Your source for literary information
Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. I’ve already ordered Stones to Schools, if that is any indication on how much I enjoyed this true story of one man’s getting lost in the mountains of Pakistan — but finding an incredible need, purpose and friendships. Mortenson was on an expedition to [...]
When I was 10 years old, I was playing with stuffed animals, having sleepovers with friends and cousins, and sweating school spelling tests and math quizzes. Nujood, in some ways, was a typical 10-year-old. She loved to play games, loves chocolate, loves to draw. But her world was turned upside down when her father announced [...]
Gracias Thanks, by Pat Mora, with illustrations by John Parra. 2010 Pura Belpre Illustrator Honor book. I loved this book! Told in Spanish and English. From the start of the day to bedtime and dreamland, the little boy in the story finds many things to be thankful for. From ladybugs to ocean waves to family, [...]
Book Fiesta, by Pat Mora, with illustrations by Rafael Lopez. 2010 Pura Belpre Illustrator Award. A charming book which celebrates both Spanish and reading. Text is in Spanish and English. The illustrations are bold and colorful; this would be a good story-hour book. I like how the backgrounds reflect the journeys the books are taking [...]
Federico Garcia Lorca, by Georgina Lazaro, with illustrations by Enrique S. Moreiro. 2010 Pura Belpre honor book. This was a challenge because the copy I received from the library was entirely in Spanish; I don’t know if there are any with both Spanish and English, or just English. I know Spanish tolerably well, but I’m [...]
My Abuelita, by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Yuyi Morales. 2010 Pura Belpre Illustrator award. A very charming book about a young boy who watches — and helps — his grandmother (his abuelita) get ready for her job. But what is her job? The reader doesn’t find out until the very end. But the ritual she [...]
The Book of the Unknown: Tales of the Thirty-Six, by Jonathon Keats. 2010 Sophie Brody award. The title is slightly misleading, for this collection only contains 12 tales, with an allusion to the 36. I wonder if there will be follow-ups. At any rate, this has twelve fables concerning individuals regarded as saints. It’s an [...]
Moribito II: Guardian of the Darkness, by Nahoko Uehashi. 2010 Batchelder Honor Book. OK, this book wasn’t so depressing, although it is serious. Balsa is back, and she heads to her native Kanbal hoping to lay rest her personal demons of guilt regarding her foster father Jiguro and her past. What she finds is a [...]
It’s been a busy couple weeks, but I wanted to share a couple photos taken at the end of the Virginia Hamilton Conference April 9, at Kent State University: Pam Munoz Ryan, left, and Laurie Halse Anderson autograph copies of their book at the conclusion of the conference, which focuses on multicultural literature for [...]
The Boy who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope, by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer. 2010 Alex Award. A 14-year-old boy from Malawi barely survives a severe famine. With only a few years of formal education, William manages to create a windmill to generate electric power for his family, using scrap material in [...]