Tag Archives: Adventure

Sputnik’s Guide To Life On Earth

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Prez lives with a foster family out in the country in Scotland. One day he answers the door to meet Sputnik. Sputnik is a strange kid wearing aviator goggles, a kilt, and a backpack. Everyone, but Prez, sees Sputnik as a dog. Prez hears English when everyone else hears barking. Sputnik claims to be from outer space on a mission to help save the world from destruction. He can manipulate the laws of space and time. Together they come up with ten reasons why the planet should be saved. This is a touching tale that is out of this world funny. mjw

Title: Sputnik’s Guide To Life On Earth Author: Frank Cottrell Boyce Publisher: Walden Pond Press, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Macmillan Original Copyright: 2016 ISBN: 978-0-06-264362-9 Hardcover pages: 336 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction Book setting: Scotland Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: England Awards: Shortlisted for the 2017 Carnegie Medal Subjects: Dogs, Fantasy, Foster homes, Grandfathers, Orphans, Science Fiction

Little Polar Bear: Where Are You Going Lars?

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Lars, the little polar bear, is so tired after going with his father on his first hunting trip. He falls asleep on the ice and sleeps so soundly that he doesn’t hear the ice crack. His ice bed breaks off, he drifts south, and he wakes up in the middle of the sea, where it is getting warmer and warmer. This is where his adventures begin. He makes new friends, including Henry the hippopotamus. Lars gets homesick and wants to find his way back home. He gets help from Marcus the eagle and Samson the whale. Lars is finally reunited with his father, who catches Samson a big fish to thank him. The soft-colored illustrations have been refreshed in this Little Polar Bear 30th Anniversary Edition. mjw

Title: Little Polar Bear: Where Are You Going Lars? Author: Hans de Beer Illustrator: Hans de Beer Publisher: NorthSouth Books, Inc. Copyright: 2016 Original Language: German Original Title: Kleiner Eisbar – Wohin fahrst du, Lars? Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag AG, Switzerland Original Copyright: 1987 ISBN: 978-0-7358-4052-2 Paperback pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: North Pole, Tropics Author’s ethnicity: Dutch Illustrator’s ethnicity: Dutch Subjects: Bears, North Pole, Polar bears

On A Magical Do-Nothing-Day

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In this magical picture book, a young child is lured away from technology to find fun in the forest. He is playing a game on his device destroying Martians until his mother takes it away from him. She hides the game, but he finds it and goes outside in a neon orange raincoat. He drops his computer console in a pond and then becomes captivated by what he finds – snails, squishy mushrooms, seeds, mud, icy rainwater, stones as clear as glass, and more. Soaked, he returns home, wanting to tell his mother what he has seen, felt, and tasted outside in the world. But he doesn’t tell her. Together they sit in the kitchen breathing in the smell of their hot chocolate. That’s all they did “on the magical do-nothing day.” The artist used gouache, oil, collage, and wax pencils to create the texture and details of nature in this breathtaking book. mjw

Title: On A Magical Do-Nothing-Day Author: Beatrice Alemagna Illustrator: Beatrice Alemagna Publisher: Harper Collins Copyright:  2017 Original Language: French Translator: Jill Davis Original Publisher: Albin Michel Original Copyright: 2016 ISBN: 978-0-06-275760-2 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Italian Author’s residence: Paris Illustrator’s ethnicity: Italian Illustrator’s residence: Paris Awards: A New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book 2017 Subjects: Forest, Imagination and play, Parents, Rain and rainfall, Technology, Video games

The Little Reindeer

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On Christmas Eve, Ollie, who wears reindeer pajamas, has just gone to sleep when jingle bells wake her up. She grabs her sled and follows the sound. She finds a collar of bells on a tree branch and wonders who could it belong to. Next, she hears the crunch of a reindeer in the snow. Ollie fastens the collar on to the reindeer. Ollie and the reindeer go for a ride through the night sky. They have to stop because Ollie has to go back to bed and someone very special needs the reindeer that night. A double-page spread shows Santa and his reindeer flying through the night sky. This enchanting Christmas story has die cuts pages, silver foil, and splashes of red.. mjw

