Tag Archives: Sports

Lands Of Belonging: A History of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain

Published for the 75th anniversary of the Partition of India, this engaging book is an exploration of the history, achievements, and culture of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain. “This book aims to piece together how South Asian and British history are connected. You might find it interesting, surprising, and sometimes very sad – but for the people of South Asia, and for South Asians in Britain, the future is full of hope and excitement.” The book not only provides historical details but it also spotlights Indian cuisine, traditions, festivals, dances, sports, famous people, language, and more. Included are a table of contents, a calendar of celebrations, a timeline of events, a glossary, and an index. Glorious artwork brings each page to life in this beautiful information book. mjw

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

Madani’s Best Game

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Madani is the neighborhood soccer star, who plays on his bare feet. Everyone watches when he plays and wonders what he could do if he only had a proper pair of cleats. Madani is saving money, but not for soccer shoes. Instead, he buys a new sewing machine for his mother. The story is narrated by one of Madani’s teammates. The author explains that the story was inspired by his work with immigrant families. The beautiful, smudgy illustrations, created with pencil, gouache, and colored pencil, capture the city neighborhood and the movement of the soccer games. mjw

Title: Madani’s Best Game
Author: Fran Pintadera
Illustrator: Raquel Catalina
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2022
Original Language: Spanish
Translator: Lawrence Schimel
Original Title: La mejor jugada de Madani
Original Publisher: Ediciones Ekare. Barcelona, Spain
Original Copyright: 2021
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5597-8
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 5-9
Genre: Picture book, Sports fiction
Book setting: Spain
Author’s ethnicity: Spanish
Author’s residence: Spain
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish
Illustrator’s residence: Spain
Subjects: Immigrant life, Love, Poverty, Sewing machines, Shoes, Soccer, Teamwork, Values

Lena, The Sea, And Me

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In this sequel to the OmniLibros post Waffle Hearts (Adventures With Waffles in the U.S.), Trille and Lena are growing up in Mathildewick Cove in Norway, where they have another year of adventures. They hoist Trille’s little sister up a flagpole, sail into a fjord on a flimsy raft, and go caroling during a hurricane. Trille becomes interested in a new girl in town and Lena plays soccer and takes music lessons. There is a smattering of Norwegian culture, which is interesting and lovely. mjw

Title: Lena, The Sea, And Me
Author: Maria Parr
Illustrator: Lara Paulussen
Publisher: Candlewick Press. Somerville, Massachusetts
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: Norwegian
Translator: Guy Puzey
Original Title: Keeperen og havet
Original Publisher: Det Norske Samlaget. Oslo, Norway
Original Copyright: 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5562-0772-9
Hardcover pages: 304
Age range: 7-10
Genre: Fiction, Novel
Book setting: Norway
Author’s ethnicity: Norwegian
Author’s residence: Norway
Subjects: Best friends, Family life, Grandparents

Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story Of The Oldest Person To Ever Run A Marathon

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This is the true story of Fauja Singh, the first one-hundred-year-old to run a marathon. He was born with legs that didn’t work in a Punjab village. He could not play with his friends or walk to school, but that did not stop him. He worked on his family’s farm and grew stronger. Throughout his life he made his mind, body, and heart stronger. At age 81, he ran his first marathon. He has broken many records and became the first person over one hundred (centenarian) to complete a marathon. The beautiful and enlivening illustrations were created digitally using hand drawings and collage pieces. A forward written by Fauja Singh introduces the book. Back matter includes a list of his world records and a photograph of him today. mjw

Title: Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story Of The Oldest Person To Ever Run A MarathonHannah’s Winter
Author: Simran Jeet Singh
Illustrator: Baljinder Kaur
Publisher: Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House. New York
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-525555094
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture book, Biography
Book setting: Punjab, India; England; New York City; Toronto
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Author’s residence: New York
Illustrator’s residence: England
Subjects: Biography, Centenarians, Marathons, Punjabi, Running, Sikh, Track and field

From My Window

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A boy looks out the window and sees in his favela (his district in Rio de Janeiro), patched roofs, rainbows, and people everywhere. He talks to his friends and starts a telephone game. He sees children playing soccer and going to school and he hears Brazilian funk, also called favela funk. He sees his favela and asks, “What do you see from your window?” Colorful, extremely detailed illustrations prepared in acrylics and finished digitally celebrate the boy’s diverse urban community. Back matter explains favelas in Brazil. mjw

Title: From My Window
Author: Otavio Junior
Illustrator: Vanina Starkoff
Publisher: Barefoot Books. Cambridge, MA
Copyright: 2020
Original Language: Portuguese
Translator: Beatriz C. Dias
Original Publisher: Companhia das Letras. Sao Paulo
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-1-78285-977-2
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Brazil
Author’s ethnicity: Brazilian
Author’s residence: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian
Illustrator’s residence: Brazil
Subjects: Brazil, Cities, Favela, Soccer, South America, Urban community living

Piglettes

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This laugh-aloud coming-of-age story tells of the bicycle road trip across France to Paris of three teenage girls, Mirielle, Astrid, and Hakima. The girls were voted by their classmates on Facebook to be the ugliest girls in their school. They take off on their bikes, accompanied by Kader, Hakima’s wheelchair-bound older brother. Their goal is a garden party with the French president. They pull a trailer along with them and sell sausages to make money for the trip. The girls, known as the Piglettes, become stars of social media and television. The story is told through the eyes of funny, philosophical, and awkward Mirielle. This is a powerful book for self-conscious teens. mjw

