Tag Archives: Families

Nour’s Secret Library

Nour and her friends live a happy life in Damascus, Syria. But one day war comes to the city with its smelly tanks and noisy guns. Nour, her family, and friends need to hide in the basement to be safe. Some days when there is no fighting, Nour and her friends bravely roam their neighborhood rubble looking for abandoned books so that they can start a secret library. Eventually, their library is filled with books from floor to ceiling. Some are Arabic, while others are English, Armenian, Greek, French, Hebrew, and Syriac. Nour thinks that the world of books is wonderful. “Like a galaxy full of stars. Some are shinier than others, but together they make the sky sparkle.”The illustrations in pencil, gouache, and charcoal depict the rough and ruined landscapes in grays and the hopeful story of the children and the library in vibrant blues and oranges. Back matter includes information about Syria, a map, a glossary, facts about famous libraries in the Middle East, information about the inspiration for the story, and both an author’s and illustrator’s note. This book is a story of hope and longing for peace. mjw

Title: Nour’s Secret Library
Author: Wafa Tarnowska
Illustrator: Yali Mintzi
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-64686-292-4
Paperback pages: 32
Age range: 6-10
Genre: Picture book
Book setting: Syria
Author’s ethnicity: Lebanese
Author’s residence: U.K. and Poland
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Romanian
Illustrator’s residence: Jerusalem
Subjects: Books, Libraries, Middle East, Reading, Syria, War

Adam And His Tuba

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Everyone in the Von Trapeze family likes to perform in the circus, except for Adam, the youngest member of the family. Grandma Antonia breathes fire. Uncle Artem and his clan perform an unforgettable human pyramid. Papa Alexei and Mama Anastasia bravely walk the tightrope. And daughter Aria rides a unicycle and juggles six clubs all at once. But Adam doesn’t like circus tricks or the loud applause. The family is so worried about their youngest son. They try different approaches to change him. One day, something unusual happens – they are enchanted by Adam playing the tuba. From now on, the circus has a new performer and Adam becomes a star. Warm sepia-colored paintings light up the Von Trapeze’s circus world in this lighthearted story about finding one’s own path. mjw

Title: Adam And His Tuba
Author: Ziga X. Gombac
Illustrator: Maya Kastelic
Publisher: NorthSouth Books, Inc., New York
Copyright: 2023
Original Language: German
Translator: Olivia Hellewell
Original Title: Adam und seine Tuba
Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag AG. Zurich, Switzerland
Original Copyright: 20223
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4497-1
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Slovenian
Author’s residence: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Slovenia
Illustrator’s residence: Slovenia
Awards: Illustrator has won the White Ravens Award
Subjects: Circus, Grandparents, Growing up, Music, Performing arts, Tubas

Just A Girl: A True Story Of World War II

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This powerful autobiographical story of a Jewish family in Italy during World War II is narrated by six-year-old Lia. She and her family attempt to avoid Nazi deportation, and she ends up in a Catholic convent because it is too dangerous for the family to stay together. Lia’s descriptions of her different schools, new friends, and war conditions are sensitive and perceptive. Horrific details are left out. The book includes inserts, side notes, and letters that speak directly to the reader. Cute black-and-white illustrations enhance Lia’s memories of her survival. Back matter includes a letter from the author and images from Lia Levi’s photo album. The story is a young readers’ adaptation of the author’s award-winning WWII memoir. mjw

Title: Just A Girl: A True Story Of World War II
Author: Lia Levi
Illustrator: Jess Mason
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, LLC.
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: Italian
Translator: Sylvia Adrian Notini
Original Title: Una bambina e basta
Original Copyright: 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-306508-6
Hardcover pages: 144
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Historical biography, Novel, Autobiography
Book setting: Italy
Author’s ethnicity: Italian
Author’s residence: Rome, Italy
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: England
Awards: 2023 Batchelder Winner
Subjects: Boarding schools, Convents, Discrimination, Holocaust, Italy, Jewish, Memoirs, Survival, WWII

