkina Faso, Bicycles, Caring, Charities, Helping others, Working

Climbing The Stairs

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Fifteen year-old Vidya has aspirations of attending college, but this is rare for a girl living in British-occupied India during World War II. When misfortune falls upon Vidya’s family, they are forced to live with her father’s family which is a traditional Indian household where women are expected to be married and not educated. Vidya feels suffocated by the lifestyle, but she feels like she can breathe a bit easier when she discovers her grandfather’s library. In the library, Vidya gains a new friend who encourages her to pursue her education. Unfortunately, it is when Vidya finally feels that she finds some comfort in the house that her brother unexpectedly leaves. This moving story about a young woman overcoming political and her own inner turmoils will effectively enlighten readers about Hindi words, traditions, religious festivals, and historical events that occurred during a critical time in Indian history. ema

Title: Climbing The Stairs
Author: Padma Venkatraman
Publisher: Speak, an imprint of Puffin Books
Copyright: 2010
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0142414903
Paperback pages: 254
Age range: 12 up
Genre: Historical Fiction
Book setting: India during WWII
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Author’s residence: America
Awards: A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year, An ALA/YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, An 2009 ALA/Amelia Bloomer Book, A Book Sense Notable, A Publishers Weekly Flying Start Selection, A Booklist Editor’s Choice
Subjects: Brain damage, British occupation of India, Gender roles, Prejudices, World War II

A Persistent Vine

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A retired Japanese magistrate’s family works together to make their new house’s garden their own. The magistrate and his wife are appalled when they learn from their daughter Morning Glory that morning glories are growing in their garden. The morning glories continue to grow despite their efforts to rid the plant. When Morning Glory’s parents pass away, she is left in charge of the house. Her uncle and servants become worried when they cannot find Morning Glory anywhere on the propriety. Morning Glory’s uncle and servants flee the propriety when they see that the morning glories have taken over the garden. Morning Glory’s identity has become a part of the morning glories in her garden. Illustrations are beautifully done in a mix of styles including acrylics, watercolors, and mixed media. There is a page explaining morning glories and other similar plants at the end of the book. This is the first book in the Botanical Tales series, which is inspired by the Montessori material known as the Botany Cabinet. ema

Title: A Persistent Vine
Author: Han Tran and Christinia Cheung
Illustrator: Hsiao- Yen Chi
Publisher: Hands-on-Prints
Copyright: 2013
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0989014007
Hardcover pages: 36
Age range: 7 up
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Japan in the Heian Period
Author’s residence: Both live in California
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Taiwanese, born in Hong Kong
Illustrator’s residence: California
Awards: 2013 Winner of the Silver Moonbeam Children’s Book Award For Picture Book (‘All Ages’ Category)
Subjects: Environment, Family, Female Protagonist, Flowers, Heian Period, Japan, Morning Glories, Nature, Teenage Girl

The God Beneath The Sea

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The ancient Greek gods and goddesses are brilliantly reimagined in this novel which combines classic Greek myths together to create one continuous story. The story begins when a hideous shrieking baby, later known as Hephaestus, falls into the sea and is raised by sea goddesses Thetis and Eurynome. From then on readers discover the origins of gods and man. This classic of English children’s literature with macabre illustrations effectively introduces young readers to Greek Mythology. ema

Title: The God Beneath The Sea
Author: Leon Garfield (1921-1996) and Edward Blishen (1920-1996)
Illustrator: Charles Keeping (1924- 1988)
Publisher: Doubleday
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: English
Original Title: The God Beneath The Sea
Original Publisher: Pantheon Books
Original Copyright: 1970
ISBN: 978-0-875-53311-1
Paperback pages: 215
Age range: 12 up
Genre: Greek Mythology, Fiction
Book setting: Ancient Greece
Author’s ethnicity: Both English
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Awards: 1970 Carnegie Medal
Subjects: Greek gods and goddesses, Mythology, Reimaginings, Retellings

Little White Duck: A Childhood In China

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Andrés Vera Martínez’s mash of comic and classical styles with brown-palette illustrations captures what it was like for his wife, Na Liu, to grow up in China in the 1970s and 1980s. Na Liu, who is called by her nickname Da Qin “Big Piano” in the novel, and her sister Xiao Qin “Little Piano” grew up during a transitional time when China was slowly opening up to the world both economically and culturally. Illustrations and words simply capture the reality of China following Chairman Mao’s death without being overly pedantic. These changes are shown in the eight short stories describing Da Qin’s childhood, life in post-Mao China era, and Chinese traditions and stories. A glossary of terms, a timeline, translations of Chinese characters, a map of China, and a note about the author and illustrator are included. ema

