Tag Archives: Friends

When Mischief Came To Town

when mischief came to townIt’s 1911 Denmark, and ten-year-old Inge Maria Jensen has been sent to the sleepy island of Bornholm to live with her grandmother on her farm. It is nothing like Copenhagen, where Inge Maria lived in an apartment with servants. Her grandmother is stern and serious and has Inge Maria working in the stables and the kitchen. At school, spirited Inge Maria defies her dull teacher, befriends some rowdy children, and can’t help doing the unexpected. Over time, she and her grandmother love and support each other and create a new life together. Inge Maria is a charming and exuberant girl whose happy mischief and zest for life awaken the whole town. This quick-paced, easy read captures early twentieth century rural Danish culture and includes references to the fairytales of Hans Christian Andersen. mjw
Title: When Mischief Came To Town
Author: Katrina Nannestad
Publisher
: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
Original Title
: The Girl Who Brought Mischief
Original Publisher
: Harper Collins Publishers, Australia
Original Copyright
: 2013
ISBN
: 978-0-544-53432-2
Hardcover pages
: 192
Age range
: 8-12
Genre
: Historical Fiction
Book setting
: Bornholm, Denmark, 1911
Author’s ethnicity
: Grew up in New South Wales. Australia
Author’s residence
: Australia
Awards
: 2014 Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature, CBCA Notable Book
Subjects
: Death and dying, Grandmothers, Grief, History, Imagination, Multigenerational, Music, Orphans

Hound And Hare

Hound and Hare copyHounds and hares don’t get along in the town of Great Bone because of an old feud. Teens Hugo Hound and Harley Hare both want to participate in the Big Race, but their parents don’t approve. They do enter the race and are both in the lead when a terrible thunderstorm breaks out. Hugo is terrified of the storm and Harley panics when he discovers that they are lost. By working together, they find their way home, share the first prize, and become the heroes of the day. Funny, colored pencil and ink cartoon style drawings complement the lively text in this picture book/early chapter book. The endpapers feature a map of the town. mjw
Title: Hound And Hare
Author: Rotraut Susanne Berner
Illustrator
: Rotraut Susanne Berner
Publisher
: Groundwood Books, House of Anansi Press
Copyright
: 2011
Original Language
: German
Translator
: Shelley Tanaka
Original Title
: Hund & Hase
Original Publisher
: Jacoby and Stuart
Original Copyright
: 22009
ISBN
: 978-0-88899-987-0
Hardcover pages
: 80
Age range
: 6-9
Genre
: Picture Book/ Early Chapter Book
Author’s ethnicity
: German
Author’s residence
: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: German
Illustrator’s residence
: Germany
Awards
: 2016 Hans Christian Andersen Award, 2006 German Youth Literature Prize for her work as a whole
Subjects
: Community, Conflict resolution, Cooperation, Dogs, Hares, Hounds, Rabbits, Running races, Racing, Thunderstorms

Life Without Nico

Life Without NicoMaia and Nico are the best of pals. Then the unimaginable happens, Nico’s family has to move away temporarily. A huge hole grows in Maia’s heart after he leaves. She cannot imagine her heartache going away. Time passes and the hole in Maia’s heart slowly shrinks. As Nico’s return approaches, Maia worries that she will not have the room for Nico in her life anymore.The cool greens, blues, and earth-toned illustrations set the perfect stage for  this heartwarming story about how friendships can evolve and remain unchanged. ema

Title: Life Without Nico
Author: Andrea Maturana
Illustrator
: Francisco Javier Olea
Publisher
: Kids Can Press
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language: Spanish
Translator
: Kids Can Press translation
Original Title
: La vida sin Santi
Original Publisher:  Fondo de Cultura Económica
Original Copyright: 2016
ISBN: 978-1-77138-611-1
Hardcover pages: 36
Age range: 4 up
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Chilean
Author’s residence
: Chile
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Chilean
Illustrator’s residence
: Chile
Subjects: Best Friends, Missing Someone, Moving

