Category Archives: White Raven

John The Skeleton

John is a newly retired skeleton. He was a classroom teaching aid in a South Estonian school. Gramps and Grams bring John to their outdoor summer kitchen on their farm deep in the woods. Every day is exciting for John. He rides in a car, meets the farm animals, scares some crooks in the village, visits with the grandchildren, takes a bath and makes a snow angel. He even becomes part of an art exhibit at the city museum. Short chapters and folk art pencil illustrations in black and white with pops of beet red present a view of Estonian culture with saunas, pixies, and linden-blossom tea. The text is also medically accurate. This quirky, affectionate story portrays what it means to care for one another, grow old together, and appreciate the little things. mjw
Title: John The Skeleton
Author: Triini Laam
Illustrator
: Marja-Liisa Plats
Publisher
: Yonder, an imprint of Restless Books
Copyright
:2024
Original Language
: Estonian
Translator
: Adam Cullen
Original Title
: Luukere Juhani juhtumised
Original Publisher
: Paike ja Pilve, Saue, Estonia
Original Copyright
: 2020
ISBN
: 978-1632063700
Hardcover pages
: 64
Age range
: 6-12
Genre
: Picture Book
Book setting
: South Estonia
Author’s ethnicity
: Estonian
Author’s residence
: Estonia
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Estonian
Illustrator’s residence
: Estonia
Awards
:2025 Batchelder Award, soo5 ISBBY Outstanding International Books, 20221 White Raven Catalog
Subjects
: Aging, Death, Farms, Grandchildren, Grandparents, Retirement, Skeletons

HaiCuba/HaiKuba: Haikus About Cuba

downloadCuba’s people, culture, and natural world are featured in bilingual haikus written in Spanish and English in this brilliant picture book. An introduction explains the poetic form. Discover Cuba’s national bird, the Tocororo, whose feathers resemble the flag of Cuba. Learn about Havana neighborhoods, salsa dancing, the Almendares River, candied sweets, and much more. The fun, vibrant illustrations were created with watercolors, colored pencils, gouache, and acrylics. Back matter gives information on the topics covered in the poems. A map of Cuba is presented on the endpapers. mjw
Title: HaiCuba/HaiKuba: Hiakus About Cuba
Author: Carlos Pintado and Lawrence Schimel
Illustrator
: Juan Jose Colsa
Publisher
: Ediciones NorteSur. Distributed by Simon & Schuster. New York
Copyright
: 2024
Original Language
: English and Spanish Bilingual
ISBN
: 978-0-7358-4568-8
Hardcover pages
: 40
Age range
: 4-8
Genre
: Poetry, haiku. Picture Book
Book setting
: Cuba
Author’s ethnicity
: PIntado – Cuban. Schimel – U.S.
Author’s residence
: Pintado – Miami. Schimel – New York and Madrid
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Mexican
Awards
: Schimel has won a White Raven Award and a Bachelder Honor.
Subjects
: Birds, Caribbean, Dance, Flags, Haikus, Islands, Havana, Latin America, People and Places, Poetry, Rivers, Trees

Drawing Outdoors

Drawing Outdoors

In a small one-room schoolhouse between two mountains, near a river, in the middle of nowhere, a very creative teacher takes her students outside for their lesson. The students take paper and crayons and become explorers. First, they see a Brontosaurus that has stopped for a drink in the river. The kids draw what they see on their paper. They discover a Stegosaurus hidden between the rocks and Pterodactyls flying through the skies. Only the bravest students stay to draw the roaring Tyrannosaurus Rex. They return to school with their drawings of the spectacular creatures sparked by their extraordinary teacher. Vivid landscapes filled with playful details complement this inspirational story about the impact of teachers and thinking outside the box. mjw

Title: Drawing Outdoors
Author: Jairo Buitrago
Illustrator
: Rafael Yockteng
Publisher
: Greystone Kids
Copyright
: 2022
Original Language
: Spanish
Translator
: Elisa Amado
ISBN
: 978-1-77164-847-9
Hardcover pages
: 36
Age range
: 5-9
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Spanish
Author’s residence
: Mexico City
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Colombian
Illustrator’s residence
: Bogota, Colombia
Awards
: White Ravens Catalog, USBBY Outstanding International Books List
Subjects
: Art, Dinosaurs, Drawing, Education, Imagination, Schools, Teachers

