​Nancy Brashear and Carolyn Angus
 
In this column, we review some of our favorite international picture books that were originally published in a language other than English. These books are good choices for reading aloud or independently to introduce young people of all ages to authors and illustrators from around the world and to encourage discussions about universal themes as well different cultures and languages.

​ A Better Best Friend. Olivier Tallec. Trans. by Antony Shugaar. (2024). Gecko.
On a summer morning walk, a squirrel (the unnamed narrator) comes across a mushroom. Convinced he has finally found the best friend he has always wanted, the squirrel takes, Pock, the shy, nontalkative mushroom, to his favorite places in the forest to do the kinds of things best friends do together throughout the year. However, when an insect named Moo arrives in the spring and involves them in his favorite activities, the squirrel is confused. Could Moo be a better best friend than Pock? “I want ONE best friend. Not two! ONE!” The next morning, a mouse named Gunther joins them. The final page reveals “The (Better) End” to Olivier Tallec’s story that, with perhaps a bit of discussion, will lead readers to conclude that having best friends is better than having just one best friend. Translated from French. (PreK-Gr 2)
—CA

​Can I Sit in the Middle? Susanne Strasser. Trans. by Melody Shaw. (2024). Gecko.
Sitting alone in the living room, a child calls out, “Come on, let’s read a book,” and Hamster squeals, “I’ll get the others.” One by one, each animal delays story time with a chaotic interruption. Zebra says to wait for Stork, Cat needs a special cushion, Lion accuses Stork of sitting on his tail, Stork has trouble finding room for his long legs, Hamster needs Fish, and Fish (in a fish bowl) wants to sit in the middle until they all are crowded together on the couch. When Rhino pops in to locate his missing slippers under the couch, he upends it, and after creating a blanket tent, everyone snuggles up on the floor finally ready to read together. “NOW they can start!” Susan Strasser’s colorful artwork perfectly complements this hilarious read-aloud board book about sharing a good book with friends. Translated from German. (PreS Up)
—NB

Champ. Payam Ebrahimi. Trans. by Caroline Croskery. Illus. by Reza Dalvand. (2024). Aldana Libros.  
Abtin Moleski was born into a family of sports champions but is not good at, or interested in sports. Instead, Abtin is a reader, an artist, a dreamer, which disgusts his father. “I hope my ancestors forgive me for having a child like you.” Using his artistic talent, Abtin comes up with a creative plan to make all the Moleskis “happy.” He paints bright red smiles on their scowling faces in the family portrait gallery. But are his father and family pleased and proud of him like he hoped? Perhaps not. Reading this dynamic picture book with its droll text and artwork can lead to some interesting discussions dealing with family expectations and pressure and being true to oneself. Translated from Farsi. (Gr 3 Up)
—CA

Grandma’s Roof Garden. Tang Wei. Trans. by Kelly Zhang. (2024). Levine Querido.  
An old grandma collects wilted vegetables and damaged fruit discarded by sellers at the market that she feeds to the birds or composts to fertilize her lush vegetable garden on the rooftop of the tall apartment building in southwest China where she lives. She keeps busy all day digging, watering, and weeding as she tends each of her “gorgeous, chubby veggie children.” At harvest time, she cooks tasty meals for her family and friends and shares the bountiful harvest with others in her apartment complex and neighborhood. With a playful rhythmic text and lively drawings created with colored pencil, Tang Wei tells this warm and whimsical tale of Granny, which she explains in an author’s note was inspired by her own childhood memories of a relative. Translated from Chinese. (PreK Up)
—CA

Here & There. Thea Lu. Trans. by Thea Lu. (2024). Eerdmans.
Dan is the owner of a café in a small coastal town that he never leaves. Aki is a sailor living on a boat sailing from place to place. Each likes his life. Dan loves welcoming guests from faraway places and listening to their stories. Aki enjoys occasionally meeting people in distant ports and telling them stories about the sea. At times, both feel lonely. Thea Lu ends this beautifully crafted picture book about two people leading very different lives whose worlds are connected, at least for a time, with a dramatic double gatefold picturing a very special day on which Dan’s Café is filled with people from different lands—and a man from the sea—sharing a meal and stories. “In moments like these, they both feel so close to the world.” Translated from Chinese. (PreK Up)
—CA

