Tag Archives: Families

Moribito: Guardian Of The Spirit

Moribito Guardian of the spiritBalsa is a formidable warrior. After she saves the Second Prince of New Yogo, Chagum, from an attempt on his life, the Second Queen hires Balsa to protect her son. The eleven year old second prince is the guardian of the water spirit, the Moribito. The Moribito is chosen every hundred years to deliver the egg of the water spirit to its home. Although Balsa realises taking the assignment puts herself in danger, Balsa’s heart empathizes with the innocent Chagum, and she vows to protect his life. This thrilling fantasy story based on Japan during the Middle Ages told in third person narrative from multiple viewpoints will captivate readers. Uehashi’s writing demonstrates that characters’  motives, desires, and actions do not always align. Moreover, this book illustrates  how differences in politics, traditions, histories, ethnicities and beliefs can impact people’s thoughts and actions.This English translated edition also features black and white action packed illustrations at the beginning of each part of the book, a glossary of character names, a list of places and terms, and a note from the author. Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit is the first book in a ten book fantasy series. There is also a manga series, and a subtitled and dubbed anime series in English based on the book series.      ema
Title: Moribito: Guardian Of The Spirit
Author: Nahoko Uehashi
Illustrator: Yuko Shimizu
Publisher
: Scholastic
Copyright
: 2009
Original Language
: Japanese
Translator
: Cathy Hirano
Original Title
Seirei no Moribito
Original Publisher: Kaisei-sha
Original Copyright
: 1996
ISBN
: 978-0545005432
Paperback pages
:  288
Age range
: 12 up
Genre
: Fantasy
Book setting
: Middle Ages Japan
Author’s ethnicity
: Japanese
Author’s residence
: Japan
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Japanese
Illustrator’s residence
: New York
Awards
: 1997 Sankei Children’s Book Award, 2009 Batchelder Award, 2009 Beacon Award, 2014 Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing 
Subjects
: Displaced indigenous people, Family, Fantasy, Fathers, Fiction, Friends, Japan,  Middle Ages, Monsters, Mothers, Princes, Religious tolerance, Spirits,Traditions, Water Spirits

A Moment Comes

a moment comesSet preceding the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan, this story of turmoil and politics is told from the alternating points of view of three very different narrators. Margaret is a privileged British girl, living in India because her father is one of the cartographers finalizing the borders that will divide the country into two separate religious states. She is spoiled and finds India hot, loud, and dangerous, but is enthralled by the culture. Anupreet, a beautiful Sikh girl, once confined to her home to protect her from violent angry men, is employed as a maid for Margaret’s family, where her family believes she will be safe. Eighteen-year-old Tariq, a Muslim, hired as a translator for Margaret’s father, is caught between his forbidden interest in Anupreet and Margaret, who might be able to help with his goal of studying at Oxford. It is a dark and violent time, when no one is safe. Ultimately, 10 to 14 million people in India relocated and over one million died as a result. The time of Partition is underexplored in Western literature, especially in young adult historical fiction. A Glossary defines words used in the book and also mentions places and foods.   An Author’s Note offers even more information and details Bradbury’s connection to India. mjw
Title: A Moment Comes
Author: Jennifer Bradbury
Publisher
: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Simon & Schuster, New York
Copyright
: 2013
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-4169-7876-3
Hardcover pages
: 288
Age range
: 12 up
Genre
: Historical fiction
Book setting
: Jalandhar, India
Author’s ethnicity
: U.S.
Author’s residence
: U.S.  Author has lived in India.
Awards: 2014 South Asia Book Award
Subjects
: Culture, Household employees, India, Muslims, Pakistan, Partition 1947, Punjabi, Radcliffe Line, Sikhs, Tolerance

The Hijab Boutique

Hijab BoutiqueFifth-grader Farah attends Miss Peabody’s Academy, an exclusive art-centered girls’ school. Her assignment is to talk about her mother for “International Women’s Day” in front of the whole class, but her hijab-wearing, modest, widowed mother is boring, compared to her classmates’ mothers. She worries and even feels guilty until she talks to her mom and discovers a lot about her mom’s past, present, and future. Her mom is planning to open “The Hijab Boutique,” a store selling Muslim headscarves. This first-person perspective of what it is like being of a different religion and culture in the United States educates and fosters understanding about hijab wearing. Black and white pencil drawings give a sense of Farah’s classmates, her home, and hijab fashions in this quick read. mjw
Title: The Hijab Boutique
Author: Michelle Khan
Illustrator
: Eman Salem
Publisher
: The Islamic Foundation, United Kingdom
Copyright
: 2011
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-86037-468-8
Paperback pages
: 56
Age range
: 10-12
Genre
: Fiction
Book setting
: Los Angeles, U.S.
Author’s ethnicity
: Indo-Canadian
Author’s residence
: Toronto
Subjects
: Hijab, International Women’s Day, Islam, Mothers and daughters, Muslim women, Purdah, School

