A picture book for readers age 3-7, Memo and the Unexpected Gift is a sweet story with delightful, unexpected twists and gentle, wry humor. The tale begins much like a regular picture book, and the reader quickly expects a traditional trajectory. Memo lives with his grandmother in a small-town cottage. She can’t see very well, … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Memo and the Unexpected Gift
Redemptor, by Jordan Ifueko Redemptor, sequel to Jordan Ifueko’s Raybearer, is a breathtaking addition to the young adult fantasy genre. As a fan of the first book, I was thrilled to dive back into the magical world that Ifueko has created and explore it even further. One of things that struck me most about Redemptor … Continue reading #IntlYALitMonth: Redemptor
Raybearer, by Jordan Ifueko This is a must-read for anyone looking for an engaging and thought-provoking story. This book has truly impacted me and I can’t recommend it enough. From the very first page, I was drawn into the fascinating and beautiful world that Ifueko has created. The characters are complex and relatable, and the … Continue reading #IntlYALitMonth: Raybearer
Iron Widow Trigger warning: This book contains scenes of violence and sexual assault that some readers may find triggering to read. Zhao creates a magical world where elements of Chinese history, mythology, Transformers and a dash of Hunger Games are all combined into a nail biting fight to save humanity. In a futuristic world, civilization … Continue reading #IntlYALitMonth: Iron Widow
Photo courtesy of the author. About Lian Lian Tanner has worked as a teacher, a tourist bus driver, a juggler, an editor and a professional actor. She has been dynamited while scuba diving and arrested while busking. She once spent a week in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, hunting for a Japanese soldier left … Continue reading #TasmanianLitMonth – Featured Writer Lian Tanner
Set in South Africa, Pearl of the Sea* is a beautifully illustrated coming-of-age graphic novel for upper middle grade and YA readers. Pearl, whose mother abandoned the family long before the start of the story, lives with her father, Vernon—a restaurant owner and chef who is sinking deeper and deeper into financial trouble—and her beloved … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Pearl of the Sea
Review by Sarah Ducharme The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna Deka is terrified. She is turning 16 and the Ritual of Purity is looming. She's worried that her community will discover what she has suspected about herself for years: she's different. She might even be "Impure," the label given to any girl whose blood runs … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
Review by: James Toney Malika Warrior Queen: Volume 1 by Roye Okupe ISBN: 9781506723082 Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Illustrators: Chima Kalu and Raphael Kazeem Malika: Warrior Queen Volume 1 sets up an interesting story. At first, it seemed like the typical story about monarchies: fights over the throne, betrayal, birthrights, etc. but by the end, … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: Malika, Warrior Queen by Roye Okupe
As an early literacy advocate, I am a huge proponent of graphic novels and comic books. Graphic novels can help hook reluctant readers, build visual literacy, and challenge students to read analytically. Do not let the presence of pictures fool you; as in picture books, there is often more to them that meets the eye. … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Hunt is On (Seekers of the Aweto Book 1)
Think every fairy looks like Tinkerbell, with a cute tutu, and a twinkle in her lovely eye as she daintily darts around waving her magic wand like a ray of magical sunshine? Think again. "Everyone knows the forest is full of all kinds of fairies… There are morning fairies, brave fairies, sleepy-time fairies, and even … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Mister Fairy
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 