Tag Archives: Friends

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To School. . .

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A young boy offers wild excuses to his teacher for why he is late for school. First, giant ants stole his breakfast. Then, there were evil ninjas, an ape who mistook his school bus for a banana, a red-coated girl looking for her grandmother’s house in the woods, Bigfoot, scary majorettes, the Pied Piper, and more. He actually makes it to school on time, but then realizes that he forgot his backpack. The imaginative cartoon illustrations are full of laugh-out-loud details. This parable is written in the same style as I Didn’t Do My Homework Because . . . also by Cali and Chaud. mjw

Title: A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To School. . . Author: Davide Cali Illustrator: Benjamin Chaud Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco Copyright: 2015 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-4521-3168-9 Hardcover pages: 44 Age range: 6-9 Genre: Picture book Author’s ethnicity: Swiss Author’s residence: Paris, France Illustrator’s ethnicity: French Illustrator’s residence: Die, France Subjects: Excuses, Humor, Imagination, Tardiness, Teachers

Waffle Hearts: Lena and Me in Mathildewick Cove

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Nine-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

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This 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

A Tale Of Two Beasts

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The same tale is told twice – once from the perspective of a girl who finds a little creature that she names Fang, in the deep, dark woods, and the second time, from the perspective of Fang. In Part One: The Strange Beast, the little girl, in a red beret, finds the strange beast, takes it home, feeds it, shows it off to her friends, and gives it a hat. In Part Two: The Terrible Beast, the beast (a wolf?) tells the scary story of being ambushed, force-fed nuts, and shown off to a herd of even wilder and more terrible beasts. The stories are carefully connected and can only be understood when seen from both characters’ perspectives. The colorful illustrations vary slightly from one version of the tale to the next and are cleverly crafted. mjw

Title: A Tale Of Two Beasts Author: Fiona Roberton Illustrator: Fiona Roberton Publisher: Kane Miller. EDC Publishing Copyright: 2015 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books, London Original Copyright: 2015 ISBN: 978-1-61067-371-7 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 5-9 Genre: Picture book Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: London Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: London Subjects: Feelings, Friendship, Multiple perspectives, Pets, Point of view, Wild animals as pets, Wolves

Madeline’s 75th Anniversary Edition

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“In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines…the smallest one was Madeline.” Madeline is also the feistiest and the only redhead. She isn’t afraid of mice, she scoffs at the tiger in the zoo, and she flaunts her appendix scar. Bemelmans’ watercolor and ink illustrations of the Paris Opera, Notre Dame in the rain, and the Tuileries Gardens have become famous. The cheerful humor, charming art, and melodic text have made Madeline a favorite for generations of children. This 75th Anniversary Edition is slip cased and includes a full-color panoramic pop-up spread of Paris. Madeline inspired many sequels, as well as television, movies, and toys. mjw

Title: Madeline’s 75th Anniversary Edition Author: Ludwig Bemelmans (1898-1962) Illustrator: Ludwig Bemelmans Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers, New York Copyright: 2014 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Simon and Schuster Original Copyright: 1939 ISBN: 978-0-670-78540-7 Hardcover pages: 56 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture book Book setting: Paris Author’s ethnicity: Austria-Hungary born Author’s residence: New York and Paris Illustrator’s ethnicity: Austria-Hungary born Illustrator’s residence: New York and Paris Awards: 1940 Caldecott Honor Subjects: France, Girls, Paris, Rhyme, Sick

Deep Sea

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Almost four years ago, Stephie, now nearly sixteen, and her eleven-year-old sister Nellie, were sent from Nazi-occupied Vienna to Sweden by their parents. She lives in the city on the mainland and attends school. Nellie lives on a remote island in the Goteborg archipelago with her foster parents. Stephie worries about her education, her sister, her faith, and her parents, who are in a concentration camp in Austria. Smoothly integrated into this delicate coming of age story are details about how neutral Sweden was affected by the war. The present tense, third-person narration gives the novel an unusual impact. This is the third installment in a quartet of books about Stephie’s experiences as a Jewish refugee in Sweden during World War II. The first, Faraway Island, won the 2010 Batchelder Award. The second, The Lily Pond, was a Batchelder Honor Book in 2012. mjw

