Tag Archives: Animals

Sadako’s Cranes

Leave a reply
Sadako's CranesThe true story of Sadako is told through the eyes of her cat in this beautifully illustrated tribute to hope and peace. Sadako Sasaki was two and a half when the atomic bomb “Little Boy” was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. She survived and seemed healthy until ten years later, when she was diagnosed with leukemia, a result of radiation from the bomb. Her brother told her of an old Japanese legend that says that a person who folds 1000 paper cranes would be granted a wish. She began folding cranes, but died before finishing her task. The digitally processed colored pencil drawings are decorated with images of brightly patterned Origami cranes. Back matter provides more information about Sadako and a website with directions for folding a paper crane. mjw
Title: Sadako’s Cranes
Author: Judith Loske
Illustrator: Judith Loske
Publisher: Michael Neugebauer Publishing Ltd.
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: German
Translator: Kate Westerlund
Original Title: Sadako’s Kraniche
Original Publisher: Minedition
Original Copyright: 2011
ISBN: 978-988-8341-00-9
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 6-8
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Hiroshima, Japan
Author’s ethnicity: German
Author’s residence: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s residence: Germany
Subjects: Asia, Death, Girls, Leukemia-patients, Origami, Sadako Sasaki (1943-1955), World War II

Who Done It?

Leave a reply
Who Done ItThis delightful picture book with clues and pictures that encourage readers to answer the text’s questions will surely engage early readers. The adorable and hilarious illustrations created using pencils and acrylic paints are reminiscent of the style of characters from the classic comic strip, Peanuts. Moreover, young children will enjoy the narration  which invites them to find differences in the illustrations. This is a perfect book for an audience who may be too young for I Spy books. ema
Title: Who Done It?
Author: Olivier Tallec
Illustrator: Olivier Tallec
Publisher: Chronicle Books, San Francisco
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: French
Translator: Chronicle Books
Original Title: Qui Quoi qui?
Original Publisher: Actes Sud, Paris
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4521-4198-5
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4 up 
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: French
Author’s residence: Paris
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French 
Illustrator’s residence: Paris
Subjects: Differences, Expressions, Finding differences, Observation, Picture puzzles, Positions

A Prayer For World Peace

Leave a reply
A Prayer for World PeaceJane Goodall, world-renowned anthropologist and conservationist, speaks out against greed, slave labor, animal abuse, bullying and torture, harm to the natural world, and more in this “family book” for adults to read along with their children. She asks for generosity to the living world and justice for all humankind in this nondenominational prayer for peace and equality. Beautiful double-page spreads of birds, animals, flowers, and humans are set on glowing, mysterious abstract patterns. Back matter includes a message from Jane Goodall as the UN Ambassador of Peace, notes about the Jane Goodall Institute and her Roots and Shoots organization, and a biography of the illustrator. mjw
Title: A Prayer For World Peace
Author: Jane Goodall
Illustrator: Feeroozeh Golmohammadi
Publisher: Michael Neugebauer Publishing, Minedition
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-988-8240-49-4
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range:  7 up
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: British
Author’s residence: England
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Iranian
Illustrator’s residence: Tehran, Iran
Subjects: Hope, Justice, Peace, Prayers, Values

Little Red Riding Hood

Leave a reply
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

The Message Of The Birds

Leave a reply
The message of the birdsThe wise owl begins telling the Christmas story, with its message of peace, to a gathering of birds. The young robin asks why the birds don’t sing the story anymore and the partridge explains that people don’t listen. When the lark offers that perhaps people don’t understand the language, the inventive robin suggests that children listen with their hearts and they understand. And so, the birds fly far and wide singing the song of peace. The tale is not a traditional Christmas book. It is a universal story of peace that brings people together. The book ends with “Let there be peace. Peace on Earth!” and the word peace in over 60 different languages. The rich, soft, and realistic watercolor illustrations in wintry colors awaken warm emotions in readers and complement the text beautifully. mjw
Title: The Message Of The Birds
Author: Kate Westerlund
Illustrator: Feridun Oral
Publisher: Michael Neugebauer Publishing Ltd.  Minedition
Copyright: 2014 North American edition
Original Language: German, French
Original Title: Doe Botschaft der Vogel, Le Message des Oiseaux
Original Copyright: 2011
ISBN: 978-988-8240-55-5
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 3-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Born in Florida, USA 
Author’s residence: Salzburg, Austria
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Turkish
Illustrator’s residence: Istanbul, Turkey
Subjects: Birds, Christmas stories, Peace

The Tortoise And The Hare

Leave a reply
The Tortoise and the HareAs the animals are having a picnic in a meadow, the Tortoise says to the Hare, “I bet I can beat you in a running race!”  Despite everyone’s laughter, the Hare accepts the challenge. This favorite classic about how “slow and steady wins the race” is retold in this book’s wondrous artwork. The illustrations of the woodland creatures and stunning landscape were created using  ink drawings with soft watercolor washes. Intricately detailed illustrations make this book excellent for one-on-one reading. ema
Title: The Tortoise And The Hare
Author: Aesop (620-560 BC),  retold by Bernadette Watts
Illustrator: Bernadette Watts
Publisher: North-South Books
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: German
Translator:  North-South Books
Original Title: Der Hase und die Schildkröte
Original Publisher: North-South Books
Original Copyright: 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4207-6
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book, Fable
Author’s ethnicity: Aesop: Greek, Watts: English
Author’s residence: Watts: England
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: England
Subjects: Fairytales, Folklore, Folktales, Races, Running, Retellings

