How Buffalo Lost Her Coat: A Children’s Tale from Nepal
By Belinda DuPont, illus P.G. Rob
Format: PB, 36 pages
ISBN-10: 1728397448
ISBN-13: 978-1728397443
Age Range: 6–8 years / Grades 1–2
Publisher: AuthorHouse UK (January 7, 2020)
Summary:
When a buffalo calf is born it has a beautiful brown and hairy coat, but by the time it is adult the coat has disappeared and only a grey leathery skin is left. When children ask where the coat has gone, this is the story they are told.
The Dark Child: The Autobiography of an African Boy
By Camara Laye; trans James Kirkup & Ernest Jones
Format: PB, 192 pages
ISBN-10: 080901548X
ISBN-13: 978-0-80901-548-1
Age Range: Young Adult
Publisher: New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1954
Summary:
A memoir of Camara Laye's youth in the village of Koroussa, French Guinea, a place steeped in mystery. He marvels over this mother's supernatural powers, his father's distinction as the village goldsmith, and his own passage into manhood, which is marked by animistic beliefs and bloody rituals of primeval origin. Eventually, he must choose between this unique place and the academic success that lures him to distant cities.
Editorial Reviews
Review:
“The Dark Child has the force of nostalgia, which spurred Laye to write it to relieve his exile at a time when he was far from his people.” ―From the Introduction by Philippe Thoby-Marcellin
About the Author:
Camara Laye was born in 1928 in the village of Koroussa, French Guinea. He was still in his twenties and studying engineering in France when he wrote his award-winning memoir, The Dark Child. His next book, The Radiance of the King, was described as "one of the greatest of the African novels of the colonial period" (Kwame Anthony Appiah). He died in Senegal in 1980.
The Magic Bean Tree: A Legend from Argentina
By Nancy Van Laan, illus Beatriz Vidal
Format: 32 pages; col illus.
ISBN-10: 0395827469
ISBN-13: 978-0-39582-746-8
Age Range: 4–8 years
Publisher: Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,1998
Summary:
A young Quechuan boy sets out on his own to bring the rains back to his parched homeland and is rewarded by a gift of carob beans that come to be prized across Argentina.
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal:
Kindergarten–Grade 5A. This “pourquoi” tale from the Quechua people of Argentina tells of the first tree in the world, a carob. … The theme of a small or weak animal or child who saves the people is eternally satisfying, and children can easily identify with the hero, although Topec's task is less arduous than some. Vidal's stylized paintings are dramatic and colorful, especially in the portrayal of the supernatural bird. One problematic element of this well-told tale is that although the carob (Ceratonia siliqua) is indeed so useful as to seem magical, it is not indigenous to the New World, and thus could not have been known to the Quechuas before the arrival of the Spanish. Also, the tree pictured often looks like a tamarind, also an Old World native.—APam Gosner, formerly at Maplewood Memorial Library, NJ
From Booklist:
Ages 4–8. Similar to her work for Aardema's Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (1981), Vidal's shimmering, folk art-style paintings are well matched to the elegant simplicity and drama of Van Laan's retelling. A glossary and list of sources are included. —Annie Ayres
From a reader:
…. a great group story time book to read out loud to a gathering, with drums maybe for the chanting parts. Fun vibrant illustrations and the glossary at the beginning allows the story itself to flow without being bogged down with explanations. The sources listed are an appreciated resource for folktale lovers. —Reader S. St. Pierre
The Magic Bean Tree: A Legend from Argentina
By Nancy Van Laan, illus Beatriz Vidal
Format: 32 pages; col illus.
ISBN-10: 0395827469
ISBN-13: 978-0-39582-746-8
Age Range: 4–8 years
Publisher: Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,1998
Summary:
A young Quechuan boy sets out on his own to bring the rains back to his parched homeland and is rewarded by a gift of carob beans that come to be prized across Argentina.
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal:
Kindergarten–Grade 5A. This “pourquoi” tale from the Quechua people of Argentina tells of the first tree in the world, a carob. … The theme of a small or weak animal or child who saves the people is eternally satisfying, and children can easily identify with the hero, although Topec's task is less arduous than some. Vidal's stylized paintings are dramatic and colorful, especially in the portrayal of the supernatural bird. One problematic element of this well-told tale is that although the carob (Ceratonia siliqua) is indeed so useful as to seem magical, it is not indigenous to the New World, and thus could not have been known to the Quechuas before the arrival of the Spanish. Also, the tree pictured often looks like a tamarind, also an Old World native.—APam Gosner, formerly at Maplewood Memorial Library, NJ
From Booklist:
Ages 4–8. Similar to her work for Aardema's Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (1981), Vidal's shimmering, folk art-style paintings are well matched to the elegant simplicity and drama of Van Laan's retelling. A glossary and list of sources are included. —Annie Ayres
From a reader:
…. a great group story time book to read out loud to a gathering, with drums maybe for the chanting parts. Fun vibrant illustrations and the glossary at the beginning allows the story itself to flow without being bogged down with explanations. The sources listed are an appreciated resource for folktale lovers. —Reader S. St. Pierre
A Sweet Meeting on Mimouna Night
By Allison Ofanansky, illus Rotem Teplow
Format: HC, 36 pp, col illus.
ISBN-10: 1773063979
ISBN-13: 978-1-77306-397-3
Age Range: 4–8 / Grades K–3
Publisher: Groundwood Books (October 27, 2020)
Summary:
Jews in Morocco celebrate the end of Passover. Miriam and her family live in Fès in Morocco, and as Passover concludes, she and her mother walk to the house of a Muslim family for flour. Miriam meets Jasmine, a girl her own age. This sweet story of friendship and shared customs will introduce North American readers to the Mimouna holiday.
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal:
Gr 1–5—When Passover ends, along with dietary restrictions the Moroccan Jewish holiday of Mimouna begins, but where do observant Jews find flour at that time of night for the traditional and delicious moufleta? Miriam's mother responds to her daughter's question with a walk to the Muslim part of town, where they have tea with Jasmine, a girl Miriam's age, and her mother. After tea, Jasmine's mother sends them home with a bag of flour and is invited to the celebration. Preparations and the party ensue, quietly conveying the traditions of this holiday. As Jasmine repeatedly saves the day when Miriam keeps tripping, the shy girls shed their fears and become fast friends. The next Mimouna finds Miriam's family in Jerusalem, where she remembers Jasmine fondly. Ofanansky's text is dense but flows nicely. It conveys a lot of information while remaining accessible. In a mix of full- and half-page spreads, Teplow's illustrations depict wonderful facial expressions and add texture and life to the text, while her use of patterns, architecture, and colors effectively evokes Morocco. Despite the North African setting, everyone shown has pale skin, although yarmulkes, fezzes, and other head coverings abound. The back matter provides more loving details and a recipe. VERDICT The lesson of intercultural cooperation is subtle but compelling. This introduction to an important holiday and sharing will be a welcome addition to many collections.—Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Lib., Troy, NH
Sing to the Moon
By Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl, illus Sondra van Doorn
Format: HC, 40 pages
ISBN-10: 1911373390
ISBN-13: 978-1911373391
Age Range: 5–9 yrs / Grades K–2
Publisher: London: Lantana Publishing, 2018
Summary:
A little Ugandan boy dreams of reaching the stars and then going Mars. On a rainy day at his grandfather's house, he is brought down to earth with a bump. Can he find magic a little closer to home?
Editorial Reviews
Kirkus Review:
"A young boy and his jjajja share memories and wishes in this tender tale set in Uganda. Have you ever wished to 'ride a supernova straight to Mars' or travel to the spice markets of Zanzibar or ride a crane to a large feast? This young Ugandan protagonist awakes from these very dreams to dark clouds and rain. The boy and his grandfather spend the day doing such chores as packing peas, clearing wet bamboo leaves from the veranda, and cleaning the tilapia for a fish stew. With every task, Jjajja shares stories: about a childhood friend and fishing trips with his father. And after dinner, Jjajja shares his love of books filled with beloved tales of African kingdoms. Unfolding in rhyme, Isdahl's tale amply demonstrates how sharing stories can make even a rainy day full of chores an adventure. Van Doorn's illustrations capture the story in muted grays, browns, and blues. The stylized typeface gives a touch of texture, and the characters look almost like stick figures with their round heads and thin limbs. Details include a small white dog who joins in each activity with understated whimsy. This gentle bedtime story is rich in Ugandan culture and universal nostalgia as it celebrates a boy's great love for his grandfather."―Kirkus Reviews
About the Author:
Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl was born in the United States to Ugandan parents. For more than ten years, she has worked in international development in East and Southern Africa.
Sandra van Doorn was born in France and now lives in Australia. She attended art classes at Emily Carr University in Vancouver before embarking on her career as a children's illustrator.
Jordan: Around the World Series, Book 8
By Jamie Padrazzoli
Format: PB, 49 pages
ISBN-10: 1796408247
ISBN-13: 78-1-79640-824-9
Age Range: 8–2 years
Publisher: Independently published, 2019
Summary:
Join two children from Jordan as they tell you more about their country in this Around the World Series book eight.
Editorial Reviews
About the author: Jamie Padrazzoli:
I decided to start a NON-Fiction line of books called Around the World Series. They include facts with colorful photos. They are told by children from around the world. NOTE: Jamie’s other books are found under the name JAMIE BACH.
Digging for Words: José Alberto Gutiérrez and the Library He Built
By Angela Burke Kunkel, illus Paola Escobar
Format: HC, 40 pp, col illust
ISBN-10: 1984892630
ISBN-13: 978-1984892638
Age Range: 4-8 yrs / Grades Pre-K–3
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books NY, 2020
Summary:
A picture book based on the life of José Alberto Gutiérrez, a garbage collector in Bogotá, Colombia, who started a library with a single discarded book found on his route.
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal:
PreS-Gr 2—This is a story of literacy and two Josés, both look forward to Saturday. On that day, the older José, a garbage collector who carefully gathers books that have been discarded, will open the doors to his collection and share it with the children of their barrio, including the young boy, José. The lyrical text weaves together the daily routines of both Josés, showing elements of their day in Bogotá, Colombia, and the scenes that play out in their imaginations when they discover a new world inside a book. The digitally painted illustrations capture the joy of anticipation and discovery as well as loving details of the barrio of La Nueva Gloria, where there was no library until 2000. An author's note expands on the true story that inspired this book, as well as suggesting sources for more information about Gutiérrez. An inviting and generous story that will be a pleasure to read aloud.—Amanda Foulk, Sacramento P.L.
From Kirkus Reviews:
"The inspiring story of a man who believes in the power of books and the importance of community." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
From School Library Journal:
“An inviting and generous story that will be a pleasure to read aloud.” —School Library Journal, Starred Review
From Booklist:
"This amiable picture book offers children glimpses of Colombia as well as a role model who values books and enjoys sharing them with others…. Simultaneously published in a Spanish edition, Rescatando Palabras." — Booklist
About the Author and Illustrator:
ANGELA BURKE KUNKEL is a school librarian who lives with her husband, two children, and two rescue pups on the banks of Otter Creek in Vermont. Digging for Words is her debut.
PAOLA ESCOBAR grew up traveling from town to town in Bogota, Colombia. Paola is the illustrator of Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré, an Indie Pick called "a must-have for all libraries" in a School Library Journal starred review.
The Sky Fox: A Peruvian Graphic Folktale (Discover Graphics: Global Folktales)
By Alberto Rayo, illus Fabiana Faiallo
Format: HC, 32 pp, col Illus
ISBN-10: 1666341126
ISBN-13: 978-1666341126
Age Range: 4–8 yrs / Grandes 1–2
Publisher: Picture Window Books, Bloomington, MN, 2022
Summary:
What happens to a fox that won't stop teasing the other animals? Read this Peruvian tale to find out. With engaging text and easy-to-follow panels; perfect for graphic novel fans new and old.
The Kaya Girl
By Mamle Wolo
Format: HC, 336 pp, map
ISBN-10: 0316703931
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-70393-2
Age Range: 8–12 yrs / Grades 3–7
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, NY, 2022
Summary:
When Faiza, a Muslim migrant girl from northern Ghana, and Abena, a wealthy doctor's daughter from the south, meet by chance in Accra's largest market, where Faiza works as a porter or kaya girl, they strike up an unlikely and powerful friendship that transcends their social inequities and opens up new worlds to them both.
Editorial Reviews
"...will transport readers to Ghana."―Booklist
"Readers...will also recognize that moving beyond bias can be an act of individual courage and choice."―BCCB
"Middle graders will enjoy being transported to the sights, sounds, smells, and flavors of the Makola Market in Accra, Ghana, which set the stage for Adena’s summer."―School Library Journal, starred review
"Employing realistic dialogue and lush descriptions of the sights, smells, and tastes of Ghana, this smart exploration of friendship’s lasting power centers two teens expanding and exploring their worlds."―Publishers Weekly, starred review
About the Author:
MAMLE WOLO is an award-winning Ghanaian-German author who studied at the University of Cambridge and the University of Lancaster in the UK, and is an Honorary Fellow in Writing of the University of Iowa. She writes fiction, poetry, and screenplays and lives with her family in Accra, Ghana.
Xavier the Prince : Step into Africa)
By Aminata Traoré, illus Shaheed Smith
Format: HC, 38 pp
ISBN-10: 1684012686
ISBN-13: 978-1-68401-268-8
Age Range: 4–8 yrs / Grades Preschool–3
Publisher: Mascot Books (May 1, 2018)
Summary:
Xavier is taking a trip to Africa, but he must accomplish a few tasks before he leaves. Xavier is ready to meet his other grandpère and explore while learning about life in Senegal, West Africa.
About the Author:
Aminata Traoré is a cultural enthusiast who grew up in Savannah, Georgia. She currently resides in the Atlanta area with her family. She contributes to the community through her day- to-day responsibilities as a library professional. Aminata is an advocate for education, communications, and language, and loves sharing travel experiences, Aminata is passionate about promoting the inclusion of cultural diversity in libraries, schools, and bookstores.
Reader Comments
From School Library Journal:
liked everything about this book, Prince Xavier is a bright vibrant little boy who is full of curiosity and exploration. The author tells his story well. Children will love his adventures, the illustrator captures the essence of his being. Its a must have in order for your child's library to be culturally competent!
An ABSOLUTELY AMAZING book: well written and beautiful. My kids now claim it as their new favorite read and have already asked if we can read it again for story time tomorrow night. They especially love the pictures at the end.
Cultures of the World: Turkmenistan
By MaryLee Knowlton
Format: HC/LB 144 pts.; col. Illus & maps
ISBN-13: 0761420142
ISBN-13: 978-0-76142-014-9
Age Range: 10–13 yrs / Grades 7–9
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish/Benchmark, Rye Brook, NY, 2006
Summary:
Examines the geography, history, government, and economy of Turkmenistan along with the lifestyle, religion, language, festivals, and foods common among the country's people.
The Floating Field: How a Group of Thai Boys Built Their Own Soccer Field
By Scott Riley
Format: HC, 40 pp, col illus & maps
ISBN-10: 1541579151
ISBN-13: 978-1-54157-915-6
Age Range: 6–11 yrs / Grades 2–5
Publisher: Minneapolis: Millbrook Press, Minneapolis, 2021
Summary:
On a tiny Thai island without room for a soccer field, a group of resourceful teen boys gathers scraps and works together to build a floating field so they can play the game they love.
Editorial Reviews
"This is a story that presents kids as true problem solvers. . . . an excellent STEM resource."―starred, School Library Journal
"[F]illed with happy smiles and strong kicks. . . . A splendid nonfiction picture book."―starred, The Horn Book Magazine
"A compelling book for football [soccer] fans and readers seeking examples of ingenuity."―starred, Publishers Weekly
"This inspiring tale will appeal to soccer fans, of course, but also has applications for problem solving and determination."―Booklist
"An intriguing true story elevated by striking illustrations."―Kirkus Reviews
About the Author and Illustrators:
Scott Riley is a middle school English teacher who was inspired to write about Prasit Hemmin and Koh Panyee's floating soccer field after visiting the Thai island in 2018. He currently lives with his family in Singapore.
Huynh Kim Lien and Phung Nguyen Quang are Vietnamese illustrators who have collaborated on books published in a number of countries, often under the pen name KAA. Their illustrations are influenced by the folk culture of Vietnam and Asia.
Beyond Possible: One Man, 14 Peaks, and the Mountaineering Achievement of a Lifetime (Young Readers Edition)
By Nimsdai Purja
Format: Hardcover, 168 pp
ISBN-13: 1426374050
ISBN-13: 978-1-42637-405-0
Age Range: 10–14 years
Publisher: Washington, DC: National Geographic Kids, 2022
Summary:
Nimsdai Purja tells of his accomplishment scaling 14 “Death Zone” mountains in seven months. He shares with young readers how he physically prepared himself and also how his attitude, leadership skills, and willingness to learn from mistakes took him to the top. Purja writes about how his early life growing up in Nepal shaped him and enabled him to go beyond what people thought was possible.
READER COMMENT:
“Amazing and Inspirational! This slim book of 168 pages recounts the inspirational story of world-renowned mountaineer Nims Purja written for 5th graders and beyond. I really enjoyed the way the story was told about Nepalese climber Nimsdai Purja as his journey is recounted when he scaled all 8,000 meter “Death Zone” mountains in seven months.
Consider this book for the young readers in your life who may glean some inspiration that all things are possible.”
One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference (CitizenKid Series)
By Katie Smith Milwy, Eurgenie Fernandes, illus.
Format: Paperback, 32 pp
ISBN-10: 1894786092
ISBN-13: 978-1894786096
Age Range: 8–12 years | Grade level: Publisher: Kids Can Press; Reprint edition, 2020
Summary:
Inspired by true events, One Hen tells the story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana who turns a small loan into a thriving farm and a livelihood for many. After his father died, Kojo had to quit school to help his mother collect firewood to sell at the market. When his mother receives a loan from some village families, she gives a little money to her son. With this tiny loan, Kojo buys a hen.
A year later, Kojo has built up a flock of 25 hens. With his earnings Kojo is able to return to school. Soon Kojo's farm grows to become the largest in the region. Kojo's story is inspired by the life of Kwabena Darko, who as a boy started a tiny poultry farm just like Kojo's, which later grew to be the largest in Ghana, and one of the largest in west Africa. Kwabena also started a trust that gives out small loans to people who cannot get a loan from a bank. One Hen shows what happens when a little help makes a big difference.
