CCBC Booklists

CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.

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The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden

by Heather Smith

CCBC Review:

Each morning Makio spends time in Mr. Hirota’s garden, looking down to spot his dad and Mr. Hirota’s daughter working in the harbor far below. When a huge ocean tsunami roars in, Makio’s dad and many others are swept away. Furious at the ocean he once loved, Makio misses his father in silence, with no voice to express his pain. At first he’s confused when Mr. Hirota builds a phone booth that holds a disconnected telephone, but villagers use the booth to “talk” to those they lost and eventually Makio finds comfort in the same way. This fictional story is based on a phone booth in Otsuchi, Japan, that many people visited after the 2011 tsunami to feel connected to loved ones who died. Inspired by traditional Japanese techniques, striking illustrations in a subdued palette contribute to the story’s comforting affirmation that beauty exists, even during times of deep sadness. ©2020 Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Illustrated by Rachel Wada

CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 5-9
Age Range: PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7) Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format: Picture book
Subjects: 21st Century Disasters Feelings/Emotions Grief and Loss Hope and Healing Japanese and Japanese Americans World History
Diversity subject: Asian
On CCBC Booklist: Global Reading: Selected Books for Children and Teens Set in Other Countries

Publisher: Orca
Publish Year: 2019
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9781459821033
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Smith

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.

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