Tag Archives: Language

Wandering Wind

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Joginder, Daniel, Nicole, and Yasim are four friends who interact to help each other and solve a problem in this sweet story. The children are Muslim, Sikh, Jewish, and Christian. Lively watercolor paintings depict the different head coverings the children wear in the swirling wind. This book highlights both similarities and differences among children across religions and cultures. There is no intent to impose religious beliefs or practices. Included are a Note to Parents and Teachers and guiding questions for discussion. mjw

Title: Wandering Wind Author: Mubina Hassanali Kirmani and Brach Laster Illustrator: Betsy Carnes Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform Copyright: 2013 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-4825-8700-5 Paperback pages: 30 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture book Author’s ethnicity: Indian-Kenyan (Kirmani) Author’s residence: U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: U.S. Illustrator’s residence: U.S. Subjects: Hijab, Kippah, Mantilla, Patkas, Religion, Social interaction

The Memory of an Elephant: An Unforgettable Journey

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An elephant never forgets! This quirky, oversized, content-rich cabinet of curiosities is the story of Marcel, a very cool elephant. Narrative text describes Marcel. He is a connoisseur of good food, a clotheshorse, a skyscraper expert, and he is compiling an encyclopedia. Illustrations, sidebars, and full-page compendiums give facts about his many interests, including elephants, buildings, ships, geography, and plants. For example, we see Marcel playing a tuba and the opposite page offers facts on instruments, such as the sitar, balalaika, glockenspiel, and electric guitar. The brilliant, detailed spreads are captivating. In the end, his friends arrive to celebrate his birthday. They dance the night away beneath the stars. Marcel’s story concludes with a recipe for La Crepe Marcelette (with banana), his gourmand glossary, a key to the modern furniture in his apartment, and a list of his rare and amazing animal friends. mjw

Title: The Memory of an Elephant: An Unforgettable Journey Author: Sophie Strady Illustrator: Jean-Francoise Martin Publisher: Chronicle Books, San Francisco Copyright: 2014 Original Language: French Translator: Kate Willsky Original Title: La memoire de l’elephant Original Publisher: Helium, Paris Original Copyright: 2012 ISBN: 978-1-4521-2903-7 Hardcover pages: 38 Age range: 8 up Genre: Picture book Book setting: Asia, Panama, Paris, Vietnam Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: France Illustrator’s ethnicity: French Illustrator’s residence: France Subjects: Animals, Birthdays, Buildings, Elephants, Encyclopedia, Fashion, Food, France, French history, Furniture, Memory, Music, Paris, Ships

Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin

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Young Hana has signed up to play her violin in her school’s talent show, but she has only had three lessons. Her brothers tease her and suggest that she will be a disaster. Hana remembers her visit to her grandfather, Ojiichan, in Japan. He played Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Bach on his violin in the symphony orchestra in Kyoto. He also played songs about crows cawing, crickets chirping, and raindrops falling on oil-paper umbrellas. On the day of Hana’s performance, she plays her best (gambarunoyo) and surprises everyone – even herself. The beautiful illustrations, rendered in pencil and colored digitally, weave in special details and scenes from Japan. Music notes float through the air in this delightful story about determination and the importance of music. mjw

Title: Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin Author: Chieri Uegaki Illustrator: Qin Leng Publisher: Kids Can Press Ltd., Toronto Copyright: 2014 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-894786-33-1 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture book Author’s ethnicity: Japanese Author’s residence: Canada Illustrator’s ethnicity: Chinese Illustrator’s residence: Canada Awards:  2015 USBBY Outstanding International Books Grades PreK-2, 2015 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award Subjects: Creativity, Grandfathers, Japan, Language, Music, Perseverance, Talent shows, Stage fright, Violin

Jasmine Skies

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Fourteen-year-old, mixed-race, Mira Levinson, who lives in London, travels to Kolkata to visit her cousin Priya, after the death of her Granddad Bimal. She is overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, and people she encounters. The sweltering heat, crowded streets, hard-hitting and heart-breaking poverty, and mouth-watering descriptions of food are really brought to life. Mira is compassionate, funny, and inquisitive. She is quiet, loves to paint, and is comfortable in a sari. Priya is an underground DJ and a gifted classical dancer, who is full of spunk and ambition. She dyes her hair red and wears skinny jeans and t-shirts instead of traditional Indian dress. The two are opposites, but they quickly become best friends. Added to this perception-changing story are the mystery of why Mira’s mother and Aunt Anjali had a falling out years ago and a love affair with the sweet boy, Janu. Many issues remain unresolved in this thought-provoking book. It is a sequel to Artichoke Hearts (a.k.a. Mira in the Present Tense). Watch for Brahmachari’s next book. mjw

