Japan
The Friends
By Kazumi Yumoto, Cathy Hirano (Translator)
The Friends. Kazumi Yumoto. Translated by Cathy Hirano. Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 1996. Originally published as 夏の庭 (Natsu no niwa) in Japanese by Fukutake Publishing Co., Ltd., in 1992. ISBN 9780374324605. 176 p. (Ages 10-14). Fiction.
From the publisher: “In this award-winning book from Japan, three young boys curious about death learn--and teach--some valuable lessons about life and friendship.” Winner of the 1997 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction; ALA Notable Children's Book; 1997 Batchelder Award winner. [all]
How Do You Live?
By Genzaburō Yoshino, Bruno Navasky (Translator)
How Do You Live? Genzaburō Yoshino. Translated by Bruno Navasky. Foreword by Neil Gaiman. Algonquin Young Readers, 2021. This version originally published as 君たちはどう生きるか (Kimitachi wa dō ikiru ka) in Japanese by Iwanami Shoten Publishers, in Tokyo, in 1982; first published in Japan in 1937. ISBN 9781616209773. 288 p. (Ages 10 and up). Fiction.
A story about the complexities of life, history, and humanity, narrated in two voices: 15-year-old Copper describes his daily experiences at school and home, while his loving uncle offers wisdom and advice in the form of a journal. A 2021 Freeman Book Awards Young Adult/Middle School Literature Book of Note. Hayao Miyazaki (of Studio Ghibli) called this a childhood favorite and used it as inspiration for his final Studio Ghibli film. Tips for teaching this book: Middle School Teaching Aid from asianstudies.org. [all]
Temple Alley Summer
By Sachiko Kashiwaba, Avery Fischer Udagawa (Translator), Miho Satake (Illustrator)
Temple Alley Summer. Sachiko Kashiwaba. Translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa. Illustrations by Miho Satake. Yonder: Restless Books, 2021. Originally published as 帰命寺横丁の夏 (Kimyōji Yokochō no Natsu) in Japanese by Kodansha, Ltd., in Tokyo, in 2011. ISBN 9781632063038. 240 p. (Ages 8-13). Novel.
From the publisher: “From renowned Japanese children’s author Sachiko Kashiwaba, Temple Alley Summer is a fantastical and mysterious adventure featuring the living dead, a magical pearl, and a suspiciously nosy black cat named Kiriko.” Winner of the 2022 Batchelder Award, 2022 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award, and a Junior Library Guild Selection. Author’s other work includes the book The Marvelous Village Veiled in Mist, which was the inspiration for Studio Ghibli’s film Spirited Away, one of the most awarded animations of all time. A new translation will be available from late 2023. [all]
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
Ghana
The Kaya Girl
By Mamle Wolo, Sasha Illingworth (Illustrator)
The Kaya Girl. Mamle Wolo. Illustrated by Sasha Illingworth. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2022. Originally published by Techmate Publishers Ltd., in Ghana, in 2012 and then by Nsona Books in 2018. ISBN 9780316703932. 336 p. (Ages 9 and up). Fiction.
A rags-to-riches tale about Faiza, a Muslim migrant girl from northern Ghana, and Abena, a wealthy doctor’s daughter from the south. The two meet by chance in Accra, where Faiza works as a porter or kaya girl and develop a deep friendship that transcends social barriers. A 2022 Kirkus Best Children's Book, a 2023 Children's Africana Book Award Honor, and a Bank St. College Best Books selection. [gd]
South Africa
I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu
By Refiloe Moahloli, Zinelda McDonald (Illustrator)
I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu. Refiloe Moahloli. Illustrated by Zinelda McDonald. Amazon Crossing Kids, 2022. Originally published as We Are One by Pan Macmillan, in South Africa, in 2020. ISBN 9781542035668. 32 p. (Ages 5-7). Picture book.
Ubuntu is a common belief throughout southern Africa that we are all connected to one another, no matter where we are from. Stating “A person is a person through their connections to other people,” this book celebrates kindness, friendship, and peace. A 2023 USBBY Outstanding International Books List selection. [gd]
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]
India
The Mountains of Mumbai
By Labanya Ghosh, Pallavi Jain (Illustrator)
The Mountains of Mumbai. Labanya Ghosh. Illustrated by Pallavi Jain. Karadi Tales Picturebooks, 2020. First published in Chennai, in 2019. ISBN 9788193654293. 40 p. (Ages 4-6). Picture book.
