Tag Archives: Adventure

An Island Of Our Own

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an island of our ownSiblings, seventeen-year-old Jonathan, ten-year-old Holly, and six-year-old Davy have to look after themselves since their mum died. Jonathan has turned down his place at university to work in a café to care for Holly and Davy. Their wealthy and eccentric Aunt Irene passes away and leaves them some photographs that might lead to an inheritance, and Holly is determined to find the hidden treasure. On their quest, using the modern technology of a Maker Space to find clues, they meet a wide variety of people and travel across England and Scotland. Holly, who narrates the story, is optimistic and spunky. Jonathan is strong, nerdy, and cool. References to Dr. Who, The Hobbit, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and The Chronicles of Narnia; short chapters; and likeable characters help make this contemporary adventure about the strength of family and kindness of others a lot of fun. mjw
Title: An Island Of Out Own
Author: Sally Nicholls
Publisher: Scholastic Children’s Books
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1407-12433-9
Paperback pages: 240
Age range: 11up
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: England, Orkney Islands, Scotland
Author’s ethnicity: English
Author’s residence: Oxford, UK
Awards: 2015 IBW Children’s Fiction Award, 2015 Guardian Children’s Fiction Longlist
Subjects:  Brothers and sisters, Discovery, Humor, Maker spaces, Mysteries, Photographs, Technology

The Wonderful Fluffy Little Squishy

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The Wonderful Fluffy Little SquishyFive and half-year-old Eddie believes she is the only one in her family who is not special. Her father can speak five languages, her mother can sing like a bird, and her sister is an ice-skating queen. When Eddie overhears her sister talking to her mother about getting her a birthday present, she is determined to give her mother the perfect gift. During her search for her mother’s birthday present, Eddie realizes that she has a unique gift of her own. The hand-drawn and vintage looking illustrations showcase the amiable and relatable heroine’s adventures in her neighborhood. ema
Title: The Wonderful Fluffy Little Squishy
Author: Beatrice Alemagna
Illustrator: Beatrice Alemagna
Publisher: Enchanted Lion
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: French
Translator: Claudia Zoe Bedrick
Original Title: Le merveilleux Dodu-Velu-Petit
Original Publisher: Albin Michel Jeunesse
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-1-59270-180-3
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Italian
Author’s residence: Italy
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Italian
Illustrator’s residence: Italy
Awards: 2016 Mildred L. Batchelder Award
Subjects: Birthday, Community, Daughters, Gift, Mothers

Little Red Riding Hood

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Little Red Riding HoodThis eye appealing retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with die-cut patterns and textures is absolutely gorgeous. The brilliantly placed text and die-cut illustrations create a fun and alluring interactive reading experience.The die-cut pages’ placement foreshadows upcoming events which invite readers to guess what will happen next. The mixture of patterns, textures, ominous shades, and bright colors evokes Little Red Cap’s  carefree attitude despite being surrounded by clues of looming dangers. ema
Title: Little Red Riding Hood
Author: Jacob Grimm (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786-1859)
Illustrator: Sybille Schenker
Publisher: Michael Neugebauer Publishing Ltd.
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: German
Translator: Anthea Bell
Original Title: Little Red Cap
Original Copyright: 1857
ISBN: 978-988-8240-79-1
Hardcover pages: 52
Age range: 5-7
Genre: Picture Book, Fairytale
Author’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s residence: Berlin
Subjects: Fairytale reimaginings/ retellings, Folklore, Folktales, Little Red Riding Hood

When Dad Showed Me The Universe

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When Dad Showed Me The UniverseA boy’s father one day decides it is time that his son is introduced to the universe. They travel afar to reach the universe. They go to a supermarket to buy treats to eat on their journey, walk past a park, a hardware store, a fish shop, and jump over a creek before they reach their destination. The son believes that he has found the universe when he looks at the dog park. His father tells him, “Don’t be silly,… You’re supposed to look up.”  Looking up he finds thousands of stars in the sky. Captivating soft colored pencil illustrations along with the brush of abstract thinking and low comedy will engage early readers. ema
Title: When Dad Showed Me The Universe
Author: Ulf Stark
Illustrator: Eva Eriksson
Publisher: Gecko Press
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: Swedish
Translator: Julia Marshall
Original Title: När papa visade mig världsallet
Original Publisher: Bonnier Carlsen
Original Copyright: 1998
ISBN: 978-1-927271-81-0
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-9
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Swedish
Author’s residence: Sweden
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swedish
Illustrator’s residence: Sweden
Awards: Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, August Prize (Illustrator)
Subjects: Fathers, Sons, Stargazing, Universe

The Nest

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The NestAnxious, OCD-ridden, pre-adolescent Steve has a new baby brother who has congenital health problems. The baby needs surgery and may never be completely normal. Steve’s parents are pre-occupied with the baby and Steve starts to have dreams and nightmares with angels/wasps who promise that they can grow a new, healthy baby to replace his sickly newborn brother. And at the same time, a wasps’ nest is rapidly growing outside the baby’s bedroom window. Scientific information about wasps is woven into Steve’s first-person perspective. Black and white graphite drawings add to the mood of this very intense, intriguing, and scary story that will appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman mjw
Title: The Nest
Author: Kenneth Oppel
Illustrator: John Klassen
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-4814-3232-0
Hardcover pages: 256
Age range: 10 up
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Canada (Toronto)
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: Toronto, Canada
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian
Illustrator’s residence: Los Angeles, California, USA
Awards: Author has won the Canadian Governor General’s Literary Award.  Illustrator has won the Caldecott Medal
Subjects: Babies, Changelings, Ghost stories, Horror stories, Infants, Paranormal fiction, Special needs, Supernatural, Wasps

