Friendship

The Rooster Who Went to His Uncle’s Wedding

Rooster, en route to his uncle’s wedding, struggles with the dilemma of whether he should risk of getting dirty in order to obtain a kernel of corn. His hunger overcomes his better judgment and, of course, he winds up “. . . with a beak full of mud.” This leads into a cumulative tale that will be familiar to anyone who knows “The Old Woman and Her Pig” or any number of its variants. In this case, his quest to get clean is nicely circular: the sun, just coming up as the book begins, is the one who agrees to break the chain of refusal, to repay the rooster for greeting him each morning.

Join the discussion of The Rooster Who Went to His Uncle’s Wedding as well as other books set in Cuba on our My Take/Your Take page.

Atariba and Niguayona: A Story from the Taino People of Puerto Rico

A Taino Indian legend about a young boy and his search for the healing caimoni tree.

Selavi: A Haitian Story of Hope

The story of Selavi celebrates the triumphs of children who face some of life’s most difficult challenges. In these pages, you’ll meet Selavi, a homeless child who is befriended by other children living on the streets in Haiti. They look out for one another, sharing food and companionship. Together they find the voice to express the needs of Timoun Lari, the children who live in the streets. With a caring community they are able to build a shelter, and from there to create Radyo Timoun, Children’s Radio, a station run by and for children, which is still in operation today. At Radyo Timoun, the questions and suggestions of children are broadcast for all to hear. The story takes place in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, a country which has a long history of resistance and struggle. Haiti is the birthplace of Toussaint L’ouverture and many others whose dedication to justice led to Haitian independence from slaveowners. Haiti is perhaps best known as the island which orchestrated the first successful revolt by enslaved peoples in the western hemisphere in 1804. Haitian author Edwidge Danticat adds an essay at the end of the story of Selavi.

This book has been included in WOW’s Kids Taking Action Booklist. For our current list, visit our Boolist page under Resources in the green navigation bar.

Featured in Volume I, Issue 2 of WOW Review.

El pececito mágico (Spanish Edition)

Description in Spanish: La indiecita Yaití, en uno de sus paseos cerca del río, conoce a un pececito muy especial. Y cuando un huracán destruye el yucayeque en el que vive con su familia, recibe la ayuda de su nuevo amigo, que no sólo le demuestra aprecio, sino que le revela un secreto gracias al cual los lectores sabrán por qué el pececito es mágico.

The Django

Jean longs to play the banjo, but the Django keeps on messing things up! So Jean sends the Django away, but wonders if he has lost his most precious inspiration.In this fictional story inspired by the famous jazz musician Jean “Django” Reinhardt, a young boy named Jean meets a special character called the Django. He’s fun and exciting, but he always gets Jean into trouble. Eventually the Django has to be sent away, and Jean misses him very much, until he discovers that he can still feel close to the Django every time he picks up his banjo.

The Frost Child (Navigator Trilogy)

The final book in the thrilling Navigator trilogy.Twice the Harsh have tried to destroy time, and twice Owen and the Resisters have banded together to stop them. In City of Time, Owen killed the Harsh king, and now the Harsh are hungry for revenge. Their massive fleet is ready to set sail on the sea of time and hunt down the wily Navigator. In this third and final adventure, the Navigator and his friends use every last ounce of bravery and endurance to fight the toughest battle ever. As Owen searches for a solution, he travels through time to meet his father and grandfather, and discovers that the mysterious Frost Child holds the key to the power of the Harsh.

Remembering Crystal

Crystal had lived in the garden for many years and she was growing old–Zelda was just starting out in life and though she was young, she and Crystal were best friends, but one day Crystal was not in the garden, she had died; in this gentle, beautifully illustrated story, children learn, with Zelda, that true friendship is a gift that doesn’t die.

One More River

Lesley lives in Canada and thinks life is just great, she has got friends, she likes school and they are very comfortably off. But then her father makes a fateful decision, the whole family is going to emigrate to Israel and live a more fully Jewish life. Lesley is horrified and very resistant. However, once she gets to her new country and a very different life, she begins to find it stimulating and enjoyable. A strange relationship with Palestinian boy Mustafa, who lives on the other side of the Jordan river, is a big part of the new Lesley.