Tag Archives: Travel

Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey

This stunning bilingual Arabic/English picture book was inspired by the unique stone-collage art of Syrian artist Nizar Ali Badr. It is the story of Rama and her family, who are forced to flee their once peaceful village to escape the devastation of the civil war. Taking only what they can carry on their backs, Rama, her mother and father, her grandfather, and her brother Sami, walk to freedom in Europe. The artist’s images are photographs of carefully placed stones, creating figures that come to life to tell the story. A forward tells how the author discovered Badr’s art. mjw

Title: Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey
Author: Margriet Ruurs
Illustrator: Nizar Ali Badr
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: English and Arabic
Translator: Falah Raheem
ISBN: 978-1-4598-1490-5
Hardcover pages: 28
Age range: 9-12
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Syria and Europe
Author’s ethnicity: Dutch
Author’s residence: British Columbia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Syrian
Illustrator’s residence: Syria
Subjects: Bilingual books, Civil war- Syria 2011, Refugee crisis, Refugees, Stone art, Syria.

Somos Como Las Nubes/We Are Like The Clouds

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Over 100,000 children have left Central America for the United States. The powerful poetry in this bilingual Spanish/English book describes the hardships and risks these children undertake and their hope for a new life in America. The first poems show the beauty of Central America. Next, they depict the problems, including gangs. The children face rough conditions with courage. The final poems take place in Los Angeles. The author was a refugee from El Salvador’s war in the 1980s. Beautiful surreal paintings complement the imagery of the poems. mjw

Title: Somos Como Las Nubes/We Are Like The Clouds
Author: Jorge Argueta
Illustrator: Alfonso Ruano
Publisher: Groundwood Books, Toronto
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: Spanish
Translator: Elisa Amado
ISBN: 978-1-55498-849-5
Hardcover pages: 36
Age range: 7-12
Genre: Picture Book/Poetry
Book setting: Central America and U.S.
Author’s ethnicity: Salvadoran and Pipil Nahua Indian
Author’s residence: San Francisco
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish
Illustrator’s residence: Madrid
Awards: Author has won the International Latino Book Award. Illustrator has won the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award
Subjects: Hispanic, Homelessness, Immigration, Latino, Poverty, Refugees, Stories in verse

The Bear Who Wasn’t There: And The Fabulous Forest

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A very positive bear, who is nice and handsome, too, sets out on a journey to find himself. With the help of Turtle Taxi, he travels through the Fabulous Forest that has eight directions – north, south, east, west, breakfast, lunch, right, and wrong. He meets Convenience Cow, Lazy Lizard, and Penultimate Penguin. In the end, he finds that he himself is just what he has been looking for all along. The musical wordplay and unusual illustrations in this absurd, clever, and philosophical story will remind readers of Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, and The Wizard of Oz. mjw

Title: The Bear Who Wasn’t There: And The Fabulous Forest
Author: Oren Lavie
Illustrator: Wolf Erlbruch
Publisher: Black Sheep/Akashic Books
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: German
Original Title: Der Bar Der Nicht da War
Original Publisher: Verlag Antje Kunstmann GmbH
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-1-61775-490-6
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 4-10
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Born in Tel Aviv
Author’s residence: Tel Aviv
Illustrator’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s residence: Germany
Awards: Illustrator has won the German Children’s Book Prize, the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, and the 2017 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
Subjects: Bears, Identity, Nature

Drawing From The City

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Thirteen-year-old Tejubehan lives with her lower caste family, in poverty, in western India. Her father works in fields and sings for a living. Teju dreams of traveling to unknown places. At age 16, her parents find her a husband with kind eyes, who is also a singer. He encourages her to sing, too. They move to Mumbai, where they meet an artist who inspires them to draw. Drawing is like magic for Teju and she loses herself in her rich imagination. Teju’s exquisite, intricate black ink drawings tell her autobiographical story. This oversize format, fine art book includes photos of Tejubehan and her husband Ganeshbhai Jogi and a note about the story. It is silk-screen printed and bound by hand on handmade paper. mjw

Title: Drawing From The City
Author: Based on the oral stories of Tejubehan. Tamil text by Saalai Selvam
Illustrator: Tejubehan
Publisher: Tara Books Pvt. Ltd
Copyright: 2012
Original Language: Tamil
Translator: V. Geetha and Gita Wolf
ISBN: 978-93-80340-17-3
Hardcover pages: 28
Age range: 10-13
Genre: Picture Book Biography
Book setting: India
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Author’s residence: India
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian
Illustrator’s residence: India
Subjects: Ahmadabad, Biography, Drawing, Folk art, Music, Singers, Women artists

Hello World!

