Tag Archives: Friends

A Tale Of Two Parrots

Two Parrots Book CoverThis delightful tale about the importance of love and freedom was inspired by a story by Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet. A wealthy mustachioed merchant, elaborately dressed in traditional wide-legged silk pants, flowing robe, and tall black hat keeps a beautiful parrot in a shiny golden cage. But the parrot is sad. When the merchant travels to India to bring a message to the parrot’s friend, the friend drops dead. The merchant returns home, tells the parrot the sad news, and his parrot also drops dead. He removes the bird from the cage and it flies out into the garden. The parrot tricked the merchant. The wise merchant learned a valuable lesson and became friends with the parrot, who now lives freely in the garden. Hidden in the whimsical, mostly green and red, acrylic paintings is a Farsi narrative written on an envelope that further explains the Persian concept of gifts and the parrot’s message to his friend. There is an accompanying animation on North South Book’s YouTube channel. mjw
Title: A Tale Of Two Parrots
Author: Rashin Kheiriyeh
Illustrator
: Rashin Kheiriyeh
Publisher
: North South Books Inc., New York
Copyright
: 2014
Original language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-7358-4171-0
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 5-8
Genre
: Picture book
Book setting
: Iran/Persia, India
Author’s ethnicity
: Iranian
Author’s residence
: United States
Subjects
: Friends, India, Iran, Merchants, Parrots, Persia, Southern Asia

Abby Spencer Goes To Bollywood

Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood Book CoverThirteen-year-old biracial Abby Spencer, who lives in Houston, discovers that her long lost father is Bollywood’s biggest movie star. She is spunky and adventurous. She thinks in rhyme and has an imaginary string quartet in her head. Her journey to Mumbai to meet her father is entertaining and also an eye-opening experience about modern Indian culture. Smoothly integrated into this fun story are descriptions of India- colors, sounds, dress, foods; Hindi phrases; Indian history; and the contrast between the extreme poverty in India and the glamorous life of a Bollywood superstar. She connects with her wonderful father and even meets a cute boy. This sweet, quick read mixes literature, geography, cultural diversity, and reveals Abby’s zest for life. mjw
Title: Abby Spencer Goes To Bollywood
Author: Varsha Bajaj
Publisher
: Albert Whitman & Company
Copyright
: 2014
Original language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-8075-6363-2
Hardcover pages
: 256
Age range
: 9-13
Genre
: Contemporary realistic fiction
Book setting
: Mumbai, India
Author’s ethnicity
: Indian
Author’s residence
: United States
Subjects
: Bollywood, Fathers and daughters, India, Motion picture actors and actresses, South Central Asia

If You Can…We Can!

If You Can We Can Book CoverTwo rabbits, one big and one little, decide to be friends forever in this touching tale with a very positive message regarding friendship.  They giggle, sing songs, tell stories, and run around.  All of these activities are enjoyed together.  The simple, heart-warming text compliments fun, lively illustrations.  Every reader will enjoy this story that exemplifies what friends are, what they do, and how friends make us feel. cc
Title: If You Can…We Can!
Author: Beth Shoshan
Illustrator
: Petra Brown
Publisher
: Sandy Creek, an imprint of Sterling Publishing, New York
Copyright
: 2013
Original language
: English
Original publisher
: Meadowside Children’s Books
Original copyright
: 2008
ISBN
: 978-1-4351-4800-0
Hardcover pages
: 24
Age range
: 3-6
Genre
: Picture book
Author’s residence
: England
Illustrator’s residence
: England
Subjects
: England, Friendship, Western Europe

Moon At Nine

MoonAtNine_C_Oct5.inddFarrin, a fifteen-year-old Tehran resident, is the daughter of a wealthy mother and father.  She attends a school for gifted girls and her life changes the day she meets Sadira. Sadira is witty and wise and the two become inseparable.  When Farrin and Sadira’s friendship shifts from friendship to romance, they are desperate to keep their love secret. It is 1988 and the conservative government of Iran considers homosexuality an abhorrent crime. One day the girls are discovered, thrown in jail, separated, and are left to await their execution.  Farrin is hopeful her family will find a way to free her from jail and hopes they will aid her love as well. This riveting, heart wrenching story is based on real-life events. cc
Title: Moon At Nine
Author: Deborah Ellis
Publisher
: Pajama Press Inc., Ontario, Canada
Copyright
: 2014
Original language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-927485-57-6
Hardcover pages
: 224
Age range
: 14 up
Genre
: Fiction
Book setting
: Iran
Author’s residence
: Canada
Subjects
: Iran, Lesbians, LGBTQ, Tehran, Western Asia

