Last week we took a little tour of Japan, acquainting ourselves with our host country for the 2021 Olympics. This week I’ve got books detailing the jaw-dropping feats of athleticism these games are famous for, as we get ready for …
Tag: japan
the Olympics are coming! it’s time to explore Japan!
The beleaguered 2021 Summer Olympics are set to begin on July 23rd. There have been many quirks and setbacks in the history of the modern Olympics, but the devastating pandemic, year-long delay of the games, and debate over whether or …
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a dose of warm friendship…ten picture books to help heal our hearts
The books I’ve collected for today’s post are warm, generous stories of friendship and community. May they be both a balm and a beacon for you and yours in these fractious days . Desert Girl, Monsoon Boy, written by Tara …
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sail to new places
I have a definite soft-spot for books giving me a window onto other cultures. Today I’ve got a raft of enticing stories that do just that, and I’ll be returning to this topic again later this fall with a second …
war and peace…five journeys towards peace in a war-torn world
Who will Time Magazine’s Person of the Year be this year, I wonder? If a refugee is not in the running, I will be surprised, even disappointed. What a year it has been for the innocent victims of war. And what …
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summertime book of the week…can you say baseball in Japanese?
Take Me Out to the Yakyu, written and illustrated by Aaron Meshon What can be as all-American as baseball, right? As you may know, though, baseball is one of the most popular sports in Japan. In this dyamic book by …
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fiction favorites…Heart of a Samurai
Heart of a Samurai: Based on the True Story of Manjiro Nakahama, by Margi Preus, with illustrations by Manjiro, Kawada Shoryo, and Jillian Tamaki Beyond this island was a world about which Manjiro knew nothing. It was, perhaps, a huge …
a list of…five stories to transport you around the world
Orani: My Father’s Village, written and illustrated by Claire A. Nivola Orani is a tiny village of narrow, cobbled streets and red clay tiled roofs, dusky green fig trees, and drooping grape clusters, tucked in a sun-soaked, Mediterranean valley on …
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a list of…five books ambling across Asia
Ready for some armchair travel? Today’s books make a little tour around Asia with stops in Thailand, India, China, Japan, and…southern California, at the home of some Korean-Americans. These are fascinating glimpses of rich cultures for you and your kids …
a list of…five books about mingling cultures
A Country Far Away, story by Nigel Gray, illustrations by Philippe Dupasquier A young boy from the dry, hot, sandy lands of West Africa, and a young boy from the green-lawn, attached-garage suburbs of America (or Europe), tell us about …
orange marmalade 