Winner of the LUCHS Award | White Ravens 2016 | Leipzig Reading Compass 2017
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by Ignasi Blanch & Joana Raspall If you had been born in another land, you could be white, you could be black… The colour of our skin, our languages, food, clothes, games … it could all be different if we had been in another place. Some things would be better, others worse, but what is […]
by Kieran Rynhart & Alexandra Tylee A strong and simple picture book that perfectly encapsulates the world of a child If I was a banana, I would be that one, so beautifully yellow and full of banana … This boy’s eye-view of the everyday brings alive all the wonder and oddity of the world inside […]
by Arne Rautenberg & Nadia Budde Scary Poems for Brave Children What could be more enjoyable than to get the creeps? Arne Rautenberg revives the undead and has them rattle, slime and screech through his poems. Skeletons, cyclops, zombies and frops. He rhymes with wonderfully disgusting ingredients and has huge fun with syllables, words and […]
by Wiebke Oeser & Will Gmehling It was an ordinary day when God turned up. A place like many others, between the tower blocks, where the bins are placed. The boy on the swings immediately saw that it was God; this bloke in the old jacket and weird hat. When the boy joined God for […]
by Eva Muggenthaler & Jürg Schubiger Magnificent Story Between Heaven and Hell When Luci joins the class, it quickly becomes apparent that he is no child like the others. The little horn peaks on his head and his hoof leave little room for doubt: Luci is a young devil straight from hell. Devils, even little […]
by Britta Gotha & Hanna Jansen Even though bears of various kinds lived in the town—black and white, striped and nicely coiffed—one of them always stood out: Linus. His fur was so scraggy that you could only see the tip of his nose. He didn’t work and danced through the streets like a spinning top. […]
by Sarah Davis & Juliette MacIver A deft and delightful tale, packed with word play and madcap energy A class trip to the zoo descents into a chaotic hunt for the missing hippopotamus. Teacher, zookeeper and all the children join the search. The noise and drama reach a pitch, and no one thinks to listen […]
by Kristina Andres Eleven and half good night stories with Fox and Rabbit Fox and rabbit lived far away, behind the mole hills, in a small yel-low house. If they can’t sleep, they count the good nights (335 in total). If they wish each other a good night, the rustling pear tree, the raspberries and […]
by Hans-Christian Schmidt & Andreas Német The most terrible monster in the whole world is here! Everyone runs away, screaming in fear! But no, not everyone: we, the brave picture book readers are not afraid. We will not be scared by a grimace and hideous face! The monster is trying harder and harder, tries to […]
by Antje Damm A bear sits on a bench at the bus stop and tells everyone who passes by that he is waiting for Goliath. Goliath is strong and clever: “He can even count up to 18!”. At last, a bus arrives—but no one gets off. But Bear is certain: “He’s coming. He won’t let […]
by Nadia Budde Nadia Budde’s hero is no longer the master in his own house, because he has a permanent resident: the rat. Day after day he finds the rat on his doormat when he gets home; huge and in good humour. Once she’s inside the house, she puts on his slippers and makes herself […]
by Andreas Röckener A picture book for close inspection When you open this book you find an abundance of images with challenges and questions that require a very close look at the illustrations. The scenes are set on a sheet of floating ice in the sea or in the busy jungle. They sometimes revolve around […]
by Stephanie Gustai & Claudia Gliemann Caterpillar—cocoon—butterfly: this is nature’s clear-cut course and fascination. But Wilma doesn’t want to venture outside. It is so comfy and cosy inside her cocoon! Terrible dangers are likely to lurk outside. Monsters! But you won’t know if that’s true unless you have checked and seen for yourself. That takes […]
by Michal Shalev Take a trip through the zoo with this irrepressible pigeon, as she preens and poses alongside all the animals, right up to the sharp teeth of a grumpy lion… Fantastic satire with deadpan black humour! Simple written text with superb pencil and watercolour illustrations. The crocodile runway is terrific. If you miss […]
by Armand & Susana Gómez Redondo Helios’ arrival in the world generates a lot of curiosity in Estrella, his brother, who observes fascinated by this little person who now forms part of the family. But little by little, fascination turns into suspicion when she sees that Helios has become the center of their parents’ attention, […]
by Ignasi Blanch & Alba Salvador Llopis Once upon a time there was a king who counted and recounted all of his possessions every morning from the window of his castle. Everything he saw was his: lands, wells, trees, and houses. All he cared about was the price of things, and not the happiness of […]
