Category Archives: Uncategorized

Gorillas In Our Midst

gorillas in our midstA young bespectacled boy warns that you should always carry a banana with you because you never know when there might be a gorilla around. Gorillas are masters of disguise and they are really good at hiding. They can be astronauts, scuba divers, surgeons, ninjas – even Gorilliam Shakespeare or Apebraham Lincoln. This humorous story with fanciful illustrations of gorillas everywhere ends with a surprising twist. Only grown-ups will get the pun in the title. (Dr. Dian Fossey’s classic nature memoir, Gorillas In The Mist.) The author and illustrator are known for their comic series about the superhero dinosaur, Blastosaurus.  mjw
Title: Gorillas In Our Midst
Author: Richard Fairgray and Terry Jones
Illustrator
: Richard Fairgray and  Terry Jones.  Coloring by Tara Black
Publisher
: Sky Pony Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc, New York
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-63220-607-7
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 3-6
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Born and raised in New Zealand
Author’s residence
: Auckland, New Zealand
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Welsh
Illustrator’s residence
: Auckland, New Zealand
Subjects
: Apes, Disguise, Gorillas, Humorous stories, Monkeys

The Blue Whale

BlueWhaleReaders will feel like they are on a fantastic journey with the little boy who is also reading The Blue Whale. Illustrations are helpful in conveying  the size of a whale, and the use of images and comparisons gives the perfect visualization of the enormousness of a blue whale in relation to everyday objects. The rich and playful illustrations are well woven with fascinating facts about the “largest living creature on our planet”. ema
Title: The Blue Whale
Author: Jenni Desmond
Illustrator
: Jenni Desmond
Publisher
: Enchanted Lion Books
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
ISBN: 978-1-59270-165-0
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 4-8
Genre
: Nonfiction Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: English
Author’s residence
: London
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: English 
Illustrator’s residence
: London
Subjects: Animals, Blue Whales, Ecology, Endangered Species, Facts, Nonfiction, Ocean, Pollution, Protected Species, Science, Water, Whales, Wildlife

The Three Musicians: A Children’s Book Inspired By Pablo Picasso

three musiciansThe Kingdom of Mirador is terrified of a monstrous beast, Fire-Mouth. No one but the king has actually seen it. He constantly warns the villagers, making them fearful and gloomy. One April morning, three strange musicians – Pierrot, Capuchin, and Harlequin – and their dog appear in the kingdom. They entertain the people and encourage them to sing, to dance, and to confront their fears. The king is not pleased and plots to put everything back in order. But the people see his trick. Based on Pablo Picasso’s Three Musicians, brightly hued watercolors, bold lines, and Mediterranean colors hint at Picasso’s style and cubism. Included are a reproduction of Picasso’s original painting (1921); a lesson on the artist’s ideas, style, and life; and suggested museums throughout the world where Picasso’s art can be seen. The book is one of Prestel’s “Pictures That Tell Stories: Art for Children” series. mjw
Title: The Three Musicians: A Children’s Book Inspired By Pablo Picasso
Author: Veronique Massenot
Illustrator
: Vanessa Hie
Publisher
: Prestel, Verlag
Copyright
: 2013
Original Language
: French
Translator
: Agathe Joly
Original Title
: Les Trois Musiciens
Original Publisher
: L’Elan vert, Paris
Original Copyright
: 2012
ISBN
: 978-3-7913-7151-1
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 6-8
Genre
: Picture Book
Book setting
: Mirador
Author’s ethnicity
: French
Author’s residence
: France
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: French
Illustrator’s residence
: France
Subjects
: Art, Cubism, Dogs, Music, Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

