Tag Archives: Friends

The Feast For The King

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Tarantula created an amazing meat cake for King Lion’s birthday, but a problem arises. The centerpiece of his cake, an extra tender piece of meat, is missing! Tarantula is determined to find the thief who thoughtlessly ruined his masterpiece. He examines each animal’s mouth to find the criminal and is surprised by what he finds. The book’s festive characters and illustrations are perfect to create a classroom discussion about the characteristics of various animals. ema

Title: The Feast For The King Author: Marlies Verhelst Illustrator: Linde Faas Publisher: Lemniscaat Copyright: 2015 Original Language: Dutch Translator: Lemniscaat Publishing Original Title: Feestmaal voor de koning Original Publisher: Lemniscaat  Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-1-935954-44-6 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Dutch Author’s residence: The Netherlands Illustrator’s ethnicity: Dutch Illustrator’s residence: The Netherlands Subjects: Birthday, Feast, Party, Theft

Apple And Rain

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Thirteen-year-old Apollinia Apostolopoulou (Apple) has lived with her strict grandmother since her flighty mother went off to America to be a Broadway actress eleven years ago. Her grandmother makes her go to church on Sundays, won’t let her hang out with her girlfriends, and is too watchful. Apple craves the return of her mother and when she returns, Apple eagerly chooses to live with her. But things aren’t as Apple expects. Her mother does not have a job, is not responsible, and has another ten-year-old daughter, Rain, who has her own set of problems. Rain carries around a doll, which she believes is real and can’t take care of herself. Apple is reduced to being Rain’s babysitter and maid. Del, the boy next door, is a wonderful character who is sweet, smart, geeky, and adds humor to the book. Mr. Gaydon, Apple’s teacher, helps Apple by encouraging her to see poetry and writing as a creative outlet. This quick read about forgiveness, complicated relationships, and Apple’s growth and change is heartbreaking, emotionally intense, but honest. mjw

Title: Apple And Rain Author: Sarah Crossan Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Copyright: 2014 Original Language: English  ISBN: 978-1-4088-5306-1 Hardcover pages: 332 Age range: 12 up Genre: Realistic Fiction Book setting: England Author’s ethnicity: Grew up in Dublin and London Author’s residence: Hertfordshire, England Awards: 2015 Carnegie Medal Nominee Subjects: Coming of age, Dysfunctional families, Family problems, Mothers and daughters, Poetry, Sisters

The Wonderful Fluffy Little Squishy

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Five and half-year-old Eddie believes she is the only one in her family who is not special. Her father can speak five languages, her mother can sing like a bird, and her sister is an ice-skating queen. When Eddie overhears her sister talking to her mother about getting her a birthday present, she is determined to give her mother the perfect gift. During her search for her mother’s birthday present, Eddie realizes that she has a unique gift of her own. The hand-drawn and vintage looking illustrations showcase the amiable and relatable heroine’s adventures in her neighborhood. ema

Title: The Wonderful Fluffy Little Squishy Author: Beatrice Alemagna Illustrator: Beatrice Alemagna Publisher: Enchanted Lion Copyright: 2015 Original Language: French Translator: Claudia Zoe Bedrick Original Title: Le merveilleux Dodu-Velu-Petit Original Publisher: Albin Michel Jeunesse Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-1-59270-180-3 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Italian Author’s residence: Italy Illustrator’s ethnicity: Italian Illustrator’s residence: Italy Awards: 2016 Mildred L. Batchelder Award Subjects: Birthday, Community, Daughters, Gift, Mothers

Sadako’s Cranes

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The true story of Sadako is told through the eyes of her cat in this beautifully illustrated tribute to hope and peace. Sadako Sasaki was two and a half when the atomic bomb “Little Boy” was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. She survived and seemed healthy until ten years later, when she was diagnosed with leukemia, a result of radiation from the bomb. Her brother told her of an old Japanese legend that says that a person who folds 1000 paper cranes would be granted a wish. She began folding cranes, but died before finishing her task. The digitally processed colored pencil drawings are decorated with images of brightly patterned Origami cranes. Back matter provides more information about Sadako and a website with directions for folding a paper crane. mjw

Title: Sadako’s Cranes Author: Judith Loske Illustrator: Judith Loske Publisher: Michael Neugebauer Publishing Ltd. Copyright: 2015 Original Language: German Translator: Kate Westerlund Original Title: Sadako’s Kraniche Original Publisher: Minedition Original Copyright: 2011 ISBN: 978-988-8341-00-9 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 6-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Hiroshima, Japan Author’s ethnicity: German Author’s residence: Germany Illustrator’s ethnicity: German Illustrator’s residence: Germany Subjects: Asia, Death, Girls, Leukemia-patients, Origami, Sadako Sasaki (1943-1955), World War II