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Mr. and Mrs. Mo are too busy working to play with their monster so he decides to go see the world. He sets of with his globe in hand to see all of the sights he can find. Along the way he sees beautiful hills and landscapes. Unfortunately, he gets a bit lost. After a few moments of worry, Mrs. Mo finds him and helps him along his way. The warm colored illustrations help express the monster’s excitement as he treks through the hills. amo

Title: Hello World!
Author: Paul Beavis
Illustrator: Paul Beavis
Publisher: Gecko Press
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-9272-7189-8
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 3-6
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: English
Author’s residence: New Zealand
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: New Zealand
Subjects: Monsters, Travel

Finders Keepers? A True Story In India

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This introduction to the traditions, daily life, and culture of India takes readers on a bus journey through the Rajasthan countryside. The narrator describes how, when he lost his wallet, a young boy returned it and refused to accept a reward for his honesty. Terms like chapatis, saris, torans, and more are smoothly integrated into the text. A map sets the scene for the journey. Back matter includes a glossary, pronunciations, Indian facts, character building questions, and a craft activity to make a paper toran. The book is available in a Spanish edition, Es Mio? mjw

Title: Finders Keepers? A True Story In India
Author: Robert Arnett
Illustrator: Smita Turakhia
Publisher: Atman Press
Copyright: 2013
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-96529008-1
Hardcover pages: 34
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: India
Author’s ethnicity: U.S.
Author’s residence: Columbus, Georgia. U.S.
Illustrator’s ethnicity: born in Mumbai, India
Illustrator’s residence: Texas
Subjects: Character building, Culture, Hinduism, Religion, Values

Sea Change

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Twelve-year-old Eliot Dionisi’s parents send him to Point Aconi in Nova Scotia for the summer. He is not looking forward to spending time with his wrinkly old relatives who smell like fish. At first, it is not easy for him to fit in. He is pushed out of his comfort zone. But as the summer wears on, Eliot learns to fish, swim, and eat lobster. He discovers his great grandmother’s library, picks blueberries, enjoys a clambake, and even has his first kiss. He makes friends, deals with the local bully, and helps Mary Beth, his crush, with a secret. This warm and funny coming-of-age story is illustrated with artwork drawn in pencil and India ink and colored digitally. Some of the text is also transformed into unconventional illustrations. mjw

Title: Sea Change
Author: Frank Viva
Illustrator: Frank Viva
Publisher: Tundra Books, a division of Random House of Canada
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-101-91852-4
Hardcover pages: 120
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Fiction, Graphic Novel
Book setting: Point Aconi, Nova Scotia
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: Toronto
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian
Illustrator’s residence: Toronto
Subjects: Abuse, Canada, Coming of age, Fishing, Growing up, Multigenerational, Nova Scotia, Summer

Teacup

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teacup This picture book is a simplistically beautiful tale about a boy who journeys to find a new home on a boat with a teacup that is filled with dirt. The gorgeous illustrations effectively reflect the various colors, light, and perspectives of the environments. Every page includes lovely views of the sky, water, ocean, and the various creatures that inhabit them. The book is a wonderful story about a voyage full of personal growth, perseverance, hope, and the promise of a friendship. Readers of all ages and backgrounds will find this story resonating. ema

Title: Teacup
Author: Rebecca Young
Illustrator: Matt Ottley
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: Scholastic Australia
Original Copyright: 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7352-2777-4
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Fiction Picture Book
Authors’ ethnicity: Australian
Authors’ residence: Australia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Australian
Illustrator’s residence: New South Wales, Australia
Awards: 2016 Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature, and the 2016 NSW Premier’s Literary Award
Subjects: Journeys, Oceans, Sailing, Trees

The World In A Second

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Inspired by the question – “What are they doing on the other side of the world right now?” – this wondrous, work-of-art picture book focuses on the natural and cultural events happening at the same moment in time in twenty-three different locations. A volcano rumbles in Papua-New Guinea, at 10:32 pm. A girl hurries home from school in Seydisfjordur, Iceland, at 12:32 pm. A ripe orange falls in an orchard in Mertola, Portugal, at 1:32 pm. The art is bold and graphic, with varying perspectives. A world map at the back of the book indicates where and when each moment took place and will get readers to think globally. mjw