Home (Spectacular STEAM for Curious Readers). Isabelle Simler. Trans. by Vineet Lal. (2024). Eerdmans.
Isabelle Simler takes readers on a world-wide tour of the homes of a diverse group of 27 native animal species including the foam-nest tree frog, cross orbweaver spider, elf owl, weaver ant, and Sumatran orangutan. Each double spread features a stunning, richly colored digital image of the animal and its unique dwelling and a lyrical,  information-packed poem about the home told from the point of view of its inhabitant with a playful title and identification of the animal by its common and scientific name. For example, the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris), who relates “I live in a pretty chamber lined with stones” in the poem “Stony Villa” is shown lounging with “my arms spread out on a bed of deep blue.” Back matter will engage readers with more details about each of these fascinating animals, a glossary, and recommended resources. Translated from French. (PreK Up)
—NB

​I Do Not Like Water. Eva Lindström. Trans. by Annie Prime. (2024). Astra.
“Down with rain, lakes, rivers, seas, puddles, pools, oceans, streams, marshes, ponds, brooks, and creeks! And down with swimming pools!” With her distinctive, quirky artwork, rendered in watercolor and gouache, and a candid first-person narration, Eva Lindström tells the story of Alf, a young boy who definitely knows that he does not like water. Alf tells about several unpleasant contacts with water including a disastrous trip to a river in which he and a friend’s canoe capsized right away and they got soaked. Things are better in winter when everything is frozen over and he can join his friends for sledding. And when summer comes again, resourceful Alf comes up with a clever plan to enjoy spending time with his friends who love swimming without having to be in the water. Translated from Swedish. (PreK-Gr 2)

​If I Were a Fungus. Gaia Stella. Trans. by Nanette McGuinness. (2024). Millbrook.
“If I were a fungus, I could be everywhere—and I’d be great at playing hide-an-seek.” The narrator, a young boy named Leo, considers what it would be like to be an organism that is neither a plant nor an animal but a member of the Fungi Kingdom. With a series of simple “If I were a fungus . . .” statements and vibrant graphic artwork created using markers and digital media, Gaia Stella provides an introduction to the fantastic world of fungi that will leave curious young readers asking for more books about fungi. Back matter includes a double spread of labelled charts comparing the body structure of a mushroom and Leo, “A Few Things We know About Fungi” section, a glossary, a selected bibliography, and further reading. Originally published in Italian. (PreK-Gr 2)

Kai’s Ocean of Curiosities. Joséphine Topolanski. Trans. by Johanna McCalmont. (2024). Blue Dot.  
Joséphine Topolanski tells the narrative story of Kai, a curious girl who has explored all seven seas in her yellow submarine, Nessy, in lyrical words and intricate, detailed dark blue and white line-cut illustrations of the ocean. She ventures into the unknown in her red diving suit to find answers to her questions about various deep-sea ecosystems (kelp forests, underwater caves, coral reefs, and more) and their inhabitants (such as shoals of fish, schools of squids, and blooms of jelly fish) until it is time to leave. “Her walk beneath the waves has come to an end; / but Kai will soon be diving again.” Back matter consists of a double-page spread of 49 identified marine plants and animals sketched in white against a dark background. (PreK Up) Translated from French.
—NB

