![]() Nine-year-old, low-caste Kabir was born in jail in Chennai, India, because his mom is serving time for a crime she didn’t commit. He ends up living on the streets when a new warden decides that he is too old to still be living in jail. He meets Rani, a Roma girl, who helps him survive in the harsh, ugly outside world. He eventually finds his grandparents and a helpful lawyer who gets his mother released from jail. This story told through the lens of a young boy is both educating and entertaining. Kabir is brave and optimistic. Like Venkatraman’s other books, A Time To Dance, Climbing The Stairs, and The Bridge Home, this book is unforgettable. mjw |
Title: Born Behind Bars Author: Padma Venkatraman Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC Copyright: 2021 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0593-11247-2 Hardcover pages: 273 Age range: 10 up Genre: Fiction, Novel Book setting: Chennai, India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: U.S. Awards: 2022 NCSS Notable Books, 2022 South Asia Award Winner Subjects: Homelessness, India, Poverty, Prejudice, Prisoners’ families, School, Street children |
Tag Archives: Families
Last Witnesses (Adapted for Young Adults)
![]() A very helpful Historical Context sets the scene for 65 short personal narratives told by those who were Russian children during World War II and survived terrifying war-time experiences. Nobel Prize-winning Svetlana Alexievich discloses the traumatic memories of children who were separated from their parents, most of them never to be reunited. This is the young adult adaptation of her masterpiece, Last Witness: An Oral History of the Children of WWII. The Russian perspective stories are fascinating as they portray terror, survival, and hope. The book also features a useful glossary. mjw |
Title: Last Witnesses (Adapted for Young Adults) Author: Svetlana Alexievich Publisher: Penguin Random House LLC Copyright: 2021 Original Language: Russian Translator: Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky Original Title: Last Witnesses: An Oral History Of The Children Of WWII Original Publisher: Molodaya Gvardiya, Moscow Original Copyright: 1985 ISBN: 978-0-593-30853-0 Hardcover pages: 288 Age range: 12-17 Genre: Information book, Nonfiction, Oral history Book setting: Russia Author’s ethnicity: Ukrainian Author’s residence: Soviet Union, Belarus, Western Europe Awards: Author has won the 2015 Nobel Prize for Literature. 2022 NCSS Notable Books Subjects: Childhood, Death, Historical biographies, Hope, Military history, Oral history, Resilience, Survival, Terror, WWII, Young adult |
Bharatanatyam In Ballet Shoes
![]() |
Title: Bharatanatyam In Ballet Shoes Author: Malak Jain Illustrator: Anu Chouhan Publisher: Annick Press, Toronto Copyright: 2022 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1773216164 Hardcover pages: 36 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Born in Delhi, India Author’s residence: Toronto, Ontario Illustrator’s ethnicity: Punjabi-Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Vancouver, BC Awards: Author has won the 2017 South Asia Book Award Subjects: Asian, Asian-American, Mother-daughter relationships, Parents, Self-esteem, Self-reliance |
Lena, The Sea, And Me
![]() In this sequel to the OmniLibros post Waffle Hearts (Adventures With Waffles in the U.S.), Trille and Lena are growing up in Mathildewick Cove in Norway, where they have another year of adventures. They hoist Trille’s little sister up a flagpole, sail into a fjord on a flimsy raft, and go caroling during a hurricane. Trille becomes interested in a new girl in town and Lena plays soccer and takes music lessons. There is a smattering of Norwegian culture, which is interesting and lovely. mjw |
Title: Lena, The Sea, And Me Author: Maria Parr Illustrator: Lara Paulussen Publisher: Candlewick Press. Somerville, Massachusetts Copyright: 2020 Original Language: Norwegian Translator: Guy Puzey Original Title: Keeperen og havet Original Publisher: Det Norske Samlaget. Oslo, Norway Original Copyright: 2017 ISBN: 978-1-5562-0772-9 Hardcover pages: 304 Age range: 7-10 Genre: Fiction, Novel Book setting: Norway Author’s ethnicity: Norwegian Author’s residence: Norway Subjects: Best friends, Family life, Grandparents |
I Hate Borsch!