Why We Took The Car

Why We Took the Car Book Cover German eighth grader, Mike Klingenberg, is a boring kid with no friends.  He is left alone for two weeks while his mother is in rehab and his father is away on a “business trip” with his attractive secretary.  Andrej Tschichatschow, aka Tschick, is a Russian immigrant, the new kid in school, and also not popular. When Tschick shows up in a stolen beat-up Soviet-era car, the boys head out of Berlin on a road trip adventure across Germany.  They have no map, no cell phone, and no plan. They meet some bizarre characters, dodge the police, and travel the autobahn.  This is an insightful, exuberant, and highly engaging coming of age novel. mjw
Title: Why We Took The Car
Author: Wolfgang Herrndorf
Illustrator
: Wolfgang Herrndorf
Publisher
: Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc., New York
Copyright
: 2014
Original language
: German
Translator
: Tim Mohr
Original title
: Tschick
Original publisher
: Rowohlt Verlag
Original copyright
: 2010
ISBN
: 978-0-545-48180-9
Hardcover pages
: 256
Age range
: 14-17
Genre
: Contemporary realistic fiction
Book setting
: Germany
Author’s residence
: Germany
Awards
: German Youth Literature Prize
Subjects
: Adventure, Automobile theft, Berlin, Cars, Friends, Germany, Russians, Western Europe

Learning To Fly

Learning to Fly Book Cover The deadpan, bearded storyteller declares, “Last winter, I found a penguin.”  The wayward penguin knew how to fly until some other birds told him that he couldn’t fly.  That’s when he crashed.  The man takes the penguin home, determined to help the little penguin out.  They eat fish sticks together, test the penguin’s body stress level in a clothes dryer, and try all kinds of schemes to get him airborne.  Fireworks, ites, and glued-on feathers don’t do the trick.  Finally, when he sees a group of penguins flying above, he stretches his wings and takes off.  And he “flew pretty well…for a penguin.”  The straightforward tone and black-and-white pencil sketches with splashes of color will delight children and adults.  This contemporary fable is about believing in yourself and dreaming and creative problem solving. mjw
Title: Learning To Fly
Author: Sebastian Meschenmoser
Illustrator
: Sebastian Meschenmoser
Publisher
: Kane Miller Book Publishers
Copyright
: 2011
Original language
: German
Translator
: Margarita Santos Cuesta
Original title
: Fliegen lernen
Original publisher
: Esslinger Verlag J.F. Schreiber
Original copyright
: 2005
ISBN
: 978-1-1935279-99-0
Hardcover pages
: 56
Age range
: 4 up
Genre
: Picture book
Author’s residence
: Germany
Awards
: 2008 Bank Street College Best Children’s Books of the Year
Subjects
: Germany, Self-esteem, Self-respect, Penguins, Persistence, Western Europe

Rules Of Summer

Rules of Summer In this fantastical picture book, the big brother sets the rules.  The rules and consequences are arbitrary and unpredictable.  “Never leave a red sock on the clothesline” is followed by an image of a gigantic red rabbit glaring at the terrified boys.  “Never be late for a parade” leads to a procession of weird mechanical toys.  And finally, “Always know the way home” shows the two boys safely sitting on the couch watching TV.  The living room walls are covered with images of all the out-of-this-world creatures they encountered in the book.  Lavish, thick oil paintings epics the mysterious world of the two boys’ imagination. An app of the story, published by Wheelbarrow- Australia, draws readers into Tan’s surreal landscape. mjw
Title: Rules Of Summer
Author: Shaun Tan
Illustrator
: Shaun Tan
Publisher
: Arthur Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.
Copyright
: 2013
Original language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-545-63912-5
Hardcover pages
: 48
Age range
: 10 up
Genre
: Picture book
Author’s residence
: Australia
Subjects
: Australia, Conduct of life, Friendship, Oceania, Summer

A Fish Named Glub

A Fish Named Glub Book Cover As Glub the fish swims around in his glass bowl on the counter, he ponders big questions in life: “Who am I?” “What do I need?” “What is a home?”  He finds the answers he seeks by listening to the lively, colorful characters who eat at Foster G. Williker’s diner.  Through Glub, these characters, including Foster,  find answers of their own as they look into the bowl while Glub swims around painting pictures in bubbles of their dreams and long forgotten desires.  This power to show people their dreams comes in handy as Glub is able to help Foster achieve his desperate desires of adventure and change . Rich illustrations accompany lively, lyrical dialogue that alternates between humans and Glub’s personal thoughts. cc
Title: A Fish Named Glub
Author: Dan Bar-el
Illustrator
: Josee Bisaillon
Publisher
: Kids Can Press
Copyright
: 2014
Original language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1554538126
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 4-8
Genre
: Picture book
Author’s residence
: Canada
Illustrator’s residence
: Canada
Subjects
: Canada, Dreams, Fishes, Friendship, North America

