Tag Archives: History

Hans Christian Andersen: The Journey Of His Life

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Through a magical conversation with a young girl in a horse-drawn carriage, Hans Christian Andersen tells his life story. “The most wonderful fairytale is life itself.” He was a cobbler’s son who left his town in Denmark, with thirteen coins in his pocket, to go to Copenhagen to seek his fortune. He wanted to be an actor or a dancer, but things did not work out for him. What he really enjoyed was writing. A sheet of paper became his stage. He wrote poems, stories, fairytales, and plays. He traveled around the country meeting people who loved the theatre – people like himself. Hans goes on to tell the girl some of his stories, such as The Flying Trunk, Thumbelina, The Princess and the Pea, The Ugly Duckling, Clumsy Hans, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and The Snow Queen. The sumptuous illustrations use graphic novel elements to tell the story. In the illustrations, there are references to well-known authors of children’s books and some famous children’s book characters, like The Little Prince, Pinocchio, and more. An author’s note tells more about Hans Christian Andersen’s life. mjw

Title: Hans Christian Andersen: The Journey Of His Life Author: Heinz Janisch Illustrator: Maja Kastelic Publisher: NorthSouth Books, Inc., New York Copyright: 2020 Original Language: German Translator: David Henry Wilson Original Title: Hans Christian Andersen: Die Reise seines Lebens Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag AG> Zurich, Switzerland Original Copyright: 2020 ISBN: 978-0-7358-4388-2 Hardcover pages: 56 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Biography Book setting: Denmark Author’s ethnicity: Austrian Author’s residence: Vienna Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Slovenia Awards: White Ravens Award – Illustrator Subjects: Biography, Denmark, European history, Fairytales, Literary biography

When Spring Comes To The DMZ

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The beautiful paintings in this book show the changing seasons and the variety of wildlife that live peacefully in the Demilitarized Zone of Korea. Readers can also see the ever-present fences and soldiers. Salmon swim bravely upstream and mountain goats jump after their mother.  Grandfather goes to the DMZ every season and dreams of flinging the gates wide open and walking inside and looking up into the blue sky. The book is part of the Peace Picture Book Project by illustrators from Korea, China, and Japan. A map of Korea and historical facts are included as back matter and the endpapers provide a world map. mjw

Title: When Spring Comes To The DMZ Author: Uk-Bae Lee Illustrator: Uk-Bae Lee Publisher: Plough Publishing House. New York Copyright: 2019 Original Language: Korean Translator: Aileen Won Original Title: Bimujang chidae e bom i omyon Original Publisher: Sakyejul Publishing Ltd. Paju, Korea Original Copyright: 2010 ISBN: 978-0-87486-972-9 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture Book, Historical Fiction Book setting: Korea Author’s ethnicity: Korean Author’s residence: Korea Illustrator’s ethnicity: Korean Illustrator’s residence: Korea Awards: 2020 ALA Mildred Batchelder Honor Award Subjects: Grandfathers, Korean Demilitarized Zone, Seasons, Soldiers

Child Of St. Kilda

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Norman John Gilles was one of the last children born on St. Kilda, a group of islands with high cliffs off the Scottish coast.   People lived there for over four thousand years, thriving in one of the most inhospitable places on Earth. They survived on sea birds, eggs, and potatoes. There was no crime or need for money.  They had no automobiles.  They trusted and cared for each other. The community came to an abrupt end in 1930 when the remaining St. Kildans begged the British government to evacuate them to the mainland. No one knows what happened. Today, the islands have become a World Heritage Site, recognized for their unique wildlife and vanished culture. The book concludes with a St. Kilda Sketchbook that provides more information and a map.  The stunning images were created by hand using monoprinting techniques. mjw

Title: Child Of St. Kilda Author: Beth Waters Illustrator: Beth Waters Publisher: Child’s Play. Auburn, Maine. USA Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-78628-188-3 Hardcover pages: 64  Age range: 4-9 Genre: Picture Book, Information Book, Nonfiction Book setting: Scotland Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: Cambridge, U.K. Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: Cambridge, U.K. Subjects: Birds, History, Immigration, Mystery, Storms, Survival