Different: A Story Of The Spanish Civil War

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Siblings, seven-year-old Socorro and nine-year-old Paco tell their story of Spain during the turbulent Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939. Fascist dictator Francisco Franco persecuted everyone who opposed him, and consequently, the children’s father had to flee Spain because of his political beliefs. The children and their mother remain in Spain and have to keep their secret. A letter arrives from their father in Venezuela that results in the family being reunited in Caracas, where they are still different but safe. Oil-pastel illustrations portray the worlds of the family. Based on the author’s family history, this middle-grade novel is supplemented with more information about Spain and the war, wartime refugees, a new life beyond Spain, and the lives of refugees today. A glossary of Spanish words and resources for children, young adults, and older readers are also included. mjw

Title: Different: A Story Of The Spanish Civil War
Author: Monica Montanes
Illustrator: Evan Sanchez Gomez
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: Spanish
Translator: Lawrence Schimel
Original Title: Los distintos
Original Publisher: Ediciones Ekare. Barcelona, Spain
Original Copyright: 2020
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5598-5
Hardcover pages: 88
Age range: 9-14
Genre: Historical fiction
Book setting: Spain, Venezuela
Author’s ethnicity: Venezuelan
Author’s residence: Madrid
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish
Illustrator’s residence: Spain
Awards: 2021 White Raven, 2023 Batchelder Award
Subjects: Brothers and sisters, Caribbean and Latin America, Emigration and immigration, Military and wars, Refugees, Spain Civil War 1936-1939, Survival, Venezuela

The Katha Chest

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Asiya loves visiting Nanu’s house. It is filled with all sorts of treasures, the best being the katha chest. This is an old trunk full of quilts made from the old saris of her grandma, aunts, and mother. Each quilt has a story to tell. The illustrations are inspired by the Bengali folk art called Pattachitra – cloth paintings with simple colors, bold lines, and intricate details. Author’s and illustrator’s notes are provided. mjw

Title: The Katha Chest
Author: Radhiah Chowdhury
Illustrator: Lavanya Naidu
Publisher: Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Schuster
Copyright: 2021
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1665903905
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture book
Book setting: Bangladesh
Author’s ethnicity: Bengali
Author’s residence: Australia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian
Illustrator’s residence: Australia
Subjects: Aunts, Grandmothers, Memories Mothers, Quilts, Saris

Girl On The Run

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It’s 1933 in Berlin, and thirteen-year-old Amelie is beginning to feel the effects of Hitler’s rise to power. At school, she is picked on by her teacher for being Jewish, and her friends snub her for not joining the Aryan Youth Group. Her father remarries, and her new cruel stepmother plans to expose Amelie’s Jewish heritage to the Nazis. Amelie is a strong heroine who is also bright, courageous, and quick thinking. The novel is a real page-turner. A sequel, The Doktor’s Daughter (2022), brings Amelie back to Berlin after four years in Paris when questions arise about her father. This is another engaging read. mjw

Title: Girl On The Run
Author: Nancy McDonald
Publisher: Iguana Books. Toronto
Copyright: 2021
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-77180-517-9
Paperback pages: 174
Age range: 10 up
Genre: Historical fiction, Novel
Book setting: Berlin, Paris
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: Stratford, Ontario
Subjects: Coming of age, Germany, Holocaust, Jewish persecution, Nazis, Stepmothers, World War II

Madani’s Best Game

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Madani is the neighborhood soccer star, who plays on his bare feet. Everyone watches when he plays and wonders what he could do if he only had a proper pair of cleats. Madani is saving money, but not for soccer shoes. Instead, he buys a new sewing machine for his mother. The story is narrated by one of Madani’s teammates. The author explains that the story was inspired by his work with immigrant families. The beautiful, smudgy illustrations, created with pencil, gouache, and colored pencil, capture the city neighborhood and the movement of the soccer games. mjw

Title: Madani’s Best Game
Author: Fran Pintadera
Illustrator: Raquel Catalina
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: Spanish
Translator: Lawrence Schimel
Original Title: La mejor jugada de Madani
Original Publisher: Ediciones Ekare. Barcelona, Spain
Original Copyright: 2021
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5597-8
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 5-9
Genre: Picture book, Sports fiction
Book setting: Spain
Author’s ethnicity: Spanish
Author’s residence: Spain
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish
Illustrator’s residence: Spain
Subjects: Immigrant life, Love, Poverty, Sewing machines, Shoes, Soccer, Teamwork, Values

