This graphic novel does not need a single written word to tell its story about migrating from one country to another. Using the outside form of an old picture book, it depicts the story of a man journeying to a strange country to find a new home for his family. On the way, he encounters […]
A story about an unforeseen Arctic adventure. Girl is the name of a Labrador made of fibreglass, whose job it is to raise money for the Royal Guard Dogs. Then one day she is dognapped, renamed Stay and finds herself on board the ship Aurora Australis on a trip to Antarctica. How is a fibreglass […]
Years after breaking up, Bill and Mary randomly meet on the street. Despite the time that has passed and the two of them having new partners and children, Mary still seems to be emotionally attached to Bill. But after a short exchange of words, they go their separate ways. This short story shows that what […]
A classic children’s novel about poverty and wealth, humility, kindness and greed. Charlie is an eleven-year-old boy who loves chocolate and lives with his parents and grandparents in a little hut close to a big city. They do not have a lot of money, but Charlie and his family live a happy life until Charlie’s […]
A dystopian movie drama about power, subversion and the lengths some people will go to protect their family: In Katniss’ world, survival is everything. She lives in a poor, rural district of a future version of the North-American continent re-shaped by a disaster. For the meagre support provided by the Capitol, all the districts have […]
A coming-of-age movie about family, rootlessness and uncovering who you really are: The viewer is invited into three stages of protagonist Chiron’s life. As a kid nicknamed “Little”, Chiron is picked on by his peers while he has to grow up without a father. As a teenager trying to survive school, he has to realize […]
This teen drama movie explores the conflict between obedience and freedom at school: Welton Academy is an all-male, elite school in the USA. With conservative strictness, students are taught the classical contents of education. That is until a new English teacher John Keaton sets foot in Welton. His methods are far from ‘classical’, his honesty […]
This gothic tale tells a scary but humourous story of greed, marriage and the power of imagination. Coming from New York, the main character and poor schoolmaster, Ichabod Crane attempts to win the heart and hand of Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of the richest farmer in Sleepy Hollow. The small, quiet and somehow enchanted […]
A modern ‘from rags to riches’ tale about believing in both fate and love against all odds. In Q & A, the inspiration for the Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire, Swarup tells the story of Ram Muhammed Thomas, who participates in India’s game show “Who Wants to Be a Billionaire?”. When Ram answers question after question […]
This vivid picture book with heartwarming comics on the world of books, the passion for reading and creative explanations, illustrates the world of a book enthusiast. This literary comics can be used in class to motivate your pupils or to provide a visual access to the story structure, genre or style of writing.
A drama movie about family, love and staying true to oneself: Ben and his wife Leslie decided to raise their six children far away from the quite possibly corrupting influences of modern day society, so they moved to the Washington wilderness and built their own camp. There they spend their days training their bodies and […]
In this dystopian series of five novels on racism, oppression and the abuse of power, a black majority (the Crosses) rules over a white minority (the Noughts) after African people colonized Europe. Set in Britain in an alternate reality, this paves the way for a love story a la Romeo and Juliet. The story invites […]
This historical novel about racism, war, the abuse of power and the holocaust, is the kick-off to a series of five: Felix is a 9-year-old Jewish boy hiding in Nazi-occupied Poland 1942. Separated from his parents, he is waiting in an orphanage, under the impression that his parents are just trying to save their book […]
This collection of 10 short stories is full of suspense and may not be for the faint of heart – featuring a little bit of everything of the horror genre – from mystery and ghost fiction to aliens and witchcraft. The stories are easy to read, illustrated (each one by a different artist) and are […]
This verse novel explores the author’s childhood in South Carolina and New York in the 1960s and 1970s: Growing up as an African American woman both with the aftermath of Jim Crow laws and the beginning Civil Rights movement. Her poems feature topics of racism, religion, spiritualism, family, history and the power of memory, storytelling, […]
In this semi-autobiographic film about life, loss and dedication, Hunter ‘Patch’ Adams is the odd one when he eventually picks up studying medicine. His joy for life seems boundless and his methods strange but slowly he manages to win over not only his co-students but also his teachers with his dedication to healing through laughter. […]
This satirical young-adult-novel problematises reality TV, sexism, stereotypes and body image. When the plane of 50 Miss Teen Dream contestants crashes on a desert island, it is time for them to re-evaluate their priorities. In isolation, they start to realise the crash may not have been an accident and odd incidents just keep piling up. […]
This children’s novel problematises gender stereotyping, prejudice and homophobia. Dennis is a 12-year-old interested in both football and fashion – he enjoys dressing up as a girl (cross-dressing). One of those hobbies is accepted by his father as a suitable hobby for boys, the other is not. He struggles with his parents’ divorce, his father’s […]