Written In The Stars

Written in the StarsPakistani-American Naila is a graduating senior at her high school in Florida. She has a college scholarship to become a medical student and she is in love with a wonderful boy named Saif. She has to keep Saif a secret from her conservative immigrant parents. They want what they think is best for her and the choosing of her husband is left up to them with no input from her. But they do find out and they are furious. They whisk her off to Pakistan to find her roots and a husband. Naila has to endure so much – terror, anguish, and loneliness. Everything she knew, loved, and dreamed was taken from her. She is drugged, threatened with shame and death, and coerced into an unwanted, forced marriage. Naila’s first person account of the Pakistan world – huge families, marketplaces, homes, buses, and cuisine – add an extra dimension to this heart-wrenching, but ultimately hopeful novel. A touching Author’s Note explains the difference between arranged and forced marriages and that forced marriages can happen in any country, culture, or religion. Though they are opposed everywhere, they are real and dangerous. Also included are a Glossary and Resources for advice and help. mjw

Title: Written In The Stars
Author: Aisha Saeed
Publisher
: Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Young Readers Group, New York
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-399-17170-3
Hardcover pages
: 284
Age range
: 14 up
Genre
: Fiction
Book setting
: Pakistan and Florida
Author’s ethnicity
: Pakistani-American
Author’s residence
: U.S.
Subjects
: Arranged marriages, Dating, Forced marriages, Love stories, Marriage, Pakistani-Americans, Relationships.

Walking Home

Walking HomeThirteen-year-old Muchoki and his seven-year-old sister Jata lived, attended school, and played in their bustling Kenyan village until political violence broke out in 2007. Their father was killed, their village was destroyed, and they were forced to move into an overcrowded refugee camp with their ailing mother. When their mother died, they set off on what seemed like an impossible journey over 150 kilometers of Kenyan wilderness and slums to find their grandparents they had never met. It was a dangerous journey for the loveable and brave siblings. Tribal fighting, wild animals, and finding food and shelter were some of the obstacles they faced. The interesting overview of the cultural, political, and geographical landscape of Kenya in this story is filled with determination, charity, and faith. The author walked the same route himself from Mara, up the Rift Valley, down to Nairobi, through Kibera, along the Mombasa highway, to the mountains of Kikima. The author’s website www.ericwalterswalkinghome.com brings Jata and Muchoki’s trek alive. There are symbols throughout the book indicating when readers might want to access the site’s special features, such as pictures, maps, videos, songs, and readings. Proceeds from the book go to the Creation of Hope, an organization that helps provide for orphans in Kenya. mjw
Title: Walking Home
Author: Eric Walters
Publisher
: Doubleday Canada
Copyright
: 2014
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0385-68157-5
Paperback pages
: 304
Age range
: 10 up
Genre
: Fiction
Book setting
: Kenya
Author’s ethnicity
: Canadian
Author’s residence
: Ontario, Canada
Awards
: 2013 Children’s Africana Book Award
Subjects
: Brothers and sisters, Kenya, Nairobi, Orphans, Political violence, Refugees, Survival

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition

Chitty Chitty Bang BangChitty Chitty Bang Bang is the story of “crackpot” Commander Caractacus Pot, his wife Mimsie, their twins Jeremy and Jemima, and their magical flying car. A first drive in their new car, with license plates Gen II (genii), takes them to Dover Beach for a picnic, Goodwin Sands in the English Channel, and eventually Calais on the French coast. There, they explore a deep cave, which turns out to be an ammunition dump used by Joe the Monster and his criminal gang. Jeremy and Jemima get kidnapped and a famous Paris chocolate shop is almost robbed, but all turns out well. And a recipe for Monsieur Bon Bon’s Secret Fooj (fudge) is included. Filled with humor, hi-jinks, and even some scientific information, the action-packed fantasy is complete with the original Burningham artwork, which is a beautiful combination of photography and illustration. This timeless story has been reinvented as a musical (2002), a film with a screenplay co-written by Roald Dahl (1968), and has inspired three sequels written by Frank Cottrell Boyce. This is the 50th anniversary full-color gift edition.mjw
Title: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Author: Ian Fleming (1908-1964)
Illustrator
: John Burningham
Publisher
: Candlewick Press, Somerville, Massachusetts
Copyright
: 2014
Original Language
: English
Original Copyright
: 1964
ISBN
: 978-0-7636-6678-1
Hardcover pages
: 176
Age range
: 8-12
Genre
: Fiction, Fantasy
Book setting
: England, France
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: English
Illustrator’s residence
: North London
Awards
: Illustrator has won the Kate Greenaway Medal, 1963,1970: UK Nominee for Hans Christian Andersen Award, 1980,1986
Subjects
: Action. Adventure, Gangsters, Humor, Magic, Transportation