My Long List Of Impossible Things

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Sixteen-year-old Katja, her eighteen-year-old sister Hilde, and their mother are forced out of their house in Germany when Soviet troops take over their village after WW II. German society has collapsed and there is much hardship and violence.  Their mother is killed and the two girls make a long and dangerous journey to another town on their own.  The story is told from the point of view of Katja and the German teenage post war perspective and is rarely examined in young adult fiction.  Katja questions so much about her country, but manages to make a new life for herself.  One thing that saves Katja is her love of the piano.  Interesting facts about famous composers are sprinkled throughout this brilliant novel. mjw

Title: My Long List Of Impossible Things Author: Michelle Barker Publisher: Annick Press. Toronto Copyright: 2020 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-77321-364-4 Paperback pages: 360 Age range: 9 up Genre: Historical Fiction Book setting: Germany Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Vancouver, BC, Canada Subjects: Music, Musicians, Nazism, Piano, Soviet occupation, Violence, World War II

A Grain Of Rice

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Thirteen-year-old Yen and her family live in rural Vietnam. A flood destroys their village.  Famine and persecution because they are of Chinese ancestry lead the family to flee from their war-torn homeland after the fall of Saigon.  They become boat people and are eventually rescued by the Malaysian Coast Guard. There is a glossary of Vietnamese words. The story is based on events from the author’s childhood. mjw

Title: A Grain Of Rice Author: Nhung N. Tran-Davies Publisher: Tradewind Books. Vancouver Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-926890-25-8 Paperback pages: 154 Age range: 12 up Genre: Historical Fiction Book setting: Vietnam Author’s ethnicity: Vietnamese Author’s residence: Edmonton, Alberta. Canada  Subjects: Famine Food, Persecution, Poverty, Prejudice, Refugees

Brave With Beauty: A Story Of Afghanistan

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This beautiful book is the extraordinary story of Queen Goharshad, a 15thcentury monarch. She was an Afghani woman who was the wife of Sha Rikh.  Together they ruled over the empire of Khorasan that stretched from Turkey to China. Goharshad loved all things of beauty, including art, poetry, music, architecture, calligraphy, and the sciences. She “didn’t care a fig for war.” She was a strong woman whose mission was to bring beauty into the world. Goharshad was instrumental in the construction of a mosque, a university, and a library.  The book is filled with elaborate period illustrations and poems.  There is a guide with pronunciations of some of the words used in the story, an author’s note, and a guide for parents and educators.  A downloadable Activity Guide is included on the Yali Books website. mjw

Title: Brave With Beauty: A Story Of Afghanistan Author: Maxine Rose Schur Illustrator: Patricia Grush, Robin Dewitt, Golsa Yaghoobi Publisher: Yali Books. New York Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-949528-97-8 Hardcover pages: 42 Age range: 7-9 Genre: Picture Book, Historical Fiction, Biography Book setting: Afghanistan Author’s ethnicity: U.S. Author’s residence: U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: U.S. Illustrator’s residence: U.S. Subjects: Architecture, Beauty, Biographies, History, Queens, Royalty

The Brave Princess And Me

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Young Tilde Cohen and her mother are Jews who are searching for a safe place to hide.  They go to Princess Alice’s residence unannounced, begging the princess to hide them.  Princess Alice of Greece was born deaf, but is proficient in lip-reading.  Her kindness is put to the test when two Gestapo agents come by and demand to search the house.  She uses her cleverness to outwit the men and keep Tilde and her mother safe. The illustrations depict emotions beautifully.  Also included are biographical facts and photographs of Princess Alice.  The book is based on a true story from World War II Greece.  Alice is the grandmother of England’s Prince Charles and the great-grandmother of Princes William and Harry. mjw

Title: The Brave Princess And Me Author: Kathy Kacer Illustrator: Juliana Kolesova Publisher: Second Story Press, Toronto, Canada Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-772601022 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 7-10 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Greece Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Toronto. Canada Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Toronto. Canada Subjects: Athens, Holocaust, Jewish, Nazis, World War II

Captain Rosalie

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Five-year-old Rosalie lives with her mother in a French village during World War I.  Her father is away at the front.  She keeps a secret notebook and is on a mission. She is Captain Rosalie, spying on the enemy.  Her mother reads aloud Father’s letters and they all look forward to the war’s end and Father’s return home.  One day, a letter arrives that Rosalie’s mother does not read.  Watercolor, pen, and ink illustrations in muted grays with soft spots of orange, pink, and blue contribute to this quiet, emotional story of hope and courage. mjw