The Day Everything Went Wrong

Leave a reply
The Day Everything Went WrongOne day Badger wakes up and tells himself that he will do only things he enjoys. From this moment on, it seems like everything is going wrong for Badger. He almost knocks his lamp off his bedpost, accidentally breaks his favorite mug, loses his colored pencils, trips over his shovel, and knocks his wheelbarrow over. Badger decides to visit his friends to see if they are having as bad of a day as he is. When he visits his friends, Badger helps solve their problems. Although everything has gone wrong for Badger, he finds some consolation in helping his friends. Badger wants to go straight to bed after his horrible day, but he finds a surprise when he returns home. Adorable illustrations created using playfully vibrant colors work with the text in showing readers that they can always find good even when it seems like everything is wrong. ema
Title: The Day Everything Went Wrong
Author: Moritz Petz
Illustrator: Amélie Jackowski
Publisher: North South Books
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: German
Translator: David Henry Wilson
Original Title: Der Dachs hat heute einfach Pech
Original Publisher: NordSüd Verlag AG
Original Copyright: 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4209-0
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: German
Author’s residence: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: France
Subjects: Bad days, Badgers, Friendship, Helping others

Tales From Rumi: Mathnawi Selections For Young Readers

Leave a reply
Tales fom rumiThis collection of 32 anecdotes, fables, and tales of everyday life from the Mathnawi is adapted for younger audiences. The Mathnawi is a compilation of more than 24,000 verses by Rumi (1207-1273) and is considered by many to be one of the greatest works of mystical poetry. The stories, such as The Rabbit and The Lion, The Merchant and The Parrot, and The Teacher’s Fear, have interesting, action-packed plots that illustrate a point and morals at the end that reinforce the message. Amusing black-and–white drawings and a ribbon bookmark add to this lively and insightful introduction to world literature for young readers. mjw
Title: Tales from Rumi: Mathnawi Selections For Young Readers
Author: Mawlana Jalaladdin Rumi (1207-1273)
Edited by: A. Fuat Bilkan
Illustrator: Erdinc Semen
Publisher: Tughra Books, New Jersey
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: Persian, also Turkish, Arabic, Greek
Translator: Jeannette Squires Okur
Original Title: Mathnawi
Original Publisher: Rumi dictated the verses
Original Copyright: 1258-1273
ISBN: 978-1-59784-124-5
Hardcover pages: 128
Age range: 12 up
Genre: Fiction, Fables, Folklore
Author’s ethnicity: Persian
Subjects: Fables, Folk tales, Iran, Islam, Poetry, Religion, Storytelling

The King And The Sea

Leave a reply
The King and the seaA small king made of paper collage with a crayoned face and gold crown is the subject of 21 extremely short stories. In The King and the Bee, the queen bee stings the king’s nose. In The King and the Sky, the king gazes in wonder at the glittering snow blanket around him and simply says “Thank you.” In each quiet story, the king interacts with some creature or part of his kingdom, sees that his power has limits, and finds his place in his little world. The sparse text and striking mixed media illustrations convey the wisdom and humor of the stories.mjw
Title: The King And The Sea
Author: Heinz Janisch
Illustrator: Wolf Erlbruch
Publisher: Gecko Press.  Wellington, New Zealand
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: German
Translator: Sally-Ann Spencer
Original Title: Der König und das Meer
Original Publisher: Sanssouci im Carl Hanser.  Verlag Munchen
Original Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-1-877579-94-3
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 4 up
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Austrian
Author’s residence: Vienna, Austria
Illustrator’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s residence: Germany
Awards: Illustrator has won 2006 Hans Christian Andersen Award and the 2017 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.
Janisch  has won the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award
Subjects: Kings, Royalty, Short stories

The Bernadette Watts Collection: Stories And Fairy Tales

Leave a reply
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

The Velveteen Rabbit

Leave a reply
velveteen rabbitMargery Williams wrote this classic in 1922 about a young boy and his soft stuffed rabbit. The oldest and wisest toy in the nursery, the Skin Horse, assures the rabbit that toys are made real by children’s love. The rabbit becomes the boy’s most beloved companion. When the boy falls ill, the rabbit stays by his side. As the boy recovers, the doctor advises the boy’s mother to burn all of his belongings, even the shabby rabbit because they may have become infected. In the magical ending, the beautiful nursery fairy transforms the rabbit into a “real to everyone” rabbit.  Sakai’s text is simpler than the original, allowing the richly textured, gorgeous and luminous acrylic and oil pencil paintings to tell the gentle story. mjw
Title: The Velveteen Rabbit
Author: Komako Sakai, based on the story by Margery Williams (1881-1944)
Illustrator: Komako Sakai
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books, New York
Copyright: 2012
Original Language: Japanese
Translator: Yuki Kaneko
Original Title: Biroudo no Usagi
Original Publisher: Bronze Publishing Inc,, Tokyo
Original Copyright: 2007.  1922, Margery Williams for the original text, published as The Velveteen Rabbit: Or How Toys Become Real
ISBN: 978-1-59270-128-5
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Japanese.  Margery Williams – English
Author’s residence: Japan
Translator’s ethnicity: Japanese
Translator’s residence: Brooklyn, U.S.
Subjects: Friendship, Imagination, Rabbits, Toys

Pinocchio By Pinocchio

Leave a reply
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