Culture

A Gift from Childhood: Memories of an African Boyhood

Baba Wagué is only four years old when he is sent to the tiny Malian village of Kassaro to be raised by his paternal grandparents, according to the family tradition. He is most unhappy about this at first, but under his grandmother’s patient and wise tutelage he comes to love his close-knit village community. He learns how to catch a catfish with his bare hands, flees from an army of bees, and mistakes a hungry albino cobra snake for a pink inner tube. Finally, Grandma Sabou decides that Baba is educated enough to go to school, and he moves back to the city, where his family struggles to provide him with a formal education. But he brings his village stories with him, and in the process of sharing them with his neighborhood uncovers his immense artistic and storytelling talents.

Grand

A warm visual essay on the universal relationship between children and their grandparents features photographs from a diverse range of ethnic, cultural and socio-economic regions of the world.

Tribal Alphabet

In bold and vibrant colors, artist Claudia Pearson has created a dazzling group portrait of the world of indigenous peoples. Aimed at a young reader audience (ages three to eight), the page text is simple, direct, and informative, while the glossary in the back of the book provides valuable in-depth information for parents and older readers. A percentage of the profits of this book will be given to the not-for-profit foundation Cultural Survival, to aid in its efforts to defend the rights of indigenous people around the world. Claudia Pearson is a Brooklyn-based graphic designer, typographer, and painter. This is her first book.

Hawaiian Legends Of Dreams

Moe‘uhane, the Hawaiian word for dream, means “soul sleep.” While sleeping, Hawaiians of old believed they communicated with ‘aumakua, their ancestral guardians, and this important relationship was sustained through dreaming. In this companion volume to her award-winning Hawaiian Legends of the Guardian Spirits, artist Caren Loebel-Fried retells and illuminates nine dream stories from Hawai‘i’s past.

Ka-Hala-O-Puna, Ka U’i O Manoa: The Beauty Of Manoa

According to an ancient Hawiian legend, Kahalaopuna was the beautiful girl of the rainbow from the famed Valley of Manoa on O’ahu. She was betrothed to marry a chief named Kauhi, whose heart was turned by lies. As the story unfolds, we come to understand two Hawaiian truths, that of pono, righteousness, and aloha, mercy.

Chavela and the Magic Bubble

Chavela loves chomping chicle—chewing gum. And she loves blowing bubbles even more. One day, while out with her abuelita, she finds a mysterious kind of gum she’s never seen before. She pops it in her mouth and blows a giant bubble that lifts her up into the air! It carries her on a journey more magical than any she could ever imagine. Luscious, candy-colored paintings illustrate this fantastical story with an ecological twist. An afterword provides information on natural chewing gum, the rainforest, and sustainable farming, as well as music to a traditional Latin American folksong.

The Day of the Dead, El día de los Muertos

Follow two children as they celebrate their ancestors on this vibrant holiday. They offer marigolds, sugar skulls, and special bread, and make delicious foods. By spreading marigold petals, they guide the dead home to join the festivities. Finally, after singing and dancing, it’s time for bed. Bob Barner’s luscious collages incorporate the traditional symbols of Day of the Dead. His poetic text is both English and Spanish. An author’s note provides additional information on the holiday.