Tua And The Elephant

tua and the elephantWhile looking around the Night Market in her hometown of Chiang Mai, Thailand, ten-year-old Tua (Thai for “peanut”) sees an elephant being mistreated and knows she must rescue her from the abusive mahouts (elephant trainers) who own her. Tua is a clever, courageous, and big-hearted girl who bonds with the elephant she names Pohn-Pohn. The villains are evil, but also inept and Tua repeatedly outsmarts them. Other characters include her loving and hard-working single mother, the funny Auntie Orchid (the finest actress in Thailand –at least in her eyes), and many lively and colorful family members, farmers, and Buddhist monks who help Tua on her adventure. All ends well as Tua finally gets Pohn-Pohn to the sanctuary of an elephant refuge. Charcoal, linoleum block print, and photo- shopped illustrations in golds and purples reveal much about the culture and people of Thailand. mjw
Title: Tua And The Elephant
Author: R.P. Harris
Illustrator
: Taeeun Yoo
Publisher
: Chronicle Books. San Francisco, California
Copyright
: 2012
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978- 0-8118-7781-7
Hardcover pages
: 208
Age range
: 8-12
Genre
: Fiction
Book setting
: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Author’s residence
: Shanghai, China
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Korean
Illustrator’s residence
: New York
Subjects
: Adventure, Animal rescue, Animal sanctuaries, Animal welfare, Asia, Asiatic elephants, Elephants, Thailand

My Bedtime Monster

My Bedtime MonsterRikki asks her parents for a pet that is cuddly and fierce, can be big or little, and can swim or fly, Rikki’s parents tell her that no animal like that exists. Through her imagination, she creates such a creature. The duo embarks on a journey where the creature changes its shape, size, and attitude on Rikki’s command. The Hans Christian Andersen illustrator uses modern style illustrations to manifest the spirited Rikki’s nighttime adventure with her monster. ema
Title: My Bedtime Monster
Author: Annelies Schwarz
Illustrator
: Květa Pacovská
Publisher
: Michael Neugebauer Publishing
Copyright
: 2014
Original Language
: German
Translator
: Michael Neugebauer Publishing
Original Title
: DasTier mit den Funkelaugen
Original Publisher
: Beltz Verlag, Weinheim und Basel
Original Copyright
: 1990
ISBN
: 978-988-8240-47-0
Hardcover pages
: 24 pages
Age range: 3-6
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Czech
Author’s residence
: lives on the coast of the North Sea
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Czech
Illustrator’s residence
: Prague
Awards
: Recipient of Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2015, Picture Books, illustrator is recipient of the 1992 Hans Christian Andersen Medal, and Author is the winner of the 2001 Culture Prize of the Sudeten German Literature
Subjects
: Creatures, Imaginary friends, Imagination, Monsters, Pets,

The Bear And The Piano

The Bear And The PianoA curious bear cub finds a peculiar object in the forest. He discovers that he can make strange noises by pressing his paws on it. The bear continues to come back and play around with the object. He eventually is a master at making beautiful sounds. One day, as he plays for his bear friends, a group of humans ask him to come with them to their city to play the piano. The bear agrees and becomes famous. As time goes on, the bear feels homesick. He longs to see his friends again, but he worries they are angry that he left them. The book’s multilayered-mixed media illustrations of woods, bears, and cityscapes are absolutely beautiful. Everyone of all ages will enjoy the message of friendship and pursuing your dreams. ema

Title: The Bear And The Piano
Author: David Litchfield
Illustrator
: David Litchfield
Publisher
: Clarion Books
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-544-67454-7
Hardcover pages

Age range: 4-7
Genre
: Picture Book
Authors’ ethnicity: British
Authors’ residence
: United Kingdom
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Israelis
Illustrator’s residence
: United Kingdom
Subjects: Bears, Famous, Forests, Music, Musician, Piano, Woods
Awards: 2016 Winner of Waterstones Children’s Book Prize:Best Illustrated Book, 2016 Nominated for ‘Read It Again’ Cambridgeshire Libraries Children’s Picture Book Award