The final pages of One Hen explain the microloan system and include a list of relevant organizations for children to explore. One Hen is part of CitizenKid: A collection of books that inform children about the world and inspire them to be better global citizens.
REVIEWS:
An inviting text and bright acrylic artwork on oversize pages follow Kojo, a rural Ashanti boy, as he builds a poultry farm with a small loan. ―School Library Journal, Starred Review
... Kojo's inspiring, upbeat microfinance story makes the economic concept easy to grasp and admire. Sunny acrylic illustrations [and]impressionistic full-page art ...―Booklist
Extremely appealing ... beautifully illustrated in acrylics by award-winning artist Eugenie Fernandes ... Highly recommended ...―Canadian Children's Book News
Fernandes's large acrylic paintings ... include numerous details ... [and] spark the imagination. This distinguished book will enhance many curriculum areas. ―School Library Journal, Starred Review
The text and visuals work individually and together to create a compelling story that is simple without being simplistic and that avoids patronizing attitudes ... the book accomplishes the rare feat of entertaining and educating ... likely to be a hit with both kids and teachers. ―Quill & Quire, Starred Review
The vibrant folkish art by Eugenie Fernandes bursts with color and texture and enhances this uplifting tale of the power of giving someone a chance. ―Detroit Free Press ... the beneficial effects of small loans and small projects are thoughtfully and carefully explained in the extensive text ... Acrylic illustrations are vivid and lively ...―Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Bright acrylics fill this spirited picture book ... a pleasing ... purposeful tale about change and hope. ―San Francisco Chronicle
Playing With Lanterns
By Wang Yage, illustrated by Zhu Chengliang, translated by Helen Wang
Format: Hardcover, 40 pp.; color illus
ISBN-10: 1542029848
ISBN-13: 978-1-54202-984-1
Age Range: 3–7 years
Publisher: Seattle, WA: Amazon Crossing Kids, 2022
Summary:
Zhao Di and her friends celebrate the Chinese New Year with their colorful lanterns each night for 15 days, after which they get to smash their lanterns! Details about this tradition are included in an end note.
REVIEWS:
“...This work will foster discussions of unique traditions and is a good addition to holiday collections. —School Library Journal
“A colorful wintry tale ushers in Chinese New Year over two weeks...In a pivotal spread that shows Zhao Di sitting with her dog and chickens, readers are granted an interior view of the architecture and layout of a rustic farmhouse. In addition, the villagers’ various clothing styles, headdresses, and skin tones suggest the region’s diverse ethnicities and socio-economic landscapes...A charming illustration of childhood memories during the holiday season.” ―Kirkus Reviews
“Quiet, elegant passages stud the text...Tenderly detailed gouache paintings by Zhu render the children as small, patterned bundles frolicking against expanses of snow...A quiet celebration of a Northwestern Chinese tradition.” ―Publishers Weekly
“Zhu’s illustrations feature Zhou Di and her friends bundled into soft, candy-colored shapes that glow as brightly as their lanterns against the silvery snow and chocolate night sky, while details of other New Year rituals and hints of rural village life background the girls’ activities. An author’s note expands briefly on setting and customs, making this an enticing addition to turn-of-the-year story times.” ―The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
The Contest: An Armenian Folktale
Adapted and illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian
Format: 32 unnumbered pages; illus. (some color)
ISBN-10: 0688840426
ISBN-13: 978-0-688-84042-6
Age Range: 4-8 years
Publisher: New York: Greenwillow Press, 1976
Summary:
An adaptation of an Armenian folktale about two robbers courting the same woman:
Two robbers, Hmayag and Hrahad, meet by accident under a pomegranate tree, each having decided it was time for lunch. To their amazement, they find their bokhjahs contain identical lunches. It does not take long before they discover that they are engaged to the same girl, Ehleezah, who, of course, prepared the food for each of them. Since neither robber is willing to give her up, they agree to hold a contest with Ehleezah as the prize. The one who proves himself the cleverer at his trade will be the winner. The resulting trials are truly a test of thieves. But the outcome is not what the robbers had intended, nor does the story end as the reader might expect.
Nonny Hogrogian has used the intricate, highly decorative motifs of Oriental rugs to frame her pictures, and has placed brilliant black and white drawings to create a dazzling stage set for Hmayag's and Hrahad's good-natured rivalry and skillful sleight of hand.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nonny Hogrogian, long a favorite children's book illustrator, has used the intricate, highly decorative motifs of Oriental rugs to frame her pictures, and has placed brilliant black and white drawings to create a dazzling stage set for Hmayag's and Hrahad's good-natured rivalry and skillful sleight of hand.
Hogrogian has twice been awarded the Caldecott medal for "the most distinguished picture book of the year": in 1966 for Always Room for One More and again in 1972 for One Fine Day, which she wrote as well as illustrated. Among the many outstanding books she has to her credit are Poems Here and Now (edited by David Kherdian), Handmade Secret Hiding Places, Rooster Brother, Once There Was and Was Not (retold by Virginia Tashjian), and About Wise Men and Simpletons: Twelve Tales from Grimm (translated by Elizabeth Shub). As in The Contest, she has found inspiration for a number of her books in her Armenian heritage. She was born in New York City and is a graduate of Hunter College, where she majored in art. She is married to the poet David Kherdian (whose books she often illustrates) and they live in upstate New York.
I Want to Ride the Tap Tap
By Danielle Joseph, illustrated by Olivier Ganthier
Format: Hardcover, 40 pp, color illus.
ISBN-10: 0374312141
ISBN-13: 978-0-374-31214-5
Age Range: 2-8 years
Publisher: New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2020
Description:
A picture book about a Black family who ride the taxi-bus service―called a tap tap―in Haiti, and the fascinating people they meet along the way. It is illustrated by a Haitian artist known for his vibrant street art.
Summary:
From Monday to Saturday Claude and Manman can only walk Papa to the tap tap stop before they need to return home for school and chores. But on Sunday, Claude gets a surprise ride on the tap tap and meets all kinds of interesting people. With Haitian Creole words sprinkled throughout and a glossary at the end, I Want to Ride the Tap Tap is a warm and lively portrayal of everyday life in Haiti.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR:
Danielle Joseph is the author of the young adult novels SShrinking Violet, Indigo Blues> and Pure Red. When she's not writing, you can find Danielle relaxing with her family, traveling, or chasing after her dog, Ringo. Danielle was born in Cape Town, South Africa and currently lives in Maryland with her husband, who is from Haiti, and their three kids.
Olivier Ganthier was born in Pétion-ville, Haiti. He got his degree in fine arts from the National School of Arts (ENARTS) and is inspired by tropical urban life, Afro and Haitian culture. Olivier is art director at Les Ateliers Ganthier and the illustrator of Danille Joseph's I Want to Ride the Tap Tap>. He lives in Petionville, Haiti.
REVIEW
This bright book about a Haitian child’s special outing will have everyone wanting to ride the tap tap ... Every young reader will resonate with Claude’s happy day. Bon bagay! ―Kirkus Reviews
READER COMMENTS
“... The vibrant illustrations are enough to knock this book out of the park but the exciting, satisfying storyline will make this an instant hit with many preschool listeners.”
“... Very fun and colorful, with some messages about patience and also a focus on days of the week (in Haitian Creole).”
“... Love seeing the days of the week in Haitian Creole -- so clearly related to French, but not quite.”
“... Beautifully illustrated. Wonderful story!”
If Dominican Were a Color
By Sili Recio, illustrated by Brianna McCarthy
Format: Hardcover, 32 pp, color illus.
ISBN-10: 1534461795
ISBN-13: 978-1-53446-179-6
Age Range: 4-8 years
Publisher: New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2020
Description:
A poetic picture book celebrating the diversity and beauty of the Dominican people and their land: The palette of the Dominican Republic is exuberant and unlimited. Maiz comes up amarillo, the blue-black of dreams washes over sandy shores, and people’s skin can be the shade of cinnamon in cocoa or of mahogany. This exuberantly colorful, softly rhyming picture book is a gentle reminder that a nation’s hues are as wide as nature itself.
REVIEWS:
"McCarthy’s stunning art interprets the text with texture and light, her illustrations portraying the diversity and beauty of the Dominican people. The lush foliage, the impossibly blue skies, and the otherworldly pinks and oranges spring off the page with joy and verve." —Kirkus Reviews
"This book about self-love and the importance of accepting others is a delightful celebration of the differences contained within the vibrant, vivid world and cultures of the Dominican Republic...Also interspersed into the text are various words in Spanish, and as McCarthy utilizes an unrestrained palette to convey the natural as well as the traditional and cultural beauty of this island nation, young readers will be educated and encouraged to see the wonder in varied cultures and experiences." —Booklist
A Girl Called Problem
By Katie Quirk
Format: Paperback, 256 pp
ISBN-10: 0802854044
ISBN-13: 978-0-8028-5404-9
Age Range: 10-14 years
Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2013
Summary:
Thirteen-year-old Shida lives in a small village in Tanzania. After the president encourages the people of his country to work together for all, the elders of Shida’s village choose to relocate to a new village. This can be good for Shida, who hopes to one day be a healer, since now she might be able to attend school.
REVIEWS:
Thirteen-year-old Shida, whose name means "problem" in Swahili, has been told all her life by her widowed mother that their family is cursed. When the elders of her village inform the residents of Tanzanian President Nayere's 1967 decree that they should move and share resources with a nearby village, Shida is excited for the change, thinking that she will finally have the opportunity to go to school and study under the village's nurse. Soon after arriving at the new village, however, troubling things begin to happen, and Shida's mother's belief in a curse seems more and more real. When tragedy strikes the family, surprising secrets are revealed, and the people must decide whether to remain in the new village or return to their land. Although the story has a slow start, readers will soon be immersed in the culture of this Sukuma village and will urge Shida on as she works hard to help her difficult mother and as she seeks the education that she will need to become a healer. Quirk strikes a good balance between traditional Sukuma tribal beliefs and more modern ideas about medicine and education. A glossary and help readers better understand the culture and setting in which the story takes place. Gr 6-9 —Sarah Reid / School Library Journal
“The ancestors don’t like girls going to school.” Is that why the crop is failing in 13-year-old Shida’s rural village in Tanzania in the late 1960s? Shida is thrilled to learn to read in her rough one-room schoolhouse, and her dream is to train with the village nurse. She is encouraged by her wise grandfather, Babu, an ardent follower of the adored new president, Nyerere, who supports women’s education and has freed the people from white colonialism. But many villagers, including Shida’s widowed, depressed mother and the boys in the classroom, are hostile to girls being educated and leaving the traditional ways. Who released the precious village cattle? Is someone poisoning the collective crops? Quirk spent two years in Tanzania, and this original paperback includes a detailed Swahili glossary with notes and photos. The young girl’s moving personal story brings close not only the intense battle over education and equality but also the basic struggle for the freedoms that come with running water, electricity, and medicine. Can Shida change her mother? Grades 5-9. —Hazel Rochman / Booklist
"Despite having penned this work of fiction as an outsider to the culture, Quirk's debut novel for children gives readers an intimate view of rural Tanzania in the early 1970s through details of daily life, folklore, family dynamics and spiritual beliefs. ...The novel offers a captivating introduction to Tanzanian life, culture and language (both Swahili and Sukuma), while the mystery of who has cast the 'curse' keeps readers intrigued. A mesmerizing read that expands young readers' worldview even as the pages turn." —Kirkus (starred review)
REVIEWS:
“... I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Katie Quirk told the story of so many girls. This was especially meaningful to me because I have had the opportunity to meet some girls like that. I have not been to Tanzania, but I have spent some time in West Africa, and the stories of the women there will shock you. There are so many brave girls, young and old. They are inspiring. I am so glad that there is a book to show the world that. While reading this book, I found myself thinking back to when I was 13 years old and how different my life was. Shida's story is not all sunshine and roses. There are some hard things to read in this book, but it was written so well that I could barely put it down.”
“It's a good book for 6th and 7th graders; there are so many things that they can learn from this book. Reading "A Girl Called Problem" would be a great way to start off a unit on other cultures and get the students interested in learning about other people and nations. ...”
“... There is so much in this story about the bravery, strength and ability of women. There is dissension in the village about girls going to school and doing anything other than getting married and having babies, but Shida and her cousin Grace prove that girls can and should be educated so they can pursue their dreams. Ah! Beautiful!
The verdict: top three reasons you should give this book to any middle grade girl you know:
1. Shida is a wonderful example of someone who has a dream and works hard to get it, even though she may struggle and want to give up at times.
2. This book is a fascinating and educational peek into African culture. The author actually lived in Africa for awhile and a lot of her experience informed this book. I loved the endnotes, pictures and glossary at the end of the book.
3. It is a mystery! For kids! And it’s fun! Is it just me, or are books about Africa usually about heavier fare such as slavery and war? While I think those books have their place, it is refreshing to read something fun. ...”
“A good addition to my East Africa reading! This one is middle-grade, and so a simplicity of voice is reflected accordingly, but it still tackles a number of important themes: child marriage, malaria awareness, village dynamics, magic and curses, need for education — and education for girls, specifically.
The story is set in Tanzania in its early days of independence (1967?), while the emerging nation is finding its footing, and how does that play out on a village level? It is a time of tremendous change, yet the stories and traditions of their people are an anchor. What do you hold to, and what do you release in the face of progress?
One thing I found unique is that while this book clearly demonstrates the value of education, medical training, access to medicine, etc, the author still treats their customs and traditions with respect. It seems like an “and” situation, rather than seeking to wipe out “backward beliefs” — at least, this is my perception. This is a middle-grade book, but not a missionary story.”
Treasure of the World
By Tara Sullivan
Format: 384 pp
ISBN-10: 0525516964
ISBN-13: 978-0-525-51696-5
Age Range: 10-14 years
Publisher: New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2021
Summary:
Ana volunteers to take her ill, younger brother’s place working beside her father in the silver mines of Bolivia. When her father is killed and her brother disappears in a mining accident, Ana must find the courage to survive and save her family.
AWARDS:
• A 2022 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Finalist • A 2021 Kirkus Best Book
REVIEWS:
★ Rich with memorable characters and streaks of brilliant writing, as in the author’s previous works, Ana’s story takes readers on an arduous and ultimately rewarding journey that illuminates a fraction of the human toll behind the profit-driven pursuits of a materialistic world. Heartbreakingly splendid. —Kirkus, starred review
★ Utterly riveting. . . [O]ffers a view of complex family dynamics and child labor that is shocking and powerful. —School Library Journal, starred review
Gripping . . Sullivan effectively portrays 12-year-old narrator Ana and the oppressive demands she faces...skillfully crafting memorable characters and close relationships. . . Sullivan approaches tough topics, including child labor, economic pressure, and repressive gender roles, from a resonant, believably young perspective, balancing Ana’s precarious struggle to survive with hope. —Publishers Weekly
Show[s] the kindness of others and the importance of family strength and resilience. . . [and] just how important learning is in bettering your lot in life. —School Library Connection
Sullivan, who addressed child labor in the cocoa industry in The Bitter Side of Sweet, here exposes the tragedy of child miners forced to leave school to help support their families by working in the "mountain that eats men."...Readers are left with...hope...but the dire plight of all these families is abundantly clear. —Booklist
The Fox Judge and Other Tales
Translated/retold by Maria Zemko Tetro & Joseph A. Tetro, illus Olesya Sikora & Dzvinka Zagajska
Format: Hardcover, 32 pp
ISBN-10: 0979737214
ISBN-13: 978-0979737213
Age Range: 5-8 years
Publisher: Winter Light Books, Inc., 2008
Summary:
Three Ukrainian folk tales featuring a sly fox whose interest in a food dispute leads to unexpected results; the friendship of three butterflies that endures when obstacles threaten, and how a gift from a spotted hen proves to be more precious than gold. Original illustrations by artists in Ukraine.
REVIEW:
“Librarians and aides at the Shevchenko Scientific Society of New York, the Ukrainian Institute of America, and the Palace of Art in Drohobych, Ukraine all assisted independent publisher, Winter Light Books, Inc. in researching archival sources for this book.
Ukrainian in origin, the three folk tales (retold and translated into English) are universal in theme and speak not only to all readers through the words written within the pages, but also speak to the imagination by way of the artistically colorful illustrations.
This book will enchant and enthrall all ages with its three tales translated and retold very aptly by Maria Zemko Tetro and Joseph A. Tetro. The folk tales are embellished with Ukrainian illustrations--vignettes and thirteen full-page illustrations in vibrant colors with Ukrainian motifs.
The publisher, Winter Light Books, Inc., is an independent children's book publisher specializing in children's folk stories and tales primarily from traditional Ukrainian sources. The beautiful illustrations are by Ukrainian artists Olesya Sikora and her daughter, Dzvinka Zagajska. Olesya is a graduate of the Lviv Academy of Art. She taught at the Little Academy of Art in Pidbuz and at The Children's Art School in Drohobych, Ukraine. Dzvinka is a student at the Lviv Academy of Art and a member of Plast (a Ukrainian scouting organization). Together, mother and daughter have collaborated on several projects, including books from KOLO, a children's book publishing company.” — excerpt of a review by Yaroslava Benko
Dara’s Clever Trap: A Tale from Cambodia (Princess Stories)
Adapted by Liz Flanagan, illustrated by Martina Peluso
Format: 46 pages, color illus
ISBN-10: 1782851038
ISBN-13: 978-1782858379
Age Range: 6-9 years
Publisher: Concord, MA: Barefoot Books, 2019
Summary:
Princess Dara must prove that her father's wicked ministers have set up her husband for a crime he is innocent of.
REVIEW:
Gr 1–3—Princess stories for emerging readers are high in demand, and refreshingly, this new series features a diverse cast of princesses from around the world. Dara's Clever Trap, set in Cambodia, is the standout title. Princess Dara is an architect and falls in love with another architect, Rith. Evil arises from the jealous ministers who frame her husband and try to marry her for her riches. Using her problem-solving skills, Dara creates a mechanical trap that saves the day. The clearly written and easy-to-follow plot makes this story a wonderful choice for struggling readers, with the added bonus of STEM themes. The chapter-book length will also appeal to readers who are ready to move into longer books. Digitally rendered illustrations, enhanced with a warm palette and deft shading, support the text and aid in comprehension. ... Dara's Clever Trap is a solid choice for classroom or school libraries. —Sara Lissa Paulson / School Library Journal
The Fastest Boy In the World
By Elizabeth Laird
Format: Paperback, 176 pp
ISBN-10: 1447267176
ISBN-13: 978-1-44726-717-1
Age Range: 7-12 years
Publisher: New York: Macmillan Children's Books, 2014
Summary:
Solomon, growing up in a small village in Ethiopia, dreams of becoming a world known runner. He can hardly believe it when his grandfather plans to take him to the capital on the same day the national running team will be there. Events in the city result in Solomon being confronted with a personal challenge.