Title: Piglettes
Author: Clementine Beauvais
Publisher: Pushkin Press
Copyright: 2017
Original Language: French
Translator: Clementine Beauvais
Original Title: Les Petites Reines
Original Publisher: Editions Sarbacane. Paris
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-1782691204
Paperback pages: 287
Age range: 12 up
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: France
Author’s ethnicity: French
Author’s residence: U.K.
Awards: Prix Sorcieres in France
Subjects: Bicycles, Bullying, Coming of age, Cyber-bullying, Feminism, Girls and women, Paris, Racism, Roadtrip, Sausages, Teens and young adult fiction, Ugly girls, Wheelchair

Forward Me Back To You

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Katina King is a biracial teen with a White single mom. She attends an elite private high school in northern California and is a jiu-jitsu champion. After a sexual assault at her school that she is traumatized by, her mom sends her to Boston to heal with her Grandma Vee. Robin Thorton is eighteen. He was adopted by a wealthy White family in Boston, from an orphanage in India. Kat and Robin meet at the church both Robin and Grandma Vee attend. Both teens are dealing with heavy inner turmoil. They sign up for a summer service trip to Kolkata to work with survivors of human trafficking. A dual narrative depicts Kat’s and Robin’s individual points of view in this timely, unique novel with diverse characters about cross-cultural service. mjw

Title: Forward Me Back To You
Author: Mitali Perkins
Publisher: Farra Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers. New York
Copyright: 2019
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-374304928
Hardcover pages: 432
Age range: 14 up
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Kolkata, India and Boston, MA
Author’s ethnicity: Born in Kolkata, India
Author’s residence: California
Awards: 2020 South Asian Book Award Grade 9 up
Subjects: Activism, Adoption, Christian fiction, Global awareness, Jiu-jitsu, Human trafficking, Physical and emotional abuse, Religion, Service, Sexual assault, Social justice, Violence, Volunteerism

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

Step Up To The Plate, Maria Singh

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It is 1945, and with World War II going on, fifth-grader Maria Singh wants to play baseball. When her teacher starts an all-girls team at her school, Maria is thrilled. However she meets many challenges. Her father from India doesn’t want her wearing shorts. Her mother form Mexico wants her to stay home to watch her younger brother. Maria also wants to work to get the city council to approve a baseball field for her neighborhood. And because her father isn’t a U.S. citizen, he can’t own their farm and the family is in danger of losing it. As she learns about teamwork and baseball, she also learns about prejudice and racism in her community. And most importantly, she learns to speak up and make a difference in her world. This well-written, fascinating book, that covers a lot of social history, has great potential for the classroom. mjw

Title: Step Up To The Plate, Maria Singh
Author: Uma Krishnaswami
Publisher: Tu Books, an imprint of Lee and Low Books. New York
Copyright: 2017
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-600602-61-0
Hardcover pages: 288
Age range: 9-12
Genre: Historical fiction
Book setting: California
Author’s ethnicity: born in New Delhi
Author’s residence: Victoria, British Columbia
Awards: 018 South Asia Book Award
Subjects:East Indian Americans, Farm life, Mexican Americans, Prejudice, Racially mixed people, Racism, Sexism, Softball, World War II

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

Mina Vs. The Monsoon

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Mina, a young girl living in India, really wants to go outdoors to play soccer, but it’s monsoon season and she has to stay in. Her mother prepares to celebrate the monsoon by making chai and samosas. Mina plays her tabla (drum) to cheer herself up. The doodh wallah (milkman) explains how important rain is for the rice paddies, but Mina is still sad. When her mother asks her to get thread for stringing flower garlands, Mina discovers her mother’s soccer jersey. As her mother explains that she used to play soccer, the dark clouds disappear and they head outside together. The bold, bright illustrations accompany the energetic text. The book concludes with a glossary of Urdu and Hindi words and a note to parents and educators. mjw

Title: Mina Vs. The Monsoon
Author: Rukhsanna Guidrozz
Illustrator: Debasmita Dasgupta
Publisher: Yali Books, New York
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-949528-98-5
Hardcover pages: 38
Age range: 4-7
Genre: Picture book
Book setting: Bijar and Jharkhand, India
Author’s ethnicity: Persian-Indian-Chinese
Author’s residence: Hawaii
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian
Illustrator’s residence: Singapore
Subjects: Drums, Girls and women, Monsoons, Peacocks, Soccer

Dear Professor Whale

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In nine short, charming chapters, Professor Whale plans another Whale Point Olympics. Penguins, whales, and seals come together in the follow-up to Yours Sincerely, Giraffe. Takabatake’s simple black and white drawings capture the essence of the animals. mjw

Title: Dear Professor Whale
Author: Megumi Iwasa
Illustrator: Jun Takabatake
Publisher: Gecko Press, New Zealand
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: Japanese
Translator: Cathy Hirano
Original Publisher: Kaiser-sha Publishing Co.
Original Copyright: 2003
ISBN: 978-1-776572-06-9
Hardcover pages: 104
Age range: 5-9
Genre: Fiction, chapter book
Author’s ethnicity: Japanese
Author’s residence: Tokyo, Japan
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese
Illustrator’s residence: Japan
Subjects: Humor, Marine life, Penguins, Seals, Whales