Twelve-year-old Movits “Mo” Lind is the antithesis of cool. He plays chess, trains his guinea pig, cooks for his younger sister, and mortifies his popular older sister with his geeky interests. His life changes, though, when he agrees to travel with his best friend, Ruben, from their quiet suburb to downtown Stockholm to see Ruben’s … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Biggest Fake in the Universe
Baron Lamberto, 93 years old and in failing health, lives in a mansion on an island in the middle of Lake Orta, in northern Italy. Living from the proceeds of his 24 banks around the world, he is waited on by his butler, Anselmo, and an army of cooks, servants, and, strangely, six people in … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Lamberto, Lamberto, Lamberto
A sweet, otherworldly tale that’s billed as “the fantastic adventure that first inspired Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved film, Spirited Away,” The Village Beyond the Mist is sure to charm. Set in a magical town hidden in a mysterious forest clearing, The Village Beyond the Mist is a delightful, multigenerational fantasy for middle grade readers about service. Is that … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Village Beyond the Mist
Arranged and forced marriages are the reality for many young teenage girls around the world. But does it really have to be this way? This middle grade illustrated novel is based on the true story of Adi, as told to renowned Cameroonian author and poet Alain Serge Dzotap. Adidjatou, or Adi for short, is a … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Adi of Boutanga: A Story from Cameroon
One of the fun things about chatting to students about what they want to read when a book is out and they "need it" is what aspect of the book appeals to them. Towards the end of the last school term I had a bunch of historical fiction books out on display following our G8 … Continue reading #DecDisplays – The spies we love
It’s not easy moving to a new place away from family and friends and trying to settle into a new home and school. The middle grade graphic novel Ellie in First Position tackles all this, and more. The story opens with 10-year-old Electra, or Ellie for short, relocating to a new city with her mother … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Ellie in First Position
Review by Nina Hotchkis Our Own Little Paradise by Marianne Kaurin has been translated into English from Norwegian by Olivia Laksy and is a refreshing text for middle grade and young YA readers, especially those transitioning between schools. Nora (in the English translation) has recently moved to a new school and is determined to fit … Continue reading #IntlYALitMonth Review: Our Own Little Paradise
Zadie Ma wants a dog more than anything in the world, but her mama seems set against it. Will she achieve her heart’s desire? The overarching theme of Zadie Ma and the Dog Who Chased the Moon is simple, yet readers will soon discover that there is so much more to this middle grade novel. … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Weekend: Zadie Ma and the Dog Who Chased the Moon
Many of us adults now look back on our decidedly low-tech childhood pastimes with fondness. I remember playing hopscotch, for example, and partaking in neighborhood baseball games. In my family literacy work, I often encourage parents and caregivers to share their "old-school" games with their children. After all, play is a child's work— and adults … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Let’s Play Gonggi
NM: Congratulations on the upcoming release on August 1 of your translation of Batu and the Search for the Golden Cup from Russian into English. It's a wonderful coming-of-age magical adventure and was a bestseller in Kazakhstan. How did the book find its way to you and then to Amazon Publishing? Was it an easy journey or one … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: An interview with Translator Shelley Fairweather-Vega
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 