REVIEWS:
An excellent introduction to Ethiopian culture as well as a wonderfully written exploration of a boy’s love of country and sport. —School Library Journal
What a delightful gem this book is. Expert touches allow the reader to imagine the Ethiopian setting with ease. . . . Gentle and powerful, this book is a classic tale which younger readers will enjoy and which could be used as an excellent class reader. —Armadillo
As with anything [Elizabeth] sets in Ethiopia, a country clearly dear to her heart, this short novel draws the reader into its setting. She is a superb writer, a masterly storyteller. —Scotsman
READER COMMENTS:
“This is a beautifully written book from Elizabeth Laird. Don't be fooled into thinking that the easy-to-understand style means that the book doesn't have depth. This book is suitable for readers from Year 5 upwards. It tells the story of Solomon, an 11 year old Ethiopian boy, who has a passion for running and wants to make the Olympic team one day. His grandfather asks him to walk with him on a journey to the capital Addis Ababa, and whilst there Solomon finds out things about his beloved grandfather that he never knew, and about the history of his country as well. His grandfather falls ill, and Solomon has the opportunity to test his speed—can he run a marathon and outrun the bus home? A compelling and multi-layered read—I loved it.”
“A short novel that manages to incorporate running, the Olympics, Ethiopian history, poverty, and a family mystery in less than 200 pages. Which at times means it feels a little rushed, but I still felt it was an exciting story for the age group that isn't too difficult a read for even 7–8 year old new readers.”
My Grandma and Me
By Mina Javaherbin, illustrated by Lindsey Yankey
Format: Hardcover, 32 pp
ISBN-10: 0763694940
ISBN-13: 978-0763694944
Age Range: 4-8 years
Publisher: Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2019
Summary:
A true tale of Mina and the special relationship she shared with her grandmother. When Mina is growing up in Iran, the center of her world is her grandmother. Whether visiting friends next door, going to the mosque for midnight prayers during Ramadan, or taking an imaginary trip around the planets, Mina and her grandma are never far apart. At once deeply personal and utterly universal, Mina Javaherbin’s words make up a love letter of the rarest sort: the kind that shares a bit of its warmth with every reader. Soft, colorful, and full of intricate patterns, Lindsey Yankey’s illustrations feel like a personal invitation into the coziest home, and the adoration between Mina and her grandma is evident on every page.
REVIEWS:
This sweet story is intermingled naturally with details about Iranian and Islamic traditions and values and supported by such visuals as an easy mix of traditional and Western attire and thoughtful inclusion of Persian design elements. It peaks in a moment of solidarity between the two grandmothers, each praying for the other to go to heaven, but via their different Muslim and Christian religions: a poignant, inclusive note. In its celebration of specific manifestations of universal love, this is highly recommended for families and educators, Muslim and non- alike, looking to teach children about Islam. A deep and beautiful book modeling grandmothers as heroines. —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
This book offers both windows and mirrors into a warm and loving familial relationship and will be appreciated by a wide range of young readers. A lovely book for anyone looking for intergenerational stories for one-on-one or group sharing. —School Library Journal (starred review)
Yankey’s mixed-media illustrations will transport readers to an idyllic twentieth-century Iran, recalling the style of Persian art, with dusty, muted colors and intricately patterned rugs...While this book presents a relationship in a specific cultural context, a subtle message of interreligious peace and unity shines through, supported by the memories’ emotional universality, through which young readers will learn empathy and cultural understanding. —Booklist
Crossing the Farak River
By Michelle Aung Thin
Format: 224 pp, maps
ISBN: 978-1-77321-396-5
Age Range: 12–14 yrs
Publisher: Toronto: Annick Press, 202
AWARDS:
• Joint winner, USSBY Outstanding International Books List 2021
• Joint winner, South Asia Book Award 2021
• Joint winner, Freeman Book Award 2020
• Joint winner, Best Books for Kids & Teens, starred selection, Canadian Children's Book Centre 2020
REVIEWS:
The author, aware that ethnic and religious divisions are easily sown by the media, ignorance, and fear, packs a great deal of information into this compelling story that will educate readers on a real, ongoing situation while also building empathy. —Booklist, 02/15/20
An urgent, timely narrative. —Kirkus Reviews, 03/02/20 Hasina is an engaging and interesting main character . . . Hasina puts a personal face on [political situation in Myanmar], helping readers both understand and empathize with the situation. Crossing the Farak River is . . . an amazing adventure set in an interesting and foreign environment with a memorable and admirable young woman as the protagonist. Highly recommended. —CM Reviews, *starred review, 02/14/20
Every moment of hope in the narrative seems to vacillate with a moment of despair, making Crossing the Farak River an engaging page-turner that also brings much-needed context and understanding to a country that for some 50 years had been considered a pariah state under military dictatorship. —Quill & Quire, 06/25/20 A must-purchase for all middle grade libraries focused on building a diverse collection featuring complex world issues and #OwnVoices authors. —School Library Journal, *starred review, 03/20
Niger: Enchantment of the World
By Barbara A. Somervill
Format: Library edition, 144 pp.
ISBN-10: 053121883X
ISBN-13: 978-0531218839
Age Range: 10-14 years
Publisher: Scholastic / Children’s Press, 2016
Summary:
Bordering seven other countries, Niger is a landlocked nation in the heart of western Africa. Due to economic troubles, frequent civil wars and disruption of the government, and other problems, poverty is a major issue throughout the country. Nevertheless, Niger is a land of rich history and vibrant culture. Readers will find out what life is like for the people of Niger, from what they learn in school and what people do for work to what they like to eat and what kind of art they create.
Razia’s Ray of Hope: One Girl’s Dream of an Education
By Elizabeth Suneby, illustrated by Suana Verelst
Format: Unpaged; illustrated
ISBN: 978-1-77138-577-0
Age Range: 8-12 years
Publisher: Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2020
Summary:
Razia, a girl in Afghanistan, wants to attend a school for girls being built in their Afghan village. Razia knows, however, that she will need permission from her father and her oldest brother, Aziz, in order to be allowed to attend.
Mela and the Elephant
By Dow Phumiruk, illustrated by Ziyue Chen
Format: Unpaged; color illustrations
ISBN: 978-1-58536-528-9
Age Range: 4-8 years
Publisher: Ann Arbor, MI: Sleeping Bear Press, 2018
Summary:
A fable told about Mela, who finds herself lost in the jungle. Animals she meets along take the rewards she offers to help her, but they don’t do their part; except for the elephant she finally meets.
Orange for the Sunsets
By Tina Athaide
Format: 328 pp; illustrations
ISBN: 978-0-06-279529-5
Age Range: 8-12 years
Publisher: New York: Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HaperCollins, 2019
Summary:
A story told in alternating voices friends Asha, African, and Yesofu, Indian, who are living in Uganda in 1972. The two children are devastated when Idi Amin announces that Indians have ninety days to leave the country.
The Herd Boy
By Jan Jeffery
Format: 26 pp
ISBN: 978-1-548481-88-9
Age Range: 12-16 years
Publisher: Create Space Independent Publishing Platform: 2017
Summary:
The author lived in Lesotho for two years and wrote this short story based on the lives of local herd boys. There is an accompanying You Tube video to this story (entitled “Gypsy on the Hill”).
Auma’s Long Run
By Eucabeth A. Odhiambo
Format: 298 pp
ISBN: 978-1-51242-784-4
Age Range: 10-14 years
Publisher: Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 2017
Summary:
Thirteen-year-old Auma loves running and is hoping one day to earn a track scholarship to attend high school and then become a doctor one day. When her father grows ill she must decide whether to continue her schooling or begin working to help support her family. Explores the effects of the AIDS epidemic in Kenya in the 90s.
Tuki and Moka: A Tale of Two Tamarins
By Judy Young, illustrated by Jim Madsen
Format: 32 pp; color illustrations
ISBN: 978-1-585367-9-55
Age Range: 6-9 years
Publisher: Ann Arbor, MI: Sleeping Bear Press, 2012
Summary:
Eduardo and his father travel to the rain forest of Ecuador to collect Brazil nuts. Eduardo befriends two tamarins. Later he sees some poachers have captured his “friends” and he tries to help them escape.
Haiti My Country
Poetry by Haitian schoolchildren, illustrated by Rogé
Format: 40 unnumbered p; color illustrations
ISBN: 978-1-927083-23-9
Age Range: 10-16 years
Publisher: Brighton, MA: Fifth House, 2014
Summary:
A collection of poems written by Haitian school children, illustrated with portraits of the children. First published in French.
Gift for Amma: Market Day in India
By Meera Sriram; illustrated by Mariona Cabassa
Format: unpaged; color illustrations
ISBN: 978-1-58536-528-9
Age Range: 4-8 years
Publisher: Publisher: Cambridge, MA: Barefoot Books, 2020
Summary:
A young girl shops in a southern Indian street market looking for a gift for her mother. But there are so many things to choose from!
The Eagle Huntress: The True Story of the Girl Who Soared Beyond Expectations
By Aisholpan Nurgaiv, with Liz Welch
Format: photos
ISBN: 978-0-316-52262-5
Age Range: 8–12 years
Publisher: New York: Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2021
Summary:
A memoir written by Aisholpan Nurgaiv telling of her experience winning the Olgii eagle festival. She was the only girl to compete. Aisholpan captured and trained her own golden eagle with the help of her father.
King for a Day
By Rukhsana Khan
Format: Unpaged; color illustrations
ISBN: 978-1-64379-056-5
Age Range: 4-8 years
Publisher: New York: Lee & Low Books, Inc, 2014.
Summary:
Malik, a Pakistani boy, wants to be the king of the Basant kite festival. He has built a special kite named Falcon for the contest, but Malik must overcome the neighborhood bully in his attempts to become king.
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Wise Anait and the Woven Words: A Tale from Armenia
By Lucretia Samson, illus Maria Cristina Lo Cascio
Format: 32 pp; color illustrations, map
ISBN: 978-0-399-25499-4
Age Range: 5-8 years
Publisher: Aukland, New Zealand: Clean Slate Press Ltd, 2017
Summary:
Relates the tale of a prince and a wise shepherd's daughter.
A Circle of Elephants: A Companion Novel
By Eric Dinerstein
Genre: Fiction
Format: Hardcover, 288 pp; illus, maps
ISBN: 978-1-36801-658-2
Age Range: 8-12 years
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (January 22, 2019)
Summary:
Thirteen-year-old Nanda Singh, the youngest elephant driver in Nepal, enjoys a very special relationship with his tusker, Hira Prashad, through which he grows in understanding and compassion with all animals, including humans
From the author of What Elephants Know, a 2017 ALA Notable Children’s Book and winner of the 2017 South Asia Book Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, comes this stunning companion novel about the complex relationship between people and nature coexisting in the Borderlands of 1970s Nepal. Dinerstein’s poetic prose and scientific expertise come together in this breathtaking tale that transports the reader to the center of dangerous conflicts and heartbreaking friendships.
Editorial Review
From School Library Journal
Gr 5–8—This companion novel to What Elephants Know takes place in the Borderlands of 1970s Nepal. In the new Royal Elephant Breeding Center, 13-year-old Nandu lives with his adoptive father. Nandu and Hira Prasad, the center’s powerful bull elephant, forge a bond when they experience an earthquake together. This moment sparks an emotional journey for Nandu as he comes to grips with the reality of the time and place: animal poaching. Nandu, the narrator, is able to relate to the characters in the story on a deep level, having experienced loss among his people and the animals that surround him. Powerful messages resonate throughout the novel, including kindness, empathy, and harmony among individuals practicing different faiths. These messages authentically come through in the actions and deeds of the main characters’ and their responses to some of the difficult events of the novel. The author deftly weaves his scientific knowledge with gentle prose to create a heartfelt tale. A glossary of important terms is a helpful reference for readers. VERDICT: Highly recommended and a must-buy where there are fans of What Elephants Know.—Selene Athas, Director of Libraries, Roland Park Country School
It is such a refreshing journey into another elephant world, very special to Asia, indeed Nepal, resonant with an afterglow of Mowgli, and Eric Dinerstein’s own deep feelings about the jungle, and the people and the wildlife that live there.—Iain Douglas-Hamilton, DPhil, CBE, founder, Save the Elephants, and coauthor of Among the Elephants
Readers Comments
Just over two years ago I read and reviewed What Elephants Know by Eric Dinerstein. It was a tremendously beautiful novel. Now Dinerstein is back with a follow-up, A Circle of Elephants.
Thirteen-year-old Nandu works for the Royal Elephant Breeding Center, a newly established program that houses and protects the royal elephants. The center in on the edge of the jungle, which is good for the elephants to have some native land nearby. But even with the protection of Nandu and the others at the Royal Elephant Breeding Center, the animals and humans alike will be challenged by nature and by men.
Poachers are getting more and more bold, killing rhinos and elephants in the area for their tusks, and even the Royal breed are potential targets for these men without morals. Among these men is a poacher with a personal score to settle with Nandu for the trouble he caused earlier (in the previous book).
As before, Dinerstein’s writing is so natural and casual that it is easy to forget that this is a work of fiction and not an actual journal of events. We can’t help but fall in love with the elephants and wilderness that Nandu clearly cares for. And because we’re brought into the story so nicely we also feel the same fear and concern when the animals are in danger.
This book has just a bit more of a didactic feel to it, as if the goal were to make sure we understand the real dangers for the animals, rather than telling a story and letting us recognize those dangerous as we go. Even so, this is too beautiful a book to ignore and I would love to make sure that every middle school student reads the adventures of Nandu—the world couldn’t help but become a better place if youngster could be brought into a world like this.
An Awesome Book: Nandu is a thirteen-year-old elephant drive who lives in the Royal Elephant Breeding Center in the jungle. The King’s elephants in the compound are protected in the stable. Nandu and his friends at the center are tested when an earthquake hits Nepal, which the locals deem to be a bad omen. Nandu and his elephant, Hira Prasad, have an unbreakable bond but, becomes strained when a series of event upturn their lives. Will Hira Prasad and Nandu be able to keep their bond? Is the earthquake a sign for more evil to come?
This novel was one of the best novels I have read this year (yes, the year did just start). The author wrote the novel so beautifully, that I felt transported to Nepal being surrounded by lush foliage and being there with Nandu. I love how the characters felt so real because they were flawed people trying to do the best with what they have. Overall, I love this book.
The 3 Little Dassies
By Jan Brett
Format: 32 pp.; col ill.
ISBN: 978-0-399-25499-4
Age Range: 3-8 years
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2010
Summary:
A retelling of The Three Little Pigs, with the story set in Namibia. Our characters, three rock dassies, need to outwit their predator, the eagle.
Description: Jan Brett finds inspiration for her version of a familiar story in Namibia, where red rock mountains and vivid blue skies are home to appealing little dassies and hungry eagles.
Mimbi, Pimbi and Timbi hope to find “a place cooler, a place less crowded, a place safe from eagles!” to build their new homes. The handsomely dressed Agama Man watches from the borders as the eagle flies down to flap and clap until he blows a house down. But in a deliciously funny twist, that pesky eagle gets a fine comeuppance!
Bold African patterns and prints fill the stunning borders, but it is the dassies in their bright, colorful dresses and hats that steal the show in this irresistible tale, perfect for reading aloud.
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal PreS-Gr 2–Brett’s sumptuous retelling of “The Three Little Pigs” is set in southern Africa and stars three small guinea-pig-like creatures that live in rock crevices in the Namib desert. The three dassies, garbed in traditional African dresses and turbans, are harassed by an eagle, who, like the wolf in the traditional tale, wants them for supper. He flies to the dassies’ houses made of grass and sticks and screeches, “I’ll flap and I’ll clap and I’ll blow your house in!” then captures them and plops them into his nest. On the side panels another story develops with a brightly dressed lizard, the Agama Man, who is intent on rescuing the little creatures. Children will enjoy following both stories and will linger on each page following the exacting detail of the setting: the desert, the characters, the decorative borders, and all the small touches in between. This tale will captivate children and introduce a setting and animals unfamiliar to most of them.
Carrie Rogers-Whitehead, Kearns Library, UT © Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC.
From Booklist First things first: dassies, or rock hydraxes, are small mammals native to sub-Saharan Africa. In this “Three Little Pigs” adaptation, three dassies strike out to make new homes. While Timbi takes the time to construct a solid stone dwelling, hasty siblings Mimbi and Pimbi use grass and sticks, respectively. After being pursued by an eagle, the dassies’ natural predator (playing the wolf’s traditional role here), Mimbi and Pimbi find shelter at Timbi’s, where a blast from the chimney sends the villainous bird “home for a nap,” wrapping up the tale with a nonviolent end. The familiar plotline is extended in the intricate watercolor-and-gouache artwork in Brett’s signature triptych layout: each central panel reflects the action described in the text, while wordless panels on either side show equally involving scenes, all handsomely framed by depictions of cloth, beadwork, and vegetation. Brett invokes the African setting with details of the desert landscape and the animals’ colorful, patterned clothing. The last page turns the story into an inspired pourquoi tale about dassies’ habitat and the sootlike coloring of native eagles. Preschool-Grade 2.
—Andrew Medlar
Reader Comments
Interesting twist on 3 little pigs story, with twist to creation myth at the end. Love the fabrics and patterns in the illustrations and how some of the side bars tell the story.
This is a beautifully illustrated book (with triptych panels) that feels like both an origin myth and a retelling of the Three Little Pigs. Set in Namibia, three dassies set off from home and build three houses (of woven grass, sticks, and brick-like rocks). An eagle is determined to turn them into dinner and a friendly lizard is equally determined to help his new friends. At the end we find out this is the reason why present day dassie live in rock homes and the eagles that soar above them are coloured black.
Post-modern picture book: I love, love, love this book! The last page was by far the best. I like how the three little pigs story can be presented with many other animals. The detail makes it seem like you are seeing real life images. The reading level is grades 1st-3rd. The story is a fun and adventurous. Each page has an image on the corners of the characters—neat to see because they weren’t directly mixed with the other characters, but they still fit perfect in the image. I definitely recommend this book!
