USBBY Awards

The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) serves as the U.S. section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) IBBY was founded to promote international understanding through books for children. The USBBY is awarded annually to honor children’s books distributed in the U.S. (and possibly translated into English) that were first published in a country other than the United States.

Baasansuren, B. (2006). My little round house. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books.

     Children’s Picture Book: Realistic fiction. Baby Jilu tells his story of the first year of his life. Born into a Mongolian family of nomadic sheepherders, the little round house is his home, traditionally called a ger. His family takes their ger with them as they travel with the seasons. Wrapped in rich cultural tradition, the reader realizes that ‘home’ is not a place, but rather a sense of belonging--in your immediate surroundings and family. Bassansuren, Mongolian artist and author, illustrates the narrative in gouache on paper in rich and vibrant colors. View this book as a read-aloud for ages 4-9 for its generational story line and cultural relevance. Ages 8-adult readers might likely learn for the first time about the nomadic way of life still present today in Mongolia, but will gain even more from the cyclical symbolism and the author’s message of respect for multicultural differences in what defines a home. Awarded an USBBY in 2010.

Browne, A. (2008). Little beauty. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

                  Children’s Picture Book: Fantasy. A captive gorilla trained in sign language is lonely and his keepers bring in a kitten to keep him company. Quickly the two become fast friends, until the day when gorilla becomes enraged and his Little Beauty is about to be taken from him. I can’t reveal any more…this is a simple story with an incredible message of friendship. Browne illustrates in pencil and watercolors, complementing the personification of gorilla in the text and lending the tale a sense of realism. View as a read-aloud for ages 3-8 for its message of friendship. Older readers (9 yrs.-adult) will experience a seamless ah-ha moment when they relate plot to theme. Awarded an USBBY in 2009.

       

Daly, N. (2006). Pretty salma: A little red riding hood story from africa. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

            Children’s Book: Adapted Fairy Tale. A West-African retelling of the   traditional Little Red Riding Hood, Granny sends Salma to the market. On Salma’s way home she decides to take a short-cut and meets up with the scoundrel, Mr. Dog. After he has talked Salma out of not only her wares, but her clothing as well, he heads off to Granny’s for a treat. Meanwhile Salma enlists the help of her Grandfather in scaring Mr. Dog out of the house, at the exact moment Granny’s been placed in the pot. All ends well, but Salma never again talks to strangers or takes a short-cut through the wild side of town. An award-winning children’s author, Daly also illustrates this tale’s narrative in lively watercolors. Granny’s words when she meets Mr. Dog are verbatim those in the traditional telling, and children will recognize them at once. View as a read-aloud for ages 4-7 for the contemporary and cultural differences of the original telling. View as an independent read for ages 8-adult. Suggested use in a compare and contrast lesson on variations in folklore. Awarded the USBBY Award in 2007.