Little Jilu is a baby recounting his first year in a Mongolian community. He describes their nomadic lifestyle from his birth in a ger, the traditional round dwelling in which the family lives, to their seasonal moves by camels to different camps and the celebration of Tsagaan Sar to commemorate the arrival of spring. The gentle narrative is complemented by the author’s gouache folk art illustrations that capture the cycle of seasons. The author received the Noma Concours Grand Prize for this book, which was first pub lished in Japan. 2010 USBBY Outstanding International Books List. bal

In this delightful picture book, baby Jilu recounts his first year of life in a nomadic Mongolian community. He remembers being cradled by his singing mother, the delicious smells from the cooking pot, his first meeting with his grandparents, and the family’s wandering life with a camel caravan. They celebrate Tsagaan Sar, the new year, and later revel in the warmth and freedom of summer. Richly illustrated by a young Mongolian author/illustrator, My Little Round House reveals a world very different, and yet surprisingly similar, to that of young readers and their parents.