by Viola Rohner & Viola Wünsch Many things are floating around in Minna’s head and not only because she will soon go to school. She leads a turbulent life with her cool brother, who only likes dangerous things, her stressed dad, who occasionally leaves the house without socks and Tarzan, who frolics around in mum’s […]
by David Barrow An assured and exciting debut picture book from a top emerging talent, about a small boy and his elephant playing an absurd game of hide and seek. Elephant wants to play hide and seek. But you’ll need to try your best—he’s very good! Have You Seen Elephant is perfect for sharing with […]
by Lena Hesse Paul, the little fly, can do a lot of tricks and he’s convinced that he is something really special. When Martha the tortoise gets tired of watching him, Paul suddenly realises that there might be more important things in life. Lena Hesse is one of those rare individuals whose sharp story-telling abilities […]
by Lena Hesse Chicken is delighted, because she gets a box for her birthday. But hey! There’s nothing in it! Lena Hesse has once again succeeded in telling a wonderful story in very few words. The imaginative and funny text is only outdone by Lena Hesse’s playful illustrations. The reduced, yet immensely expressive images emphasize […]
by Christiane Pieper Josephine and the bear have once again caught the travel bug. The two wanderers from “Zig-zag Everywhere” won’t set off until Peer has arrived. They meet him at the harbour, where he swiftly rolls down the gangway of a big ship: Peer joins them in his wheelchair. And just like the last […]
by Christiane Pieper Little Josephine and the big bear are travelling the land, in a very good temper: once straight, then crooked, once left, then right, once quiet, then singing, once trailing, then springing. Text and pictures are so urging and motivating that children cannot help but imitate the two jolly wanderers. Illustrated with verve […]
by Dorina Tessmann & Jutta Langreuter Little Sophie sets off, on her own. She knows where she wants to go and she knows how to get there. But is that enough? It doesn’t take long and something brown comes around the corner. A bear. There’s imminent danger—but Sophie doesn’t turn back. She knows where the […]
by Jutta Bauer & Rose Lagercrantz We are all familiar with this story: the occupied hostel in Bethlehem, the angel, the shepherds in the fields, King Herod, the infanticide. But here, we don’t read the story in Luther’s words, but retold in such a way that the people’s longing for peace is at the heart […]
by Robert Louis Stevenson & Henning Wagenbreth Berlin based comic artist Henning Wagenbreth has discovered a number of ballads in Robert Louis Stevenson’s work that are entirely unknown. Fascinated by the power of these stories, he has translated one of them into German and has illustrated it: The Pirate and the Apothecary—”a jewel filled with […]
by Tobias Krejtschi & Will Gmehling The only delightful thing about Cleopatra is her name. She is a laughing hyaena with everything that comes with a hyaena: a pungent smell, shrill laughter, spotted shaggy fur. Cleopatra runs a little shop at the end of the world, right next to the garbage dump. This is where […]
by Paul Beavis A wonderful story of adventure and friendship, and a little monster who doesn’t like to wait—so he decides to step out into the world for the first time. Mr. and Mrs. Mo are busy painting the house, and the monster is bored … until he has a grand idea: he’s off to […]
by Paul Beavis An energetic, endearing and hilarious debut picture book from an exciting new talent. A monster with a one-track mind meets his match in an elderly lady called Mrs. Mo. With Mrs. Mo’s help, the monster is surprised to discover that he can do more than he ever thought—but that’s not the only […]
by Nadia Budde The crossover between a human being and an animal is blurry. In any case the crossover between some people and animals. Who doesn’t know the swimmer at the open air pool who emerges from the water with a bald round head, round eyes and a large moustache and resembles a popular sea […]
by Nadia Budde We all occasionally dream of being a little prettier. Taller, slimmer, a bit more muscular, somewhat blonder. We are not alone with our vanities! Nadia Budde gets a lot of zany characters on the pages of her picture book – neighbours, relatives, friends – and we immediately realize their little imperfections. Too […]
by Lena Hesse Cat Fred and goose Anabel have enjoyed a wonderful summer in each other’s company. But then autumn arrived. Anabel started to get cold and had to fly south. But Anabel can’t bear to be without Fred. And Fred misses Anabel, too. After all, spring follows winter. And it turns out that Anabel […]
by Trill & Roser Rimbau Every day, the strongest man in the world has to face limitations imposed by his age and height. People confuse him with his aunt on the telephone, he has to take the stairs to his apartment, because he can’t reach the button for the elevator. He gets sick in the […]
