Awards

Mishka

Winner of the national book award for children’s literature in the Netherlands — a sweet and tender story of a girl refugee finding a new home! Roya, her three brothers, and their parents have a new family member — Mishka, a bunny rabbit. He soon becomes a beloved part of their new home and gradually, the rabbit — and also Roya — get to hear the story of the family’s journey from Afghanistan to the Netherlands. Told from different perspectives every time: big Bashir, gentle Hamayun, tough Navid, and sometimes Mom and Dad. Mishka and Roya listen. Anoush Elman and Edward van de Vendel became friends upon Elman’s arrival in the Netherlands, and fifteen years later, they decided to write a story for younger readers about his family’s experience. This gorgeous chapter book — illustrated throughout in full color — is a tender, lyrical story of a young girl processing a new country, new school, and new friends — and a bunny escape! — in a story readers and parents will treasure.

Featured in WOW Review Volume XVII, Issue 2.

The Duel: A Story About Peace

An international award-winning picture book with increasingly detailed water-color art begins as a story about quarrels and conflicts, but is, above all, about making and finding peace. Loosely based on the duel scene from War & Peace, this story will help spark conversations about what can happen when you turn away from violence. Two men argue in a distant and cold country. Words pierce and injure their hearts. In order to resolve the problem once and for all, two men decide to fight a duel. They start back to back, each one counting a hundred paces before turning to shoot.1, 2, 3, 4 . . . There they go, walking away. So many steps separating them. 5, 6, 7, 8. . . .

One keeps walking, and walking, and walking some more, and his surroundings become more animated and vibrant, each page burgeoning with color and activity, circuses and marching bands and more. But what, he wonders, is the other one thinking? What lies ahead for them both? How far do you go before your anger dissipates and you crave the company of a friend? A story with a suprising turn of events, The Duel will help young readers see what can happen when you choose to turn away from violence and in the direction of curiosity and friendship and an open heart.

The Duel is featured in WOW Review Volume XVII, Issue 3.

The Legend Of Tiger And Tail-Flower

The #1 bestselling picture book in Korea . . . a laugh-out-loud blend of joyous comics and lush full spread illustrations!Tiger is a bit grumpy. Why won’t the other forest animals give him food…even when he yells at them? Why doesn’t anyone want to be his friend? Then a talking Dandelion shoots down from space and attaches permanently to his tail. (Don’t ask how). *shake shake shake* Why won’t Tail-Flower come off?! Why does everyone in the forest seem to like her better?

Stuck with each other, and against all odds, Tiger and Tail-Flower become fast friends and set off on a series of adventures. Rescuing Mother Hen and her lost egg from a cliff. Fording a river for Rabbit, Hedgehog, and Raccoon. Throwing a big party with everyone in the forest! Tiger and Tail-Flower even grow old together. And though they don’t realize it, one day their last adventure arrives.

The Legend of Tiger and Tail-Flower is featured in WOW Review Volume XVII, Issue 3.

Stealing Little Moon: The Legacy Of American Indian Residential Schools: The Legacy Of American Indian Residential Schools

Little Moon There Are No Stars Tonight was four years old when armed federal agents showed up at her home and took her from her family. Under the authority of the government, she was sent away to a boarding school specifically created to strip her of her Ponca culture and teach her the ways of white society. Little Moon was one of thousands of Indigenous children forced to attend these schools across America and give up everything they’d ever known: family, friends, toys, clothing, food, customs, even their language. She would be the first of four generations of her family who would go to the Chilocco Indian Agricultural School.

Dan SaSuWeh Jones chronicles his family’s time at Chilocco–starting with his grandmother Little Moon’s arrival when the school first opened and ending with him working on the maintenance crew when the school shut down nearly one hundred years later. Together with the voices of students from other schools, both those who died and those who survived, Dan brings to light the lasting legacy of the boarding school era. Part American history, part family history, Stealing Little Moon is a powerful look at the miseducation and the mistreatment of Indigenous kids, while celebrating their strength, resiliency, and courage–and the ultimate failure of the United States government to erase them.

Mi Papá Es Un Agrícola / My Father, The Farm Worker

Set against the backdrop of endless fields stretching to the horizon, the story follows a day in the life of a farm worker through the eyes of his proud son. From sunrise to sunset, the father toils tirelessly, gathering the crops that sustain their community and fill their bellies.

Through lyrical prose and stunning illustrations, the book illuminates the sacrifice and hardship endured by farm workers as they labor to provide for their families. It celebrates their unwavering dedication and the deep love that drives them to work from dawn till dusk, shaping the natural world with their hands.

Presented in both English and Spanish, “Harvesting Love / Cosechando Amor” is a bilingual treasure that honors the contributions of farm workers while offering young readers a window into their world. Parents and children alike will be captivated by the rich tapestry of colors and the poignant message of resilience, perseverance, and the enduring bond between parent and child.

The Prince And The Coyote

Fifteen year old Acolmiztli, crown prince of a Pre Columbian Mexico (c. 1418), wants nothing more than to see Tetzcoco thrive. But after a palace plot leaves his father dead, Acolmiztli is forced into exile with his mother and siblings, where they must seek refuge in the wilderness as their lives depend on it. After a coyote comes to their aid by helping Acolmiztli find his way, he takes on the new name of Nezahualcoyotl, or fasting coyote (“Neza” for short). A blend of poetry and prose, including translations of surviving poems written by Nezahualcoyotl, translated from classical Nahuatl by David Bowles, this action-packed epic takes readers on an adventure, bringing to life one of Mexico’s most treasured heroes – Nezahualcoyotl.

On The Edge Of The World (Stories From Latin America)

Veera and her family live in Russia on what feels like the edge of the world on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Veera spends her time devouring fantasy books, playing fetch with her dog, and longing for a friend she can share her treasures with that she keeps hidden underneath the alder bush. Lucas and his family live on the coast of Chile, which also feels like the edge of the world. Lucas spends his days looking for fossils, playing solo games of soccer, and wishing for a friend to read with him on his favorite tree branch. Written and illustrated by acclaimed author-illustrator Anna Desnitskaya, On the Edge of the World is a playful and perceptive book that illuminates the mirroring lives of two separate children in two separate places, yet share strikingly similar settings and interests.

At The Drop Of a Cat

A 6-year old boy loves spending time with his immigrant grandfather, Luis, who teaches him many things as they spend time in his garden, a place of wonder and illumination. It is the place where the boy practices to read and write, as well as the place where he learns of his grandfather’s experiences. As a war refugee, Luis was unable to go to school and therefore never learned how to read and write. But he instills his wisdom of language to his grandson, as well as his experiences and talents as an artist, a cook and a gardener.

This book is part of the WOW Dozen: Difficult and Challenging Topics in Children’s Literature list.

This book is part of the Worlds of Words Global Reading List for 2023/24.

Okinawa

This heartbreaking manga, by an award-winning mangaka, examines the effects of World War 2 and post-war military colonization in Okinawa. An essential manga classic presented in English for the first time.

Okinawa is the WOW Recommends Book of the Month for April 2024.

A Daydreamy Child Takes A Walk

Even though he has promised his mama he will stay focused, Little Giovanni cannot help but continue to daydream and pay attention to the smaller, more wonderous, details of the world around him. Written by the father of modern Italian children’s literature, Gianni Rodari, with a Batchelder Award winning translation by Antony Shugaar, A Daydreamy Child Takes a Walk is beautifully illustrated by New York Public Library Best illustrator, Beatrice Alemagna and is sure to delight young readers with its assertion of the power and value of childlike wonder.