Tag Archives: Animals

The Girl Who Stole An Elephant

Leave a reply

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

You’re Strong With Me

Leave a reply

A new baby giraffe bounds through the grasslands and her mother tells her not to wander off on her own. The mother explains the oxpecker bird, fire, baby fish in the creek, and always proclaims, “…you’re strong with me.” Shades of brown and gold and triangle and diamond shapes are reminiscent of African textiles.  The original artwork was created with ink on paper and completed digitally.  Companion books are You’re Safe With Me and You’re Snug With Me. mjw

Title: You’re Strong With Me Author: Chitra Soundar Illustrator: Poonam Mistry Publisher: Lantana Publishing Ltd.  London Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-911373-75-9 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture Book, Folklore Book setting: African Grasslands Author’s ethnicity: Indian born British Author’s residence: London Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s residence: U.K. Awards: 2019 Kate Greenaway Shortlist Subjects: Baby animals, Giraffes, Grasslands, New experiences, Parents

The Jasmine Sneeze

Leave a reply

Haroun is a happy cat living in Damascus, Syria.  He loves lazing and sleeping on the marble floor next to the fountain in his favorite courtyard.  But Haroun has a problem.  The fragrance of the beautiful jasmine flowers causes him to sneeze.  He decides to eradicate the problem by putting old fish skeletons, chicken bones, and other stinky smells into the jasmine tree pots. However, the jasmine spirit is watching his every move.  She is not happy and so she counter attacks Haroun in a funny way.  Haroun learns his lesson and peace returns to Damascus.  The illustrations are bright and cheery.  An author’s note explains more about Damascus, the City of Jasmine.  mjw

Title: The Jasmine Sneeze Author: Nadine Kaadan Illustrator: Nadine Kaadan Publisher: Lantana Publishing, Ltd. Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Lantana Publishing Ltd. United Kingdom Original Copyright: 2016 ISBN: 978-1-911373-31-5 Hardcover pages: 36 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Damascus, Syria Author’s ethnicity: Syrian Author’s residence: United Kingdom Illustrator’s ethnicity: Syrian Illustrator’s residence: United Kingdom Subjects: Cats, Flowers, Jasmine

Clara The Rhino

Leave a reply

Based on a true story, this book is about the friendship between an orphaned rhinoceros from India and a Dutch sea captain in the mid 18thcentury.  Captain Douwe van der Meer decides to take Clara the rhino from India to Holland.  No one in Europe has ever seen a rhino and the Captain is sure that she will be a sensation.  The voyage from India to Holland takes many weeks and Clara eats 100 pounds of hay every day.  She especially likes oranges.   Clara wins the hearts of everyone as she and the Captain travel all over Europe. Her image appears on posters, coins, statuettes, and art in museums.  She finally returns to Holland where the Captain provides Clara a home of her own.  A map shows Clara’s extensive travels through Europe.  Bold, colorful artwork enhances the story.  Another book, Clara: The (Mostly) True Story Of The Rhinoceros Who Dazzled Kings, Inspired Artists, And Won The Hearts Of Everyone…While She Ate Her Way Up And Down A Continent was written by Emily Arnold McCully in 2016. mjw

Title: Clara The Rhino Author: Katrin Hirt Illustrator: Laura Fuchs Publisher: North South Books, Inc. Copyright: 2020 Original Language: German Translator: David Henry Wilson Original Title: Ein Nashorn namens Clara Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag.  Zurich, Switzerland Original Copyright: 2019 ISBN: 978-0-7358-4395-0 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: India, Holland, France, Italy Author’s ethnicity: German Author’s residence: Tubingen, Germany Illustrator’s ethnicity: German Illustrator’s residence: Hamburg, Germany  Subjects: Boats and ships, European history, Netherlands, Rhinoceroses

Pokko And The Drum

Leave a reply

The biggest mistake Pokko’s parents ever made was giving her a drum.  They suggest that she take it out into the forest because it is too loud for a frog family that lives in a mushroom and doesn’t like drawing attention to themselves.  Pokko agrees. As she plays her drum, a raccoon playing a banjo starts following her.  And then a rabbit playing a trumpet starts following them.  A wolf joins in and soon there is a crowd of animals playing instruments.  Pokko’s father calls her to dinner, but she can’t hear him.  The band even takes Pokko’s family into the woods.  The amusing, lush illustrations were rendered in watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil. mjw

Title: Pokko And The Drum Author: Matthew Forsythe Illustrator: Matthew Forsythe Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English  ISBN: 978-1481-48039-0 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Montreal, Quebec. Canada Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Montreal, Quebec. Canada Subjects: Community, Drums, Forest animals, Individuality, Musicians, Performing arts, Persistence

Koala

Leave a reply

Beautiful watercolor illustrations and interesting text introduce young readers to koalas.  Baby koalas are called joeys.  They drink milk in their mothers’ pouches.  The koala in this story gets swatted from his mother’s pouch because it is time for him to find his own way, forage for food, and escape from predators.  Factual material is included in smaller print.  The last page of the book contains even more information about koalas. The book concludes with an index. mjw

Title: Koala Author: Claire Saxby Illustrator: Julie Vivas Publisher: Candlewick Press Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-5362-0896-2 Paperback pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction, Information Book Book setting: Australia Author’s ethnicity: Australian Author’s residence: Melbourne, Australia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Australian Illustrator’s residence: Sydney, Australia Subjects: Australia, Eucalypts, Koalas, Marsupials, Zoology

Hello, Crow!

