ACHUKA Book of the Day Thu 2 Apr 2020

“There are insides where we feel safe and outsides that make us feel frightened. There are wall and there are cats, as brave as you, and him, and me, leaping from one side to the other.”

So concludes this very special story of an unexpected friendship of two children, on either side of war and peace.

Inspired by the childhood of the author, whose father was appointed Italian ambassador to Tehran in 1980, this picture book is a beautiful evocation of a country struck by war, where friendship arises despite the rising walls. In the summer of 1981, Chiara and her family join their father in Iran. At their beautiful palace, there is an inside and an outside, separated by a wall. Inside, there is a wild garden where princes and princesses used to walk. Outside, in the black city, there are soldiers with heavy boots, big beards and bombs. One day, a boy from outside climbs the wall into the garden. The garden no longer feels inpenetrable but Chiara has made a friend, Massoud, who will keep the secret of the inside-outside.

Waterstones

ACHUKA Book of the Day Thu 26 Mar 2020

Make each trip outside a nature hunt…

A touching tale of a grandmother and her granddaughter exploring and cherishing the natural world.
Words, the woods, and the world illuminate this quest to save the most important pieces of our language-by saving the very things they stand for.

“Touching, poetic, noble. The best use of [The Keeper of Wild Words] is to take children out on a nature hunt to collect and/or identify said listed items. Using the large envelope at the end of the book is a good way to make a keepsake of the experience.”-School Library Journal

“Kloepper’s soft illustrations feature green and brown earth tones that frame the white, matte pages; bursts of red, purple, and other spot colors enliven the scenes. Sensory details allow the protagonist to hear, see, smell, taste, and hold the wild.” KIRKUS

Waterstones

ACHUKA Book of the Day Tue 24 Mar 2020

A perfect example of how picture books can open young minds to big philosophical ideas. Perfectly paced and pageset, this title from Otter-Barry Books will have universal, international appeal.

Only a Tree knows how to be a tree… But trees are just the start – everything and everyone is different and special. Birds, dogs, fishes, people – and our Earth itself – all have their own unique place in our world. And only you know how to be you.

“The simple text has been hand lettered, and the painterly illustrations include interesting dry textures. Even though many illustrations include tiny details, this will work well for group as well as one-to-one. A simple message delivered effectively.” KIRKUS

Waterstones