Youme Landowne

"Malichansouk Kouanchao is a Laotian-American artist, but once upon a time she was a child living through difficult times. Her life seemed idyllic, portrayed in spring-hued watercolors surrounded by intricately designed borders. The simple text describes the little girl playing in rice paddies, cooking spicy food and attending weddings, where the custom was to tie ceremonial strings around relatives’ wrists to seal familial love. Then the story and the paintings grow darker. The Lao people endured civil war and American bombings, and many faced political persecution, though the text does not explicitly say why or when Mali’s family fled. Lao words are sprinkled throughout the text, almost as a poetic refrain, and these words in Lao script appear in dialogue bubbles in the corresponding double-page spreads. In a unique touch, the Lao numbers appear on each page. This biographical account is presented as a story rather than as a piece of nonfiction, and as such, it's not quite as compelling as it might have been with more specific details. A note from Mali and an essay by Thavisouk Phrasavath at the end help provide some context. (Picture book. 4-7) " www.kirkusreviews.com… (mere)

Cohn, D. (2015). Crane Boy. El Paso, Texas: Cinco Puntos Press.

Crane Boy tells the story of Kinga, a young boy in Bhutan who loves the black-headed cranes who come to his village every year. He is distracted at home and in school while he awaits their return. He is such an avid fan of the birds that he proposes a new festival be celebrated in their honor. He elicits the help of the local monks to create a traditional style dance to celebrate the grace of the cranes. For days and days he trains with the monks, perfecting his moves. Invitations for the Crane Festival are sent out to every village in Bhutan. Finally, on the day of the festival, Kinga is nervous; he’s afraid his dancing will be terrible in front of his family, the monks, and all the visitors. However, his love for the Cranes gives him the focus to perform his dance to perfection, he even becomes air-born. Kinga is praised by the King of Bhutan himself. Kinga and his friends watch as the cranes depart again, but he looks forward to the next time they return, when his village will host the Crane Festival again. The book ends with several pages detailing many animals, customs, and activities that the authors were introduced to during their time spent in Bhutan, researching this real-life festival. This book is suitable for children ages 3-7 years.… (mere)