The Wrath And The Dawn

The Wrath and The Dawn Cover 1The brutal Caliph of Khorasan each night kills his new bride before dawn breaks. This changes when Khalid marries Shahrzad. Shahrzad volunteers herself as the caliph’s bride. She wishes to get revenge for her best friend’s death by marrying the King of Kings and giving him the same fate as her friend. Although Shahrzad plans on killing the king, she realizes that Khalid is not the callous monster that she believed he would be. When Shahrzad falls in love with him, she must decide whether to follow her heart or avenge the lives of the caliph’s late wives.  The book’s gorgeous cover and fantastical end pages will entice readers to open the book, while the story will keep them mesmerized. The book also features a map of the book’s setting and a glossary of words readers may be unfamiliar with. The Wrath and The Dawn is a dazzling retelling of A Thousand and One Nights. This romance versus loyalty tale has beautiful imagery, great characterization, and magical elements which will leave readers craving for the next book. ema
Title: The Wrath And The Dawn
Author: Renée Ahdieh
Publisher
: G.P.  Putnam’s Sons, a Penguin Publishing Group
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-399-17161-1
Hardcover pages
: 388
Age range: 14 up
Genre
: Fairytale Reimagining, Fantasy
Book setting
: Fantasy World Based on the Middle East 
Author’s ethnicity
: Asian American
Author’s residence
: United States
Awards
: A Junior Library Guild Selection, A Summer 2015 Kids’ Indie Next List Top Ten Pick
Subjects
: Arabian Nights, Arranged Marriages, Fairy Tale Reimaginings/ Retellings, Fantasy, Friendships,  Loyalty, Love, Magical Elements, Marriages, Middle East, Murder, One Thousand and One Nights, Persian, Relationships, Romance

Once Upon An Alphabet: Short Stories For All The Letters

once upon an alphabetThere is a unique story for every letter of the alphabet in this clever large-format book. A is about an astronaut named Edmund who has a fear of heights. B’s story is about battling Bernard and Bob who burned the bridge between them and learned an important lesson. E’s enigma asks how many elephants can you fit inside an envelope? A nun reveals the answer in N – nearly nine thousand, but it depends on the size of the envelope. Edmund the astronaut appears again in Z for zeppelin, where he drives a steady four feet from the ground. Offbeat wordplay and quirky drawings created with ink and spots of color added digitally enrich this sophisticated alphabet book. mjw
Title: Once Upon An Alphabet: Short Stories For All The Letters
Author: Oliver Jeffers
Illustrator
: Oliver Jeffers
Publisher
: Philomel Books
Copyright
: 2014
Original Language
: English 
Original Publisher
: Harper Collins, U.K.
Original Copyright
: 2014
ISBN
: 978-0-399-16791-1
Hardcover pages
: 112
Age range
: 5-12
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Born in Australia.  Bred in Belfast, Ireland
Author’s residence
: Brooklyn, U.S.
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Born In Australia.  Bred in Belfast, Ireland
Illustrator’s residence
: Brooklyn, U.S.
Awards
: 2015 CBI Book of the Year Award and Children’s Choice Award (Ireland), 2015 ALA Notable Books for Children
Subjects
: Alliteration, Alphabet, Letters, Short stories

Danny

DannyIn this quirky cautionary tale, Danny, the pot-bellied, two-toothed hippopotamus, is having his teeth cleaned by the “cleaner fish” who comment about the large gap between his teeth. He assumes he has a lisp and consults lisping snakes who say that he “sthpeaks thrangely.” Danny doesn’t realize that snakes aren’t good for giving such advice. He goes to a lanky dentist in the city, gets braces, and a brand new lisp. He recommends the procedure to his crocodile friend, who visits the dentist, accidentally devours him, and takes his job. The crocodile becomes a well-established dentist, though some of his patients disappear, and Danny is the “happieth hippopotamuth on earth.” The bold black-line drawings are filled with detail and bright colors, especially yellow, green, and brown. mjw
Title: Danny
Author: Yann and Gwendal Le Bec
Illustrator
: Yann and Gwendal Le Bec
Publisher
: Flying Eye Books, an imprint of Nobrow Ltd., London
Copyright
: 2014
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-909263-42-0
Hardcover pages
: 40
Age range
: 3-7
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: French
Author’s residence
: France
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: French
Illustrator’s residence
: France
Subjects
: Crocodiles, Dentists, Hippopotamus, Lisp, Self-doubt, Teeth

