Around the World in 40 Books

Books really do introduce children to so many new concepts, ideas and adventures and today I am excited to be sharing a collection of 40 different picture books representing a range of countries and their stories from all around the world.

Each title is linked to both Amazon and The Book Depository (these are affiliate links) where you can find reviews and age recommendations for those you are not personally familiar with.

Australia

Big Rain Coming by Katrina Germein It’s the dry season and everyone is waiting for the rain, doing whatever they can to keep cool. Featuring amazing illustrations that include imagery from Aboriginal mythology, this is a captivating book for young readers.
Find this book:  Via Amazon

Possum Magic by Mem Fox When Grandma Poss magic makes Hush invisible they head off on a culinary tour of Australia to find the food that will make her visible once more!
Find this book:  Via Amazon | Via The Book Depository

Are We There Yet? by Alison Lester Grace and her family travel around Australia in a campervan, exploring the places and people that make up Australia.
Find this book: Via Amazon

Wombat Stew by Marcia K. Vaughan A dingo catches a wombat and decides to cook him up in a stew. A host of fabulous Australian animals appear to offer the dingo suggestions for improving his delicious stew, tricking him in order to save their friend!
Find this book: Via Amazon

Alphabetical Sydney by Hilary Bell A fabulous visual tribute to one of Australia’s favourite cities, this is an alphabet book unlike any other.
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Asia

A Carp for Kimiko by Virginia Kroll Kimiko is a little girl who desperately wants a calico carp kite of her own to fly on Children’s Day in Japan – a day where traditionally kites are only flown for each boy in the family.
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Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park Bee-bim bop is a traditional Korean rice dish and this is the story of shopping, making and sharing this meal with one’s family.
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The Cherry Tree by Ruskin Bond Set in the foothills of the Himalayas, this is the story of Rahki and her cherry tree.
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The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack This beloved classic about Ping’s adventures one night on the Yangtze RIver just had to make our list!
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Suki’s Kimono by Chieri Uegaki Suki is one spirited youngster and on the first day of school she decides to wear the blue kimono that reminds her of her grandmother’s visit over the summer.
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I Live in Tokyo by Mari Takabayashi
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Peach Boy and Other Japanese Children’s Favorite Stories by Florence Sakade With nine Japanese folktales and simple illustrations, this is a lovely read-aloud.
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Sitti’s Secrets by Naomi Shihab Nye Mona remembers her visit to Palestine to see her grandmother and their special time together.
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Amma, Tell Me About Holi! by Bhakti Mathur The story of the Indian festival of Holi as told by a grandmother to her grandchild.
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The Story of Little Babaji by Helen Bannerman An updated version of the beloved classic, The Story of Little Black Sambo.
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North America

Home: A Journey Through America by Thomas Locker Fabulous oil paintings bring to life the words of a collection of America’s most prominent poets and writers.
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Anno’s USA by Mitsumasa Anno In stunning detail Anno’s illustrations follow a lone traveller as he heads across the country and back in time.
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Celebrate the 50 States by Loreen Leedy A fun, fact filled walk through all 50 states appearing in alphabetical order.
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Wow Canada!: Exploring This Land from Coast to Coast to Coast by Vivien Bowers Follow Guy and his family on their road trip from one end of Canada to the other.
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M is for Maple: A Canadian Alphabet by Michael Ulmer A beautifully illustrated alphabet of all things dear to Canada.
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I Love Saturdays y Domingos by Alma For Ada A story told in English and Spanish, of Saturdays spent with Grandma and Grandpa and Sundays – los domingos – with Abuelito y Abuelita.
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Erandi’s Braids by Tomie dePaola There isn’t enough money for Erandi’s new birthday dress and a new fishing net for mama
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Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barabra M Joose Told in a beautiful Alaskan setting, a child seeks her mother’s reassurance of her everlasting love.
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The Polar Bear Son: An Inuit Tale by Lydia Dabkovich A lonely old woman adopts a polar bear and cares for him until he is grown. When the bear must leave the village, he continues to visit his adopted mother and bring her food.
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Building an Igloo by Ulli Steltzer In black and white photographs we see the wonderful process of constructing an igloo.
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South America

The Rainforest Grew All Around by Susan K. Mitchell A cumulative rhyme leads children through the Amazon rainforest, with fabulous illustrations and factual information to support the story.
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Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto Maria tries on her mother’s diamond ring for just a moment while making tamales and it disappears! Maria and her cousins are desperate to find it or else Christmas will be ruined.
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Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia by Jeanette Winter Luis loves to read but his wife complains that their house is too full of book! So Luis buys two donkeys so that he can share his love of reading with those throughout Colombia.
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Europe

Linnea in Monet’s Garden by Christina Bjork Linnea adventures across France discovering the world that inspired Monet and the Impressionists.
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Madeline in London by Ludwig Bemelmans Madeline and the twelve little girls in two straight lines are invited to London for Pepito’s birthday. A most unusual present leads Madeline on an adventure through the streets of London.
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This is Rome by Miroslav Sasek Part of Sasek’s extraodinary ‘This Is’ series, This is Rome introduces children to the wonderful monuments and landmarks of this fabulous city.
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Katie in Scotland by James Mayhew Katie travels with her new friend, Nessie the Loch Ness Monster, to see the fabulous sights of Scotland.
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Zoe Sophia’s Scrapbook: An Adventure in Venice by Claudia Mauner Zoe Sophia visits her Aunt in Venice, exploring the city sights together.
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Greek Myths for Young Children by Heather Amery The most well known of the Greek myths shared for younger children.
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Rechenka’s Eggs by Patriccia Polacco A beautiful story of friendship between Babushka, known throughout all of Moskva for her beautifully painted eggs, and an injured goose that she nurses back to health.
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Africa

My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken and Me by Maya Angelou
Thandi, a South African Ndebele girl, introduces us her family, her best friend – a chicken, and the captivating murals of the women of her tribe.
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Handa’s Surprise by Eileen Browne Handa is taking a basket of delicious fruit to her friend, Akeyo. As Handa wonders which fruit Akeyo will like best a series of sneaky animals each steal something from Handa’s basket, which she’s carrying on her head.
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Mama Panya’s Pancakes by Mary Chamberlin Mama Panya’s son Adika invites everyone he sees to a pancake dinner. How will Mama Panya ever feed them all? A lovely story about sharing even when you have little to give
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We All Went On Safari by Laurie Krebs A group of friends enjoy a counting journey through Tanzania, seeing all manner of interesting animals and counting in English and Swahili.
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Day of Ahmed’s Secret by Florence Parry Heide As Ahmed goes about his day’s work, he thinks about the secret he can’t wait to share with his family.
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Of course, this is only the very tip of the iceberg when it comes to picture books sharing stories from around the world. Tell me, what are your favourites?

Find all of our themed booklists in one place – our Best Books for Kids Collection.

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