A shiny button, a soft cloud, a bush full of blueberries. Why, they’re treasures of course! At least they are to Little Bear; not so to the other animals he meets, who dismiss his finds as “junk.” Until Little Bear meets Little Bird. “‘Ooo, a magic stick!’ said Little Bird.” Aha! Finally, a creature after … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Little Bear’s Treasures
Catch That Chicken! is author Atinuke and illustrator Angela Brooksbank's latest collaboration since the adorable B is for Baby for beginner readers. Using a similarly vibrant illustrative style, the picturebook for ages 2-5 follows a little girl named Lami. She lives in a compound with a big baobab tree, a cattle pen, multiple houses and … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Catch That Chicken!
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
Are you familiar with children’s and YA books from India? If not, the Neev Book Award is great place to start. It is a fabulous showcase for children’s and YA literature that promotes a “fuller understanding of India, Indian lives and Indian stories.” First introduced in 2018 as part of the Neev Literature Festival, the … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Neev Book Award Winners
According to my research, if you were a child growing up in 20th century Sweden, you are very familiar with Elsa Beskow's Children of the Forest. Originally published as Tomtebobarnen in 1910, this sweet picture book has been enchanting children for over 100 years. Currently in its eighteenth (!) English language printing by Scotland-based publisher … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Children of the Forest
How do you feel about the presence of pigeons at your local park? Do you like how they fearlessly bob around your legs in search of food? Do you enjoy seeing them flock to a single spot to eat their crumbs? Or do you just try to stay out of their way like I do? … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Hugo
Books can transport us across time and space, even though the journey is only an imaginary one. The literary voyages readers take within the pages of a book can inspire us and affect how we see the world via the magic of the written word. Writers, indeed, have immense power. But what if that literary … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Forgotten Book
Much of the rhetoric around immigration from Central America across the southern United States border discusses persons wanting to enter the U.S. in abstract and dehumanizing terms: as caravans, illegal aliens, vectors of disease, even as an invasion. We spend so much time talking about Central American refugees and what they represent, yet we rarely … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Other Side
Originally written in Finnish, Me and the Robbersons has been translated into over 20 languages since it was first published in 2010. And little wonder. This middle grade novel is bursting with fabulous characters, humor and adventure, and is thoroughly readable to boot. The star of the show is 10-year-old Maisie, who is heading to … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Me and the Robbersons
Long ago, animals and people from different clans lived together in the Kalahari. One of the clans was the San. The San men hunted with bows and arrows, while the women cooked food in clay pots that they made themselves. One day, a huge sandstorm came from the sky, and when it was over everything … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: !Qhoi n|a Tjhoi. Skilpad en Volstruis. Tortoise and Ostrich
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 