Tag Archives: Sports

Hound And Hare

Hounds and hares don’t get along in the town of Great Bone because of an old feud. Teens Hugo Hound and Harley Hare both want to participate in the Big Race, but their parents don’t approve. They do enter the race and are both in the lead when a terrible thunderstorm breaks out. Hugo is terrified of the storm and Harley panics when he discovers that they are lost. By working together, they find their way home, share the first prize, and become the heroes of the day. Funny, colored pencil and ink cartoon style drawings complement the lively text in this picture book/early chapter book. The endpapers feature a map of the town. mjw

Title: Hound And Hare
Author: Rotraut Susanne Berner
Illustrator: Rotraut Susanne Berner
Publisher: Groundwood Books, House of Anansi Press
Copyright: 2011
Original Language: German
Translator: Shelley Tanaka
Original Title: Hund & Hase
Original Publisher: Jacoby and Stuart
Original Copyright: 22009
ISBN: 978-0-88899-987-0
Hardcover pages: 80
Age range: 6-9
Genre: Picture Book/ Early Chapter Book
Author’s ethnicity: German
Author’s residence: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s residence: Germany
Awards: 2016 Hans Christian Andersen Award, 2006 German Youth Literature Prize for her work as a whole
Subjects: Community, Conflict resolution, Cooperation, Dogs, Hares, Hounds, Rabbits, Running races, Racing, Thunderstorms

Boys Don’t Knit (In Public)

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Seventeen-year-old Ben Fletcher tells his story in a witty and funny diary format. After an unfortunate incident with some stolen liquor and a crossing guard, he is put on probation and has to choose an evening course at the local college as part of his rehabilitation. He takes up knitting and discovers he’s really good at it, but he has to keep his knitting a secret from his friends and his sports-loving dad. There is even more for him to worry about – his knitting teacher is the mom of the girl of his dreams and his friends are real troublemakers. Ben gains confidence, wins the All-United Kingdom Knitting Championship, and even gets the girl. He is quirky, perceptive, and adorable and his passion for knitting will encourage readers to take up knitting, regardless of gender stereotypes. Packed with pop culture references and jokes, the book is a laugh-aloud fast read. A sequel, An English Boy in New York (2014, Hot Key Books) follows Ben on his trip to New York for the U.S. National Knit Fair. mjw

Title: Boys Don’t Knit (In Public)
Author: T.S. Easton
Publisher: Fiewel and Friends, New York, an imprint of Macmillan
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: Hot Key Books
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-1-250-05331-2
Hardcover pages: 272
Age range: 12-16
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: England
Author’s ethnicity: English
Author’s residence: England
Awards: 2015 Carnegie Medal nomination
Subjects: Adolescence, Communities, Conduct of life, England, Family life, Fathers and sons, Humorous stories, Knitting, Social issues, Teenage boys, Women teachers

Harry Miller’s Run

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Eleven-year-old Liam is an enthusiastic runner who, with his mates, has entered his first Junior Great North Run. He visits an elderly neighbor, Harry Miller, who is about to move into a nursing home and who his mum helps to look after. Harry tells that he ran the thirteen-mile race from Newcastle to the sea at South Shields when he was a lad in 1938. This touching and uplifting story about friendship is illustrated with detailed black and white drawings. The Great North Run is an actual English athletic event. mjw

Title: Harry Miller’s Run
Author: David Almond
Illustrator: Salvatore Rubbino
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd., London
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
Original copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4063-6224-4
Hardcover pages: 64
Age range: 7 up
Genre: Historical Fiction
Book setting: England
Author’s ethnicity: British
Author’s residence: Northumberland, England
Illustrator’s residence: London
Awards: Author has won 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Medal
Subjects: Friendship, Marathon running, Reminiscing in old age, Running

The Tortoise And The Hare

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As the animals are having a picnic in a meadow, the Tortoise says to the Hare, “I bet I can beat you in a running race!” Despite everyone’s laughter, the Hare accepts the challenge. This favorite classic about how “slow and steady wins the race” is retold in this book’s wondrous artwork. The illustrations of the woodland creatures and stunning landscape were created using ink drawings with soft watercolor washes. Intricately detailed illustrations make this book excellent for one-on-one reading. ema

