Tag Archives: Families

Ajay And The Mumbai Sun

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In this fast-paced adventure set in modern-day Mumbai, Ajay, a street kid abandoned on the Mumbai railways, dreams of becoming a journalist. He and his friends find an old printing press and start their own newspaper, The Mumbai Sun. As they search for stories for their paper, they uncover a plan to tear down their slum. Hundreds of people will become homeless. Ajay is clever, courageous, and determined. His ambition is to print the truth about the political corruption threatening his home. The bustle of Mumbai is brought to life in this beautifully written novel. mjw 

Author: Varsha Shah
Publisher: Chicken House
Copyright: 2023
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-338-87546-1
Hardcover pages: 208
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Fiction, Novel
Book setting: Mumbai, India
Author’s ethnicity: India
Awards: 2024 South Asia Book Award
Subjects: Cricket, Homelessness, Journalism, Newspapers, Poverty, Railways, Slums, Social justice

The Carpet: An Afghan Family Story

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Inspired by the author’s own life as an Afghani refugee, this impactful story expresses the importance of the family carpet. The carpet is the centerpiece of life – sipping tea and talking together, helping, sharing, caring, playing, learning, listening, remembering, and dreaming. The carpet is a piece of home. The bold-colored illustrations were made with ink drawings on paper and digital coloring. An author’s note tells the author’s backstory. mjw

Title: The Carpet: An Afghan Family Story
Author: Dezh Azaad
Illustrator: Nan Cao
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers.New York
Copyright: 2023
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-4197-6361-8
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Afghani
Author’s residence: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Chinese
Illustrator’s residence: New York City
Awards: 2024 South Asia Book Award
Subjects: Cuisine, Culture, Cooking, Games, Folklore, Home, Refugees, Stories, Traditions

Pavlo Gets The Grumps

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Pavlo
Pavlo is a cat with the grumps. His mother suggests going to the park, but Pavlo says the swings are too swingy and the slide is too slidey. How about swimming? says Mama, but the water is too wet and the fishes will nibble Pavlo’s toes. Going to the movies isn’t right either for Pavlo. Finally, Pavlo hears his friend Mila calling him. She knows just what to do to get rid of Pavlo’s grumps. The simple comforting text is printed in an extra-large font, making sharing easy, especially for children who have difficulty reading regular-sized print. The brilliantly created illustrations have a soft, fuzzy quality, were rendered in acrylic paint and watercolor pencil, and were finished digitally. mjw
Title: Pavlo Gets The Grumps
Author: Natalia Shaloshvili
Illustrator: Natalia Shaloshvili
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Copyright: 2024
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: Walker Books Ltd. UK
Original Copyright: 2024
ISBN: 978-1-5362-3554-8
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 3-7
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Ukrainian
Author’s residence: UK
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Ukrainian
Illustrator’s residence: UK
Subjects: Anger, Cats, Feelings, Love, Sadness

The Color Of Your Skin

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colorVega and her friend Alex are drawing pictures at an art table at school. Alex asks for the skin-colored pencil. Vega asks if he means the color of her skin or the color of his. Maybe he means the beautiful caramel brown skin color of his neighbor Vincent or the light apple shade of the new girl. With curiosity and creativity, they explore the diversity of skin colors of the people around them. They discover that skin color has many shades and that colors are like hugs: the more the better. The illustrations are brightly colored and rich. The book is printed on “stone paper,” a special paper made of limestone. The paper doesn’t come from cutting down trees, doesn’t use water, and doesn’t need chemical products. mjw
Title: The Color Of Your Skin
Author: Desiree Acevedo
Illustrator: Silvia Alvarez
Publisher: Cuento De Luz. Madrid, Spain
Copyright: 2021
Original Language: Spanish
Translator: Jon Brokenbrow
Original Title: El color de tu piel
ISBN: 978-84-19464-43-9
Paperback pages: 32
Age range: 3-7
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Spanish
Author’s residence: Huelva, Spain
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Honduran and Spanish
Illustrator’s residence: Seville, Spain
Subjects: Colors, Crayons, Diversity, Multi-colored, Multiculturalism, Paints, Pencils, Skin color, Uniqueness

Thirst

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Twelve-year-old Minni and her older brother Sanjay live in a poor neighborhood in Mumbai, India. Their only access to clean water happens at a set time of the day when members of the community stand in line to fill their containers. One night, Sanjay and his friends witness the “water mafia” stealing water from a tanker truck. To be safe, Sanjay and his friend have to leave town. Minni’s ill mother has to move to the countryside to recover and Minni takes over her mother’s maid job until her she can return. On top of all of this, Minni has to balance school and an extra computer class she is enrolled in. Minni’s introspective narration and occasional poetry instill hope in her environment which is especially hard on women and children. Minni is a smart, strong, and optimistic girl. The book is a look at the importance of free water and how the unfairness surrounding its distribution impacts poor communities in India. It also reveals class differences that still exist today. An author’s note provides more information about the water crisis in India.  mjw