The Hijab Boutique

Hijab BoutiqueFifth-grader Farah attends Miss Peabody’s Academy, an exclusive art-centered girls’ school. Her assignment is to talk about her mother for “International Women’s Day” in front of the whole class, but her hijab-wearing, modest, widowed mother is boring, compared to her classmates’ mothers. She worries and even feels guilty until she talks to her mom and discovers a lot about her mom’s past, present, and future. Her mom is planning to open “The Hijab Boutique,” a store selling Muslim headscarves. This first-person perspective of what it is like being of a different religion and culture in the United States educates and fosters understanding about hijab wearing. Black and white pencil drawings give a sense of Farah’s classmates, her home, and hijab fashions in this quick read. mjw
Title: The Hijab Boutique
Author: Michelle Khan
Illustrator
: Eman Salem
Publisher
: The Islamic Foundation, United Kingdom
Copyright
: 2011
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-86037-468-8
Paperback pages
: 56
Age range
: 10-12
Genre
: Fiction
Book setting
: Los Angeles, U.S.
Author’s ethnicity
: Indo-Canadian
Author’s residence
: Toronto
Subjects
: Hijab, International Women’s Day, Islam, Mothers and daughters, Muslim women, Purdah, School

Written In The Stars

Written in the StarsPakistani-American Naila is a graduating senior at her high school in Florida. She has a college scholarship to become a medical student and she is in love with a wonderful boy named Saif. She has to keep Saif a secret from her conservative immigrant parents. They want what they think is best for her and the choosing of her husband is left up to them with no input from her. But they do find out and they are furious. They whisk her off to Pakistan to find her roots and a husband. Naila has to endure so much – terror, anguish, and loneliness. Everything she knew, loved, and dreamed was taken from her. She is drugged, threatened with shame and death, and coerced into an unwanted, forced marriage. Naila’s first person account of the Pakistan world – huge families, marketplaces, homes, buses, and cuisine – add an extra dimension to this heart-wrenching, but ultimately hopeful novel. A touching Author’s Note explains the difference between arranged and forced marriages and that forced marriages can happen in any country, culture, or religion. Though they are opposed everywhere, they are real and dangerous. Also included are a Glossary and Resources for advice and help. mjw

Title: Written In The Stars
Author: Aisha Saeed
Publisher
: Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Young Readers Group, New York
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-399-17170-3
Hardcover pages
: 284
Age range
: 14 up
Genre
: Fiction
Book setting
: Pakistan and Florida
Author’s ethnicity
: Pakistani-American
Author’s residence
: U.S.
Subjects
: Arranged marriages, Dating, Forced marriages, Love stories, Marriage, Pakistani-Americans, Relationships.

Anything Is Possible

anything is possibleWhen Sheep sees birds flying overhead, she wants to build a flying machine so that she can fly, too. She runs to Wolf to ask for his help, but he is skeptical. Together they build their first design. Its fabric wings rip mid-flight. They try balloons, but the birds pop them. Their final winning idea involves a dragon’s head and tail. And they are off – soaring. The dragon has scared away the birds. The paper cutout, ink, and pencil collage illustrations are intriguing, with architectural drawings, mathematical scribbles, and interesting perspectives. mjw
Title: Anything Is Possible
Author: Giulia Belloni
Illustrator
: Marco Trevisan
Publisher
: Owlkids Books, Inc.  Toronto
Copyright
: 2011
Original Language
: Italian
Translator
: William Anselmi
Original Title
: Tutte e possibile
Original Publisher
: Kite Edizioni, Padova, Italy
Original Copyright
: 2011
ISBN
: 978-1-926973-91-3
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 4-7
Genre
: Picture book
Author’s ethnicity
: Italian
Author’s residence
: Italy
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Italian
Illustrator’s residence
: Italy
Subjects
: Dreams, Flying machines, Perseverance, Persistence, Sheep, Teamwork, Wolves

