Tag Archives: Families

In Andal’s House (Tales Of The World)

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Young Kumar is invited to his classmate Andal’s house to watch the fireworks for the celebration of Diwali, India’s 5-day Festival of Light. Andal is a high-caste Brahmin and his family is wealthy. Kumar’s family had been Dalit, outcasts or untouchables. Kumar thinks he has been invited because he is the best student in their class, but when he arrives at Andal’s house, Andal’s grandmother sends him away. He cannot join the festivities. Disappointed, he returns home, where his grandfather explains how things used to be and that India is changing. Men like Mahatma Gandhi and Doctor B.R. Ambedkar have helped to outlaw discrimination against the Dalit, or the broken people. The story ends with Kumar feeling hopeful about both his and India’s future. A Glossary helps with unfamiliar words and an Author’s Note provides more information. Colorful folk-art illustrations in pencil crayon and watercolor ink depict the Diwali celebration and everyday life in contemporary India. mjw

Title: In Andal’s House (Tales Of the World) Author: Gloria Whelan Illustrator: Amanda Hall Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press.  Ann Arbor , Michigan Copyright: 2013 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-58536-603-3 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 6-10 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Gujarat, India Author’s ethnicity: U.S. Author’s residence: Michigan, U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: United Kingdom Subjects: Castes, Diwali, Gandhi, Prejudice, Social classes, Untouchables

Shooting Kabul

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Twelve-year-old Fadi and his family are illegally leaving Afghanistan for asylum in the U.S. in 2001. As they hurriedly board the escape truck, Fadi’s six-year-old sister Mariam lets go of his hand and is lost. As the Taliban is patrolling, there is no going back. They arrive in San Francisco to begin anew, but they are heart-broken and are constantly searching for Mariam. Fadi joins and finds comfort in the photography club at his middle school, with the hope that he can win a photo competition. The prize is a trip to India. Since Afghanistan is close to India, he thinks he can go there and find his sister. Fadi’s family also has to deal with the September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Kids at school assume Fadi is responsible for what happened and make him fearful and miserable. A clever and satisfying ending will encourage readers to move on to the Glossary, Author’s Note, Suggestions for Further Reading, and Reading Guide. A map is also included. This story about family relationships, with realistic detail about the immigrant experience and Afghani (particularly Pukhtun) culture, is based on the author’s husband’s personal history of fleeing his home in Soviet controlled Afghanistan in the 1970s. One note: “shooting” in the title is a reference to photography, and not violence. mjw

Title: Shooting Kabul Author: N.H. Senzai Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2010 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-4424-0194-2 Hardcover pages: 273 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction Book setting: San Francisco.  Afghanistan Author’s residence: U.S.  Has lived in Saudi Arabia and England. Awards: 2010 Middle East Outreach Book Award for Youth Literature, 2011 CBC/NCSS Notable Children’s Book Subjects: Afghan-Americans, Bravery, California, Cameras, Emigration, Immigration, Love, Perseverance, Photography, Prejudice, Tolerance

Aladdin

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When Aladdin is tricked by his greedy magician uncle, he becomes trapped in a cave with a lighted lamp. As Aladdin plans what to do next, he accidentally rubs the lamp and a genie appears who promises to serve any of his requests! His wishes come true, but he has to learn how to fix things when his uncle acquires the lamp. This marvelous abbreviated retelling of Aladdin was created using gorgeous brown, blue, and black cut paper illustrations laid on lavishly gem colored background paper. ema

Title: Aladdin Author: from the Arabian Nights; retold by Sheri Safran Illustrator: Agnese Baruzzi Publisher: Tango Books Copyright: 2014 Original Language: English  ISBN:978-1857078732 Hardcover pages: 14 Age range: 5-7 Genre: Cut Paper Picture Book Illustrator’s ethnicity: Italian Illustrator’s residence: Bologna Subjects: Arabian Nights, Arabian, Fairytales, Folklore

