Stories deal with a lonely fir tree, the search for a genuine princess, a proud family of snails, a young bird who’s made fun of for his differences, a haughty needle, and a brave toy.
Primary (ages 6-9)
Material appropriate for primary age groups
The Snow Country Prince
Encouraged by the words of the Snow Country Prince, Mariko and Kazuo nurse an injured swan back to health during the long winter.
The Changeling
A tale about the power of a mother’s love tells how a Swedish mother’s cherished baby is returned to her after she nurtures the ugly troll child that took its place.
Meet the Artist! Alexander Calder
A sense of playfulness animates all of Calder’s work, from his signature hanging mobiles to his endlessly creative toys, drawings, and jewelry. Alexander Calder: Meet the Artist! is a hands on introduction to this American sculptor.
Uncle Fedya, His Dog, And His Cat
What would you do if you found a talking cat and your parents wouldn’t let you keep it? Why, run away, of course! In this funny, imaginative novel by Russia’s most popular children’s book writer, a small boy runs away from home and sets up housekeeping with two talking animals. Black-and-white illustrations.
See the review at WOW Review, Volume VI, Issue 3
Natural Destiny
Eight-year-old Bernie is thrust into the terror, starvation and daily atrocities of World War II when the Japanese bomb and capture her native island of Guam. Live Bernie’s story as she and thousands of Guamanians are captured and placed in concentration camps for nearly three years.
See the review at WOW Review, Volume VI, Issue 3
Ano hi no koto : Remember March 11,2011
Ano Hi no Koto (The Things That Happened on That Day): Remember March 11, 2011 (2012), is a Japanese-English bilingual picture book. Through a boy’s perspective, the story invites readers to see the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that happened on March 11, 2011 in the northeastern region of Japan. The central theme of this story is loss of family, linking with the motifs of separation, social isolation, survival, and hope.
See the review at WOW Review, Volume VI, Issue 3
A Tale about an Old Lion
The Old Lion, tiring of rule, moves to Lviv, to a wonderful garret with windows overlooking Ploscha Rynok (Market Square). This tale in verse is a true calling card of the city of Lviv, where wonders occur every day.
See the review at WOW Review, Volume VI, Issue 3
See What a Seal Can Do!
A lyrical portrait of seal characteristics and life explains how seals appear to be slow and sleepy creatures on land but are powerful, graceful and dynamic animals under the water who cleverly outmaneuver predators and skillfully catch fishy dinners.
Tug-of-War
Hare, Hippopotamus, and Elephant all live together in the forest. But often, when Hippopotamus and Elephant have nothing better to do, they tease Hare and say horrid things to him. When Hare finally gets fed up with them, he conceives a plan: he will challenge each of the massive creatures to a tug-of-war competition. On either side of the trees, Elephant and Hippopotamus pull and tug all through the night, incredulous that Hare could be so strong!