Title: Deep Sea Author: Annika Thor Publisher: Random House Children’s Books, Delacorte Press, New York Copyright: 2015 Original Language: Swedish Translator: Linda Schenk Original Title: Havets djup Original Publisher: Bonnier Carlsen, Stockholm Original Copyright: 1998 ISBN: 978-0-385-74385-3 Hardcover pages: 229 Age range: 12-16 Genre: Historical fiction Book setting: Sweden Author’s ethnicity: Swedish Author’s residence: Stockholm, Sweden Awards: Author has won the Deutsche Jugendliteraturpries Subjects: Jews, Refugees, Sisters, Sweden, World War II

Soccer Star

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In an impoverished favela in Brazil, young Felino’s enthusiasm for soccer is infectious. He works on a fishing boat and visits his friends, who also cannot attend school because they must work to support their families. His little sister Maria longs to play soccer with Felino’s team, but their rule is no girls. But when the team’s goalie injures his wrist, they call Maria from the sidelines. No “useless old rule” will keep his team of hopeful soccer stars from a win. Digitally colored drawings dramatically portray the Brazilian setting in this uplifting story. Portuguese words are smoothly integrated and are easy to translate through context. This is a timely picture book, since the 2016 Summer Olympic Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. mjw

Title: Soccer Star Author: Mina Javaherbin Illustrator: Renato Alarcao Publisher: Candlewick Press,  Somerville, Massachusetts Copyright: 2014 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-7636-6056-7 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture book Book setting: Brazil Author’s ethnicity: Iranian Author’s residence: California, U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian Illustrator’s residence: Brazil Subjects: Brazil, Brothers and sisters, Poverty, School, Sexism, Soccer, Sports

So Much for Democracy

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Twelve-year-old Astrid has moved from Canada to Ghana with her parents and two younger siblings so that her father can help organize the 1979 national election. Difficulties at school, the oppressive heat, the threat of disease, soldiers on the roads, and her mother’s overprotectiveness are some of the many challenges Astrid faces. She is a strong, kind, and courageous character with good sense. The beauty of the land and the relationships the Ghanaians have with each other and with Astrid’s family are honestly presented. A brief historical note on Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings’ coup provides background information about an event relatively unknown in the United States.mjw

Title: So Much for Democracy Author: Kari Jones Publisher: Orca Book Publishers. Canada Copyright: 2014 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-4598-0481-4 Paperback pages: 175 Age range: 9-12 Genre: Historical fiction Book setting: Accra, Ghana Author’s ethnicity: Australian Author’s residence: British Columbia, Canada Subjects: Conflict, Coups, Elections, Ghana

The Cat Who Came in Off the Roof

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Minou is a cat that is transformed into a young woman who befriends Tibble, a shy and bumbling reporter for the Killenthorn Courier. Tibble loves cats and all of his stories involve cats, but his editor wants real news. Minou is still recognized as a cat by the neighborhood cats despite her new human appearance. She still purrs, enjoys a saucer of milk, climbs trees, and delights in other catlike pursuits. Minou organizes her feline friends into a news gathering service and turns Tibble into the best, bravest journalist in town. A super array of loveable cat characters includes the hilarious School Cat whose “news” is from a textbook and a hundred years out-of-date, the stray Tatter Cat who has children and grandchildren all over town, and the Council Cat who always sits in on the closed council meetings in the Town Hall. This is a humorous and charming translation of Schmidt’s 1970 cattish classic. The magical cat story, written by the Queen of Dutch Children’s Literature, can be enjoyed by cat-lovers of any age. mjw

Title: The Cat Who Came in Off the Roof Author: Annie M.G. Schmidt (1911-1995) Illustrator: Nathan Burton Publisher: Pushkin Children’s Books. London Copyright: 2014 Original Language: Dutch Translator: David Colmer Original Title: Minoes Original Publisher: Estate of Annie M.G. Schmidt.  Amsterdam, Em. Querido’s Uitgevrij B.V. Original Copyright: 1970 ISBN: 978-178269-036-8 Paperback pages: 158 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Author’s ethnicity: Dutch Author’s residence: Author lived in the Netherlands Illustrator’s residence: England Awards: 1988 Hans Christian Andersen Award Subjects: Cats, Humor, Reporters, Reporting

