It seems an impossible coexistence: German Grundlichkeit in one of the Amazonian cityscapes, filled with myths, religions, folk tales, and superstition. Yet, this is exactly what Cramer – scouting locations for a movie – has to grapple with if he is to survive in this personally exotic environment. Already with his first steps out of … Continue reading World Languages Review: Der Mann, der den Regen fotografierte (Germany)
La sonrisa de los peces de piedra (The Smile of the Stone Fish) by Rosa Huertas (Anaya). This book is written in Spanish and set in Spain. In 2017, it won the XIV Premio Anaya de Literatura Infantil y Juvenil (Anaya Children’s and Young Adult Literary Prize). In 2017, it was included on the Lista … Continue reading World Languages Review: La sonrisa de los peces de piedra (Spain)
A postcard from the Amazon When we talk about Brazilian literature, more often than not, we find ourselves talking about works by authors from the São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro regions or, less often still, those related to the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia. There are, of course, exceptions proving that other Brazilian … Continue reading World Languages Review: Jaçanã – poética sobre as águas (Brazil)
This is a beautiful large-scale nonfiction board book for young children. Each double spread depicts a glorious scene set in a particular season, with individual words picked out on the page. Spring, for example, has a title reading "Im Frühling wird es draussen grün" (In Spring, outside everything turns green) and picks out words like … Continue reading World Languages Review: Alle vier Jahreszeiten by Katrin Wiehle (Germany)
Ruth Wolff-Stirner My mother became sick very quickly. Because of the unhygienic living conditions in Shanghai, her liver became infected and she died at the age of 46. That was in 1954 and I was eight. My father kept me away from her. I didn’t see her anymore after she was taken to the hospital. … Continue reading Excerpt: Going Back by Andrea von Treuenfeld (Germany)
Oh no, its raining! Again. Why does it have to rain everyday? I wanna go outside. When will it stop?If you have a young one complaining incessantly about a downpour, you’ll enjoy reading Rassi Narika’s picture book When It Rains. It follows the Dora-esque* journey of Kira and her friends through a rainy day, showing … Continue reading Review: When It Rains by Rassi Narika
Part 1 The Lighthouse Match An island barely attached to the mainland, like a loose tooth on a thread, is called a peninsula. On this small peninsula, there is a lighthouse, a tall grey one that swings its light at night over the small town by the sea. It stops ships from smashing into the … Continue reading Excerpt: Lampie and the Children of the Sea by Annet Schaap
Chapter 1Goodbye, California “No, No, NO!” Lucy screamed, clapping her ears shut. Her mother pulled Lucy’s hands down and held them tightly. “Sweetheart, please try to understand,” she said. “It’s the perfect opportunity for me to spend a few weeks with Kurt. He called just a little while ago and I had to … Continue reading Excerpt: The Greenest Wind by Gesine Schulz
If you’ve ever had long-awaited plans cancelled at the last minute, you’ll know Lucy’s frustration. She’s been looking forward to going to California with her mother for their summer vacation, but then her mother decides to go on a cruise with her boyfriend instead. Unable to join her father or her best friend on their … Continue reading Review: The Greenest Wind by Gesine Schulz
Editor’s Note The following passages from Defying the Nazis illustrate German officer Wilm Hosenfeld’s transformation from an enemy occupier in Poland to a humane and brave rescuer. These sections have been edited, with some bracketed text added for clarity. Excerpts from journal entries, notes, and letters appear in italics. *** There was a stark difference … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday – GLLI Translated YA Book Prize Excerpt: Defying the Nazis
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 