No. 5 Bubblegum Street. Mikolaj Pa. Trans. by Scotia Gilroy. Illus. by Gosia Herba. (2024). Aldana Libros.
The animal residents of No. 5 Bubblegum Street are an interesting lot of creatures, including Mouse in Apartment One on the ground floor; Owl in Apartment Three; Panther in Apartment 5; Hippo in Apartment Seven, and Bug (the narrator) in Apartment Eleven on the top floor. As Mikolaj Pa introduces each character by its location in the building, Gosia Herba’s vibrant colored-pencil illustrations add engaging details to pore over about the inhabitants and items in their homes. By the time all the residents meet on the rooftop for their weekly party, each contributing something unique such as the monkeys’ Speckled Orange Orangutan Cake, the Spider Orchestra’s music, and Bat’s new dance routine, young readers will be ready to celebrate with them. “How nice it is to spend time with good friends!” Translated from Polish. (PreK-Gr 2)
—NB

Water: Discovering the Precious Resource All Around Us. Olga Fadeeva. Trans. by Lena Traer. (2024). Eerdmans.
“How much water is there on earth?” “What are lakes?” “What is life without water?” In this exploration of the science, history, and other topics related to water, more than 25 questions are pursued with fact-filled responses overlaid on illustrations created with acrylic paint dripped and diluted with water. For example, the answer to the question “How are rainbows and water related?” includes detailed information about rainbows, waterfalls (with the largest, widest, and highest listed), and geysers (and their most active locations) set against a picture connecting all of these features. The man and a young girl in a motor boat on the cover make occasional appearances on the stunning double-spread pages. The book concludes with the thought-provoking question “How can we protect our planet’s water?” that encourages readers to think about active steps to safeguard this most precious resource. Front and back endpapers contain additional factoids. Translated from Russian. (Gr 3 Up)
—NB

You Are a Little Seed. Choi Sook-Hee. Trans. by Jieun Kiaer. (2024). Charlesbridge.
With a simple, lyrical text and colorful realistic illustrations featuring seven different seeds, their blossoms, and a different child for each, Choi Sook-Hee presents an engaging story about growth that is accessible to young children. For example, “A seed, a seed blowing / in the wind . . . // . . . took root in / the wild and bloomed / as a dandelion.” With a turn of the page, a young girl clutching the fluffy parachute-like stem of a wind-blown seed is now pictured among a patch of yellow dandelions. The grand finale with the seven girls and boys on a double spread flying through the sky above a field of all of the flowers is a perfect place for readers to identify the blooms presented. “Yes, you are a seed, too— / with a flower in your heart. / What kind of flowers / would you like to bloom?” (PreS Up)
—NB

​Nancy Brashear and Carolyn Angus
International picture books with English translations are good choices for sharing with students at all grade levels. Here are some of our favorites with 2023 U.S. publication dates that introduce young people to writers and artists from around the world and encourage discussion about other languages and cultures—as well as universal themes.

Afterward, Everything Was Different: A Tale of the Pleistocene. Jairo Buitrago. Trans. by Elisa Amado. Illus. by Rafael Yockteng. (2023). Aldana Libros.
Wordless, panoramic double-page spreads tell a story of a Pleistocene clan as they hunt for bison, face attacks from predators, and find a cave in which to shelter when winter comes. Left alone while everyone else goes hunting, a young girl takes a charred stick and draws pictures on the cave walls depicting events in their journey, and upon the clan’s return, she has a story to tell. A final page of text about the girl’s cave art begins with “The cave was different afterward.” It ends with “The marks she made were never erased. As time went by, she became the leader of the clan.” Jairo Buitrago’s words will have readers going back to Rafael Yockteng’s black-and-white drawings in graphite and white ink. Each rereading reveals more details of this engaging “tale of the Pleistocene.” Back matter provides information on cave art. Jairo Buitrago lives in Mexico; Rafael Yockteng lives in Colombia. (Gr 3 Up)
—CA

The Bear and the Wildcat. Kazumi Yumoto. Trans. by Cathy Hirano. Illus. by Komako Sakai. (2023). Gecko.
When his best friend, a little bird, dies, Bear makes a beautiful box for him and carries it everywhere. Upon seeing the contents of the box, the other forest animals all say, “It may be hard, but you have to forget about him.” Bear retreats to his home and mourns alone until, on a walk one sunny day, he meets a wildcat with an odd-shaped box. The wildcat agrees to show him its contents if he can see what is in Bear’s box. Upon viewing the dead bird, the wildcat comments that he must have been a very special friend who is missed. After helping to bury the little bird, the wildcat takes a violin from his box and says, “Let me play a song for you and your little friend.” Komako Sakai adds touches of pink to the somber black-and-white drawings as Bear recalls memories of his little friend and begins to heal. Kazumi Yumoto lives in Japan; Komako Sakai lives in Japan. (PreK-Gr 2)
—CA

