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Featured
Children's Book: Multicultural
The Flower Ball
by Sigrid Laube, illustrated by Silke Leffler
Age Range: 4 to 10
"A
moral tale whose decor is just as impeccable as its lesson."
—Publishers Weekly "A charming story" —OC Family
With charming
and colorful illustrations, this lively story delivers an
important message of acceptance to young readers.When
Cauliflower and Carrot decide to go to the Flower Ball, the
other vegetables are scandalized—since vegetables and flowers
don't look and smell alike, they think they should stick to
their own kinds. At the ball, the flowers are indignant over
this strange brushwood attending their fragrant party, but
Cauliflower and Carrot are self-confident and don't hesitate to
dance a Snap-Bean Rumba, a Cucumber Tango, and a Chili-Pepper
Cha-Cha-Cha. The two of them make a beautiful sight, and despite
themselves, the flowers applaud. Soon the flowers open up their
buds, and a vegetable–flower friendship grows.
Sigrid Laube is the author of many children's books including Friends Stick Together; Wake Up, Spring Is
Coming!; and When Santa Claus Was Astonished. She received the
Austrian Children's Book Prize in 1997 and 2004. Silke Leffler
is the illustrator of many children's books, including
Andersen's Fairy Tales; The Fables Book—From Aesop Until Today;
Friends Stick Together; Schnipp, Schnapp, Schnorum; Simply
Wonderful Christmas; and Wake Up, Spring Is Coming!
The Love for Three
Oranges
By Sergei Prokofiev, illustrated by Elzbieta Gaudasinska
Age Range: 4 to 10
The
magical surrealism of the famous opera The Love of Three Oranges
is vividly depicted in this pictorial adaptation, designed to
create an awareness of classical music among young children.
Combining humor, sorrow, fantasy, and a bit of the grotesque,
this fanciful children's story tells the tale of a prince whose melancholy
can only be cured by a hearty laugh. In order to break through
his gloom, the king plans a splendid feast and orders the court
jester, Truffaldino, to appear and cheer up his son. When the
prince finally lets out a guffaw, he incurs the wrath of Fata
Morgana, a malicious witch who curses him with an undeniable
passion for three oranges—oranges that he must chase to the ends
of the earth.
Sergei Prokofiev is one of the most celebrated Russian composers
of the 20th century. He is the composer of the operas The
Gambler, The Love for Three Oranges, Peter and the Wolf, and War
and Peace. Elzbieta Gaudasinska is an award-winning illustrator
of children's books.
Silly Horse
by Vadim Levin, illustrated by Egeny Antonenkov,
translated by Tanya Wolfson and Tatiana Zunshine
Age Range: 4 to 7
"So
colorful and exuberant . . . Everyone of every age will fall in
love with Silly Horse." —Kaleidoscope
"Wonderful illustrations." —Children's Literature
"Whimsy abounds in this fun collection." —Piedmont Parent
"Wacky enough to capture a child's attention and funny bone. The
unique illustrations are the perfect accompaniments." —OC Family
"Levin's humorous, memorable poems, long enjoyed by Russian
children, may well become new favorites of English readers."
—Publishers Weekly
"A collection of humorous, nonsensical poems. The language is
playful and light." —School Library Journal
"Aboard the roller coaster ride as words travel in all
directions . . . creating an unforgettable reading experience."
—Curious Parents magazine
"Whimsy built around rhymes with dreamy fantasy illustrations."
—Metrokids
Thirty-five years ago this collection of poems caused a wave of
enthusiasm in Russia and became a bestseller because of its
unusual language style—the Russian poems were written to sound
as though they had been translated from British English. Its
comical poems fooled thousands of children and their parents
with their Russian flavor and British style; many even became
popular song lyrics. With this translation into English these
quirky poems have come full circle, their British flavor finally
appropriate to the language used.
Vadim Levin is the author of the original Russian edition of
Silly Horse. In addition to being a writer, he is a doctor of
psychology and a lecturer in the field of education. Evgeny
Antonenkov is an art director for a children's publishing
house. He has illustrated more than 25 children's books, the most recent of
which was nominated for the 2004 Bologna Ragazzi Award. He has
participated in various exhibitions in Europe and Asia and has
had solo exhibitions in Moscow and Prague.
A Little Story About a Big Turnip
By Tatiana Zunshine, illustrations by Evgeny Antonenkov
Age Range: 3 to 8
"Authors breathe new life into classic myths and
folklore, for everyone from picture book fans on up to teenage
readers." —Publishers Weekly
"The familiar folktale about a turnip and teamwork gets a
humorous treatment from . . . the place where the tale
originated." —Booklist
"Readers-aloud will soon have listeners ruffing, meowing,
and squeaking along" —Bulletin of the Center for Children's
Books "With its fresh look and accessible language, this tale
will be popular for storytime and one-on-one sharing." —School
Library Journal
Drawing from the history of Russian verbal art, this
story about a family that must work together is an adaptation of
a Russian children's folk tale. When the grandfather has trouble
plucking a turnip from his garden, it takes the help of the
entire family—grandmother, granddaughter, dog, cat, and mouse—to
dislodge it. Rhythm and melody work in combination with a clever
refrain and comical, vivid watercolor drawings to make this
children's story lyrically and visually entertaining.
Tatiana Zunshine was born and raised in the former Soviet Union.
After emigrating to the United States, she toured extensively,
promoting human rights, taking part in dozens of speaking
engagements, and giving numerous interviews to the media. She
lives in Columbus, Ohio. Evgeny Antonenkov lives in Moscow and works as an art
director for a children’s publishing house. He has
illustrated more than 20 children's books, including Winnie the
Pooh, The Ring and the Rose, and Russian Folktales for Children.
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