Japan
Soul Lanterns
By Shaw Kuzki, Emily Balistrieri (Translator)
Soul Lanterns. Shaw Kuzki. Translated by Emily Balistrieri. Delacorte Press, 2021. Originally published as 光のうつしえ 廣島 ヒロシマ 広島 (Hikari no utsushie Hiroshima Hiroshima Hiroshima) in Japanese by Kodansha, Ltd., in Tokyo, in 2013. ISBN 9780593174357. 176 p. (Ages 10-14). Fiction.
Every year on August 6, 12-year-old Nozomi joins her family and the rest of the community in a lantern-floating ceremony to honor those who lost their lives in the atomic bomb explosion. This year, Nozomi begins to ask questions about the people who died and discovers every survivor has a story as well. She and her friends use art to creatively share survivors’ experiences, and the community learns each others’ stories. A 2021 Freeman Book Award Selection of Note. Consider using the Hiroshima peace museum website for programming resources; includes information about scheduling an A-bomb survivor testimony via video conferencing. [all]
India
Nava Durga: The Nine Forms of the Goddess
By Nalini Ramachandran, Priyanka Pachpande (Illustrator)
Nava Durga: The Nine Forms of the Goddess. Nalini Ramachandran. Illustrated by Priyanka Pachpande. Puffin Books, 2021. First published by Puffin Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, Gurgram, Haryana, India, in 2020. ISBN 97801434449485. 96 p. Ages (6-9). Nonfiction.
This book tells the tale of India’s nine-day festival, Navaratri, and the nine different forms of Goddess Durga that accompany each day. With vibrant illustrations this book is perfect for readers interested in Indian mythology. Would pair with Greek Myths and Mazes by Jan Bajtlik. The author has written many books for young readers on various topics and styles. She is based in India and edits children's books and holds workshops on creative writing and storytelling. Here is a short video about the book. [mi]