Mister Orange

Mister Orange Book Cover In 1943, when his older brother joins the army, 12 year-old Linus Muller, takes over the delivery job in his family’s grocery store in Manhattan.  He befriends an eccentric customer, Mr Orange, who always orders a crate of oranges and is based on the Dutch painter, Piet Mondrian.  They discuss the war, music, art, comic books and superheroes, and imagination.  This is a first-rate historical novel about the artist and Linus Muller’s changing perception of the war.  An afterword offers facts about Mondrian’s work and years in New York City.  Further Resources for reading, watching on the Internet, and viewing Mondrian’s art in museums are also included. mjw
Title: Mister Orange
Author: Truus Matti
Publisher
: Enchanted Lion Books
Copyright
: 2012
Original language
: Dutch
Translator
: Laura Watkinson
Original title
: Mister Orange
Original publisher
: Uitgeverij Leopold bv, Amsterdam
Original copyright
: 2011
ISBN
: 978-1-59270-123-0
Hardcover pages
: 156
Age range
: 9 up
Genre
: Historical fiction
Book setting
: New York
Author’s residence
: The Netherlands
Awards
: 2012 Silver Slate Pencil Award, 2014 Mildred L. Batchelder Award
Subjects
: Artists, Europe, Family life, Friendship, Netherlands, New York, North America, Western Europe, World War II

King For A Day

King For A Day Book Cover Malik, a boy in a wheelchair, does batter with other kites in the Basant festival from his rooftop in Lahore, Pakistan.  With Falcon, his specially built-for-speed kite, he captures many kites including two flown by the bully next door.  His good natured spirit shines through when the bully takes a young girl’s kite and Malik, as king for the day, helps the girl. Cut paper, yarn, Pakistani fabric, ribbon and pencil sketch collage illustrations from varying perspectives provide a kite’s eye view of the festival.  A pronunciation guide and an afterword about the celebration of Basant are included in the book, and a teacher’s guide is available on the author’s website. mjw
Title: King For A Day
Author: Rukhsana Khan
Illustrator
: Christiane Kromer
Publisher
: Lee and Low Books, Inc.
Copyright
: 2013
Original language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-60060-659-5
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 6-10
Genre
: Picture book
Book setting
: Lahore, Pakistan
Author’s ethnicity
: Pakistani
Author’s residence
: Canada
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: German
Illustrator’s residence
: United States
Awards: 2015 South Asia Book Award – Highly Recommended
Subjects
: Asia, Basant festival, Bullying, Friendship, Kites, Pakistan, People with disabilities, Southern Asia, Wheelchairs

Jane, The Fox And Me

Jane the Fox and Me Book Cover Adolescent Helene has been ostracized by girls who had once been her friends.  They scribble insults on the school walls and snicker about her on the bus.  Her escape is Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. When she goes on a camping trip with her class, she discovers an amazing red fox and a new friend, Geraldine.  The mixed-media illustrations alternate between Helene’s sad, black-and-white world and Jane Eyre’s bold colorful English countryside.  Helene’s world changes as she learns that she is worthy of friendship. mjw
Title: Jane, The Fox And Me
Author: Fanny Britt
Illustrator
: Isabelle Arsenault
Publisher
: Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press
Copyright
: 2013
Original language
: French
Translator
: Christelle Morelli and Susan Ouriou
Original title
: Jane, le renard & moi
Original publisher
: Les Editions de la Pasteque
Original copyright
: 2012
ISBN
: 978-1-55498-360-5
Hardcover pages
: 101
Age range
: 10-14
Genre
: Graphic Novel
Author’s residence
: Canada
Illustrator’s residence
: Canada
Awards
: Governor General’s Literary Award, A New York Times Best Illustrated Book, YALSA Great Graphic Novel for Teens
Subjects
: Bullying, Canada, Charlotte Bronte, England, Europe, Jane Eyre, Foxes, Friendship, Graphic Novel, North America, Northern Europe

The Silver Donkey

 

The Silver Donkey Book CoverOn a cool spring morning in France, two young sisters discover a soldier in the forest and the tiny silver donkey charm he holds in his hand. He is a deserter from the trenches of the first world war, temporarily blinded, emotionally battered, hungry, and longing to return to England to see his sick younger brother. The girls supply him with food and warm clothing. With the help of their older brother and his friend, who owns a motorbike and has access to a boat, they devise an escape plan. The soldier tells enchanting tales about donkeys, honesty, courage, and loyalty including the Bethlehem story, an Indian myth, an account of rescue donkeys during the war, and a reminiscence about his brother and the silver donkey. Poetic language rich in visual description and imagery is complemented by evocative charcoal pencil drawings. mjw
Title: The Silver Donkey
Author: Sonya Hartnett
Illustrator
: Don Powers
Publisher
: Candlewick Press
Copyright
: 2014
Original language
: English
Original publisher
: Penguin Books
Original copyright
: 2004
ISBN
: 978-0-7636-7211-9
Hardcover pages
: 272
Age range
: 10 up
Genre
: Historical Fiction
Book setting
: France
Author’s residence
: Australia
Illustrator’s residence
: United States
Awards
: 2005 Children’s Book Council (CBC) of Australia Award
Subjects
: Europe, France, Soldiers, Storytelling, Western Europe, World War I