 

I Capture The Castle

I Capture The CastleReaders follow seventeen-year-old Cassandra’s diary accounting her life with her extraordinary family in their crumbling castle. Her family slides into genteel poverty after her father falls into a long phase of writer’s block. Rose, Cassandra’s sister, is desperate to marry for riches as a way of supporting her family. The castle’s atmosphere changes when their new neighbors and landlords from America arrive. Rose and Cassandra discover that the heart cannot choose who it falls in love with no matter how hard the mind may try. Fans of Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte will be enchanted by this captivating and bittersweet read. The author, who is best known for her novel The Hundred And One Dalmatians, wrote I Capture The Castle during World War II when she moved to California. Cassandra’s story is inspired by the  author’s experiences in England during the 1930s. ema
Title: I Capture The Castle
Author: Dodie Smith (1896-1990)
Publisher: Vintage Classics
Copyright
: 2012
Original Language
: English
Original Title
: I Capture The Castle
Original Publisher
: William Heinemann
Original Copyright: 1949
ISBN
: 978-0-099-57288-6
Paperback pages: 566
Age range
: 14 up
Genre
: Historical Fiction
Book setting
: 1930s England
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Subjects
: Artists, Castles, Love, Poverty, Romance, Sisters, Writers

Boys Don’t Knit (In Public)

Boys don't knitSeventeen-year-old Ben Fletcher tells his story in a witty and funny diary format. After an unfortunate incident with some stolen liquor and a crossing guard, he is put on probation and has to choose an evening course at the local college as part of his rehabilitation. He takes up knitting and discovers he’s really good at it, but he has to keep his knitting a secret from his friends and his sports-loving dad.   There is even more for him to worry about – his knitting teacher is the mom of the girl of his dreams and his friends are real troublemakers. Ben gains confidence, wins the All-United Kingdom Knitting Championship, and even gets the girl. He is quirky, perceptive, and adorable and his passion for knitting will encourage readers to take up knitting, regardless of gender stereotypes. Packed with pop culture references and jokes, the book is a laugh-aloud fast read. A sequel, An English Boy in New York (2014, Hot Key Books) follows Ben on his trip to New York for the U.S. National Knit Fair. mjw
Title: Boys Don’t Knit (In Public)
Author: T.S. Easton
Publisher
: Fiewel and Friends, New York, an imprint of Macmillan
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
Original Publisher:
Hot Key Books
Original Copyright
: 2014
ISBN
: 978-1-250-05331-2
Hardcover pages
: 272
Age range
: 12-16
Genre
: Fiction
Book setting
: England
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Author’s residence
: England
Awards
: 2015 Carnegie Medal nomination
Subjects
: Adolescence, Communities, Conduct of life, England, Family life, Fathers and sons, Humorous stories, Knitting, Social issues, Teenage boys, Women teachers

The Wolf Wilder

the wolf wilderTwelve-year-old Feodora, Feo for short, lives in the snowy woods of Russia with her mother. They are wolf wilders. They take wolves that were bought as pups by St. Petersburg aristocrats and abandoned; teach the wolves to hunt, fight, and distrust humans; and then release them back into the wild. Feo’s house was burned and her mother was attacked and captured by the Russian Army. Accompanied by three loyal wolves, Ilya, a sensitive, lost young soldier who loves ballet, and Alexei, a 15-year-old agitator from a nearby village, Feo sets off into the ice and snow of the woods on a journey to rescue her mother. Set near the end of Tsar Nicholas II’s reign, the story combines history with fairytale, and suggests the hope of the Revolution. Feo is a feisty and beautiful heroine, who stands for everything that is right. This captivating book begins with a note on wolf wilders (which the author made up). mjw
Title: The Wolf Wilder
Author: Katherine Rundell
Publisher
: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, New York
Copyright
: 2105
Original Language
: English
Original Publisher
: Bloomsbury Publishing, London
Original Copyright
: 2015
ISBN
: 978-1-4814-1942-0
Hardcover pages
: 240
Age range
: 8-12
Genre
: Historical Fiction
Book setting
: Russia
Author’s Ethnicity:
Grew up in Zimbabwe, Brussels, and London
Author’s residence
: Oxford, England
Subjects
: Ballet, Bravery, Fairytales, Fantasy, Mothers and daughters, Russia – history – Nicholas II, 1894-1917, Russian Revolution, Survival, Wolves

