Fire from the Sky is the beautifully evocative story of Ánte, a young Sámi reindeer herder. Ánte loves his land and herding reindeer; he wants to follow in his father’s footsteps. But as the book begins, he has just realized he is attracted to his long-time good friend, Erik, who has a girlfriend but also … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Fire from the Sky
1808. The Napoleonic wars. In Ghent, a draft for the Emperor’s army is looming and the respectable Hoste family is in financial trouble. From the very first sentence, Ironhead, or, Once a Young Lady is the engaging story of the two oldest Hoste siblings, 18-year-old Constance ("Stance") and her entitled 14-year-old brother Pieter (Piers), whom … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Ironhead, or, Once a Young Lady
Time truly flies when you are having fun! Can't believe today is my last day on the job! Once I got the hang of WordPress, I truly enjoyed the experience of curating ZW Literature. My country has a vast archive of literature and a huge and growing database of writers. If you are curious to … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: Time to Say Goodbye
Political satire is an important genre in Zimbabwe where writers can't often express themselves without impunity. Glory, published by Chatto (2022) is the second novel by award-winning novelist, Noviolet Bulawayo. The book was shortlisted for the Booker Prize (2022) and is inspired by George Orwell's "Animal Farm." In Glory, the story rides on the senile … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: Glory (2022)
In this latest offering by critically acclaimed novelist, Tsitsi Dangarembga, she flips the page and goes nonfiction. Black and Female is a powerful novella consisting of three essays which gives us greater insight into the author and her journey as a writer and filmmaker. In writing 'Black and Female,' Dangarembga allows herself the space to … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: Black and Female (2022)
Looking to dip your toe into the ocean of new graphic novels (in translation) for children and young adults? Reading the Eisners is the perfect approach. The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are the comic kingdom’s equivalent of the Oscars, with the winners announced annually at San Diego Comic Con. Children’s graphic novels in translation appear in the obvious … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The 2023 Eisner Nominees
A book is a promise. Its pages can offer adventure, an escape into a world from another time or place. The first book in The Moonwind Mysteries, The Night Raven, and its sequel, The Queen of Thieves, are gripping upper MG novels that fulfill this promise—and then some. Set in a gritty, Dickensian version of … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Night Raven
Review by Chris Fazenbaker The Secret Life of Debbie G. by Vibha Batra The Secret Life of Debbie G. revolves around the life of 16-year old Arya as she encounters and navigates major life changes. With her divorced mother remarrying, she struggles to adjust to her new blended family that includes classmates who are not … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: The Secret Life of Debbie G. by Vibha Batra, illustrated by Kalyani Ganapathy
Review by Jack Gantos The End of Eddy by Edouard Louis The End of Eddy is the semi-autobiographical story of a young gay man’s life in an impoverished and dysfunctional rural French family. Both the family and his social environment - in school and in the town - do not attempt to understand him, and … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: The End of Eddy by Edouard Louis
As my dead soul leisurely drifted off to some dark place, this angel I’d never seen before suddenly appeared right in my way. "Congratulations! You’ve won the lottery!" The angel smiled. So begins Colorful, a surprisingly humorous YA novel about mental illness, bullying, and teen suicide. The protagonist—nameless throughout most of the book—isn’t thrilled to … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Colorful
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 