Picture Book Highlights | International Children's Book Day

By Monica C. RSS Mon, April 3, 2023

Did you know? April 2 is International Children's Book Day. I know I'm biased, but I LOVE children's books, especially picture books. Here in the United States hundreds of picture books are published every year, and among them there are some that come originally from other countries. These books are translated into English and offer a window into a different way of storytelling. These translated books introduce different authors and illustrators to us, and tell stories that ring true everywhere and anywhere.

The President of the Jungle by André Rodrigues, Larissa Ribeiro, Paula Desgualdo and Pedro Markun; translated from Portuguese by Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Lion may be King of the jungle, but lately he only seems to care about himself. His subjects are fed up, so they decide to try something new--hold an election! Once Owl explains the rules, the fun begins, and Snake, Sloth, and Monkey all announce they will be candidates. But oh no, Lion is going to run too! It's a wild campaign season as the animals hold rallies, debate, and even take a selfie or two, trying to prove why they'd make the best president of the jungle.

My Father's Arms Are A Boat by Stein Erik Lunde; illustrated by Oyvind Torseter; translated from Norwegian by Kari Dickson

Its quieter than it's ever been. Unable to sleep, a young boy climbs into his father's arms. Feeling the warmth and closeness of his father, he begins to ask questions about the birds, the foxes, and whether his mom will ever wake up. They go outside under the starry sky. Loss and love are as present as the white spruces, while the father's clear answers and assurances calm his worried son. Here we feel the cycles of life and life's continuity, even in the face of absence and loss, so strongly and clearly that we know at the end that everything will, somehow, be all right.

In the Meadow of Fantasies by by Hadi Mohammadi; illustrated by Nooshin Safakhoo; translated from Persian by Sara Khalili

A young girl with a physical disability gazes up at a mobile of spinning horses from her little pink bed in her room filled with leafy plants. As she watches them prance about, the tufted snout of a real live horse peeks through her bedroom door. Soon enough, our bright protagonist is off and cantering on an adventure with seven majestic horses. The first six are easily understood: their colors, dreams, families, and origins are described and accompanied with exquisite drawings. The seventh horse, however, is an enigmatic creature with no clear hue or history, a lack that is soon filled in by the loving offerings of the other ponies. A story about dreaming and about caring for others, it will remind young readers of their own reveries and conjure new fantasies of friendly creatures in far off lands.

Ebook available from Overdrive

Bedtime for Bo by Kjersti Annesdatter Skomsvold; illustrated by Mari Kanstad Johnsen; translated from Norwegian by Kari Dickson

It’s time for bed, but little Bo isn’t ready to stop playing quite yet! As his mother gamely guides him through his nighttime routine, he imitates various animals—a hibernating bear after eating a snack, a snuggling sea otter when taking a bath, a coiled python while curling up under the covers… Mommy joins in on the fun and keeps one step ahead of Bo until he falls asleep, soaring like a bird into the world of dreams.

by Heena Baek; translated from Korean by Sophie Bowman

Tong Tong could never have imagined what everyone around him was thinking. But when he gets hold of some magic candies, suddenly there are voices everywhere. He can hear how his couch feels, what upsets his dog, that his demanding dad loves him. He even gets to catch up with his dead grandmother. It turns out, these voices in Tong Tong’s life have A LOT to say! Is Tong Tong ready to hear it?

Jerôme by Heart by Thomas Scotto; illustrations by Olivier Tallec; translated from French by Claudia Zoe Bedrick & Karin Snelson

This story follows a little boy named Raphael, whose daily rhythm is steeped in his immense affection for his friend Jerome. The two boys share jokes and snacks and plan future adventures to the Himalayas. Even when Raphael’s constant talk of Jerome is driving his parents crazy, he remains steadfast: “Raphael loves Jerome. I can say it. It’s easy.” And the truth is, when he’s with Jerome, Raphael feels happy, liked, and understood— even special.

