International

Mung-Mung: A Foldout Book of Animal Sounds

Dogs say woof-woof, don’t they? Not in Korean they don’t (mung-mung). Take a trip around the world with this clever international guide to animal noises. Each spread presents a variety of sounds little ones will enjoy imitating. Older kids will delight in trying to guess the animal. Lift the flap to see whimsical illustrations of, for instance, a purple circus horse (ee-ha-ha in Polish). In this enchanting peek-a-boo book babies can imitate animal sounds in 19 languages. What kind of animal says GAV-GAV in Russian, Bo-Bo in Hindi, and WOW-WOW in Spanish? Make a guess, then lift the flap.

The Journey: Stories of Migration

Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant joins naturalist painter Lambert Davis to create a vibrant picture book that follow the migratory journeys of some magnificent creatures: locusts, gray whales, American silver eels, monarch butterflies, caribou, and terns. Rylant’s lively, poetic prose and Davis’ exquisite, dramatic paintings offer an awe-inspiring look at the animal world and the outstanding tests of endurance and strength that the animals have undergone for centuries, and which continue to cycle on and inspire us today.

My Village

My Village is a beautiful collection featuring nursery rhymes and verses from around the world: New Zealand, China, Australia, Norway, Ireland, Tonga, Jamaica, Japan, Zimbabwe, Fiji, Indonesia, Denmark, Iran, Germany, Samoa, Switzerland, Russia, Brazil, France, Holland, Iceland, and India. Readers delight in quirky, touching, and funny verses from the 22 different countries, brought vividly to life by the appealingly fresh artwork from exciting young illustrator Mique Moriuchi, who captures each verse with a uniquely beautiful and child’s-eye focus. Danielle Wright has included some familiar rhymes along with others that are less well known. Internationally acclaimed poet and former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen introduces the collection, discussing the origins of nursery rhymes as well as reviewing some of his favorites. Also endorsed by the International Youth Library, this book is an essential addition to any school or library.

The Originals: Animals That Time Forgot

They’re weird. They’re unusual. They have four horns and shaggy red fur. And they haven’t changed in hundreds, even thousands of years! They’re the originals–animals that, unlike their barnyard relatives, never evolved from their primitive states. Come meet the four-horned Hebridean sheep, brought to Scotland by Viking raiders, the tiny Exmoor ponies that roam the fog-filled moors of England, and the rest of these modern ancients. Jane Yolen’s childlike story poems and Ted Lewin’s light-infused water-color illustrations capture all the mystique of these remarkable animals.

Hope Is an Open Heart

We’ve all had days when hope feels far away, when the world seems cold and dark. Thankfully, comfort can come to us in many ways, as it does in this very special book. Lauren Thompson’s luminous text, paired with breathtaking photographs from around the world, provides an uplifting introduction to the meaning of hope. Speaking to people of all ages, across all cultures, these words and images celebrate loving families, caring friends, small kindnesses, and great inner strength. Through this book, we can see hope reach around the world, and feel its power to change us all.