A story of two friends, Veda and Doma, who live in different parts of India accompanied with illustrations created using watercolors, that brings alive the coastal city, Mumbai. Would pair with Small in the City by Sydney Smith. The author lives in Mumbai and works as a copywriter and remedial educator. A Neev Book Award Winner (2020). Watch a book reading of The Mountains of Mumbai by Labanya Ghosh. [mi]
Mukand and Riaz
By Nina Sabnani
Mukand and Riaz. Nina Sabnani. Tulika Books, 2007.Co-published with National Institute of Design, New Delhi. ISBN 9788181463432. 32 p. (Ages 5 and up). Picture book.
Set against the background of India and Pakistan’s partition, Mukund and Riaz is a gripping tale of friendship accompanied with appliqué art, a fabric art style commonly done by women of both Sindh in Pakistan and Gujarat in India. Would pair with Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar. The author is an associate professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, where she is pursuing her doctoral research in the area of storytelling, with focus on Kaavad tradition in Rajasthan. She was inspired by the memories of her father and initially made Mukund and Riaz as a film for Big Small People Projects, Israel that won the certificate of merit from Tokyo Broadcasting System, Japan. This is the short film on Mukund and Riaz. [mi]
Thukpa For All
By Praba Ram and Sheela Preuitt, Shilpa Ranade (Illustrator)
Thukpa For All. Praba Ram and Sheela Preuitt. Illustrated by Shilpa Ranade. Karadi Tales Picturebooks, 2019. First published in Chennai, in 2018. ISBN 9788193388983. 48 p. (Ages 7-9). Picture book.
Tsering can’t wait to eat his grandmother's noodle soup, Thukpa. He invites all his friends and neighbors for a celebratory moment, but there is a power cut. Will his Abi, grandmother, be able to make the noodles? Narrated from a blind child’s, Tsering’s, perspective with remarkable illustrations, this story is perfect for readers who want to learn more about Ladakh region of India. Would pair with My Ocean is Blue by Darren Lebeuf. The first author, Praba Ram, is a children’s writer, reading specialist, and early childhood educator. She is also the founder of Saffron Tree— an award winning site dedicated for children’s literature from India and the US. Ram resides in Chennai with her family. The second author, Sheela Preuitt is based in Oregon, US and is a writer, cuisinière, applications developer, childhood literacy advocate, and craftswoman. Thukpa For All was selected for the 2019 IBBY list of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities. It was also featured in the 2020 USBBY Outstanding International Books list. Shortlisted for Neev’s Book Award (2019) and listed as Highly Commended book by South Asia Book Awards (2019). Watch a book-reading of Thukpa For All by author Praba Ram. [mi]
Maithili and the Minotaur: Web of Woe
By C.G. Salamander, Rajiv Eipe (Illustrator)
Maithili and the Minotaur: Web of Woe. C. G. Salamander. Illustrated by Rajiv Eipe. Puffin Books, 2021. ISBN 9780143455189. 64 p. (Ages 10 and up). Graphic Novel.
Maithili, an outcast in the human world, befriends monsters and goes on a journey of outlandish adventures with her friends. This book is one in the Outlandish Graphic Novel Series and is perfect for readers who love stories about monsters and adventures. Would pair with Natsume’s Book of Friends by Yuki Midorikawa and the Hilda series by Luke Pearson. The author is based in Chennai, India, and is a writer and comic journalist. Salamander loves to write in horror, humor, and fantasy genres. Here is an interview with the author. [mi]
Nimmi's Spectabulous Schooldays
By Shabnam Minwalla
Nimmi’s Spectabulous Schooldays. Shabnam Minwalla. Talking Cub, 2018. First published in New Delhi, India. ISBN 9789387693777. 160 p. (Ages 8-12). Fiction.
Eleven-year-old Nimmi Daruwala is just starting sixth grade and nothing seems to be going right. Part of the Nimmi series, this is a hilarious story about Nimmi and her misadventures with her friends. Would pair with the Lola Levine series by Monica Brown and the Malory Towers series by Enid Blyton. The author is a journalist and children’s book writer. She was the former Senior Assistant Editor of the Times of India newspaper in Mumbai. Here is a review of the book. [mi]
Korea
Pool
By Lee JiHyeon
Pool. Lee JiHyeon. Chronicle Books, 2015. Originally published in Korean by Iyagikot Publishing Co, in South Korea, in 2013. ISBN 9781452142944. 56p. (Ages 3-5). Picture book.
