A collection of illustrated stories, originally published separately, from all over the world What are the best children's books published in Japan? How about Brazil? This stunning collection of award-winning picture books from 15 countries gives readers an astonishing perspective on global cultures, but mostly a hearty dose of pure reading pleasure. In Oslo native Karin Bang and Danish illustrator Per Dybvig's delightful, swashbuckling The Cat on Pirate's Island , for example, you'll find reproductions of the original picture book , with its Norwegian text. The English translations--some commissioned expressly for this book--fit clearly and unobtrusively in the margins. Lushly illustrated stories from Israel, China, Sri Lanka, England, Ghana splash joyfully across the pages as well. A brief introduction to each picture book tells about the diverse countries and their fascinating storytelling traditions, as well as providing biographical information on the authors and illustrators. The one common denominator is the stories' appeal for children. The book was created not to demonstrate the uniformity of the world's cultures, but to illustrate the range of human styles and perspectives. As historian and educator Jeffrey Garrett writes in his introduction, the collection is "an entire rainbow not only of art but of story as well, from the somber and serious to the subversive and even downright silly ... these stories are as rich and as variegated as the world of childhood itself." This spectacular 300-page treasury will have parents and children squabbling over who gets to read it next. (Click to see a sample spread . From The Cat on Pirate's Island , © 1994 Bonnier Carlsen Forlag AS, illustrated by Per Dybrig, text by Karin Bang.) (All ages) K Up-Collected between the covers of this extraordinary volume are 15 picture books published in countries around the world. Each one is presented with its original cover, artwork, and text with English translations provided when needed. The stories come from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, Oceania, and Asia and give glimpses into the realms of childhood in these areas. Readers are introduced to a variety of languages and written-language symbol systems. They are introduced, as well, to a variety of artistic styles, some evocative of the art of a culture and others uniquely the style of the illustrator. The introduction by Jeffrey Garrett provides a context for such a collection. This book will have appeal to teachers and librarians hoping to expand their own perspectives on books for children. It can also be used effectively across grade levels to introduce young people to other cultures. Along with the poems in Naomi Shihab Nye's This Same Sky (S & S, 1992), it can lay a foundation for the more global perspectives now part of social-studies education. Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming, Laramie Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. The Best Children's Books In The World ($29.95; Nov. 1996; 320 pp.; 0-8109-1246-5): The valid but adult-oriented introduction by Jeffrey Garrett should not ensconce this treasury of 15 children's books from around the world on the reference shelves. It's a browser's delight for readers who have passed self- consciously beyond picture books but still revel in visual tellings. Following a page on each author and illustrator, spreads from every book have been sized and reproduced on the large pages of the volume, with English translations appearing in the margins. The Umbrella Thief from Sri Lanka and The Hidden House from England have been available in the US for years, but most of the new books will be new to readers. (Book-of-the-Month Club selection) (Anthology. 9-12) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. Used Book in Good Condition