Title: Jasmine Skies Author: Sita Brahmachari Publisher: Albert Whitman and Company, Chicago Copyright: 2014 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books, UK Original Copyright: 2012 ISBN: 978-0-8075-3782-4 Paperback pages: 332 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction Book setting: Kolkata, India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: UK Awards: Longlisted for the 2013 Carnegie Medal Subjects: Culture, Dance, India, Kolkata

Bundle of Secrets: Savita Returns Home

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Young Savita and her mother travel from Mumbai to their home in Mombasa, Kenya, after visiting family in India. They carry with them a secret bundle. They arrive at Kilindini port and then travel by car through the town past ancient buildings, curio shops, and markets. The inhabitants of their town are from Kenya, Oman, Portugal, and India. They all speak Kiswahili and live together peacefully. Savita’s mother makes a special meal using the fresh vegetables and fruits purchased at the market and the packets of spices that were in the secret bundle they carried from India. The combination of ingredients from the two special places results in a scrumptious meal of muhogo wa nazi (cassava cooked with coconut milk). Indian and Kenyan songs, language, games, and clothing are smoothly integrated into this story, which highlights the Indian-Kenyan community in Kenya. The charming paintings illuminate the multicultural character of coastal Kenya. A world map charts Savita’s route from India to Kenya, East Africa. A list of suggested questions and classroom activities for text-to-self connections is included to raise students’ awareness and appreciation of cultures. mjw

Title: Bundle of Secrets: Savita Returns Home Author: Mubina Hassanali Kirmani Illustrator: Tony Siema Publisher: Create Space Independent Publishing Platform Copyright: 2013 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1484165843 Paperback pages: 34 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Picture book Book setting: Mombasa, Kenya Author’s ethnicity: Born in Kenya, with ancestry from India Author’s residence: U.S. Illustrator’s ethnicity: Kenyan Illustrator’s residence: Kenya Awards: 2014 Children’s Africana Book Award Best Book for Young Children Subjects: East Indians, Food, Indian-Kenyans, Kenya

The Butter Man

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Nora is hungry and anxiously awaits a delicious Saturday dinner of couscous, meat, and vegetables. While her Moroccan-born baba, which means father, prepares the meal, he tells her a story from his childhood in the High Atlas Mountains. During a time of famine, Baba learns valuable life lessons of perseverance, patience, and hope when Nora’s grandfather has to travel far to find work. Each day, Nora’s father hopes for the butter man to pass through his village so he can enjoy the savory taste of butter on the little bread he has. Finally when Nora’s grandfather returns, he brings food that is prepared into a wonderful feast. In the months that follow grandfather’s return, rain begins to fall and the earth can sustain crops once again. Colorful gouache illustrations add to the warm, hopeful tone of the engrossing story that presents what it may feel like to experience scarcity in a sensitive, poignant manner. An author’s note delves deeper into village life, peddlers who walk from village to village, traditional clothing, and customs of Berbers, native people of North Africa. cc

Title: The Butter Man Author: Elizabeth Alalou and Ali Alalou Illustrator: Julie Klear Essakalli Publisher: Charlesbridge Copyright: 2011 Original language: English ISBN: 978-1-58089-128-8 Paperback pages: 32 Age range: 6-9 Genre: Picture book Book setting: Morocco Author’s ethnicity: Moroccan Author’s residence: United States Illustrator’s residence: Morocco Awards: 2009 Middle East Book Award Subjects: Atlas Mountains, Berbers, Drought, Family, Famine, Hardship, Imazighen, Meals, Moroccan culture, Morocco, North Africa, Travel

I See The Sun In Russia

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Anton is a young boy growing up in St. Petersburg, Russia, who plays the violin and hopes to be in an orchestra someday. The book offers a snapshot of the daily life of an average Russian family through a child’s eyes. Anton wakes to a snowy morning, attends a special public music school, visits the Hermitage Museum with his class, grocery shops with his mother, plays soccer with a friend, and enjoys dinner with his family. Colorful collage illustrations of St. Petersburg scenery combine photography, cut paper, and drawings. The book is in two languages, print English and cursive Russian. A cultural overview of St. Petersburg, a map, and a glossary are included. This is the fourth book in the I See The Sun series, which reflects both the diversity and similarity of children’s experiences throughout the world. The possibilities for learning are endless. mjw

