Postcards

The centenarian stone pine in the middle of the street, which rises to the sky despite the concrete jungle surrounding it, is reported to the municipality by "some neighbors" claiming that it is polluting the environment. Seeing that the workers are preparing to cut the tree, Maya becomes really upset and decides to take action. Her grandparents and the tailor, Arman, support her by sitting on the sidewalk just next to the tree. Maya makes a plan that involves not only all the neighbors but also the crows and the cats.

This warm neighborhood story opens the notion of "home" for discussion while whispering that coexistence may endure only with respect and love. Aytuğ, one of the young, successful writers of Turkish children's literature, reminds her readers that solidarity is the only way to overcome injustice and defend life itself—standing by the side of childran, cats, and crows. A sweetie cat walks through the pages of the book, enriched by İrten's marvelous illustrations.

İpek Baysan


Maya Nin Ağacı (Maya's Tree)
Gökçe Ateş Aytuğ
Illus. Gökçe İrten
Istanbul, Turkey: Gunisigi
Kitapligi 2017. 2nd ed. 156 pp.
ISBN: 978-605-9405-20-1
(Fiction; ages 10–12)

The protagonist's name is derived from the common Turkish expression that describes hardworking, nerdy students, and Super moo is indeed a hardworking, well-mannered, extraordinary cow who loves reading. She also plays video games and uses the Internet. One day, she reads in an article that a huge meteor will pass near the Earth soon. What if it hits the Earth? Supermoo solves this impossible problem in an extraordinary manner by uniting the power of books and technology. She gathers an online group of cows whose collective study, research, and collaboration is portrayed in a magical atmosphere, bridging fiction with reality.

The author-illustrator—and ALMA candidate for the last three years—is widely admired by children. This storyteller uses words that can easily penetrate children's hearts and minds. The flowing language also positively affects the dynamism of the story, which complements the story's sincerity and warmth and makes it more memorable.

Mavisel Yener


Süpermöö Dünyayı Nasıl kurtardı?
(How Did Supermoo Save the Earth?)
Fatih Erdoğan
Istanbul, Turkey: Mavibulut, 2017. 36 pp.
ISBN: 9789753102797
(Picturebook; ages 4+)

This is the story of Badboy, who is both ordinary and special at the same time, like any other boy Badboy is growing up in a poor barrio, sad and grey like his old coat, which is too large for him and someone's castoff. They call him a bad boy, but he is only the poorest and unhappiest of all boys. One day he decides to live up to his name, since this seems to be what everyone expects from him. Well, not quite everyone...

This story was inspired by the true account of El Sistema and the world-famous Bolivar Orchestra of Venezuela. It is a story about faith in humanity and human beings. It is a story about the power of art and culture against poverty and social exclusion. Darlasi has created a work for children and young adults that is brimming with optimism and inspired by love and faith in humanity. It portrays the loss of identity in a world defined by the unfair distribution of wealth. It won an award by the Greek Section of IBBY and was selected for the IBBY Honour List.

Vasiliki Nika


To Παλιόπαιδο (Badboy)
Angeliki Darlasi
Illus. Iris Samartzi
Athens, Greece: Pataki, 2014. 64 pp.
ISBN: 978-960-16-5876-6
(Fiction; ages 6+)

Jimmy brings his toy weapons to school with him and at lunchtime goes up behind his classmates and tells them to put their "Hands Up or else!" Not only does he pick on Malena and make Aphrodite cry, but he also terrifies the new girl, Theofili, who hasn't uttered a single word since she joined their class. Malena and Pericles decide that enough is enough and confront Jimmy to make him change his ways.

This is an original and carefully thought-out story about bullying in the schoolyard as told by...