In a world of thousands of different languages, literary translation is vital to the sharing of stories and information across cultures. Our collection in the Youth Library includes lots of translated children’s books that offer a fascinating view of life and childhood in other countries, as well as unique styles of illustration and storytelling. Take your little one on a trip around the world with these translated picture books we’ve added to our collection this year.

“John the Skeleton” by Triinu Laan, translated by Adam Cullen. After a long career serving as a teaching tool in an anatomy classroom, John the skeleton retires into the summer kitchen of an elderly couple in the countryside of Estonia. John accompanies “grams and gramps” to light the sauna, chop wood, and listen to the springtime “lake song” as the icy lake melts and cracks in the sun, scenes that may feel familiar to many Yoopers. As the couple ages and nears the end of their life, John provides them great comfort and friendship. This silly yet heartfelt story opens up conversations with your children about death, aging, grief, and how honoring family traditions can keep the memories of our loved ones alive.

“A Sleepless Night” by Micaela Chirif, translated by Jordan Landsman and Illustrated by Joaquin Camp. This vibrantly illustrated picture book comes from Argentina and tells the story of baby Elisa, who cries and screams so loudly all night that it can be heard across the world. All the neighbors come over and desperately try to calm her crying, but to no avail. In the morning, grandma, who is hard of hearing and oblivious to the screeching, comes over and knows exactly what to do to calm the baby down. The ending is guaranteed to get a big laugh from your little ones.

“An Unexpected Light” by Jose Sarmago, translated by Margaret Jull Costa. In the Portuguese countryside, a 12-year old farm boy travels for two days by foot with his uncle to the city Santarém, where they hope to sell a litter of piglets at the market. The journey is a wondrous adventure in the eyes of the boy, who is “filled with a great desire to weep” as he is awestruck by the beauty and magic of the sights he encounters on the trek. This simple, quiet and cozy story is a perfect bedtime read.

“How We Share Cake” by Kim Hyo-un, translated by Deborah Smith. Anyone who grew up with siblings knows the never ending struggle of splitting things fairly between each other. This tale follows five Korean siblings who have careful strategies to equally split up everything in their lives, from fried chicken to the breeze of an oscillating fan. This

delightfully illustrated book has scenarios that will be familiar to any set of siblings, but also includes some Korean foods and vocabulary words that are fun to learn for anyone unfamiliar with Korean culture.

By Claire Ellis

Peter White Public Library