Africa South of the Sahara
South Africa
Here Comes Lolo
By Niki Daly
Here Comes Lolo. Niki Daly. Catalyst Press, 2020. Originally published by Otter-Barry Books, in Great Britain, in 2019. ISBN 9781946395337. 78 p. (Ages 4-9). Fiction.
Lolo is a little girl living with her mother and grandmother in South Africa. The first in a series of three books, Here Comes Lolo is composed of three stories that recount her hilarious adventures in getting a gold star at school, finding a missing ring, and rescuing a dog. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and nominated for the Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Award. In this video Author Niki Daly Reads a story from Here Comes Lolo. Also check out Here Comes Lolo Teaching Guides from Catalyst Press. [gd]
Korea
The Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky
By Kim Jihyun
The Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky. Kim Jihyun. Floris Books, 2021. First published in South Korea as Last Summer by Woongjin Thinkbig Co. Ltd, Seoul, in 2017. First published in English by Floris Books, Edinburgh in 2021, and in the US in 2022. ISBN 9781782507420. 48 p. (Ages 4-7). Picture book.
The first picture book by illustrator Kim Jihyun, it has been named among the best books of 2022 by The Boston Globe, New York Public Library, The Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal. A wordless book, it recounts a city boy’s trip to his grandparents’ home in the countryside. The boy embarks on a walk into the woods alone with his dog, and the illustrations evoke palpable wonder and delight in nature. Inspired by her own trip to a lakeside town, Kim says she wanted to share the “serene feeling” she experienced being immersed in nature. [dj]
The Tailor Shop at the Intersection
By Ahn Jaesun, Sora Kim-Russell (Translator)
The Tailor Shop at the Intersection. Ahn Jaesun. Translated by Sora Kim-Russell. Transit Books, 2023. Originally published in Korean. ISBN 9781945492761. 48 p. (Ages 4 and up). Picture book.
A multi-generational saga… in a 48-page picture book! It chronicles three generations of tailors (dogs, actually) operating a tailor shop in Seoul. The story moves from the introduction of western-style tailoring, through the destruction of the Korean War to the present day. Author-illustrator Ahn bestows as much care in presenting the details of tailoring and the city outside as the tailors do to their suits. A paean to craftsmanship and hard work, The Tailor Shop at the Intersection received a special mention for the Bologna Ragazzi Award in the debut category. [dj]