by Nadia Faichney & Claudia Gliemann Nele’s home is the circus. Her family is amongst the world’s best tightrope artists and has been for generations. But then Nele’s father gets ill. His soul catches a cold. In a world that is full of colour and cheerfulness and in which everyone could easily be happy. Nele […]
by Francesc Rovira & Roser Ros Quima goes for a walk and discovers that something is following her everywhere, even if she tries to get rid of it: it’s her shadow. This discovery leads her to wonder about the origin and essence of shadows: what are they? What are they made of? Where do they […]
by Francesc Rovira & Roser Ros Quima is unable to go to sleep. No matter how often her parents ask her to try. She has lost Sleep. Her parents help her look for it and in the end, they find it hidden in the duvet. Sleep is trying to flee, but they have to catch […]
by Sonja Bougaeva & Viola Rohner You don’t have to be big and fat in order to know what it would feel like. Not to fit into your clothes and not to fit in anywhere. This is what Jelena suffered. Jelena was so fat and so tall that she didn’t fit into her mother’s small […]
52 Opportunities to Talk About Lies and the Truth by Antje Damm Does everyone lie every now and again? Is it allowed to tell white lies? Why do we want to know the truth? Is there always just one truth? Can animals lie? Lies can have far-reaching consequences. But they can also be a last […]
by Anna Aparicio Català & Susana Gómez Redondo Kids tend to have mood swings. Absolute joy and happiness can turn into an attack of rage and a noisy tantrum, the reason for which is often hard to identify in the middle of the commotion. One minute everything is painted pink, and the next there’s tension […]
by Antje Damm Elise is lonely and fearful. She never leaves her flat. But one day, a strange object flies in through the open window. And the following day, Elise has an unexpected visitor. This is to be a visit that will change everything … A beautiful, gentle and sympathetic story about how an inquisitive […]
by Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by Ulrike Möltgen In bygone times, when this and that was still missing – the humps on the camel’s back or the elephant’s trunk for example – there were no armardillos either. Rudyard Kipling has resolved the greatest mysteries in his famous Just So Stories – amongst them the puzzle […]
by Eva Muggenthaler Raul has looked after his sheep for so long that he has begun to look a little bit like a sheep himself. This has to change. The shepherd moves into the city, gets new clothes and soon meets Barbara, who he really likes. But his sheep are missing him and they set out to look for him. […]
by Tobias Krejtschi A very special leporello climbing tour! 2.75 metres long! In the North, where you find elks and dwarfs in knitted hats, there is a tree in the woods. At the very bottom, right by the roots lives a dwarf in his cave – this is the root dwarf. At the very top, […]
by Tobias Krejtschi & Hermann Schulz Mama Sambona, the wise old queen, lives in the heart of Africa. One day an elegant gentleman comes to see her. He wants to bring Mama Sambona to her forefathers: He is Death. But Mama Sambona is still loving life and has got a lot of plans: She is […]
by Ulf K. & Oliver Scherz The story of an incredible transformation Moving and funny! Herman is a guard dog and always angry. He barks at everyone who dares come near him. Not even the birds settle in his garden. But then Stig arrives on his bicycle. He wants to know what is really the […]
by Aljoscha Blau & Jürg Schubiger The moon – near yet unreachable – captivates our gaze and focuses our desires. But who would have thought that it is just the same the other way round? That there is a man, his wife and a child in the Moon, looking down to Earth and yearning just […]
by Barbara Nascimbeni & Werner Holzwarth When someone living in the land of the giants is small, he’ll have a hard time. Just like someone who turns out very tall in the land of the dwarves. The giants laugh about the short one, the dwarves ridicule the tall one. A vividly told story that explains […]
by Eva Muggenthaler & Jürg Schubiger The little girl is lying in her bed, her eyes wide open. The night is black and you can get lost in the dark room like in a dark forest. But thank God, there is the white bear! He is sitting at the little girl’s bedside every night, […]
by Dorota Wünsch & Sabine Lipan Four days left until Christmas. Mr Melcher doesn’t like to think about it. Being alone is particularly sad at Christmas. Suddenly a gust of wind blows his cap off his head. The wind and the flying hat round up a mixed group of people and it is soon […]
by Dorota Wünsch & Viola Rohner The little girl and her grandfather spend a lot of time together. They look at the trains at the station and watch the animals in the zoo, they buy bread on the market and weed grandfather’s garden. But whatever they decide to do, the old man always notes: maybe […]
