Drawn in by Carll Cneut’s glorious artwork and the prospect of a ‘deliciously dark European picture book’, I backed this book on Kickstarter earlier this year. It is due for release this month. The Golden Cage is a wonderfully unique picture book. First, its size: At 340 x 260 mm, it is larger than most … Continue reading The Golden Cage
Felix After the Rain: A Forthcoming Picture Book from Slovenia
As part of my mini-series on Slovenian picture books, I invited Delaram Ghanimifard, co-founder and publisher of Tiny Owl Publishing, to tell us more about forthcoming picture book Felix After the Rain. Written and illustrated by Dunja Jogan, this title is currently being translated from the Slovenian by Olivia Hellewell. What first attracted you … Continue reading Felix After the Rain: A Forthcoming Picture Book from Slovenia
Along the River
The river is the place to be! It bustles with energy and life as a flotilla of brightly coloured boats travels through the seasons towards the sea. Ships, boats, canoes carrying people, animals, fruits, plants, flowers, smiles and laughter. Along the River is a book with a relaxed and positive vibe. It isn’t just the peace … Continue reading Along the River
Tongan Picture Books
It is not easy to find picture books from Tonga that are available to members of the general public. As author, editor and publisher Don Long writes in this hugely informative article: ‘Most Pasifika language stories are published for the education market . . .’ Many books in Pasifika languages, or dual-language books (with English or French), … Continue reading Tongan Picture Books
Five Picture Books That Surprise and Delight
As I was editing yesterday’s post on Feather, I started to think about picture books I have recently read that have held surprises, either in their format or artwork – or both. At its simplest, the surprise can be the way a book opens: Horizontally or vertically? A magnificent example is A Lion in Paris … Continue reading Five Picture Books That Surprise and Delight
Feather
Feather is on a quest to find the bird she belongs to, but it is no easy journey. She is at the mercy of the elements, blown this way and that by the wind and, on calm days, forced to lie where she has fallen. The strong gusts bring her into contact with a wide … Continue reading Feather
A Boy and a House
A Boy and a House is a wordless picture book by Maja Kastelic, a Slovenian author/illustrator with a background in painting and fresco restoration. Wordless picture books can travel across borders, and offer readers of all ages the chance to explore each page and create their own stories. The illustrations in A Boy and … Continue reading A Boy and a House
Sleep Well, Siba and Saba
Siba and Saba lose things every day – sweaters, slippers, sandals, a sash, a shawl; lots of things that start with ‘s’, in fact. Thankfully, they don’t lose each other! The sisters find the things they have lost in their dreams. As the story progresses, however, so do their dreams. Siba and Saba no longer … Continue reading Sleep Well, Siba and Saba
On a Magical Do-Nothing Day
Beatrice Alemagna has written so many brilliant picture books! My personal favourites include The Marvellous Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty and A Lion in Paris, and this one: On a Magical Do-Nothing Day. The theme of technology vs. nature, in particular, really strikes a chord with me. The storyline is simple: It’s a rainy day and a young boy and his mother … Continue reading On a Magical Do-Nothing Day
World Back-to-School Books
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
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 