Peter Pan

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James Matthew Barrie’s classic tale of Peter Pan, a mischievous boy who can fly, and his adventures in Neverland with Wendy, Michael, and Peter Darling, is reimagined in this stunning unabridged volume. All new full-color illustrations and interactive 3-D inserts, such as a foldout map of Neverland, Peter’s shadow, Tinkerbell’s fairy wing, and a crocodile clock that tells time, bring to life the story of the boy who never grows up. The artwork is astounding. MinaLima is the London-based, award-winning graphic design studio best known for its involvement in the Harry Potter film franchise. mjw

Title: Peter Pan  Author: J. M. Barrie (1860-1937) Illustrator: Mina Lima Design – Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima Publisher: Harper Design, New York Copyright: 2015 Original Language: English Original Title: Peter Pan, Or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up Original Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton Original Copyright: 1904 ISBN: 978-0-06-236222-3 Hardcover pages: 256 Age range: 12-18 Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Book setting: London, England Author’s ethnicity: Scottish Illustrator’s residence: London, England Subjects: Brothers and sisters, Captain Hook, Coming of age, Dogs, Imaginary places, Motherhood, Pirates

Halfway Home: Drawing My Way Through Japan

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At 15, the cartoonist-author traveled solo to Japan to stay with her grandparents who live in Kashiwa, a small city outside of Tokyo, to rediscover her roots. She was born in 1997 in Japan and lived there until 2003, when her American father and Japanese mother moved the family to the U.S. She explores Japan with her Baba (grandmother), but also ventures out alone. She visits the trendy Harajuku neighborhood of Tokyo, where she enjoys a Japanese crepe. She rides the shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto to see the ancient Zen Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-Ji. Later, her family joins her and they travel to Tsukiji for sushi “worth waking up at 5 a.m.” for and to Shibuya to see the statue of the legendary dog, Hachiko. She is a smart observer. The book is a combination of expressive comics, illustrations, photos, and thoughtful and humorous prose. The title refers to her “somewhat feeling half at home in both Japan and America.” mjw

Title: Halfway Home: Drawing My Way Through Japan Author: Christine Mari Inzer Illustrator: Christine Mari Inzer Publisher: Naruhodo Press Copyright: 2014 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-9907014-8 Paperback pages: 102 Age range: 12 up Genre: Graphic Novel, Fiction Book setting: Japan Author’s ethnicity: Japanese-American, born in Tokyo Author’s residence: Connecticut, U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese-American, born in Tokyo Illustrator’s residence: Connecticut, U.S. Awards: 2015 Benjamin Franklin Silver Award – Best New Voice: Children’s and YA (Independent Book Publishers Association) Subjects: Coming of age, Cultural exploration, Grandparents, Identity, Memoir, Mixed-race issues, Travelogue

Slovenly Peter: Freely Translated Into English By Mark Twain

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Struwwelpeter (translated as “slovenly” or “shock-headed” Peter) is one of the most popular and influential children’s books ever written. It is the most widely published German book.  It has been translated into over 35 languages. Rhyming couplets and grotesque pictures portray the often gruesome consequences that befall children who misbehave. A boy who doesn’t groom himself is unpopular. A girl plays with matches and burns to death. A child, who won’t stop sucking his thumb, has both thumbs cut off. A boy, who refuses to eat his soup, wastes away and dies. Today’s children will distinguish these tales from reality and will probably even giggle. Also included are a Foreword by Mark Twain’s daughter (1934), an Introduction with information on how the book came to be written, and a note by Mark Twain (1891). Maurice Sendak said that Struwwelpeter is “graphically one of the most beautiful books in the world.” And Slovenly Peter’s influence is evident in Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands. mjw

