Tag Archives: Adventure

The Girl Who Stole An Elephant

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Chaya is a rebellious and fearless schoolgirl.  She steals from the rich in her Serendib (Sri Lanka) village to help the poor.  One day, she goes too far and takes some of the Queen’s jewels and, consequently, gets her best friend arrested.  She and her friends, loyal Neelan and clever Nour, escape to the jungle where they have amazing adventures.  She also manages to steal the King’s elephant Ananda.  This fast-paced novel is full of gorgeous and vivid imagery and bits of interesting information about jungle flora and fauna. The book ends with a little twist. mjw
Title: The Girl Who Stole An Elephant
Author: Nizrana Farook
Publisher: Nosy Crow Ltd. London
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-78800-634-7
Paperback pages: 247
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Serendib. Sri Lanka
Author’s ethnicity: Born and raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Author’s residence: Hertfordshire, England
Subjects: Adventure, Bandits, Elephants, Girls, Jungles, Royalty, Theft

Panthera Tigris

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A highly educated scientist whose knowledge is astounding realizes that he knows nothing about Bengal tigers.  He reads every book about tigers that he can find and concludes that he must travel to the Indian jungle to learn more.  After his long journey, he asks a local hunter to be his guide.  He proceeds to tell the guide all he knows about tigers. He doesn’t stop talking and the guide never gets a word in.  When confronted by a magnificent tiger, the guide climbs the nearest tree and the scientist learns that the guide’s practical experience is best.  The tale is inspired by Swami Prajnanpad, a modern Indian guru and philosopher (1891-1974).  Fine lined drawings splashed with greens, browns, and neon orange complement the humorous text.  They include complicated diagrams and anatomical details. mjw
Title: Panthera Tigris
Author: Sylvain Alzial
Illustrator: Helene Rajcak
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Copyright: 2019
Original Language: French
Translator: Vineet Lal and Sarah Ardizzone
Original Title: Panthera Tigris
Original Publisher: Rouergue. Paris
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-0-802855299
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 5-9
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: India
Author’s ethnicity: Born in Monaco
Author’s residence: Paris
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: Paris
Subjects: Bengal tigers, Humor, Scientific expeditions

The Forest

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This beautiful book is for those who are captivated by a walk in the forest.  The open-ended mystery of what lies beyond the forest is achieved through bold illustrations, embossing, die cuts, and gatefolds.  The elaborate embossed images show first a baby, then a young child, and on through to an old, wrinkled face.  New greenery grows from lines in the landscape.  This stunning work of art is about the adventure of life. mjw
Title: The Forest
Author: Riccardo Bozzi
Illustrator: Violeta Lopiz and Valerio Vidali
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books, New York
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: Italian
Translator: Debbie Vidali
Original Title: La Foresta
Original Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books, New York
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-1-59270-218-3
Paperback pages: 72
Age range: 10 up
Genre: Picture Book, Information Book
Author’s ethnicity: Italian
Author’s residence: Italy
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish – Lopiz, Italian – Vidali
Illustrator’s residence: Ibiza, Spain.  Berlin
Awards: A New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2018
Subjects: Allegory, Explorers, Forests and forestry, Metaphysical, Natural world, Paper engineering, Toy book

A Boy And A House

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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 Color Of The Sun

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This story takes place in one day of Davie’s life in Tyneside, his small town home.  He takes off on a journey after what appears to be the murder of a boy he knows.  Half real and half imagined, he meets characters from his town, which has rival gangs,. Davie thinks he knows who the murderer is.  As the story progresses, it gets harder to fathom what is real.  The ending is brilliant and leaves readers feeling positive and hopeful.  The book is beautifully written. mjw
Title: The Color Of The Sun
Author: David Almond
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Copyright: 2019
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: Hachette Children’s Group. U.K.
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0785-9
Hardcover pages: 224
Age range: 12 up
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Book setting: England
Author’s ethnicity: English
Author’s residence: Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K.
Awards: Hans Christian Andersen Medal, Carnegie Medal
Subjects: Adventure, Coming of Age, Death and dying, Violence, Young adult boys