![]() A young girl living in Ukraine hates the red, thick, disgusting beet and vegetable soup known as borsch. But all Ukrainians are supposed to love it. Even the grandmothers of Kiev cannot get her to change her mind about it. When she immigrates to the U.S., she finds that she doesn’t like American food, especially the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, flat and shiny square cheese, and the mysterious pumpkin spice latte. She then finds borsch recipes hidden in her suitcase and she is transported back home. She makes the soup and invites everyone to eat her borsch. Illustrations created with acrylic, pencils, and digital collage, with splashes of borsch-bright red add to the fun in this story of rejecting and then embracing one’s culture. An author’s note and a recipe for borsch are included. mjw |
Title: I Hate Borsch! Author: Yevgenia Nayberg Illustrator: Yevgenia Nayberg Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan Copyright: 2022 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-8028-5580-0 Hardcover pages: 56 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture book Book setting: Ukraine and U.S. Author’s ethnicity: Ukrainian Author’s residence: New York Illustrator’s ethnicity: Ukrainian Illustrator’s residence: New York Subjects: Cultures, Eastern Europe, Emigration, Food, Heritage, Immigration, Picky eaters, Soup, Recipes, Sunflowers, Vegetables |
Dulcinea In The Forbidden Forest
![]() It’s Dulcinea’s birthday and her father is making her pancakes with blueberries and whipped cream. However, they forgot to buy blueberries at the market. Dulcinea’s loving father knows that blueberries grow in the forbidden forest – the forest that he told Dulcinea to never go into because a witch, who is a hideous singer, lives in a castle there. He decides that nothing could happen to him in the forest, but then the witch sees him and turn s him into a tree. Dulcinea braves the dark forest, sneaks into the castle, finds the witch’s book of spells, and frees her father. The short chapters in this easy-to-read book are just right for young readers. The funny, inky black-outlined illustrations and the orange and brown palette perfectly enhance this hilarious, contemporary fairytale. mjw |
Title: Dulcinea In The Forbidden Forest Author: Ole Konnecke Illustrator: Ole Konnecke Publisher: Gecko Press. New Zealand Copyright: 2021 Original Language: German Translator: Shelley Tanaka Original Title: Dulcinea im Zauberwald Original Publisher: Carl Hanser Verlag GmbH and Co. Munich Original Copyright: 2021 ISBN: 978-1-776573-95-0 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 5-9 Genre: Fairytale, Fiction Author’s ethnicity: German Author’s residence: Germany Illustrator’s ethnicity: German Illustrator’s residence: Germany Subjects: Birthdays, Fathers, Humor, Witches |
A Gift For Amma: Market Day In India
![]() It’s market day in the author’s hometown of Chennai, India. A young girl is searching for a treasure for her mother. She looks at saffron rice: orange marigolds; pink lotus flowers; green peacock feathers, mint, and coriander; red-hot peppers; and many more colorful items. She finally decides on rainbow bangles as the perfect gift. Back matter includes information about the unique color words in the book, facts about markets around the world, and photographs taken by the author. The gorgeous illustrations, rendered in pencils, pastels, and water-based paints make the story come alive. mjw |
Title: A Gift For Amma: Market Day In India Author: Meera Sriram Illustrator: Mariona Cabassa Publisher: Barefoot Books, Cambridge, MA Copyright: 2020 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-64686-062-3 Paperback pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Chennai, India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s residence: Spain Awards: 2021 South Asian Book Award Subjects: Colors, Flowers, Markets, Mothers, Peacocks, Saris, Spices |
Temple Alley Summer
![]() |
Title: Temple Alley Summer Author: Sachiko Kashiwaba Illustrator: Miho Satake Publisher: Restless Books, Inc. New York Copyright: 2021 Original Language: Japanese Translator: Avery Fischer Udagawa Original Title: Kimyoji Yokocho no Natsu Original Publisher: Kodansha Ltd. Tokyo Original Copyright: 2011 ISBN: 978-1-6320-6303-8 Hardcover pages: 240 Age range: 8-13 Genre: Fiction, Novel Book setting: Japan Author’s ethnicity: Japanese Author’s residence: Iwate Prefecture, Jan Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese Illustrator’s residence: Japan Awards: 2022 Mildred L. Batchelder Award Subjects: Cats, Fairytales, Fantasy, Ghosts, Magic, Mystery, Paranormal, Supernatural, Suspense, Temple |
The Words In My Hands