Title: The Little Reindeer Author: Nicola Killen Illustrator: Nicola Killen Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English Original title: Ollie’s Christmas Reindeer ISBN: 978-1-4814-8686-6 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book  Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: Cambridge, England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: Cambridge Subjects: Adventure, Christmas, Fantasy and magic, Holidays and celebrations, Reindeer

The Wind In The Willows

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Sebastian Meschenmoser’s expressive artwork brings a new look to Kenneth Grahame’s classic story about Rat, Mole, Toad, and Badger. More than one hundred watercolor vignettes and twelve full-page oil paintings bring life to the adventures of the lovable characters in pastoral Edwardian England. mjw

Title: The Wind In The Willows Author: Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932) Illustrator: Sebastian Meschenmoser Publisher: North South Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag. Zürich, Switzerland Original Copyright: 2017 (1908) ISBN: 978-0-7358-4295-3 Hardcover pages: 220 Age range: 9 up Genre: Illustrated Fiction Book setting: England Author’s ethnicity: Scottish Illustrator’s ethnicity: German Illustrator’s residence: Germany Subjects: Automobiles, Badgers, Boats, Folktales, Moles, Rats, Toads

Jamal’s Journey

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Jamal is a little camel that has to walk, walk, walk through the desert to keep up with his friend, the boy, and the other camels in the caravan. A sandstorm separates them. He meets different desert animals, but none can help him. A wise falcon reunites Jamal with his family. Eventually they reach Dubai and the colorful marketplace. Rich watercolor paintings show the sights of the desert and the city. An author’s note tells that the story was inspired by Foreman’s visit to Dubai and that the word jamal means beauty and camel. mjw

Title: Jamal’s Journey Author: Michael Foreman Illustrator: Michael Foreman Publisher: Andersen Press.  USA Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Andersen Press Ltd. London Original Copyright: 2017 ISBN: 978-1-5124-3949-6 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-9 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Dubai Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: England Awards: Author/illustrator has won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice Subjects: Adventure, Camels, Cities, Deserts, Friendship

Colette’s Lost Pet

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Colette is new to the Mile End neighborhood of Montreal. She wants to make friends, but doesn’t know what to talk about. She invents a problem: she has lost her pet parakeet named Marie Antoinette. Her fib escalates a bit out of control and a neighborhood-wide search party is assembled. Do her new friends really believe her or is it just more fun to pretend? Artwork rendered in pencil, watercolor, and ink with digital coloration depicts Montreal’s urban setting. The text is hand-lettered. mjw

Title: Colette’s Lost Pet Author: Isabelle Arsenault Illustrator: Isabelle Arsenault Publisher: Random House, New York Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-553-53659-1 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Montreal Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Montreal Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Montreal Awards: Author/illustrator has won Canada’s Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s Literature three times Subjects: Birds, New experiences, Pets

The Treasure Of Barracuda

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Eleven-year-old Sparks is a deck hand on the Southern Cross, a pirate ship led by Captain Barracuda. Sparks and the crew discover a book left by the infamous pirate, Phineas Johnson Krane, but they cannot read. The fifty-three zany pirates learn to read and decipher the book’s contents so they can go in search of Krane’s real hidden treasure. In this laugh-aloud story, the pirates learn that the most valuable treasures are reading, writing, and family. An extensive Barracuda’s Glossary is included. mjw

Title: The Treasure Of Barracuda Author: Llanos Campos Illustrator: Julia Sarda Publisher: Little Pickle Press, Inc. California Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Spanish Translator: Lawrence Schimel Original Title: El Tesoro de Barracuda Original Publisher: Ediciones SM Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-1-939775-14-6 Hardcover pages: 156 Age range: 9-12 Genre: Fiction Book setting: The Caribbean Author’s ethnicity: Spanish Author’s residence: Spain Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish Illustrator’s residence: Spain Awards: 2014 Barco de Vapor Award for Children’s Literature in Spain Subjects: Books, Pirates, Reading