Title: Slovenly Peter: Freely Translated Into English By Mark Twain Author: Heinrich Hoffmann (1809-1894) Illustrator: Fritz Kredel (1900-1973) Publisher: Calla Editions, an imprint of Dover Publications, Inc.   Mineola, New York Copyright: 2013 Original Language: German Translator: Mark Twain (1835-1910) Original Title: Der Struwwelpeter (or Shockheaded Peter) Original Publisher: Marchbanks Press, New York Original Copyright: 1935, 1845 ISBN: 978-1-60660-048-1 Hardcover pages: 34 Age range: 8-14 Genre: Poetry, Rhymed stories Author’s ethnicity: German Translator’s ethnicity: U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: German Subjects: Boys, Conduct of life, Exaggeration, Girls, Misbehavior, Morality tales, Morals, Nursery rhymes

Thea’s Tree

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A little girl named Thea lives in a city full of “houses, houses, and more houses” and longs for a tree to climb, to hide in, and to sit under and dream. A solitary, beautiful leaf floats past her window and Thea drifts off into a dream. She awakes with a seed in hand. She plants it and a tiny plant sprouts from the soil. Thea and the tree grow. Thea’s children play under the tree, and Thea’s grandchildren, too. The story’s setting is not specified, but Thea’s Papa tells about picking mangoes and guavas and neem leaves to eat. The tender, Chagall-like, ink, pastel, colored pencil, and collage illustrations are magical and portray the beauty in nature. The text is printed over delicate leaf prints. mjw

Title: Thea’s Tree Author: Judith Clay Illustrator: Judith Clay Publisher: Karadi Tales Company Pvt.Ltd., Chennai, India Copyright: 2014 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-8-181-90297-9 Hardcover pages: 28 Age range: 4 up Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Asia Author’s ethnicity: German Author’s residence: Germany Illustrator’s ethnicity: German Illustrator’s residence: Germany Awards: 2011 White Ravens List of the International Youth Library Subjects: Environment, Natural world, Nature, People and places, Trees

This One Summer

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Every year Rose and her family go to Awago Beach, but this year her parents are fighting. Best friends Rose and Windy question what it means to be grown up. The gorgeous blue illustrations and writing capture the pace of summer, the joys, struggles, relationships, and feelings during adolescence.  It subtly and powerfully touches on misogyny, sexism, depression, and will leave readers pondering how they come to their conclusions of others without knowing the full story. ema

Title: This One Summer Author: Mariko Tamaki Illustrator: Jillian Tamaki  Publisher: First Second Books Copyright: 2014 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-62672-094-7 Hardcover pages: 320 Age range: 12-18 Genre: Graphic Novel Book setting: Canada Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Canada Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Brooklyn Awards: 2014 Governor General’s Literary Award for Illustration, 2015 Caldecott Honor, 2015 Printz Honor, 2015 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Winner Subjects: Bullying, Cartoons, Comics, Coming of Age, Female Protagonists, Graphic Novels, Love,  Marital Conflict, Relationships, Summer, Teenage Pregnancy, Teenagers,  Vacation, Verbal Abuse

The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story Of One Ordinary Bicycle

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In this amazing story about a red bike’s journey, Leo outgrows his bike and donates it to a charity which sends bikes to people in countries who cannot afford them. The bike touches all of the lives it encounters. The story invites readers to think about all of the ways a bicycle can help people.  The digitally-inspired illustrations incorporate elements of real acrylic and silkscreen textures. The book also includes excellent resources and activities for educators. ema

Title: The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story Of One Ordinary Bicycle Author: Jude Isabella Illustrator: Simone Shin Publisher:  CitizenKid, a trademark of Kids Can Press Ltd. Copyright:  2015 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Kids Can Press Ltd. Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-1-77138-023-2 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: North America, Ghana, and Burkina Faso Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: British Columbia Illustrator’s ethnicity: American Illustrator’s residence: San Francisco Bay Area Subjects: Africa, Altruism, Burkina Faso, Bicycles, Caring, Charities, Helping others, Working