Title: Thirst
Author: Varsha Bajaj
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. New York
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0593-3544-14
Paperback pages: 192
Age range: 10-12
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Mumbai, India
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Author’s residence: Houston, Texas
Awards: 2023 South Asia Book Award
Subjects: Education, Environment, Injustice, Justice, Poetry, Water, Water crisis, Water security

Peter Pan

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peterThis beloved children’s classic is retold in rollicking rhyme accompanied by new art. The fantastic adventure features Tinkerbell, the Lost Boys, the Darling family, Nana, and the villainous Captain Hook. When Peter Pan flies into the Darling children’s bedroom, he convinces Wendy and her brothers to come with him to the magical Neverland, where children never grow old. The gorgeous illustrations are rendered in muted blues. A favorite is the magnificent map of Neverland, with pirates, mermaids, and the relentless ticking crocodile. This fabulous introduction to Peter Pan has a silver-embossed cover and a ribbon bookmark. Based on the original story by J.M. Barrie, a percentage of the profits from this book go to the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. mjw
Title: Peter Pan
Author: J.M. Barrie (1860 – 1937). Caryl Hart
Illustrator: Sarah Warburton
Publisher: Nosy Crow Ltd.
Copyright: 2018 – Verse adaptation
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Original Copyright: 1911
ISBN: 978-1-78800-007-9
Hardcover pages: 72
Age range: 4 up
Genre: Fantasy Fiction. Picture Book
Book setting: London and Neverland
Author’s ethnicity: English
Author’s residence: Sheffield, England (Hart)
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: Bristol, England
Subjects: Crocodiles, Fairies, Fantasy, London, Magic, Neverland, Pirates, Rhyme, Rhythm

I Kick And I Fly

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Fourteen-year-old Heera lives near the Red Light District in Behar, India. Soon her father will sell her into the sex trade to help feed the family and pay off his debts. The owner of a local hostel for at-risk girls offers to repay her family’s debt and teach Heera kung fu with the other girls in the hostel. Heera learns that her body isn’t an object to be sold, but an instrument through which she can protect herself and other girls. She also discovers the whereabouts of her missing friend, Rosy, through a king fu pen pal in the U.S. She launches into a dangerous rescue mission to New York to save her. This is an unforgettable, and captivating story of overcoming hardship by an activist/author who has dedicated her life to creating a world where no child is bought or sold. She is the founder of Apne Aap, an NGO working to end sex trafficking. A letter from the author captures her journey. Additional information and resources are also provided.  mjw

Title: I Kick And I Fly
Author: Ruchira Gupta
Publisher: Scholastic Press. New York
Copyright: 2023
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-338-82509-1
Hardcover pages: 352
Age range: 12 up
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Nepal, India, USA
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Author’s residence: New York and Delhi
Awards: 2024 South Asia Book Award
Subjects: Activism, Caste system, Hostels, Kidnapping, Kung fu, Martial arts, Poverty, Prostitution, Sex trafficking, Social issues, Social justice, Women’s empowerment

John The Skeleton

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John is a newly retired skeleton. He was a classroom teaching aid in a South Estonian school. Gramps and Grams bring John to their outdoor summer kitchen on their farm deep in the woods. Every day is exciting for John. He rides in a car, meets the farm animals, scares some crooks in the village, visits with the grandchildren, takes a bath and makes a snow angel. He even becomes part of an art exhibit at the city museum. Short chapters and folk art pencil illustrations in black and white with pops of beet red present a view of Estonian culture with saunas, pixies, and linden-blossom tea. The text is also medically accurate. This quirky, affectionate story portrays what it means to care for one another, grow old together, and appreciate the little things. mjw
Title: John The Skeleton
Author: Triini Laam
Illustrator: Marja-Liisa Plats
Publisher: Yonder, an imprint of Restless Books
Copyright:2024
Original Language: Estonian
Translator: Adam Cullen
Original Title: Luukere Juhani juhtumised
Original Publisher: Paike ja Pilve, Saue, Estonia
Original Copyright: 2020
ISBN: 978-1632063700
Hardcover pages: 64
Age range: 6-12
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: South Estonia
Author’s ethnicity: Estonian
Author’s residence: Estonia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Estonian
Illustrator’s residence: Estonia
Awards:2025 Batchelder Award, soo5 ISBBY Outstanding International Books, 20221 White Raven Catalog
Subjects: Aging, Death, Farms, Grandchildren, Grandparents, Retirement, Skeletons

Honk Honk Beep Beep Putter Putt!

