Book Monitor - books from across the world

Engaging reads for children, from Books go Walkabout

Month: April 2020

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim

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On April 1, 2020

In Allen and Unwin, Featured authors, Featured children's book, Featured illustrators

Anna Chiu has her hands full looking after her siblings and helping out at her Dad’s restaurant, all while her Mum stays in bed. The new delivery boy Rory, is a welcome distraction and even though things aren’t right at home, Anna starts to feel like she could be a normal teen,

But her Mum’s condition gets worse, life becomes increasingly hard for Anna as between them they have lots to work out.

An incredibly good story about life as a young person, moving from childhood to adulthood in a world which seems to be increasingly difficult and foreign. A time when you really do need your Mum. But for Anna, her Mum really needs her.

A powerful and moving story from Wai Chim, the highly acclaimed author, whose previous novel ,Freedom Swimmer, was a huge success. Following the stories of young people in the changing world of China then and now, Wai has a great eye for understanding of young people as they face their own dilemmas as well as difficult situations.

Published by Allen and Unwin from Australia, this book crosses geographical boundaries and unites all children as they move into adulthood.

A wonderful book to sit and read. the story and text are real page turners. Highly recommended for any persiond when you just need a good book to read.

Sue Martin

Hasina by Michelle Aung Thin -Through My Eyes Series

By

On April 15, 2020

In Allen and Unwin, Featured children's book

A gripping story of one child’s experience of the refugee crisis in Myanmar. The men come at night. The first Hasina knows of it is her aunt’s voice, urgent,full of fear.’Up, up.Get up! ‘The second thing is smoke.Then there is a scream.’Run,’ her father shouts. ‘And don’t stop!’

Hasina races deep into the Rakhine forest to hide with her cousin Ghadiya and her little brother, Araf. When they emerge some days later, it is to a silent, smouldering village. Their own house has not been burnt down,but where are the rest of her family?Perhaps they have been gathered up and taken away … or worse.

So many Rohingyas are gone, how will she survive? Will her parents return? Hasina must find the courage to save her family amid the escalating conflict that threatens her world and her identity. 

Hasina is written by Michelle Aung Thin who tells this story, based on real life, with immense feeling and with the real sense of a child’s helplessness, in fear but still retaining courage and hope. Michelle is a novelist, essayist and an academic and this book written for children and young adults shows her ability to reach out to all.  

There are excellent teacher notes available for school use only on Michelle’s website to accompany Hasina and would fit with curriculum across the world for ages 11-14 years. 

Allen and Unwin are the publishers and Hasina joins one of my favourite series, Through My Eyes, which recount world crisis and tragedies through the eyes of children and young people.  

As I write this we are in a lock-down, in the Covid 19 period in the UK. Unable to do my usual travels I have really enjoyed this amazing book and maybe I should travel to Burma/Myanmar soon? 

Sue Martin 

Sofia the Dreamer and her Magical Afro by Jessica Wilson

By

On April 29, 2020

In Featured children's book

When Sofia has her hair styled she magically falls asleep and in her dreams visits a Jamaican Rastafarian,a black panther and an African ancestor. In Sofia’s Afro are tight coils which hide stories of joy, heroes, social situations and fascinations. An amazing book in a new style of genre of illustrated poem-story.

Jessica Wilson is the author and is an Aesthetica Award finalist with achieving a Go Fund Me award in March 2018. Her talent is incredible and this style of poems with illustrations is a powerful way to reach out to children and adults too. The rhythm and rhyme of the story lends it to being read aloud and plants the work within Caribbean oral story-telling traditions.

Jessica resides between Jamaica and London and is currently working on her first poetry collection entitled ‘The Bulldog and the Hummingbird’ (available on 5th June 2020) which was shortlisted by Penguin Random House for their ‘Write Now’ initiative held in conjunction with the BBC to promote diversity in writing.  Jessica was trained in English Literature at University College London (BA) and was awarded an MA in Fashion Journalism by London College of Fashion.

The illustrations are by Tom Rawles, who lives in Bristol and he specialises in album covers and Renaissance-inspired scenes of contemporary culture where, he states, “halos are more bling than holy”.  His eye-catching scapes were described by influential community, Afropunk as both ‘stylized’ and ‘surreal’.

The picture-book was designed by Paul Martin of threeshadesred . Martin’s aesthetic is minimalist with a strong focus on clean lines and colour association.

Sofia the Dreamer tells the stories with meaning and emotion, using illustrations to engage with children in the balance of social history and modern day culture between different places; a bridge over the oceans. A wonderful book to have.

Buy this great book securely on-line:

http://www.jessica-wilson.com/buy-books/sofia-the-dreamer-and-her-magical-afro-by-jessica-wilson-paperback

See also: https://tallawahpublishing.com/

“Tallawah Publishing was founded in response to the need for diversity in the publishing industry. We are committed to telling the best unheard stories of the Caribbean and Caribbean diaspora and amplify voices at the interstices. We also seek to offer support to writers of African and Caribbean descent. Founded by writer Jessica N. Wilson”.

Sue Martin

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