Category Archives: White Raven

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

Hans Christian Andersen: The Journey Of His Life

Through a magical conversation with a young girl in a horse-drawn carriage, Hans Christian Andersen tells his life story. “The most wonderful fairytale is life itself.” He was a cobbler’s son who left his town in Denmark, with thirteen coins in his pocket, to go to Copenhagen to seek his fortune. He wanted to be an actor or a dancer, but things did not work out for him. What he really enjoyed was writing. A sheet of paper became his stage. He wrote poems, stories, fairytales, and plays. He traveled around the country meeting people who loved the theatre – people like himself. Hans goes on to tell the girl some of his stories, such as The Flying Trunk, Thumbelina, The Princess and the Pea, The Ugly Duckling, Clumsy Hans, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and The Snow Queen. The sumptuous illustrations use graphic novel elements to tell the story. In the illustrations, there are references to well-known authors of children’s books and some famous children’s book characters, like The Little Prince, Pinocchio, and more. An author’s note tells more about Hans Christian Andersen’s life. mjw
Title: Hans Christian Andersen: The Journey Of His Life
Author: Heinz Janisch
Illustrator
: Maja Kastelic
Publisher
: NorthSouth Books, Inc., New York
Copyright
: 2020
Original Language
: German
Translator
: David Henry Wilson
Original Title
: Hans Christian Andersen: Die Reise seines Lebens
Original Publisher
: NordSud Verlag AG> Zurich, Switzerland
Original Copyright
: 2020
ISBN
: 978-0-7358-4388-2
Hardcover pages
: 56
Age range
: 4-8
Genre
: Picture Book Biography
Book setting
: Denmark
Author’s ethnicity
: Austrian
Author’s residence
: Vienna
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Born in Slovenia
Awards
: White Ravens Award – Illustrator
Subjects
: Biography, Denmark, European history, Fairytales, Literary biography

A Boy And A House

This wordless book is the story of a boy wandering down dark Grimm Street past interesting street and window scenes.  When he gets to #34 Andersen Street, he sees a cat in an open doorway.  He follows the cat up a stairway where there are discarded drawings on the floor, which he collects.  The sepia-toned watercolor paintings are full of enticing details. The two mice on each page are especially fun.  The boy journeys through the house, drawn forever forward until he reaches a lovely surprise.  Each page in the book is more amazing than the last. mjw
Title: A Boy And A House
Author: Maja Kastelic
Illustrator
: Maja Kastelic
Publisher
: Annick Press
Copyright
: 2018
Original Language
: Slovenian
Original Title
: Decek in Hisa
Original Publisher
: Mladinska Knjiga Zalozba
Original Copyright
: 2015
ISBN
: 978-1-77321-055-1
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 4-7
Genre
: Wordless Picture Book
Book setting
: Slovenian townhouse
Author’s ethnicity
: Slovenian
Author’s residence
: Slovenia
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Slovenian
Illustrator’s residence
: Slovenia
Awards
: White Ravens List
Subjects
: Cats, Companionship, Discovery, Houses, Stories without words, Surprises

The Boring Book

the-boring-bookOnce there was a BORING book that no one ever read. People who tried to read it fell asleep. The words in the book were tired of standing in rows, so they escape to have fun. They jump into street signs and shop signs. They dance all over the pages until the wordplay gets out of hand. Unusual and colorful graphics and three-dimensional miniature books within the book are imaginative and add to the fun. mjw
Title: The Boring Book
Author: Vasanti Unka
Illustrator
: Vasanti Unka
Publisher
: Puffin Books, New Zealand
Copyright
: 2013
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-143-50575-4
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 4-10
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s residence
: Auckland, New Zealand
Illustrator’s residence
: Auckland, New Zealand
Awards
: 2014 New Zealand Post Mahy Book of the Year, 2014 White Raven, 2016 IBBY Honor Book
Subjects
: Activity books, Books and libraries, Words

How To Be Famous


cv_how_to-be_famous

Everyone takes a trip to the zoo to see the exotic pigeons- right? At least that is what this boastful main character believes. The confident pigeon comes from generations of fame from his grandpa the sculptor to his mother the gardener. And he, the family model, is the most famous of them all. For, every time he takes a trip to the zoo, onlookers want pictures and autographs, they even show their appreciation by bowing and showering him with food. This grandiose life can not be beat, even by the King of the the Jungle… js


Title: How To Be Famous
Author: Michal Shalev
Illustrator
: Michal Shalev
Publisher
: Gecko Press. Wellington, New Zealand
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 9-781776-570300
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 5-9
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Israeli
Author’s residence
: Israel
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Israeli
Illustrator’s residence
: Israel
Subjects
: Fame, Pigeon, Vanity, Zoos

Chicken In The Kitchen

chicken-in-the-kitchenIt is the night before the New Yam Festival in Anyaugo’s Nigerian village. She wakes up and sees the shadow of a giant chicken heading for the kitchen. She goes to investigate, but decides she needs help from the Wood Wit, a tricky wood spirit. This fun look at the masquerade culture of West Africa is enhanced with flamboyant and vibrant illustrations. mjw
Title: Chicken In The Kitchen
Author: Nnedi Okorafor
Illustrator
: Mehrdokht Amini
Publisher
: Lantana Publishing Company, Great Britain
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-9932253-0-7
Paperback pages
: 32
Age range
: 4-8
Genre
: Picture Book
Book setting
: Nigeria
Author’s ethnicity
: Nigerian/American
Author’s residence
: U.S.
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Iranian
Illustrator’s residence
: England
Awards
: 2106 White Raven, 2016 Best Children’s Africana Book Award
Subjects
: Chickens, Harvest festival, Magic, Traditions, Wood spirits