Issue: October 2008

Bee Frog

By Rebecca Ballenger | Published: October 29, 2008

A small frog who just wants to be heard.Bee Frog is not a frog — she’s a dragon! A not-nice, very fierce dragon! But Mom and Dad Frog are too busy to notice. They don’t even pay attention when Bee Frog hops off to practice her dragon noises all by herself. Is it possible that [...]

Posted in England (UK), Fantasy, Northern Ireland (UK), Picture Book, Primary (ages 6-9) | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

My Mommy Is Magic

By Rebecca Ballenger | Published: October 29, 2008

A child lists things a mommy does, such as chasing monsters away after a bad dream and making a delicious cake appear—right out of thin air!  This charming companion to MY DADDY IS A GIANT captures a toddler’s love and admiration for her mother with warmth and humor.

Posted in Belgium, Fiction, Picture Book, Primary (ages 6-9) | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Furry-Legged Teapot

By Rebecca Ballenger | Published: October 29, 2008

In ancient Japan, a young tanuki, a raccoon dog that can change shapes, becomes stuck in the form of a teapot. Includes notes on the original Japanese folktale from which this story is derived.

Posted in Asia, Folklore, Japan, Picture Book, Primary (ages 6-9) | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Little Eagle

By Rebecca Ballenger | Published: October 29, 2008

Little Eagle tells the story of a young boy who is orphaned and taken in by a kind old man. The story centers on the boy’s discovery of his guardian’s gift as a master of Eagle boxing, a specialized form of Kung Fu. Combining classical Chinese elegance with elements of Japanese anime, Chen’s bold and [...]

Posted in China, Fiction, Picture Book, Primary (ages 6-9) | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tell Me Lies

By Rebecca Ballenger | Published: October 29, 2008

It is 1969, and Stephen meets up with old friend Astrid and her lover Spencer, and stays with them in the hippy household “The Hollies.” Peace and love are tangible: until his passionate attraction for another girl in the household goes sour. He drifts into the radical arts scene and far-left politics, and finally into [...]

Posted in England (UK), Historical Fiction, Young Adult (ages 14-18) | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood

By Rebecca Ballenger | Published: October 29, 2008

In this groundbreaking memoir set in Ramallah during the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day War, Ibtisam Barakat captures what it is like to be a child whose world is shattered by war. With candor and courage, she stitches together memories of her childhood: fear and confusion as bombs explode near her home and she is [...]

Posted in Biography, Israel, Palestine, Young Adult (ages 14-18) | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Goodbye Vietnam

By Yoo Kyung Sung | Published: October 13, 2008

Thirteen-year-old Mai and her family embark on a dangerous sea voyage from Vietnam to Hong Kong to escape the unpredictable and often brutal Vietnamese government.

Posted in Asia, Fiction, Primary (ages 6-9), Viet Nam | Comments closed