A New York Times Notable Book of the Year, Pool is a wordless story of two shy children who meet in a crowded pool and the strange and beautiful things they see—and imagine—together. It is Lee’s debut title which she created while still a student at Korea’s Hankuk Illustration School. [dj]
China & Taiwan
China
Bronze and Sunflower
By Cao Wenxuan, Helen Wang (Translator), Meilo So (Illustrator)
Bronze and Sunflower. Cao Wenxuan. Translated by Helen Wang. Illustrated by Meilo So. Candlewick, 2017. Originally published by Phoenix Juvenile and Children’s Publishing in China, and then released by Candlewick sister company Walker Books in the UK in 2015. ISBN 9780763688165. 400 p. (Ages 9-12.) Fiction.
The Cultural Revolution provides the largely unspoken background to this beautiful story, in which a 7-year-old girl and her artist father are forced to move to rural China to be re-educated. After her father dies early in the book, she is taken in by the poorest family in the village. Despite their vastly different circumstances, she forms a tight bond with her mute brother, new family and fellow villagers. Mutual love and caring enable them to endure fires, floods, lack of food and bitter cold. This book earned translator Helen Wang the 2017 Marsh Award for Translation of Children’s Literature. Raved librarian Betsy Bird, “It’s bold and unfamiliar. Touching and terrifying. Historical but somehow also timeless... Do you truly want your kids to be citizens of the world? Then hand that world to them. Give them this book.” [dj]
The Middle East & North Africa
Turkey
The Red Apple
By Feridun Oral
The Red Apple. Feridun Oral. minedition, 2015. Originally published as Kirmizi elma in Turkish by YKY, in Istanbul, in 2008. ISBN 9888240005. 28 p. (Ages 3-5). Picture book.
Forest animals work together to pick an out-of-reach apple for a hungry rabbit in the cold of winter. Pairs well with The Mitten by Jan Brett, a well-loved winter story about collaboration between forest animals. On USBBY’s 2016 list of Outstanding International Books. [ea]
Lebanon
Ghady & Rawan
By Fatimma Sharafeddine and Samar Mahfouz Barraj, Sawad Hussain and M. Lynx Qualey (Translators)
Ghady & Rawan. Fatima Sharafeddine and Samar Mahfouz Barraj. Translated by Sawad Hussain and M. Lynx Qualey. University of Texas Press, 2019. Originally published as غدي وروان in Arabic by دار الساقي in Beirut, in 2013. ISBN 1477318526. 134 p. (Ages 12-14). Fiction.
Two Lebanese eighth graders, Ghady and Rawan exchange emails to maintain their friendship during the school year when Ghady lives in Belgium. Ghady writes about his homesickness and social struggles and Rawan writes about her sometimes-difficult relationship with her family. They lean on each other to shoulder the burdens of life in both societies and celebrate one another’s successes. Bridges middle grade and YA, as subject matter leans older than writing style, including discussion of racism, xenophobia, bullying and cannabis. [ea]
Latin America
Mexico
Ways to Make Friends
By Jairo Buitrago, Elisa Amado (Translator), Mariana Ruiz Johnson (Illustrator)
Ways to Make Friends. Jairo Buitrago. Translated by Elisa Amado. Illustrated by Mariana Ruiz Johnson. Greystone Kids, 2022. Originally published as Formas de hacer amigos in Spanish by Leetra Final, in Mexico City, in 2021. ISBN 9781771649759. 40 p. (Ages 4-7). Picture book.
Toad has lots of advice on how to make new friends. Some of it is great, some of it not so great. When all else fails, Toad finds out that learning about and befriending yourself can be a valuable way to spend your time as well. A 2023 USBBY Outstanding International Book. [jm]
Brazil
My Sweet Orange Tree
By José Mauro de Vasconcelos, Alison Entrekin (Translator)
My Sweet Orange Tree. José Mauro de Vasconcelos. Translated by Alison Entrekin. Candlewick, 2019. Originally published as O Meu Pé de Laranja Lima in Portuguese by Editora Melhoramentos, in Brazil, in 1968. ISBN 9781536203288. 272 p. (Ages 12 and up). Fiction.
A Brazilian classic that has never been out of print, My Sweet Orange Tree features a precocious but naughty five year old whose hard-scrabble family beats him severely when he gets into trouble. Through his mischief-making he finally meets someone who shows him what it means to truly care for somebody. Though this book is commonly taught at the elementary school level in Brazil, it has been categorized as young adult in the United States because of its dark themes including poverty, violence, and death. A 2012 film adaptation won the 2014 Cinema Brazil Grand Prize in the children’s film category. [dj]