Every Color of Light by Hiroshi Osada; illustrated by Ryoji Aria; translated from Japanese by David Boyd

Every Color of Light opens on a lush, green forest in the rain. Illustrated by the masterful Ryoji Arai, the calm is shattered when the wind picks up and lightning cuts the sky. Yet out of this turbulence, the day blooms bright, the flowers open, and raindrops roll and drip down to the forest floor. The sun sets. The moon rises, and in a pool of water we see its reflection. We go to sleep with the forest, sinking into the pool, into the calm reflection of the moon. Harmonizing our human experience to the natural world, Arai invites the reader to hold imaginative space for our oneness with the natural world.

Petra by Marianna Coppo; translated from Italian by Thames & Hudson and Debbie Bibo

Petra is a little rock who believes she is a mighty mountain . . . until a dog fetches her for its owner, and she is tossed into a bird's nest. A mountain? No, Petra is now an egg! An egg of the world in a world of possibility. Until she's flung into a pond, and becomes an amazing island . . . and, eventually, a little girl's pet rock. What will she be tomorrow? Who knows? But she's a rock, and this is how she rolls!

The Visitor by Antje Damm; translated from German by Sally-Ann Spencer

Elise was frightened—of spiders, people, even trees. So she never went out, night or day. One day a strange thing flies in through the window and lands at her feet. And then there comes a knock at the door. Elise has a visitor who will change everything. A gentle and sympathetic story about friendship and shyness that plays out in a mini theater, as a child unwittingly brings light and color—literally—into a lonely person's life.

The Capybaras by Alfredo Soderguit; translated from Spanish by Elisa Amado

Hens and their chicks love their warm, snug home. Life is simple and comfortable in the chicken coop, where everyone knows their place and worries are far away. Until one day, when the capybaras appear. To the hens, the capybaras are too big, too wet, and too hairy. They don’t even follow the rules! But it’s hunting season, and the capybaras need somewhere safe to hide. Can the hens learn to get along with their unexpected guests?

Ebook available from Overdrive

The Big Bad Wolf in My House by Valérie Fontaine; illustrated by Nathalie Dion; translated from French by Shelley Tanaka

The young girl tells us that her mom’s new friend is just like the big bad wolf. At first the wolf is sweet and kind to her mom, though the girl notices the wolf’s cold eyes from the very beginning. When her mom arrives home late one day, the wolf suddenly hurls angry words and terrible names at her. From that day on her mother doesn’t smile anymore. The girl is careful to clean her room and brush her teeth and do everything to keep the peace, but the wolf is unpredictable, throwing plates on the floor, yelling at her mother and holding the girl’s arm so tightly she is left with bruises. Whenever the yelling begins, she hides under the covers in her room. How will she and her mom cope as the wolf becomes increasingly fierce?

Ebook available from Overdrive

The Neighbors by Einat Tsarfati; translated from Hebrew by Annette Appel

As a young girl climbs the seven stories to her own (very boring!) apartment, she imagines what’s behind each of the doors she passes. Does the door with all the locks belong to a family of thieves? Might the doorway with muddy footprints conceal a pet tiger? Each spread reveals—in lush detail—the wilds of the girl’s imagination, from a high-flying circus to an underwater world and everything in between. When the girl finally reaches her own apartment, she is greeted by her parents, who might have a secret even wilder than anything she could have imagined!

When I Colored The World by Ahmadreza Ahmadi; illustrated by Ehsan Abdollahi; translated from Persian by Azita Rassi

A child uses crayons to colour and change the world, making it a kinder, more hopeful place. This book features beautiful colourful images and poetic text.

Leilong The Library Bus by Julia Liu & Bei Lynn; translated from Chinese by Helen Wang

Leilong’s friends are taking him to story time at the library. But it’s difficult for a large, clumsy brontosaurus without a library card to follow all the rules. Especially when enthusiastic Leilong gets caught up in the story and joins in, threatening to flatten the library. Is Leilong too big for the library, or is the library too small?


Be sure to check our catalog and Overdrive Kids eReading Room for these titles and many more being added!


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