Old Man Of The Sea

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A young boy narrates this adventure tale about his grandpa’s travels all over the world – the story of his life.  He first tells about Europe with fairy tale castles and groves of olive trees.  The ocean calls and grandpa sails to Africa where he dances to the rhythm of drums.  He feels the pull of the ocean and ends up in Asia where he eats spices and visits ancient temples.  He returns to the sea and Oceania and finally ends up in America where he marries, works hard, has children, and makes a family.  For the first time in his life, he forgets to go back to the sea.  The digitally rendered watercolor paintings include maps of the continents. mjw
Title: Old Man Of The Sea
Author: Stella Elia
Illustrator: Weberson Santiago
Publisher: Lantana Publishing. London
Copyright: 2019
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-91137-354-4
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, America
Author’s ethnicity: Brazilian
Author’s residence: Brazil
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian
Illustrator’s residence: Brazil
Awards: Illustrator has won the 2009 Trofeu HQ Mix Award for Best Illustrator in Brazil
Subjects: Adventure, Boats, Continents, Maps, Multigenerational, Sailing, Sailors, Ships, Storytelling

The Whale The Sea And The Stars

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Gerda the blue whale listens to her mother’s beautiful song.  She sings that if Gerda ever gets lost, she should look to the stars and they would guide her.  When Gerda leaves home, she travels from warm equatorial waters to freezing polar waters. She meets penguins, a grouchy octopus, seagulls, orcas, a polar bear, and a narwhal.  Gerda wants to stop traveling and find a special place of her own. She eventually hears someone singing her mother’s song.  It is Lars, her brother.  She has found the most beautiful bay filled with more and more whales: Beluga whales and grey whales, beaked whales and bowhead whales, humpback whales and right whales, all living happily.  She knows her journey is over.  The luminous illustrations were drawn by hand on a graphics tablet and finished using natural color palettes and textures. mjw
Title: The Whale The Sea And The Stars
Author: Adrian Macho
Illustrator: Adrian Macho
Publisher: Floris Books, Edinburgh
Copyright: 2019
Original Language: Czech
Translator: Peter Kavecky
Original Title: Gerda Prise Velryby
Original Publisher: Albatros Media A.S.
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-178250-559-4
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-7
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Slovak
Author’s residence: Bratislava, Slovakia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Slovak
Illustrator’s residence: Bratislava, Slovakia
Subjects: Marine life, Narwhal, Penguins, Polar bears, Stars, Whales

The Secret Of The Blue Glass

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In the library, in a house in a Tokyo suburb, live the Little People: Fern and Balbo, Robin and Iris. Just a few inches high, a beloved nanny brought them from England to the Moriyama family in Japan. Since then, each generation of the Moriyama family children take care of the Little People by filling the blue glass goblet daily with milk to feed them.  Now it is Yuri Moriyama’s turn.  When World War II comes to Japan, and the older Moriyama brother becomes a fanatic nationalist, the family is divided.  Yuri and a loyal pigeon keep the Little People safe.  This tender fantasy story is full of adventure, hardship, and cultural revelations. mjw
Title: The Secret Of The Blue Glass
Author: Tomiko Inui (1924-2002)
Publisher: Pushkin Children’s Books.  London
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: Japanese
Translator: Ginny Tapley Takemori
Original Title: Kokage No Ie No Kobitotachi (Yuri And The Little People)
Original Publisher: Fukuinkan Shoten Publishers.  Tokyo
Original Copyright: 1967
ISBN: 978-1-782690-34-4
Paperback pages: 192
Age range: 12-16
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Book setting: Tokyo suburb
Author’s ethnicity: Japanese
Awards: 2019 Global Literature in Libraries Initiative Shortlist
Subjects: Asian historical fiction, Libraries, Pigeons, World War II

