Nandana Dev Sen

A mother attempts to shepherd her daughter through the going-to-bed process in this engaging picture-book, but finds that she is being resisted at every turn. For every instruction given - take your bath, brush your teeth - the little girl has something else, from cuddling hippos to kissing kangaroos, that she'd rather be doing...

Told entirely through the back-and-forth dialogue between mother and daughter, Kangaroo Kisses is a bedtime tale that emphasizes the important role of imaginative play in a child's life. As the girl describes the various wildlife she must interact with before going to bed, the illustrations reveal that each animal is also one of her stuffed animals. The text itself rhymes, making this an excellent read-aloud selection. Recommended to anyone looking for new bedtime books for toddlers.… (altro)

A little monkey named Mambi longs to fly like her friend Koko the crow or swim like Tonga the turtle in this sweet picture-book from India. Lacking wings and gills however, she must accept her limitations. Or must she...? When a terrible fire threatens the forest, and both Koko and Tonga are unable to save themselves, it falls to Mambi to spring into action, demonstrating that she too has important abilities, as well as courage and a good heart.

Published by Penguin Books India, Mambi and the Forest Fire is probably not a book I would have encountered - it is not in the LOC catalogue, and is most likely not to be found in many American libraries - were we not hosting the author for an event at work. I'm glad that we are, as I have an interest in international children's literature, but often have trouble tracking down titles from abroad. I don't know that it is a particularly memorable title, but the story is very sweet, and the artwork cute. The message - that we each of us have our own abilities and talents, and should not be ashamed of who we are, nor long to be like others - is a welcome one.… (altro)