Juan Hormiga is not your stereotypical hard-working ant; he is a master napper who can doze off up to ten times in one afternoon. Fortunately, he also has a talent for storytelling and the other ants often gather around to listen as he recounts his grandfather’s daring exploits. The ants are somewhat surprised, though, when … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Juan Hormiga
Written by: Marguerite Abouet, Illustrated by Clement Oubrerie Translated by Helge Dasher ISBN: 978-1-77046-082-9 Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly Aya Life In Yop City is the story of 19-year-old Aya, who’s very dedicated to her studies and committed to her goals. It’s 1978 in Abidjan, a suburb of the Ivory Coast and Aya is your typical … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: Aya Life In Yop City
Did you know that the first human beings to walk this earth were African? They went on to populate the whole planet. So we are all from Africa, originally! Did you know that Africa is gigantic? It is as big as Europe, the USA, Mexico, India and Japan all put together! Did you know that … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Africa, Amazing Africa: Country by Country
Imagine a bilingual Richard Scarry Busytown crossed with The Magic School Bus. Mix in Mexican culture with an old-time comics flair. Add several large tablespoons of zaniness and a quart of cleverness… and you’ll still be missing the secret sauce that makes Raúl the Third’s ¡Vamos! picture book series so fabulous.* The first, ¡Vamos! Let’s Go … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: ¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market & ¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat
The first day of elementary or primary school is a momentous event in a child's life. Some children mark the day with new outfits and a bevy of pictures. Others, meanwhile, begin the first of many intrepid commutes to school. My First Day chronicles the journey of one such student. Set in Vietnam on the … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: My First Day
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
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!
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
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
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!
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 