#WorldKidLitWednesday: Along the Tapajós

How about traveling somewhere exciting and new from the comfort and safety of your home? Picture books are a wonderful way for readers of all ages to experience different places, cultures, people and stories. And Along the Tapajós certainly fits the bill. Written and illustrated by Fernando Vilela and translated from the Portuguese by Daniel … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: Along the Tapajós

#WorldKidLitWednesday: The Book in the Book in the Book

Have you ever lost yourself in a book? That’s the conceit behind this whimsically clever novelty book for ages 4-8 written by Julien Baer, illustrated by Simon Bailly, and translated by Elizabeth Law. A mini-Matryoshka doll in picture book format, the story follows Thomas, who wanders off at the beach when his parents take a post-lunch … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: The Book in the Book in the Book

#WorldKidLitWednesday: Francesco Tirelli's Ice Cream Shop

Very few people have heard of Francesco Tirelli, one of the multitude of unsung heroes and heroines of World War II. Nor have they heard about how this Italian gelato aficionado emigrated to Hungary, opened a successful ice cream parlor in the middle of Budapest, and, years later, quietly saved many of his Jewish friends … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: Francesco Tirelli's Ice Cream Shop

#WorldKidLitWednesday: Little Parsley

Inger Hagerup is recognized as one of Norway's greatest 20th century poets. Originally published in 1961 with illustrations by Paul René Gaughin, Little Parsley is a classic collection of 17 of her poems for children, freshly translated from the Norwegian by Becky Lynn Crook. Ideally suited to children in lower primary, Little Parsley is an … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: Little Parsley

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Meet Reviewer Marcia Lynx Qualey

Marcia Lynx Qualey is a Rabat, Morocco-based translator from Arabic and an all-around champion of #worldkidlit—in fact, she coined the term! Previously based in Cairo, Marcia co-founded #WorldKidLit Month (September) with Alexandra Büchler and Lawrence Schimel in 2016, creating a platform to discuss translations into English for children—especially translations from underrepresented languages and cultures. The … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Meet Reviewer Marcia Lynx Qualey

#WorldKidLitWednesday: My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder

My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder is a charming, whimsical graphic novel for readers ages 7-11. Illustrated with beautiful watercolors, the book consists of four heartwarming tales about a young disabled girl named Yu’er and her beloved, quirky grandfather by renowned Chinese author-illustrator, Nie Jun. My Beijing introduces English readers to Nie’s East-meets-West art and … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder

#WorldKidLitWednesday: Poems the Wind Blew in

Sometimes it’s the little observations that spark the imagination and inspire readers to look anew at the world around them. Written by well-known Spanish poet Karmelo C. Iribarren and translated by Lawrence Schimel, this slim book of illustrated children’s poems is a source of wonder and enjoyment for children ages 6 and up. Iribarren invites … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: Poems the Wind Blew in

#WorldKidLitWednesday: Three picture books by Torben Kuhlmann: “Lindbergh,” “Armstrong” and “Edison”

I’ve always had a soft spot for mice. Not the computer kind, nor the kind that were supposed to make Victorian women shriek and fall into a dead faint. (Probably because their corsets were too tight….but I digress.) No, the cute, cotton, and cuddly kind. So I fell hard for Torben Kuhlmann’s imaginative historical fiction … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: Three picture books by Torben Kuhlmann: “Lindbergh,” “Armstrong” and “Edison”

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Why Translate ‘Dragon of Bethlehem’

Palestinian middle-grade and YA fantasies set in our time often have a magical element that helps the protagonist cross through checkpoints, get over walls, or sneak past soldiers. Walid Daqqa's The Oil's Secret Tale has invisibility; in Sonia Nimr's Thunderbird, the first in a trilogy, Noor can set things on fire (and travel through time); and in Huda El … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Why Translate ‘Dragon of Bethlehem’