Tag Archives: War

One Half From The East

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Ten-year-old Obayda’s father lost one of his legs in a bomb explosion and the family is in need of some good fortune. They move from Kabul to s small village. Obayda is dressed as a boy, a bacha posh. This is a longstanding tradition in Afghanistan. Families without a son designate a preteen daughter to fill the void with a simple physical transformation involving swapping clothes and cutting hair. Before she reaches puberty, she is changed back and resumes life as a girl, a gender that enjoys far less freedom and privilege. Obayda becomes Obayd and everything changes. She meets Rashim, another bacha posh. They become friends, explore the village, and play sports, but there is no forever as a bacha posh. This heart-stirring and enlightening coming-of-age story includes an author’s note. mjw

Title: One Half From The East Author: Nadia Hashimi Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English  ISBN: 978-0-06-242190-6 Hardcover pages: 272 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction Book setting: Afghanistan Author’s ethnicity: Afghan Author’s residence: U.S. Awards: 2017 South Asia Book Award Highly Commended Subjects: Bacha posh, Child marriage, Gender, Prejudice and racism, Self-esteem and self-reliance

My Beautiful Birds

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Sami, his family, and his neighbors are escaping the bombs that have destroyed their Syrian home. Sami is heartbroken because he had to leave behind his pet pigeons. Once they reach the refugee camp and safety, everyone settles in as best they can. But Sami is not interested in soccer or painting. His life seems pointless. He cannot forget his birds. When some birds – a canary, a dove, and a rose finch – fly into the camp, Sami feeds them and provides material for their nests. This helps him begin his long healing process. Rich, textured illustrations fashioned from Plasticene, polymer clay, and other mixed media complement this moving story of one young refugee’s experience in the Syrian civil war. An author’s note gives information about refugee camps and the Syrian conflict. mjw

Title: My Beautiful Birds Author: Suzanne Del Rizzo Illustrator: Suzanne Del Rizzo Publisher: Pajama Press.  Toronto Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-77278-010-9 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 6-10 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Syria Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Canada Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Canada Subjects: Birds, Homelessness, Illness, Loss, Middle East, Poverty, Refugee camps, Refugees, Syria

Canada Year By Year

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This amazing history book features one milestone per year of Canada’s 150-year history. Ten chapters are filled with sidebars, biographies, quotations, trivia, and fascinating illustrations. In 1910, the first chocolate bar in North America was developed in New Brunswick as a quick snack for fishermen. In 1922, Joseph-Armand Bombardier attached a car motor and an airplane propeller to a sleigh to create a snowmobile. In 1932, 17-year-old Joe Shuster sketched the first Superman. And in 2009, more than one-fifth of all smartphones used around the world were made by a Canadian company called Blackberry. This is the story of the people, places, and events that have shaped Canada. Back matter includes an index and an illustrated list of great Canadians – artists, athletes, politicians, and more.mjw

Title: Canada Year By Year Author: Elizabeth MacLeod Illustrator: Sydney Smith Publisher: Kids Can Press. Toronto, Canada Copyright: 22016 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-77138-397-4 Hardcover pages: 96 Age range: 9-12 Genre: Picture book, Information, Nonfiction Book setting: Canada Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Toronto Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Toronto Subjects: Canada, History, Reference

Malala: Activist For Girls’ Education

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Malala Yousafzai stood up to the Taliban, fought for girls’ education, and received the Nobel Prize in 2014. At age fifteen, the Taliban attempted to kill her, but even this did not stop her activism. Bright, beautiful naïve-style folk illustrations depict Pakistan and Malala’s life. The present tense text will engage and inspire older readers. Back matter includes photos of Malala, the history of the fight for girls’ education, a map of Pakistan, a timeline, information about the Taliban, details about Malala’s heroes, excerpts from her speeches, and a brief biography. mjw