Title: The Tortoise And The Hare
Author: Aesop (620-560 BC), retold by Bernadette Watts
Illustrator: Bernadette Watts
Publisher: North-South Books
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: German
Translator: North-South Books
Original Title: Der Hase und die Schildkröte
Original Publisher: North-South Books
Original Copyright: 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4207-6
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book, Fable
Author’s ethnicity: Aesop: Greek, Watts: English
Author’s residence: Watts: England
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: England
Subjects: Fairytales, Folklore, Folktales, Races, Running, Retellings

Moko Jumbi Dreams

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Ten-year-old Lexi dreams of becoming a moko jumbi majorette, a stilt walker in a parade. Though Lexi misses her best friend, she befriends her new neighbors, Miss Ivy and her foster children. Unfortunately, people petition that they should move out of the neighborhood. Moreover, Lexi’s family worries about the threatening hurricane which is quickly approaching. This lively first book in a series has a glossary of terms, questions which accompany the reading, a list of vocabulary words, and a bibliography of helpful resources. ema

Title: Moko Jumbi Dreams
Author: Alscess Lewis-Brown
Illustrator: Wayne “Bully” Petersen and Cynthia Hatfield
Publisher: Little Bell Caribbean an imprint of Editorial Campana
Copyright: 2011
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-934370-22-3
Paperback pages: 112
Age range: 9-14
Genre: Fiction Novel
Book setting: The US Virgin Islands/ the Caribbean
Author’s ethnicity: Born in Antigua
Author’s residence: St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Petersen: Caribbean
Illustrator’s residence: Petersen: The Virgin Islands, Hatfield: St. Croix
Subjects: Caribbean, Dreams, Foster children, Neighbors, Racism, Small towns, Stilt walkers

Where The Streets Had A Name

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Thirteen-year-old Palestinian Hayaat and her family have been uprooted from their home and are living behind the Israeli-built Separation Wall in Bethlehem on the occupied West Bank. She and her soccer-loving, Christian friend Sami decide to journey across the wall to Jerusalem, with an empty hummus jar, to get a handful of soil from her ailing grandmother’s beloved ancestral home. It is only a few miles, but checkpoints, curfews, barriers, and the permit system make crossing the border dangerous. They encounter armed soldiers, an Israeli peace activist couple, fellow travelers, and a young boy who needs a friend. Humor and a loving family keep the story light despite the violence, anguish, and suspense in the realistic 2004 war zone setting. This fascinating and heart-breaking story does end on a hopeful note. A Glossary enhances the understanding of Arabic words used throughout the novel, which was written by the acclaimed author of the young adult novel Does My Head Look Big in This? mjw

Title: Where The Streets Had A Name
Author: Randa Abdel-Fattah
Publisher: Scholastic Press, New York
Copyright: 2010
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: Pan Macmillan, Australia
Original Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-0-545-17292-9
Hardcover pages: 313
Age range: 10-13
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Jerusalem, Israel. Bethlehem, West Bank, Palestine
Author’s ethnicity: Palestinian and Egyptian heritage
Author’s residence: Sydney, Australia
Awards: 2011 Middle East Outreach Council Youth Literature Award
Subjects: Arab-Israeli conflict, Grandmothers, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Palestinian Arabs

Soccer Star

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In an impoverished favela in Brazil, young Felino’s enthusiasm for soccer is infectious. He works on a fishing boat and visits his friends, who also cannot attend school because they must work to support their families. His little sister Maria longs to play soccer with Felino’s team, but their rule is no girls. But when the team’s goalie injures his wrist, they call Maria from the sidelines. No “useless old rule” will keep his team of hopeful soccer stars from a win. Digitally colored drawings dramatically portray the Brazilian setting in this uplifting story. Portuguese words are smoothly integrated and are easy to translate through context. This is a timely picture book, since the 2016 Summer Olympic Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. mjw

Title: Soccer Star
Author: Mina Javaherbin
Illustrator: Renato Alarcao
Publisher: Candlewick Press, Somerville, Massachusetts
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6056-7
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Picture book
Book setting: Brazil
Author’s ethnicity: Iranian
Author’s residence: California, U.S.
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian
Illustrator’s residence: Brazil
Subjects: Brazil, Brothers and sisters, Poverty, School, Sexism, Soccer, Sports

