Japan
Yours Sincerely, Giraffe
By Megumi Iwasa, Cathy Hirano (Translator), Jun Takabatake (Illustrator)
Yours Sincerely, Giraffe. Megumi Iwasa. Translated by Cathy Hirano. Illustrated by Jun Takabatake. Gecko Press USA, 2017. Originally published as ぼくはアフリカにすむキリンといいます (Boku wa Africa ni Sumu Kirin to Iimasu) in Japanese by Kaisei-sha Publishing Co., Ltd., in Tokyo, in 2001. ISBN 9781927271889. 104 p. (Ages 7-10). Fiction.
A bored giraffe decides to write a letter and see who answers. Penguin becomes his pen pal and a charming friendship develops as they get to know each other. Winner of 2018 German Children's Literature Award and a 2017 NYPL Top 10 book. [all]
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]
Nigeria
Too Small Tola
By Atinuke, Onyinye Iwu (Illustrator)
Too Small Tola. Atinuke. Illustrated by Onyinye Iwu. Candlewick Press, 2021. Originally published in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries by Walker Books in 2020. ISBN 9781536211276. 96 p. (Ages 7-9). Fiction.
Three short stories about a small girl named Tola who lives with her family in Lagos, Nigeria. Written by Nigerian storyteller Atinuke, each story shows how despite Tola’s size, she is determined to help those around her. Not only does Tola help her family, but she helps her wider Lagos community. Recognition for Too Small Tola includes: the International School Libraries Network (ISLN) Red Dot Book Awards shortlist in 2023; the USBBY Outstanding International Books List; Publishers Weekly Best Books; finalist for the ALSC Notable Children’s Books in 2022; in 2021, Jhalak Prize Nominee for Children & YA; and finalist for the Cybils Awards for Easy Chapter Books. Too Small Tola is the first in a series of three books, followed by Too Small Tola Gets Tough, and Too Small Tola and the Three Fine Girls. Two videos from Atinuke introduce this book and the series: Atinuke reads from Too Small Tola (Walker Books). Longlist: Jhalak C&YA Prize; and Atinuke Introduction to “Too Small Tola” Series. [gd]
India
The Girl Who Loved to Sing: Teejan Bai
By Lavanya Karthik
The Girl Who Loved to Sing: Teejan Bai. Lavanya Karthik. Duckbill Books, 2021. ISBN 978014351518. 48 p. (Ages 7-9). Nonfiction.
Vividly illustrated story of the life of Teejan Bai, Pandavani Folk Singer, who had to fight for her freedom to sing. Would pair with She Sang for India by Suma Subramaniam. Pandavani is a folk singing style that involves narration of the tales from Mahabharata. This book is part of the Dreamers series, written and illustrated by the author, that tells inspiring stories about India’s greatest talents. Karthik lives in Mumbai with her family and is an award-winning writer and illustrator. Most of her stories center around the lives of older people. This is an interview with the author about the Dreamers Series. [mi]
The Middle East & North Africa
Jordan
The Little Green Drum
By Taghrīd ʻĀrif Najjār, Lucy Coats (Adapted by), Hassan Manasrah (Illustrator)
The Little Green Drum (Early Reader). Taghrīd ʻĀrif Najjār. Adapted by Lucy Coats. Illustrated by Hassan Manasrah. Orion Children’s Books, 2015. Originally published as ما المانع in Arabic by Al Salwa Publishers, in Amman, in 2013. ISBN 1444014358. 73 p. (Ages 6-9). Early chapter book.
This year young Samia must take over for her father in waking up the village for suhoor (breakfast) before their daily Ramadan fast. Braving her father’s worries and the dangers of the pre-dawn night, Samia ends up bringing the children of the town together in a Ramadan celebration. Shortlisted for the Etisalat Award for Children's Literature, this book is a good option for children looking to get excited about Ramadan or to learn about something new. The book does include musical scenes, which some Muslims may object to. Coats worked with the author to retell her story in English. Najjār has written a large number of well received and acclaimed books translated from Arabic to English including The Ghoul and Watermelon Madness. [ea]
Latin America
Argentina
Written and Drawn by Henrietta
By Ricardo Liniers
Written and Drawn by Henrietta. Ricardo Liniers. Translated by the author. TOON Books, 2015. Also available in Spanish as Escrito y dibujado por Enriqueta. ISBN 9781935179900. 64 p. (Ages 5-7). Early chapter book.
Armed with new colored pencils and her wild imagination, Henrietta writes a book. Cartoonist Liniers is famous for his daily comic strip, Macanudo, published in the Argentine newspaper, La Nación. He is the recipient of many awards and honors, including a Batchelder Honor for Written and Drawn by Henrietta. For more of his notable books, see this list. [jm]