Duck’s Backyard

ducks backyardA duck with a limp and a blind chicken embark on an adventure. The duck will guide the chicken and the chicken will support the duck’s wonky leg. They search for a place where their most secret wishes will come true. They encounter a wild forest, a deep canyon, the highest mountain, and they experience many differences of opinion along the way. Their final destination is a hilarious surprise. The book’s philosophical tone and sophisticated vocabulary make the book ideal for a range of readers. Full-color illustrations with bold, dynamic lines and brush strokes are included. mjw
Title: Duck’s Backyard
Author: Ulrich Hub
Illustrator
: Jorg Muhle
Publisher
: Gecko Press, New Zealand
Copyright
: 2022
Original Language
: German
Translator
: Helena Kirkby
Original Title
: Lahme Ente, blindes Huhn
Original Publisher
: Carlsen Verlag GmgH. Hamburg, Germany
Original Copyright
: 2021
ISBN
: 978-1-776574-735
Hardcover pages
: 96
Age range
: 7-11
Genre
: Fiction, Illustrated Chapter Book, Novel
Author’s ethnicity
: German
Author’s residence
: Berlin
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: German
Illustrator’s residence
: Frankfurt
Awards
: 2022 White Raven Award
Subjects
: Birds, Blindness, Differences, Disabilities, Friendships, Humor, Leadership

9 Kilometers

9 kilometersA young boy walks nine kilometers – over five-and-a-half miles – to school through the mountains and rainforests of Chile. He observes butterflies, birds, and animals, as he crosses a stream and crawls under a barbed wire fence. He likes to walk and count. Endpapers show maps of his route. An opening note explains a bit about the metric system. The vibrant and detailed illustrations are rendered in acrylics and show interesting perspectives in this important book about perseverance and the right to an education. Back matter tells of other walkers around the world – in China, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Kenya, Uruguay, Venezuela, and other parts of Chile. Some of them walk as much as 30 kilometers round-trip to get to school. Descriptions and photos of birds that live in southern Chile are also included. mjw
Title: 9 Kilometers
Author: Claudio Aguilera
Illustrator
: Gabriela Lyon
Publisher
: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.
Copyright
: 2023
Original Language
: Spanish
Translator
: Lawrence Schimel
Original Title
: 9 Kilometros
Original Publisher
: Ediciones Ekare Sur,.Santiago, Chile.
Original Copyright
: 2020
ISBN
: 978-0-8028-5600-5
Hardcover pages
: 56
Age range
: 5-9
Genre
: Picture Book
Book setting
: Chile
Author’s ethnicity
: Chilean
Author’s residence
: Chile
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Chilean
Illustrator’s residence
: Chile
Awards
: 2021 White Ravens Catalog (Spanish edition)
Subjects
: Birds, Chile, Counting, Education, Global cultures, Journeys, Kilometers, Math, Numbers, Perseverance, Schools

Adam And His Tuba

Adam and his tuba

Everyone in the Von Trapeze family likes to perform in the circus, except for Adam, the youngest member of the family. Grandma Antonia breathes fire. Uncle Artem and his clan perform an unforgettable human pyramid. Papa Alexei and Mama Anastasia bravely walk the tightrope. And daughter Aria rides a unicycle and juggles six clubs all at once. But Adam doesn’t like circus tricks or the loud applause. The family is so worried about their youngest son. They try different approaches to change him. One day, something unusual happens – they are enchanted by Adam playing the tuba. From now on, the circus has a new performer and Adam becomes a star. Warm sepia-colored paintings light up the Von Trapeze’s circus world in this lighthearted story about finding one’s own path. mjw

Title: Adam And His Tuba
Author: Ziga X. Gombac
Illustrator
: Maya Kastelic
Publisher
: NorthSouth Books, Inc., New York
Copyright
: 2023
Original Language
: German
Translator
: Olivia Hellewell
Original Title
: Adam und seine Tuba
Original Publisher
: NordSud Verlag AG. Zurich, Switzerland
Original Copyright
: 20223
ISBN
: 978-0-7358-4497-1
Hardcover pages
: 40
Age range
: 4-8
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Slovenian
Author’s residence
: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Slovenia
Illustrator’s residence
: Slovenia
Awards
: Illustrator has won the White Ravens Award
Subjects
: Circus, Grandparents, Growing up, Music, Performing arts, Tubas

