Picture Books from Around the World

​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

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​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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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​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)

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​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)

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Nancy Brashear is Professor Emeritus of English at Azusa Pacific University, in Azusa, California. Carolyn Angus is former Director of the George G. Stone Center for Children’s Books, Claremont Graduate University, in Claremont, California.