Two White Rabbits

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“Where are we going?” a little girl asks her father, but he does not answer. The little girl and her father are migrating to a land suggestive of America. On the way, the two encounter several animals, a group of people encamped on train tracks, and a family who helps them. The drab brown and blue toned illustrations of the family crossing a muddy river on rafts built on rubber tires, riding on top of a rusted-out train, and sleeping in the back of a pick-up truck convey the hardships many refugees face. The narrowed-eyed coyote that follows the family on their journey is a metaphor representing those who smuggle migrants and refugees across borders with not always good intentions. The open-ended ending shows that there are few certainties in a refugee family’s life. This compelling book about a loving family’s determination to find a better future is an excellent read to introduce immigration to young readers. ema

Title: Two White Rabbits Author: Jairo Buitrago Illustrator: Rafael Yockteng Publisher: Groundwood Books Copyright: 2015 Original Language: Spanish Translator: Elisa Amado ISBN: 978-1-55498-741-2 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Mexico Author’s ethnicity: Mexican Author’s residence: Colombian Illustrator’s ethnicity: Mexico Illustrator’s residence: Colombia Subjects: Immigration, Mexico, Refugees

Imaginary Fred

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Fred is the best imaginary friend for a boy named Sam. They act in plays, read, look at the clouds, imagine, figure out how the toilet works, and pretend they are French. Everything is fine until Sam meets a “real friend” named Sammi. Sammi has her own imaginary friend named Frieda. But the imaginary friends do not fade away when real friendships are found. The power of friendship is stronger than Fred had imagined. Fred’s shape is made of digital, blue dots with no outline. He floats “like a feather in the wind.”  Sam and real objects are made of quirky line drawings. This engaging picture book is a perfect collaboration between two master book creators. mjw

Title: Imaginary Fred Author: Eoin Colfer Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers Publisher:  Harper Collins Children’s Books Copyright: 2015 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-06-237955-9 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Irish Author’s residence: Ireland Illustrator’s ethnicity: Originally from Northern Ireland Illustrator’s residence: New York Awards: 2105 Specsavers Ireland Children’s Book of the Year Junior Award Subjects: Emotions and feelings, Friendship, Imaginary companions, Imaginary playmates, Social skills

Who Done It?

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This delightful picture book with clues and pictures that encourage readers to answer the text’s questions will surely engage early readers. The adorable and hilarious illustrations created using pencils and acrylic paints are reminiscent of the style of characters from the classic comic strip, Peanuts. Moreover, young children will enjoy the narration  which invites them to find differences in the illustrations. This is a perfect book for an audience who may be too young for I Spy books. ema

Title: Who Done It? Author: Olivier Tallec Illustrator: Olivier Tallec Publisher: Chronicle Books, San Francisco Copyright: 2015 Original Language: French Translator: Chronicle Books Original Title: Qui Quoi qui? Original Publisher: Actes Sud, Paris Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-1-4521-4198-5 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4 up  Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: Paris Illustrator’s ethnicity: French  Illustrator’s residence: Paris Subjects: Differences, Expressions, Finding differences, Observation, Picture puzzles, Positions

You Can’t See The Elephants

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Thirteen-year-old Mascha is bored living with her grandparents for the summer in their quiet, small town. She meets siblings, Max, 7, and Julia, 9, who are withdrawn and shy and covered with bruises. Mascha suspects that their father is physically abusing them and when the adults don’t listen, she takes matters into her own hands. She makes some unusual choices, kidnaps the children, and locks them in an abandoned farmhouse in a nearby field. Mascha is brave, helpless, and desperate, and she wants to do the right thing, but her actions bring unintended consequences for everyone. This disturbing, heartbreaking, and straightforward novel about child abuse is discussion provoking  mjw

Title: You Can’t See The Elephants Author: Susan Kreller Publisher: G.P.Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, USA Copyright: 2015 Original Language: German Translator: Elizabeth Gaffney Original Title: Elefanten sieht man nicht Original Publisher: Carlsen Verlag Gmb H Original Copyright: 2012 ISBN: 978-0-399-17209-0 Hardcover pages: 192 Age range: 10 up Genre: Fiction Book setting: The translator set the book in the USA Author’s ethnicity: German Author’s residence: Germany Awards: Author has been nominated for the German Youth Literature prize twice and has won the Kranichsteiner Literary Prize Subjects: Abuse, Brothers and sisters, Child abuse, Dysfunctional relationships, Grandparents, Siblings

