Tag Archives: History

Crossing The Finish Line

Sri Lankan Ranatunge was the first runner to represent his country in the Olympics. He was a soldier who trained to be an elite athlete. On the day of the 10,000-meter race at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, “Karu” had a bad cold, but he ran his best for his family and his country. He believed that “participating is more important than winning.” He didn’t win the race, but when he finally crossed the finish line, he imagined what being first would feel like. This inspiring nonfiction picture book about courage and perseverance is illustrated with colorful, spirited art. Back matter includes more information about Ranatumge Karungnanda and an Author’s Note. mjw

Title: Crossing The Finish Line
Author: Thushanthi Ponweera
Illustrator: Maithili Joshi
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Copyright: 2025
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-14549-5018-9
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Tokyo, Japan
Author’s ethnicity: from Sri Lanka
Author’s residence: Qatar
Illustrator’s ethnicity: South Asian
Illustrator’s residence: New York City
Subjects: Athletes, Biography, Ceylon, Competition, Nonfiction, Olympics, Running, Sports and recreations, Sri Lanka, Victory

Azizi And The Little Blue Bird

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This contemporary fairy tale is set in the Land of the Crescent Moon, where oppressive rulers have captured all the blue birds and imprisoned the population in fear and suffering. Young Azizi lives with his parents under this iron-fisted regime, watching as the leaders grow fat and indulgent while the people shrink from hunger and oppression until they are nearly invisible. When a small blue bird escapes from the palace cage, it inspires Azizi—now no bigger than a pine nut—to take action against tyranny. Together, Azizi and the brave little bird embark on a courageous journey to liberate their people from the cruel and greedy rulers and restore peace to their land. The colorful brush and acrylic illustrations bring this allegorical tale to life with vivid imagery that contrasts the darkness of oppression with the hope symbolized by the little blue bird, as the story draws inspiration from Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution. The book is a powerful narrative about freedom and resistance for young readers. mjw

Title: Azizi And The Little Blue Bird
Author: Laila Koubaa
Illustrator: Mattias De Leeuw
Publisher: Lantana Publishing Ltd.
Copyright: 2025
Original Language: Flemish
Translator: David Colmer
Original Title: Azizi en de lkeine blauwe vogel
Original Publisher: Book Island. New Zealand
Original Copyright: 2013
ISBN: 978-1-83629-009-4
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 5-10
Genre: Picture Book, Fairy Tale
Book setting: Tunisia
Author’s ethnicity: Tunisian and Flemish
Author’s residence: Flanders, Belgium
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Belgian
Illustrator’s residence: Belgium
Subjects: Activism, Fairy Tales, Freedom, Jasmine Revolution, Oppression, Politics and government, Social justice

The House On The Canal: The Story Of The House That Hid Anne Frank

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This moving and beautiful picture book tells the history of the house where Anne Frank and family hid for more than 2 years in German-occupied Netherlands during World War II. Built 400 years ago, it has served as a home, stable, warehouse, and hiding place. People travel from all over the world to visit the home where Anne wrote her famous diary. The building is now a museum, a symbol of hope and resistance, and the seat of the Anne Frank Foundation. The illustrations are detailed sepia-toned mixed-media collages. A map, a photograph taken in 1954, and additional information on the house throughout history are included as back matter in this story of the extraordinary building that Anne Frank called “the old house on the canal.” mjw

Title: The House On The Canal: The Story Of The House That Hid Anne Frank
Author: Thomas Harding
Illustrator: Britta Teckentrup
Publisher: Candlewick Studio
Copyright: 2025
Original Language: German
Original Title: Das late Haus an der Gracht
Original Publisher: Jacoby & Stuart
Original Copyright: 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5362-4070-2
Hardcover pages: 56
Age range: 7-10
Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction, Information Book
Book setting: Amsterdam
Author’s ethnicity: English
Author’s residence: U.K.
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: Berlin
Subjects: Biography, Hiding, Historical context, Holocaust, Prejudice and racism, World War II

Slow Adventures: Every Moment: 40 Real-Life Journeys By Boat, Bike, Foot, And Train

