 Toda is forced to flee her village as war escalates in her unnamed country. When her father, a pastry chef, leaves to defend his country, she is sent to live with her mother across the border. Her journey is frightening and fascinating and filled with struggles, misunderstandings, and hope. Fear never overwhelms innocent and frank Toda as she tries to make sense of the war-torn world around her. The author uses Toda’s off-beat sense of humor to point out the absurdity of war. Gentle line drawings offer comic relief and further insight into what this young refugee goes through. mjw |
| Title: The Day My Father Became A Bush Author: Joke van Leeuwen Illustrator: Joke van Leeuwen Publisher: Gecko Press USA Copyright: 2013 Original language: Dutch Translator: Bill Nagelkerke Original title: Toen mijn vader een struik werd Original publisher: Em. Querido’s Uitgeverij B.V. Original copyright: 2010 ISBN: 978-1-877579-48-6 Paperback pages: 104 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction Author’s residence: The Netherlands Awards: 2015 USBBY Outstanding International Books Grades 3-5 Subjects: Children of military personnel, Children’s stories, Europe, Families, Fishes, Humorous, Soldiers, Stealing, War, Western Europe |
The Day My Father Became A Bush
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Parisian eight-year-old Ronnie, short for Myron, visits his grandparents and rowdy older cousins in England, while his parents move apartments. It is his first vacation away from his mama. There is a competition to see who can shower the least, a wild bike ride without helmets, the family tradition of jumping off the ten-foot diving board, and the shame of having his bathing suit slip off in the pool. This touching, funny story of Ronnie’s growth from timid mama’s boy to confidence and independence is written in journal format with energetic, expressive watercolor images. mjw
Eleven-year-old outspoken and likeable Billie Templar lives in a military town called Merchant Stanton. Her dad is serving with the army in Afghanistan and Billie desperately wants him home so they can defend their four-year record of winning the three-legged race at the school carnival. She plans to ask the Queen to give him permission to return home, but getting to see the Queen is tougher than she thinks. With the help of sweet, crazy friends and old age pensioners, she stages a military tattoo to get the Queen to visit during the Jubilee celebrations. The story is heart-wrenching, hilarious, and has a feel-good surprise ending.mjw
Alternating chapters are narrated by eleven-year-old William and his fourteen-year-old sister Melissa. Due to financial problems, their holiday in Queenstown is cancelled and the siblings are roped into staying with their bickering, hippie grandparents to help fix up their old bach (holiday house) in Sounds. William and Melissa are taken out of their comfort zone and must survive without cell-phones and electricity, but their hard work is rewarded with one thousand dollars apiece. When an accident occurs, Melissa and Will’s ability to work together is put to the test and they finally realize what it means to be a family. cc
Hamda feels left out. She wants to make necklaces, go shopping, and bake cakes like her older sisters do. She has also made up her mind that she wants to wear the veil. She chooses four different scarves and unsuccessfully tries four different ways to wear them. She finally finds her own special way to prove she’s a big girl. Told in five short chapters and illustrated with bold, colorful patterns, this entertaining story focuses on the Muslim experience of wearing the veil mjw
Like most Muslim girls between the ages of nine and 15 in Mauritania, Lalla wants to wear a malafa, the veil that covers women’s heads and clothes in public. She learns from her mama, her older sister, market ladies, and her grandmother that the malafa is more than beauty, mystery, tradition, and belonging. It is for faith. The second-person narrative and cut-paper collage illustrations explain potentially unfamiliar customs and observances of faith. An author’s note and a glossary of Hassaniya words is included. mjw
After her father’s death, money is tight, and eleven-year-old Binny and her family move to a cramped apartment, where their dreadful old Aunty Violet gives away Binny’s adored dog Max. They move again when Aunty Violet dies and bequeaths to them a seaside cottage. There, Binny meets Gareth, the lonely, angry boy next door and good-looking Liam, who lets Binny join the crew on his boat. Other delightful characters are Binny’s insightful, loving mother, big sister Clem, and hilarious, independent little brother James. Family life ups and downs are heart-warming, entertaining, and lead to a very satisfying ending. mjw
In 1884, in Washington Territory just miles from the British Columbia border, 15-year-old George Gillies and his siblings discover a local white settler murdered. Suspicion falls on 14-year-old Louie Sam, a member of the Stó:lo tribe. George and his friend Pete secretly follow a lynch mob into Canada, where Louie Sam is seized and hanged. But, George and his father have doubts about Louie Sam’s guilt. Based on the only recorded lynching to occur on Canadian soil, this is a gripping story about racism, injustice, mob mentality, and discrimination. A final note provides historical facts. mjw
This semi-autobiographical wordless graphic novel illustrates the story of a young boy who emigrates with his family from an Asian land to New York City. Facial expressions, body language, and colors in the whimsical, abstract watercolor and digital art depict his transition and triumph in discovering his new place in a foreign landscape. An author’s note describes her journey at age four from Korea to Washington D.C. This universal tale would be useful with immigrant populations in any community. mjw
TIn 1968, in the coal mining town of Springhill, Nova Scotia, nine-year-old Jenny dreams of being a famous singer, but she suffers from stage fright and has become the target of bullies at school. She makes friends with Melody, a proud Mi’kmaq girl who has moved from a residential school. The girls bond. They both love books, nature, and music. The powerful harmony they develop helps them face challenges of peer cruelty, racism, and grief. The time and place of socially evolving Canada are captured perfectly in the first-person narration. mjw
Spunky eleven-year-old Andy Nguyen, who grew up in Australia, is visiting family in Vietnam with his father, a refugee who escaped from Vietnam during the war. Insane traffic, vendors cooking on the sidewalk, street kids selling postcards to tourists, and an unfamiliar family that he has never met all contribute to Andy’s culture shock. His attitude changes as he learns more about his family and the cultural and economic differences between Vietnam and Australia. This fascinating coming-of-age story provides details about Vietnamese history and contemporary issues. Easy Vietnamese recipes and a note about street kids in Vietnam are also included. mjw
The suspicious children of Fly Street are convinced that their elderly neighbor is a toad-eating witch. They call her names, write her a threatening letter, and believe that the little girl who visits her house must be under a spell. When they learn that the little girl is Meena’s granddaughter, they discover that there is nothing wicked-witchy about Meena. Meena treats them with kindness, patience, and slices of her delicious homemade cherry pie. Illustrated with bright abstract collages, this is a humorous and hopeful book about overcoming misunderstandings. mjw
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