Our Own Little Paradise

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On the last day of sixth grade, all of Nora’s classmates tell about their exciting summer plans – Italy, Croatia, Florida, Denmark, Paris, Portugal, and Spain. Nora lies and tells the class that she is going to the tropics. She keeps the lie growing through social media. The problem is that a new boy, Wilmer, has moved into the neighborhood and finds out that she has not gone to the tropics. Nora and Wilmer secretly build their own “tropics” in an abandoned apartment. By the end of summer, her whole class finds out that she lied, but the resolution is satisfyingly happy. This wonderful middle age story, with short chapters, addresses the struggles of trying to fit in, finding true friends, and different social classes. mjw

Title: Our Own Little Paradise
Author: Marianne Kaurin
Publisher: Arctis Books. Stamford, CT, USA
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: Norwegian
Translator: Olivia Lasky
Original Title: Syden
Original Publisher: H. Aschehoug and Co. (W. Nygaard) AS
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-1-64690-018-3
Hardcover pages: 300
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Fiction, Novel
Book setting: Norway
Author’s ethnicity: Norwegian
Author’s residence: Oslo. Norway
Translator’s ethnicity: US
Translator’s residence: Oslo, Norway
Awards: 2021 German Youth Literature Prize
Subjects: First love, Holidays, Lies, Peer pressure, Relationships, Social media, Summer, Vacations

My Name Is Bana

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Seven-year-old Bana, a Syrian girl from Aleppo, took to Twitter to describe her war-torn home. In this picture book memoir, she offers her perspective on the war and being a refugee. She explains the origin of her name. Bana is a tall bushy tree that grows in Syria. Her father and mother wanted her to be strong just like the tree – being kind to others, standing up against injustice, and being brave in the face of fear. She also shows her strength by bringing joy to her brothers amidst bombings, starting over in a new country, and speaking to world leaders on behalf of Syrian refugee children. The illustrations rendered in acrylic paint and finished in procreate are emotional and bright. Arabic words are smoothly integrated into the text. An author’s note tells that the book is based on a true story. mjw

Title: My Name Is Bana
Author: Bana Alabed
Illustrator: Nez Riaz
Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2021
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1534412484
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture book, Autobiography
Book setting: Syria and Turkey
Author’s ethnicity: Syrian
Author’s residence: Turkey
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Pakistani
Illustrator’s residence: Boston, MA
Awards: 2022 NCSS Notable Books
Subjects: Autobiography, Biography, Children’s writings, Human rights, Refugee children, Syria – Civil War, Trees

The Library Bus

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Author Bahram Rahman grew up in Afghanistan during the civil war and Taliban regime of 1996-2001. His story was inspired by the first library bus in Kabul that brought books to girls in remote villages and refugee camps who had no other access to education. Five-year-old Pari is starting her first day as her mother’s helper on the library bus. The girls in the villages and camps are learning English, but Pari cannot even read or write in Farsi yet. She is lucky that she will attend school next year. Her mother had to learn in secret because not long ago, girls were forbidden to read. The captivating watercolor and digital media artwork portrays the girls’ smiling faces, the rich landscape of Afghanistan, and the power of education. Included are notes about refugee camps and the author’s experiences in Kabul. mjw

Title: The Library Bus
Author: Bahram Rahman
Illustrator: Gabrielle Grimard
Publisher: Pajama Press. Toronto
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-77278-101-4
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Picture book
Book setting: Kabul, Afghanistan
Author’s ethnicity: born in Kabul, Afghanistan
Author’s residence: Ontario, Canada
Illustrator’s ethnicity: born in Montreal
Illustrator’s residence: Canada
Awards: 2021 Governor General’s Literary Award, 2021 Middle East Book Award Winner, 2021 Sout Asian Book Award – Highly recommended book
Subjects: Books, Education, Libraries, Homelessness, Middle East, Poverty, Reading, Refugees

Born Behind Bars

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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

Last Witnesses (Adapted for Young Adults)

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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