NEW !!!
Some new books in English are available for you to read in the library (CDI) :
1. Mao's Last Dancer, by Li Cunxin. Summary :
The extraordinary memoir of a peasant boy raised in rural Maoist China who was plucked from his village to study ballet and went on to become one of the greatest dancers of his generation. THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER (source : Amazon.com)
2. My Forbidden Face, by Latifa. Summary :
Latifa was born into an educated middle-class Afghan family in Kabul in 1980. She dreamed of one day of becoming a journalist, she was interested in fashion, movies and
friends. Her father was in the import/export business and her mother was a doctor.
Then
in September 1996, Taliban soldiers seized power in Kabul. From that moment, Latifa, just 16 years old became a prisoner in her own home. Her school was closed. Her mother was banned from
working. The simplest and most basic freedoms - walking down the street, looking out a window - were no longer hers. She was now forced to wear a
chadri. My Forbidden Face provides a poignant and highly personal account of life under the Taliban regime. (source :
Amazon.com)
3. My Name Is Parvana, by Deborah Ellis. Summary :
Parvana, now 15-years-old, is found in a bombed-out school and held as a suspected terrorist by American troops in Afghanistan. The girl does not respond to questions in any language and remains silent, even when she is threatened, harassed, and mistreated over several days. The only clue to her identity is a tattered shoulder bag containing papers that refer to people named Shauzia, Nooria, Leila, Asif, Hassan — and Parvana. As she waits for foreign military forces to determine her fate, she remembers the past four years of her life. Reunited with her mother and sisters, she has been living in a village where her mother managed to open a school for girls. But when local men threaten the school, she must draw on every ounce of bravery she possesses to survive the disaster that kills her mother and destroys the school. Ellis’ final novel in the series is harrowing, inspiring, and thought-provoking. Parvana’s Fund supports education projects for Afghan women and children. (source: Amazon.com)
4. War Horse, by Michael Morpurgo. Summary :
A powerful tale of war, redemption, and a hero's journey. In 1914, Joey, a beautiful bay-red foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey's courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again? (source : Amazon.com)
5. Friend or Foe, by Michael Morpurgo. Summary:
Evacuated from London, David and Tucky feel like the war is a long way away from their new life in the countryside. Then one night the skyline of the moor is lit up with gun flashes, and the distant crump of bombing miles away brings the war back to them and shatters their new-found peace. When a German bomber crashes, the boys feel they should hate the airmen inside. But one of them saves David's life . . .
From the author of War Horse (now a major motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg) comes a stunning children’s story – loved by kids, teachers and parents alike. Michael Morpurgo has written more than forty books and won the Whitbread Award, the Smarties Award, the Circle of Gold Award, the Children’s Book Award and has been short-listed for the Carnegie Medal four times.
6. Private Peaceful, by Michael Morpurgo. Summary:
As
the enemy lurks in the darkness, Thomas struggles to stay awake through the night. He has lived through the terror of gas attacks and watched friends die by his side. But in the morning, Thomas
will be forced to confront an even greater horror.
As
the minutes tick by, Thomas remembers his childhood spent deep in the countryside with his mother, his brothers, and Molly, the love of his life. But each minute that passes brings Thomas closer
to something he can't bear to to think about--the moment when the war and its horrific consequences will change his life forever. (source : Amazon.com)