#ItalianLitMonth n.6: Who’s That Girl? A Reader’s Guide to The Mortal and Immortal Life of the Girl from Milan

Posted on by Leah Janeczko

by Oonagh Stransky Domenico Starnone, born in Naples in 1943, is one of Italy’s greatest living authors. His name is often mentioned in connection to the mysterious figure of Elena Ferrante because of their shared interest in certain themes and the city of Naples. But we won’t be talking about that here. The Mortal and … Continue reading #ItalianLitMonth n.6: Who’s That Girl? A Reader’s Guide to The Mortal and Immortal Life of the Girl from Milan

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Cat Who Saved Books

Posted on by Nanette McGuinness

A quiet hero’s journey for YA readers, The Cat Who Saved Books tells the story of high-schooler Rintaro Natsuki, a shy hikikomori (shut-in). When the story begins, Rintaro’s beloved grandfather and guardian has just died, leaving him the owner of his grandfather’s secondhand bookstore.  The description of Rintaro’s feelings about his grandfather’s death are poignant, … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Cat Who Saved Books

#INTLYALITMONTH: The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf

Posted on by Linda Hoiseth

Review by Catherine Bae The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf Without reading the blurb but seeing the cover, I automatically assumed this was a dystopian story set in Asia somewhere. But seeing Hanna Alkaf’s name on the cover, I knew it was going to be good. This was her debut novel back in … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf

The Booktrekker: Ecuador

Posted on by giarrizzo

READ Magical realism seems to be a staple of Latin American literature, so I was not surprised to find it in the book I read for Ecuador, Bruna and Her Sisters in the Sleeping City, by Alicia Yánez Cossío and translated by Kenneth J. A. Wishnia. The title character, Bruna, comes from an eccentric family that was … Continue reading The Booktrekker: Ecuador

#IntlYALitMonth: The Girl and the Ghost

Posted on by Nanette McGuinness

A novel for tweens and young teens, The Girl and the Ghost is based on a Malaysian folk tale. It’s much more than a simple retelling, as author Hanna Alkaf has fleshed out the story with richly drawn characters, creating a marvelous tale about friendship, family, jealousy, and love. As the story goes, there was … Continue reading #IntlYALitMonth: The Girl and the Ghost

#WorldKidLitWednesday: Brown

Posted on by Nanette McGuinness

In Brown, a spare, quirky, satisfying book for middle grade readers, we meet Rusty, aka superhero Brown, at a rocky time in his life. His grandfather dies soon after his family moves to be nearby. A group of three bullies—including the minister’s son—destroy the fort that Rusty and his friend Jack have been building.  Rusty … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: Brown

#WorldKidLitWednesday: Cry, Heart, But Never Break

Posted on by Nanette McGuinness

What if Death liked his coffee "black and strong?" And left his scythe outside the door, so as not to scare the young ones? That's who Death is in Cry, Heart, But Never Break, originally written in Danish by award-winning children's author Glenn Ringtved, with wistful, pencil-and-watercolor illustrations by Charlotte Pardi. In this gentle, moving … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: Cry, Heart, But Never Break