So much can happen in a day! Especially for the residents of a busy apartment block and the surrounding community. In her picture book All in a Day, renowned Japanese paper-cut artist Chihiro Takeuchi invites readers to explore the concept of time in the beautiful neighborhood she has created. The focal point of the story–and … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: All in a Day
I'm a big fan of nonfiction picture books. And a translated book is bound to get my attention. Home, forthcoming from Eerdman's Books for Young Readers, combines both to make a standout text. Written and illustrated by French born artist Isabelle Simler, Home is a survey of over 25 different animals from around the world … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Home
How about starting the new year with a colorful, clever and fun read? At around 8" x 8", My Pictures after the Storm looks like a board book. A quick glance inside and the content also looks like straightforward board book fare. Simple illustrations are coupled with short descriptions. Don’t be fooled! Take a closer … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: My Pictures after the Storm
Originally published in Iran in 2021, Empty and Me: A Tale of Friendship and Loss is a standout picture book about loss, grief, and finding new ways to be in the world. Released this past October in a dual language Persian/English edition by U.S. based Lee & Low Books, this moving picture book presents an … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Empty and Me
This month it is my privilege to once again review a forthcoming translated title from Eerdman's Books for Young Readers. Originally published in France, The Brothers Zzli is at first glance a story about a small girl and three bears—a sort of riff on the classic English fairy tale. But it's actually an allegory about … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Brothers Zzli
Forthcoming later this month from Eerdman's Books for Young Readers, Colorful Mondays: A Bookmobile Spreads Hope in Honduras is a vibrant and uplifting picture book based on the real-life work of Asociación Compartir, a nonprofit dedicated to education and community development. Supported by JustWorld International, Asociación Compartir in particular provides bookmobile service (hence the book's … Continue reading WorldKidLit Wednesday: Colorful Mondays: A Bookmobile Spreads Hope in Honduras
The person we present to the world and who we truly are can often be very different from one another. Sometimes, it takes a special catalyst for one’s authentic nature to be revealed. Wounded Falcons, by renowned picture book creators Jairo Buitrago and Rafael Yockteng, explores this idea through the character of Adrián. A young … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Wounded Falcons
With its pages encased in generous swirls of gentle blue and pink, this is a book that tells Shreya—a second-generation migrant's story. At home, she delights in her mother's touch, and sees her sari fan out like a "magic carpet" around her mother. Shreya comes across as confident, safe, and snug in contentment, within the … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: Amma’s Sari
In a Nutshell: This book is a bilingual selection of fairy tales in Russian and English. Themes: Love, family, identity and traditions. A Quote: “There is a voice they call bel canto, but you are ‘bel catto’.” An Observation: I loved the children reviews at the end of the English version, these were left on the … Continue reading Tajikistan 🇹🇯: Tales of Grandma Gulsifat by Gulsifat Shakhidi, tr. Tatyana Kinzhalova
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
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 