Tag Archives: Travel

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

the-bear-who-wasnt-thereA 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

drawing-fromthe-cityThirteen-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!

ViewImageMr. 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

finders-keepersThis 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

Sea ChangeTwelve-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

teacupThis 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

The world in a secondInspired 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

The wolves of CThis beautifully illustrated tale follows the 19th 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


Between Shades Of Gray
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

Harry PotterBased 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

Nadia: The Girl Who Couldn’t Sit Still

NadiaFeisty and fearless, Nadia Comaneci joined a gymnastics school at the age of six, and began training with Bela and Marta Karolyi in her native Romania. She worked hard, channeled her boundless energy, and overcame early defeats to become a world-class athlete. In 1976, at the age of fourteen, she received five medals and seven perfect scores at the Olympic games in Montreal. Exuberant ink, watercolor, and colored pencil illustrations, an afterword, a timeline, notes, and a bibliography make this well-researched picture book biography a perfect 10. mjw
Title: Nadia: The Girl Who Couldn’t Sit Still
Author: Karlin Gray
Illustrator
: Christine Davenier
Publisher
: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, New York
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0-544-31960-8
Hardcover pages
: 40
Age range
: 6-9
Genre
: Picture book biography
Book setting
: Romania.  Montreal, Canada
Author’s ethnicity
: U.S.
Author’s residence
: U.S.
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: French
Illustrator’s residence
: Paris, France
Subjects
: Biography, Gymnastics, Olympics, Romania, Sports and recreation

Every Falling Star

 

517TmezUbLL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_In this young adult novel, Sungju Lee narrates the true story of his life in North Korea as a street boy. Sungju starts life in the capital of North Korea, Pyongyang, as part of an elite family with strong influence in the military. Sangju had dreams of becoming a general when at age eleven his family loses everything and is excommunicated by the regime. Over the next few years his world falls apart as his parents disappear while searching for food. In order to survive he formed a street gang of seven boys who became his brothers in his hard times. While in the street gang Sangju never gave up hope to see his parents again. To foster his hope he wished on every falling star to be reunited with family and free from his suffering.  amo
Title: Every Falling Star
Author: Sungju Lee & Susan McClelland
Publisher
: Amulet Books
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-4197-2132-8
Paperback pages
: 336
Age range
: 13-16
Genre
: Autobiography
Book setting
: North Korea
Author’s ethnicity
: North Korean
Author’s residence
: United Kingdom
Subjects: Gangs, North Korea, Pyongyang, Street Boys, Work Camps