Elena’s Story
By Nancy Shaw; illustrated by Kristina Rodanas
Series: Tales of the World
Format: 32 pp.; color illus.
ISBN: 978-1-58536-528-9
Age Range: 4-9 years
Publisher: Ann Arbor, MI: Sleeping Bear Press, 2012
Summary:
Elena lives near a small town in western Guatemala, with her mother, her younger brother, Luis, and her baby sister, Ana. Her father is far away, working on a plantation. Elena struggles to keep up in school. Her teacher says she needs to practice her reading, but it’s hard to find time to read. She must help her mother with the cooking and housework, as well as the hard work of planting and weeding their garden. As the big sister, Elena is also in charge of watching over Luis to keep him out of mischief. It isn’t always easy and she gets impatient with her little brother. But at the end of the day, when Elena shares a book with Luis, carefully sounding out the words, she comes to better understand and appreciate her role in the family.
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
A young girl relates her hardships in learning to read, primarily because of where she lives in western Guatemala with her mother, younger brother, and baby sister while her father is away working on a plantation. Family chores make it difficult for Elena to find time to practice reading as she must help her mother with cooking, planting, weeding, and keeping her young brother from mischief. The plot, however, focuses more on establishing the culture than on the story. Along with other obstacles, Elena faces a language barrier: her mother speaks Mayan and can’t read, while her father speaks the Spanish his daughter is learning in school. Rodanas’ folksy full-page illustrations are richly colored and add plenty of cultural details, though without a stronger narrative, the story sometimes strays into purposeful territory. Features a glossary of five Spanish words and an author’s note that cites how the book is fiction but was inspired by a visit to her daughter in the Peace Corps. Grades K-2.
—Julie Cummins
Reader Comments
A much needed look into the experiences of Latin American children outside of Mexico, Cuba, or Puerto Rico.
A lovely story! As mother of a young child adopted from Guatemala, I’ve really appreciated this book. It gives a wonderful glimpse into the life of a Mayan girl. My son and I enjoyed getting a sense of Elena’s everyday life with her family, in her home and community. There is a sense that life isn’t necessarily easy in her rural village, since she has many responsibilities that kids in the US don’t have (which makes for good discussion)—however, her feelings are still relatable. The overall tone of the story is warm and inspiring, as we see Elena and her family embrace her important role as “reader.” This is a heart-warming and sensitively-done book, with lovely, simple prose and colorful illustrations. So glad to have this to share with my son!
I’m glad that children could learn that even kids that live in a Spanish speaking country like Guatemala don’t necessarily speak Spanish.
Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship—Stories from India
By Chitra Soundar; illustrated by Uma Krishnaswamy
Format: Hardcover, 192 pp.; ill.
ISBN: 978-1-53620-067-6
Age Range: 6-10 years
Publisher: Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2018
Summary:
These are tales inspired by traditional Indian folktales. Prince Veera and his best friend Suku are given the opportunity to preside over the court of his father, King Bheema. Some of the subjects’ complaints are easy to address, but others are much more challenging. The messages are of kindness and compassion, and for speaking up when things are unfair.
Editorial Reviews
Soundar’s energetic prose and wisecracking dialogue sparkle and Krishnaswamy’s acrylic folk-based illustrations of characters and nature dance across almost every page. Like any folktale, this book is best when shared. Read aloud, the adventures of Prince Veera and Suku will surely captivate first- through fifth-grade classrooms, the dilemmas providing excellent opportunities for critical thinking. Independent readers ages 8–12 are likely to delight in the boys’ clever solutions, not to mention their ability to confound and outwit adults.
—Shelf Awareness for Readers (starred review)
These original tales are folkloric in style and content, but refreshingly contemporary in tone and form. The messages are of kindness and compassion, and for speaking up when things are unfair...the illustrations balance traditional Indian art forms with cartoonlike gestures that will make readers smile.
-Booklist
Krishnaswamy’s energetic black-and-white spot art offers authentic glimpses of Indian life, with illustrations of people, birds and animals, the marketplace, the countryside, and more. Readers who are familiar with traditional Indian folktales will recognize these well-known stories; readers new to them may enjoy their quiet simplicity and the wisdom of the two young protagonists.
—Kirkus Reviews Online
It’s a little risky—even benevolent kings do not like being proved wrong—but in these stories for 6- to 10-year-olds, ingenuity and good sense help the boys prevail. Veera and Suku are a great team: In between gorging themselves on buttery sweets such as laddus and jalebis, and wolfing down mango pickles with fried fish and rice, the two boys solve mysteries, expose swindlers and humble the arrogant... These lively tales benefit from Uma Krishnaswamy’s playful monochrome illustrations
—The Wall Street Journal
Reader Comments
This is the most wonderful little book. Under two hundred pages, it is loaded with wisdom, common sense, and the notion of fair play. What makes this all the more charming is that it is all being dispensed by a ten-year-old Prince and his best friend.
I would recommend these stories to everyone of all ages as there is so much to be learned and reinforced. Buy a copy for a young person, read it to children, and take the time to enjoy all its messages.
Delightful! Nothing is more helpful to learn about other cultures than fables meant to teach children. You get a simple understanding of complex ideas, plus there are beautiful illustrations and fun characters. The themes addressed in this book are great lessons for readers of all ages and would make a great read aloud for any classroom or bedtime. I look forward to adding this book to my personal collection.
A fun book with a global perspective. I know several of the tales from other folkloric traditions, but the retellings here are definitely Indian. A fun global offering; recommended for 7-10-year-olds.
After a While Crocodile: Alexa’s Diary
By Brady Barr and Jennifer Keats Curtis; illustrated by Susan Detwiler
Genre: Nonfiction
Format: Paperback, 32 pp.; col. ill, maps.
ISBN: 978-1-62855-835-7
Age Range: 4-8 years
Publisher: Mount Pleasant, SC: Arbordale Publishing, 2016
Summary:
Alexa and the other children at her escuela in Costa Rica have a special project: they are raising American Crocodiles. She names her croc Jefe, which means “boss,” because he seems to be in charge of all the other babies. Alexa brings him chicken and frogs to eat, and writes about his progress in her diary. Soon, her little hatchling is as big as a loaf of bread. He has grown into a juvenile and it is time for Alexa to say goodbye and for Jefe to return to the wild.
Outstanding Science Trade Book: This nonfiction picture book with a cuddle factor includes a 4-page For Creative Minds section in the back of the book and a 20-page cross-curricular Teaching Activity Guide online. After a While Crocodile is vetted by experts and designed to encourage parental engagement. Its extensive back matter helps teachers with time-saving lesson ideas, provides extensions for science, math, and social studies units, and uses inquiry-based learning to help build critical thinking skills in young readers. The Spanish translation supports ELL and dual-language programs. The enhanced ebook reads aloud in both English and Spanish with word highlighting and audio speed control to promote oral language skills, fluency, pronunciation, text engagement, and reading comprehension.
Editorial Reviews
Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students: K-12 (National Science Teachers Association and the Children’s Book Council)
—NSTA-CBC
With a mixture of photographs and retro-style illustrations, this enlightening offering will entertain and educate readers.
—School Library Journal
This accessible diary, in English with occasional Spanish words and translations, gives a fictionalized account of schoolchildren’s hands-on study of American crocodiles in Costa Rica. Alexa records the progress of a baby croc from its hatching to its release in the wild.
—Horn Book Guide
Reader Comments
A wonderful children’s book. A perfect story about a little girl and a baby croc. Great photos and artwork. Kids will learn about crocodiles, endangered species, and as a by-product, will learn some Spanish. A powerful, very different book for kids. Must reading!
Nice for kids who like animals. One of the students in this book writes a diary of observations. I think it can influence students to want to learn more about crocodiles and the habitats they live in.
Cute with really good information. This is a cute book tracking Alexa’s involvement in the American Crocodile project. She captures frogs and insects which she feeds to the crocodiles along with chicken. Her school has a garden, also.
The book sprinkles words in Spanish throughout the text with the English word in parentheses. A nice opportunity to see Spanish words in context and perhaps reinforce these words as part of the Spanish curriculum in either classroom or homeschool.
The object of the project managed by Dr. Brady Barr and team is to save and/or protect the endangered American Crocodile. They find and retrieve eggs and then allow them to hatch and be raised in a protected environment. The children participate with hands-on experience.
The photographs are fantastic and the information is well presented and detailed. I think this was a great project in which the children could participate and the information presented in the book will appeal to many.
A reminder that children should be taught that this was a controlled project and the crocodiles were released into the wild as soon as they were able to care for themselves.
The "For Creative Minds" back pages are chock full of interesting information for further study and investigation.
Grandma Comes to Stay
By Ifeoma Onyefulu
Series: First Experiences
Format: Paperback, 32 pp.; col ill.
ISBN: 978-1-84780-251-4
Age Range: 7-8 years
Publisher: London: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 2015
Summary:
In this book set in Ghana, Stephanie is getting everything ready because Grandma is coming to stay. Grandma shows Stephanie how to wear traditional dress, reads her favorite book, and takes her to see real-life dancers at a festival. In return, Stephanie shows Grandma how to kick a ball, ride a bike, and play the drum.
First Experiences is an exciting new series portraying young children’s very first experience of nursery school, time with grandparents and other events.
About the author:
Ifeoma Onyefulu was brought up in a traditional village in Eastern Nigeria. Her highly acclaimed children’s books are renowned for countering negative images of Africa by celebrating both its traditional village life and its urban life. Ifeoma has twice won the Children’s Africana Book Award: Best Book for Young Children in the USA. SHE lives in London with her two sons. For more about Ifeoma’s books: .
Reader Comments
An absolute treasure. Rather than being a book about Africa, Ghana, or teaching diversity it is a book that depicts the relatively mundane everyday experiences of a young Ghanaian girl. There are no trite ceremonial traditional garments, no summary descriptions of religion or culture, just a little girl and her grandmother. The differences between my son’s life in the US and Stephanie’s life are subtle. The apartment and things look a little different. Grandma wears more traditional clothes and shows her how to put them on (the children and adults her parents age, for the most part, wear western style clothing). You very much get the sense of a grandmother passing on the family tradition and lore.
This is the first book that I’ve found that depicts Ghana, or Africa in general, in a true-to-life way. Not romanticized, glamorized, or made exceedingly foreign or exotic.
This is a fantastic book. … so universal and sweet. It’s a lovely book about a little three-year-old preparing for her grandma’s visit and the visit itself. The pictures are wonderful and the text is simple, but young kids will absolutely relate. I love love this book.
I’m thrilled that many more kids will get a chance to see a child their own age from a country that they will probably never visit, but whose life is very similar to their own, and also different in interesting ways.
I See the Sun in Myanmar (Burma)
By Dedie King; illustrated by Judith Inglese.; translated by PawSHtoo B. Jindakajornsri
Series: “I See the Sun” Books
Format: Paperback, 40 pp.
ISBN: 9781935874201
Age Range: 6+ years
Publisher: Satya House Publications, 2013
Summary:
A bilingual picture book series that follows the day in the life of a family in various countries. In Myanmar (previously known as Burma), a young girl starts off the day by reciting verses of loving kindness that reflect the influence of Buddhism in her life. She shares food with the monks who pass by her house on their daily alms walk. It is considered an honor to give the monks food. She accompanies her mother, who is a nurse, to work. The endnotes provide more information about Myanmar, including its history and current political climate.
Reader Comments
In a world where global events dominate the news and our children are exposed to other cultures only superficially, author Dedie King and illustrator Judith Inglese have once again combined their talents to offer a unique perspective for young readers that is simply not available anywhere else. I See the Sun in Myanmar (Burma), one of the award-winning books in the I See the Sun in— book series, takes place in a small town on the Irawaddy River in Myanmar, the country formally known as Burma. Lush illustrations and a bilingual story in English and Burmese offer Aye Aye’s view of her beautiful country that until recently has been something of a mystery to most of the rest of the world. Aye Aye’s father is a fisherman on the river and her mother is a nurse in a nearby hospital. The story also provides an elementary introduction to Buddhist culture and the tradition of metta, a practice of saying phrases of loving-kindness. The day unfolds with the verses of ‘metta’ that Aye Aye whispers to herself. Her wishes of kindness and compassion to those around her mirror the deep-rooted Buddhist culture present in Myanmar. I See the Sun in Myanmar (Burma) is a delightful introduction to an ancient Buddhist culture. Heartwarming in its simplicity, said Joseph Goldstein, author and co-founder of Insight Meditation Society. I See the Sun in Myanmar (Burma) was first written in English, then translated into Burmese by PawSHtoo B. Jindakajornsri, who works at the Translation Center at the University of Massachusetts. The book is richly illustrated with collages made from original photographs and colorful drawings. It also includes an overview of Myanmar, a glossary of unfamiliar words, and a map that highlights where Myanmar is on the globe.
My Name Is Gabito/Me llamo Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Marquez
By Monica Brown; illustrated by Raul Colon
Genre: Nonfiction
Format: Hardcover, 32 pp.; col. ill.
Language: English and Spanish
ISBN: 978-0-87358-908-6
Age Range: 6-10 years
Publisher: Cooper Square Publishing LLC; Bilingual English/Spanish edition (2007)
Summary:
Gabriel Garcia Marquez is perhaps one of the most brilliant writers of our time. Using the imagery from his novels, Monica Brown traces the novelist’s life in this creative nonfiction picture book from his childhood in Colombia to today. This is an inspiring story about an inspiring life, full of imagination and beauty.
Winner of the ALA 2008 Pura Belpre Award Honor for Illustration. Named Best Children and YA Books of 2007 by Criticas magazine.
Reader Comments
This title is perfect for young readers. I can’t think of a better way to encourage our children to take an interest in reading the works of one of the greatest authors of our time when they are old enough to do so. The pictures are fabulous, and the capture beautifully the world that García Márquez delivers in his novels and stories. The text in Spanish is a faithful and accurate translation of the English version, which is, unfortunately, not always the case with "bilingual" books.
Great twice. I bought this for my students in Spanish I and II. The fact that it is bilingual makes it less intimidating. The illustrations are wonderful and students get a sort of mini biography of someone important in Latin American literature. I use this and other picture books to facilitate reading and language comprehension while at the same breaking away from the textbook.
For native speakers it is not particularly difficult, as it is a children’s book, but for non-native learners the language used is a bit challenging at times. Which is where the bilingual part comes in really handy. It also helps for the intermediate learners, when illustrating that translation is not always 100% word-for-word. Overall this book is great just to read in English or Spanish and as a teaching tool.
Festival of the Sun
By Jong-soon Jo; edited by Joy Cowley; illustrated by Sinae Jo
Format: Hardcover, 32 pp.; col. ill., maps.
ISBN: 978-01-925247-25-1
Age Range: 5-10 years
Publisher: Australia: Big & Small, 2016
Summary:
Festival of the Sun is a story about Peruvian people preparing for their annual sun festival. Dating back to the Inca Empire, it is one of the three great festivals in South America, and it takes place in Cuzco, Peru, each winter solstice.
This book is part of the Global Kids Storybooks Series.
The Drummer Boy
By SooHyeon Min; illustrated by Peggy Nille
Format: 32 pp.; col. ill.
ISBN: 978-1-60357-696-3
Age Range: 4-7 years
Publisher: Chicago: Norwood House Press, 2015
Summary:
Rukundo lives in a small village in Rwanda. His drumming awakens his village every morning. He is sent to fetch water at the nearby water hole. When the dirty water makes Rukundo’s family sick , frustrated, Rukundo turns to his drum. A reporter sees Rukundo and writes an article that leads to a new water pump being installed in his village.
This book is part of the MySELF Bookshelf Series.
It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
By Trevor Noah
Genre: Nonfiction (adapted for young readers)
Format: 304 pp.
ISBN: 978-0-525-58219-9
Age Range: 10-17 years
Publisher: New York: Yearling,/Random House (April 2020)
Summary:
Born to a black mother and a white father, Trevor was technically considered “illegal” under South African rules of apartheid. This autobiography chronicles Trevor’s childhood and his rise to success.
Editorial Reviews
"His mother raised him with an imagination and showed that there were no barriers to whatever he wanted to be. Readers will find this journey through Noah’s formative years humorous and exciting."
-Booklist
"Startling in its honesty, humor, and humility."
-Kirkus Reviews
"For readers who will appreciate and understand how a parent’s love enabled Noah to become the successful man he is now."
School Library Journal
Reader Comments
Enlightening, entertaining, educational and inspiring. It’s an easy read that moves quickly. At times I was laughing out loud, while other times I was sitting in suspense. The whole time, however, I was being educated. He shares his experiences from a deep and thoughtful perspective. Simply put, it was brilliant!
Apartheid was no joke. What a great memoir for young readers. Huge respect for Trevor Noah and his mother. Funny and tragic.
A Teenager in the Chad Civil War: A Memoir of Survival 1982–1986
By Esaie Toingar
Genre: Nonfiction/memoir
Format: Paperback, 234 pp.; ill, maps
ISBN: 978-0-7864-2403-0
Age Range: 16-18 years
Publisher: Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 2006
Summary:
This work contains Toingar’s first-hand description of growing up, coming of age, and waging the ultimate struggle for survival in his war-torn country from1982 to 1986.
Editorial Reviews
Gr. 10–12. Driven from home by the raging civil war in his country in the early 1980s, Toingar joined the rebels as a teenager, witnessed unspeakable atrocities, and survived betrayal and massacre before finally escaping the military. Miraculously, he returned to high school and eventually became a science teacher before emigrating to the U.S. as a United Nations refugee. His memoir never exploits the horrifying cruelty. In fact, the chronological narrative is distant and crowded with so many dates, names, and places that it reads more like a documentary report than a YA book. But with Chad now in the news and so little published in English about the 1980s war, interested older teens (and adults) may want this close-up view.
—Hazel Rochman © American Library Association.
Close-up view.
-Booklist
Reader Comments
Fascinating but unpolished. I wouldn’t call this the best book I’ve ever read, but it isn’t that bad, and there are so few books available by Chadian authors that I’ll take what I can get.
I normally don’t like it when I see a ghost-writer’s byline in a book, but this is one of those that I think would have benefited from a professional writer’s input. I thought the book would be a memoir about life as a child soldier, and it was, kind of, but Toingar focused as much on other people (sometimes people he didn’t even know) as much as himself, and wrote in a very dry, emotionless tone that didn’t suit the drama of the story he was trying to tell.
