When Ji-su’s mother is chosen by the emperor to be a seamstress in his court, Ji-su vows to learn to sew the beautiful Korean bojagi, or wrapping cloths, just as well so that she will also be summoned to the palace and be reunited with her mother.
Picture Book
I Am Tama, Lucky Cat
A retelling of the traditional Japanese tale describing the origins of the beckoning cat and how it came to be a symbol of good luck.
The Boy from the Dragon Palace
One day, a poor flower sellers drops his leftover flowers into the sea as a gift for the Dragon King. What does he get in return? A little snot-nosed boy–with the power to grant wishes! Soon the flower seller is rich, but when he forgets the meaning of “thank you,” he loses everything once again. “You just can’t help some humans,” say the snot-nosed little boy and the Dragon King.
The Runaway Wok
When a boy goes to the market to buy food and comes home with an old wok instead, his parents wonder what they’ll eat for dinner. But then the wok rolls out of the poor family’s house with a skippity-hoppity-ho! and returns from the rich man’s home with a feast in tow! With spirited text and lively illustrations, this story reminds readers about the importance of generosity.
Dear Baobab
Maiko has left his village in Tanzania far behind, moving to Canada with his aunt and uncle. When he thinks of home, he thinks of the beautiful big baobab tree at the center of the village. In his new home, Maiko feels a connection to the small spruce tree in the front yard—it’s seven years old, the same age as he is. The tree sings to him and shares his secrets. When he learns that the roots of the tree are growing too close to the house, putting the little spruce in danger of being cut down, Maiko tries to save it. He knows all too well what it’s like to be small and planted in the wrong place.
Meena
The children of Fly Street fear and taunt their neighbor Meena, thinking she is a witch, but when they meet her granddaughter and taste her cherry pie, they learn the truth.
See the review at WOW Review, Volume IV, Issue 4
In the Small, Small Night
Kofi can’t sleep in his new home in the United States, so his older sister Abena soothes his fears about life in a different country by telling him two folktales from their native Ghana about the nature of wisdom and perseverance.
Two Little Monkeys
A rhyming tale about two little monkeys who are hiding from a leopard.
The Hero Of Little Street
When a boy being chased through present-day London seeks refuge in the National Gallery, a dog escapes from the painting of one Dutch master and together they leap into the painting of another, where their adventures in seventeenth-century Delft are a prelude to returning to London and continuing the chase.
Hop, Skip And Jump, Maisy!
Get kids moving with Maisy! Just pull the tabs, and your favorite mouse will show off fun actions that children will want to imitate. Maisy is full of energy, just like the toddlers and preschoolers who love her. With this interactive picture book, children are invited to channel that get-up-and go into stretching, jumping, running, playing ball, jumping rope, somersaulting, and lots more. Like Maisy, of course, they’ll want to take time for a nutritious snack -and hunker down for a good night’s sleep when all that activity is done.