The Three Musketeers

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This beautifully illustrated adaptation of the classic French novel by Alexandre Dumas will introduce young readers to Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and their friend D’Artagnan, whose dream is to become one of the king’s elite guardsmen the Musketeers. In seventeenth century France, they learn that loyalty and friendship are the most important values. “One for all and all for one!” Vibrant watercolor effects enhance this ambitious retelling. mjw

Title: The Three Musketeers Author: Benedicte Riviere.  Adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas Illustrator: Camille Andre Publisher: Auzou Publishing. Paris, France Copyright: 2016 Original Language: French Original Title: Les Tres Mousquetaires Original Publisher: Auzou Publishing. Paris, France Original Copyright: 2016 ISBN: 978-2-7338-4326-0 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 8 up Genre: Picture Book, Historical Fiction Book setting: France Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: France Illustrator’s ethnicity: French Illustrator’s residence: Paris, France Subjects: Action, Adventure, France, History, Louis xiii, Swordsmen

The Wonderful Adventures Of Nils

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Nils teases an elf, is bewitched, and is turned into a thumb-size Thumbletot. He makes friends with a wise goose named Martin and together they travel all over the provinces of Sweden. The book was originally a commission from the Swedish National Teachers Association in 1902 to be a geography reader for the public schools. The story is still popular in Swedish culture. The text is simple and playful and the glorious illustrations incorporate intricate papercut pages. mjw

Title: The Wonderful Adventures Of Nils Author: Selma Lagerlof (1858-1940), adapted y Kochka Illustrator: Olivier Latyk Publisher: Words and Pictures, an imprint of Quarto Publishing, CA Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Swedish Original Title: Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige Original Copyright: 1906 ISBN: 978-1-91027-719-5 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Book setting: Sweden Author’s ethnicity: Swedish Adapter’s ethnicity:  born in Lebanon Adapter’s residence:  France Illustrator’s ethnicity: French Illustrator’s residence: Strasbourg Awards: Selma Lagerlof was the first female to win the Nobel Prize in Literature Subjects: Ducks and other waterfowl, Europe, Geese, Fantasy, Sweden

Peter Pan

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Peter Pan is a mischievous and free-spirited young boy who can fly and who never grows up. He kidnaps three ordinary children, Wendy Darling and her two brothers, and the adventures begin. They fly to Neverland and interact with the Lost Boys, fairies, pirates, mermaids, Indians, and Captain Hook. Enchanting, delicate paintings bring the classic story to life. mjw

Title: Peter Pan Author: J.M. Barrie (1860-1937) Illustrator: Silke Leffler Publisher: NorthSouth Books Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English Original Title: Peter Pan, Or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up Original Copyright: 1904 ISBN: 978-0-7358-4259-5 Hardcover pages: 176 Age range: 9 up Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Book setting: England Author’s ethnicity: Scottish Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Austria Illustrator’s residence: Lake Constance at the border of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland Subjects: Fairies, Flying, Neverland, Pirates

Father’s Road

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Wong Chung joins his father’s caravan on a journey on the Silk Road from China to Constantinople. The trip is full of dangers – rough terrain and weather and bandits. He learns to ration water, care for the camels, and endure a sandstorm. He even takes care of the bandit leader’s son. Sand colored illustrations vividly depict travel on the Silk Road. Included are a map of the long desert road, information about the Silk Road and global trade, a timeline, and a list of key terms and concepts. The book is part of the Tradewinds series that presents historical information in a fun, accessible way. mjw

Title: Father’s Road Author: Ji-yun Jang Illustrator: Tan Jun Publisher: Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers.  Grand Rapids, Michigan Copyright: 2017 Original Language: Korean Editor: Joy Cowley Original Publisher: Yeomon Media Co. Ltd. Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5472-8 Paperback pages: 36 Age range: 6-10 Genre: Picture Book, Historical Fiction Book setting: Asia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Chinese Subjects: Asia, China, Commerce, Fathers and sons, Silk Road, Travel