Humor

The Shade Tree

Villagers like to come to rest and cool down in the shade of a huge, old tree. But when a young traveler decides to join them one day, a rich man on whose land the tree stands demands they leave because he owns the tree and therefore its shade. Thinking fast, the traveler strikes a deal: one that will enable him to outsmart the rich man and ensure that the villagers will always have access to the shade tree’s shade, wherever it may fall.

Translator: Mixter, Helen

This book is part of the Worlds of Words Global Reading List for 2023/24.

Jo Jo Makoons

Filled with lots of glitter, raised pinkies, and humorous misunderstandings, this second book in the Jo Jo Makoons series–written by Dawn Quigley and illustrated by Tara Audibert–is filled with the joy of a young Ojibwe girl discovering her very own special shine from the inside out. First grader Jo Jo Makoons knows how to do a lot of things, like how to play jump rope, how to hide her peas in her milk, and how to be helpful in her classroom. But there’s one thing Jo Jo doesn’t know how to do: be fancy. She has a lot to learn before her Aunt Annie’s wedding! Favorite purple unicorn notebook in hand, Jo Jo starts exploring her Ojibwe community to find ways to be fancy.

Russell Brand’s Trickster Tales: The Pied Piper Of Hamelin

‘Once upon a time, a mysterious time that exists through a window in your mind, a time that seemed, to those present, exactly like now does to us, except their teeth weren’t so clean and more things were wooden, there was a town called Hamelin . . .’In the first in his series of Trickster Tales, Russell Brand retells the classic children’s story The Pied Piper of Hamelin. You’ll be enchanted and revolted in equal measure by the host of characters you meet along the way: the anarchic rats, the arrogant townspeople, sharp-eyed Sam and of course the Pied Piper himself.

Forever Truffle

In Truffle the Rockstar, Truffle wants to form a band with his best friends Flo and Riad. They can already picture themselves on stage, wowing the crowd with epic songs. They still have to learn how to play instrument but that’s just a minor detail! Ever since Truffle asked Nina to be his girlfriend, they have been shy around each other. In Truffle Loves Nina, Truffle asks his parents, his friend Riad, his big brother, Louis, and the man who works at the library, for advice on how to let his heart do the talking. In truffle Tackles Existence, Truffle attends his great-grandmother’s funeral, which gets him thinking about the world around him. Are grandparents young once, too? Does Rocket, the dog that his family had to give up, still think about him sometimes? Do people stop loving each other if they don’t see each other anymore?

Cloud Bread

Cloud Bread tells the story of cats who are able to fly after eating bread made of cloud. It is the story of two sibling cats with cloud fragments eating bread baked by their mother.

Run!

A thrilling and hilarious game of jungle hide-and-seek. Ready or not, here it comes! Deep in the heart of the jungle, something is on the hunt.
All of the animals have to run, hide, make no noise, and leave no trace. Fleeing in a frenzy, each animal dashes off to find a wacky way to hide from the mysterious hunter on their trail. Will they find a hiding place in time? More importantly, who or what are they running from?

Boobies

Nancy Vo’s latest creation is fresh and funny, while serving up just the right amount of fact. Punchy prose is complemented by striking stencil art in a retro palette, making this the perfect gift for curious young children, older children getting to know their bodies, and anyone ready to boldly celebrate boobies.