Good Reads

A mixture of popular tales and other bits of literary lore, this anthology is a true celebration of Hispanic culture. Bold artwork from four leading Hispanic artists highlights this energetic collection. ...More

Through simple words and gorgeous images, Mohieddin Ellabbad reflects on his childhood and on the cultural influences that led him to become one of Egypt's finest illustrators. Using his own creative awakening as an example, he encourages young artists to find inspiration in the world around them, through the most ordinary sources: everyday objects, favorite books and magazines, even through explorations of their own feelings. Pages from Ellabbad's exquisitely illustrated notebooks are reproduced in their entirety, offering readers of all ages rare insight into the history and traditions of Arabic literature. ...More

Fatima is thrilled. Her village has a brand-new pump. No more camels hauling water. No more storing water in baobab trees. Life will be easier and better for all. Well, almost all. Fatima's grandmother refuses to change her ways. She insists upon preparing the baobab tree, just as her mother and grandmother did before her. The other villagers think she's foolish, but she doesn't care. She has plenty of work to do -- and so does her granddaughter, who decides to help her ...More

CCBC Choices - 2002
Sofia loved to watch her parents dance, but her father has been gone a long time now, and Sofia wonders if she will ever see her beautiful Mama dance again. The enduring nature of love and the depths of family relationships are explored in this masterfully crafted story that has a Cuban flair. Illustrations. ...More

Tetl's skin is brown, his eyes are black, and his hair is long. He's different from the other children, whose taunts wound him deeply, leaving him confused and afraid. But Tetl's grandmother knows the ancient teachings of their Aztec ancestors, and how they viewed the earth as alive with sacred meaning. With her help, he learns to listen to the mountains, wind, corn, and stones. Tetl's journey from self-doubt to proud acceptance of his Nahuatl heritage is told in a series of powerful poems, beautifully expressed in both English and Spanish. Vivid illustrations celebrate nature's redemptive powers, offering a perfect complement to the poignant story. ...More

The joy of imagination permeates this beautifully illustrated, playful folktale about a young girl in Mexico whose dreams are based on her grandfather's stories. Full color. ...More

A thousand years ago, a group of people who later become the Romani were driven out of northern India by an invading army. This group then took to traveling the world, adopting words, cultural customs, and religious beliefs from the people they encountered throughout their journeys. Little by little, the Romani integrated these new beliefs with their old ways, eventually creating the unique Romani culture known today. Now Hristo Kyuchukov and Ian Hancock give readers the insider's perspective to this fascinating group of people. The Romani authors explain why Gypsy is a scornful name and why they prefer to be called Romanies, as they call themselves. They enlighten readers to Romani traditions, such as those surrounding weddings, the arrival of a baby, and the death of a family member. Readers learn how the Romani work to keep their langu ...More

For as long as thirteen-year-old Azad can remember, the Islamic Republic of Iran, where he lives in the predominantly Kurdish town of Sardasht, has been at war with Saddam Hussein's Iraq, and his country has been a harsh society full of spies, secrets, and "disappearances." Still, most of the time Azad manages to live a normal life, hanging out at the bakery next door, going to school with his friend Hiwa, playing sports, and taking care of his parrot. Then Azad learns that his town may soon become a target for Saddam's weapons of mass destruction. Now more than ever, Azad feels torn between his divorced parents and his conflicting desires to remain in his home or escape. His father is somehow connected to the police and is rooted in the town. His mother may be part of the insurgency, yet is ready to flee. How can Azad make the choice? ...More

An artistic young Mexican boy living in a colonia (trash dump community) takes the first steps toward realizing his dream of getting an education. Based on the work of David Lynch, a teacher from New York who first began working in a colonia in Mexico in the early 1980s. Full color. ...More

2008 Américas Book Award Winner

2008 Jane Addams Children's Book Awards- Older Children Honor
A CCBC Book of the Week Selection>

Meet Amber, Jazz, and Geena Dhillon--a.k.a. the Bindi Babes. They're three fabulous sisters with a reputation for being the coolest, best-dressed girls at their school. But their classmates don't know that the Dhillon sisters work extra hard to look perfect and together to all of their friends . . . while privately trying not to think how much they miss their mom, who died a year ago. What these struggling sisters certainly don't need is an interfering auntie from India inviting herself into their household to cramp their style. Unfortunately, that's exactly what their dad allows to happen.
Soon the sisters' pushover dad is saying no to designer clothes and expensive sneakers, and Auntie is butting into every area of their lives. What are the Bindi babes to do? There's only one way to be rid of Auntie: marry her off to some unsuspecti ...More

This companion to "Nursery Tales Around the World" contains 15 folktales, retold for a slightly older than nursery audience. These tales are grouped according to the familiar stories they resemble (tales like "The Three Pigs" and "The Bremen Town Musicians" for example), and come from 12 different countries plus three American traditions. Full-color illustrations. ...More

Entertain young listeners while providing paths for conflict resolution that can be discussed afterward. These stories are authentic folk literature, flashing with the mirror images of war and peace. Children as young as six can learn to see the choices before them. How to make peace happen by choosing peace and working hard for it is at the heart of this book. ...More

The last thing the young man ever saw was a hideous skull grinning at him, just inches from his face, and long bony fingers closing around his throat. . . .

What is real and what is imaginary? Do monsters and wizards lurk in the shadows, along with ghosts and invisible men? Can women turn into snakes? Can skeletons take revenge? For generations, storytellers have given substance to our worst fears. In Ask the Bones, master storytellers Arielle North Olson and Howard Schwartz retell twenty-two of the world's eeriest folktales.

If you read these stories at night, keep your flashlight handy. You never know what may be prowling around outside your door. . . . ...More

Around the world each night, parents tell stories to children as they put them to bed. Margaret Read MacDonald--a folklorist, storyteller, and children's librarian--uses bedtime tales in the daytime to end her story hours on a calm note. here she includes five of her favorites from around the world.Full color. ...More

2007-2008 Sunshine State Young Reader's Book
Drita, a Muslim Albanian refugee from Kosovo, narrates her stuggle to understand American ways. In alternating chapters, Maxie, a bright African American fourth grader, tells her story. The two girls forge a friendship based on their mutual need to grieve, one for the loss of her mother and the other for her homeland. ...More