Tag Archives: Language

The Pencil

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Based on the author’s childhood memories of growing up in an iglu, this story is about being responsible for belongings and community.  Susan, her sister Rebecca, and brother Peter are home with their father in their iglu. Mother has gone to help a neighbor.  The children get tired of playing games. Father brings out a pencil from the box where they keep special things. All of the children begin drawing and drawing until they start to worry about what Mother will say when she gets home. They are supposed to use things wisely. Mother just reminds them that they shouldn’t waste things because they are hard to get. They only have one pencil. But she is glad that drawing brought them such joy. The illustrations have a sketch-like quality and are done in pencil. mjw

Title: The Pencil Author: Susan Avingaq and Maren Vsetula Illustrator: Charlene Chua Publisher: Inhabit Media Inc. Iqaluit, Nunavut Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-77227-216-1 Hardcover pages: 36 Age range: 5-7 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Nunavut, Canada Author’s ethnicity: Avinngaq born in Nunavut Author’s residence: Both authors – Nunavut Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Hamilton, Ontario Subjects: Canada, Community, Drawing, Iglu, Inaktitut, Polar regions, Thrift, Writing

The Village By The Sea

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Thirteen-year-old Lila and her twelve-year-old brother Hari live in a small village called Thul in western India.  They also have two younger sisters.  They live with their mother, who is ill and bed-ridden.  Lila and Hari manage the family because their father is an alcoholic. Their life is hard.  Hari decides he has had enough and leaves for Bombay to find work.  He gets a job in a restaurant and befriends Mr. Panwallah, the watch repairer.  Back home in Thul, a rich family offers to help them and their mother is taken to a hospital for treatment.  And their father turns over a new leaf.  Hari returns to the village with plans to open a repair shop. Together, the whole family starts a small chicken farm. A helpful list of Indian words is included. mjw

Title: The Village By The Sea Author: Anita Desai Publisher: New York Review of Books Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Heinemann. London Original Copyright: 1982 ISBN: 978-1-68137-351-5 Paperback pages: 263 Age range: 12 up Genre: Fiction Book setting: Thul and Bombay, India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: U.S.A. Awards: 1983 Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize Subjects: Asia, Brothers and sisters, Family life, Family problems, Poverty, Rural life, Siblings

P Is For Poppadoms: An Indian Alphabet Book

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This simple alphabet book introduces some Hindi words in an engaging manner.  Young readers will learn about the rich culture, delicious foods, and interesting animals of India.  The book begins with A is for Aam – mango and ends with Z is for Zaban – language.  More familiar words are also included.   C is for chai and Y is for yoga.  Whimsical digitally rendered illustrations enrich the text.  An author’s note provides background on the Hindi language. There is also a page showing how to write the Hindi words. mjw

Title: P Is For Poppadoms: An Indian Alphabet Book Author: Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal Illustrator: Hazel Ito Publisher: Beach Lane Books.  New York Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-534421721 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: Kabir – New York,  Surishthna -Atlanta Illustrator’s ethnicity: Scottish born Illustrator’s residence: Hawaii Subjects: Alphabet, India, Poetry

Thukpa For All

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Young Tsering can’t wait to taste his grandmother’s thukpa – noodle soup.  On his way home, he invites many friends, neighbors, and family members to join him.  Just as his grandmother is preparing the soup, the power goes out. Tsering helps with the soup-making steps by identifying spices and other ingredients by their smells. The power comes back on and everyone can enjoy the thukpa.  Told from a blind child’s perspective – Tsering is blind – this story is enhanced by beautiful illustrations that teach about the Ladakhi culture which is not often depicted in picture books.  Alliteration and onomatopoeia make it a fun read.  A Glimpse into Ladakhi Life gives information about the culture and geography of Indian Ladakhi. A glossary and a recipe for thukpa are also included. mjw

Title: Thukpa For All Author: Prada Ram and Sheela Preuitt Illustrator: Shilpa Ranade Publisher: Karadi Tales. Chennai, India Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-81-9338-898-3 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Ladakhi, India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s residence: Mumbai Awards: 2019 IBBY Catalog of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities, 2020 USBBY Outstanding International Books List Subjects: Blind, Cooking and food, Culture, Diversity, Family life, Grandmothers, Sense and sensations, Special needs

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

Crossing The Farak River

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Fourteen-year-old Hasina, her younger brother Araf, and her thirteen-year-old cousin Ghadiya are forced out of their home in the Rakhine province of Myanmar when the Sit Tat Myanmar Army invades one night.  They become separated from their parents.  They know to flee because they are persecuted Muslim Rohingyas. They run deep into the Rakhine forest to hide, but when they return to their village, it has been burned and mostly destroyed.  Their house is still standing, but their family is gone. Hasina is a strong, courageous character who fights for her family in this captivating account of the crisis in Myanmar. mjw

