Materials from Europe
“Malo the shrew promised to make pickles with Poto-but when he hears there’s a new merry-go-round in the forest, he selfishly sneaks off to find it, learning lessons about the importance of kindness, friendship, and integrity in the end”
In July 1944, as the Red Army drives the Nazis out of Poland, sixteen-year-old Maria Kamińska must work with a captured Ukrainian nationalist to find her brother, who is a special operations agent and leader of a Polish Resistance squad, when he disappears while on a mission.
“Getting in trouble is what Hector does best. He knows that not much is expected of him. In fact, he gets some of his most brilliant prank ideas while sitting in detention. But how far is too far? When Hector plays a prank on a homeless man and is seen and shamed by a schoolmate, he reaches a turning point. He wants to be viewed differently and decides to do something that will change his fate for the better. But will anyone take him seriously?”–Dust jacket.
In a country governed by isolation, fear, and a tyrannical dictator, seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer, but he decides to use his position to try to outwit his handler, undermine the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country.
Rabbit loves staying close to home where it is warm and safe and cozy. After all, the outside has things with feathers and scales and horns and hooves! It’s certainly better—and safer—for a rabbit to stick to what she knows best: home sweet home. But when rabbit spots a particularly juicy carrot just outside of her comfort zone, she tumbles into a whole new world she wasn’t expecting!
When Mr. Khan asks the children to paint what they saw on their way to school, Joe notices his baby sister is crying in the picture. He stops the clocks and goes back to the street to find out why… This sweet story reminds us to slow down, take a breath and notice the small details in our busy everyday life.
In the middle of Budapest, there is a river. Csilla knows the river is magic. During WWII, the river kept her family safe when they needed it most–safe from the Holocaust. But that was before the Communists seized power. Before her parents were murdered by the Soviet police. Before Csilla knew things about her father’s legacy that she wishes she could forget. Now Csilla keeps her head down, planning her escape from this country that has never loved her the way she loves it. But her carefully laid plans fall to pieces when her parents are unexpectedly, publicly exonerated. As the protests in other countries spur talk of a larger revolution in Hungary, Csilla must decide if she believes in the promise and magic of her deeply flawed country enough to risk her life to help save it, or if she should let it burn to the ground.
It isn’t a normal sort of a day. The sun is up, the birds are out, but everybody’s indoors. Having to stay home can be confusing and lonely for children. Julia Seal highlights the importance of friendship and community during these challenging times. The message of hope will help children see the power of togetherness, and understand that even though we might feel like we’re alone, we’re alone together.
Baldomera, the donkey, became famous worldwide when a video of her reunion with her owner after three months of confinement due to COVID-19 went viral. The colorful illustrations and simple yet playful text make this a perfect read-aloud for story time.
When Mr. Flikins sets off for his ninetieth birthday party, he has no idea how eventful the journey will be. Crossing the desert to visit his family, armed only with a picnic, a walking stick, and an umbrella, Mr. Flikins faces (and hides from) many remarkable dangers. Luckily he has in his backpack something quite ordinary that turns out to have extraordinary powers.