Sometimes you are searching your library catalog for books for a winter-themed storytime, and you come across the perfect book not only for storytime, but also for your next GLLI book review! The Penguin Who Was Cold is an absolutely charming picture book about a penguin who does not fit the mold. Written and illustrated … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Penguin Who Was Cold
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
One of my repeated assertions is that picture books are much more than what they seem. They are more than just cute pictures and easy words to read to children before bedtime; they are in fact powerful works of art that can reveal deep truths to people of all ages. Picture books are for everyone. … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: That’s Not Normal!
A charming, offbeat picture book for ages 3-6, Good Night, Earth* flips the beloved childhood favorite, Goodnight, Moon, on its head in a delightful way by imagining the bedtime ritual of a far-off alien family. Using a telescope they see that: The axolotl is so, so tired. He swallows a gulp of fresh water and reads … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Good Night, Earth
A Roald Dahlian eco-parable for middle grade readers, The Story of the Blue Planet* takes place on a special, beautiful planet strikingly similar to earth and inhabited only by children. These Peter-Pan-esque protagonists never age and come in all shapes and sizes. Some are “even weird like the child you see in the mirror.” They can … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Weekend: The Story of the Blue Planet
A flock of chickens lives a comfortable, safe life on a farm. It may be rather predictable, but there is plenty of food, and everyone knows their role and their place. So what if one of them is carried off every so often? After all, they're just chickens. But one day the capybaras arrive, seeking … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Capybaras
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
YA fantasy novel The Beast Warrior takes place about a decade after its award-winning prequel, The Beast Player.* In The Beast Warrior, mixed-heritage protagonist Elin is now a full-fledged Beast Player (a field that combines veterinarian with naturalist) and has had a son with her husband, Ialu. As the book opens, their feudal, agrarian nation is … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Beast Warrior
Can You Hear the Trees Talking?: Discovering the Hidden Life of the Forest is a fascinating, informative, nonfiction book about the wonderful ecology of forests. Written by forester and global advocate Peter Wohlleben, it’s full of appealing color illustrations, quizzes, sidebars, and activities. All laid out in two-page spreads perfectly geared to readers age 8-12, … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Can You Hear the Trees Talking?: Discovering the Hidden Life of the Forest
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 