ZEELY was the first book of Virginia Hamilton’s, published in 1967. BLUISH was her twentieth, published just two years before her untimely death in 2002. Each book has its own strong and unique voice, a strong and unique theme. But each book, each story, successfully reflects Virginia’s goal: “she saw her work as helping to… Read more »
Beyond Boundaries
Beyond Boundaries: Summer Reads
MALI UNDER THE NIGHT SKY, A LAO STORY OF HOME written and illustrated by Youme Landowne, is the true story of the Laotian-American artist, Malichansouk Kouanchao, who fled Laos with her family as civil war became the reality of bombs, soldiers, machine guns and grenades. The story is narrated by Mali as she describes her… Read more »
Graphic Novels Reach Beyond Borders
ZITA the SPACEGIRL by Ben Hatke is a First Second Book and what a book! Pure fun to read the zappy dialogues and to feast on the engaging graphic images. Zita is the kind of curious, courageous kid who sees an odd-looking “thing” and of course, picks it up. ZAAAP! Off she goes to another… Read more »
Amazing “Firsts”
It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw by Don Tate, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, shows the life journey from slavery to artistry of Bill Traylor. His story is not always a happy one, but it is full of courage and “making do” when life goes in unexpected directions. Bill Traylor used bits… Read more »
People Who Made a Difference
HIS NAME WAS RAOUL WALLENBERG; COURAGE, RESCUE AND MYSTERY DURING WWII by Louise Borden. (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2012) This book for older readers presents the true account of how Raoul Wallenberg from Sweden, educated in the US and working in Hungary when World War II broke out, repeatedly risked his own life to… Read more »
Let’s Hear it for Poetry!
COWBOYS by David L. Harrison and illustrated by Dan Burr, give readers a close look at the tough experience of being a cowboy on the long cattle drives from Texas to Kansas. We follow a variety of wranglers from bunk house to “big-city”Abilene. Starting in 1866, over 40,000 cowpunchers signed on to ride cattle-drive trails,… Read more »
IBBY : Hans Christian Anderson Awards
Hans Christian Andersen, yes, we love the stories he gave us. Their universal themes of compassion and tolerance are as relevant today as ever. In his honor, the highest international recognition given to authors and illustrators of children’s books are the Hans Christian Andersen Awards. IBBY presents the Hans Christian Andersen Awards to a living… Read more »