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This gorgeous travel guide for kids encourages them to travel slowly and experience the world in all its richness and wonder. “When you slow down and take your time, you notice the details that make each place unique. You meet people and learn about their histories and cultures. You discover new sounds, aromas, and flavors.” Four slower modes of transport: train, boat, bicycle, and your own two feet are featured in the book. A Table of Contents lists twelve journeys on foot, ten journeys by bike, ten journeys by boat, and eight journeys by train. Maps for all the journeys enrich the trips. Discover more about the world as you: slow down with the sloths in Costa Rica, trek the Inca Trail in Peru, bike through the Angkor Wat in Cambodia, discover the riches of Rajasthan in India, take a Mississippi steamboat, and more. A list of ways to travel slowly and suggestions for further reading round out this impressive work. The illustrated journeys were created in pencil and colored digitally. mjw

Title: Slow Adventures: Every Moment: 40 Real-Life Journeys By Boat, Bike, Foot, And Train
Author: Carl Honore
Illustrator: Kevin and Krista Howdeshell
Publisher: Magic Cat Publishing. UK. An imprint of Harry N. Abrams, New York
Copyright: 2024
Original Language: English
Original Title: It’s The Journey Not The Destination
Original Publisher: Magic Cat Publishing, Ltd.
Original Copyright: 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4197-7132-3
Hardcover pages: 96
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Information Book, Nonfiction, Picture Book, Travel Guide
Book setting: The World
Author’s residence: London
Illustrator’s residence: London
Subjects: Boats, Bicycles, Cities, Culture, Hiking, Journeys, Mindfulness, People, Trains, Transportation, Travel Guides, World

The Cities Of The Future

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This exciting book tells the story of how cities around the world are becoming greener, more innovative, and people-friendly spaces while continuing to evolve. Captivating, intricately detailed illustrations showcase pioneering cities, like London, Berlin, Chandigarh, Amsterdam, New York, and more. The book offers a glimpse into the future of urban environments and inspires readers to take action.

Title: The Cities Of The Future
Author: Didier Cornille
Illustrator: Didier Cornille
Publisher: Post Wave Publishing UK Ltd.
Copyright: 2025
Original Language: French
Translator: Charis Ainslie
Original Title: La Ville Quoi De Neuf Actes
Original Publisher: Helium/Actes Sud
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 979-8-89509-014-5
Hardcover pages: 88
Age range:7-9
Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction, Information Book
Book setting: World cities
Author’s ethnicity: French
Author’s residence: Paris
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: Paris
Subjects: Architecture, Cities, Communities, Design, Ecology, Energy, Factories, Future, Gardens, Global awareness, Green, Homes, Museums, Parks, Pollution, Population, Railway stations, Renewable energy, Sustainability, Transportation,

A Map For Falasteen: A Palestinian Child’s Search For Home

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At school, a young Palestinian girl named Falasteen struggles to find her homeland on a map. She is troubled, confused, and curious when her teacher tells her she “thinks there’s no such place.” Falasteen asks her grandfather why Palestine isn’t on the map, and he draws her a colorful outline map showing various Palestinian cities and villages that she can take to school to show her teachers and classmates. She also asks her grandma, who is working in the kitchen. Grandma tells her of when soldiers, tanks, and guns forced her family from their home. Finally, Falesteen asks her mother why Palestine isn’t on the map. Mama replies that there are places you don’t need a map to find – their favorite trail, the bird’s nest in the chimney, their music and food, their names and language, and things that they haven’t seen with their own eyes. She says, “Palestine lives in you and me.” Beautiful, inspiring illustrations and thorough back matter round out this important and timely book. mjw

Title: A Map For Falasteen
Author: Maysa Odeh
Illustrator: Aliaa Betawi
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company. New York
Copyright: 2024
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-250-89670-4
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Palestinian
Author’s residence: California, USA
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Palestinian
Illustrator’s residence: Alexandria, Egypt
Awards: 2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award. Elementary Honor
Subjects: Arabs, Family life, Homes, Israel, Maps, Middle East, Multigenerational, Palestine, Refugees

Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life In The Mountains

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This inspiring picture book biography about Junko Tabei, the first woman to climb Mt. Everest, is the perfect introduction to this trailblazer. As a young girl, Junko dreamed of a life climbing mountains, but most mountaineering clubs said “No women allowed,” and they wouldn’t sponsor her. She even had to sew her own gloves because all gloves were designed for men – way too big for her small hands. But Junko was eager and unstoppable. She planned, trained, and dreamed beyond the horizon. She put together an expedition to summit Mt.Everest with an all-women team. After years of preparation, Junko and her fellow climbers traveled to Nepal. They established camps beyond the moving ice and deep crevasses. They encountered an avalanche, but finally, Junko and her guide made it to the top – where Earth met the sky. After her success, she took on new challenges. She climbed the highest mountains in more than 70 countries and campaigned for sustainable mountaineering to protect the wild spaces she loved for future generations. The illustrator used a Japanese calligraphy brush and India ink to make drawings on watercolor paper, and then she colored the drawings digitally using Adobe Photoshop. The illustrator is the Japanese designer who created Hello Kitty. The language is poetic and lovely. Backmatter includes an author’s note, a timeline, a glossary, and a bibliography. mjw

Title: Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life In The Mountains
Author: Anita Yasuda
Illustrator: Yuko Shimizu
Publisher: Clarion Books, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers
Copyright: 2024
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-06-324241-8
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Information Book, Nonfiction, Picture Book Biography
Book setting: Nepal. Japan
Author’s ethnicity: Japanese
Author’s residence: Ontario, Canada
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese
Illustrator’s residence: New York City
Awards: 2025 Caldecott Honor,
Subjects: Gender stereotypes, Himalayas, Mountain climbing, Mountains, Mt. Everest, Sherpas, Sustainable mountaineering, Trailblazing, Yaks

Zia’s Story

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In Kabul, Afghanistan, twelve-year-old Zia’s father tells him to take care of his mother, as he is arrested, never to be seen again. After that, in 1989, the Russian army pulls out of Afghanistan, there is a civil war, and the Taliban take over. Zia becomes the “man” for the neighborhood widows. He can no longer attend school, and the Taliban forbids women and children to be seen outdoors. Zia and his mother eventually are forced to flee Kabul and take refuge in Pakistan. A historical note provides additional information. Black and white drawings capture the mood of the story. This eye-opening story is based on the author’s own experiences as a young mother having to flee an Afghanistan torn apart by war with her young son. mjw

Title: Zia’s Story
Author: Shahnaz Qayumi
Illustrator: Nahid Kazemi
Publisher: Tradewinds Books. Vancouver, BC. Canada
Copyright: 2024
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-990598-14-2
Paperback pages: 88
Age range: 9-12
Genre: Historical fiction
Book setting: Afghanistan and Pakistan
Author’s ethnicity: Afghan
Author’s residence: Vancouver, British Columbia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Iranian
Illustrator’s residence: Montreal, Quebec
Subjects: Afghanistan, Civil war, Kabul, Middle East, Refugees, Taliban, War

Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie

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Buffy Sainte-Marie was adopted out of her Nehiyawe (Cree) community as a baby and taught herself how to play the piano at age three. Her famous song “Universal Soldier” was released in 1963. She appeared regularly on Sesame Street from 1975 until 1981. She became a peace activist, an advocate for Indigenous-focused education, and a strong supporter of Indigenous rights. Buffy’s songs have inspired three generations of fans and received international fame and many awards. The comic-inspired illustrations in this engaging book were created using a blend of digital tools and traditional media. Sketches were created with a Wacom tablet and Photoshop, then traced onto watercolor paper, where color and texture were added using gouache and watercolor paints. Ink was used to add the black lines to finish the look. Back matter includes a timeline of Buffy’s life and historical photos of her performing. mjw

Title: Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie
Author: Elizabeth MacLeod
Illustrator: Mike Deas
Publisher: Scholastic Canada Ltd. Toronto, Canada
Copyright: 2023
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1443196123
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 6-10
Genre: Picture Book, Biography, Nonfiction, Information Book
Book setting: Canada and U.S.
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: Toronto
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian
Illustrator’s residence: British Columbia
Subjects: Activism, Biography, Canadiana, Composers, Creativity, Cree Indians, Indigenous, Music, Musicians, Peace, Singers, Social activists

