Tag Archives: Families

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

Lubna And Pebble

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Lubna lives with her father and brothers in a world of tents.  Her best friend is a shiny, smooth, gray pebble.  She draws a happy face on it and keeps it warm wrapped in a tea towel in a shoebox.  She tells the pebble about home, the war, and that she loves it.  Soon, a little boy arrives.  At first, he has no words.  He coughs, sneezes, smiles, and says his name is Amir.  Lubna and Amir become friends.  One day, Lubna’s daddy announces that they are leaving because they have found a home.  Lubna feels happy, then sad.  Amir cries. Lubna gives Amir her pebble.  He needs it more than she does.  Larger-than-life, stunning illustrations complement this powerful story. mjw

Title: Lubna And Pebble Author: Wendy Meddour Illustrator: Daniel Egneus Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers. New York Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-052-5554-165 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Middle East Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: England Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swedish Illustrator’s residence: Athens, Greece  Subjects: Refugees

Girl Under A Red Moon: Growing Up During China’s Cultural Revolution

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This powerful book is the story of Sisi and her younger brother Da whose lives are turned upside down under the rules and regulations of the Chinese Communist takeover.  Sisi had been a model student and was expected to be appointed to the Red Guard, but she was overlooked because her grandfather had been a landowner.  She and Da run away to another school where they have to work.  They find a place in their new school until their principal is also subjected to the cultural retraining.  This beautifully written story covers the struggles and social injustices during a difficult time in Chinese history. mjw

Title: Girl Under A Red Moon: Growing Up During China’s Cultural Revolution Author: Da Chen Publisher: Scholastic Focus, and imprint of Scholastic, Inc. Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-3382-6386-2 Hardcover pages: 208 Age range: 12 up Genre: Historical Fiction (Autobiographical) Book setting: China Author’s ethnicity: Chinese Author’s residence: California, U.S. Subjects: Brithers and sisters, Communism, Cultural Revolution, Families, Political persecution, Siblings

The Eleventh Hour

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Jules and Jim are childhood friends who were born on the same day in the same town in Canada.  Jim is always a little faster and a little stronger.  In 1914, when a war begins in Europe, Canada is at war with Germany.  Jules and Jim understand that their country needs them. So they enlist in the army and sail to Europe.  On the Front, conditions are muddy and barbaric.  Jules is always lagging two minutes behind Jim.  Jim gets a medal, while Jules gets stuck doing chores.  On November 11, 1918, at 11 o’ clock the fighting is supposed to stop.  But on the battlefields, not everyone gets the message.  Jules gets shot at 10:58, two minutes before the war ends.  He is the very last Canadian soldier to die in World War I.  Illustrated in a cartoon style and inspired by true events, this picture book is a thought-provoking parable. mjw

Title: The Eleventh Hour Author: Jacques Goldstyn Illustrator: Jacques Goldstyn Publisher: Owlkids Books. Toronto Copyright: 2018 Original Language: French Translator: Anne Louise Mahoney Original Title: Jules et Jim: freres d’armes Original Publisher: Bayard Canada Livres, Inc. Montreal Original Copyright: 2018 ISBN: 978-1-77147-348-4 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 7-10 Genre: Picture Book, Historical fiction Book setting: Canada, Germany Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Montreal Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Montreal Subjects: Armistice, Canadian history, Military fiction, World War I

Milky Way

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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

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