Red

redA little girl says to Tommy, “You’re blushing…” She points at him and winks at Paul, the biggest bully. The classmates laugh, jeer, and whisper. “Leave me alone!” Tommy sighs. The teasing on the school playground spirals. The bully’s “tongue is as sharp as a knife” and his “fist is as hard as a brick.” The teacher finds out what is going on, but no one dares to speak. Luckily, the little girl is finally brave enough to raise her hand and halt the vicious game. When the bully confronts her later, the other children rally to her side. They have become wiser. Everyone is sometimes shy and bullying is not funny. Pencil, charcoal, ink, aquarelle, acrylic, and collage cartoon illustrations produce an aggressive back and red effect in this subtle, yet powerful book written from the viewpoint of a spectator. mjw
Title: Red
Author: Jan De Kinder
Illustrator
: Jan De Kinder
Publisher
: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan.  U.S.
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: Dutch
Translator
: Laura Watkinson
Original Title
: Rood, of Waarom Pesten Niet Grappig Is (Red, Or Why Bullying Is Not Funny)
Original Publisher
: Uitgeverij De Eenhoorn bvba, Belgium
Original Copyright
: 2013
ISBN
: 978-0-8028-5446-9
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 4-8
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Born in Dendermonde, Belgium
Author’s residence
: Belgium
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Born in Dendermonde. Belgium
Illustrator’s residence
: Belgium
Awards
: Nominated for the Child and Youth Jury 2014-2015 (Belgium_
Subjects
: Blushing, Bullying, Conduct of life, Difference, Peer pressure, Prejudice, School

Walking Home

Walking HomeThirteen-year-old Muchoki and his seven-year-old sister Jata lived, attended school, and played in their bustling Kenyan village until political violence broke out in 2007. Their father was killed, their village was destroyed, and they were forced to move into an overcrowded refugee camp with their ailing mother. When their mother died, they set off on what seemed like an impossible journey over 150 kilometers of Kenyan wilderness and slums to find their grandparents they had never met. It was a dangerous journey for the loveable and brave siblings. Tribal fighting, wild animals, and finding food and shelter were some of the obstacles they faced. The interesting overview of the cultural, political, and geographical landscape of Kenya in this story is filled with determination, charity, and faith. The author walked the same route himself from Mara, up the Rift Valley, down to Nairobi, through Kibera, along the Mombasa highway, to the mountains of Kikima. The author’s website www.ericwalterswalkinghome.com brings Jata and Muchoki’s trek alive. There are symbols throughout the book indicating when readers might want to access the site’s special features, such as pictures, maps, videos, songs, and readings. Proceeds from the book go to the Creation of Hope, an organization that helps provide for orphans in Kenya. mjw
Title: Walking Home
Author: Eric Walters
Publisher
: Doubleday Canada
Copyright
: 2014
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0385-68157-5
Paperback pages
: 304
Age range
: 10 up
Genre
: Fiction
Book setting
: Kenya
Author’s ethnicity
: Canadian
Author’s residence
: Ontario, Canada
Awards
: 2013 Children’s Africana Book Award
Subjects
: Brothers and sisters, Kenya, Nairobi, Orphans, Political violence, Refugees, Survival

Little Lamb, Have You Any Wool?

Little Lamb have you any woolA rosy-cheeked little boy asks a lamb if he can use its wool to knit himself a sweater, a handsome hat, a long scarf, mittens, socks, and a coat to keep him from shivering in the winter. But then, he worries if the lamb will be cold, shorn of his wool and not protected from the cold. So the boy knits another set of clothes for the lamb. Together, in their warm woolly clothes, they enjoy a now-cozy wintertime. The abstract illustrations done in an unusual color palette of greens and earthy tones, with lots of curly lines, convey the warm message of friendship. This is a non-rhyming adaptation of the classic Baa Baa Black Sheep nursery rhyme. mjw
Title: Little Lamb, Have You Any Wool?
Author: Isabel Minhos Martins
Illustrator
: Yara Kono
Publisher
: Owlkids Books, Inc.  Toronto, Canada
Copyright
: 2011
Original Language
: Spanish
Translator
: Maureen de Sousa
Original Title
: Ovejita, dame lana
Original Publisher
: Kalandraka Ediciones Andalucia
Original Copyright
: 2010
ISBN
: 978-1-926973-14-2
Hardcover pages
: 28
Age range
: 3-6
Genre
: Picture book
Author’s ethnicity
: Portuguese
Author’s residence
: Lisbon, Portugal
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Brazilian 
Illustrator’s residence
: Lisbon, Portugal
Subjects
: Cooperation, KIndness, Knitting, Lambs, Sheep, Winter, Wool