Ida And The Whale

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Ida and the whaleIda, a curious little girl, spends her days sitting in a tree house pondering existential questions. One night, she befriends a giant flying whale who takes her on an incredible journey beyond the stars. They visit many strange and wonderful places including one where everything is upside down and one where everything is still and empty. Along the way, Ida’s questions are answered and she and the whale part ways as friends. Combined mediums of watercolor, pen, and computer graphics illustrate the beautiful and philosophically situated worlds Ida and the flying whale visit on their journey. mm

Title: Ida And The Whale
Author: Rebecca Gugger
Illustrator: Simon Rothlisberger
Publisher: NorthSouth Books
Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 9780735843417
Hardcover pages: 33 
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture book
Author’s ethnicity: Swiss
Author’s residence: Thun, Switzerland
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swiss
Illustrator’s residence: Thun, Switzerland 
Subjects: Emotions, Human-animal relationships, Philosophy, Whales

 

The Second Sky

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Gilbert, a baby penguin, wants to fly in the sky like an albatross.  He practices to no avail because he has big clumsy feet and small fluffy wings.  He falls on his face, his back, and his bottom.  His uncle tells him to give it up, but Gilbert knows he will find a way to fly.  He finally spreads his wings, jumps, tumbles, and splashes into the sea.  He sinks and sees stars, moons, clouds, forests, gardens, and mountaintops.  Under the sea, he flies.  He discovers the second sky in his own element.  The watercolor and pencil illustrations are beautiful with Gilbert’s movement and action. mjw
Title: The Second Sky
Author: Patrick Guest
Illustrator: Jonathan Bentley
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Copyright: 2019
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0802-855206
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Australian
Author’s residence: Australia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Australian
Illustrator’s residence: Australia
Subjects: Determination, Flight, Penguins

Borka: The Adventure Of A Goose With No Feathers

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Borka is the youngest of six geese born to Mr. and Mrs. Plumpster.  She has no feathers, so Mrs. Plumpster knits a gray woolen sweater for her. The other geese tease her.  She is left behind when the family migrates south for the winter because she cannot fly.  She makes friends with a dog named Fowler and a boat skipper named Captain McAllister, who takes Borka on his boat.  He brings her to Kew Gardens in London where she fits in nicely because there are so many kinds of strange birds there.  She meets Ferdinand and he and Borka live there happily.  The bold, richly textured illustrations complement this beautiful classic.  This is the 55thanniversary edition, back by popular demand. mjw
Title: Borka: The Adventure Of A Goose With No Feathers
Author: John Burningham
Illustrator: John Burningham
Publisher: Candlewick Press. Somerville, MA
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: Jonathan Cape, U.K.
Original Copyright: 1963
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0040-9
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 5-7
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: England
Author’s ethnicity: English
Author’s residence: North London, England
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: North London, England
Awards: 1964 Kate Greenaway Medal
Subjects: Birds, Dogs, Geese, Knitting

The Hen Who Sailed Around The World: A True Story

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For the last two years, 24-year-old French sailor Guirec Soudee has been sailing the world with his red hen Monique.  Monique never suffers from seasickness.  She keeps him company and provides him with a constant source of food – eggs.  Over the course of the adventure she laid 1,040 eggs! They are currently crossing the Pacific Ocean.  Guirec has documented their journeys with his remarkable and comical photographs and you can follow him online at guirecsoudee.com.  His first book The Transatlantic Voyage Of Monique was released in France.  A map of the voyages is included.  mjw
Title: The Hen Who Sailed Around The World: A True Story
Author: Guirec Soudee
Illustrator: Guirec Soudee
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-316-44884-0
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Nonfiction, Information book, Travel literature
Book setting: Around the world
Author’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Subjects: Chickens, Human-animal relationships, Northwest Passage, Photographs, Sailing, Survival