Tag Archives: Friends

I Love You, Blue

When the lighthouse keeper is rescued from the stormy sea by a whale, they become friends. Soon, Blue the whale gets into danger, too. Blue is sick with a stomach full of plastic bags. The lighthouse keeper cleans up the trash, so Blue will feel better. Charming simple text and beautiful watercolor paintings introduce young readers to the impact of plastic waste on our oceans and ocean life. An author’s note includes ways that readers can protect whales and their habitats. mjw

Title: I Love You, Blue
Author: Barroux
Illustrator: Barroux
Publisher: Flyaway Books
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-91307-4500
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 3-7
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: French
Author’s residence: Paris
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: Paris
Subjects: Ecological and environmental issues, Lighthouses, Oceans, Plastic waste, Whales

Oscar Lives Next Door: A Story Inspired By Oscar Peterson’s Childhood

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In the 1930s, young Oscar Peterson plays the trumpet in his neighborhood of St. Henri in Montreal, where the city’s Black working class lives. He’s a magician with his trumpet as he blows notes on his favorite instrument. However, he becomes very sick with tuberculosis, and his lungs weaken. He refuses to talk while he is in the hospital. His neighbor Millie writes to him and encourages him to talk. When he returns home from the hospital, he plays on the piano the music that he hears in everything. His father hires a piano teacher, and Oscar practices and practices and eventually becomes an international jazz piano sensation. The lively digital illustrations enhance the engaging story. An author’s note provides information about Oscar’s neighborhood in Montreal and a short biography of the legendary jazz pianist. mjw

Title: Oscar Lives Next Door: A Story Inspired By Oscar Peterson’s Childhood
Author: Bonnie Farmer
Illustrator: Marie Lafrance
Publisher: Owlkids Books, Inc. Toronto, Ontario
Copyright: 2023
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1771475969
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture book, Biography
Book setting: Montreal, Quebec. Canada
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: Montreal, Quebec
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian
Illustrator’s residence: Montreal, Quebec
Subjects: Biographical fiction, Canada, Jazz, Music, Performing arts, Piano, Selective mutism, Trumpet, Tuberculosis

In The Garden With Flori

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When Linn’s grandfather breaks his leg, she offers to take care of his garden. Unfortunately Linn’s dog, Flori, likes to dig and the garden gets filled with snails. By the end of the book, all is well. The lifelike, very detailed illustrations are magical. Back matter includes information about the common garden snail. mjw

Title: In The Garden With Flori
Author: Sonja Danowski
Illustrator: Sonja Danowski
Publisher: NorthSouth Books, Inc. New York
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: German
Translator: Marshall Yarbrough
Original Title: Garten mit Flori
Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag AG. Zurich, Switzerland
Original Copyright: 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4458-2
Hardcover pages: 56
Age range: 4-9
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: German
Author’s residence: Berlin, Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s residence: Berlin, Germany
Awards: Danowski has won the Batchelder Award
Subjects: Dogs, Flowers, Gardens, Grandfathers, Humor, Intergenerational, Love, Patience, Snails, Vegetables

Rainbow Fish And The Storyteller

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In this ninth story about Rainbow Fish, he meets a new friend, Humbert. Humbert tells the other fish fantastic stories. First, there’s a plug in the bottom of the ocean that, if taken out, all the water in the sea will be drained dry. Next, there are several shoals of fish that are threatening the territory of Rainbow Fish’s friends. And finally, there’s a blue whale living nearby that is going to eat all their food. Now, Rainbow Fish catches on that Humbert is just telling exaggerated stories. When they see Humbert all alone by some rocks, they feel sorry for him and want to help him. They suggest that he should use his storytelling talent to tell interesting and true stories at storytelling shows for everyone. The vibrant, beautiful watercolor paintings enhance this important lesson for young children about making friends and not telling lies. mjw

Title: Rainbow Fish And The Storyteller
Author: Marcus Pfister
Illustrator: Marcus Pfister
Publisher: NorthSouth Books, Inc.
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: German
Translator: David Henry Wilson
Original Title: Der Regegbogenfisch glaubt nicht alles
Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag, AG. Zurich, Switzerland
Original Copyright: 2022
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4500-8
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-9
Genre: Picture book
Author’s ethnicity: Swiss
Author’s residence: Bern, Switzerland
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swiss
Illustrator’s residence: Bern, Switzerland
Subjects: Animal fiction, Fish, Friendship, Honesty, Truthfulness, Values

