Introduction

This issue introduces books that inspire hope and present tales of courage, including folktales, fantasies, realistic stories, and legends. Several are picturebooks, including Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella and The Knight, the Princess and the Magic Rock: A Classic Persian Tale, two books of folklore that address familiar stories in unfamiliar ways. Two other picturebooks, Love and Sisters in Blue/Hermanas de azul, give readers a chance to ponder love in multiple manifestations. For young adults, In Between Worlds blends fantasy and realistic fiction from a Sámi cultural perspective. Other fantasies for adolescents include two connected chronicles from Nigeria, Akata Warrior and Akata Witch. The contemporary novel, Escape from Aleppo, invites readers to think about what is happening currently in Syria, while Coming to England and Refugees present narratives about the very real and immediate crises that create distressing circumstances for those affected by political or natural phenomenon.

You are invited to travel across both genres and places in the world to experience what hope and courage create!

Holly Johnson, Editor

The next issues are:

Summer, 2018: Moral/Ethical Dilemmas: Books that highlight dilemmas of conscience or situations that present aspects of communities and societies that conflict with traditional thinking or ways of behaving. Deadline: May 31, 2018

Fall, 2018: Open theme. Share with us books that have inspired you this year. Deadline: September 15, 2018.

Winter, 2018: Issues Connected to Trauma. The world and those within it, past and present, have created situations or phenomena that result in trauma. What can we learn from reading about such situations? Books addressing trauma—in its broadest terms—have much to teach us. Think about sharing what you have learned from reading about such events. Deadline: November 30, 2018.