The Fastest Boy in the World

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Eleven-year-old Solomon loves to run and dreams of seeing his heroes, the 2012 London Olympics gold-medal-winning Ethiopian running team. He cannot believe it when his grandfather announces that he is going to take Solomon to Addis Ababa on the day of the team’s victory parade. On their visit, Solomon learns that his grandfather was a famous runner and also that he was a war hero who risked his life to save a friend. When his grandfather collapses, Solomon has to run the twenty miles from the city to his village for help. This easy-to-read, short novel, with black-and-white ink drawings, introduces young readers to a setting that is very different from the Western world. mjw

Title: The Fastest Boy in the World
Author: Elizabeth Laird
Illustrator: Peter Bailey
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books, London
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-4472-6717-1
Paperback pages: 163
Age range: 7 up
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Addis Ababa and Kidame, Ethiopia
Author’s ethnicity: British (born in New Zealand)
Author’s residence: U.K.
Illustrator’s ethnicity: British (born in India)
Illustrator’s residence: U.K.
Awards: 2015 Carnegie Medal nominee. Author has been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal five times
Subjects: Addis Ababa, Athletes, Ethiopia, Grandfathers, Olympics (London 2012), Running, Sports, Success

Jumping Jack

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Jumping Jack, a show-jumping horse, and Roger Trotter, his best friend and rider, were international champions. However, at the International Tournament of Primrose, they fall and look like very bad amateurs. They visit a veterinarian and a psychologist to discover that there is nothing wrong that would cause their problems on the course. They even try a two-week vacation. After a mishap at the next International Tournament, they invent a new style, finish the competition brilliantly, and see that Jumping Jack just needed glasses. The vividly colored gouache paintings are downright comical. On a small stool in the vet’s waiting room, Jack’s knees are up to his chest. And in the psychologist’s office, Jack lies on his back on the couch. The final spread shows Roger reading Sports Weekly and Jack reading Don Quixote, both wearing red, round spectacles. mjw

Title: Jumping Jack
Author: Germano Zullo
Illustrator: Albertine
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: French
Translator: Taylor Norman
Original Title: Dada
Original Publisher: Editions La Joie de lire SA, Geneva, Switzerland
Original Copyright: 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4521-3152-8
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Picture book
Author’s ethnicity: Swiss
Author’s residence: Switzerland
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swiss
Illustrator’s residence: Switzerland
Awards: 2014 Hans Christian Andersen Illustrator Award
Subjects: Confidence, Glasses, Horses, Show-jumping, Sports

In This Book

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I am in the poppy, said the bee. I am in the hair, said the barrette. Each page contains a simple, straightforward linocut with subjects of people, animals, food, places, and other everyday objects, each of which (or whom) declares its location. Although a coherent, flowing story is not present, this whimsical book offers a springboard for wondering, learning, dreaming, and storytelling. cc

Title: In This Book
Author: Fani Marceau
Illustrator: Joelle Jolivet
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC.
Copyright: 2014
Original language: French
Translator: Chronicle Books
Original title: Dans le livre
Original publisher: helium, Paris
Original copyright: 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2588-6
Hardcover pages: 64
Age range: 3-8
Genre: Picture book
Author’s ethnicity: French
Author’s residence: France
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: France
Subjects: Animals, Families, Food, Sports

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

Ola

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This 1932 masterpiece is a picture of life as it once was in Norway. Ola is a young boy who travels from one end of Norway to another. He meets new friends, attends a traditional bridal feast, gets caught in a tree, and learns folklore from fishermen before he returns home. Charming stone lithographs illustrate the fantastic Northern landscape. mjw

Title: Ola
Author: Ingri d’Aulaire and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire
Illustrator: Ingri d’Aulaire and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire
Publisher: University of Minnesota Press
Copyright: Reprint 2013
Original language: English
ISBN: 978-0-8166-9017-6
Hardcover pages: 56
Age range: 6-8
Genre: Picture book
Book setting: Norway
Author’s ethnicity: German/Norwegian
Author’s residence: United States
Subjects: Europe, Fishing, Northern Europe, Norway, Peddlers, Scandinavia, Skiing, Skis