Japan
Every Color of Light: A Book about the Sky
By Hiroshi Osada, David Boyd (Translator), Ryōji Arai (Illustrator)
Every Color of Light: A Book about the Sky. Hiroshi Osada. Translated by David Boyd. Illustrated by Ryōji Arai. Enchanted Lion Books, 2020. Originally published as きょうはそらにまるいつき (Kyō wa sora ni marui tsuki) in Japanese by Kodansha Ltd., in Tokyo, in 2011. ISBN 9781592702916. 38 p. (Ages 4-10). Picture book.
Lyrical text and expansive landscapes showcase the beauty of a day in nature, from light rain to storms to the clearing night sky. A 2020 Kirkus Best Book and 2021 Northern Lights Best Illustrator winner. Illustrator Ryōji Arai won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2015.[all]
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]