Title: Little White Duck: A Childhood In China
Author: Na Liu
Illustrator: Andrés Vera Martínez
Publisher: Graphic Universe a division of Lerner Publishing Group
Copyright: 2012
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-7613-8115-0
Paperback pages: 108
Age range: 8 up
Genre: Graphic Novel, Biography
Book setting: China
Author’s ethnicity: Chinese
Author’s residence: United States
Illustrator’s ethnicity: American
Illustrator’s residence: United States
Awards: 2012 Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book, 2012 SLJ Best Children’s Books in Fiction, 2012 Horn Book Fanfare in Fiction, 2012 Cybils Award Finalist for Elementary/Middle-Grade Graphic Novels
Subjects: Biography, Childhood, China, Comics, Government, Graphic Novels, History, Language, Memoir, Mythology, World Politics

Zac And Mia

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Seventeen year old leukemia patient Zac says that he accepts his odds. His world changes when he hears loud music from the hospital room next door. His neighbor, the fiery osteosarcoma patient Mia, refuses to accept the unfair reality that is her life. When the two are released from the hospital, they try to resume normalcy, but they are unable to erase their minds about the other. The writing, as told in dual narratives from Zac and Mia, tells a genuine tale about a friendship that builds between two strangers. ema

Title: Zac And Mia
Author: A.J. Betts
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: English
Original Title: Zac And Mia
Original Publisher: Text Publishing
Original Copyright: 2013
ISBN: 978-0544331648
Hardcover pages: 304
Age range: 14 up
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Book setting: Australia
Author’s ethnicity: Australian
Author’s residence: Australia
Awards: 2012 Australian Text Prize
Subjects: Cancer, Disabilities, Family, Farming, Farms, Friendships, Hope, Hospitals, Relationships,Teens

Moletown

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Reminiscent of the author’s phenomenal debut, Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse, this tale about moles creating their own underground city will enthrall readers. Moletown started when one mole moved under a lush green meadow. He eventually finds other moles underground, and they become the founders of Moletown. Their town grows rapidly, but there are some consequences to urbanizing. This picture book with few words utilizes awe striking rustic, industrial, and mechanical style illustrations, created using pens, watercolor, acrylics, oil paints, and digital programs, to speak volumes about pollution. The end pages are newspaper headlines which show the history of Moletown. This great book will generate a discussion about environmental concerns. ema

Title: Moletown
Author: Torben Kuhlmann
Illustrator: Torben Kuhlmann
Publisher: North-South Books
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: German
Translator: Andrew Rushton
Original Title: Maulwurfstadt
Original Publisher: NordSüd Verlag AG
Original Copyright: 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4208-3
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4 up
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: German
Author’s residence: Hamburg
Illustrator’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s residence: Hamburg
Subjects: Buildings, Cities, Construction, Pollution, Underground

Tiger Boy

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Set in the tidal mangrove forests of the Sunderbans of India and Bangladesh, this quiet, suspenseful story tells of young Neel and his efforts to track down a female tiger cub that has escaped from a local animal reserve and save it from greedy poachers. Neel is a good student and could qualify for a scholarship for a private boarding school in Kolkata. This would ensure him and his family a much better quality of life. But he loves his home, is reluctant to leave his familiar world, and therefore, only studies half-heartedly. Neel and his sister hatch out a courageous plan and succeed in rescuing the tiger. And Neel changes his mind about education. Global warming, gender discrimination, endangered animals, environmental protection, and class structure are some of the important issues in this fast-paced story, which is enhanced by dramatic black-and-white pastel illustrations. An Author’s Note, Information on Organizations Working with Bengal Tigers and Organizations Working to Improve Life in the Sunderbans, and a Glossary are provided. mjw

Title: Tiger Boy
Author: Mitali Perkins
Illustrator: Jamie Hogan
Publisher: Charlesbridge. Watertown, MA
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-58089-660-3
Hardcover pages: 144
Age range: 7-10
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Sunderbans, West Bengal, India
Author’s ethnicity: Born in Kolkata, India
Author’s residence: U.S. Has lived in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Mexico, Thailand, Great Britain
Illustrator’s residence: U.S.
Subjects: Animal rescue, Community, Conflict, Economics, Nature, Teachers, Tigers

Cartwheeling In Thunderstorms

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Eight-year-old Will enjoys her adventurous life in Zimbabwe. She enjoys living on an African farm with her best friend Simon and loving father. But when her father passes away, her new guardians send her off to an all-girls’ boarding school in London to learn proper manners and get her “savage” streak out of her. Will has to deal with the challenges of living on her own in a new country where no one seems to understand her. Rundell’s novel illustrates the importance of accepting your differences and finding unforeseen friendships. ema

