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Title: The Barren Grounds Author: David A. Robertson Publisher: Puffin Canada, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers Copyright: 2022 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0735-2661-24 Paperback pages: 256 Age range: 10-17 Genre: Fiction, Novel, Fantasy First Nations Book setting: Winnipeg, Manitoba Author’s ethnicity: Norway House Cree Nation Author’s residence: Winnipeg, Manitoba Awards: Honor Book in the USBBY-CBC Outstanding International Trade Books, Robertson is a two-time winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award Subjects: Cree culture, Fantasy, Folk tales, Foster homes, Indigenous stories, Myths, Chronicles of Narnia, Orphans, Traditions |
Tag Archives: Migration
Just A Girl: A True Story Of World War II
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Title: Just A Girl: A True Story Of World War II Author: Lia Levi Illustrator: Jess Mason Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, LLC. Copyright: 2022 Original Language: Italian Translator: Sylvia Adrian Notini Original Title: Una bambina e basta Original Copyright: 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-306508-6 Hardcover pages: 144 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Historical biography, Novel, Autobiography Book setting: Italy Author’s ethnicity: Italian Author’s residence: Rome, Italy Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: England Awards: 2023 Batchelder Winner Subjects: Boarding schools, Convents, Discrimination, Holocaust, Italy, Jewish, Memoirs, Survival, WWII |
Different: A Story Of The Spanish Civil War
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Title: Different: A Story Of The Spanish Civil War Author: Monica Montanes Illustrator: Evan Sanchez Gomez Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2022 Original Language: Spanish Translator: Lawrence Schimel Original Title: Los distintos Original Publisher: Ediciones Ekare. Barcelona, Spain Original Copyright: 2020 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5598-5 Hardcover pages: 88 Age range: 9-14 Genre: Historical fiction Book setting: Spain, Venezuela Author’s ethnicity: Venezuelan Author’s residence: Madrid Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish Illustrator’s residence: Spain Awards: 2021 White Raven, 2023 Batchelder Award Subjects: Brothers and sisters, Caribbean and Latin America, Emigration and immigration, Military and wars, Refugees, Spain Civil War 1936-1939, Survival, Venezuela |
Lands Of Belonging: A History of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain
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Title: Lands Of Belonging: A History Of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain Author: Donna and Vikesh Amey Bhatt Illustrator: Salini Perera Publisher: Nosy Crow, London Copyright: 2022 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-83994-468-0 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 7-12 Genre: Nonfiction, Information Book Book setting: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Britain Author’s ethnicity: East African (Vikesh) Author’s residence: London Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Sri Lanka Illustrator’s residence: Toronto Subjects: Ancient empires, East India Company, Festivals, Food, Games, Holidays, Independence, Partition, World War I, World War II |
My Name Is Bana
![]() Seven-year-old Bana, a Syrian girl from Aleppo, took to Twitter to describe her war-torn home. In this picture book memoir, she offers her perspective on the war and being a refugee. She explains the origin of her name. Bana is a tall bushy tree that grows in Syria. Her father and mother wanted her to be strong just like the tree – being kind to others, standing up against injustice, and being brave in the face of fear. She also shows her strength by bringing joy to her brothers amidst bombings, starting over in a new country, and speaking to world leaders on behalf of Syrian refugee children. The illustrations rendered in acrylic paint and finished in procreate are emotional and bright. Arabic words are smoothly integrated into the text. An author’s note tells that the book is based on a true story. mjw |
Title: My Name Is Bana Author: Bana Alabed Illustrator: Nez Riaz Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2021 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1534412484 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture book, Autobiography Book setting: Syria and Turkey Author’s ethnicity: Syrian Author’s residence: Turkey Illustrator’s ethnicity: Pakistani Illustrator’s residence: Boston, MA Awards: 2022 NCSS Notable Books Subjects: Autobiography, Biography, Children’s writings, Human rights, Refugee children, Syria – Civil War, Trees |
Bandoola: The Great Elephant Rescue
![]() The colored pencil drawings are stunningly beautiful in this incredible true story about war veteran James Howard Williams; Bandoola, a working elephant; and Po Toke, the elephant’s keeper. They work together on a teak plantation in Myanmar (Burma), a country in Southeast Asia that was a colony of the British Empire. When World War II forces them to evacuate their home in the jungle, they lead a group of over 200 refugees and over 50 elephants across mountainous terrain to safety in Assam, India. A table of contents, a map, a wonderfully illustrated glossary, suggestions for further reading, and an author’s note add to this highly educational masterpiece. mjw |
Title: Bandoola: The Great Elephant Rescue Author: William Grill Illustrator: William Grill Publisher: Flying Eye Books, an imprint of Nobrow Ltd. London Copyright: 2021 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-83874-123-8 Hardcover pages: 88 Age range: 8-14 Genre: Picture Book, Information Book, Nonfiction Book setting: Myanmar and India Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: London Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: London Awards: Author /Illustrator has won the 2015 Kate Greenaway Medal Subjects: Asian history, Burma, Deforestation, Elephants, Green living, Jungle, Logging industry, Monsoons, Mountains, Rainforests, Timber, Timber elephants, World War II |
189 Canaries
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Title: 189 Canaries Author: Dieter Boge Illustrator: Elsa Klever Publisher: Eerdmans Book for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan Copyright: 2021 Original Language: German Translator: Laura Watkinson Original Title: 189 Original Publisher: Aladin Verlag, an imprint of Thienemann-Esslinger. Stuttgart Original Copyright: 2020 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5574-9 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 6-10 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Germany and United States Author’s ethnicity: German Author’s residence: Germany Illustrator’s ethnicity: German Illustrator’s residence: Germany Awards: 2022 USBBY Outstanding International Books List. Author has won the German Youth Literature Prize and has been included in the White Ravens Catalog Subjects: Birds, Canaries, Harz Mountains, Home, Miners, Voyages |
I Hate Borsch!
![]() A young girl living in Ukraine hates the red, thick, disgusting beet and vegetable soup known as borsch. But all Ukrainians are supposed to love it. Even the grandmothers of Kiev cannot get her to change her mind about it. When she immigrates to the U.S., she finds that she doesn’t like American food, especially the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, flat and shiny square cheese, and the mysterious pumpkin spice latte. She then finds borsch recipes hidden in her suitcase and she is transported back home. She makes the soup and invites everyone to eat her borsch. Illustrations created with acrylic, pencils, and digital collage, with splashes of borsch-bright red add to the fun in this story of rejecting and then embracing one’s culture. An author’s note and a recipe for borsch are included. mjw |
Title: I Hate Borsch! Author: Yevgenia Nayberg Illustrator: Yevgenia Nayberg Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan Copyright: 2022 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-8028-5580-0 Hardcover pages: 56 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture book Book setting: Ukraine and U.S. Author’s ethnicity: Ukrainian Author’s residence: New York Illustrator’s ethnicity: Ukrainian Illustrator’s residence: New York Subjects: Cultures, Eastern Europe, Emigration, Food, Heritage, Immigration, Picky eaters, Soup, Recipes, Sunflowers, Vegetables |
My Favorite Memories
Anita And The Dragons
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Title: Anita And The Dragons Author: Hannah Carmona Illustrator: Anna Cunha Publisher: Lantana Publishing Ltd. Copyright: 2021 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-911373-63-6 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 7-10 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Dominican Republic Author’s ethnicity: U.S. Author’s residence: Tennessee Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian Illustrator’s residence: Brazil Subjects: Airplanes, Central America, Social situations |