Latin America
Colombia
The Young Teacher and the Great Serpent
By Irene Vasco, Lawrence Schimel (Translator), Juan Palomino (Illustrator)
The Young Teacher and the Great Serpent. Irene Vasco. Translated by Lawrence Schimel. Illustrated by Juan Palomino. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2023. Originally published as La joven maestra y la gran serpiente in Spanish by Editorial Juventud, Barcelona, in 2019. ISBN 9780802856173. 40 p. (Ages 5-9). Picture book.
As a teacher shares books with her students, they tell her the legends of a great serpent. On the Fundación Cuatrogatos Award list. The author is a prominent Columbian educator; she was recognized by the Colombian Ministry of Education with its “Life and Work” distinction for her long career working with children and teens. [jm]
Venezuela
Different: A Story of the Spanish Civil War
By Mónica Montañés, Lawrence Schimel, Eva Sánchez Gómez (Illustrator)
Different: A Story of the Spanish Civil War. Mónica Montañés. Translated by Lawrence Schimel. Illustrated by Eva Sánchez Gómez. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2022. Originally published as Los distintos by Ediciones Ekaré in Barcelona, Spain, in 2020. ISBN 9780802855985. 88 p. (Ages 9-14). Fiction.
Seven-year-old Socorro and nine-year-old Paco live in the aftermath of the civil war that raged across Spain between 1936-1939. Francisco Franco's persecution of anyone who once opposed him has caused their father to flee the country. Paco, Socorro, and their mother must "keep their heads down" until a letter comes from their father containing hope that they may soon reunite as a family in Venezuela. Appendices at the back of the book provide historical context. A Batchelder Honor Book and a USBBY Outstanding International Books selection. [jm]