Material appropriate for young adults
For the past three decades, Pleasant DeSpain has explored Latin America,_its countries, countrysides, customs, cultures, and especially, its stories. While his repertoire of traditional world folktales includes narratives from almost every culture around the globe, DeSpain’s talent shines even brighter when relating the legends from Latin America. His exploration of the heart and soul of this enormous region demonstrates his passion for Latin America and its people and their stories.
In this sequel to Wishing Moon, Aminah can’t believe her luck—or lack of it—when she discovers that the jinni’s lamp is missing. Somehow the bottle imp remains outside the lamp, devoid of his powers. In their search for the lamp, the girl and the helpless jinni have to rely on wit, bravery, and a bit of sorcery from an unexpected source in order to survive thieving bands, pirates, and their biggest challenge of all: Princess Badr, who seeks not only the lamp, but also revenge.
Poison has always been a willful, contrary girl, prone to being argumentative and stubborn. So when her sister is snatched by the mean-spirited phaeries, she seeks out the Phaerie Lord to get her back. But finding him isn’t easy, and the quest leads Poison into a murderous world of intrigue, danger, and deadly storytelling. With only her wits and her friends to aid her, Poison must survive the attentions of the Phaerie Lord and rescue her sister.
Tom O’Connor, a poor, adventurous boy lives with his mother and half sister at a tavern on the island of Nevis in 1639. He rescues a slave from drowning, learns he is prince, loses him, travels the Southern Hemisphere in search of him, and finally brings him home to Cape Verde, hoping for a grand reward. But by the time Tom discovers that the prince is really a fisherman’s son, the loss of reward doesn’t matter-his adventures have brought him no use for greed, and as he says, “a reckless regard for other people’s life and well-being.”
August 6, 1945, 8:15 a.m. Hiroshima. JapanA little girl and her parents are eating breakfast,and then it happened.HIROSHIMA NO PIKA.This book is dedicated to the fervent hope the Flash will never happen again,anywhere.
Helen is renowned as the most beautiful woman in the world. Her divine beauty will lead her to a lifetime of adventure–from her kidnapping at age 12, through an arranged marriage, to a passionate affair that will ultimately bring about the Trojan War. Cassandra, the sister of Helen’s true love, has the gift, or curse, to predict the future. When she foresees the ruin of her family and city, caused by Helen’s arrival in Troy, she is outraged. Yet Cassandra cannot help being drawn to Helen, and as the war rages around them, the two young women develop a deep friendship. Through their eyes, the classic tale of the Trojan War is retold in an immediate and fascinating way.
Twelve-year-old Leela had been spoiled all her life. She doesn’t care for school and barely marks the growing unrest between the British colonists and her own countrymen. Her future has been planned since her engagement at two and marriage at nine. Leela’s whole life changes, though, when her husband dies. She’s now expected to behave like a proper widow: shaving her head and trading her jewel-toned saris for rough, earth-colored ones. Leela is considered unlucky and will have to stay confined to her house for a year in the keeping corner. Her teacher offers Leela lessons at home, and she learns about a new leader of the people, a man named Gandhi, who starts a political movement and practices non-violent protest against the colonists as well as the caste system, leading Leela to wonder how she can liberate herself.
This book begin with historical overview of Nicaragua, including the reasons for recent political unrest. The first-person narratives of young refugees follow. All of the teens tell why they left their native countries, how they made their journeys, their experiences and difficulties in North America, and if they plan to return to their homelands. The introductions state that the young people were interviewed; it is unclear exactly when these conversations took place. In any case, the writing is choppy and fails to convey the urgency of the plight of refugees fleeing oppressors.
This collection of short stories serves as an introduction to Roald Dahl‘s more mature work for a slightly older audience.
Skin — Lamb to the slaughter — The sound machine — An African story — Galloping Foxley — The wish — The surgeon — Dip in the pool — The champion of the world — Beware of the dog — My lady love, my dove.
When thirteen-year-old Pia is sent to Hawaii’s leprosy settlement on Molokai Island in the 1860s, he chooses anger and self-reliance as his means of survival, but the faithful example of other villagers and one remarkable priest threaten to destroy his desire for revenge.
Featured in Volume I, Issue 3 of WOW Review.