Passing the Peace: A Counting Book for Children

This is an exceptional book by an innovative author from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Not only does it guide the young reader through the numbers 1 to 10, it does so in English, French, Inuktitut, and Inuinnaqtun. The numerical progression in the color images, which are of Inuit figures cut from fabric and arranged anew for each number, is further represented by each figure acquiring a bright red heart, reinforcing the overall theme of friendship among people of different languages and races.

The Loon’s Necklace

According to Canadian Indian legend, when an old man’s sight was restored by a Loon he gave the bird his precious shell necklace as a reward. That is why the loon has a white collar and speckles on its back. Elizabeth Cleaver’s rich and beautiful style of picture-making gives new visual excitement to the splendors of the British Columbia landscape, and to the magic of this Indian legend.

Anansi the Spider: A Tale From the Ashanti (An Owlet Book)

Anansi the Spider is one of the great folk heroes of the world. He is a rogue, a mischief-maker, and a wise, lovable creature who triumphs over larger foes. In this traditional Ashanti tale, Anansi sets out on a long, difficult journey. Threatened by Fish and Falcon, he is saved from terrible fates by his sons. But which of his sons should Anansi reward? Calling upon Nyame, the God of All Things, Anansi solves his predicament in a touching and highly resourceful fashion. In adapting this popular folktale, Gerald McDermott merges the old with the new, combining bold, rich color with traditional African design motifs and authentic Ashanti language rhythms.

We All Went on Safari: A Counting Journey through Tanzania

Follows a Tanzanian family through the African grasslands as they count the animals they see, from one leopard to ten elephants; includes information about Tanzania and Swahili names and numbers.

A Piñata in a Pine Tree

An award-winning author and a rising star artist have put a festive Latino twist on “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” populating it with piñatas in place of partridges, plus burritos bailando (dancing donkeys), lunitas cantando (singing moons), and much more, all displayed in the most vivid colors imaginable. In this version a little girl receives gifts from a secret amiga, whose identity is a sweet surprise at the book’s conclusion. There are things to find and count in Spanish on every page, with pronunciations provided right in the pictures and a glossary and music following the story. This joyous fiesta will warm even the coldest of hearts.

Juanito Counts to Ten

Juanito loves to count, and what could be more fun than giving and counting kisses! Children’s book author Lee Merrill Byrd was inspired to write Juanito Counts to Ten when she watched her four-year-old grandson Johnny. He was so happy and full of life that he was dishing out kisses to everybody. He kissed his mother, his father, Stray Gray the Cat, and, of course, his grandmother! He was so happy he even kissed his bossy big sister.

Once Around The Block / Una Vuelta A La Manzana (English And Spanish Edition)

There’s always a lot of action in the Mexican American neighborhood where Mr. Lozano lives. Amelia argues with Anita; Benito loves bean burritos but not bumblebees; Hortencia and Herminia hover around like hummingbirds; and Zacarias is catching some Zs on Zachary Street. Jose Lozano’s wacky little stories and illustrations combine Mexican culture with “Sesame Street” smarts to make for a wonderful read-aloud ABC book in Spanish and English. Jose Lozano, who lives in Anaheim, California, makes his living as an elementary school teacher, but his passion is art. He is a rising star in the thriving Latino art scene in Los Angeles. “With this amusing trip through the streets of a Mexican-American neighborhood, readers will discover the lives, adventures, secrets, hobbies and special skills of a most varied gallery of personages. “With the skills of a master storyteller, Lozano creates in each page, in alphabetical order, a lively, one-paragraph portrait using words that start with the same initial letter of his characters’ names: “B is for Benito who loves baseball, bumblebees, and big bean burritos”; “I is for Isabel who likes to stay indoors, cruise the Internet and write interesting stories”; “P is for Pablo who has won many prizes for playing the piano perfectly.” (Los Otros, hermanos Tonio, Lluvia and Chuy, new to the neighborhood, haven’t yet learned English.) “The author’s detailed and vibrant gouache paintings are framed as pictures in an album, reflecting the festive spirit of a real Hispanic community. Crosthwaite’s excellent Spanish rendition maintains the savor and rhyme of the original text and its clever wordplay, making the story enjoyable in both languages. Drawings of alphabet cubes serve as dividers between the texts.”–“Kirkus Reviews”

The Party for Papa Luis / La fiesta para Papa Luis

A cumulative tale in which Papa Luis’s family and friends make preparations for his birthday fiesta, complete with pinata, cake, and a clown.

Bisa Bea, Bisa Bel (Spanish Edition)

Hacer limpieza general puede descubrirnos un mundo. En el cuarto de mi madre -cuenta Bel- había un armario, dentro del armario había un cajón, dentro del cajón había una caja, dentro de la caja había un sobre, dentro del sobre había un montón de retratos, dentro de un retrato estaba Bisa Bea. Y así, de la mano del pasado y del futuro, Bel vivirá su presente.