Poetry

Call Me Al

Ali is an eighth-grade kid with a lot going on.Between the pressure from his immigrant parents to ace every class, his crush on Melissa, who lives in the rich area of town while he and his family live in a shabby apartment complex, and trying his best to fit in with his friends, he feels like he’s being pulled in too many different directions. But harder still, Ali is becoming increasingly aware of the racism around him. Comments from his friends about Pakistani food or his skin color are passed off as jokes, but he doesn’t find them funny. And when Ramadan starts, Ali doesn’t tell anyone he’s fasting because it just seems easier. Luckily he finds solace in putting his feelings into words―and poems. But his father is dead set against him using art as a distraction when he’s got schoolwork and a future career as a doctor to focus on. Ali’s world changes when he, his mom and his little brother are assaulted by some racist teens. Ali must come to terms with his roiling feelings about his place in the world, as a Pakistani immigrant, a Muslim and a teenager with his whole life ahead of him. With help from his grandfather, an inspiring teacher and his friend, Ali leans on his words for strength. And eventually he finds his true voice.

The Starling’s Song

Taking in all the beauty as he flies over the fields and forests, a Starling wants to sing an ode of the wonderful things he sees. Wanting to make sure he won’t forget anything, the Starling asks other birds to make lists of all the things he should remember.

Rumi: Poet of Joy and Love

As a child, Rumi was enchanted by books and birds. He went on to become a scholar, but it was the loss of Shams, his best friend, that taught Rumi his most important realization: Love is in us and everywhere. Rumi, Persian mystic and poet, is one of the best known and widely read poets in the world. Renown Iranian-American illustrator, Rashin Kheiriyeh, brings Rumi’s wisdom and warmth to life in this picture book with its strong colors and ornamental details that transports readers to the Persian Empire of the 13th century.

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

I Have The Right

Written and illustrated by internationally acclaimed Iranan illustrator Reza Dalvand, I Have the Right combines poetry and art to introduce children to the universal rights they are entitled to. Adopted in 1989 and ratified by 140 countries, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Children promises to defend the rights of children, keep them safe, and ensure they are respected and valued.

Voices Of The People

Through poems that capture the essence of each person’s life, acclaimed Native American writer Joseph Bruchac introduces readers to famous indigenous leaders from The Peacemaker in 1000 A.D. to modern day dancer Maria Tallchief and Cherokee chief Wilma Mankiller. Each poem is illustrated by a modern-day tribally enrolled artist.

The Great Realization

This idea sparked The Great Realization. Sharing the truths we may find hard to tell but also celebrating the things—from simple acts of kindness and finding joy in everyday activities, to the creativity within us all—that have brought us together during lockdown, it gives us hope in this time of global crisis.

Wolf Girl

Sophy is a shy girl who struggles to fit in in the outside world. She is happiest at home, playing in her wolf suit in her den. It makes her feel strong like a wolf, fierce like a wolf, and maybe even a little bit brave like a wolf.

Canciones: Of Federico Garcia Lorca (Spanish Edition)

Federico GarcÍa Lorca is one of Spain’s foremost cultural and literary figures. In 1927, he published his masterpiece Canciones, a volume of lyrical poetry. Tobias Tak transformed twenty of these poems into a series of richly detailed and inventive comics. This collection will appeal to lovers of visual art, graphic novels, and poetry, and aims to bring the colorful and atmospheric landscape of Lorca’s work to a new audience.