Title: I See The Sun In Russia Author: Dedie King Illustrator: Judith Inglese Publisher: Satya House Publications, Hardwick, Massachusetts Copyright: 2014 Original language: English and Russian Translator: Irina Ossapova ISBN: 978-19358742-5-6 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 5 and up Genre: Picture book Book setting: St. Petersburg, Russia Author’s residence: United States Subjects: Dance-Ballet, Eastern Europe, Grandmothers, Music, Russian Language, St. Petersburg, Violin

Hannah’s Winter

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Because of manga and anime, youth interest in Japan is rising.  Hannah‘s Winter is one of the few contemporary novels set in Japan.  In this middle-grade ghost-mystery, an Australian girl named Hannah, fluent in Japanese, spends a winter with the eccentric Japanese family of her new friend Miki.  Together they find an ancient message and are drawn into solving a mysterious riddle to help a boy from a past age. A useful author’s note serves to help the reader distinguish between which locations, historical references, and so forth are fact and which are fiction.  This novel is a compelling combination of fact, fantasy, and humor filled with intriguing characters, exotic locations, and strange events. ew

Title: Hannah’s Winter Author: Kieran Meehan Publisher: Kane Miller Book Publishers Copyright: 2009 Original language: English Original publisher: Penguin, Australia Original copyright: 2001 ISBN: 978-1-93305-98-2 Hardcover pages: 212 Age range: 10 and up Genre: Mystery/Fantasy Book setting: Japan Author’s ethnicity: Australian Author’s residence: Australia Awards: 2010 IBBY Outstanding International Books List Subjects: Eastern Asia, Family, Ghosts, Japan, Supernatural

Summoning The Phoenix

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Children will be able to explore traditional Chinese instruments and relate to the challenges and rewards of learning to play a musical instrument as they follow twelve children who practice their instruments in preparation for a concert as all musician do. Lively poems convey each child’s unique experience learning to play their chosen traditional Chinese musical instrument. Sidebars featured with each poem give a more in-depth description of how the instrument sounds, how it is made, and how it feels to play. This musical journey is accompanied with vivid, warm pencil and digital illustrations all the way to the grand finale. An author’s note about Chinese music and the recent introduction of the Chinese orchestra follows the text. cc

Title: Summoning The Phoenix: Poems And Prose About Chinese Musical Instruments Author: Emily Jiang Illustrator: April Chu Publisher: Shen’s Books, an imprint of Lee & Low Books, Inc., New York Copyright: 2013 Original language: English ISBN: 978-1-885008-50-3 Hardcover pages: 454 Age range: 6-12 Genre: Poetry Author’s ethnicity: Chinese Author’s residence: United States Illustrator’s residence: United States Subjects: China, Eastern Asia, Musical instruments

A Tale Of Two Parrots

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This 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

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Thirteen-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

Migrant: The Journey Of A Mexican Worker

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In this striking, thoughtful first-person narration, a Mexican boy tells of his journey to the United States with his family as they face many dangers.  The uncertainty all illegal immigrants face arouses empathy for the real risks surrounding relevant political issues, namely, migrant journeys taken in hopes of finding work and a better life.  This bilingual, codex-style book literally unfolds as the story progresses and offers a straightforward Spanish translation on the reverse side of the English version. Brilliant illustrations in charcoal blacks and greys on amate, bark paper, are reminiscent of pre-Hispanic codices. cc

Title: Migrant: The Journey Of A Mexican Worker Author: Jose Manuel Mateo Illustrator: Javier Martinez Pedro Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2014 Original language: Spanish Translator: Emmy Smith Ready Original title: Migrar Original copyright: 2011 ISBN: 978-1419709579 Hardcover pages: 22 Age range: 8 up Genre: Fiction Book setting: Mexico, United States Author’s residence: Mexico Illustrator’s residence: Mexico Awards: 2015 USBBY Outstanding International Books Grades 6-8, 2012 Bologna Book Fair Horizons’ Book Award Subjects: Central America, Emigration and immigration, Family life, Mexico, Migrant labor, North America