Toingar joined the army at the age of 14. He didn’t want to, but neither was he forced to; it’s just that the two different armies of the civil war were constantly raiding villages, raping, pillaging, burning and killing people, and he figured it was safer to have his own gun, have military training, and be among other armed people. A military career was never his goal; he wanted to get an education and get some decent job.
He writes a fair-ish account of what was going on and what he and the Chadian population experienced, but it would have been better if I had had more background knowledge of the civil war (I had none). A foreword, written by a scholar on the subject, would have helped. I would also have liked to know the details of how Toingar escaped to Algeria and ultimately to the United States, where he lives in Iowa and works an engineer.
More personal perspective needed. As the title explains, this is an account of the civil war in Chad given by a southerner who joined the rebellion. He gives a great deal of facts and history in the course of his memoir. My only wish is that he would have given more perspective into his own feelings about the crisis and tragedy that was happening around him.
Arcady’s Goal
By Eugene Yelchin
Format: Paperback, 240 pp.; ill.
ISBN: 978-0805098440
Age Range: 9-12 years
Publisher: New York: Henry Holt & Co. (2014)
Summary:
From Newbery Honor–winning author Eugene Yelchin comes another glimpse into Soviet Russia. For twelve-year-old Arcady, soccer is more than just a game. Sent to live in a children’s home after his parents are declared enemies of the state, it is a means of survival, securing extra rations, respect, and protection. Ultimately, it proves to be his chance to leave. But in Soviet Russia, second chances are few and far between. Will Arcady seize his opportunity and achieve his goal? Or will he miss his shot?
Editorial Reviews
“As with Yelchin’s Breaking Stalin’s Nose, the subtext of this deceptively simple work challenges readers to look beyond the characters’ situation and consider the historical implications of their dilemmas.”
-BCCB
“Newbery Honor-winner Yelchin provides another glimpse into Soviet life, once again with a young boy as the main character . . . It is the emotional power of the tale that captures the reader’s heart.”
―The Horn Book
“Yelchin follows up his Newbery Honor Book, Breaking Stalin’s Nose, with another novel set in Soviet Russia . . . this swiftly moving, lucid novel tells an affecting tale, illustrated with often chilling drawings of Soviet life.”
―Booklist
Reader Comments
Great for pre-teen perspective.
Arcady’s Goal takes place in the Soviet Union. Unlike the author’s other book, Breaking Stalin’s Nose, this tells the story another side: the children’s prison camps, where the minimum age for death by firing squad is twelve and the only thing the inmates have done is being the children of the “enemies of the people.” Arcady, the main character, is a boy twelve years old, and, as his sarcastic, food-stealing director of the children’s prison says, “finally old enough for the firing squad.” Arcady’s dream is to escape the camp with his soccer skills and to overcome the stigma of being a child of the “enemies of the people.” This is a great historical fiction book, with pictures that don’t just show you what people look like, but what they are inside. The brutal Soviet rule is summed up by the poem quoted at the end of the book: “I could have whistled through life, starling-like, nibbling on nut pies, but it seems off limits for me.”
What a book of fictional history! Learning how hard it was in replacement camps in Russia. How important soccer was in saving life
It Takes a Village
By Jane Cowen-Fletcher
Format: 32 pp.
ISBN: 0590465732
Age Range: 4-8 years
Publisher: New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1994. Text copyright 2004 Lectorum Publications, Inc
On market day in a small village in Benin, Yemi tries to watch her little brother Kokou and finds that the entire village is watching out for him too.
Deogratias, A Tale of Rwanda (graphic novel)
By Jean-Phillippe Stassen
Format: 79 pp.; col. ill.
ISBN: 9781596431034
Age Range: 16+ years
Publisher: NewYork: First Second, 2006.
The harrowing tale of the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda, as seen through the eyes of a boy named Deogratias. He is an ordinary teenager, in love with a girl named Bénigne, but Deogratias is a Hutu and Bénigne is a Tutsi who dies in the genocide, and Deogratias himself plays a part in her death. Told with great artistry and intelligence.
Why Chibchacum Carries the World (based on a Chibcha myth)
Retold by Sandy Sepehri. Illustrated by Brian Demeter
Format: 32 pp.; col. ill.
ISBN: 978-1600442155
Age Range: 9-14 years
Publisher: Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Publishers, 2007
Relates the story of a struggle between the gods Bochica and Chibchacum and the creation, fall, and repentance of the Chibcha people.
The Elephant Scientist
By Caitlin O’Connell and Donna M. Jackson. Photographs by Caitlin O’Connell and Timothy Rodwell
Format: 70 p.; col. ill., col. maps
ISBN: 978-0544668300
Age Range: 12-15 years
Publisher: Boston: HMH Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (May 3, 2016)
Photographs and text recount Caitlin O'Connell's experiences observing African elephants in their natural habitat of Etosha National Park in Namibia, describing the discoveries she made about elephant communication.
Maria Had a Little Llama / Maria Tenia Una Llamita
By Angela Dominguez
Format: 32 pp.; col. ill.
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9333-9
Age Range: 4-7 years
Publisher: : New York: Henry Holt, 2013
An adaptation of the familiar rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb” set in Peru. Each verse is told in both English and Spanish.
The Best Beekeeper of Lalibela: A Tale from Africa
By Cristina Kessler; illustrated by Leonard Jenkins
Format: гтзфпув col. ill.
ISBN: 978-0-823-41858-9
Age Range: 4-8 years
Publisher: Publishers: New York: Holiday House, 2006/2018
In the Ethiopian mountain village of Lalibela, famous for its churches and honey, a young girl is determined to find a way to be a beekeeper—despite being told that is something only men can do.
I Drank My Tea: Family Adventures in Kyrgyzstan
Mary Atwood
Format: 170 pp.
ISBN: 978-1453885772
Age Range: Young adult
Publisher: Scotts Valley, CA: CreateSpace Publishing Company; 2011
Mary and Tracy Atwood moved with their three teenage children to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in the fall of 1999. This memoir describes the joys and challenges of expatriate family life in Kyrgyzstan.
The Sun-Child: A Tale from Tonga
By Sara Mitchell. Illustrated by Fraser Williamson
Format: 24 pp.; col. ill.
ISBN: 978-0-947526184
Age Range: 5-8 years
Publisher: Auckland, NZ: Clean Slate Press, 2017
Relates the tale of the sun child. Includes a look at the history and culture of Tonga.
The Soccer Fence: A Story of Friendship, Hope, and Apartheid in South Africa
By Phil Bildner. Illustrated by Jesse Joshua Watson
Format: 40 pp.; col. ill.
ISBN: 978-0-399-24790-3
Age Range: 6-8 years
Publisher: New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2014
Each time Hector watches white boys playing soccer in Johannesburg, South Africa, he dreams of playing on a real pitch one day. After the fall of apartheid, when he sees the 1996 African Cup of Nations team, he knows that his dream can come true.
Bamboo People
By Mitali Perkins
Format: 272 pp.
ISBN: 978-1580893299
Age Range: 12+ years
Publisher: Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2010/2012
Two Burmese boys, one a Karenni refugee and the other the son of an imprisoned Burmese doctor, meet in the jungle and in order to survive they must learn to trust each other.
Ryan and Jimmy: And the Well in Africa That Brought Them Together
By Herb Shoveller
Format: 56 pp.; col. ill.
ISBN: 978-1554532711
Age Range: 8-12 years
Publisher: Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press, 2006
Chronicles the friendship of Ryan Hreljac and Akana Jimmy, who became pen pals after Ryan, a Canadian boy, raised money to build a well in Jimmy's village in Uganda—and it explains how they became brothers.
A Weave of Words: An Armenian Tale
By Robert San Souci. Illustrated by Raul Colon
Format: 32 pp.; col. ill.
ISBN:978-0531330531
Age Range: 5+ years
Publisher: New York: Scholastic/Orchard Books, 1998
A reworking of an Armenian folktale in which a lazy prince learns to read, write, and weave to win his love only to have these very talents later save him from a three-headed monster.
Torina’s World: A Child’s Life in Madagascar
By Joni Kabana (text and photography)
Format: 52 pp. with photos
ISBN:978-0979477140
Age Range: 9-12 years
Publisher: Portland, OR: Arnica Publishing, 2007
This book documents daily life in a Malagasy village of Madagascar. It is divided into three sections: We Live!, We Grow!, and We Feel!
Outside In
By Jennifer Bradbury
Format: 278 pp.
ISBN: 978-1-44246-827-6
Age Range: 8–12 years
Publisher: New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2017
A twelve-year-old boy living on the streets of Chandigarh, India, stumbles across a secret garden full of sculptures and sees the possibility of another way of life as he bonds with the man who created them in this novel based on the true story of Nek Chand, one of India’s most beloved artists.
Yatandou
By Whelan, Gloria; illustrated by Peter Sylvada
Format: 32 pp.
ISBN: 978-1-58536-211-0
Age Range: 5–8 years
Publisher: Chelsea, MI: Sleeping Bear Press, 2007.
Eight-year-old Yatandou helps the women of her Mali village raise enough money to buy a machine that will replace their pounding sticks.
Go To Sleep, Gecko!: A Balinese Folktale
By MacDonald, Margaret Read; illustrated by Geraldo Valerio.
Format: unpaged; col. ill. pp.
ISBN: 978-1-939160-92-8
Age Range: 5-8 years
Publisher: Little Rock, Ark: August House Little Folk, 2006.
Retells the folktale of the gecko who complains to the village chief that the fireflies keep him awake at night but then learns that in nature all things are connected.
Between Sisters
By Badoe, Adwoa
Format: 205 pp.
ISBN: 978-1-933979-23-6
Age Range: 14-18 years
Publisher: Toronto, Canada: Groundwood Books, 2010.
Sixteen-year-old Gloria, who lives in poverty in Accra, dreams of becoming a dressmaker but has difficulty with school, and when a distant relative offers to pay for dressmaking school in exchange for Gloria looking after her son in Kumasi, Gloria accepts the offer and finds that life in Kumasi is full of temptations and distractions which she must struggle to overcome.
One Shadow on the Wall
By Henderson, Leah
Format: 438 pp.
ISBN: 978-1-4814629-5-2
Age Range: 10-14 years
Publisher: New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2017
In Senegal, eleven-year-old orphan Mor has three months to prove to his aunt that he can support himself and his two younger sisters, allowing them to stay together in their village and fulfilling the promise he made to their dying father, but a malicious gang of boys threatens Mor's success and his integrity.
Pan de Sal Saves the Day
By Olizon-Chikiamco, Norma; illustrated by Salvatus, Mark Ramsel N
Format: 24 pp. col. ill.
ISBN: 978-0-8048-4078-1
Age Range: 5-8 years
Publisher: North Clarendon, Vermont: Tuttle, 2009
Text mainly in English with some words in Tagalog. Pan de Sal, embarrassed by her humble home and upbringing, saves the day when her class becomes stranded on a broken-down bus and she is the only one who knows how to keep everyone entertained without fancy food, toys, or games.
Thanks to God and the Revolution: The Oral History of a Nicaraguan Family
By Hart, Dianne Walta
Format: 306 pp.
ISBN: 978-0-299-12610-0
Age Range: 14-18 years
Publisher: Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1990
A picture of a close-knit and loving family, the Lopez family. Tracing their story from the years of repression and guerrilla activity under Somoza through an era of personal and political revolution in the 1970s and 1980s, the author shows people persevering against every kind of adversity.
Waiting for the Biblioburro
By Brown, Monica. Illustrated by John Parra
Format: 32 unnumbered pp.
ISBN: 978-1-58246-353-7
Age Range: 5-8 years
Publisher: Berkley, CA: Tricycle Press, 2011
Ana loves stories. She often makes them up to help her little brother fall asleep. But in her small village there are only a few books and she has read them all. One morning, Ana wakes up to the clip-clop of hooves, and there before her, is the most wonderful sight: a traveling library resting on the backs of two burros—all the books a little girl could dream of, with enough stories to encourage her to create one of her own. Based on real-life librarian Luis Soriano. The book introduce readers to the mobile library that journeys over mountains and through valleys to bring literacy and culture to rural Colombia.
What Elephants Know
By Dinerstein, Eric
Format: 273 pp.
ISBN: 978-1-48472-854-3
Age Range: 9-14 years
Publisher: Los Angeles, CA: Disney Hyperion, 2016
In the threatened jungle of the Borderlands between Nepal and India during the 1970s, an orphaned boy discovers his fate as a great elephant driver. Brings to life Nepal's breathtaking jungle wildlife and rural culture, as seen through the eyes of a young outcast, struggling to find his place in the world.
Serafina’s Promise: A novel in verse
By Burg, Ann E
Format: 299 pp.
ISBN: 978-0-545-53567-0
Age Range: 8-12 years
Publisher: New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2015
In a poor village outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Serafina works hard to help her family, but dreams of going to school and becoming a doctor—then the earthquake hits and Serafina must summon all her courage to find her father and still get medicine for her sick baby brother as she promised.
I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade
By Wilson, Diane L.
Format: 232 pp.
ISBN: 978-1-402-24027-0
Age Range: 12-16 years
Publisher: New York: Orchard Books, 1998
Oyuna tells her granddaughter the story of how love for her horse enabled her to win a race and bring good luck to her family living in Mongolia in 1339.
Chúcaro
By Kalnay, Francis; illustrated by Julian de Miskey
Format: 115 pp.
ISBN: 978-0-802-77387-6
Age Range: 8-12 years
Publisher: New York: Walker, 1993
Adventures of a boy and his pony on the Argentine Pampa.
The Mystery of the Grand Bazaar
By Moore, Jordan; illustrated by Gershom Griffith
Format: 32 pp.; col. ill.
ISBN: 978-1-48071-744-2
Age Range: 5-8 years
Publisher: Huntington Beach, CA: Teacher Created Materials, 2014
A young boy named Zeyd enjoys working at the bazaar in Istanbul. One day, someone does the unthinkable and steals a bag of gold coins from the rug merchant! When the other merchants decide to close the bazaar until the thief is found, Zeyd finds an unlikely culprit.
The Red Pencil
Angela Davis Pinkney; illustrated by Shane W. Davis
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (October 4, 2011)
ISBN-13: 978-0547577319
A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about a girl in Sudan in 2008 and a boy in Sudan in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the "lost boys" of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way.
Chandra’s Magic Light: a story in Nepal<
Theresa Heine; illustrated by Judith Gueyfier
Format: 38pp., col.ill.
Age Range: 5–8 years
ISBN: 978-1-84686-866-5
Publishers: Cambridge, MA: Barefoot Books, 2014
A heartwarming story set in Nepal of two resourceful sisters who bring the safety of solar-powered light to their family.
Bamboo People
Mitali Perkins
Format: 272 pp.
ISBN: 978-1-58089-328-2
Age Range: 12 years+
Publisher: Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2010
Two Burmese boys, one a Karenni refugee and the other the son of an imprisoned Burmese doctor, meet in the jungle and in order to survive they must learn to trust each other.
Radiant Girl
By Andrea White; illustrated by Elaine Atkinson
Format: 256 pp.
ISBN: 978-1-933979-23-6
Age Range: 8–12 years
Publisher: Houston, TX: Bright Sky Press, 2008
This coming-of-age story follows the life of Katya, an eleven-year old Ukrainian girl whose life is turned upside down after the Chernobyl disaster.
Thank You, Baobab Tree!
Mi-hwa Joo; illustrated by Yun-heu Park
Format: 29 pp., col. ill.
ISBN: 978-1-925247-55-8
Age Range: 5–8years
Publisher: Minneapolis: Big and Small, 2016 (English version)
There are eight species of baobab tree, and they are all found in Madagascar, a country called the ‘home of the baobab.’ This story follows a family who relies on baobab trees for many things.
The Umbrella Queen
Shirin Yim Bridges; illustrated by Taeeun Yoo
Format: 34 pp.; col. ill.
ISBN: 978-0-06-075040-4
Age Range: 5–8 years
Publisher: New York: Greenwillow Books, 2008
In a village in Thailand where everyone makes umbrellas, young Noot dreams of painting the most beautiful one and leading the annual parade as Umbrella Queen, but her unconventional designs displease her parents.
Zarma Folktales of Niger
Translated by Amanda Cushman
Format: 95 pp.
ISBN: 978-0-9792999-8-8
Age Range: Young Adult
Publisher: Niantic, CT: Quale Press, 2010
These tales run the gamut from teaching ethical and moral lessons to portraying tricksters to naming animals to having fun. ZARMA FOLKTALES OF NIGER provides the cultural and historical context necessary to truly appreciate and understand these tales. The introduction outlines Niger's history and describes the relationships of the Zarma to neighboring tribes.
The Color of My Words
By Lynn Joseph
Format: 138 p.
ISBN: 978-1-413-14404-8
Age Range: 8–12 years
Publisher: New York: Harper Trophy, 2000
When life gets difficult for Ana Rosa, a twelve-year-old would-be writer living in a small village in the Dominican Republic, she can depend on her older brother to make her feel better--until the life-changing events on her thirteenth birthday.
Caminar
Skila Brown
Format: 193 pp.
ISBN: 978-0763690946
Age Range: 10–14 years
Publisher: Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014
In 1981, with the arrival of soldiers in his Guatemalan village, Carlos must flee and join a band of guerillas who head to the mountains where his grandmother lives to warn her about the soldiers.
Chloe in India
Kate Darnton
Format: Hardcover, 224 pp.
ISBN: 978-0553535044
Age Range: 9–12
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2016
A poignant and delightful story involving class, race, social customs, and a unique friendship that questions them all.
Though they’re divided by class, language, appearance—you name it—Chloe and Lakshmi have a lot in common. Both girls are new to Class Five at Premium Academy in New Delhi, India, and neither seems to fit in. But they soon discover how extraordinary an ordinary friendship can be and how celebrating our individuality can change the world.
