#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Just a Girl: A True Story of World War II

Last week the American Library Association (ALA) presented their annual Youth Media Awards, celebrating the best in literature for young people. Among major awards such as the Caldecott and the Newbery medals, there is also the Mildred L. Batchelder Award, given to an outstanding "children’s book originally published in a language other than English in … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Just a Girl: A True Story of World War II

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Penguin Who Was Cold

Sometimes you are searching your library catalog for books for a winter-themed storytime, and you come across the perfect book not only for storytime, but also for your next GLLI book review! The Penguin Who Was Cold is an absolutely charming picture book about a penguin who does not fit the mold. Written and illustrated … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Penguin Who Was Cold

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Box

“What was that box doing there in the middle of the forest? It was a mystery.” It’s not every day that a strange box, large enough for someone to hide in, arrives in the woods. And it has the local animals wondering from the moment they wake. They are full of questions, and then anticipation, … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Box

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Bedtime for Bo

There are parents and caregivers who look upon bedtime with dread. It can be a fraught time, what with perhaps recalcitrant young children who don't always realize how nice it is to go to sleep, and adults who want nothing more than to do the same. In dreamy Norwegian import Bedtime for Bo, however, a … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Bedtime for Bo

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: What Feelings Do When No One’s Looking

Joy, anger, worry, courage . . . we all experience a vast array of feelings. They influence our thoughts and actions every day. But they’re intangible and invisible, making feelings a difficult concept to grasp, especially for the very young. So, what if feelings were re-imagined as hairy little creatures? What Feelings Do When No … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: What Feelings Do When No One’s Looking

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Different: A Story About the Spanish Civil War

Life can change suddenly and without warning. I know because it happened to me. So begins Different: A Story of the Spanish Civil War, a book for upper middle grade and young adult readers based on author Mónica Montañés’ family history. Montañés’ father had resisted Francisco Franco’s forces in Spain when Franco attempted a military coup against … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Different: A Story About the Spanish Civil War

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: How Beautiful

The question of what is beautiful has preoccupied philosophers and poets alike. In How Beautiful, however, a caterpillar is the one pondering the subject. Yes, a caterpillar! In this elegant and whimsical picture book from Italy, a young caterpillar sets out to find exactly what beautiful means. As the book opens, the caterpillar lives "a … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: How Beautiful

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Telling Stories Wrong*

“Once upon a time, there was a girl who was called Little Yellow Riding Hood.” “No, red!” “Oh, right!” Little Red Riding Hood. Her mother called her one day and said, “Listen, Little Green Riding Hood…” “No, Red!” “Oh, right! Red. Her mother said: Now go to Aunt Hildegard’s house and take her this potato … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Telling Stories Wrong*

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Emil and Karl

Written in 1940 on the eve of World War II, Emil and Karl is a gripping read. Set in 1938 Vienna, it tells the story of best friends Emil and Karl, both of whom have lost fathers. They quickly lose their mothers as well. Emil is Jewish; Karl is not.  One is treated cruelly due … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Emil and Karl

#INTLYALITMONTH: The Murderer’s Ape by Jakob Wegelius

Review by: Jason Roach The Murderer's Ape by Jakob Wegelius Sally Jones is a steamship engineer, but whether the broken machinery is an accordion, typewriter or airplane, she can put it right. Her bigger challenge over the course of Jakob Wegelius' wonderful The Murderer's Ape is to put right the lives of the humans in … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: The Murderer’s Ape by Jakob Wegelius