Title: Cartwheeling In Thunderstorms
Author: Katherine Rundell
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: English
Original Title: The Savage Girl
Original Publisher: Faber and Faber Limited
Original Copyright: 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4424-9061-1
Hardcover pages: 248
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Zimbabwe and London
Author’s ethnicity: grew up in Zimbabwe, Brussels, and London
Author’s residence: London
Awards: 2014 SLJ Best Books for Middle Grade, 2015 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People for Third to Fifth Grade, 2015 Boston Globe/Horn Book Fiction Award Winner
Subjects: Africa, Boarding schools, Death, London, Orphans, Zimbabwe

Tree Of Wonder: The Many Marvelous Lives Of A Rainforest Tree

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More than one thousand different organisms live in the almendro tree that grows deep in the rainforests of Latin America. Count great green macaws, keel-billed toucans, howler monkeys, fruit bats, blue morpho butterflies, poison dart frogs, and many more creatures, as they multiply again and again in this lush picture book about biodiversity. Bright, compelling images rendered in acrylic and pencil bring the rainforest to life. The book concludes with more information on the almendro tree and about environmental organizations that protect the trees. Rainforest math problems and suggested resources for learning even more are also provided. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book goes to support the work of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). mjw

Title: Tree Of Wonder: The Many Marvelous Lives Of A Rainforest Tree
Author: Kate Messner
Illustrator: Simona Mulazzani
Publisher: Chronicle Books, San Francisco
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-4521-1248-0
Hardcover pages: 36
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Information Book, Nonfiction, Picture Book
Book setting: Latin America
Author’s ethnicity: U.S.
Author’s residence: U.S.
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Italian
Illustrator’s residence: Italy
Awards: Illustrator has received a Silver Medal from the Society of Illustrators
Subjects: Biodiversity, Counting, Dipteryx oleifera, Ecology, Environment, Forests, Habitat, Nature, Rainforest ecology, Trees

Totto-Chan: The Little Girl At The Window

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Japan’s most popular television personality, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, reflects upon her childhood growing up in Japan during World War II. “Totto-chan”, as the author is called in the novel, after she is expelled from her elementary in the first grade chooses to attend Tomoe Gakuen. Headmaster Sosaku Kobayashi’s elementary school, which has old train cars for classrooms, is considered unusual, but it is the perfect school for Totto-chan. The headmaster’s pedagogy is that children should be able to freely express their thoughts and choose what they would like to learn. Brilliantly written text will have readers laughing, crying, and cheering for Totto-chan. The book features softly beautiful illustrations by the late picture book illustrator Chihiro Iwasaki, a postscript from the author, an epilogue explaining where Totto-chan’s classmates are now, and notes which translate some words into Japanese characters. ema

Title: Totto-Chan: The Little Girl At The Window
Author: Tetsuko Kuroyanagi
Illustrator: Chihiro Iwasaki
Publisher: Kodansha USA
Copyright: 2011
Original Language: Japanese
Translator: Dorothy Britton
Original Title: Madogiwa no Totto-chan
Original Publisher: Kodansha Ltd.
Original Copyright: 1981
ISBN: 978-1-56836-391-2
Paperback pages: 229
Age range: 9 up
Genre: Historical Nonfiction, Memoir
Book setting: Japan during WWII
Author’s ethnicity: Japanese
Author’s residence: Japan
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese
Illustrator’s residence: Died on August 8, 1974
Awards: Non-Fiction Prize
Subjects: Biography, Elementary schools, Nontraditional schools, Tomoe Gakuen, TV personalities

Tiptoe Tapirs

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BOOM! BAM-BAM! CAW-CAW! These are some of the sounds of the jungle. One that animal people will not hear is the tapir. Tapir and Little Tapir tiptoe around the jungle softly, so they will not disturb anything or anyone. On Little Tapir’s birthday, Tapir and Little Tapir travel to the Great Puddle to eat mud cakes. Suddenly, “THUD, THUD, THUD…GROWL!” a leopard attacks. The tapirs run from the leopard when they are surprised by a sharp BANG! A hunter has entered the jungle. Little Tapir notices that Leopard is frightened by the noise. Together he and his mother teach him how to walk silently. From now on, Leopard and the rest of the animals tiptoe silently to avoid hunter’s attention. Exquisite pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations, rhythmic text, and onomatopoeia words work perfectly in this original pourquoi story. ema

Title: Tiptoe Tapirs
Author: Hanmin Kim
Illustrator: Hanmin Kim
Publisher: Holiday House
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: Korean
Translator: Sera Lee
Original Title: Tapir’s Soft Steps
Original Publisher: BIR Publishing Co. Ltd.
Original Copyright: 2013
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3395-7
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: South Korean
Author’s residence: Seoul
Illustrator’s ethnicity: South Korean
Illustrator’s residence: Seoul
Subjects: Animals sounds, Fairytale/ Folk tales, Hunters, Jungle, Noise, Tapirs