Climbing The Stairs

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Fifteen year-old Vidya has aspirations of attending college, but this is rare for a girl living in British-occupied India during World War II. When misfortune falls upon Vidya’s family, they are forced to live with her father’s family which is a traditional Indian household where women are expected to be married and not educated. Vidya feels suffocated by the lifestyle, but she feels like she can breathe a bit easier when she discovers her grandfather’s library. In the library, Vidya gains a new friend who encourages her to pursue her education. Unfortunately, it is when Vidya finally feels that she finds some comfort in the house that her brother unexpectedly leaves. This  moving story about a young woman overcoming political and her own inner turmoils will effectively enlighten readers about Hindi words, traditions, religious festivals, and historical events that occurred during a critical time in Indian history. ema

Title: Climbing The Stairs Author: Padma Venkatraman Publisher: Speak, an imprint of Puffin Books Copyright: 2010 Original Language: English  ISBN: 978-0142414903 Paperback pages: 254 Age range: 12 up Genre: Historical Fiction Book setting: India during WWII Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: America Awards: A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year, An ALA/YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, An 2009 ALA/Amelia Bloomer Book, A Book Sense Notable, A Publishers Weekly Flying Start Selection, A Booklist Editor’s Choice Subjects: Brain damage, British occupation of India, Gender roles, Prejudices, World War II

A Persistent Vine

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A retired Japanese magistrate’s family works together to make their new house’s garden their own. The magistrate and his wife are appalled when they learn from their daughter Morning Glory that morning glories are growing in their garden. The morning glories continue to grow despite their efforts to rid the plant. When Morning Glory’s parents pass away, she is left in charge of the house. Her uncle and servants become worried when they cannot find Morning Glory anywhere on the propriety. Morning Glory’s uncle and servants flee the propriety when they see that the morning glories have taken over the garden. Morning Glory’s identity has become a part of the morning glories in her garden. Illustrations are beautifully done in a mix of styles including acrylics, watercolors, and mixed media. There is a page explaining morning glories and other similar plants at the end of the book.  This is the first book in the Botanical Tales series, which is inspired by the Montessori material known as the Botany Cabinet. ema

Title: A Persistent Vine Author: Han Tran and Christinia Cheung Illustrator: Hsiao- Yen Chi Publisher: Hands-on-Prints Copyright: 2013 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0989014007 Hardcover pages: 36 Age range: 7 up Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Japan in the Heian Period Author’s residence: Both live in California Illustrator’s ethnicity: Taiwanese, born in Hong Kong Illustrator’s residence: California Awards: 2013 Winner of the Silver Moonbeam Children’s Book Award For Picture Book (‘All Ages’ Category) Subjects: Environment, Family, Female Protagonist, Flowers, Heian Period, Japan, Morning Glories, Nature, Teenage Girl

The God Beneath The Sea

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The ancient Greek gods and goddesses are brilliantly reimagined in this novel which combines classic Greek myths together to create one continuous story. The story begins when a hideous shrieking baby, later known as Hephaestus, falls into the sea and is raised by sea goddesses Thetis and Eurynome. From then on readers discover the origins of gods and man. This classic of English children’s literature with macabre illustrations effectively introduces young readers to Greek Mythology. ema

Title: The God Beneath The Sea Author: Leon Garfield (1921-1996) and Edward Blishen (1920-1996) Illustrator: Charles Keeping (1924- 1988) Publisher: Doubleday Copyright: 2014 Original Language: English Original Title: The God Beneath The Sea Original Publisher: Pantheon Books Original Copyright: 1970 ISBN: 978-0-875-53311-1 Paperback pages: 215 Age range: 12 up Genre: Greek Mythology, Fiction Book setting: Ancient Greece Author’s ethnicity: Both English Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Awards: 1970 Carnegie Medal Subjects: Greek gods and goddesses,  Mythology, Reimaginings, Retellings