Title: The World In A Second
Author: Isabel Minhos Martins
Illustrator: Bernardo P. Carvalho
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Book, New York
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: Portuguese
Translator: Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Original Title: O mundo num segundo
Original Publisher: Planeta Tangerina, Portugal
Original Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-1-59270-157-5
Hardcover pages: 56
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Pictire Book
Book setting: 23 locations, including Angola, Argentina, Australia, Azores, Baltic Sea, Brazil, Hungary, Iceland, Indian Ocean, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Papua-New Guinea, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, Venezuela,and USA
Author’s ethnicity: Portuguese
Author’s residence: Portugal
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Portuguese
Illustrator’s residence: Portugal
Awards: 2011 Banco del Libro de Venezuela Best of the Year
Subjects: Culture, Diveristy, Geography, Time World

The Wolves Of Currumpaw

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This beautifully illustrated tale follows the 19^th century true story of Ernest Thompson Seton and Lobo, king wolf of the Currumpaw Valley in New Mexico. Seton set out to hunt and trap Lobo, but was torn between his love of nature and his hunting ability. The death of Lobo was a turning point for Seton. He then devoted his life to protecting the wolf species and to the conservation of American wildlife. Grill’s stunning colored pencil drawings enhance and extend his modern retelling of Seton’s drama, Lobo, the King of Currumpaw, originally published in 1898. Seton went on to found the Boy Scouts of America. Back matter includes an illustrated glossary and an appendix, which includes an author’s note and lists of books, websites, and places where readers can learn more. mjw

Title: The Wolves Of Currumpaw
Author: William Grill
Illustrator: William Grill
Publisher: Flying Eye Books, an imprint of Nobrow Ltd. London
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-909263-83-3
Hardcover pages: 80
Age range: 7-14
Genre: Picture book, Information book, Nonfiction
Book setting: New Mexico, U.S.
Author’s ethnicity: English
Author’s residence: London
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: London
Awards: Author/illustrator has won the 2015 CLIP Kate Greenaway Medal
Subjects: Foxes and wolves, Exploration and discoveries, Old West, Wildlife conservation

Between Shades Of Gray

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Fifteen-year-old Lina’s life takes a drastic turn when the Soviet Secret Police force her out of her home. Lina, her mother, and her younger brother Jonas are treated like criminals and dragged onto a train to Siberia. Along the journey, Lina leaves behind hints for her father in the form of her drawings. This account of the tragedies and horrors Lithuanians and others experienced during Stalin’s rule in Word War II is filled with hope, love, and compassion. Readers can look forward to the upcoming movie adaptation of the novel called Ashes In The Snow. ema

Title: Between Shades Of Gray
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Publisher: Penguin
Copyright: 2012
Original Language: English
Original Copyright: 2011
ISBN: 978-0-14-242059-1
Paperback pages: 384
Age range: 14 up
Genre: Historical Fiction
Book setting: Lithuania and Siberia
Author’s ethnicity: American
Author’s residence: Tennessee
Awards: 2011 Prix-RTL LIRE Award for Best Novel for Young People, 2012 Golden Kite Award, An ALA Notable, A Carnegie Medal Nominee, and A New York Times Notable
Subjects: Drawings, Letters, Lithuania, Paintings, Prison Camps, Siberia, Soviet Union, World War II

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child: Parts One And Two, Special Rehearsal Edition Script

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Based on a story by J.K. Rowling, this play is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series. The play received its world premier in London’s West End on July 30, 2016. It is nineteen years after Voldemort’s death in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows and Harry is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic and the father of three school-age children. The story follows his younger son Albus Severus Potter as he struggles with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. The book sold over 2 million copies in the first two days of release. mjw

Title: Harry Potter And The Cursed Child: Parts One and Two, Special Rehearsal Edition Script
Author: J.K.Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-338-09913-3
Hardcover pages: 320
Age range: 8 up
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Book setting: England
Author’s ethnicity: British (Rowling)
Author’s residence: Scotland (Rowling)
Awards: OBE Order of the British Empire
Subjects: Fantasy, Good and evil, Harry Potter, Magic, Wizardry