Leave a reply

Franny is a dreamer. Her dad calls her Franny Featherhead. She loves listening to the cries of the birds in the branches outside.  To her, every bug, every leaf, and every petal is shimmering with wonder. She meets a crow that brings her presents in its beak.  Her dad doesn’t believe that she can have a crow as a friend, so she takes him out to her favorite spot to wait for the crow, to prove that they are friends. Information about crows is included in this fun story illustrated with vivid drawings. mjw

Title: Hello, Crow! Author: Candace Savage Illustrator: Chelsea O’Byrne Publisher: Greystone Kids Books Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-77164-444-0 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Saskatchewan, Canada Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Vancouver, Canada Subjects: Animal behavior, Birds, Crows, Outdoor activities, Self-esteem

Greyfriars Bobby: A Puppy’s Tale

Leave a reply

Today, visitors to Edinburgh, Scotland, come from all over the world to see Bobby’s statue and to lay flowers and sticks on his grave.  Bobby was the wee faithful Skye Terrier who patrolled Scotland’s streets with local policeman John Gray.  This story tells of Bobby’s early days when he and an orphaned boy named Sandy caught a pickpocket and how he met his master John Gray.  After John Gray died in 1858, the loyal dog lay beside his master’s grave in Greyfriar’s churchyard every day for fourteen years.  A glossary defines Scottish words.  Lively illustrations bring the Victorian streets of Edinburgh to life. mjw

Title: Greyfriar’s Bobby: A Puppy’s Tale Author: Michelle Sloan Illustrator: Elena Bia Publisher: Kelpies, an imprint of Floris Books Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English  ISBN: 978-178250-590-7 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture Book, Historical Fiction Book setting: Edinburgh, Scotland  Author’s ethnicity: Scottish Author’s residence: Brought Ferry, Scotland Illustrator’s ethnicity: Italian Illustrator’s residence: Novara, Italy Subjects: Dogs, Loyalty, Policemen, Scottish folklore

Panthera Tigris

Leave a reply

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 Piano Recital

Leave a reply

It’s Momo’s first piano recital and she is terribly nervous.  She keeps telling herself, “I’ll be okay…” She hears a small voice saying, “I’ll be okay…” She looks down and sees a mouseling who is nervous about her first performance. Momo follows the mouseling backstage to discover a fantastic mouse circus and a mouse audience. Momo agrees to accompany the mouseling on the piano, but when she takes her bow, she realizes it isn’t a mouse audience after all.  This wonderful story about childhood anxiety and challenges is illustrated with beautifully detailed pencil, charcoal, and gouache artwork.  A Spanish edition is also available. mjw

Title: The Piano Recital Author: Akiko Miyakoshi Illustrator: Akiko Miyakoshi Publisher: Kids Can Press, Toronto, Canada Copyright: 2019 Original Language: Japanese: Original Title: Piano Happyoukai Original Publisher: Bronze Publishing, Inc Tokyo Original Copyright: 2012 ISBN: 978-1-5253-0257-2 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Japanese Author’s residence: Japan Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese Illustrator’s residence: Japan Awards: New York Public Library best illustrated Children’s Book Award and the Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix Subjects: Anxiety, Challenges, Character education. Courage, Imagination, Mice, Performing arts, Piano recital

A Boy And A House

Leave a reply

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

Milky Way

Leave a reply

In the remote mountains of Ladakh in India, Tashi is worried about his friend the roly-poly moon.  The moon always gives him “a special smile-eyes closed and no teeth showing,” But every night, the moon gets smaller and smaller until it eventually disappears.  Tashi thinks this is because the moon doesn’t get enough milk to drink.  So Tashi leaves a tall glass of milk on the window sill every night for the moon, and little by little the moon gets its full round shape back with its special smile.  Tashi’s grandma explains the phases of the moon.  Bold, colorful illustrations enhance the fun story.  A glossary of Ladakhi words and a note about Ladakh is included.  A lesson plan can be downloaded from the Yali Books website. mjw

Title: Milky Way Author: Mamta Nainy Illustrator: Siddhartha Tripathi Publisher: Yali Books.  New York Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-9890615-6-8 Hardcover pages: 44 Age range: 4-6 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Ladakh, India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: New Delhi Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s residence: Ahmedabad Subjects: Buddhism, Culture, Himalayas, Moon, Tibet