"Whether describing the heat of a Delhi summer or the emotions of a homesick preteen in a strange land, Darnton gets the details right, bringing characters and story to life and also educating readers about the economic discrepancies rampant in India. Blonde American Chloe's perspective gives Western readers a way into this tale of inequality in a foreign culture." —Kirkus
"A solid multicultural offering for middle grade collections." —SLJ
"The heart of the story—standing up for others, despite social or economic class—can offer a good discussion for readers and hopefully get them thinking about those around them." —Booklist
"An informed and informative work of fiction that incorporates eye- opening facts about poverty and social systems outside of the United States while never losing the protagonist’s authentic and relatable voice. Evocative in setting, sympathetic in character, and noble in intent, this story is for armchair travelers and seekers of fairness and friendship." —The Bulletin
Tales from Lesotho: 10 Basuto Folk Tales
Compiled by Minnie Martin
Format: Paperback, 102 pp.
ISBN: 978-1909302563
Age Range: 9–14 years
Publisher: Abela Publishing, 2014
Within this little volume you will find 10 unique folk tales and children's stories from the African mountain Kingdom of Lesotho: The story of Takane, who, despite having an arranged marriage, became a happy and devoted wife. The tale of how Khosi chooses Polomahache (Crocodile Child) to be his wife and of Mokete and Morongoe the Snake, and many more.
Included are stories of the Sun Chief, evil Witchdoctors, or Ngaka, the equivalent of an Evil Wizard, spells being cast and broken and beautiful maidens being set free. There are also tales of malevolent chiefs who rule their people with a fist of iron, not caring how much innocent blood they shed - and how their comeuppance is delivered by the hero of the day.
These tales were collected by Minnie Martin, wife of a Government Official, who came to South Africa and Basutoland, from England, in 1891. To enable a better understanding of the people and their customs, she began to study the language, collected these tales and became fairly fluent in the language.
Because the Bantu peoples of Southern Africa had no written language, it must be noted that the first people to record the various languages (the Boers and the British) did so phonetically, writing the language as they heard it being spoken. Unlike most European languages, there has been no influence of Latin, Greek, or Arabic, which makes the learning of those languages that little more difficult. Here you speak the word the way it is written e.g. Ngaka is read as In-gaa-kah, Takane as Tak-aan-eh, Khosi as Koh-see, etc. Enjoy this unique collection of tales, customs, and lore from a little-known place, unseen or heard in the West for many generations. 33% of the net profit will be donated to SENTEBALE - a charity supporting children in Lesotho orphaned by AIDS.
Anahita’s Woven Riddle
By Meghan Nutall Sayres
Format: 361 pp.
ISBN: 978-0-9848359-2-8
Age Range: 10–14 years
Publisher: Orange County,CA: Nortia Press, 2013
Growing up as part of a Muslim nomadic tribe in Iran, Anahita has always been headstrong and independent. When her parents try to make a marriage match between her and her tribe's khan (a type of inter-tribe leader), Anahita rebels. She will gladly marry, she says, but only to the man who can solve the riddle she weaves into her wedding carpet.
The Ugly One
Leanne Statland Ellis, 2013, AGES 8–12
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (2015)
Format: Paperback, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 0544439171
ISBN-13: 978-0544439177
Summary: At the height of the Incan empire, a girl called "The Ugly One" because of a disfiguring scar on her face seeks to have the scar removed and instead finds a life path as a shaman.
REVIEWS:
"[A] Quiet, deeply moving story." —The Bulletin
Publishers Weekly: Inspired by the author's travels to Peru, Ellis's coming-of-age tale follows the small but significant story of 12-year-old Incan girl named Micay, who is shunned by her community because of "the deep scar that ran like a river from my right eye down my cheek to my lip and lowered my mouth in a permanent half frown." That changes, however, when a "jungle stranger" comes to town and gives her a scruffy baby macaw named Sumac Huanacauri ("Handsome Rainbow"), who protects her from her tormentor Ucho's cruelty and teaches her to free herself from doubt, as well as accept that she may be destined for a greater purpose. Micay leaves her "wasi" (one-room home) to explore and study with Paqo, a "mighty shaman" from Cuzco. Micay's intimate narration weaves in Quechua vocabulary and abundant references to Incan folklore, enhancing the novel's vivid sense of time and place. Despite the element of shamanism and Micay's communication with spirits, her transformation is subtle and pragmatic as she evolves from fearful outsider to empowered individual. Ages 9–12.
Booklist: Forced to live with a horrible scar from her eyebrow to her lip, Micay does not remember a time when she was not the Ugly One. But when she is 12, a yunka stranger arrives in her small village and presents her with a gift, a baby macaw she calls Sumac Huanacauri, or Handsome Rainbow. As the girl and the bird bond, the bird perches himself on her right shoulder, thus covering the scarred portion of her face. He also takes her to the Paqo, the village seer and healer, whose apprentice she becomes. Thus begins a process and journey that eventually takes her to the Sacred Sun City, Machu Picchu, and her destiny. Ellis introduces readers to the Incan culture and myths through Micay’s lessons in healing, Uncle Turu’s stories, and her people’s struggle through a horrible drought that threatens their very survival. Just as Uncle Turu’s stories hold special truths concealed as fables, this quiet, deeply moving story reminds readers of the true nature of beauty. Grades 4–8.
Carolina’s Gift
Katacha Diaz, illus. Gredna Landolt, 2002, AGES 5–8
Publisher: Soundprint, 2002, 2011
Format: Paperback, 32 pages
ISBN-10: 1568996969
ISBN-13: 978-1-568-99696-7
Summary: Carolina lives in a village up in the Andes Mountains. Today she and her mother are traveling into town to find a birthday gift for Carolina's grandmother. There are so many things to see and so many gifts to choose from! Children will follow Carolina through her new experience. Carolina's Gift gives readers a fun and unique insight of a different culture, and a sense what life might be like for a child growing up in mountain village of Peru.
REVIEWS:
Booklist: Carolina hopes to find a birthday present at the market for her grandmother. After looking in all the stalls, she and her mother find the perfect gift—a carved walking stick, so Abuelita can accompany them to the market the next time they go. This simple story is a vehicle for introducing Spanish words and showing a marketplace in Peru that the author once visited. Back matter includes a map, information on the market, and translations of 10 Spanish words used in the text. … pleasant, color-saturated illustrations incorporate textile patterns and clothing. … good supplemental material for elementary-level social studies.
Turtle Songs: A tale for mothers and daughters
Margaret Wolfson, illust. Karla Sachi, 1999, AGES 5–8
Publisher: Beyond Words Publishing, 1999
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN-10: 1885223951
ISBN-13: 978-1885223951
Summary: Based on a Fijian myth, a princess and her daughter are captured by intruders from another island. They sing in harmony and call to the sea gods, who transform them into sea turtles so that they might escape.
REVIEWS:
Publishers Weekly: In this story based on a Fijian myth, a princess and her daughter are saved from kidnappers by a storm that destroys their canoe and transforms the mother and daughter into sea turtles. As turtles, the pair returns to their island and promise to come whenever the villagers sing to them. Wolfson's (Marriage of the Rain Goddess) verbose retelling is competent, but does little to develop the relationship between the mother and daughter. The princess and her daughter's connection to the sea, before their transformation into turtles, also seem tenuous (the only clue the author offers is the princess's glancing wish, at one point, that she and her daughter were giant turtles). An afterword hints at the importance of sea turtles in the Fiji islands, but their mythical associations don't come through in the story itself. In her first children's book, Sachi uses bright South Sea colors, from the princess's flowing pink dress to the intense colors under the ocean's surface. But the illustrations do not always contribute to the narrative. The real strength of the artwork shows in the spreads of aquatic life: the sea turtles, dolphins and tropical fish seem to swim off the page. Ages 5-up.
School Library Journal: Kindergarten-Grade 3-A charming Fijian folktale is brought to life in this story about a brave Princess and her daughter. The ocean figures so centrally in their idyllic lives that the two wistfully fantasize about transforming themselves into "a pair of giant [sea] turtles." Their daydreams turn out to be hauntingly prophetic as ruffians from a neighboring island kidnap mother and daughter shortly thereafter. Huddled on the deck of their captors' boat, the Princess remembers her grandmother's instruction that song could conjure the magical sea god and she and her daughter begin the melodic incantation that will summon the ferocious elements. Soon the water and sky begin to churn and the canoe's passengers are tossed overboard. The Princess and Rani, however, are miraculously transformed into-what else-giant sea turtles, and they return to the shore to ask the women of their village not to mourn their loss. From that day on, the women summon the sea turtles with song to give themselves hope and consolation. Light-filled, lushly colored illustrations accompany this well-told tale. Folklore collections will benefit from this unusual addition, the origins of which are well documented in both the author's and artist's notes.
Ghost Hands: A story inspired by Patagonia’s Cave of the Hands
T.A. Barron and William Low, 2011, AGES 5–8
Publisher: New York: Philomel Books
Format: unpaged
ISBN: 978-0-399-25083-5
Summary: Auki, a young member of the Tehuelche tribe in Patagonia, wants to prove himself as a hunter but when he sets out on his own to face the puma, he stumbles upon a sacred cave and its guardian.
War Brothers: the graphic novel
Sharon E. McKay, 2013, 15+ years
Publisher: Annick, Toronto, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 208 pages
ISBN-10: 1554514886
ISBN-13: 978-1554514885
Summary: A graphic novel adaptation of the author's novel about a group of boys in Uganda who are kidnapped and forced to join the Lord's Resistance Army, or LRA, and their desperate escape, only to return home to discover that their friends and family are afraid of them.
One Plastic Bag
Miranda Paul, illust. Elizabeth Zunon, 2015, AGES 6–10
Publisher: Millbrook Picture Books
Format: Library Binding, 32 pages
ISBN-10: 1467716081
ISBN-13: 978-1467716086
Summary: Ceesay figures out how to turn discarded plastic bags into crocheted purses and transform her community.
REVIEWS:
School Library Journal: Gr 1–4—The simple format of this picture book belies the strength of its content, a story lovingly supported by charming collage illustrations. As a girl, Ceesay realized that the goats on which her village relied were dying because they were eating plastic bags. She also saw that people were tossing the used bags on the ground just as they had always thrown away their baskets when no longer useful—except the plastic bags, unlike the baskets, weren't biodegradable. So Ceesay figured out how to use crochet, a skill with which the villagers were already familiar, to make purses out of the plastic bags. Simple but lyrical text conveys this beautiful, thought-provoking tale of ecological awareness and recycling ("The basket tips. One fruit tumbles. Then two. Then ten."). An inspiring account.
—Dorcas Hand, Annunciation Orthodox School, Houston, TX
"The simple format of this picture book belies the strength of its content, a story lovingly supported by charming collage illustrations. As a girl, Ceesay realized that the goats on which her village relied were dying because they were eating plastic bags. She also saw that people were tossing the used bags on the ground just as they had always thrown away their baskets when no longer useful except the plastic bags, unlike the baskets, weren't biodegradable. So Ceesay figured out how to use crochet, a skill with which the villagers were already familiar, to make purses out of the plastic bags. Simple but lyrical text conveys this beautiful, thought-provoking tale of ecological awareness and recycling ('The basket tips. One fruit tumbles. Then two. Then ten.'). An inspiring account." starred, School Library Journal.
This for That: A Togo Tale
Verna Aardema, illus. Victoria Chess, AGES 4–8
Publisher: Dial Books
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN-10: 0803715536
ISBN-13: 9780803715530
Summary: When Rabbit is unable to convince Lion and Elephant that even though she didn't help dig their watering hole, she's entitled to drink from it, she sets off to find other more gullible creatures. Venturing from ostrich to man to ant and back again, Rabbit's crafty bartering techniques are quite successful--until her own boastfulness gets the best of her. Full color.
The Biggest Soap
Carole Lexa Schaefer, illus. Stacey Dressen-McQueen, 2004, AGES 3–7
Publisher: New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN: 0-374-30690-7
ISBN-13: 978-0374306908
Summary: When Kessy is sent by his mother to buy laundry soap he discovers that his experience makes a good story.
It's laundry day on a South Pacific island, and Kessy is proud that Mama has chosen him to go to Minda's Store to buy the biggest soap. But he'll have to hurry if he wants to get back in time for the storytelling that accompanies the washing, so off he goes -- as fast as a typhoon wind! Along the way there are plenty of surprises, but Kessy returns with just enough soap to finish the wash and in time to tell stories galore from his big adventure.
Exploding with bright colors and patterns, this playful picture book celebrates the warmth of a close-knit island community and the independent spirit of its youngest member.
REVIEWS:
School Library Journal: On laundry day, Kessy loves to play in the washing pool while listening to the women tell stories. When Mama discovers that she needs soap, she instructs him to go to the store and bring back the biggest piece he can find. The boy is proud that he has been chosen for this job, but knows he must hurry if he wants to hear the stories. Along the way, he encounters family members and friends who invite him to join in their activities. Determined to get back quickly, he presses on. When he finally reaches his destination, the shopkeeper wraps the large chunk in a cloth and ties it on a stick for him. On his return trip, Kessy soon discovers that Mama is not the only one in need of soap. He becomes a small hero as he unwraps the cloth and shares its contents along the way. Back at the pool, he explains why the bar is so small, relating his own experiences with a bit of embellishment, and becomes a storyteller himself. With a combination of colored pencil, oil pastel, and acrylic, Dressen-McQueen playfully captures the people, sights, and sounds of a small South Pacific island community with brilliant colors that leap off the pages. Loaded with similes and some onomatopoeia, the text emphasizes the importance of the oral tradition. This is a solid purchase, perfect for reading aloud. –Tracy Bell, Durham Public Schools, NC
Booklist: *Starred Review* Schaefer's bouncy text and Dressen-McQueen's bright, Gauguin-inspired illustrations stage a vivacious, colorful tribute to Truk islanders of Micronesia. Mama sends Kessy to the store for the "biggest piece of laundry soap on Minda's shelf." He runs quickly because he doesn't want to miss the stories the women tell at the washing pool. He's diverted on the way by his two older brothers playing monsters in the muddy pool, his uncle Cho's work on a new bamboo window for his house, and his friend Amina's enticing new tin-can camera. On his return home with the soap, which Minda has put in a red cloth attached to a stick Kessy can carry on his shoulder, those same diversions slow him again: Amino cut her fingers on the can, so Kessy helps her clean the cut; Uncle Cho needs soap for his squeaky window; and his muddy brothers need a bath. Kessy returns home just in time for the stories, and he contributes plenty of his own as he explains why the soap is no bigger than a baby gecko. Both the text and the pencil, oil pastel, and acrylic artwork, alive with the sun-drenched colors and patterns of the South Pacific, bubble with happiness. Refreshing, engaging, and thoroughly delightful--just like a well-told story. Julie Cummins
The Butter Man
Elizabeth Letts Alalou and Ali Alalou, illust. Julie Klear Essakalli, 2008, AGES 5¬8
Publisher: Charlesbridge; Reprint edition (2011)
Format: Paperback, 32 pages
ISBN-10: 1580891276
ISBN-13: 978-1580891271
Summary: While Nora waits for the couscous her father is cooking to be finished, he tells her a story about his youth in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco.
REVIEWS:
Booklist: Every Saturday night, Nora watches her Moroccan-born baba (father) prepare a couscous meal in a special pot that he carried with him to the U.S. in his suitcase. One evening, Baba shares a story about how he coped with a famine during his childhood, spent in the mountains of Morocco. The authors, a married couple who drew on Ali’s personal experience, write in descriptive language that speaks directly to children. Baba says that hunger, for example, feels like “a little mouse gnawing on my insides.” The folk-art paintings, created by a textile designer, feature whimsical characters and cozy domestic scenes, while the ochre, gold, and rust palette evokes the feeling of the dusty, sunlit landscape. An authors’ note adds cultural context, and an appended glossary defines the Berber words used in the text. This warm family story about a rarely viewed culture will have particular appeal among children of immigrants, who, like Nora, wonder about their parents’ mysterious, former lives in another land. Grades K-3. --Gillian Engberg
FROM THE AUTHORS
The story that Ali tells Nora takes place in a village in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. The High Atlas Mountains span the central part of the country of Morocco, which is located in the northwest corner of Africa.
Berbers or Imazighen (ee-mah-ZEER-een) are the native people of North Africa. The language they speak is called Tamazight (tama-ZEEK) or Berber. This language is spoken by an estimated 40 to 60% of all Moroccans, including almost all inhabitants of Morocco’s mountainous regions. Most Berbers are Muslims, like Ali’s family in the story. Many Berbers also speak Arabic, the other main language in Morocco.
In the High Atlas Mountains, people live in small villages clustered along river valleys. The primary occupation is farming. People grow wheat, barley, and potatoes, and raise chickens, sheep, goats, and cows for their butter. Some villages have electricity and some roads are paved, but many still appear much as in Ali’s story.
The mountain roads are difficult and often impassable in winter. Few people have cars, so there are many peddlers who travel from village to village carrying their wares in packs on the backs of their mules. Since the peddlers walk from village to village, you never know exactly what day they might pass through.
Traditional Berbers wear distinctive clothing. The women and girls wear colorful striped blankets called tahendirt (ta-hen-DEERT) tied around their shoulders. The blankets are made out of wool because winters in the mountains are cold and snowy. The blankets have distinctive patterns of stripes that identify which tribe the women belong to. They also wear bright headscarves that are often embroidered with sequins. Men wear heavy woolen robes with hoods called tajellebit (tah-jah-LAH-bit) in the winter, or lighter cotton robes called fokias (foh-KEE-yaz) in the summer. Some men wear long bands of cloth wrapped around their head like a turban to protect them from the hot sun.
Everyone in the village has a lot of work to do. Men go to the fields to plow and plant. They harvest crops and take goods to the weekly souk, or market, to be sold. At the weekly souk you can also buy almost anything you need―anything from kerosene for lanterns to plastic buckets; from fragrant spices to fruits and vegetables brought in from neighboring towns. Women walk far into the mountains to gather sticks for kindling. They carry the sticks piled onto their backs in bundles almost as big as they are. They use these sticks to light their cooking fires. There are lots of jobs for children to do, but they still have time to play soccer and other games and attend the village school, where they learn to read and write Arabic, the official language in Morocco.
--Elizabeth and Ali Alalou
Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboh
Laurie Ann Thompson, illus. Sean Qualls, 2015, AGES 5–8
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade
Format: Hardcover: 40 pages
ISBN-10: 044981744X
ISBN-13: 978-0449817445
Summary: The true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, a young man born with a severe disability in rural Ghana who bicycles across the entire country to raise awareness for disabled people throughout Africa and around the world.