Title: Captain Rosalie Author: Timothee De Fombelle Illustrator: Isabelle Arsenault Publisher: Candlewick Press Copyright: 2019 Original Language: French Translator: Sam Gordon Original Publisher: Walker Books Ltd. Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-1-5362-0520-6 Hardcover pages: 64  Age range: 8-12 Genre: Historical Fiction, Novella Book setting: France Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: Paris, France Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Quebec Subjects: Fathers and daughters, Letters, Loss, Military fiction, Reading, School issues, World War I

The Good Son: A Story From The First World War Told In Miniature

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It’s Christmas time 1914, and a French soldier named Pierre leaves his regiment to visit his family. When he returns, he is imprisoned and faces execution for desertion.  Did he leave without permission?  Did he return late?  Part of the story is told in a letter he writes to his mother.  This is a heartbreaking and sad story of a terrible war. It is based on true events and is played out in photographs of miniature scenes.  A map of the Western front and an author’s note are included.  The author explains his connection to the story and his interest in “little soldiers” and photography.  The illustrators’ process is similar to that used in filmmaking, but in miniature.  Fascinating pictures illustrate the process.  This book is a piece of art. mjw

Title: The Good Son: A Story From the First World War Told In Miniature Author: Pierre-Jacques Ober Illustrator: Jules Ober and Felicity Coonan Publisher: Candlewick Studio Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-5362-0482-7 Hardcover pages: 104 Age range: 14 up Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction, Information Book Book setting: France Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: Australia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Australian Illustrator’s residence: Australia Subjects: Campaigns, Desertions, France, Military, Miniatures, Soldiers, Storytelling, Violence, Western front

Clara The Rhino

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Based on a true story, this book is about the friendship between an orphaned rhinoceros from India and a Dutch sea captain in the mid 18thcentury.  Captain Douwe van der Meer decides to take Clara the rhino from India to Holland.  No one in Europe has ever seen a rhino and the Captain is sure that she will be a sensation.  The voyage from India to Holland takes many weeks and Clara eats 100 pounds of hay every day.  She especially likes oranges.   Clara wins the hearts of everyone as she and the Captain travel all over Europe. Her image appears on posters, coins, statuettes, and art in museums.  She finally returns to Holland where the Captain provides Clara a home of her own.  A map shows Clara’s extensive travels through Europe.  Bold, colorful artwork enhances the story.  Another book, Clara: The (Mostly) True Story Of The Rhinoceros Who Dazzled Kings, Inspired Artists, And Won The Hearts Of Everyone…While She Ate Her Way Up And Down A Continent was written by Emily Arnold McCully in 2016. mjw

Title: Clara The Rhino Author: Katrin Hirt Illustrator: Laura Fuchs Publisher: North South Books, Inc. Copyright: 2020 Original Language: German Translator: David Henry Wilson Original Title: Ein Nashorn namens Clara Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag.  Zurich, Switzerland Original Copyright: 2019 ISBN: 978-0-7358-4395-0 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: India, Holland, France, Italy Author’s ethnicity: German Author’s residence: Tubingen, Germany Illustrator’s ethnicity: German Illustrator’s residence: Hamburg, Germany  Subjects: Boats and ships, European history, Netherlands, Rhinoceroses

Greyfriars Bobby: A Puppy’s Tale

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Today, visitors to Edinburgh, Scotland, come from all over the world to see Bobby’s statue and to lay flowers and sticks on his grave.  Bobby was the wee faithful Skye Terrier who patrolled Scotland’s streets with local policeman John Gray.  This story tells of Bobby’s early days when he and an orphaned boy named Sandy caught a pickpocket and how he met his master John Gray.  After John Gray died in 1858, the loyal dog lay beside his master’s grave in Greyfriar’s churchyard every day for fourteen years.  A glossary defines Scottish words.  Lively illustrations bring the Victorian streets of Edinburgh to life. mjw

Title: Greyfriar’s Bobby: A Puppy’s Tale Author: Michelle Sloan Illustrator: Elena Bia Publisher: Kelpies, an imprint of Floris Books Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English  ISBN: 978-178250-590-7 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture Book, Historical Fiction Book setting: Edinburgh, Scotland  Author’s ethnicity: Scottish Author’s residence: Brought Ferry, Scotland Illustrator’s ethnicity: Italian Illustrator’s residence: Novara, Italy Subjects: Dogs, Loyalty, Policemen, Scottish folklore