The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind

Boy who harnessed the windFourteen-year-old William Kamkwamba’s village in Malawi was hit by a drought in 2001 and 2002. Everyone’s crops failed and Malawi began to starve. William went to the community library, studied old science textbooks, and taught himself English so that he could build a windmill. Those around him thought he was crazy as he turned junkyard scraps into a working windmill that brought electricity to his home and water to his village. The stunning oil paint and cut paper illustrations, which are inspired by African artisan paintings, inform and entertain in this uplifting and inspiring true story about a family banding together to overcome adversity and a young boy becoming a man of science. An author’s note provides a photograph and more information on Kamkwamba’s “Green Machine.” He is a recent graduate of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, and hopes to return to Malawi to work on renewable energy. This is the picture book edition of the original adult book and the 2015 middle grade edition of the same title. mjw
Title: The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind
Author: William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
Illustrator
: Elizabeth Zunon
Publisher
: Dial Books for Young Readers, New York
Copyright
: 2012
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-8037-3511-8
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 6-8
Genre
: Picture book, Biography
Book setting
: Malawi, Africa
Author’s ethnicity
: Malawi born
Author’s residence
: U.S.
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Grew up on the Ivory Coast
Illustrator’s residence
: U.S.
Awards
: 2013 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books, 2013 NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Books
Subjects
: Ecology, Electric power production, English language learning, Famine, Hunger, Irrigation, Libraries, Mechanical engineers, Recycling, Self-empowerment, Windmills

Out And About: A First Book Of Poems

Out and AboutEighteen simple poems tell about young Katie and her baby brother, Olly, experiencing the weather and the seasons. They go “out and about” in shiny boots and “slither and slide” in the mud in spring. Throughout summer and fall, they build sand castles and harvest fruits, nuts, and berries. In winter, they hope for a Christmas surprise. Exuberant, realistic pen and watercolor paintings highlight people and their activities in each season. The poetry is fresh and filled with beautiful language. mjw
Title: Out And About: A First Book Of Poems
Author: Shirley Hughes
Illustrator
: Shirley Hughes
Publisher
: Candlewick Press. Somerville, Massachusetts
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
Original Copyright
: 1988
ISBN
: 978-0-7636-7644-5
Hardcover pages
: 56
Age range
: 2-7
Genre
: Poetry
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Author’s residence
: London
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: English
Illustrator’s residence
: London
Awards
: Author has won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice. 2010 shortlisted for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. 1984 Eleanor Farjeon Award
Subjects
: Brothers and sisters, Children’s poetry, Outdoor life, Seasons

Sidewalk Flowers

Sidewalk-Flowers-by-Jon-Arno-Lawson-on-BookDragonA young girl, dressed in a red hoodie, and her father walk home from the grocery store through the busy city streets of their black-and-white world in this tender wordless picture book. The digitally edited pen-and-ink and watercolor graphic novel style panels show what the girl sees – colorful weeds and wildflowers sprouting through the cracks in the sidewalks. She gathers these sidewalk flowers. Her father talks on his cellphone and doesn’t even notice. She silently gives dandelions and daffodils to a dead bird lying on the walk, lilacs to a man asleep on a bench, and at home, daisies to her mother and her two younger siblings. Slowly, her world blooms and becomes bright with color. Varying perspectives in the illustrations call attention to the child’s sense of wonder, the power of observation, and the appreciation of natural things that often go unnoticed in our busy world. mjw
Title: Sidewalk Flowers
Author: JonArno Lawson
Illustrator
: Sydney Smith
Publisher
: Groundwood Books, House of Anansi Books.  Toronto
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-55498-4312
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 4-7
Genre
: Wordless picture book
Book setting
: Toronto
Author’s ethnicity
: Canadian
Author’s residence
: Toronto, Canada
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Canadian
Illustrator’s residence
: Toronto, Canada
Awards
: Author is a four-time winner of The Lion and The Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Children’s Poetry. Smith has won the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award.
Subjects
: Cities, Fathers, Flowers, Kindness, Environment, Natural world, Parents, Stories without words, Urban

