#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Our World Out of Balance: Understanding Climate Change and What We Can Do

Posted on by Planet Picture Book

Climate change is a vast subject to tackle in a children’s book, but this 72-page illustrated nonfiction guide does so with boldness and determination, not to mention a solid grasp of the facts. Aimed at readers ages 8-12, Our World Out of Balance demystifies some of the changes that are happening to—and harming—our planet, with … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Our World Out of Balance: Understanding Climate Change and What We Can Do

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Best Meal Ever!

Posted on by Lebohang Masango

Set in Gugulethu and signalling to the persisting inequalities that define both this Apartheid-era established township and South Africa as a whole, The Best Meal Ever! by Sindiwe Magona is a heart-warming story of hope amidst trying times. Written for children ages 7-9, this picture book features beautiful watercolor illustrations by Paddy Bouma. The story … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Best Meal Ever!

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Agnes’s Place

Posted on by Nanette McGuinness

Filled with brightly colored, intricately detailed illustrations that reward repeated viewing, Agnes’s Place* is a quiet, sweet picture book for readers 3-7 about friendship, new friends, isolation, and belonging.  When the story begins, Agnes is a contented five-year-old who lives in a land of grownups, a land with many buildings and just as many interesting … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Agnes’s Place

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Animals Brag About Their Bottoms

Posted on by Klem-Marí Cajigas

Let's face it: butts, buttocks, bottoms—whatever term you prefer—are funny. Cute animals are always a hit. Put them together, and you have the delightful Animals Brag About Their Bottoms. Published just this year by the children's imprint of Canada based publisher Greystone Books, this beautifully illustrated and cheeky picture book is a wonderful read aloud … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Animals Brag About Their Bottoms

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Argh! There’s a Skeleton Inside You!

Posted on by Planet Picture Book

Sometimes, aliens need a little helping hand. Well, Oort and Quog certainly do when they crash land on their way to a friend’s birthday party. Argh! There’s a Skeleton Inside You! is an information picture book aimed at readers ages 4+. It's a fabulous mix of fun, fact and fiction with bright, engaging illustrations throughout. … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Argh! There’s a Skeleton Inside You!

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Who Left the Light On?

Posted on by Nanette McGuinness

A picture-book ode to the power of creative nonconformity, Who Left the Light On? achieves a rare trifecta: a loosely rhyming book in translation with brilliant illustrations. Mix in important themes—embracing diversity and expressing oneself—add a huge dollop of whimsy, and you have the ingredients to this charming tale. But the sum of the parts … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Who Left the Light On?

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Alya and the Three Cats

Posted on by Planet Picture Book

Welcoming a new baby into an established household is not always easy, especially when some family members don’t quite understand what is going on. This charming Moroccan import for young children ages 2 and up tells a new baby story from the perspective of three cats: Minouche, Pasha and Amir. Even if, like me, you’re … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Alya and the Three Cats

#WorldKidLitWednesday: Meet Reviewer Lebohang Masango

Posted on by Planet Picture Book

Photo credit: Austin Malema Please extend a warm welcome to Lebohang Masango who joins the #WorldKidLit Wednesday team at the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative blog as a regular reviewer. Lebohang is a writer, poet and anthropologist with an impressive range of publications to her name, including Mpumi’s Magic Beads, a picture book for which … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: Meet Reviewer Lebohang Masango

#BlackIsBeautiful: Let’s do it for the culture: Books that celebrate the roots and origins of hip-hop music

Posted on by shaunteebs

The following books celebrate the beauty and roots of hip-hop music and culture. Casual readers and hip-hop aficionados will be thoroughly engaged with these books while bobbing their heads  to the beats of their favorite "Master of Ceremonies" (MC) or newly discovered ones. Young Adult: Let Me Hear a Rhyme: by Tiffany D. Jackson Lyrics: … Continue reading #BlackIsBeautiful: Let’s do it for the culture: Books that celebrate the roots and origins of hip-hop music

#BlackIsBeautiful: Black Hair is Beautiful

Posted on by shaunteebs

Cornrows Written by Camille Yarbrough Illustrated by Carole Byard Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons ISBN-10 : 0698114361ISBN-13 : 978-0698114364 In this heartwarming picture book, a hairstyling session prompts a discussion between a young girl and her great-grandmother about the history of cornrows.  The elder tells her entranced great-granddaughter about the endurance of the hairstyle from its origins … Continue reading #BlackIsBeautiful: Black Hair is Beautiful