From the Beatles’ “Roll Over Beethoven” to Schroeder in “Peanuts,” Ludwig van Beethoven has become a cultural icon. Beethoven cuts an appealing figure for teens. He was a talented musician who lost his hearing at the height of his fame; a romantic guy who loved a mysterious, unnamed woman but never married her; and a … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Beethoven: A Stand for Freedom
Once upon a time, Akiva was all grown up. He had a wife named Rachel. He had a job as a shepherd. And he had a house—well, maybe not quite a house, but a barn full of straw that kept the two of them warm in winter and gave them shade in summer. So begins … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Donkey and the Garden
“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*
A long, long time ago, planet Earth was born.Planet Earth was very, very hot.Lava gushed out of the ground—Here, there, and everywhere—creating vapor.Since lava is heavy, It flowed down, down, down.And since vapor is light,It floated up, up, up,Turning into clouds in the sky So starts The Three Water Drop Brothers, a charming, surprisingly complete … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Three Water Drop Brothers
Review by Paige Spilles The League of Super Feminists by Mirion Malle Explaining complex ideologies to our younger readers can be a struggle! In her book, The League of Super Feminists, French cartoonist and author Mirion Malle offers a useful, illustrated primer to all things related to feminism. Malle uses lively, conversational language and colorful … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: The League of Super Feminists by Mirion Malle
Review by Jeremy Willette How Do You Live? by Genzaburo Yoshina One part science lesson, two parts history, with a ton of philosophy and a splash of economics thrown in, this realistic fiction novel is sure to be a big hit with students who are curious about the world around them and their place in … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: How Do You Live by Genzaburo Yoshina, Translated by Bruno Navasky
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
Review by Jonathan Hill Burmese Moons by Sophie Ansel and Sam Garcia America and the media we consume is incredibly sterilized, especially to the plight of the people who aren’t white. We’re led to believe that despite harrowing circumstances, through determination and strength of spirit, we’ll be delivered the happy ending. Everything will work out … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: Burmese Moons by Sophie Ansel & Sam Garcia
Review by: Jennifer Baltes Oksi by Mari Ahokoivu Poorling doesn’t fit in. She’s not a bear cub, like her brothers, and with her tiny, upright body and flame-shaped head, she doesn’t look like anything in the forest. She desperately wants to be a bear: fierce, strong, and loved by her bear mother, Umi. As Poorling’s … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: Oksi by Mari Ahokoivu, translated by Silja-Maaria Aronpuro
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
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 