Waffle Hearts: Lena and Me in Mathildewick Cove

Waffle heartsNine-year-olds Trille and Lena live in the wonderful fjord-side village of Mathildewick Cove in Norway. They have crazy adventures and learn about love, friendship, loss, and loyalty. Lena is feisty and fearless and lives with her mum. Trille, the narrator, is sensitive and sensible and lives with his parents, three siblings, and Grandpa. One delightful escapade is when Lena and Trille create Noah’s “shark” on Uncle Tor’s fishing boat with a load of village animals. Another involves placing an ad for a dad for Lena in the local General Store window and getting a puppy instead. And of course, Auntie Granny makes the best waffles in the world! Silhouette illustrations grace the cover and the start of each of twenty short chapters. There is a smattering of Norwegian culture, which is interesting and lovely. Written in true Scandinavian style, this book is perfect for fans of Pippi Longstocking. It has also been made into a popular television series in Norway.  A U.S. edition, Adventures With Waffles, was published in 2015, by Candlewick.  mjw
Title: Waffle Hearts: Lena and Me in Mathildewick Cove
Author: Maria Parr
Illustrator
: Kate Forrester
Publisher
: Walker Books Ltd, London
Copyright
: 2013
Original Language
: Norwegian
Translator
: Guy Puzey
Original Title
: Vaffelhjarte
Original Publisher
: Det Norske Samlaget, Oslo
Original Copyright
: 2005
ISBN
: 978-1-4063-4136-2
Hardcover pages
: 240
Age range
: 9-11
Genre
: Fiction
Book setting
: Norway
Author’s ethnicity
: Norwegian
Author’s residence
: Norway
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: English
Illustrator’s residence
: Brighton, England
Translator’s ethnicity: Scotch
Translator’s residence: Scotland
Awards
: 2015 Marsh Translation Award shortlist, 2010 Prix Sorcieres (French), 2009 Brage Prize (Norwegian), 2008 Zilveren Griffel (Dutch)
Subjects
: Best friends, Grandparents, Single parents, Waffles

The Tightrope Walkers

Tightrope WalkersThis moving and powerful coming-of-age novel set in the 1960s in downtrodden Tyneside in northern England tells the story of Dominic and Holly from ages five to seventeen. Dom comes from a long line of shipyard workers and is destined to work at the yard if he does not succeed in school. Lovely Holly, the eccentric artist next door, is the daughter of a draughtsman at the yard. Dom is creative, good with words, and has the potential to go to college and escape from a dangerous, dead-end job building ships, but he is tempted away from Holly and school by the wild and wreckless local bad-boy Vincent. As Holly and Dom grow, they walk a homemade tightrope, literally and figuratively, trying to find their balance. Together, they break the bonds that have held their previous generations hostage and find peace and love. Spare poetry, lush descriptions, and Geordie dialect enrich the text. The book was published in the UK as an adult title, but the strong characters, themes, and sense of place will appeal to teens. mjw
Title: The Tightrope Walkers
Author: David Almond
Publisher
: Candlewick Press.  Somerville, Massachusetts
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
Original Publisher
: Viking, published for adults
Original Copyright
: 2014
ISBN
: 978-0-7636-7310-9
Hardcover pages
: 336
Age range
: 14 up
Genre
: Fiction
Book setting
: Newcastle, England
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Author’s residence
: England 
Awards
: 2013 Eleanor Farjeon Award, 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Award
Subjects
: Coming-of-age, Dreams, England, Life choices, Love, Manhood, Shipbuilding, Tyneside, Young men, Violence

Anton and Piranha

Anton and PiranhaAnton is looking forward to his summer vacation with his grandparents, until they reach the campsite and discover there is no pool. There is just a dark, murky lake filled with disgusting sludge. He is deeply disappointed and cannot understand why the other kids are happy to dive bomb (Caramba!) and swim in it all day long. He goes fishing with his grandfather and discovers a friend – a fish he names Piranha. The humor in this funny, quirky tale about eccentric and witty Anton is universal. Amusing black and white illustrations supplement the text. There is a frog on the corners of the pages, which appears animated if you flick through them quickly. mjw
Title: Anton and Piranha
Author: Milena Baisch
Illustrator
: Elle Kusche
Publisher
: Andersen Press, London
Copyright
: 2013
Original Language
: German
Translator
: Chantal Wright
Original Title
: Anton Taucht Ab
Original Publisher
: Beltz and Celberg
Original Copyright
: 2010
ISBN
: 978-184-939-6196
Paperback pages
: 99
Age range
: 9-12
Genre
: Fiction
Author’s ethnicity
: German
Author’s residence
: Germany
Translator’s ethnicity
: English
Translator’s residence
: England
Awards
: 2011 German Youth Literature Prize, 2015 Marsh Award for Translation shortlist
Subjects
: Camping, Fish, Grandparents, Piranhas, Vacations