Hana’s Hundreds Of Hijabs

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Hana has hundreds of hijabs and accessories – sparkling, glimmering, and beaded. She always styles them beautifully. But she has way too many. Her hijabs have taken over the entire house. She just can’t stop styling. She is an artist and her hijab is her canvas. When she visits her Aunty Huda’s salon, she gets the idea to supply the salon with her hijabs and offer her fashion-coordinating talents to Aunty Huda’s customers. The language in this story about creativity, problem-solving, and making others happy is lively and fun. The colorful, detailed, and fanciful illustrations were created digitally using Procreate. Back matter includes a Meet the Author and Illustrator section that rounds out this joyful book. mjw

Title: Hana’s Hundreds Of Hijabs
Author: Razeena Omar Gutta
Illustrator: Manal Mirza
Publisher: Barefoot Books. Concord, MA
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-64686-620-5
Hardcover pages: 24
Age range: 4-9
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: South Asian, born in Zimbabwe
Author’s residence: Australia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Pakistani-American
Illustrator’s residence: Chicago, IL
Awards: 2022 Best Muslim Illustrations, Muslim Bookstagram Award
Subjects: Creativity, Diversity, Fashion, Hijabs, Muslim, Problem-solving, Tradition

Nour’s Secret Library

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Nour and her friends live a happy life in Damascus, Syria. But one day war comes to the city with its smelly tanks and noisy guns. Nour, her family, and friends need to hide in the basement to be safe. Some days when there is no fighting, Nour and her friends bravely roam their neighborhood rubble looking for abandoned books so that they can start a secret library. Eventually, their library is filled with books from floor to ceiling. Some are Arabic, while others are English, Armenian, Greek, French, Hebrew, and Syriac. Nour thinks that the world of books is wonderful. “Like a galaxy full of stars. Some are shinier than others, but together they make the sky sparkle.”The illustrations in pencil, gouache, and charcoal depict the rough and ruined landscapes in grays and the hopeful story of the children and the library in vibrant blues and oranges. Back matter includes information about Syria, a map, a glossary, facts about famous libraries in the Middle East, information about the inspiration for the story, and both an author’s and illustrator’s note. This book is a story of hope and longing for peace. mjw

Title: Nour’s Secret Library
Author: Wafa Tarnowska
Illustrator: Yali Mintzi
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-64686-292-4
Paperback pages: 32
Age range: 6-10
Genre: Picture book
Book setting: Syria
Author’s ethnicity: Lebanese
Author’s residence: U.K. and Poland
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Romanian
Illustrator’s residence: Jerusalem
Subjects: Books, Libraries, Middle East, Reading, Syria, War

Madani’s Best Game

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Madani is the neighborhood soccer star, who plays on his bare feet. Everyone watches when he plays and wonders what he could do if he only had a proper pair of cleats. Madani is saving money, but not for soccer shoes. Instead, he buys a new sewing machine for his mother. The story is narrated by one of Madani’s teammates. The author explains that the story was inspired by his work with immigrant families. The beautiful, smudgy illustrations, created with pencil, gouache, and colored pencil, capture the city neighborhood and the movement of the soccer games. mjw

Title: Madani’s Best Game
Author: Fran Pintadera
Illustrator: Raquel Catalina
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: Spanish
Translator: Lawrence Schimel
Original Title: La mejor jugada de Madani
Original Publisher: Ediciones Ekare. Barcelona, Spain
Original Copyright: 2021
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5597-8
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 5-9
Genre: Picture book, Sports fiction
Book setting: Spain
Author’s ethnicity: Spanish
Author’s residence: Spain
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish
Illustrator’s residence: Spain
Subjects: Immigrant life, Love, Poverty, Sewing machines, Shoes, Soccer, Teamwork, Values

Our Own Little Paradise

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On the last day of sixth grade, all of Nora’s classmates tell about their exciting summer plans – Italy, Croatia, Florida, Denmark, Paris, Portugal, and Spain. Nora lies and tells the class that she is going to the tropics. She keeps the lie growing through social media. The problem is that a new boy, Wilmer, has moved into the neighborhood and finds out that she has not gone to the tropics. Nora and Wilmer secretly build their own “tropics” in an abandoned apartment. By the end of summer, her whole class finds out that she lied, but the resolution is satisfyingly happy. This wonderful middle age story, with short chapters, addresses the struggles of trying to fit in, finding true friends, and different social classes. mjw

Title: Our Own Little Paradise
Author: Marianne Kaurin
Publisher: Arctis Books. Stamford, CT, USA
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: Norwegian
Translator: Olivia Lasky
Original Title: Syden
Original Publisher: H. Aschehoug and Co. (W. Nygaard) AS
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-1-64690-018-3
Hardcover pages: 300
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Fiction, Novel
Book setting: Norway
Author’s ethnicity: Norwegian
Author’s residence: Oslo. Norway
Translator’s ethnicity: US
Translator’s residence: Oslo, Norway
Awards: 2021 German Youth Literature Prize
Subjects: First love, Holidays, Lies, Peer pressure, Relationships, Social media, Summer, Vacations

