Fanny Britt (text) & Isabelle Arsenault (illustrations) translated from French by Christelle Morelli and Susan Ouriou (Walker Books) Hélène has a tough time at school, secluded and taunted by her former friends about her weight. At home, her mother is exhausted and overworked. She finds comfort in reading Jane Eyre, identifying with the heroine’s hardships …
Marcia Williams (Walker Books) When Lizzy Bennet’s father gives her a diary, because she is his “only daughter with any brain”, he hopes that it will distract her from the boring idleness of her mother and sisters. But Lizzy thinks her life is much too dull and would rather use it to write a novel. …
Here are a few titles for newly independent and more fluent readers which will suit Halloween-themed reading. Arthur and the Witch Johanne Mercier (text) & Clare Elsom (illustrations) Arthur et la sorcière de bout du lac, translated by Daniel Hahn (Phoenix Yard) When Arthur find a secret hoard of blueberries at Picket Lake, he decides to …
The Good Little Devil and Other Tales Pierre Gripari, with illustrations by Puig Rosado Le gentil petit diable et autres contes de la rue Broca, translated by Sophie Lewis (Pushkin Children’s Books) A French classic from the 1960s, this collection of thirteen eccentric short stories taps into our cultural heritage of fairy and folk tales and offers …
Azzi in Between Sarah Garland (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) Endorsed by Amnesty International and winner of the inaugural Little Rebels Awards, Azzi in Between is a moving picture book, told in comic format, about a family’s journey from oppression in their native land to Britain where they take refuge. Azzi lives with her parents and grandmother in a faraway country …
Lately, I have come across two beautiful little novels, both with a magical, mystical atmosphere, and both set in Australia. The Naming of Tishkin Silk Glenda Millard, with artwork by Caroline Magerl (Phoenix Yard Books) Griffin Silk is an uncommon little boy, and it becomes quite obvious to him as he soon as he starts school and …
Noel Daniel (editor) & Matthew P. Price (translator)(Taschen) Twenty seven tales are brought to life in this cloth bound collection published in honour of the bicentenary of the Grimms’ Tales. The collection includes all-time favourites such as Cinderella, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, Sleeping Beauty and Puss in Boots, and the translation of these tales is based …
Lisbeth Zwerger“Brüder GRIMM MÄRCHEN”, translated by Anthea Bell(Minedition) I knew very little of the illustrator before discovering this book, but I have since discovered that Lisbeth Zwerger, who is Austrian, is a much acclaimed illustrator and recipient of many prestigious prizes, including the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1990 in recognition of her lifetime contribution to children’s literature. She has …
Andi Watson(Walker) Grace Gibson is moving to a new town, where her father is to be the headteacher of her primary school. The town is called Catastrophe, and it certainly lives up to its name: with its volcano and giant robots roaming the town, this is hardly the welcoming party Grace was expecting. After some …
