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
Catherine's War There’s certainly no shortage of WWII stories available for younger readers, especially stories focusing on the devastating impact and consequences of the Holocaust. And at first blush, Catherine’s War seems like just another entry to the cannon of middle grade Holocaust fiction. But the graphic novel, adapted by Claire Fauvel from Julia Billet’s … Continue reading #IntlYALitMonth: Catherine’s War
The world can be a frightening and overwhelming place. Pina, an orange cat-like character with large, soulful eyes, prefers to stay at home. In his little abode, Pina is surrounded by creature comforts and familiar objects. He can snuggle under a soft blanket and read a book, sit by the open fire with a cup … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Pina
In Perfect Presents!, a wry, graphic picture book from Down Under for ages 3-7 (but frankly, for all ages), we meet a rotund owl and his friend, a salamandery lizard. The lizard arrives bearing gifts: a cake, a bouquet of flowers, and a large wrapped box. The owl devours them with great satisfaction. When he licks his … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Perfect Presents!
Dagfrid is not your stereotypical Viking girl. She’d rather wear her hair in two long braids than rolled into buns on either side of her head. She chooses to dress in pants instead of the super long dress that other girls wear. And she’s absolutely not into fish. In Dagfrid, Viking Girl: No More Ear … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Dagfrid, Viking Girl
“What was that box doing there in the middle of the forest? It was a mystery.” It’s not every day that a strange box, large enough for someone to hide in, arrives in the woods. And it has the local animals wondering from the moment they wake. They are full of questions, and then anticipation, … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Box
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
There are parents and caregivers who look upon bedtime with dread. It can be a fraught time, what with perhaps recalcitrant young children who don't always realize how nice it is to go to sleep, and adults who want nothing more than to do the same. In dreamy Norwegian import Bedtime for Bo, however, a … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Bedtime for Bo
Life can change suddenly and without warning. I know because it happened to me. So begins Different: A Story of the Spanish Civil War, a book for upper middle grade and young adult readers based on author Mónica Montañés’ family history. Montañés’ father had resisted Francisco Franco’s forces in Spain when Franco attempted a military coup against … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Different: A Story About the Spanish Civil War
While most of the Amazon rainforest is found within the borders of Brazil, other South American countries such as Peru and Colombia lay claim to portions of its acreage. The Amazon itself is home to hundreds of indigenous people groups, who find themselves increasingly displaced from their ancestral homes, or even killed, because of mining, … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Amazona
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 