Tag Archives: Arts

Leila In Saffron

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Leila is a Pakistani-American girl visiting her naani (her maternal grandmother) for dinner.  She has low self-esteem until her naani tells her that the saffron color of her scarf suits her. Leila describes her evening using all of her senses and sees herself as a beautiful girl with a unique identity.  Detailed, colorful gouache illustrations show the colors of lentils, pomegranates, cucumbers, and saffron.  A glossary of Arabic and Hindi words is included. mjw

Title: Leila In Saffron Author: Rukhsanna Guidroz Illustrator: Dinara Mirtalipova Publisher: Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-534425644 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Persian-Indian and Chinese Author’s residence: Hawaii, U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan Illustrator’s residence: Ohio, U.S. Subjects: Family origins, Identity, Multigenerational, Muslim fiction, Pakistani-Americans, Self acceptance, Self-discovery

The Piano Recital

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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

The Dot (The Dot That Couldn’t Sit Still)

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Once upon a time there was a dot in the big broad universe.  One day, it gets tired of sitting still and starts to move around. The dot meets other dots and together they make shapes – squares, rectangles, triangles, and circles.  The shapes realize they can make a house. They are amazed by what they can make if they work together – highrises, the sun, the moon, and even a boy, a girl, and a cat.  The brief text is accompanied by stark black and white drawings with bright red, yellow, and orange accents.  The book is a celebration of creativity. mjw

Title: The Dot Author: Gulnar Hajo Illustrator: Gulnar Hajo Publisher: Darf Children’s Books. London Copyright: 201 Original Language: Arabic Translator: Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp Original Title: Hekayat Nuqta’ala dafter abyadh Original Publisher: Bright Fingers Publishing House. Damascus, Syria Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-1-85077-329-0 Paperback pages: 20 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Syrian Author’s residence: Istanbul Illustrator’s ethnicity: Syrian Illustrator’s residence: Istanbul Subjects: Creativity, Shapes, Universe

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 Dog Who Lost His Bark

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Patrick has always wanted a dog and when his mother suggests getting one while they are vacationing at his grandfather’s, he is thrilled.  Oz the dog had been abused by his former owners and consequently lost his bark.  Patrick helps Oz to heal through the power of music.  Being rescued by his new forever family gives Patrick and Oz the chance to form a special bond and learn what true love is.  The realistic pencil drawings capture both human and dog emotions beautifully. mjw

Title: The Dod Who Lost His Bark Author: Eoin Colfer Illustrator: P. J. Lynch Publisher: Candlewick Press Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-5362-0442-1 Hardcover pages: 144 Age range: 7-10 Genre: Fiction Author’s ethnicity: Irish Author’s residence: Dublin, Ireland Illustrator’s ethnicity: Irish Illustrator’s residence: Dublin. Ireland Awards: Both author and illustrator are former Irish Children’s Laureates Subjects: Animal abuse, Children of separated parents,Dogs, Grandfathers, Human-animal relationships, Music, Pets, Rescue dogs, Violins

Birdsong

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In spring, Katherena and her mother pack up their belongings and move from their home in the city by the sea.  Their new home sits on a hill overlooking a field and another home.  An older woman named Agnes lives in that home.  In summer, Katherena visits Agnes, whose yard is filled with berries, flowers, and birds.  In fall, Katherena visits Agnes again and again and they talk about the moon and the seasons.  In winter, it’s harder for Agnes to get around and Katherena draws pictures.  In the next spring, Agnes has grown weaker and Katherena decorates Agnes’s room with all of her drawings.  The textured illustrations in this book were rendered in TBC.  They warmly depict the story of a young girl and an elderly woman who share their love of nature and art.  A glossary explains Cree words that are integrated into the text. mjw

Title: Birdsong Author: Julie Flett Illustrator: Julie Flett Publisher: Greystone Books Ltd. Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-77164-473-0 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 3-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Cree-Metis Author’s residence: Vancouver, Canada Illustrator’s ethnicity: Cree-Metis Illustrator’s residence: Vancouver, Canada Subjects: Emotions, Indigenous, Intergenerational friendship, Nature, Seasons