What I know about cricket is not so much about how the game is actually played, but that it's a cultural phenomenon that can actually save lives. Two favorite Indian films come immediately to mind: Lagaan, which was Oscar-nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in 2002,...
Re Jane cleverly recasts Jane Eyre as a Korean American from Queens If nothing else, choosing to retell a revered classic as a first novel requires either supreme spunk or reckless fatuity. For Patricia Park – who happens to be a thesis-advisee and protégée of National...
CJ feels the rain, and plaintively asks his nana, "'How come we gotta wait for the bus in all this wet?’" Doesn't help that CJ's friend happens to drive right by with his dad in their own car. But never, ever underestimate Nana's wisdom because she knows exactly...
When Antonio goes to hear a mariachi band with his family, he can hardly take his eyes off the guitars. But his request for a guitarra is met with a frown as his Papa explains that he has "no money for such things." All he...
If we didn't have our grandmothers, we wouldn't have our mothers to appreciate today (and every day, ahem) ...
After yesterday's SuperMutant Magic Academy, here's a Jillian Tamaki bonus for non-kiddie readers. It's lucky #7 in rebel San Francisco-based publisher Youth in Decline’s Frontier, "a quarterly art and comics monograph series," as described on the company's website. "Inspired in part by South Korea's SSE Project...
Canadian Japanese cousins Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki have become quite the award-winning dynamic duo in the graphic industry with their bestselling collaborations, Skim (four Eisner nominations) and This One Summer (a 2015 Caldecott Honor). Both titles have been intensely honest, openly revealing, as well as uniquely engaging examinations...
Found in Translation For a nation of immigrants, our literary preferences surely seem to lean toward xenophobic. Among American presses, translated titles make up a mere 3% of published titles. The statistics aren’t too different in the United Kingdom: “Some call it the two percent problem,...
Daughters of the Samurai profiles three remarkable women who influenced modern Japanese history Set aside ample time: You won’t welcome intrusions while reading this unprecedented, true story featuring young Japanese girls who arrived stateside without language or cultural training, and matured into three of the most...
"My Tata has been helping people feel better for as long as I can remember," young Aaron explains about his beloved grandfather. "He helps my family and me when we get hurt or feel sick. He helps the neighbors too. All anyone has to do is...
"We have three souls, or so I'd been told. But only in death could I confirm this." Thus begins Canadian author Janie Chang’s debut novel, Three Souls, in which a dead woman will learn about a life that ended too quickly, and how she might...
Olympian Bruce Jenner's April 24, 2015 interview with Diane Sawyer will likely be remembered as one of those critical moments for the LGBTQ community, especially those who identify as transgender. While every human being should be equally valued, Jenner's hugely public persona will create a more focused spotlight on...
How much do you know about French literature? Try our quiz! From Anatole France to Émile Zola, French writers are among the most esteemed on the planet. But how well do you know la littérature française? Take our quiz and find out. Published: Christian Science Monitor, April...
What do you know about Asian literature? So you love haiku, can quote from "The Art of War," and have read at least a couple of novels by Salman Rushdie. But do you know enough to ace our Asian lit quiz? Try it and see. Published: Christian...
Hungry? Stop and get something to quell those belly rumbles. Save yourself the slobber before reading! And, in case you didn't notice, we're starting here with volume 6 ...
In case you've missed the recent headlines, Cuba has been in the news a lot: "We are separated by 90 miles of water, but are brought together through shared relationships and the desire to promote a democratic, prosperous, and stable Cuba," a recent official White...
Tom's mother spins wool; his father makes nails. As young as he is, Tom works, too, but unlike his parents, Tom wants more ...
Winner of the 2011 New Voices Award from innovative multi-culti press Lee & Low, journalist/new author Jennifer Torres’ Finding the Music hit shelves earlier this month. [In case you need the exact details, the original title was Live at the Cielito Lindo, the publisher is Children's Book Press – one...
In Latin, Deo gratias, means 'thanks be to God.' And yet in Belgian graphic artist/author J.P. Stassen’s arresting title of the same name, gratitude and God have all but disappeared. The titular Deogratias here was once a teenage boy – mischievous, a little desperate, in love with...
Yes, indeed – too much of a good thing is detrimentally possible. Take electricity, for example: as much as we need and use that energy, "city lights always [turn] the night sky gray and dull." For young Phoebe, that's especially disappointing, because tonight, Saturn and...
