Tag Archives: Animals

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

Rain

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Haiku verses accompany 12 scenes of rain in a variety of natural settings.  Each double-page spread features one haiku and one engaging, detailed illustration, such as mountain goats on hills, puffins flying near a lighthouse, and Japanese girls walking amid falling cherry blossoms. Each scene takes place in a different kind of rain.  The book will inspire readers to write their own haiku. mjw
Title: Rain
Author: Anders Holmer
Illustrator: Max Klein
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: Swedish
Original Title: Regn
Original Publisher: Natur and Kultur. Stockholm, Sweden
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-0802855077
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Poetry, Picture Book
Book setting: Scenes from all over the globe
Author’s ethnicity: Swedish
Author’s residence: Sweden
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swedish
Illustrator’s residence: Sweden
Subjects: Haiku, Poetry, Rain

The Moose Of Ewenki

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The Ewenki people live in the forest of Greater Khingan, in northern China, and they live on hunting and raising reindeer. The old hunter Gree Shek hunts a mother moose by mistake. She leaves a young moose.  He feels terrible because Ewenki hunters would never hunt a female moose that was raising a baby.  The motherless baby follows Gree Shek back to the campsite where Gree Shek feeds the hungry moose.  He names it Little Moose. The moose and the man form a bond and go on adventures together.  As Little Moose grows older and bigger, Gree Shek knows he must return the moose to the forest.  Beautifully detailed paintings complement this touching story, which highlights the traditional and vanishing way of life of the Ewenki people. mjw
Title: The Moose Of Ewenki
Author: Gerelchimeg Blackcrane
Illustrator: Jui Er
Publisher: Greystone Kids Books
Copyright: 2019
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-77164-538-6
Hardcover pages: 68
Age range: 5-9
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Inner Mongolia
Author’s ethnicity: Chinese
Author’s residence: Hulunbuir Grassland in Mongolia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Chinese
Illustrator’s residence: Beijing, China
Awards:  2020 USBBY Outstanding International Books List
Subjects: Asia, Caribou, Deer, Global studies, Moose, People and places, Reindeer

The Fox On The Swing

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Paul lives with his family in a tree house in a big city. On his way home from the bakery, where everyday he gets three fresh rolls, Paul befriends a wise, friendly, orange fox. Being friends with the fox is a magical and challenging experience for Paul.  He has to deal with an unexpected move; friendship; appreciating the little things in life, like carrot cake and marmalade; and the nature of happiness. Brightly colored digital collages portray people, very detailed buildings, vehicles, and animals in this unpredictable, quirky story. mjw
Title: The Fox On The Swing
Author: Evelina Daciute
Illustrator: Ausra Kiudulaite
Publisher: Thames & Hudson, U.K.
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: Lithuanian
Translator: The Translation Bureau
Original Title: Laime Yra Lape
Original Publisher: Tikra Knyga. Vilnius. Lithuania
Original Copyright: 2016
ISBN: 978-0-500-651-8
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Lithuanian
Author’s residence: Lithuania
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Lithuanian
Illustrator’s residence: Lithuania
Awards: 2019 Batchelder Award
Subjects: Emotions, Fox and wolf, Happiness, Loneliness

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

Why The Elephant Has Tiny Eyes

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Told in verse, this folktale from the Tai Phake people of India’s northeast tells why the elephant has tiny eyes.  The first elephant (chaang) had large eyes. Along came a wagtail bird that made the elephant laugh so hard that his eyes crinkled small.  An unusually limited palette recreates the region’s landscape. mjw
Title: Why The Elephant Has Tiny Eyes
Author: Pow Aim Hailowng
Illustrator: Priya Kuriyan
Publisher: Tulika Publishers.  Chennai, India
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-93-86667-71-7
Paperback pages: 26
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture book, Folktale
Book setting: India, Tai Phake people of northeast India
Author’s ethnicity: Tai Phake Indian
Author’s residence: India
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian
Illustrator’s residence: Kochi, India
Subjects: Birds, Bridges, Elephants, Fables, Myths

Hello, Horse

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When the little boy’s friend Catherine asks him to come meet her horse named Shannon, he replies that he’s not so sure he likes horses.  Shannon is very big, but Catherine says she’s very kind.  Catherine teaches the boy to talk quietly to the horse, how to feed her carrots, how to lead her across a field, and even how to blow at her softly to show that he likes her.  Catherine helps him up onto the horse for his first ride.  Facts about horses are sprinkled throughout this gentle story. The book ends with an author’s note that tells that Shannon is the illustrator’s horse.  An index and more information are also included.  The beautiful illustrations were done in mixed media. mjw
Title: Hello, Horse
Author: Vivian French
Illustrator: Catherine Rayner
Publisher: Candlewick Press.  Somerville, MA
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0167-3
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Scotland
Author’s ethnicity: British
Author’s residence: Scotland
Subjects: Farm animals, Horses, New experiences

The Fox Girl And The White Gazelle

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Twelve-year-old Reema is a Syrian refugee trying to find her place in Glasgow.  She struggles with a new language and culture and misses her older brother who got left behind in Aleppo.  Caylin feels completely alone.  She has to look after her alcoholic mother.  She bullies the other kids and steals from them so that she can eat. Reema and Caylin become friends when they discover an injured fox and her babies. The girls also discover that they both like to run. Told in alternating perspectives, this is a great story of friendship. mjw
Title: The Fox Girl And The White Gazelle
Author: Victoria Williamson
Publisher: Kelpies, an imprint of Floris Books. Edinburgh, Scotland
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: English 
ISBN: 978-178250-490-0
Paperback pages: 272
Age range: 10-12
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Scotland
Author’s ethnicity: Scottish
Author’s residence: U.K.
Subjects: Foxes, Glasgow, Poetry, Prejudice and racism, Refugees, Running, Syria

Nimesh the Adventurer

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School is over for the day and young South Asian Nimesh starts his walk home.  He meets a dragon and sharks and skates across the ice at the North Pole.  He encounters a guardsman for the Indian Maharaja.  And then, he happens upon  pirates and a princess.  Nimesh’s BIG imagination is complemented by vivid collage like images. mjw
Title: Names The Adventurer
Author: Ranjit Singh
Illustrator: Mehrdokht Amini
Publisher: Lantana Publishing Ltd. U.K.
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: English 
ISBN: 978-1-911373-24-7
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-7
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: India
Author’s ethnicity: British, of East Indian Heritage
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Iranian
Awards: Illustrator has won the Africana Best Book Award
Subjects: Fantasy, Imagination, Magic, Multicultural

The Curiosity Cabinet

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Ian Wallace’s wordless tribute to Canada on her 150thbirthday includes graphite illustrations of treasures from his forty years of traveling the country.  He has made thousands of school and library visits inspiring young readers to become artists and he has received many gifts from the students.  His cabinet of curiosities includes these gifts and other discoveries he has made. Each illustration is devoted to a province or territory – tamarack geese made by Cree artists in Ontario, a snow globe illuminating the moment he stood on the Arctic Circle, the English heraldic lion from Prince Edward Island, and much more.  A table of contents and an introduction set the stage and detailed illustrator’s notes provide much information. mjw
Title: The Curiosity Cabinet
Author: Ian Wallace
Illustrator: Ian Wallace
Publisher: Groundwood Books.  House of Anansi Press. Toronto
Copyright: 2017
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-55498-922-5
Hardcover pages: 36
Age range: 5-9
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Canada
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: Brookline, MA
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian
Illustrator’s residence: Brookline, MA
Subjects: Biography, Mystery and wonders, Pictorial works, Travel