Moominpappa’s Memoirs

Before he had a family, before he met Moominmamma, Moominpappa led a life of adventure and intrigue. But he’s never told his story until now.Now Moominpappa has a bad cold, and it’s the perfect time to remember his youthful endeavors and to ponder the Experiences which have made him the remarkable Moomin he is. As he reads each chapter aloud to Moomintroll, Snufkin, and Sniff, they, and we, learn of his triumphs and tribulations, and his momentous meetings with the Joxter, the Muddler, and a cast of other characters too incredible (especially Edward the Booble) to list here.”Moominpappa’s Memoirs” has never before been translated into English, and Farrar, Straus and Giroux is proud to be able to add this title to its other Moomin books.

Sondok: Princess of the Moon and Stars, Korea, A.D. 595 (The Royal Diaries)

During the seventh-century, the land which is now Korea was fraught with political and religious intrigue. The country was split into Three Kingdoms, each fighting for supremacy: Silla, Koguryo, and Paekche. Besides the warring kingdoms, there are three religions in conflict: Shamanism, the ancient female-dominated faith wherein Shamanist priestesses wield great power at court, foretelling the future, performing important national rituals, and healing sickness; Buddhism, the contemplative State religion; and Confucianism, a recent import from powerful China.  Written as a first-person diary, a young princess expresses her frustrations at not being able to study astronomy because she is a girl.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: America Keeps the Memory Alive

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum opened in Washington D.C., in April 1993. This book walks the reader through the museum, floor by floor. It interweaves the story of the Holocaust with a description of the museum. The book describes the Nazis’ rise to power, the “final solution”, and the aftermath of the Holocaust (1945 to present).

The Secret History of Tom Trueheart

Tom’s six older brothers are adventurers who go on dangerous quests in the Land of Stories. Tom stays home with his mother. Tom’s brothers are famous for the exciting endings they discover for the tales the Story Bureau assigns to them. Tom worries he will never have a story of his own. But when his brothers fail to return from their adventures in time to celebrate Tom’s twelfth birthday, a letter from the Story Bureau arrives … addressed to Tom. It is up to him to find out why his brothers haven’t completed their missions. Tom packs his bags and kisses his mother good-bye. It turns out that he has his own story after all.

The Big Lie: A True Story

The author describes her experiences as a survivor of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz during World War II.

Jin Jin the Dragon

An enchanting story of a dragon that doesn’t know what it is and sets off on a journey of adventure and discovery to find out. Beautifully illustrated in Chinese watercolor, this wonderful read aloud includes information on Chinese dragons (and how they differ from what we usually think of when we think of dragons), Chinese written characters and a picture history of 13 Chinese characters that are central to the story.

Wolf Brother

Six thousand years ago, Evil stalks the land. Only twelve-year-old Torak and his wolf-cub companion can defeat it. Their journey together takes them through deep forests, across giant glaciers, and into dangers they never imagined. Torak and Wolf are joined by a cast of characters as they battle to save their world, in this first book in the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness.

Robert H. Jackson: New Deal Lawyer, Supreme Court Justice, Nuremberg Prosecutor

This engaging biography of Jackson, a New Deal lawyer, Supreme Court Justice, and chief U.S. prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trial, details the personal journey of this extraordinary man who had never attended college nor earned a law degree.

The Donkey of Gallipoli: A True Story of Courage in World War I

When Jack Simpson was a boy in England, he loved leading donkeys along the beach for a penny a ride. So when he enlists as a stretcher bearer in World War I, his gentle way with those animals soon leads him to his calling. Braving bullets and bombs on the battlefields of Gallipoli, Jack brings a donkey to the aid of 300 Allied soldiers — earning both man and donkey a beloved spot in legend. Two unlikely heroes rescue hundreds of men wounded in war in a poignant picture book based on a true tale of World War I. This engaging nonfiction tale includes a map and brief bios of key characters.

Featured in WOW Review Volume X, Issue 2.