High schooler Jip has a big problem—an art class assignment to draw a self-portrait. That shouldn’t be a problem, as Jip is a talented artist who can draw bugs, shells, and other items in exquisite detail. Jip is also obsessed with biology in general and insects in particular, spending days (and nights) in an overgrown … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Self-Portrait
Vitor Martins' tender, funny, and honest YA novels are no stranger to Global Literatures in Libraries Initiative, nor to its Translated YA Book Prize. He returns to us with his newest novel and the 2023 Translated YA Book Prize winner, This Is Our Place. Translated by Larissa Helena (who translated Martins' previous prize winning book), … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: This Is Our Place
Think every fairy looks like Tinkerbell, with a cute tutu, and a twinkle in her lovely eye as she daintily darts around waving her magic wand like a ray of magical sunshine? Think again. "Everyone knows the forest is full of all kinds of fairies… There are morning fairies, brave fairies, sleepy-time fairies, and even … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Mister Fairy
The life of an exile is always complicated, but being an LGBTQ+ refugee can sometimes mean exile from your family and community as well as from your homeland. Today we look at writers from Iran, Somalia, and Pakistan who have confronted the challenge of being a gay refugee. Négar Djavadi flatly states, "I’m not an … Continue reading Literature of Exile: LGBTQ authors
Today I am ceding editing rights to my friend and colleague Betsy Bird, an award winning children's author and librarian... Children’s books are written years in advance of their publication dates. A book being written at this very moment may take anywhere between two to five years to reach library and bookstore shelves. As such, … Continue reading Hope and Hardship: The Picture Book As Exile Narrative
The Clothesline Swing by Ahmad Danny Ramadan is one of those books that makes me feel privileged just to have gotten the chance to read it. One of the most amazing things about reading (and there are many) is how it allows you to get a glimpse into other people’s lives and places that you … Continue reading #GlobalPRIDELitMonth: The Clothesline Swing, a Gay Syrian Love Story
Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Pexels.com Welcome to #GlobalPrideLitMonth at Global Literature in Libraries Initiative PRIDE month commemorates the Stonewall Riots that took place in June 1969 in New York City. They were a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBT2QIA+ rights in the USA (definitions provided below). PRIDE is now celebrated around the world. … Continue reading Welcome to #GlobalPRIDELitMonth
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 