Where I Belong

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Teenager Carrie, adopted as an infant, looks completely different from her parents and is the only black-haired, dark-skinned girl in McDonalds Corners, Ontario. She feels like she is out-of-place. At a hockey game, she meets Tommy, who is from a nearby Mohawk reserve. This leads to the discovery that her biological father is Mohawk. She journeys to Kahnawake, Ontario, to meet him and there realizes that she can love two families. This story of self-discovery takes place during the Oka Crisis in the summer of 1990, which was a 78-day standoff between Mohawk protestors, police, and army over the proposed expansion of a golf course on disputed land that included a Mohawk burial ground. mjw

Title: Where I Belong Author: Tara White Publisher: Tradewinds Books.  Vancouver, Canada Copyright: 2015 Original Language: English  ISBN: 978-1-896580-77-7 Paperback pages: 112 Age range: 12-15 Genre: Fiction Book setting: Canada Author’s ethnicity: Mohawk Author’s residence: Ontario, Canada Subjects: Canada, Hockey, Indian reservations, Mohawk, Oka Uprising 1990, Quebec history, Self-discovery

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress

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Morris is a bright and wildly creative pre-school boy who likes to paint, do puzzles, sing, and wear the tangerine dress he finds in the dress-up center at school. But his classmates make fun of him. He is not welcome in the spaceship they are building because astronauts, they say, don’t wear dresses. On a day when Morris pretends to have a tummy ache and stays home from school, he has a wonderful dream about a space safari with his cat Moo, big blue elephants, and tigers the color of the sun. Inspired by this, he paints a beautiful picture. When he confidently returns to school and builds his own spaceship, the boys take an imaginary space adventure together, where it does not matter if astronauts wear dresses or not. Touches of tangerine in the charcoal, watercolor, and pastel illustrations highlight Morris’ world in this sensitive look at creativity, courage, and a boy who simply likes to dress up. mjw

Title: Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress Author: Christine Baldacchino Illustrator: Isabelle Malenfant Publisher: Groundwood Books, House of Anansi Press. Toronto Copyright: 2014 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-55498-347-6 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture book Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Toronto Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Montreal Awards: 2015 ALA Stonewall Book Award (Honor), 2014 Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens Subjects: Acceptance, Clothing, Differences, Dresses, Gender expression, Imagination, Sex role

Vango: Between Sky and Earth

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In 1934, a young man named Vango on the cusp of taking priestly vows is suddenly made a fugitive. Accused of murder, pursued by police and mysterious others, Vango finds that proving his innocence involves uncovering secrets from his past, taking him from Parisian rooftops to Mediterranean islands to Scottish forests in a hyper-coloured spy-thriller with a backwards-and-forwards timeline.  Part of the book’s charm involves historic figures turned into characters – like Hugo Eckener (commander of the Graf Zeppelin) who de Fombelle has written as a friend of Vango and as a quick-witted protester to Hitler’s increasing regime.  Snippets of story are also told from the perspective of a young girl who turns out to be Stalin’s daughter. These historic guess-who’s never felt clunky.  With a larger-than-life protagonist, Vango will appeal to lovers of daring escapades. The mystery to his identity unravels in the sequel, Vango, Book 2, A Prince Without A Kingdom, published in 2105. ew

Title: Vango: Between Sky and Earth Author: Timothee de Fombelle Publisher: Candlewick Press.  Somerville, Massachusetts Copyright: 2014 Original language: French Translator: Sarah Ardizzone Original title: Vango: Entre ciel et Terre Original publisher: Gallimard Jeunesse Original copyright: 2010 ISBN: 978-0-7636-7196-9 Paperback pages: 421 Age range: 12 up Genre: Historical fiction Book setting: France, Germany, Mediterranean Islands, Russia, Scotland Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: Paris, France Awards: Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Books of 2014,  2012 IBBY Honor List Subjects: Adventure, Fugitives, Identity, Mystery, Nazi, Priests, Voyages, World War II, Zeppelin