Tag Archives: Families

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

Mina Vs. The Monsoon

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Mina, a young girl living in India, really wants to go outdoors to play soccer, but it’s monsoon season and she has to stay in.  Her mother prepares to celebrate the monsoon by making chai and samosas.  Mina plays her tabla (drum) to cheer herself up.  The doodh wallah (milkman) explains how important rain is for the rice paddies, but Mina is still sad.  When her mother asks her to get thread for stringing flower garlands, Mina discovers her mother’s soccer jersey. As her mother explains that she used to play soccer, the dark clouds disappear and they head outside together.  The bold, bright illustrations accompany the energetic text.  The book concludes with a glossary of Urdu and Hindi words and a note to parents and educators. mjw

Title: Mina Vs. The Monsoon Author: Rukhsanna Guidrozz Illustrator: Debasmita Dasgupta Publisher: Yali Books, New York Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-949528-98-5 Hardcover pages: 38 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture book Book setting: Bijar and Jharkhand, India Author’s ethnicity: Persian-Indian-Chinese Author’s residence: Hawaii Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s residence: Singapore Subjects: Drums, Girls and women, Monsoons, Peacocks, Soccer

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga

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Cherokee people say otsaliheliga to express gratitude. Journey through the seasons with a Cherokee family as cool breezes blow and colored leaves fall during uligohvsdi– fall.  As bears sleep deep and snow blankets the ground in gola– winter, the elders share stories and savor buttery bean bread and steamy hominy soup.  In spring – gogeyi, they say otsaliheliga while men sing asking for rain’s protection of the emerging sprouts that women tend.  And as the crops mature, they celebrate the first harvest at the Green Corn Ceremony in gogi – summer.  Every day, every season, they are grateful. Cherokee words are smoothly integrated into the text, which is illustrated with bright gouache paintings. Definitions, an author’s note, and the Cherokee syllabary are included. mjw

Title: We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga Author: Traci Sorell Illustrator: Frane Lessac Publisher: Charlesbridge. Watertown, MA Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English, Cherokee Translator: Mr. Feeling ISBN: 978-1580897723 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: U.S. Author’s ethnicity: Cherokee Author’s residence: Kansas City Illustrator’s residence: Monsterrat, London, Australia Awards:  2019 NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Subjects: Cherokee Indians, Cherokee language, Multicultural, Native Americans, Religion Seasons

Someone Like Me: How One Undocumented Girl Fought For Her American Dream

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National bestselling author Julissa Arce tells of her journey from Taxco, Mexico, to growing up undocumented in Texas.  As a young girl, she, her two sisters, her nanny, and her grandmother were left behind in Taxco for months at a time, while her parents worked in America, hoping to build a home for the family.  At age eleven, her parents brought her to Texas where she secretly lived as an undocumented immigrant.  She worked tirelessly, achieved academic excellence, overcame cultural barriers, and ultimately climbed to a successful career on Wall Street. Eight pages of black and white photographs complement this compelling story. mjw

Title: Someone Like Me: How One Undocumented Girl Fought For Her American Dream Author: Julissa Arce Publisher: Little, Brown and Company Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-316-48174-8 Hardcover pages: 240 Age range: 11-14 Genre: Autobiography Book setting: Mexico, Texas Author’s ethnicity: Mexican Author’s residence: Los Angeles, U.S. Subjects: Biography, Illegal aliens, Immigrants, Mexican American women, Social justice, Texas

Buried Beneath The Baobab Tree

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Based on interviews with young women who were kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014, this powerful novel tells the story of young YaTa and her dreams that became nightmares.  The terrorist group attacked her village and killed most of her family.  Before the abduction, she had a promising future of getting a university scholarship and becoming a teacher.  The book is written in poetic vignettes that tell how the girls were forced to follow their captors’ radical beliefs.  The narrator was forced to marry a man who used her for her body. But she refused to be brainwashed.  An enlightening afterword by Italian journalist Viviana Mazza gives more information about the kidnapping.  References and resources are also included. mjw

Title: Buried Beneath The Baobab Tree Author: Adobe Tricia Nwaubani Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-06-269672-4 Hardcover pages: 336 Age range: 14 up Genre: Fiction Book setting: Nigeria Author’s ethnicity: Nigerian Author’s residence: Abuja, Nigeria Subjects: Africa, Girls, Human rights, Prejudice and racism, Survival, Violence

Toshi’s Little Treasures

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In this search-and–find information book, young Toshi and his grandmother explore six of their favorite places – the riverbank, the city, the forest, the country, the park, and the beach. Toshi finds treasures to add to his growing collection in his new backpack. He finds a pussy willow branch, a dog whistle, a partridge feather, a glittery rock, a coin, and much more. Each scene is featured in a double-page spread, followed by matching activity pages where readers can identify Toshi’s treasures and match them to related items. Answers at the back of the book give additional interesting facts. The animals they find are also presented. Charming, delicate watercolor art adds to the fun. mjw

Title: Toshi’s Little Treasures Author: Nadine Robert Illustrator: Aki Publisher: Kids Can Press Copyright: 2016 Original Language: French Translator: Yvette Ghione Original Title: Le grand livre des petits trésors Original Publisher: Comme des Geants, Inc. Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-1-77138-573-2 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book, Information Book Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Montreal, Quebec Illustrator’s ethnicity: French Illustrator’s residence: Paris, France Subjects: Grandmothers, Habitats, Nature, Natural history

Snow

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Walter de la Mare’s gentle poem has illustrations of a family preparing for Christmas, done in screen prints with a limited, muted palette.  The family decorates their home, goes to bed, and waits for Santa Claus to arrive.  The children wake up to presents, going sledding, and making a snowman.  The text is perfect for the illustrations.  The book makes a beautiful winter bedtime story. mjw

Title: Snow Author: Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) Illustrator: Carolina Rabei Publisher: Faber & Faber Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Faber & Faber, Bloomsbury House. London Original Copyright: 2014.  The poem “Snow” was first published in Peacock and Pie in 1924 ISBN: 978-0-571-31219-1 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 5 up Genre: Poetry Author’s ethnicity: British Illustrator’s ethnicity: Moldova Illustrator’s residence: England Subjects: Christmas, Santa Claus, Snow, Weather