Title: Malala: Activist For Girls’ Education Author: Raphaele Frier Illustrator: Aurelia Fronty Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing, Watertown, MA. USA Copyright: 2017 Original Language: French Translator: Julie Cormier Original Title: Malala: pur le droit des filles a l’education Original Publisher: Editions Rue du Monde Original Copyright: 2105 ISBN: 978-1-58089-785-3 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 6-9 Genre: Picture Book Biography Book setting: Pakistan and England Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: France Illustrator’s ethnicity: French Illustrator’s residence: France Subjects: Biography, Education Girls, Pakistan, Political activists, Sex discrimination in education, Women social reformers

Ticket To India

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After their grandmother’s death, twelve-year-old Maya and her older sister Zara set off on a mission from Delhi to their grandmother’s childhood home in Aminpur in northern India. They are looking for valuable heirlooms that are buried in a trunk on the property. The family left them decades earlier when they fled to Pakistan during Partition in 1947. Along the way, Maya is kidnapped, makes some very bad decisions, but ultimately finds the treasure and her inner bravery. Maya’s journal fills readers in on the backstory of India and Pakistan. A Map, a Glossary, an Author’s Note, and a Reading Group Guide are also included in this action novel packed with fascinating information about the history and culture of India and Pakistan. mjw

Title: Ticket To India Author: N.H. Senzai Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books.  New York Copyright: 2015 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-4814-2259-8 Paperback pages: 304 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction Book setting: Pakistan and India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: U.S. Subjects: Asia; Historical, Asia; Multigenerational; Partition, 1947

Hidden

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Alix, 14, lives on quiet Hayling Island off the coast of England. One day at the beach, she and her friend Samir pull a drowning man out of the incoming tide. He is Mohammed, an asylum seeker, who was tortured by rebels in Iraq for helping the allied forces. Alix and Samir decide to hide Mohammed and, consequently, have to make choices that will determine whether Mohammed will live or die. Alix is a likeable and brave character who has problems of her own – Dad has left, Mom has a broken leg, and Grandfather just died. Samir is an Iraqi refugee who is bullied at their school. This thought-provoking book deals with important themes, like racism, immigration, diversity, and human rights.  mjw

Title: Hidden Author: Miriam Halahmy Publisher: Holiday House Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Albury Books Original Copyright: 2011 ISBN: 978–0-8234-3694-1 Paperback pages: 224 Age range: 12 up Genre: Fiction Book setting: Hayling Island, England Author’s residence: London, England Awards: Nominated for the Carnegie Medal Subjects: Asylum seekers, Gangs, Human rights, Immigrants-England, Iraqi, Political refugees, Racism, Terrorism

The Tin Snail

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This fun, fast-paced World War II adventure, told through the eyes of a teenage boy, is based on the true story of the Citroen 2CV car. In 1938, thirteen-year-old Angelo wants to help his father, who is a well-known auto designer, invent a car for everyday working people. After many failures and crashes, they, with the help of Angelo’s friend Camille and other villagers, build a prototype that will carry “a farmer, his wife, two chickens, a flagon of wine, and a dozen eggs safely across a bumpy fields.” War breaks out and testing the prototype, the Tin Snail, becomes difficult because the Nazis want to steal the design. Black-and–white chapter-heading drawings are a delightful addition. An epilogue, set at the Paris Motor Show of 1948, tells about the post-war development of the car and brings readers up to date with Angelo and Camille. A final chapter, The True Story Behind The Tin Snail, gives the events that inspired the story. mjw

Title: The Tin Snail Author: Cameron McAllister Illustrator: Sam Usher Publisher: Delacorte Press Copyright: 2014 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Random House Children’s Publishers UK, London Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-0-553-53638-6 Hardcover pages: 275 Age range: 9-12 Genre: Historical Fiction Book setting: France Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: Brighton, England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: North London, England Subjects: Automobiles – design and construction, Cars, Europe, Fathers and sons, France, German occupation, Italians, Military and wars, Underground movements, World War II