Born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah was dismissed by most people—but not by his mother, who taught him to reach for his dreams. As a boy, Emmanuel hopped to school more than two miles each way, learned to play soccer, left home at age thirteen to provide for his family, and, eventually, became a cyclist. He rode an astonishing four hundred miles across Ghana in 2001, spreading his powerful message: disability is not inability. Today, Emmanuel continues to work on behalf of the disabled.
Thompson's lyrical prose and Qualls's bold collage illustrations offer a powerful celebration of triumphing over adversity.
REVIEWS:
School Library Journal This powerful and winning picture book tells the story of a young man overcoming the odds. Born in Ghana with a deformed left leg, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah experienced stigma as a result of his disability: his father abandoned the family, and many assumed that the boy would be little more than a burden. However, with the encouragement of his mother, Yeboah refused to give up, hopping to school (instead of walking) and even learning to play soccer and cycle, despite receiving no extra help or accommodations. Thompson's lucidly written text explains how Yeboah cycled 400 miles in 2001 to raise awareness, forever changing how Ghanaians perceived those with disabilities. The narrative is simply and clearly written, and the illustrations are skillfully rendered in charmingly emotive ink and watercolor collages. A brief author's note explains how Yeboah inspired legislation upholding equal rights for the disabled and how he continues to make strides, working with organizations that provide wheelchairs to those who need them and setting up a scholarship fund for children with disabilities. VERDICT This uplifting account will resonate with readers and supplement global and cultural studies. A triumph.—Kathryn Diman, Bass Harbor Memorial Library, Bernard, ME
AWARDS
• Winner of the ALA Youth Media Awards Schneider Family Children's Book Award
• An Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Notable Children's Book for 2016
• Listed in CCBC Choices 2016 by the Cooperative Children's Book Center
• Recipient of a 2015 Eureka Honor Award from the California Reading Association
• Finalist for the 2015 Cybils Award for Elementary/Middle Grade Non-Fiction
• Finalist for the 2016-2017 Georgia Children's Picturebook (Gr. K-4) Award
• A Junior Library Guild selection
• A FirstBook #StoriesForAll featured title
• Included on the Winter 2014-2015 Kids' Indie Next List
• An Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Month Pick for January
Where the Winds Meet
Mi-Hwa Joo, illus. Oh Lee, 2015, AGES 5–8
Publisher: Lerner Publications
Series: Global Kids Storybooks
Format: Paperback, 32 pages
ISBN-10: 1925233499
ISBN-13: 978-1925233490
Summary: This is the story of a wind that wanders over Mongolia, a country that is well known for its deserts and grasslands. Travel with the wind and discover traditional Mongolian life.
The Greedy Sparrow: An Armenian tale
Lucine Kasbarian, illust. Maria Zaikina, 2011, AGES 4–8
Publisher: Two Lions
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN-10: 0761458212
ISBN-13: 978-0761458210
Summary: Retelling of a story about a trickster who is out-tricked: Once there was a sparrow who caught a thorn in his foot. When a kind baker removes the thorn, the sparrow tricks her into giving him some bread. Each time the sparrow meets new people, he tricks them out of bigger and better things. Will the sparrow’s greed get the best of him? Through this endearing Armenian folktale illustrated with mixed media, readers will learn that people who engage in dishonest or selfish behavior may end up losing whatever they gained because of that behavior.
REVIEWS:
School Library Journal: A homely sparrow turns a thorn in his foot to fine advantage in this simple spin on the familiar folktale of the rising fortunes and eventual downfall of one who overreaches. Revisiting the obliging baker who removed the thorn, sparrow asks for its return. Alas...she has thrown it in the oven. The tale moves forward in alternate bits of narrative atop or below each full-page scene and dialogue set in speech balloons. Either give me my thorn or give me some bread. The sparrow journeys far, conning the folks he encounters and parlaying the loaf of bread into a sheep, which in turn yields a bride from a countryside wedding. The sparrow s trade-ups involve leaving each of his gains for safekeeping with someone along the way who then ends up having to pay a forfeit. Either you give me the bride or give me the lute. Zaikina s expressive portrayals of both animal and human characters, rendered in bold outline and rich color, beautifully convey the tale s goofy fun. Her use of wax and oil paint in a kind of scratchboard technique smartly blends folk and cartoon styles. Though some may find the cartoon arrangement of conversation intrusive for reading aloud, others will find that it moves smoothly, adding nicely to the character portrayals. In the end, of course, sparrow s cockiness results in a fall (literally) from glory with nothing but a thorn in his foot.
"This story about a trickster who is out-tricked is a good choice for reading aloud...The humor and action in the bright illustrations will appeal to young children, as will the triumph of kindness over cheating." –Booklist Online
"This classic Armenian fable (Crime never pays! is the lesson at the end) is retold to the accompaniment of richly chromatic, folkloric scenes by a Moscow native that bring to mind Ukrainian Easter eggs." —ForeWord Reviews
"Armenian folk attire and references to places in Armenia authenticate the tale. It's a rhythmic read-aloud beginning readers can share." —Kirkus Reviews
AWARDS
2013 Nautilus Awards Silver Winner in the Children's Picture Books Category
2012 Honor Book by the Storytelling World Awards Committee
Gecko’s Complaint: a Balinese folktale
Ann Martin Bowler, illus. Gusti Made Sukanada, 2003, AGES 5–8
Publisher: Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd (2009 ed.)
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN-10: 0794604846
ISBN-13: 978-0794604844
Summary: The endless flashing of fireflies disturbs a well-fed gecko's sleep. Gecko complains to the lion Raden, who is the king of the jungle, sending him on a tour of his domain. But each new animal's complaint leads Raden to yet another irritable animal, and it is only when he speaks to the Rain that Raden finally finds an answer for himself and all his subjects.
GoogleBooks: Filled with delightful characters and vivid illustrations, 'Gecko’s Complaint' is a story about those who are all too ready to see the faults of others while turning a blind eye to their own shortcomings. The story begins when a well-fed gecko complains to the royal lion Raden about being kept awake by fireflies. The king of the jungle sets out on a tour of his domain. Every animal he encounters seems to have a complaint about one of his neighbors. Only after speaking to the Rain does Raden find a solution to the problems. Children’s book writer Ann Martin Bowler’s retelling of a classic Balinese folktale is accompanied by the work of veteran illustrator, I Gusti Made Sukanada.
AMAZON: Featured as a "Top Pick" on TravelForKids.com, Gecko's Complaint tells the story of a Gecko who once lived on the island we now call Bali, in a jungle dense with flowers and vines.
After hundreds of fireflies disturb Gecko's sleep, he complains to kindly Raden, the jungle's lion leader. In his efforts to get to the bottom of Gecko's troubles, Raden discovers all too much complaining and far too many irritable animals. Can Raden help the animals with their troubles? Can peace and happiness return to the jungles of Bali?
A simple yet absolutely delightful Balinese folktale for kids, this bilingual edition, which features both English and Indonesian text, is a perfect introduction to the true spirit of Bali. The Indonesian island of Bali has a strong art and storytelling tradition—folktales that have been passed down from generation to generation. As a nation with over 18,000 islands, Indonesia has hundreds of traditional languages and cultures, each with myths and legends to tell. With its backdrop of volcanoes, earthquakes, dense jungles, diverse wildlife and people, it is not surprising that Indonesia is rich with fabulous, imaginative tales.
REVIEWS:
"Bowler retells this folktale in simple, yet skillful prose. Sukanada's acrylic paint, pen, and ink illustrations show leafy landscapes saturated with color, and have depth and beauty." —School Library Journal
"An enjoyable read enhanced by soft, full-color artwork…" —Midwest Book Review
"Gecko's Complaint is a sparkling retelling of a classic Balinese folktale." —Bali Advisor
"Lovingly illustrated by Gusti Made Sukanada, this book shows a side of Bali that is not often seen." —Singapore Straits Times
Desert Danger (Wild Rescue)
Desert Danger (Wild Rescue)
Jan Burchett and Sara Vogler, illus Diane Le Feyer, 2013, AGES 8–11
Publisher: Stone Arch Books
Format: 152pp
ISBN-13: 978-1434248923
Synopsis: Ben and Zoe travel to the Kalahari Desert in Namibia to rescue a lion cub who has fallen down a well, but a sandstorm threatens to overwhelm them before they can get the cub back to its pride.
Moldova (Cultures of the World)
Patricia Sheehan, 2010, AGES 11+
Publisher: Cavendish Square Publishing
Series: Cultures of the World, Second (Book 20)
Format: 144 pp
ISBN-10: 1608700259 / ISBN-13: 978-1608700257
Synopsis: Broad overview of culture, geography, and history for Grades 5-9. … Clearly presented, easy-to-understand texts discuss government, economy, people, lifestyles, religion, language, arts and leisure, festivals, and food. … Inviting and user-friendly. Colorful photographs and reproductions complement and reinforce facts presented. A "Quick Notes" page lists important facts and provides a handy referral and access to material. Appealing, informative, and engaging resource. S. Shaver, for School Library Journal.
The Princess and the Foal
Stacy Gregg, 2014, AGES 10+
Publisher: Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Group, NY
Format 263 pp
ISBN 978-0-399-16887-1
Synopsis: Princess Haya loves her family more than anything—especially her mother, who brings light and happiness into King Hussein's house. So when Queen Alia is killed in a tragic accident, Princess Haya is devastated. Knowing how unhappy she is and how much she loves horses, Haya's father, King Hussein, gives her a special present: a foal of her very own. And this foal changes Princess Haya's world completely" –Provided by publisher.
Go and Come Back
Joan Abelove, 1998, AGES 12+
Publisher: Puffin Books, NY, 2000, 1998.
Format: 176 pp.
ISBN 0-14-130694-7
Synopsis: Alicia, a young tribeswoman living in a village in the Amazonian jungle of Peru, tells about the two American women anthropologists who arrive to study her people's way of life.
Be Patient, Abdul
Dolores Sandoval, 1996, AGES 5+
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, NY
Format unp.: col. ill.
ISBN 0-689-50607-4
Synopsis: With the help of his younger sister, seven-year-old Abdul raises money to go to school by selling oranges in the marketplace in Sierra Leone.
Roses for Isabella
Diana Cohn, illus Amy Córdova, 2011, AGES 6+
Publisher: Steiner Books, Great Barrington, MA
ISBN: 9780880107310
Synopsis: Isabella writes for a school assignment about the new "fair trade" rose farm in Ecuador where her parents work.
Even a Little Is Something: Stories of Nong
Tom Glass, illus Elena Gerard, 1997, AGES 9–12
Publisher: Linnet Books, North Haven, Conn.
Format 119 p.
ISBN 0-208-02457-3
Synopsis: Twenty-three vignettes present Nong, a ten-year-old girl living in present-day Thailand, and the characters of her village as they slowly make the transition from rural poverty to western modernization.
My Rows and Piles of Coins
Tololwa M. Mollel, illus E. B. Lewis, 1999, AGES 4–8
Publisher Clarion Books, NY
Format 32 pp
ISBN 0-395-75186-1
Synopsis: A Tanzanian boy saves his coins to buy a bicycle so that he can help his parents carry goods to market, but then he discovers that in spite of all he has saved, he still does not have enough money.
The Storyteller's Beads
Jane Kurtz, illus Michael Bryant, 1998, AGES 12–15
Publisher: Harcourt Brace, San Diego, CA
Format 154 pp
ISBN 0-15-201074-2
Synopsis: During the political strife and famine of the 1980's, two Ethiopian girls struggle to overcome many difficulties, as they make the dangerous journey out of Ethiopia.
The Enchanted Book: A Tale from Krakow
Janina Porazinska, illus Jan Brett, transl Bozena Smith, 1987, AGES 7+
Publisher: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, San Diego, CA
Format 32 p. : col. ill.
ISBN 0-15-225950-3
Synopsis: A retelling of the traditional Polish tale in which a miller's youngest daughter succeeds in outwitting an evil sorcerer.
Uncle Monarch and the Day of the Dead
Judy Goldman, illus René King Moreno, 2008, AGES 7–9
Publisher: Boyds Mills Press, Honesdale, PA
Format 32 pp
ISBN 978-1-59078-425-9
Synopsis: Upon the death of her beloved Tio Urbano, who has taught her that monarch butterflies are the souls of the dead, young Lupita gains a deeper understanding of Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, as it is observed in rural Mexico. Includes glossary of Spanish terms and facts about the Day of the Dead.
The Hungry Coat: A Tale from Turkey
Demi, 2004, AGES 6–10
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, NY
Format 34pp; col. ill
ISBN 0-689-84680-0
Synopsis: After being forced to change to a fancy new coat to attend a party, Nasrettin Hoca tries to feed his dinner to the coat, reasoning that it was the coat that was the invited guest.
Crocodile Crossing
Schuyler Bull, illus Alan Male, 2003 AGES 4+
Publisher: Soundprints, Norwalk, CT
Format: 27 p., col. ill.
ISBN: 1592490514
Synopsis: Follow a mother crocodile and her dozens of babies as they make their way from a small pond to the Luangwa River during a long, dry season in Eastern Africa.
E is for Ethiopia
By Ashenafi Gudeta, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 32 pp.
ISBN: 978-1845078256
Age Range: 6–9 years, Nonfiction
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2011
The Fortune-Tellers
By Lloyd Alexander, Trina Hyman, 1992
Format: Paperback, 32 pp.
ISBN: 978-0140562330
Age Range: 3–8 years
Publisher: Puffin Books; Reprint edition, 1997
Reef
By Romesh Gunesekera, 1994
Format: Paperback, 192 pp.
ISBN: 978-1573225335
Age Range: 12+ years
Publisher: Riverhead Books, 1996
Read more at www.theguardian.com
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
By Wm. Kamkwamba & B. Mealer, 2009
Format: Paperback, 304 pp.
ISBN: 978-0147510426
Age Range: YA+
Publisher: Puffin Books; Reprint edition, 2016
Read more at www.amazon.com
The Stone of Destiny: Tales from Turkey
By Elspeth Tavaci, Paul Hess, 2012
Format: Paperback, 144 pp.
ISBN: 978-1847802798
Age Range: 8-11 years
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Bks, 2013
Journey to Jo'burg, A South African Story
By Beverly Naidoo, illustrated by Eric Velasquez, 1986
Format: Paperback, 96 pp.
ISBN: 978-0064402378
Age Range: 11+ years
Publisher: HarperCollins; Reprint edition, 2002
Read more at www.harpercollins.com
Secrets in the Fire
By Henning Mankel, translated Anne Connie Stuksrud, 2003
Format: Paperback, 166 pp.
ISBN: 978-1550378009
Age Range: 12+ years
Publisher: Annick Press; 1st Paperback Edition edition, 2003
Read more at www.umanitoba.ca
Disaster in Oceania
By Ed Hanson, 2005
Format: Paperback, 192 pp.
ISBN: 978-1573225335
Age Range: 10+ years
Publisher: Riverhead Books, 1996
Read more at www.theguardian.com
Broken Memory, A Novel of Rwanda
By Elisabeth Combres, translated Shelley Tanaka, 2009
Format: Paperback, 149 pp.
ASIN: B00IN8P8OY
Age Range: 12+ years
Publisher: Groundwood Books; 1 edition, 2009
Read more at read-learn-create-grow.blogspot.com
Colibri
By Ann Cameron, 2003
Format: Paperback, 256 pp.
ISBN: 978-0440420521
Age Range: 12+ years
Publisher: Laurel Leaf; Reprint edition, 2005
Read more at www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org
The Blue Sky: A Novel
By Galsan Tschinag, translated Katharina Rout, 2006
Format: Paperback, 192 pp.
ISBN: 978-1571310552
Age Range: 12+ years
Publisher: Milkweed Editions; 1 edition, 2006
The Birdman
By Veronika M. Charles, illustrated A. Galauchko & S. Daigle, 2006
Format: Hardcover, 32 pp.
ISBN: 978-0887767401
Age Range: 5-8 years
Publisher: Tundra Books, 2006
Read more at www.tundrabooks.com
Tiger of the Snows: Tenzing Norgay, The Boy Whose Dream was Everest
By Robert Burleigh, illustrated, Ed Young, 2006
Format: Hardcover, 40 pp.