The Tortoise And The Hare

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As the animals are having a picnic in a meadow, the Tortoise says to the Hare, “I bet I can beat you in a running race!”  Despite everyone’s laughter, the Hare accepts the challenge. This favorite classic about how “slow and steady wins the race” is retold in this book’s wondrous artwork. The illustrations of the woodland creatures and stunning landscape were created using  ink drawings with soft watercolor washes. Intricately detailed illustrations make this book excellent for one-on-one reading. ema

Title: The Tortoise And The Hare Author: Aesop (620-560 BC),  retold by Bernadette Watts Illustrator: Bernadette Watts Publisher: North-South Books Copyright: 2015 Original Language: German Translator:  North-South Books Original Title: Der Hase und die Schildkröte Original Publisher: North-South Books Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-0-7358-4207-6 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book, Fable Author’s ethnicity: Aesop: Greek, Watts: English Author’s residence: Watts: England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: England Subjects: Fairytales, Folklore, Folktales, Races, Running, Retellings

Moko Jumbi Dreams

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Ten-year-old Lexi dreams of becoming a moko jumbi majorette, a stilt walker in a parade. Though Lexi misses her best friend, she befriends her new neighbors, Miss Ivy and her foster children.  Unfortunately, people petition that  they should move out of the neighborhood. Moreover, Lexi’s family worries about the threatening hurricane which is quickly approaching. This lively first book in a series has a glossary of terms, questions which accompany the reading, a list of vocabulary words, and a bibliography of helpful resources.  ema

Title: Moko Jumbi Dreams Author: Alscess Lewis-Brown Illustrator: Wayne “Bully” Petersen and Cynthia Hatfield Publisher: Little Bell Caribbean an imprint of Editorial Campana Copyright: 2011 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-934370-22-3 Paperback pages: 112 Age range: 9-14 Genre: Fiction Novel Book setting: The US Virgin Islands/ the Caribbean Author’s ethnicity: Born in Antigua Author’s residence: St. Croix, US Virgin Islands Illustrator’s ethnicity: Petersen: Caribbean  Illustrator’s residence: Petersen: The Virgin Islands, Hatfield:  St. Croix Subjects: Caribbean, Dreams, Foster children, Neighbors, Racism, Small towns, Stilt walkers

The Day Everything Went Wrong

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One day Badger wakes up and tells himself that he will do only things he enjoys. From this moment on, it seems like everything is going wrong for Badger. He almost knocks his lamp off his bedpost, accidentally breaks his favorite mug, loses his colored pencils, trips over his shovel, and knocks his wheelbarrow over. Badger decides to visit his friends to see if they are having as bad of a day as he is. When he visits his friends, Badger helps solve their problems. Although everything has gone wrong for Badger, he finds some consolation in helping his friends. Badger wants to go straight to bed after his horrible day, but he finds a surprise when he returns home. Adorable illustrations created using playfully vibrant colors work with the text in showing readers that they can always find good even when it seems like everything is wrong. ema

Title: The Day Everything Went Wrong Author: Moritz Petz Illustrator: Amélie Jackowski Publisher: North South Books Copyright: 2015 Original Language: German Translator: David Henry Wilson Original Title: Der Dachs hat heute einfach Pech Original Publisher: NordSüd Verlag AG Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-0-7358-4209-0 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: German Author’s residence: Germany Illustrator’s ethnicity: French Illustrator’s residence: France Subjects: Bad days, Badgers, Friendship, Helping others

Tales From Rumi: Mathnawi Selections For Young Readers

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This collection of 32 anecdotes, fables, and tales of everyday life from the Mathnawi is adapted for younger audiences. The Mathnawi is a compilation of more than 24,000 verses by Rumi (1207-1273) and is considered by many to be one of the greatest works of mystical poetry. The stories, such as The Rabbit and The Lion, The Merchant and The Parrot, and The Teacher’s Fear, have interesting, action-packed plots that illustrate a point and morals at the end that reinforce the message. Amusing black-and–white drawings and a ribbon bookmark add to this lively and insightful introduction to world literature for young readers. mjw

Title: Tales from Rumi: Mathnawi Selections For Young Readers Author: Mawlana Jalaladdin Rumi (1207-1273) Edited by: A. Fuat Bilkan Illustrator: Erdinc Semen Publisher: Tughra Books, New Jersey Copyright: 2014 Original Language: Persian, also Turkish, Arabic, Greek Translator: Jeannette Squires Okur Original Title: Mathnawi Original Publisher: Rumi dictated the verses Original Copyright: 1258-1273 ISBN: 978-1-59784-124-5 Hardcover pages: 128 Age range: 12 up Genre: Fiction, Fables, Folklore Author’s ethnicity: Persian Subjects: Fables, Folk tales, Iran, Islam, Poetry, Religion, Storytelling