A young boy becomes friends with the artist in the apartment upstairs and tries hard to understand when his friend commits suicide.
My Friend the Painter
Death
Alfie And The Birthday Surprise
The death of Bob’s cat prompts his friends and family to give him a surprise birthday party and a very special present.
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes
Hospitalized with the dreaded atom bomb disease, leukemia, a child in Hiroshima races against time to fold one thousand paper cranes to verify the legend that by doing so a sick person will become healthy.
The Brothers’ Promise
When the brothers Yankel and Josef keep their promise to their dying father by sharing with one another, they cause the angels in heaven to weep with joy. A retelling of a story found in the Talmud.
Odette: A Springtime in Paris
A little bird falls from its nest and is rescued by a kind old man, but after a happy time together in Paris, the bird must fly away to a warmer climate.
Ghost Hawk
At the end of a winter-long journey into manhood, Little Hawk returns to find his village decimated by a white man’s plague and soon, despite a fresh start, Little Hawk dies violently but his spirit remains trapped, seeing how his world changes.
See the review at WOW Review, Volume VI, Issue 3.
Saints
Vibiana, an unwanted fourth child, finds her name and identity in Christianity, but with the Boxer Rebellion in full swing and Chinese Christians facing death, she must decide whether her loyalties lie with her religion or her country.
My Father’s Arms Are a Boat
A sleepless young boy who is missing his recently deceased mother finds comfort and warmth in his father’s arms. Uniquely collaged, exquisite art that provides understanding without artificial reassurance enhances this gentle lullaby of a story.
Mira in the Present Tense
Twelve-year-old Mira comes from a chaotic, artistic, and outspoken family in which it’s not always easy to be heard. As her beloved Nana Josie’s health declines, Mira begins to discover the secrets of those around her and also starts to keep some of her own. She is drawn to mysterious Jide, a boy who is clearly hiding a troubled past. As Mira is experiencing grief for the first time, she is also discovering the wondrous and often mystical world around her.
This book is originally published in the UK as Artichoke Hearts.
Rahui
This picture book is about cousins’ holidays in a rural Maori community having adventures and fun together – playing in the bush, riding horses, fishing, eeling and swimming at the beach. During the holiday, a death leads to a rahui being placed on the beach. After a year, the rahui is lifted, and they return to the beach full of life and with their cousin in their hearts. The feeling of the book is joyous and wistful, and the illustrations richly evoke the atmosphere of the setting and people.
Featured in Volume VI, Issue 2 of WOW Review.