The Bernadette Watts Collection: Stories And Fairy Tales

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Bernadette Watts CollectionWatts’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

Pinocchio By Pinocchio

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pinocchioThis 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

John Diamond

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John DiamondTwelve-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

The Letter For The King

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The Letter for the KingAs he waits in a chapel on the eve of his knighting ceremony, sixteen-year-old Tiuri is asked to deliver a secret letter to the king of the neighboring kingdom, Unauwen. Though leaving the chapel could cost him his knighthood, he goes on a lengthy journey to deliver a message which could change the destiny of the kingdoms of Unauwen and Dragonaut. This epic tale of heroism, bravery, and true friendship will intrigue readers who are fans of fantasy, mystery, and medieval literature. Dragt’s sequel, The Secrets Of The Wildwood, has also been translated into English. ema
Title: The Letter For The King
Author: Tonke Dragt
Illustrator: Tonke Dragt
Publisher: Pushkin Children’s
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: Dutch
Translator: Laura Watkinson
Original Title: De brief voor de koning
Original Publisher: Uitgeverij Leopold
Original Copyright: 1962
ISBN: 978-1-782690-10-8
Hardcover pages: 460
Age range: 12 up
Genre: Fiction, Novel
Author’s ethnicity: Born in Indonesia
Author’s residence: The Netherlands
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Indonesia
Illustrator’s residence: The Netherlands
Awards: 2004 Gouden Griffel Winner, 1976 State Prize for Youth Literature, 1963 Children’s Book of the Year Award for the Netherlands
Subjects: Action, Kings, Knights, Journeys, Medieval setting, Quests

Aladdin

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AladdinWhen Aladdin is tricked by his greedy magician uncle, he becomes trapped in a cave with a lighted lamp. As Aladdin plans what to do next, he accidentally rubs the lamp and a genie appears who promises to serve any of his requests! His wishes come true, but he has to learn how to fix things when his uncle acquires the lamp. This marvelous abbreviated retelling of Aladdin was created using gorgeous brown, blue, and black cut paper illustrations laid on lavishly gem colored background paper. ema
Title: Aladdin
Author: from the Arabian Nights; retold by Sheri Safran
Illustrator: Agnese Baruzzi
Publisher: Tango Books
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: English 
ISBN:978-1857078732
Hardcover pages: 14
Age range: 5-7
Genre: Cut Paper Picture Book
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Italian
Illustrator’s residence: Bologna
Subjects: Arabian Nights, Arabian, Fairytales, Folklore

Brother Hugo And The Bear

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Brother Hugo And The BearBrother Hugo is unable to return his library book because it was consumed by a bear. The Abbot of Hugo’s monastery was very disappointed because he lost their only copy of St. Augustine’s letters. It is now Hugo’s responsibility to travel to a neighboring monastery to retrieve a copy of the cherished text, craft a new book, and return his library book on time without it becoming bear food again. These beautifully detailed illustrations resembling monks’ manuscripts were created using ink and watercolor. Brother Hugo And The Bear is loosely based on a true twelfth-century story  where the monk, Abbot Peter the Venerable, asked the neighboring monastery to send him St. Augustine’s letters because their volume was eaten by a bear. The book also features a historical note, a glossary of terms and people, an author’s note, and an illustrator’s note. ema
Title: Brother Hugo And The Bear
Author: Katy Beebe
Illustrator: S.D. Schindler
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5407-0
Hardcover pages: 34
Age range: 5-9
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Middle Ages France
Author’s ethnicity: American
Author’s residence: Texas
Illustrator’s ethnicity: American
Illustrator’s residence: Pennsylvania
Awards: 2014 American Booksellers Association Best Books for Children Catalog, 2014 Society of Illustrators “The Original Art” annual exhibition, 2014  Kirkus Best of the Year, 2014 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2014 Huffington Post Best Picture Books of the Year: Honorable Mention, A 2015 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, A 2015 Bank Street College Best Children’s Books of the Year
Subjects:  Bears, Books, Manuscripts, Middle Ages, Monks, Reading

Peter Pan

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Peter PanJames Matthew Barrie’s classic tale of Peter Pan, a mischievous boy who can fly, and his adventures in Neverland with Wendy, Michael, and Peter Darling, is reimagined in this stunning unabridged volume. All new full-color illustrations and interactive 3-D inserts, such as a foldout map of Neverland, Peter’s shadow, Tinkerbell’s fairy wing, and a crocodile clock that tells time, bring to life the story of the boy who never grows up. The artwork is astounding. MinaLima is the London-based, award-winning graphic design studio best known for its involvement in the Harry Potter film franchise. mjw
Title: Peter Pan 
Author: J. M. Barrie (1860-1937)
Illustrator: Mina Lima Design – Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima
Publisher: Harper Design, New York
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
Original Title: Peter Pan, Or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up
Original Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Original Copyright: 1904
ISBN: 978-0-06-236222-3
Hardcover pages: 256
Age range: 12-18
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Book setting: London, England
Author’s ethnicity: Scottish
Illustrator’s residence: London, England
Subjects: Brothers and sisters, Captain Hook, Coming of age, Dogs, Imaginary places, Motherhood, Pirates