The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

O'Neill, Richard , Quarmby, Katharine

Ossiri and the Bala Mengro

32 pp. | Child's Play | March, 2017 | Trade ISBN 978-1-84643-925-4 $16.99

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Hannah Tolson. An original story portrays the importance of recycling and music within the Romani, or Traveler, community of England. Ossiri, a contemporary Traveler girl, wants to be a musician and creates her own instrument from recycled materials. While practicing in the hills, she wakes a hairy ogre, who ultimately sings along and rewards her. Bold, naive-style paintings illustrate the story, which includes a note on Traveler culture.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt