Bolormaa Baasansuren

My Little Round House by Bolormaa Baasansunen follows baby Jilu through her first year. Her year is defined by her yurt and the seasons.

Jilu is born in winter. She knows the warmth of the furs, the smell of the cook pot, and the circular shape of the family home.

As the seasons progress the family moves. Jilu explores the world outside her home as she grows. Soon it is time for winter again.

The book is a nice introduction to the Mongolian culture as well as the seasons. If used in a classroom setting, children could be asked to compare their own home and family life and how the seasons affect what happens at home.… (mer)

Quick! Name your favorite Mongolian children's author! Can't think of one? Neither could I, before picking up Bolormaa Baasansuren's lovely My Little Round House, which follows baby Jilu through his first year of life. Born into a nomadic community, Jilu's first memories are of his time in his family's ger, and his experiences traveling with his mother, father, and grandparents to their autumn, winter, spring, and summer camps. The pastoral lifestyle, evident in the care taken with the family's lambs, and the special occasions - Tsagaan Sar (New Year's), Jilu's first birthday - all play a role in this narrative of an infant discovering the world around him...

With colorful gouache illustrations that are like a window onto another world, and a simple, but culturally accurate narrative (adapted and translated by Helen Mixter), Baasansuren's book offers western children a rare glimpse of life in her country. Interesting, both in its own right, and as the first of what will hopefully be many Mongolian children's books made available here, My Little Round House is a publishing event to celebrate!… (mer)