Bear Is Never Alone. Marc Veerkamp. Trans. by Laura Watkinson. Illus. by Jeska Verstegen. (2023). Eerdmans.
The music of piano virtuoso Bear is so beautiful that all the forest animals, even the birds, are silent during his concert. Each time Bear stops playing, he hears, “More, more, Piano Bear!” Bear runs away seeking a break but is pursued by his audience and their continual cries for more songs. Finally, he’s had enough. His “BIG ROOOOAAAAR” frightens his audience away, and Bear finds himself alone—except for a lone zebra. Zebra wants to do something nice of him in appreciation for his beautiful music, but Bear rejects her offer to read him a story, saying he just wants to be alone. As Zebra departs, Bear realizes that listening to a good story might be nice and suggests, “Let’s  be alone together.” Jeska Verstegen’s black-and-white illustrations featuring the huge black Bear and his grand piano include just a few touches of red such as Zebra’s book. Marc Veerkamp lives in the Netherlands; Jeska Verstegen lives in the Netherlands. (PreK Up)
—CA

The Cat, the Owl and the Fresh Fish. Nadine Robert. Trans. by Nick Frost & Catherine Ostium. Illus. by Sang Miao. (2023). Milky Way Picture Books.
On his daily trip to his favorite fishing spot, Gray Cat discovers a rowboat with a basket of fresh fish anchored in the center of the small pond. A nearby owl, whose claw is trapped under a log, says he knows who owns the boat and can help Cat (who does not want to get wet) get the fresh fish before the boat’s owner returns. Cat uses Owl’s suggestions of a rock, red bucket, and stepping stones to approach the boat before, in an unexpected twist, after he grabs the log, the freed owl stretches his wings (shown in a magnificent double gatefold) and seizes the basket of fresh fish. This clever fable featuring anthropomorphic Cat and Owl in Sang Miao’s charming illustrations rendered in gouache, watercolor, and pencil gently hints that brains and patience can outsmart greed. Nadine Robert lives in Quebec, Canada; Sang Miao lives in China. (PreK-Gr 2)
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Fish and Crab. Marianna Coppo. Trans. by Debbie Bibo. (2023). Chronicle.
All is quiet in the aquarium where best friends Fish and Crab live together. It is bedtime. Crab falls asleep immediately while Fish’s fears of strange noises, interlopers, and illness grow to include terror of alien abduction and lots of other unlikely what-if scenarios that keep him unable to fall asleep and continually waking up Crab. Finally, Crab encourages him to share ALL of these anxieties at once over a cup of herbal tea so they can both go to sleep. Now unburdened, Fish nods off leaving Crab wide awake in the dark. Spare dialogue is strategically placed on pages with the colorful characters in their beds against a white background for lights-on scenes and in a grayscale palette for lights-off scenes presents a reassuring—and humorous—story perfect for bedtime or story time sharing. Marianna Coppo lives in Italy. (PreK-Gr 2)
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How Are You?: A Book About Feelings. Édouard Manceau. Trans. by Wendeline A. Hardenberg. (2023). Twirl.
 “How are you?” The child narrator in this board book responds with “Oh, it depends on the day.” Matte black pages feature text descriptors in white print on subsequent verso pages: “Sometimes I’m very well” and “Other times, not so much” (followed by 11 different words expressing emotions throughout the remainder of the book including sad, annoyed, angry, feeling empty, and sleepy.) On each opposing page is a face drawn with expressive facial features such as teary eyes, furrowed brows, a smiley mouth, and flushed cheeks. After working through a cycle of emotions including feeling empty inside after a crying jag and awakening from a little nap feeling better, the child answers the “How are you?” question with “I’m very well”--and follows up with “How are YOU?” This gentle story encourages young children to identify and express their emotions through words. The message? It is okay to feel strongly, and everything will be okay. Édouard Manceau lives in France. (PreS Up)
 —NB