Water: Discovering The Precious Resource All Around Us

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This question-and-answer book features a young girl and her grandfather exploring water’s role in world history and earth science. Topics include: How much water is there on earth? Why does it rain? How are rainbows and water related? How is a sea different from an ocean? What lives in our oceans? How powerful is water? What is life without water? How can we protect our planet’s water? The answers offer many vocabulary words clearly explained in the energetic text. The book’s endpapers reveal fascinating water facts. To illustrate the book, the author/artist sprinkled, dripped, and thinned acrylic paints with water. Approximately ten liters (2.6 gallons) of water were used to create the book’s gorgeous artwork. mjw

Title: Water: Discovering The Precious Resource All Around Us
Author: Olga Fadeeva
Illustrator: Olga Fadeeva
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Copyright: 2024
Original Language: Russian
Translator: Lena Traer
Original Title: Boda
Original Publisher: Rech
Original Copyright: 2022
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5622-7
Hardcover pages: 56
Age range: 8-14
Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction, Information Book
Author’s ethnicity: Russian
Author’s residence: St. Petersburg, Russia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Russian
Illustrator’s residence: St. Petersburg, Russia
Subjects: Earth Science, Ecology, History, Natural resources, Nature, Oceans, Rain, Science, Seas, STEAM. Weather

Inkflower

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Inspired by a true story, this gritty dual timeline narrative tells about Australian high schooler Lisa and her father, who has ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and has six months to live. As he is dying, he recounts the devastating childhood time he spent at Auschwitz. He has kept the story and information about his Jewish family hidden – until now. His stories bring to life Lisa’s grandparents, aunts, and uncles she never had the chance to meet. Lisa also struggles with her own secrets. No one at school, including her boyfriend, knows she is Jewish or that her father is sick. This is an engaging read for young adults. The Walker Books website offers excellent classroom resources for the book. mjw

Title: Inkflower
Author: Suzy Zail
Publisher: Walker Books. Australia
Copyright: 2024
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-176059-39-4
Hardcover pages: 384
Age range: 14 up
Genre: Historical fiction. Young adult literature
Book setting: Australia. Germany
Author’s ethnicity: Australian
Author’s residence: Melbourne, Australia
Subjects: Antisemitism, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Auschwitz, Concentration camps, Death, Dying, Grief, Healing, Holocaust, Hope, Jewish, Love, Refugees, Survival, WW II

Kindred Spirits: Shilombish Ittibachvffa

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In 1845, The Potato Famine devastates Ireland. More than a million Irish people die from starvation and disease, and another two million emigrate to Canada, the U.S., and Britain. In 1847, the Choctaw people in America are still healing from their hardships on the Trail of Tears. They collect money to donate to the struggling Irish people. In 2017, seven generations later, the Irish build a statue to remember their connection to the Choctaw Nation. It is the shape of twenty-foot-tall eagle feathers in a bowl. In 2000, in the American Southwest, the Navajo and Hopi Nations are greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Irish people remember the Choctaws’ kindness, and they pay it forward by donating over three million dollars to the members of the Navajo and Hopi Nations. The money was given by many ancestors who received the gift that the Choctaws gave to Ireland during the Potato Famine. Today and always, the four nations are unified by the empathy they have learned from hardship. They pass generosity and compassion as kindred spirits. Enchanting acrylic on canvas illustrations further distinguish this inspiring book. Back matter includes author’s and illustrator’s notes, historical information about the Trail of Tears and the Irish Potato Famine, more information on the nations today, a very helpful timeline, a glossary, and suggestions for learning more. mjw

Title: Kindred Spirits: Shilombish Ittibachvffa
Author: Leslie Stall Widener
Illustrator: Johnson Yazzle
Publisher: Charlesbridge. Watertown, MA
Copyright: 2024
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-62354-396-9
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction, Information Book
Book setting: Ireland and U.S.
Author’s ethnicity: Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
Author’s residence: McKinney, Texas
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Navajo Nation in Pinon, Arizona
Illustrator’s residence: Pinon, Arizona
Subjects: Choctaw Indians, COVID-19, Emigration, Famine, Hopi Indians. Ireland, Navajo Indians, Potatoes, Trail of Tears