Title: Crossing The Farak River Author: Michelle Aung Thin Publisher: Annick Press. Toronto Copyright: 2020 Original Language: English Original Title: Hasina Original Publisher: Allen and Unwin. Australia Original Copyright: 2019 ISBN: 978-1-77321-396-5 Paperback pages: 224 Age range: 11 up Genre: Fiction Book setting: Myanmar Author’s ethnicity: Born in Burma, now Myanmar Author’s residence: Australia Subjects: Arakan, Buddhists, Burmese, Human trafficking, Muslims, Persecution, Rakhine State,Refugees, Rohingyas, Soldiers

A Place To Belong

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World War II is over and Hanako and her family – her father, her mother, and little brother Akira – are moving to Japan.  They have been in an internment camp for Japanese-Americans in America.  They have renounced their citizenship so they can leave the camp and return to Japan to live with Hanako’s grandparents on a tenant farm outside of Hiroshima.  They barely survive.  Hanako struggles to fit in as an outsider in her new home.  This is a moving book interspersed with black and white drawings. mjw

Title: A Place To Belong Author: Cynthia Kadohata Illustrator: Julia Kuo Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English  ISBN: 978-1-481446648 Hardcover pages: 416 Age range: 10-14 Genre: Historical Fiction Book setting: Hiroshima, Japan Author’s ethnicity: Japanese Author’s residence: California, U.S. Subjects: Emigration and immigration, Hiroshima, Multigenerational family life, Japan, Japan history 1945

Bounce Back: Zayd Saleem, Chasing The Dream

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This is the third in a series about Pakistani-American fourth-grade basketball player Zayd Saleem. An ankle injury leaves him on the sidelines just as he is about to become team captain of the Gold Team. He is on the bench for several weeks and worries about how he can help his team win the championship.  Meanwhile, at home, his family is preparing Pakistani wedding festivities for his uncle. Specific cultural information is smoothly integrated into this universal story.  Black and white drawings enhance the text. mjw

Title: Bounce Back: Zayd Saleem, Chasing The Dream Author: Hena Khan Illustrator: Sally Wern Comport Publisher: Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-534412057 Hardcover pages: 144 Age range: 7-11 Genre: Fiction Author’s ethnicity: Pakistani-American Author’s residence: Rockville, Maryland. U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: U.S. Illustrator’s residence: U.S. Subjects: Basketball, Family life,Leadership, Middle schools, Muslims, Urdu, Weddings

I’m An Immigrant Too!

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This book uses poetry to guide the reader though the journeys of several young people, as they immigrate from various countries around the world to Australia. Brightly colored computer graphics set the tone marvelously for this story of perseverance and hope. mm

Title: I’m An Immigrant Too! Author: Mem Fox Illustrator: Ronojoy Ghosh Publisher: Beach Lane Copyright: 2017 ISBN: 978-1-5344-3602-2 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture book Author’s ethnicity: Australian Author’s residence: Adelaide, Australia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s residence: Sydney, Australia Subjects: Australia, Family, Immigrants

This Is Me, Mayil

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This is the diary of spirited sixteen-year-old Mayil Ganeshan.  She is curious and intelligent and wants to be a writer.  Also included are her rhymes and doodles.  The diary feels natural and is third in a series. mjw

Title: This Is Me, Mayil Author: Niveditha Subramaniam and Sowmya Rajendran Illustrator: Niveditha Subramaniam Publisher: Tulika Publishers.  Chennai, India Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-93-5046-996-5 Paperback pages: 124 Age range: 13 up Genre: Fiction Book setting: India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: India Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s residence: India Subjects: Autobiography, Diary, Humor, Rhyme, Verse, Young adult

The Fox Girl And The White Gazelle

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Twelve-year-old Reema is a Syrian refugee trying to find her place in Glasgow.  She struggles with a new language and culture and misses her older brother who got left behind in Aleppo.  Caylin feels completely alone.  She has to look after her alcoholic mother.  She bullies the other kids and steals from them so that she can eat. Reema and Caylin become friends when they discover an injured fox and her babies. The girls also discover that they both like to run. Told in alternating perspectives, this is a great story of friendship. mjw

Title: The Fox Girl And The White Gazelle Author: Victoria Williamson Publisher: Kelpies, an imprint of Floris Books. Edinburgh, Scotland Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English  ISBN: 978-178250-490-0 Paperback pages: 272 Age range: 10-12 Genre: Fiction Book setting: Scotland Author’s ethnicity: Scottish Author’s residence: U.K. Subjects: Foxes, Glasgow, Poetry, Prejudice and racism, Refugees, Running, Syria