Different: A Story Of The Spanish Civil War

DifferentSiblings, seven-year-old Socorro and nine-year-old Paco tell their story of Spain during the turbulent Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939. Fascist dictator Francisco Franco persecuted everyone who opposed him, and consequently, the children’s father had to flee Spain because of his political beliefs. The children and their mother remain in Spain and have to keep their secret. A letter arrives from their father in Venezuela that results in the family being reunited in Caracas, where they are still different but safe. Oil-pastel illustrations portray the worlds of the family. Based on the author’s family history, this middle-grade novel is supplemented with more information about Spain and the war, wartime refugees, a new life beyond Spain, and the lives of refugees today. A glossary of Spanish words and resources for children, young adults, and older readers are also included. mjw
Title: Different: A Story Of The Spanish Civil War
Author: Monica Montanes
Illustrator
: Evan Sanchez Gomez
Publisher
: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Copyright
: 2022
Original Language
: Spanish
Translator
: Lawrence Schimel
Original Title
: Los distintos
Original Publisher
: Ediciones Ekare. Barcelona, Spain
Original Copyright
: 2020
ISBN
: 978-0-8028-5598-5
Hardcover pages
: 88
Age range
: 9-14
Genre
: Historical fiction
Book setting
: Spain, Venezuela
Author’s ethnicity
: Venezuelan
Author’s residence
: Madrid
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Spanish
Illustrator’s residence
: Spain
Awards
: 2021 White Raven, 2023 Batchelder Award
Subjects
: Brothers and sisters, Caribbean and Latin America, Emigration and immigration, Military and wars, Refugees, Spain Civil War 1936-1939, Survival, Venezuela

189 Canaries

189 CanariesYellow canaries sing melodies to the silver miners in the Harz Mountains in Germany. Today, a bird dealer has come to put the canaries into individual wooden cages and take them on a voyage by train and then by steamship across the Atlantic Ocean to bustling New York City. Beautiful mixed media illustrations enhance this fascinating story about the little-known history of the canaries and their lovely melodies. Back matter includes notes on the history of canaries and the ways they were used and transported by humans in the 1800s. In the year 1882 alone, 120,000 canaries were shipped to New York City. A map of their journey is featured on the book’s endpapers. mjw
Title: 189 Canaries
Author: Dieter Boge
Illustrator
: Elsa Klever
Publisher
: Eerdmans Book for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Copyright
: 2021
Original Language
: German
Translator
: Laura Watkinson
Original Title
: 189
Original Publisher
: Aladin Verlag, an imprint of Thienemann-Esslinger. Stuttgart
Original Copyright
: 2020
ISBN
: 978-0-8028-5574-9
Hardcover pages
: 48
Age range
: 6-10
Genre
: Picture Book
Book setting
: Germany and United States
Author’s ethnicity
: German
Author’s residence
: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: German
Illustrator’s residence
: Germany
Awards
: 2022 USBBY Outstanding International Books List. Author has won the German Youth Literature Prize and has been included in the White Ravens Catalog
Subjects
: Birds, Canaries, Harz Mountains, Home, Miners, Voyages

The Words In My Hands

the words

The art journal of Deaf sixteen-year-old Piper, set in near-future Melbourne, Australia, is part coming of age story and part call to action. Piper is smart, artistic, and rebellious. Deaf since the age of three, she is told by her mother that she needs to conform, compensate and appear normal. She meets Marley, a CODA (child of a deaf parent), and a whole new world opens up for her. This is a time of food scarcity, environmental collapse, and political corruption. Piper is determined to build a sustainable food garden and communicate with her mom, friends, and community like she never has before. Back matter in this amazing book includes information on the Deaf community and various forms of sign language and ideas for journaling. mjw

Title: The Words In My Hands
Author: Asphyxia
Illustrator
: Asphyxia
Publisher
: Annick Press
Copyright
: 2021
Original Language
: English
Original Title
: Future Girl In Australia
Original Publisher
: Allen & Unwin, Australia
Original Copyright
: 2020
ISBN
: 978-1773215280
Hardcover pages
: 388
Age range
: 13-16
Genre
: Fiction, Novel
Book setting
: Australia
Author’s ethnicity
: Australian
Author’s residence
: Australia
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Australian
Illustrator’s residence
: Australia
Awards
: 2022 ALA Schneider Family Book Award for Teens, 2021 Children’s Book Council of Australia Notable Book of the Year for Older Readers 2021 White Raven
Subjects
: Activism, Auslan, Coming of age, Creativity, Deafness, Dystopian, Finger-spelling, Future, Gardens, Problem solving, Sign language, Special needs, Sustainability

