Indie Crushes - January 18, 2019
When we learn about others' lives their experiences can help shape our own perspectives on the world. When we read about different celebrations we can witness the universality of giving thanks and celebrating as one. When see how other lives their lives in ordinary but different ways, it helps to broaden our understanding of what life is like for others like us around the world.
This week I'm sharing a collection of books that each serve to help children see themselves, their experiences, and their futures through the lens of others. The more that readers at any age learn about people, cultures, and customs throughout the world, the more those readers can draw from that rich knowledge base to value, respect, and honor the lives and accomplishments of others.
Some of the most unique and enduring stories come from small, independent publishers in my experience. I often don't read these book on their release day or month (or sometimes even year. But as these stories find their way to me a few will inevitably take root and that's when I know it's my responsibility to share those stories with others.
That being said, here's what I've been crushing on this week from small, independent publishers.
Check out previous Indie Crushes HERE.
INDIE CRUSHES - January 18th, 2019
Power to the Princess: 15 Favorite Fairytales Retold with Girl Power
by Vita Murrow and Julia Bereciartu (LINCOLN'S CHILDREN'S BOOKS)
What if princesses didn’t always marry Prince Charming and live happily ever after? In this stunning anthology—elegantly presented in a red, clothbound hard cover with gold-toned metallic debossing—15 favorite fairytales have been retold for a new generation. These princesses are smart, funny, and kind, and can do anything they set their minds to.
Focused on issues including self-image, confidence, LGBTQ, friendship, advocacy, and disability, these stories are perfect for sharing between parents and children, or for older princesses or princes to read by themselves. They teach that a princess is a person who seeks to help others, is open to learning new things, and looks for ways to add purpose to their lives and the lives of those around them.
Get reacquainted with these powerful princesses:
Snow White—champion of real beauty
Sleeping Beauty—specialist on sleeping disorders
Thumbelina—music producer and advocate
Rapunzel—world-famous architect
Belle the Brave—undercover agent
Elisabeth and the Wild Swans—fashion designer
Cinderella—prime minster and businesswoman
Star and the 12 Dancers—dancer
The Goose Girl—stand-up comedian
Princess Sevinah (and the Pea)—founder of the Fairyland Dating Service
The Snow Queen—winter sports coach
The Little Mermaid—advocate for peace between mer-people and humans
Zade—storyteller (of 1001 tales) and businesswoman
Evangeline (The Frog Princess)—natural historian
Little Red Riding Hood—environmentalist and Princess of the Wolves
Power to the princess!
One Day, So Many Ways
by Laura Hall, Loris Lora (LINCOLN'S CHILDREN'S BOOKS)
Discover what daily life is like for kids all around the world! Meet children from over 40 countries and explore the differences and similarities between their daily routines. Over 24 hours, follow a wide variety of children as they wake up, eat, go to school, play, talk, learn, and go about their everyday routine in this stunning retro-style illustrated picture book that celebrates different cultures.
The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid
by Dylan Thuras, Rosemary Mosco and Joy Ang (WORKMAN PUBLISHING COMPANY)
The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid is a thrilling expedition to 100 of the most surprising, mysterious, and weird-but-true places on earth.
For curious kids, this is the chance to embark on the journey of a lifetime—and see how faraway countries have more in common than you might expect! Hopscotch from country to country in a chain of connecting attractions: Explore Mexico’s glittering cave of crystals, then visit the world’s largest cave in Vietnam. Peer over a 355-foot waterfall in Zambia, then learn how Antarctica’s Blood Falls got their mysterious color. Or see mysterious mummies in Japan and France, then majestic ice caves in both Argentina and Austria.
As you climb mountains, zip-line over forests, and dive into oceans, this book is your passport to a world of hidden wonders, illuminated by gorgeous art.
Our Celebracin!: La Celebracion!
by Susan Middleton Elya and Ana Aranda (LEE & LOW BOOKS)
It's a sunny summer day. Come join the crowd headed for the parade Marvel at the people riding motorcycles, bicycles, tricycles, and unicycles. Duck out of the way as firefighters spray water on hot spectators. Clap to the music as bands of musicians playing clarinetes, saxophones, flautas, trumpets, and drums march by. Feast on lemonade, watermelon, tacos, and ice cream. Wave to the corn princess as her float passes by. Then take cover when a quick rain shower comes, followed by a bright rainbow. Back in the town plaza as night falls, marvel at the sparkling fireworks that end the day's festivities. Pop, pop, pop B n, b n, b n With engaging text and imaginative, whimsical illustrations, this story is the perfect way to enjoy a summer day--and learn some Spanish too.
Peace and Me
by Ali Winter and Mickael El Fathi (LANTANA PUBLISHING)
What does peace mean to you? This collection of inspirational ideas about peace is based on the lives of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates of the 20th and 21st centuries, among them Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa and Malala Yousafzai. A must for anyone interested in exploring this essential issue of our times, this child-friendly exploration of what peace means to you and me is a book for every bookshelf.
Rebel Voices: The Global Fight for Women's Equality and the Right to Vote
by Louise Kay Stewart and Eve Lloyd Knight (CROCODILE BOOKS)
Rule Breakers. Risk Takers. Rebel Women. Law Makers. This book is a celebration of women standing up, speaking out, and sticking together to battle inequality and win the vote.
In January 2017, more than 3 million women around the world marched, demanding their voices be heard and their rights defended. Rebel Voices is a book about historical events, but truly for our times. It features the brave campaigners who fought for women's right to vote. Discover that it was never illegal for women to vote in Ecuador, or how 40,000 Russian women marched through St. Petersburg demanding their rights. Find out how one Canadian woman changed opinions with a play, and Kuwaiti women protested via text message. And learn that women climbed mountains, walked a lion through the streets of Paris, and starved themselves, all in the name of having a voice. Tracing its history from New Zealand at the end of.
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