![]() The art journal of Deaf sixteen-year-old Piper, set in near-future Melbourne, Australia, is part coming of age story and part call to action. Piper is smart, artistic, and rebellious. Deaf since the age of three, she is told by her mother that she needs to conform, compensate and appear normal. She meets Marley, a CODA (child of a deaf parent), and a whole new world opens up for her. This is a time of food scarcity, environmental collapse, and political corruption. Piper is determined to build a sustainable food garden and communicate with her mom, friends, and community like she never has before. Back matter in this amazing book includes information on the Deaf community and various forms of sign language and ideas for journaling. mjw |
Title: The Words In My Hands Author: Asphyxia Illustrator: Asphyxia Publisher: Annick Press Copyright: 2021 Original Language: English Original Title: Future Girl In Australia Original Publisher: Allen & Unwin, Australia Original Copyright: 2020 ISBN: 978-1773215280 Hardcover pages: 388 Age range: 13-16 Genre: Fiction, Novel Book setting: Australia Author’s ethnicity: Australian Author’s residence: Australia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Australian Illustrator’s residence: Australia Awards: 2022 ALA Schneider Family Book Award for Teens, 2021 Children’s Book Council of Australia Notable Book of the Year for Older Readers 2021 White Raven Subjects: Activism, Auslan, Coming of age, Creativity, Deafness, Dystopian, Finger-spelling, Future, Gardens, Problem solving, Sign language, Special needs, Sustainability |
A Kind Of Spark
![]() |
Title: A Kind Of Spark Author: Elle McNicoll Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2020 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-593-37425-2 Hardcover pages: 192 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction, Novel Book setting: Scotland Author’s ethnicity: Scottish Author’s residence: London Awards: 2022 ALA Schneider Family Book Award – Middle Grade Honor Subjects: Autism, Bullies, Disabilities, Neurodivergency, Sharks, Teachers, Witch trials |
Red Stars: The Case Of Viktor And Nadya’s Notebooks
![]() Diary entries, maps, drawings, and historical photos tell this story of Viktor and Nadya, twelve-year-old twins who were evacuated from Leningrad when Hitler declared war on the Soviet Union. They were separated when they were put on trains that were meant to take them to safety. The story is told in three voices, alternating between Viktor (printed in red), Nadya (printed in dark blue), and an offstage voice of a Soviet Secret Police officer. His handwritten comments are written in the margins. Viktor’s train makes it to Moscow, where he is expected to do hard labor on a kolkhoz (farm). It is rumored that Nadya’s train was bombed with no survivors. Viktor doesn’t believe this and sets off through cold and harsh conditions to find Nadya. They eventually find each other and unravel a mystery of treason and betrayal at the highest level of Soviet leadership. mjw |
Title: Red Stars: The Case Of Viktor And Nadya’s Notebooks Author: Davide Morosinotto Illustrator: Simone Tso Publisher: Delacorte Press Copyright: 2020 Original Language: Italian Translator: Denise Muir Original Title: La Stolgorante luce di due stelle rosse Original Publisher: Mondadori, Milan Original Copyright: 2017 ISBN: 978-1-9848-9332-1 Hardcover pages: 432 Age range: 10-12 Genre: Historical Fiction Book setting: Soviet Union Author’s ethnicity: Italian Author’s residence: Italy Subjects: European historical fiction, Evacuation, Germany, Hitler, Leningrad, MIlitary fictioon, Siblings, Trains, World War II |
Soul Lanterns
![]() Set 25 years after the bombing of Hiroshima, twelve-year-old Nozomi discovers that the long-term emotional and physical effects of the bombing continue. Her art class project is to learn more about the experiences of students’ families on August 6, 1945. Book chapters focus on individual heartbreaking narratives told by survivors. This powerful story from a Japanese perspective shows the impact on the city and emphasizes the message of peace. mjw |
Title: Soul Lanterns Author: Shaw Huzki Publisher: Delacorte Press Copyright: 2021 Original Language: Japanese Translator: Emily Balistrieri Original Title: Hikari no utsushie Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Hiroshima Original Publisher: Kodansha, Ltd. Tokyo Original Copyright: 2013 ISBN: 978-0-593-17436-4 Hardcover pages: 175 Age range: 10 up Genre: Historical Fiction Book setting: Japan Author’s ethnicity: Japanese Author’s residence: Kamakura, Japan Awards: 2022 USBBY Outstanding International Books List Subjects: Art, Atomic bomb, Ceremonies, Grandparents, Hiroshima, Lantern floating ceremony, Peace, World War II |