In many parts of the world, the summer holidays are over. September marks the beginning of a new term and the first day of primary school for a whole intake of young children. It can be a daunting and exciting time for new pupils. And for their parents and caregivers too! Books can be a … Continue reading World Back-to-School Books
Slovenian Picture Books
As I mentioned in my introductory post, I am currently researching, reading and reviewing picture books from every country in the world. When I am looking for titles from a new destination, I often find a wealth of interesting material about the children’s publishing scene in that country. Most of this information is online and … Continue reading Slovenian Picture Books
Valdemar’s Peas
Valdemar is a young wolf who absolutely hates peas. The problem is his papa won’t give him an ice cream until he’s eaten them. What will he do? Yuck! Peas ‘taste so green and round and pointless’. Valdemar may hate peas with a passion, but he loves fish fingers; he wolfs them down – whole … Continue reading Valdemar’s Peas
The Dot
The Dot by Gulnar Hajo was originally published in Arabic by Bright Fingers Publishing House in Syria. The English translation by literary translator Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp is available through Darf Children’s Books, an independent children’s publisher based in the UK. The Dot opens, appropriately enough, with a dot, a mere speck in the big broad universe. This … Continue reading The Dot
Walk with Me
A young girl asks a lion to accompany her on the long walk home from school. On the way, we learn about the hardships facing her and her family and her unique way of dealing with them. This is one of those wonderful picture books where words and illustrations combine to create a story of … Continue reading Walk with Me
A Celebration of World Kid Lit!
September is #WorldKidLit month, a celebration of children’s literature from around the world, with a focus on diverse books and books in translation. I am excited to have been asked to contribute to the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative site this month and look forward to sharing my passion for global children’s literature with you. … Continue reading A Celebration of World Kid Lit!
An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
This is the second older woman from the Middle East. Aaliya is the creation of Rabih Alameddine, who is of Lebanese origin. He writes in English. He has chosen a poignant title, for around the world older women are made to feel unnecessary. This has been going on for centuries, think of the legend of … Continue reading An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 