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HonkBaba takes his son Ibraheem and the cat Mitu in his rickshaw on a trip through the big city. They encounter all kinds of vehicles and discover that each one has its own language. The rickshaw’s motor says Putter Putt. The car says Honk Honk. The bus tries to barge in with a Toot Toot and the mighty truck joins with a Rumble Rumble. The vehicles screech to a stop when there is a toad in the road saying Burp! Everyone safely shares the road. The bright, playful illustrations that convey each vehicle’s personality were digitally drawn. An author’s note describes her experiences with big city traffic around the world. mjw
Title: Honk Honk Beep Beep Putter Putt!
Author: Rukhsana Khan
Illustrator: Chaaya Prabhat
Publisher: Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House of Canada, Ltd.
Copyright: 2024
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-774882-658
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 3-7
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Pakistan
Author’s ethnicity: Pakistani
Author’s residence: Canada
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian
Illustrator’s residence: Goa, India
Subjects: Buses, Cars, Cities, City life, Horns, Rickshaws, Sharing, Toads, Traffic, Trucks, Vehicles

Zia’s Story

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Zias StoryIn Kabul, Afghanistan, twelve-year-old Zia’s father tells him to take care of his mother, as he is arrested, never to be seen again. After that, in 1989, the Russian army pulls out of Afghanistan, there is a civil war, and the Taliban take over. Zia becomes the “man” for the neighborhood widows. He can no longer attend school, and the Taliban forbids women and children to be seen outdoors. Zia and his mother eventually are forced to flee Kabul and take refuge in Pakistan. A historical note provides additional information. Black and white drawings capture the mood of the story. This eye-opening story is based on the author’s own experiences as a young mother having to flee an Afghanistan torn apart by war with her young son. mjw
Title: Zia’s Story
Author: Shahnaz Qayumi
Illustrator: Nahid Kazemi
Publisher: Tradewinds Books. Vancouver, BC. Canada
Copyright: 2024
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-990598-14-2
Paperback pages: 88
Age range: 9-12
Genre: Historical fiction
Book setting: Afghanistan and Pakistan
Author’s ethnicity: Afghan
Author’s residence: Vancouver, British Columbia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Iranian
Illustrator’s residence: Montreal, Quebec
Subjects: Afghanistan, Civil war, Kabul, Middle East, Refugees, Taliban, War

Sunday

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sundayFor Martin and his dog Maize, every Sunday is the same. His family always sits in the same seats at the dinner table, watches TV, cooks, and folds laundry. But this Sunday, things will be different because Martin and Maize decide to travel the world. The world is waiting. They travel to freezing ice caps, baking lava flows, the home of sacred creatures, arid deserts, fertile forests, and seas teeming with pirate ships, After their adventure, they long to find their way home to tell Grandma where they have been, They might even travel beyond the world on their next magical Sunday. The line art, bold matte colors, and hidden pictures produce an etched look that adds to the drama in this story about imagination, dreams, and play. mjw
Title: Sunday
Author: Marcelo Tolentino
Illustrator: Marcelo Tolentino
Publisher: Blue Dot Lids Press, Sacramento, California
Copyright: 2025
Original Language: Portuguese
Translator: Rahul Bery
Original Publisher: Companhia das Letras. Sao Paulo, Brazil
ISBN: 979-898985-88-11
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 3-7
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Brazilian
Author’s residence: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian
Illustrator’s residence: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Subjects: Action, Camels, Creativity, Dogs, Dragons, Grandmother-son relationships, Imagination, Pirates, Penguins, Play

A Bright Light In Buenos Aires

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A Bright lightIt’s Dani’s birthday. He lives with his parents and sister in his Jewish community in Buenos Aires. He worries that his classmates won’t come to his party because they think the unique bright light that follows him everywhere is too annoying. His friends do attend his party and he realizes they like him just the way he is. His light is there to share with the world. When he blows out the candles on his cake, his big light becomes many small lights for his friends, who are delighted. Together, they create a brighter world. The cheerful illustrations rendered in pencil and Procreate, show how the Argentinian and Jewish cultures combine in Dani’s world. Backmatter explains Jewish life, experiences, and strength in Argentina, where 250,000 Jews now live in the capital city of Buenos Aires. A glossary of Spanish and Hebrew words is also included. This gentle story has an accompanying activity guide at KalaniotBooks.com. mjw
Title: A Bright Light In Buenos Aires
Author: Santiago Nader
Illustrator: Paula Wegman
Publisher: Kalaniot Books. Moosic, Pennsylvania
Copyright: 2024
Original Language: English
ISBN: 979-8-986-3965-8-3
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 5-10
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Author’s ethnicity: Argentine
Author’s residence: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Argentine
Illustrator’s residence: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Subjects: Argentina, Birthdays, Buenos Aires, Celebrations, Diversity, Futbol, Hebrew, Jewish fiction, Shabbat, South America