World Kid Lit Month 2024: LGBTQIA+

For some people, these books push the boundaries and need banning. 

I think they need highlighting and celebrating.

And, this is only a tiny selection of the books I *could* have recommended. 

Rere atu taku poi! Let my poi fly! By Tangaroa Paul & Rebecca Gibbs. 

Another moment for me to share my pride in my work organisation. For those who don't know, poi are a female accessory. But, if you are a boy - or AMAB (assigned male at birth) - who loves the poi, what do you do? Based on the author's own experiences. You can see Tangaroa in action, in this video - filmed in one of the local libraries. 

The frog's kiss by James Mayhew & Toto. 

A queer retelling of the Frog Prince fairy tale. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by James Mayhew, illustrator (@mrjamesmayhew)

 

Grandad's Pride by Harry Woodgate. 

This book has faced negative review bombing online. It is a sequel to Grandad's Caravan, and both are beautiful, and deserve support. 

Jenny lives with Eric and Martin by Susanne Bösche, Andreas Hansen, & L. Mackay. 

Old school review! How many people have ever heard of this one? It is from 1981, and has faced controversy since its first publication. 

You need to chill by Juno Dawson & Laura Hughes. 

I want the confidence of this main character, if I ever need to defend my relatives - politely. 

Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, & Daniel Sousa. 

A retelling of a traditional Hawai'ian moolelo (a story which bridges legend and history) about a group of mahu (beings who carry both male and female mind, spirit, and heart). 

World Kid Lit Month 2023: GLLI Translated YA Book Prize

A book awarded the GLLI Translated YA Book Prize:

Oksi
By Mari Ahokoivu; translated by Silja-Maaria Aronpuro.

Levine Querido, 2021.

I was trying to decide which pages to photograph.

It would have ended up being the whole book.

A graphic novel retelling of a Finnish fairy tale is one that will haunt you. 

The use of negative space, and of colour, is masterfully done. 

World Kid Lit Month 2023: A book translated from a language spoken by a friend

 A book translated from a language spoken by a friend: 

The snake and the frogs 
Retold by Mariam Karim-Ahlawat; illustrated by Nancy Raj; Tamil translation by Malarvizhi. 

Tulika Publishers, 2018. 

A traditional tale, with illustrations based on wooden folk toys from Channapatna in Karnataka, a craft style that came centuries ago from Persia (quote from publisher's website). 

This tale was published in multiple bilingual formats: 

• English / Bengali
• English / Gujarati
• English / Hindi
• English / Kannada
• English / Malayalam
• English / Marathi
• English / Tamil
• English / Telugu. 

I hope I've credited the translator! Trying to find the translator is an issue so many times! 

Yes, I did originally ear mark this for a language with non-Roman script - but changed my mind! 

World Kid Lit Month 2022: Day 28: A book from South Asia

Bingo: A book from South Asia:

Sita's Ramayana Text by Samhita Arni; art by Moyna Chitrakar

World Kid Lit Month 2022: Day 24: A book from Southeast Asia

Bingo: A book from Southeast Asia:

The tiny boy and other tales from Indonesia 

Retold by Murti Bunanta; illustrated by Hardiyono.

World Kid Lit Month 2022: Day 15: A book translated from a language you don't know

Bingo: A book translated from a language you don't know:

The sea-ringed world: sacred stories of the Americas.

María García Esperón; illus Amanda Mijangos; trans David Bowles.

Presents a collection of stories from nations and cultures from Argentina to Alaska.

World Kid Lit Month 2021: WALES

WALES: 

Welsh fairytales: sixteen mysterious myths and legends from the hills and valleys of Wales. 

Retold by Philip Wilson; illustrated by Sue Clarke and 4 others; introduction by Neil Philip. 

The traditional stories of Wales conjure up a world of adventure and chivalry. Knights and princesses, kings and bards, and the little people who can make the impossible happen — these are just a few of the characters in the stories featured in this book.

World Kid Lit Month 2021: TONGA

TONGA: 

The mouse and the ant. 

Retold and illustrated by Lisala Halapua. 

Mouse is tricked out of eating a banana by some ants.

World Kid Lit Month 2021: TOKELAU

TOKELAU: 

Tokelau heroes. 

By David Riley; illustrated by Moses Viliamu. 

Tokelau heroes presents inspirational stories of achievers who have Tokelauan ancestry.

World Kid Lit Month 2021: SWITZERLAND

SWITZERLAND: 

The revenge of the black cat: Swiss myths. 

Edited and retold by Katja Alves. 

Offers 23 traditional tales from different regions of Switzerland, featuring ghosts, dwarfs, goblins, demons, devils, and dragons.

World Kid Lit Month 2021: NEW ZEALAND AOTEAROA

NEW ZEALAND: 

Atua: Māori Gods and Heroes. 

By Gavin Bishop. 

Gavin Bishop's stunning, once-in-a-generation compendium introduces readers to the pantheon of Māori gods, demigods and heroes, and explores Aotearoa's most exciting legends from the Creation to the Migration.

World Kid Lit Month 2021: MEXICO

MEXICO: 

The sea-ringed world: sacred stories of the Americas. 

By María García Esperón; illustrated by Amanda Mijangos; translated by David Bowles. 

Presents a collection of stories from nations and cultures across North and South America, the Sea-Ringed World, as the Aztecs called it, from the edge of Argentina all the way up to Alaska.

World Kid Lit Month 2021: MALAYSIA

MALAYSIA: 

The girl and the ghost. 

By Hanna Alkaf. 

Retells a Malaysian folk tale in which a lonely girl, Suraya, inherits from her grandmother a pelesit, a ghostly demon, who proves to be a good companion, bringing both danger and hope. 

World Kid Lit Month: KOREA

KOREA: 

Tiny feet between the mountains. 

By Hanna Cha. 

In a Korean village where being strong and loud is valued, tiny Soe-in is ridiculed but when the sun disappears, Soe-in dares to find the spirit tiger and set things right. Includes note about the position of tigers in Korean culture.

World Kid Lit Month 2021: ITALY

ITALY: 

Strega Nona: an old tale. 

Retold and illustrated by Tomie de Paola. 

When Strega Nona leaves him alone with her magic pasta pot, Big Anthony is determined to show the townspeople how it works.

World Kid Lit Month 2021: IRELAND

IRELAND: 

Rónán and the mermaid: a tale of old Ireland. 

By Marianne McShane; illustrated by Jordi Solano. 

An Irish storyteller revisits the little-known legend of the Mermaid Saint in a haunting, beautifully illustrated tale of kindness, music, and longing.

World Kid Lit Month 2021: INDONESIA

INDONESIA: 

The tiny boy and other tales from Indonesia. 

Retold by Murti Bunanta; illustrated by Hardiyono. 

Presents retellings of eight Indonesian folktales that cover such topics as heroes, sacrifice, love, and family.

World Kid Lit Month 2021: EAST TIMOR (Timor-Leste)

EAST TIMOR (Timor-Leste): 

The boy and the crocodile: the legend of East Timor. 

Illustrated by children from the Familia Hope Orphanage. 

A retelling of the legend concerning the creation of Timor-Leste: a little boy's kindness to a crocodile and the crocodiles repayment of the debt.

World Kid Lit Month 2021: COSTA RICA

COSTA RICA: 

When woman became the sea: a Costa Rican creation myth. 

By Susan Strauss; illustrated by Cristina Acosta. 

Sibu creates a woman to be the wife of Thunder but when she asserts her independence from both of them, a spectacular tree and all the beautiful waters of the world spring forth from her.