ISBN: 978-0689830426
Age Range: 8-12 years
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006
The Children of Mauritania: Days in the Desert and at the River Shore
by Lauren Goodsmith
Format: Paperback, 56 pages
ISBN: 0876148496
Age Range: 8+ years
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books, 1993
One Round Moon and a Star for Me
by Ingrid Mennen
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1845070243
Age Range: 4-7 years
Publisher: Orchard Books, 1994
The Queen of Water
by L. Resau
Format: Paperback, 346 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0375859632
Age Range: 12+ years
Publisher: Ember, 2011
Bouki Cuts Wood: A Haitian Folktale
by St John & Revell
Format: Paperback, 24 pages
ISBN: 978-1609731359
Age Range: 5+ years
Publisher: Childs World Inc, 2011
The Jacob Ladder
by Gerald Hausman & Uton Hinds
Format: Paperback, 120 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1617201974
Age Range: 9-12 years
Publisher: Irie Books, 2011
The Spider Weaver: A Legend of Kente Cloth
by Margaret Musgrove (Author) and Julia Cairns (Illustrator)
Format: Hardcover, 40 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0590987875
Age Range: 4+ years
Publisher: Blue Sky Press, 2001
Wild Wings
by Gill Lewis
Format: Paperback, 287 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1442414464
Age Range: 8-12 years
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011
Cora Cooks Pancit
by Dorina Lazo Gilmore
Format: Paperback, 56 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1885008350
Age Range: 5+ years
Publisher: Shen's Books, 2009
Waiting for the Owl’s Call
by Gloria Whelan
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1585364183
Age Range: 5-8 years
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press, 2009
Over a Thousand Hills I Walk with You
by Hanna Jansen
Format: Hardcover, 342 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1575059273
Age Range: 12+ years
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books, 2006
Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party
by Ying Chang Compestine
Format: Paperback, 248 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0312581497
Age Range: 10+ years
Publisher: Square Fish, 2007
The Clay Marble
by Minfong Ho
Format: Paperback, 176 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0374412296
Age Range: 10-14 years
Publisher: Square Fish, 1993
Lemur Landing: Story of a Tropical Dry Forest
by Deborah Dennard (Author), Kristin Kest (Illustrator)
Format: Hardcover, 36 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1568999784
Age Range: 4+ years
Publisher: Soundprints, 2001
The Snow Leopard
by Theresa Radcliffe
Format: Hardcover, unpaged
ISBN-10: 0-670-85052-7
Age Range: 5–9 years
Publisher: New York: Viking, 1994
The Disappeared
by Gloria Whelan
Format: Paperback, 136 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-8037-3275-9
Age Range: 12+ years
Publisher: New York: Dial Books, 2008
Gabon: Philippe Ngome's painting "My family goes to market"
by Touba, Jacquiline
Format: Library Binding, 24 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-8239-5102-4
Age Range: 8–12 years
Publisher: New York: PowerKids Press, 1997
The Voices Of Silence
by Bel Mooney
Format: Paperback, 180 pages
ISBN-10: 0-440-22758-5
Age Range: 10–14 years
Publisher: New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1997
The Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe's Very First Case
by Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher: Anchor Books, c2012
ISBN-13: 978-0-307-94945-5
73 pages
Ages 8-12
Broken Moon
by Kim Antieau
Format: Hardcover, 183 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1-41691767-0
Age Range: 14+ years
Publisher: New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2007
Mansa Musa: the lion of Mali
by Khephra Burns
Format: Hardcover, unpaged
ISBN-10: 0-15-200375-4
Age Range: 8–12 years
Publisher: San Diego: Gulliver Books/Harcourt, 2001
Gift Of the Crocodile: a Cinderella story
by Judy Sierra
Format: Hardcover, 40 pages
ISBN-10: 0-689-82188-3
Age Range: 4–8 years
Publisher: New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2000
Kofi and His Magic
by Maya Angelou
Format: Hardcover, 42 pages
ISBN-10: 0-375-82566-5
Age Range: 6–9 years
Publisher: New York: Crown, 2003
The Three Golden Keys
by Peter Sis
Format: Hardcover, unpaged
ISBN-10: 0-385-47292-7
Age Range: 6–9 years
Publisher: New York: Doubleday, 1994
The Llama's Secret
by Argentina Palacios
Format: Paperback, 32 pages
ISBN-10: 0-8167-3050-4
Age Range: 6–9 years
Publisher: Mahwah, NJ: Trol, 1993
Little Eagle
by Chen Jiang Hong; translated by Claudia Zoe Bedrick
Format: Hardcover, 36 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1-59270-071-4
Age Range: 8–12 years
Publisher: New York: Enchanted Lion Books, 2007
Grannie jus' come!
by Ana Sisnett; pictures by Karen Lusebrink
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-89239-150-9
Interest Level: K-3
Age Range: 9–14 years
Publisher: Children's Book Press, c1997
Flyaway girl
by Ann Grifalconi
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-316-32866-1
Interest Level: K-3
Age Range: 6–9 years
Publisher: Little, Brown, c1991
Moldova
by Patricia Sheehan and Lynette Quek
Format: Library binding, 144 pages
ISBN: 978-0-89239-150-9
Interest Level: 5-8
Age Range: 10–14 years
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, p2011, c2011
The Queen of Water
by Laura Resau and Maria Virginia Farinango
Format: Hardcover, 368 pages
ISBN: 978-0-385-73897-2
Interest Level: YA
Age Range: 13+ years
Publisher: Delacorte Press, p2011, c2011
Ananse and the lizard: a West African tale
retold and illustrated by Pat Cummings
Format: Hardcover, 40 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8050-6476-6
Interest Level: K-3
Age Range: 6–9 years
Publisher: Henry Holt, p2002, c2002
Tonight is Carnaval
by Arthur Dorros; illustrated with arpilleras sewn by the members of the Club de Madres Virgen del Carmen of Lima, Peru
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-525-44641-5
Interest Level: K-3
Age Range: 6–9 years
Publisher: Dutton, c1991
Monkey For Sale
by Sanna Stanley
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-0374350178
Interest Level: PreK-3
Age Range: 2–9 years
Publisher: Frances Foster Books, c2002
We need to go to school: voices of the rugmark children
compiled by Tanya Roberts-Davis
Format: Hardcover, 48 pages
ISBN: 0-88899-425-7
Age Range: 10+ years
Publisher: Groundwood / Douglas & McIntyre, 2001
Jubela
by Cristina Kessler; illustrated by JoEllen McAllister Stammen
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-689-81895-0
Interest Level: K-3
Age Range: 6–9 years
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, c2001
The breadwinner
by Deborah Ellis
Format: Paperback, 170 pages
ISBN: 978-0-88899-416-5
Interest Level: 5-8
Age Range: 10–14 years
Publisher: House of Anansi, Distributed in the U.S.A. by Publishers Group West, c2000
The mitten: a Ukrainian folktale
adapted and illustrated by Jan Brett
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-399-25296-9
Interest Level: K-3
Age Range: 6–9 years
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons, p2009, c1989
Georgia to Georgia: making friends in the U.S.S.R.
by Laurie Dolphin; photographs by E. Alan McGee
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-688-09897-1
Interest Level: 3-6
Age Range: 8–12 years
Publisher: Tambourine, p1991, c1991
The distant talking drum: poems from Nigeria
by Isaac Olaleye; paintings by FranÈ Lessac.
Format: Paperback, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1563979415
Age Range: 12–16 years
Publisher: Honesdale, Pa.: Wordsong; [New York]
Distributed by St. Martin's Press, 1995
My grandpa and the sea
by Katherine Orr
Format: Paperback, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1512439755
Age Range: 5–9 years
Publisher: Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 1990
Be patient, Abdul
Written and Illustrated Dolores Sandoval
Format: Library Binding
ISBN: 978-0689506079
Age Range: 6–9 years
Publisher: New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1996
To go singing through the world:
the childhood of Pablo Neruda
by Deborah Kogan Ray
Format: Hardcover, 40 pages
ISBN: 978-0374376277
Age Range: 7–10 years
Publisher: New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006
The happiness of Kati
by Jane Vejjajiva; translated by Prudence Borthwick
Format: Paperback, 120 pages
ISBN: 978-1741147537
Age Range: 9–13 years
Publisher: New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006
Tuko and the birds: a tale from the Philippines
by Shirley Climo; illustrated by Francisco X. Mora
Format: Hardcover, 40 pages
ISBN: 978-0805065596
Age Range: 5–10 years
Publisher: New York: Henry Holt, 2008
Elizabeti's school
by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen; illustrated by Christy Hale
Format: Paperback, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1600602344
Age Range: 4–7 years
Publisher: New York: Lee & Low Books, 2002
The bee tree
by Stephen Buchmann and Diana Cohn; with illustrations by Paul Mirocha
Format: Paperback, 40 pages
ISBN: 978-1935955146
Age Range: 7–11 years
Publisher: El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press, 2007
Boys without namess
by Kashmira Sheth
Format: Paperback, 320 pages
ISBN: 978-0061857621
Age Range: 9–12 years
Publisher: New York: Balzer & Bray, 2010
Yeny and the children for peace
by Michelle Mulder
Format: Paperback, 104 pages
ISBN: 978-1897187456
Age Range: 12–16 years
Publisher: Toronto: Second Story Press, 2008
One hen: how one small loan made a big difference
written by Katie Smith Milway; illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1554530281
Age Range: 4–9 years
Publisher: Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2008
Beneath my mother's feet
by Amjed Qamar
Format: Paperback, 208 pages
ISBN: 978-1442414518
Age Range: 12–14 years
Publisher: New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2008
From another world
Ana Maria Machado; translated by Luisa Baeta; with illustrations by Lucia Brandao
Format: Paperback, 128 pages
ISBN: 978-0888996411
Age Range: 9–12 years
Publisher: Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2005
Keeping Corner
by Sheth, Kashmira
Format: Paperback, 304 pages
ISBN: 978-0786838608
Age Range: 12–16 years
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion; Reprint edition, 2007
CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 2008)
In a spellbinding story, one girl’s struggle to determine her own future plays out against the backdrop of India’s fight for independence as a nation. Twelve-year-old Leela is widowed before she even has a chance to move in with her husband and his family. Now, the tradition of her caste dictates she will spend a year “keeping corner.” Head shaved, she is not allowed to leave home. For the rest of her life, she will be a widow. Leela’s older brother is outraged: Leela’s future should not be sacrificed to tradition. India is changing, he tells his parents. Under the leadership of Ghandi, people are finding the strength and inspiration to stand together and defy the status quo in the name of justice. Leela is her parent’s beloved youngest child. They are devastated by what has happened, but they also believe that following tradition is a way to protect both Leela and their family. But they do agree to let Saviben, the principal of Leela’s school, come into their home and give Leela lessons. Saviben encourages Leela to read the paper, to think about what is happening in India and the larger world. Leela begins to understand she can be part of something bigger—part of the intoxicating changes happening in her country—but it’s all dependent on convincing her parents to let go of their fears. Kashmira Sheth’s storytelling is steeped in evocative descriptions of place and time, and peopled with vivid, complex characters in a rich, multilayered novel. Ages 12-16.
© Cooperative Children’s Book Center. Reprinted with permission.
Warriors, wigmen and the crocodile people: journeys into Papua New Guinea
by Margolies, Barbara A.
Format: Library Binding, 40 pages
ISBN: 978-0027622836
Age Range: 5–9 years
Publisher: New York: Four Winds Press; Toronto: Maxwell Macmillan Canada; New York: Maxwell Macmillan International; Simon & Schuster, 1993
Margolies' photographs are the draw in this oversize volume in which she introduces two communities in Papua New Guinea. Ages 5 to 9.
Horse Song: The Naadam of Mongolia
by Lewin, Ted and Lewin, Betsy
Format: Paperback, 304 pages
ASIN: B00P4V6D9C
Age Range: 7–11 years
Publisher: Lee & low Books Inc., New York, NY 2008
A Girl Named Disaster
by Farmer, Nancy
Format: Paperback, 309 pages
ASIN: B004IGWSHU
Age Range: 11–14 years
Publisher: New York: Orchard Books, c1996
CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 1993)
A young girl's spell-binding, treacherous journey from her village in Mozambique to the country of Zimbabwe is the subject of this riveting narrative from Nancy Farmer. Nhamo, a Shona girl of almost 12, flees her village to escape a forced marriage. Her mother died when she was three, but her father and his family are in Zimbabwe and it is there, her maternal grandmother tells Nhamo, that she must go. Her travels are perilous yet transforming. Swept off course into the waters of the great Lake Cabora Bassa, weak and hungry, Nhamo gains strength and skills for survival from the spirits of her Shona ancestors. Later, help comes from a group of people who open Nhamo's eyes to the possibilities that life can hold for her, while members of her father's family answer the questions in her heart. The author, who has lived in both Zimbabwe and Mozambique, has provided readers with a glossary, brief essays on the history of the peoples of Zimbabwe and Mozambique and the belief system of the Shona, and an extensive bibliography to help ground the experience of this tale set in 1981 that shows the juxtaposition and blending of traditional ways and modern life. Ages 11-14.
© Cooperative Children’s Book Center. Reprinted with permission.
Hush! A Thai Lullaby
by Ho, Mingfong
Format: Paperback, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-0786838608
Age Range: 2–5 years
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.; Reprint edition, 2000
CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 1993)
A worried Thai mother tries to quiet all the animals and insects that might wake her napping baby in rythmic verse graced with gentle humor. Observant readers and listeners will find delight in the supposedly sleeping baby's active endeavors while his mother appeals to each animal in turn to "Hush!", and all will enjoy the soothing pattern of the text. Cut-paper collage illustrations in warm earth tones fill each double-page spread with varied visual perspectives. Ages 2-5.
© Cooperative Children’s Book Center. Reprinted with permission.
Rickshaw Girl
by Perkins, Mitali
Format: Paperback, 96 pages
ISBN: 978-1580893091
Age Range: 7–10 years
Publisher: Charlesbridge; unknown edition, 2008
CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 1993)
Ten-year-old Naima lives in Bangladesh, where her father earns a meager living as a rickshaw driver. With the best of intentions, Naima tries pedaling her father’s new rickshaw, determined to prove she can handle the job and help out. Instead, she accidentally crashes the vehicle. Burdened with guilt despite her family’s reassurances, Naima decides to turn to something she knows she can do—painting and design—to help pay for the rickshaw repairs. Since it goes against her cultural traditions for a woman or girl to work for money, she takes the plan she had for pedaling the rickshaw—posing as a boy—and puts it to a different use. Determined to convince the owner of the new rickshaw repair shop in the neighboring village to hire her to decorate rickshaws, Naima discovers—to her astonishment—that the owner is a woman. She opened her business with the support of a loan from the Woman’s Bank, and she offers Naima the opportunity to work—as a girl—and develop her talents. Mitali Perkins introduces Bangla culture and customs in the context of an appealing, child-centered story that also highlights changing attitudes and times. An author’s note provides additional information on microfinance—the system that has enabled small businesses throughout Bangladesh to start up and thrive, including many run by women. Ages 7-10.
© Cooperative Children’s Book Center. Reprinted with permission.
The Enchanted Lake
by Jamil, Leena
Format: Paperback
ASIN: B01FEM7ZQ0
Age Range: 5–8 years
Publisher: Gomer Press, 2007
Honey, Honey—Lion!: a story from Africa
by Brett, Jan
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-0399244636
Age Range: 4–7 years
Publisher: New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, c2005
African animals and landscapes take center stage in this lively retelling of a traditional folktale from Botswana. Honeyguide (a small bird) leads Badger to a honeycomb, which he breaks open with his strong claws for both of them to share. One day, for unknown reasons, Badger does not share, and Honeyguide angrily plots revenge. Shield-shaped vignettes (decorated in feathers and beads) within Brett's signature borders show other animals (including elephants, hippos, warthogs and bishop birds) responding to this news as Honeyguide leads Badger ("pitter patter," "splish splash," etc.) to-surprise!-a lion hiding behind a lift-the-flap acacia bush. Lion chases Badger back to his burrow with sound effects repeating at an accelerated pace. The tale concludes with the animals passing the moral of the story to one another via "bush telegraph": "If Honeyguide leads you to a beehive, be sure and reward her, or next time, she will lead you to a lion." The cumulative patterns, sound effects and suspense, together with the dramatically depicted animals, will make this a popular choice for reading aloud. Ages 4 to 7.
© 2005 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
I’m Jose and I’m Okay: three stories from Bolivia
by Holzwarth, Werner
Format: Hardcover, 38 pages
ISBN: 978-0916291907
Age Range: 7–11 years
Publisher: Brooklyn, N.Y. : Kane/Miller Book Publishers, 1999
CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 1993)
Eleven-year-old José lives and works with his Uncle Ramos, who owns an auto repair shop in a Sorata, Bolivia. Hard-working, resourceful José also takes time to dream -- of his favorite soccer team and of winning the local bicycle race, even though he's much smaller than the other contestants. He even dreams of taking revenge on his uncle who sometimes expects José to work harder than he does. Three surprisingly funny and non-judgmental short stories based on the life of a real child are illustrated with a series of panels that not only suit the episodic action but will appeal to reluctant older readers as well. CCBC categories: Easy Fiction; Contemporary People, Places and Events. 1999, Kane/Miller, 36 pages, $13.95. Ages 7-11.
© Cooperative Children’s Book Center. Reprinted with permission.
Elizabeti’s Doll
by Stuve-Bodeen, Stephanie
Format: Paperback, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1584300816
Age Range: 3–7 years
Publisher: New York : Lee & Low Books, c1998
Patricia Kuntz (Africa Access Review) Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen has written a biographical story of a young girl whom she met while a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania.
CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 1993)
After her mother has a new baby, little Elizabeti wants a baby of her own to hold and cuddle. She has no doll but finds a rock that is just the right size and she names the rock Eva. As Elizabeti's motehr cares for the baby, Elizabeti mimics her actions with Eva--feeding and burping her rock, changing its diapers, and tying it to her back with a kanga while she does her daily chores. When Eva the rock diappears one day, readers will be as surprised as Elizabeti to discover where she went, and they will find the resolution satisfying. Although the Tanzanian village setting will be unfamiliar to most children in the United States, they will recognize the warm family nurturing and Elizabeti's resourceful imagination. Highly Commended, 1999 Charlotte Zolotow Award. Ages 3-7.
© Cooperative Children’s Book Center. Reprinted with permission.
The Honey Jar
by Menchu, Rigoberta
Format: Hardcover, 56 pages
ISBN: 978-0888996701
Age Range: 8–12 years
Publisher: Groundwood Books; Translation edition, 2006
Celebrating the Hero
by Becerra de Jenkins, Lyll
Format: Hardcover, 179 pages
ISBN: 978-0525673996
Age Range: 12–16 years
Publisher: New York: Lodestar Books, c1993
CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 1993)
Seventeen-year-old Camila is the only daughter of an Anglo father and a Colombian mother. She has grown up in the United States and most of what she knows of her mother's heritage comes from stories her mother told about her childhood growing up in San Javier, a small town in Colombia where her father was something of a local hero. Camila's maternal grandmother was rarely mentioned in her mother's stories. After her mother's death, Camila agrees to represent her at a local celebration in honor of her famous grandfather. But there is a mix-up in the flight arrangements and Camila arrives in San Javier a full 24 hours before anyone else in her family knows she's there. And that gives her just enough time to try to find out who her grandmother was and why she is never mentioned. The details she manages to uncover reveal much about her heritage that her mother probably could never have divulged, details that Camila's status as an outsider likely sharpen and amplify. Lyll Becerra de Jenkins' brilliant novel explores the depths of human identity connected to gender, culture and age, even as she spins out all the intrigue of a great mystery story and keeps the reader riveted to the page. Ages 12 and older.
© Cooperative Children’s Book Center. Reprinted with permission.
De colores and other Latin-American folk songs for children
selected, arranged, and translated by Jose-Luis Orozco; illustrated by Elisa Kleven
Format: Paperback, 179 pages
ISBN: 978-0140565485
Age Range: 4–8 years
Publisher: New York: Lodestar Books, c1993
CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 1993)
Each of the twenty-seven Latin American songs, chants and rhymes chosen by performer/songwriter Orozco for inclusion in this text are presented with lyrics in Spanish and English, simple musical arrangement, and explanatory notes about the song's subject and how it is traditionally sung. Kleven's brightly colored collage illustrations are lively, joyous accompaniments to the music. CCBC categories: The Arts; Activities; Folklore, Mythology And Traditional Literature. 1994, Dutton, 56 pages, $16.99. Ages 5-10.
© Cooperative Children’s Book Center. Reprinted with permission.