The Moon Tonight: Our Moon’s Journey Around Earth. Jung Chang-hoon. Trans. by Paige Morris. Illus. by Jang Ho. (2023). Blue Dot.
Observing Earth’s closest celestial neighbor is a common experience for cultures around the world. In this astronomy-detailed story, a father and daughter learn about the waxing and waning of the moon, its four phases (crescent, quarter, full, and new) during its 29-and-a-half-day lunar cycle, and its effect on ebb and flow tides. Astronomer Jung Chang-hoon’s lyrical and informational narrative is complemented by Jang Ho’s  exquisite sepia- and gray-toned paintings on single- and double-page spreads, some with insets of illustrations and scientific descriptions in smaller print. This book is a good choice for reading in STEM classrooms as well as for curious sky-gazing families to share. Back matter includes “Things to Know About the Moon” with photos and a Korean proverb: “You’ve been waiting since the early evening to see the dawn Moon.” Jung Chang-hoon lives in South Korea; Jang Ho lives in South Korea. (PreK Up)
—NB

Some Do, Some Don’t. Dipacho. Trans. by Octavia Saenz. (2023). mineditionUS.
With a spare text and beautiful watercolor illustrations of the jabiru, the largest member of the stork family with its majestic white body and black neck with a red throat pouch, author-illustrator Dipacho explores the characteristics of families and individuals with contrasting statements such as “Some of us enjoy a crowd, and others like being alone.” The thought-provoking ending of this picture book—“Some of us fly off and follow our own paths. Actually, we all do.”—encourages conversation about the diversity of family relationships of the featured bird, the jabiru, that also applies to how humans live with each other. The informative end note about jabirus may also inspire readers to find out more about this “great stork of the New World.” Dipacho lives in Colombia. (PreK Up)
—CA

Tap! Tap! Tap!: Dance! Dance! Dance! Hervé Tullet. Trans. by Christopher Franceschelli. (2023). Chronicle.
In his latest innovative picture book, Hervé Tullet, the creator of Press Here! (2011) and Mix It Up! (2014) and other playful interactive picture books, directs the young reader to place their hand on the blue handprint on the first page, wiggle their fingers gently to warm them up, and then explore color, form, and movement as they follow the narrator’s directions to use their hand to dance across the pages of this oversize book. After tap, tap, tapping on circles; “whooshing” in a circle around the edge of a double-page spread; making “loop the loops,” circles, and spirals by following and jumping around the bold forms in primary colors, the reader is invited to start all over again! Hervé Tullet lives in France. (PreS Up)
—CA

We Are Lions! Jens Mattsson. Trans. by B. J. Woodstein. Illus. by Jenny Lucander. (2023). Groundwood.
The child narrator tells how he and his older brother play at being lions as they hunt, stalk, and laze in a lion heap in the make-believe savannah outside their home. One day, big brother has a stomach ache, and Dad takes him to the doctor. When he returns home, young brother tries to entertain him by growling, roaring, clawing, and pouncing, but soon big brother is admitted to the hospital where his medicine makes him lose his “lion’s mane.” Young brother knows his brother does not want to be trapped by wires and tubes, so he sneaks him into a wheelchair for a hunting adventure through the hospital “savannah” until his IV gets caught on a door handle. Big brother is returned to his bed and comforted by little brother’s “Soon we’ll go hunting again.” Expressive illustrations, created with line drawings, watercolors, and digital collage, capture the touching story of a brother using imagination and love to negotiate his way through his sibling’s life-threatening illness. Jens Mattsson lives in Sweden; Jenny Lucander lives in Finland. (PreK Up)
—NB