by Antje Damm Are we nothing before we are born? Is it possible that nothingness is a hole? Where does a journey into nothingness lead? It is questions such as these that Antje Damm asks in this book and she thus takes children absolutely seriously. Her unique composition of succinct phrases with often mind-boggling pictures […]
by Antje Damm Will the earth always be there? This is one of the questions Antje Damm poses in her book. Who wants to answer it? But to discuss it, to philosophise about it is fun and prompts us to think about the world in which we live. Where does fear come from? Does it […]
by Béatrice Rodriguez & Andrea Hensgen His lonely way to school saddens the little boy’s hear every morning. There are so many things scaring him. The dark tunnel. The fierce old man. But one afternoon someone is waiting for him in front of the school. A nice guy with floppy ears and an amazing friendliness. […]
by Susanne Göhlich Juri has finished his rocket and together with his sausage dog Laika sets out on his first flight into space. Everything seems perfect when they are suddenly drawn into an enormous storm in outer space. Having landed on an unknown star, they find that the rocket has been badly damaged. To […]
by Dorota Wünsch & Viola Rohner A wild thing has been waiting for Kira on her way to kindergarten as of late! It sits in a tree, has sharp teeth and is frightening. Kira would rather die than walk past the Wild once more. So she accompanies her dad to the office instead. It is […]
by Andrés Pi Andreu & Kim Amate One fine day, the bees called for a grand assembly in the beehive. The purpose of the meeting? To discuss why it was that they were always all squashed together in cramped working conditions. After many complex computations, equations and calculations, they realized that there was one bee […]
by Susana Gómez Redondo & Sonja Wimmer A tale about a silent encounter: one day, Saída arrives at school – but she doesn’t speak! She comes from another country far away, and it seems as if she lost all her words during the journey. But Saída and her friend don’t give up, even though they lack […]
by Julia Dürr & Minna McMaster Stunningly illustrated story of what happens when there’s a power cut and renders everything into pitch-black darkness. The little boy and his parents quickly adjust and find that there quite a few things you can entertain yourselves with. They also discover that a lot of things are very different […]
by Isabel Pin Tom and the other schoolchildren are busy drawing. Lea is drawing a big sun, Paul is drawing his new basketball shoes – and Tom? “Oh my God, Tom!!!” His picture causes a great stir among the adults! His teacher calls for the headmaster who is very concerned, too. Tom’s mother collects him […]
by Lilli Messina When grandpa was a child everything was very different. There weren’t so many houses, milk came directly from the cow, everybody knew each other, and cars were pulled by horses. Pepe follows with great interest as his grandpa explains everything, but he understand his grandpa’s explanations in his own particular way. The […]
by Rotraut Susanne Berner & Jürg Schubiger Jürg Schubiger and Rotraut Susanne Berner tell the story of a village somewhere back in time when death was still completely unknown. Nobody had ever encountered him and everything that existed remained safe and sound. But then one day death walks into the village and from that very […]
by Barbara Nascimbeni & Nasrin Siege When Emanuel and Bilali wake up in the morning, there is no breakfast waiting for them. The boys live on the streets. When they are hungry they have to look for something to eat. Otherwise their empty stomach strats to growl like a lion. Fortunately, the boys have […]
by Antje Damm Summertime, wintertime, spare time, timeout, best-before-dates – everything has its own time. Antje Damm renders time both visible and tangible -with photos, pictures and thought-provoking impulses. A book that not only children can spend a great deal of time with! One of the 7 Best Children’s Books (June 2007) List of Recommendations – Luchs Jury […]
by Antje Damm This is a little book with big ideas. Sometimes provocative, always interesting, every page can be the start of a new discussion. Reading the questions, and looking at the pictures, each child will have different answers to give, and things to ask. The questions are intriguing, the images sometimes startling, sometimes beautiful, […]
by Tobias Krejtschi & Harriet Grundmann We already know Lina and the sheep who help her to fall asleep every night. Especially sheep no. 5, which is actually a wolf. A wolf, however, that nobody is scared of, because he’s as gentle as a lamb. As Lina once again lies in bed and counts her sheep jumping over […]
by Tobias Krejtschi & Harriet Grundmann Every evening Lina is counting sheep to fall asleep. Suddenly she notices that one of them is a wolf in a sheep’s clothing – in the true sense of the word! He is wearing a pullover and a cap made of wool. The wolf has to account for his deceit. He tries to […]
