How lucky young people are today in their choices of memoirs. Today I'm celebrating that many of our students are able to see themselves, not just in fiction but in the stories that people are willing to share of their lives, their struggles, their memories and their triumphs. Originally I had a place-holder poster up … Continue reading #DecDisplays – Recent Memoirs
Each day I focus on finding fault with my body, one piece at a time. In this poignant, personal graphic memoir for ages 14+, author/illustrator Marie-Noëlle Hébert shares her struggles with body image. The memoir opens with her aged 20, living alone in an empty apartment, admitting to her mom that she’s not doing too … Continue reading # WorldKidLit Wednesday: My Body in Pieces
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Ok, so you are wondering why my first book featured for Veganuary isn’t about animals. This is because I didn’t come to the animal rights movement overnight. My quest for justice began with other social justice movements. As a West African, slavery is a significant and traumatic part … Continue reading #Veganuary: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
All good things eventually come to an end. Our final book to end this #ZimbabweLitMonth with is this memoir by Tinatswe Mhaka whose debut, "The Men I Have Hated" published by Carnelian Heart Publishing chronicles her journey with her relationships with men from childhood to adulthood in Zimbabwe. Mhaka allows herself to be vulnerable and … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: The Men I Have Hated (2021)
While we are on the subject of memorable memoirs from Zimbabwe, I would like to introduce you to Robert Muponde. His memoir, The Scandalous Times of a Book Louse: A Memoir of Childhood, was published by Penguin Random House South Africa. "Stories form the blood and bones of Robert Muponde's enchanting life and times. Book … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: The scandalous times of a book louse (2021)
Often times the stories centered around Zimbabwe are fictional narratives. Memoir is becoming a popular nonfiction form of expression. Today I will introduce you to Elizabeth Nyamayaro @enyamayaro, who narrates her life story which begins with a near death experience in Goromonzi. This incident is what catapults her onto a journey which takes her to … Continue reading #ZimbabweLitMonth: I am a girl from Africa (2021)
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
I finished this book whilst spending Christmas last year on Koh Rong Island, Cambodia. In a Nutshell: This memoir recounts Bibish’s childhood in Uzbekistan, getting married and time spent living in Russia with her husband and children. Themes: Love, loss, family, identity and the many hardships women worldwide have to endure. Warning: there is mention … Continue reading Uzbekistan 🇺🇿: The Dancer from Khiva by Bibish, tr. Andrew Bromfield
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
Books for young readers help shape children’s minds, attitudes, and viewpoints. Hence it’s crucial for young readers to have the opportunity to hear diverse voices from around the world. Today’s impressionable, thoughtful young minds need to be aware of important issues and acts of historical or social justice. Graphic Novels Maus: A Survivor’s Tale From … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Fighting the Good Fight: Social Justice in Children’s (Translated) Books and Graphic Novels
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 