Fly

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Fourteen-year-old Felix Landon Yarrow – F.L.Y., or Fly has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. He carries around his father’s worn copy of Don Quixote to prove that there is a brain inside his uncooperative body. His first-person narrative in engaging free verse tells of his fascination with knighthood and chivalry. He fears that Carter, the school villain, is a danger to his crush/damsel in distress, Daria. Using his cleverness and invisibility – his superpower – he constructs a plan to save Daria. Fly is a courageous, kind, and funny character on a “quest/ for a noble life.” mjw

Title: Fly
Author: Alison Hughes
Publisher: Kids Can Press Ltd., Toronto
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1525-305-832
Hardcover pages: 197
Age range: 10-14
Genre: Fiction, Novel in verse
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: Edmonton, Alberta
Subjects: Cerebral palsy, Courage, Don Quixote, Free verse, Poetry, Wheelchairs

Leilong’s Too Long!

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Every morning, Leilong the brontosaurus shuttles through the city, picking up children for school. But he is longer than a tennis court, and he weighs as much as five elephants. He breaks bridges and knocks over houses. He feels awkward in the city. There are so many complaints that the school is forced to take its brontosaurus bus off the road. The children find a way to help Leilong fit in. He becomes the city’s most popular playground. The imaginative cartoon illustrations are rendered in crayon and watercolor and have a child-like quality. This book follows the bestselling Leilong the Library Bus (2021). mjw

Title: Leilong’s Too Long
Author: Julia Liu
Illustrator: Bei Lynn
Publisher: Gecko Press. New Zealand
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: Chinese
Translator: Helen Wang
Original Title: Riding A Brontosaurus To School
Original Copyright: 2017
ISBN: 978-1-77657-433-9
Hardcover pages: 28
Age range: 2-5
Genre: Picture book
Author’s ethnicity: Taiwanese
Author’s residence: Taiwan
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Taiwanese
Illustrator’s residence: Taiwan
Subjects: Brontosaurus, Bus, Dinosaurs, Imagination, School bus, Transportation

Born Behind Bars

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Nine-year-old, low-caste Kabir was born in jail in Chennai, India, because his mom is serving time for a crime she didn’t commit. He ends up living on the streets when a new warden decides that he is too old to still be living in jail. He meets Rani, a Roma girl, who helps him survive in the harsh, ugly outside world. He eventually finds his grandparents and a helpful lawyer who gets his mother released from jail. This story told through the lens of a young boy is both educating and entertaining. Kabir is brave and optimistic. Like Venkatraman’s other books, A Time To Dance, Climbing The Stairs, and The Bridge Home, this book is unforgettable. mjw

Title: Born Behind Bars
Author: Padma Venkatraman
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC
Copyright: 2021
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0593-11247-2
Hardcover pages: 273
Age range: 10 up
Genre: Fiction, Novel
Book setting: Chennai, India
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Author’s residence: U.S.
Awards: 2022 NCSS Notable Books, 2022 South Asia Award Winner
Subjects: Homelessness, India, Poverty, Prejudice, Prisoners’ families, School, Street children

Bharatanatyam In Ballet Shoes

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Paro comes from a dancing family. She dances Bharatanatyam at home with her mother and now she is about to begin ballet lessons. She is worried because the two dance forms are so different. Ballet dances twirl and swirl like fairies and Bharatanatyam dancers move like queens. Paro tries to share the traditional South Asian dance with her new ballet classmates, but they just don’t get it. Paro’s mother comes to class to perform and then everyone loves Bharatanatyam. And Paro learns to dance like a fairy queen. Vibrant illustrations complement this encouraging story about cultural competency. Back matter provides more information about the two dance forms and instructions for making ghungroo, which are both anklets and musical instruments at the same time, an essential part of Bharatanatyam. mjw

Title: Bharatanatyam In Ballet Shoes
Author: Malak Jain
Illustrator: Anu Chouhan
Publisher: Annick Press, Toronto
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1773216164
Hardcover pages: 36
Age range: 4-7
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Born in Delhi, India
Author’s residence: Toronto, Ontario
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Punjabi-Canadian
Illustrator’s residence: Vancouver, BC
Awards: Author has won the 2017 South Asia Book Award
Subjects: Asian, Asian-American, Mother-daughter relationships, Parents, Self-esteem, Self-reliance