War

WarWar spreads like a disease. It hears nothing, sees nothing, and feels nothing. It feeds on hate and spite. It saddens, crushes, and silences. It destroys everything in its path. This eye-opening book with sparse text reveals the many sides of war. The watercolor illustrations in black, grays, and browns are stunning and surreal. War is the perfect book for starting important discussions between children and their parents and teachers. mjw
Title: War
Author: Jose Jorge Letria
Illustrator
: Andre Letria
Publisher
: Greystone Kids. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Copyright
: 2021
Original Language
: Portuguese
Translator
: Elisa Amado
Original Title
: A Guerra
Original Publisher
: Pato Logico Edicoes. Lisbon, Portugal
Original Copyright
: 2018
ISBN
: 978-1-77164-726-7
Hardcover pages
: 64
Age range
: 9 up
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Portuguese
Author’s residence
: Lisbon, Portugal
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Portuguese
Illustrator’s residence
: Lisbon Portugal
Awards
: Nami Concours 2018 (Grand Prix), White Raven 2018, 2022 USBBY Outstanding International Books List
Subjects
: Conflict, Value of peace, War

The Elevator

downloadA girl and her dog Roco want to go on their afternoon walk. They get on the elevator on Floor 4 and the girl pushes the down button, but the elevator goes up. It stops at Floor 7 and Ms. Paula gets on. She is afraid of dogs. She presses the down button, but the elevator goes up again. On Floor 8, old Mr. Miguel gets on with his walker. He presses the down button and the elevator stops on Floor7 and Cora and the twins in their stroller get on. After pressing the button again, the elevator stops between Floor 5 and Floor 4. Then Ms. Paula opens the box that she is carrying and gives everyone a slice of birthday cake that she was planning to give to her friend. Next, Mr. Miguel tells a story called Who Cares? about a bear that always said he didn’t care when he really did. All of a sudden the elevator starts to move, though no one pushed the button. It stops at Floor 4 and everyone gets off and has tea at the girl’s apartment. At the end of the book, in a real envelope, there is a surprise mini-book titled Who Cares? The playful black, white and red illustrations were created with drawing, collage, and photography all assembled digitally. The tall and slender format of the book resembles an elevator. mjw
Title: The Elevator
Author: Yael Frankel
Illustrator
: Yael Frankel
Publisher
: Tapioca Stories. Huntington, New York.
Copyright
: 2020
Original Language
: Spanish
Translator
: Kit Maude
Original Title
: El ascensor
Original Publisher
: Limonero, Argentina
Original Copyright
: 2019
ISBN
: 978-1-7347839-0-2
Hardcover pages
: 44
Age range
: 5-8
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Argentinian
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Argentinian
Awards
: 2021 Outstanding International Books USBBY, 2020 White Raven Award
Subjects
: Apartment buildings, Dogs, Elevators, Pets, Twin

My Favorite Memories

This gentle story tells of a young girl who is moving to a new country. She has a suitcase in which to pack her most favorite things. She wants to take her aquarium, a wooden chair, the pear tree outside, her best friend, and even the bus driver, but these things are all too big. She comes to understand that while we can’t always carry our favorite things physically, we can travel with them in other ways. The charming illustrations complement this hopeful story of change and resilience. mjw
Title: My Favorite Memories
Author: Sepideh Sarihi
Illustrator
: Julie Volk
Publisher
: Blue Dot Kids Press. San Francisco, CA
Copyright
: 2020
Original Language
: German
Translator
: Elisabeth Lauffer
Original Title
: Meine liebsten Dinge müssen mit
Original Publisher
: Beltz & Gelberg
Original Copyright
: 2018
ISBN
: 978-1-7331212-4-8
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 5-8
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Iranian
Author’s residence
: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Austrian
Illustrator’s residence
: Vienna
Awards
: 2020 Bologna Ragazzi Award, Illustrator has won the White Raven Award
Subjects
: Change, Emotions, Moving, Permanence, New experiences