Defensive Challenge: Read Around the World Challenge

Ever since I started the challenge to read a book in each state, I have been amazed at how many of my books take place in other countries.  Or in fantasy worlds, of course, but there's not much I can do about that.  To force more books back into the USA, I shall start BookDad's Read Around the World Challenge.

This challenge is for books I'm sharing with my kids, so picture books through YA counts, and the AUTHOR has to be from a different country, which makes it a bit harder.  I'm not sure if I can count the books that I read that I try unsuccessfully to share with my kids, though.  We'll see how desperate I get.

I think I'll go back to the beginning of March and count from there. After all, that's when I began paying attention to how many far-flung books I was reading.  I'm going medium -- Savvy Traveler: 20 or more books from 3 different continents.  I'd do the large one, but the author rule intimidates me a bit.  I can't always tell.

I'll start with what I've already got.  I can see I'll have to come back when I'm all techy and put in maps and such.

Europe:

1. Candle Man, by Glenn Dakin (England)
2. Don't Say a Word, by Barbara Gerhts (Germany) (translated)
3. The Widow and the King, by John Dickinson (England) 
4. Harmony: A Vision For Our Future, by The Prince of Wales
5. Princess Grace, Mary Hoffman. 
6. The Boy Who Climbed Into the Moon, David Almond (UK)
7. Littlest Pirate King, David B. (France)
8. Toby Alone, Timothee de Fombelle (France).  Translated, even!
Australia and Pacific Islands



The Burning Bridge, by John Flanagan (Australia)
All Cats Have Aspergers, by Kathy Hoopman (Australia)
Guardian of the Dead, by Karen Healey (New Zealand)
Raven Hill Mysteries, by Emily Rodda (Australia)
Icebound Land, by John Flanagan (Australia)
Battle for Skandia, by John Flanagan (Australia)
The Sorcerer of the North by John Flanagan (Australia)
The Siege of Macindaw by John Flanagan (Australia)
The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera (New Zealand)
Asia





Allison, by Allen Say (Japan)
The Duel, by David Grossman (Israel)
North America



I'm Your Peanut Butter Big Brother by Selina Alko (Canada).  This is an interesting picture book about a biracial family that compares almost everything to food; we were very hungry after we read it.
Ready for Takeoff (Martin Bridge), by Jessica Kerrin (Canada)
Africa



Jafta: The Homecoming, by Hugh Lewin (South Africa)
Once Upon a Time, Niki Daly (South Africa).  This was a book about reading, which was a delightful surprise.
Lake of the Big Snake, Isaac Olaleye (Nigeria).  Two naughty boys have to outwit the snake to get back home.  The word order switched around a bit, and it was interesting to see the different onomatopoeia used.
Anna Hibiscus, by Atinuke (Nigeria)

And that's it.  A few more books set in other countries, but it turns out the authors are American.  Good golly, this is going to be harder than I thought.  I've got a Canadian book on my bedside table right now, so I've got the three continents, but 20 books may not be such a doddle after all.  A challenge that's challenging -- jinkies!