Even children worry about God and the world and they are worried. About her appearance or how her body works. They are angered or excluded by others, wondering what's wrong with them. Or why you die. Or how that goes with love. Not always you can ask the parents. How good that there are books.
Here is a selection of novels that have packed serious topics into a good story, child-friendly and often very funny, as well as creative books for exploring talent and an anatomy book that is almost a work of art.
Who am I?
You have beautiful hair
Hana, a girl with a short bob, sits with her friends Mari and Emi over a glass of lemonade in the garden and fabulates a life with very, very long hair. These incredibly long hairs would not be a burden, they would be practical and beautiful: you could use them just as well for hanging up as you would for home-made animals and flowers. Her friends marvel at how Hana defies all her objections, and in the end are mesmerized by the fantastic life that awaits Hana.
The sensual, light illustrations of the Japanese author convey self-confident femininity and joie de vivre: everything is possible!
Hoko Takadono: "When my hair grows long". Translated by Keiko Funatsu. Edition Bracklo; 12,80 Euro. From 3 years.
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role playing game
How good that Bruno is an Indian. Not only because you have a fireplace in your room and sleep in a tepee. No, the adversities of life, experience, according to experience Indian better for various reasons. Toothache for example. The other children in the waiting room of the medicine man are afraid. You can see that. And Bruno? No. With Grandpa Silver Bald at his side, he finds the courage to get through it.
Smart story and great pictures, on which there are many funny little things to discover from the life of an Indian.
Advertisement Barbara van den Speulhof, Jan Birck: "Chief fat cheek". Fischer Sauerlander; 14,99 euros. From 4 years.
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Oh l'amour
Petula is just divine. How she look. How she smells. In mute veneration Ariol, donkey and spectacle wearer (so that he looks more like a mosquito), the young cow wherever it is possible. And then it gets serious: Ariol is invited to her home. Oh man! He can not believe his luck. But the time with her is tight. After all, mother, brother and father also want to get to know him. Where is Petula?
Perfect reading for comic beginners. The many characters in this animal universe are interesting types and the story is told in understandable pictures and aptly translated texts. Class for young lovers, they will be wonderful in Ariol recognize. And adults too.
Emmanuel Giuvert, Marc Boutavant: "Ariol, Where is Petula?" Translated by Annette von der Weppen. reprodukt; 12 euros. From age 6.
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Look what I can do!
Yes, yes, everyone is an artist. But it's not so easy to put something on paper as you had imagined. So it does not hurt to know a lot about techniques and materials. This book is in a good mood, because most pages are made of watercolor paper, so you can start right now and rumklecksen.
Using simple explanations and many examples, the authors start to use the brush and then begin a wonderful journey into the world of colors and pictures - until you finally finish your own little book.
Thacher Hurd, John Cassidy: "Painting for misjudged artists, fun with watercolors". Kunstmann Verlag; 18 euros. From 8 and for all.
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You miss
With Grandpa life is beautiful, says Hugo. He has old-fashioned stuff like sugar cubes and he teaches him how to play poker. Grandpa must take heart pills, but his mind is "sharp as a butcher knife". That's why it's totally incomprehensible that Grandpa is suddenly gone. Dead. Hugo is angry and sad. They had so much to do! Hugo starts to research where he could be now. Sky? Rebirth? Did God have his fingers in the game? In a pet shop he then makes a surprising discovery.
Easy and funny story told with good illustrations. A book to read by yourself, which makes reading together but certainly the adults a lot of fun.
Ida-Marie Rendtorff, Daniel Zimakoff: "Donnerschnitzel, my grandfather is a parrot". Translated by Friederike Buchinger. Carlsen; 10.99. From 8 years.
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Who am I?
Of course, Theo wants to know who his real father is. After all, his stepfather Martin is a nasty hobby chef, whose mother wants to make everything right. And the stupid Martin is also to blame, that he has to go to a summer camp during the holidays. Something incredible happens there: A pirate ship with talking animals and a Smutje on board comes on hold and picks up Theo to bring him to his father. Sounds crazy? Yes, that's the fantasy, but where to go if real life is difficult? When Theo returns home after three days, his mother is surprisingly happy to have him back and, luckily, a little smarter. And only Theo knows what really happened.
Enthrallingly narrative tells with funny pictures of the author. A really good reading book that you can read very well with older children.
Ad Ute Krause: "Theo and the mystery of the black raven". 16 euros. From 9 years.
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Laugh yourself healthy
Frank and peppered with jokes, twelve-year-old Philip talks about his life with a single and amusing mother, who suddenly stops laughing and closes herself in the bathroom, howling. Since Philip wants to be a comedian, that's a serious problem. Are his jokes so bad? No, his jokes are great, but his mother is ill and does not dare to tell him. Since his book "101 Ways to Serenity" does not help him further - but with humor can be made a lot.
Contrary to the somewhat childlike cover this is not a funny story for little children, but a wonderfully funny and challenging book for adults and adults with great situation comedy. I laughed aloud while reading - and cried a bit.
Advertisement Christine Hamill: "The best medicine". Translated by Eva Jaeschke. Tulipan publishing house; 13 euros. From 10 years on
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Write that down!
Nobody is born as a writer and then simply types quickly. This book shows how it works - and also how hard it can be. If you like to read and write, you can use this book to sort your ideas and try your hand at many different genres. This works so well, because the lyrics - also thanks to the lively layout - offer an entry point in many places. A book full of finger exercises, rounded off by (comforting) comments from authors on their thoughts and experiences in the writing process.
Incidentally, the book itself also expresses an imaginative language that it was translated, you do not notice. How nice that translator Gesa Kunter received the German Youth Literature Award in the category "New Talents" for this transfer from Swedish.
Katarina Kuick, Ylva Karlsson: Write! Write! Write! The creative text workshop "Translation Gesa Kunter, Beltz & Gelberg, 14,95 Euro, from 14 years.
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Hand and foot
Between the body fold Wimmel books: The French textile designer and illustrator Hélène Druvert has managed to produce a stylish eye-catcher. Maybe because she got access to the miracle body as a child through her father's profession? Anyway, Monsieur Druvert is a doctor and has written the lyrics.
Side by side you leaf through the body - blood circulation, digestion, neural pathways - but not in pictures, but as filigree silhouettes. Beautiful. In addition, there are all kinds of organs to unfold and explanations and representations for reproduction.
A reference book without registers, which grows with the reader: While younger children are especially happy about the flaps and paper cutouts (and perhaps tear them down), the accompanying texts are quite demanding and therefore very useful for the next bio presentation.
Display Hélène Druvert: "Anatomy". Translated by Sarah Pasquay. Gerstenberg Verlag; 26 euros. From 8 years.
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And if the children prefer an audiobook, we also have tips.