Kuma-Kuma Chan, The Little Bear

Kuma Kuma Chan The Little BearA young child narrates how his friend Kuma-Kuma Chan uses his time during the day. The simplistically charming text and illustrations evoke a meditative feeling of the story. The narrator describes the activities the adorable bear does, such as doing his daily chores, participating in seasonal activities,  writing letters, and composing a love song. The short sentences make it easy for young readers to follow. They will be able to imagine the type of tasks Kuma-Kuma Chan, as the narrator, describes how the little bear spends his day. ema
Title: Kuma-Kuma Chan, The Little Bear
Author: Kazue Takahashi
Illustrator
: Kazue Takahashi
Publisher
: Museyon
Copyright
: 2014
Original Language
: Japanese
Translator
: Poplar Publishing
Original Title
: Kuma-Kuma Chan
Original Publisher
: Poplar Publishing
Original Copyright
: 2001
ISBN
: 978-1-940842-01-1
Hardcover pages
: 52
Age range: 3-5
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Japanese
Author’s residence
: Japanese
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Japanese
Illustrator’s residence
: Japanese
Subjects: Activities, Bears, Days, Imagination, Seasons

Harry Miller’s Run

Harry Milllers runEleven-year-old Liam is an enthusiastic runner who, with his mates, has entered his first Junior Great North Run. He visits an elderly neighbor, Harry Miller, who is about to move into a nursing home and who his mum helps to look after. Harry tells that he ran the thirteen-mile race from Newcastle to the sea at South Shields when he was a lad in 1938. This touching and uplifting story about friendship is illustrated with detailed black and white drawings. The Great North Run is an actual English athletic event. mjw
Title: Harry Miller’s Run
Author: David Almond
Illustrator
: Salvatore Rubbino
Publisher
: Walker Books Ltd., London
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
Original copyright:
2008
ISBN
: 978-1-4063-6224-4
Hardcover pages
: 64
Age range
: 7 up
Genre
: Historical Fiction
Book setting
: England
Author’s ethnicity
: British
Author’s residence
: Northumberland, England
Illustrator’s residence
: London
Awards
: Author has won 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Medal
Subjects
: Friendship, Marathon running, Reminiscing in old age, Running

The Girl Who Buried Her Dreams In A Can

The Girl Who Buried Her Dreams in a CanThis book is based on the author’s true story. As a young girl, she dreamed of going to school. It was a challenge for her to achieve her dream because in her country Rhodesia, current Zimbabwe, girls do not receive any formal education. This picture book is filled with watercolor illustrations and moving text that describes how she achieved her dream of earning three degrees. The author  shares her talents as an educator and humanitarian with her village and other communities around the world.  ema
Title: The Girl Who Buried Her Dreams In A Can
Author: Dr. Tererai Trent
Illustrator
: Jan Spivey Gilchrist
Publisher
: Penguin
Copyright
: 2015
Original Language
: English
ISBN: 978-0-670-01654-9
Hardcover pages
: 40
Age range: 6-8
Genre
: Nonfiction Picture Book
Book setting
: Zimbabwe
Author’s ethnicity
: Zimbabwean
Author’s residence
: Zimbabwe and California
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: African American
Illustrator’s residence
: Chicago
Subjects: Africa, Communities, Girls Education, Dreams, Education, Villages