“What is a school? Is it a building with classrooms? Or can it be any place where children learn?” The fascinating stories that follow will expand how young readers think of school, as they learn about the experiences of real children in thirteen different countries around the world.
Picture Book
The Name Jar
Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what about when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her. So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week. Her new classmates are fascinated by this no-name girl and decide to help out by filling a glass jar with names for her to pick from.
Join the discussion of The Name Jar as well as other books centered around relocation on our My Take/Your Take page.
This book has been included in WOW’s Language and Learning: Children’s and Young Adult Fiction Booklist. For our current list, visit our Booklist page under Resources in the green navigation bar.
Featured in Volume VII, Issue 4 of WOW Review.
Kusikiy: A Child from Taquile, Peru
KUSIKIY A CHILD FROM TAQUILE, PERU, by author and illustrator Mercedes Cecilia is a unique story that draws us into the kaleidoscopic and mysterious world of a Peruvian child. KUSIKIY lives in The Andes Mountains of Peru in a small island in Lake Titikaka.
So Cozy
When Dog’s bed looks so inviting to his numerous animal friends that a teetering pileup of coziness ensues, a sneeze triggered by Mouse’s presence on Elephant’s trunk temporarily frightens everyone away.
Good Night, Firefly
When the power goes off one night, Nina conquers her fear of the dark by going out and trapping one of the fireflies lighting up the sky, and she has fun playing with him until she realizes his light is growing ever dimmer and she must set him free.
City Kitty Cat
A witty, city kitty goes on a wild journey in this lively picture book illustrated with a retro vibe and discovers that there’s no place like home! City Kitty Cat loves driving his cab through the city, visiting museums and eating at fancy restaurants. But then he makes some new friends who convince him to join them in their wild home. Can a city kitty call the jungle home sweet home?
There’s A Lion In My Cornflakes
If you ever see a box of cornflakes offering a free lion, ignore it. This is the story of two brothers who didn’t and then ended up with a grizzly bear, a cranky old crocodile, and a huge gorilla, instead. Anything can happen in this wildly wacky tale.
Pedro And George
Pedro and George are fed up with the children of the world getting them confused. Pedro is a crocodile, and George is an alligator. There’s a difference, you know. This determined pair decides to go on a mission to prove who’s who, once and for all.
Home
Cooking pot, stool, basket, water pot and sleeping mat? All kinds of things around the home, with a vibrant mix of Western and traditional African objects
Clothes
Hat, shorts, long skirt and top, wrapper All kinds of things to wear, with a vibrant mix of Western and traditional African clothing.