 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 |
| Title: Meena Author: Sine Van Mol Illustrator: Carianne Wijffels Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2011 Original language: Dutch Original title: Mina Lieverd Original publisher: Wielsbeke Original copyright: 2010 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5394-3 Hardcover pages: 28 Age range: 5-9 Genre: Picture book Author’s ethnicity: Belgian Author’s residence: Belgium Illustrator’s ethnicity: Belgian Illustrator’s residence: Belgium Awards: USBBY Outstanding International Books List Subjects: Europe, Grandmothers, Fear, Old age, Prejudices, Western Europe |
Meena
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When her new teacher mistakes twelve-year-old Simone for a boy, the excitement and complications of her double life begin. Quirky and eccentric characters; amusing episodes; and themes encompassing teenage identity, sexuality, gender, intergenerational friendships, and death make this an interesting and entertaining story. Simone’s world of fruitloops and dipsticks includes an impulsive and artistic mother, ducks in the classroom, lost dogs, and kooky friends. First published in Sweden in 1984, this beautifully written first person narration is a product of its time with a real Scandinavian flavor. mjw
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