Early Years (ages 2-6)

Mama’s Favorite

Muri loves his mama, and Mama loves him. But being one of seven, he sometimes wonders who is Mama’s favorite. He thinks maybe she loves his baby sister the most, but whenever he acts like the baby, Mama doesn’t like it. Then he wonders if she loves his oldest sister the most, because she lives far away. But when he threatens to run far away, Mama doesn’t appreciate it. Even when Muri pretends to be sick, Mama is wise to his ways. But when the two of them encounter a fearsome cat out in the yard, Mama grabs Muri and scampers to safety, and Muri finally understands that Mama loves them all the same.

Waiting for Mama

This tender story was first published in a newspaper in 1938. This tale from Korea is universal–a small child waits for Mama at the station, asking the conductor if he has seen her. The conductor hasn’t, but cautions the child to wait a little farther from the tracks. It is cold and snowy but the child waits patiently until finally Mama comes.

It is an English-Korean bilingual picture book. The Korean edition book is also available.

Read more about Waiting for Mama in WOW Review.

The Gift of the Sun: A Tale from South Africa

In this witty book based on an African folk tale, Thulani prefers sitting in the sun to doing his chores. Tired of milking the cow, he trades her in for a goat. When the goat gets into the corn seed, he trades it for a sheep. Sick of shearing, he buys some geese, which then get exchanged for some sunflower seeds. With each trade, his hard-working wife gets more and more exasperated.

My Cousin Tamar Lives in Israel

A boy living in the United States describes differences in the way he and his family observe Jewish traditions, and the way his cousin and her family observe the same traditions in the Jewish homeland.

Mama Robot

A robot mom would be fun to have. It would never make you clean your room or eat your vegetables. It would do whatever you wanted it to, even your homework. But does a robot mom know how to cuddle you like your real mom? Could a robot mom give you hugs and kisses just like Mom does? Mama Robot is a testament to mothers around the world as a young boy discovers what motherhood is really about, and what makes his mama so special.

Will Goes to the Post Office

Will’s uncle has sent him a mysterious and gigantic package! All Will’s friends help him to carry it home, and stay to find out what’s inside.

There’s No Such Thing as Ghosts!

When we moved to our new neighborhood, I had to promise my mother that I would not go near the strange old house on the corner. People say it’s haunted, she whispered. There is no such thing as ghosts! But if there is, I am going to catch one!

Something for School

On the first day of kindergarten, a teacher asks the boys and girls to line up, and Yoon lines up with the other girls. But when some children mistake Yoon for a boy because of her short hair, Yoon bursts into tears.  At home, Yoon finds a solution. Her sister s special headband is perfect! When she wears it to kindergarten, no one teases or mistakes her for anything but who she is! Yoon has a lovely time with her new friends.But Yoon’s sister has been missing her special headband so when Yoon has to go back to school without it, she s worried all over again. Thankfully, her friends like Yoon exactly the way she is.

See the review at WOW Review, Volume 4, Issue 1

Sam Tells Stories

When Sam changes schools, he tells some pretty amazing stories about himself but after a few days, when he confesses that he is just boring, regular Sam, he finds that he still has friends–and a talent that makes him more interesting.

To Market! To Market!

Madeline Travis, Booktrust In To Market, To Market, a little girl sets off to the market with some money in her pocket-and no idea what to buy . . . Featuring vibrant paintings by award-winning Italian artist Emanuele Scanziani, this exuberant pictorial tribute to the wonders of the Indian market by well-known children’s poet Anushka Ravishankar suggests that the real fun may not be in the buying, after all. Longtime collaborator Rathna Ramanathan’s innovative typography creates a unique cohesion between the verse and artwork of each scene-every ele-ment on the page adds to the world of the story.