Review by: Samantha Wasson The Boy who Sees with his Fingers by Tomasz Malkowski ‘Close your eyes, or better still, blindfold yourself with a scarf. Now go into the bathroom and wash your hands… it’s not easy, is it?’ This is how the reader is drawn into the world of Kami, our young protagonist who … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: The Boy Who Sees With His Fingers by Tomasz Malkowski, illustrated by Joanna Rusinek
#INTLYALITMONTH: Mirror, Mirror by Andaleeb Wajid
Review by Mathangi Subramaniam Mirror, Mirror by Andaleeb Wajid Ananya’s seventeenth birthday couldn’t have gone any worse. Not only do her two best friends start dating – rendering Ananya the “kabab ki haddi,” or third wheel, in their friendship – but also, Ananya’s mother announces that, at the age of 43, she is unexpectedly pregnant. … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: Mirror, Mirror by Andaleeb Wajid
#INTLYALITMONTH: Spud by John Van de Ruit
Review by: John Kurtenbach Spud by John van de Ruit Spud is perhaps the most successful South African Young Adult title. Written in diary style, the story follows John “Spud” Milton and his adventures at a private school in 1990 South Africa. The book is a bildungsroman of sorts as Spud offers hilarious stories of … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: Spud by John Van de Ruit
#INTLYALITMONTH: Zara Hossain is Here by Sabina Khan
Review by: Erin Wilson Zara Hossain is Here by Sabina Khan Zara Hossain is the friend you always wanted in high school: tough, caring, and loyal. Like any teenager, she is finishing her senior year alongside her best friends, with a promising romance, and hopes for a prosperous future; not to mention, she is true … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: Zara Hossain is Here by Sabina Khan
#INTLYALITMONTH: The Yield by Tara June Winch
Review by: Sarah Derrig The Yield by Tara June Winch “I was born on Ngurambang — can you hear it? — Ngu-ram-bang. If you say it right it hits the back of your mouth and you should taste blood in your words. Every person around should learn the word for country in the old language, … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: The Yield by Tara June Winch
#INTLYALITMONTH: Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim
Review by Lauren Elliott Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim Grass is a powerful oral history in graphic novel style that tells the story of 15-year-old Lee Ok-Sun, who was taken prisoner and forced to become a “comfort woman” for the invading Japanese Army during World War II. Comfort Women is the term commonly used to … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim
#INTLYALITMONTH: The Hour Past Midnight by Salma
Review by: Mridula Koshy The Hour Past Midnight by Salma The Hour Past Midnight defies classification in any category. I think it can be read by a very young reader - say 13 - but it is likely sold in bookstores in India as a work for adults. This could be because of its heft … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: The Hour Past Midnight by Salma
#INTLYALITMONTH: The End of Eddy by Edouard Louis
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
#INTLYALITMONTH: Welcome!
When I was invited several months ago to guest-edit GLLI's #IntlYALitMonth, I have to admit that I was apprehensive. I'm certainly not an expert on global literature. While I've spent almost my entire career abroad, every school I've worked at has been based on an American curriculum, and the collections I've worked with and curated … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: Welcome!
#INTLYALITMONTH: That’s a wrap!
I cannot believe we have arrived at the end of the first ever International Young Adult Month! It’s been truly an honor to be the first guest editor of #IntlYALitMonth by the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative. It’s been an eye-opening experience for me as I have learned so much about international translated Young Adult Literature … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: That’s a wrap!
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 