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Cultural and Ethnic Diversity
A Selected list of books for children
Chosen by Lisa Von Drasek, Children's Librarian
The following is a selected list of books for children published in the last three years that reflects a diversity of culture and ethnicity in order to mirror the lives of different peoples and provide a window into the greater world. It is by no means complete. We encourage teachers, students and parents looking for materials on a specific country, religion, culture, differing abilities and gender issues to consult with a librarian for specific titles.
Bee-bim Bop!by Linda Sue Park, illus. by Ho Baek Lee Clarion, 2005 A young girl helps her mom prepare her favorite Korean dish. Rhymed text and humorous watercolors. Includes recipes. Ages 4-6 |
| The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norman Juster, illus. by Chris Raschka Hyperion, 2005 A joyous celebration of a child's warm relationship with Nanna and Poppy. Riotous and energetic mixed media depict a biracial family. Ages 3-5 |
Rin, Rin, Do, Re Mi: A picture book in Spanish and Englishby Jose-Luis Orozco, illus. by David Diaz Orchard, 2005 A lively, charming romp through a child's day. Primarily in Spanish with full English translation in the back of the book. Ages 3-5 |
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Siesta by Ginger Fogelsong Guy, illus. by Rene King Moreno Greenwillow, 2005 Bilingual text teaches colors, while a brother and sister get ready to camp in their backyard. Ages 2-5 |
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Yum! Yuck: A Foldout Book of People Sounds by Linda Sue Park and Julia Durango, illus. by Sue Rama Charlesbridge An illustrated compendium of exclamations in ten different languages accompanying a humorous word-less story. Ages 3-6 |
 I Lost My Tooth in Africa by Penda Diakite, illus. by Bab Wague Diakite. Scholastic. 2006 Amina loses her toothe while on vacation in Mali. Ages 5-8 |
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Uncle Peter's Amazing Chinese Wedding by Lenore Look, illus. by Yumi Heo Simon & Schuster/Anne Schwartz. 2006 |
| Henry and the Kite Dragon by Bruce Edward Hall ill. William Low, Philomel, Ages 7-9. In the 1920, New York’s Chinatown, there is a misunderstanding between Chinese Kite-flyers and Italian homing-pigeon-flyers is resolved. |
| Kamishibai Man Written and Illustrated by Allan Say HMCO, 2005, Ages 6-9 Forced into retirement by the advent of television, an elderly Japanese storyteller ventures out onto once-familiar streets and makes a surprising discovery. |
My Best Friend by Mary Ann Rodman, illus. by E.B. Lewis Viking, 2005 Ages 5-7 An African-American six-year-old girl learns how a best friend should really act. Ages 5-7 |
Sienna’s Scrapbook: Our African American Heritage Trip, by Toni Parker, ill. Janell Genovese, Chronicle, 2005, Ages 8-10
Join Sienna’s family as they explore historic sights form Connecticut to North Carolina.
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| Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson, ill. Hudson Talbot, Putnam, 2005, Ages 10-13. Pieces of a quilt reflect the path from slavery to freedom through nine generations. |
| Brothers in Hope: Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan by Mary Williams, ill. R. Gregory Christie, Lee and Low, 2005, ages 9-12. Sudanese boys uprooted by war eventually make new lives in the United States. Based on real events. |
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Manana, Iguana by Ann Whitford Paul, illus. by Ethan Long Holiday House 2004 A retelling of the classic story Little Red Hen with a Mexican twist and clearly translated in Spanish vocabulary. Ages 5-8 |
Gobble, Gobble, Slip Slop: A Tale of a Very Greedy Cat written and illusrated by Meilo So Knopf, 2004 Ages 7-9 A greedy cat gets his comeuppance in this retelling od a traditional tale from India. Clever water color illustrations. |
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The Hungry Coat: A tale from Turkey written and illustrated by Demi. McEllderry, 2004, Ages 7-10. Nasrettin Hoca, a good man in a not-so-good coat, learns-then teaches- that appearances can be deceiving. |
The People Could Flyby Virginia Hamilton, illus. by Leo and Diane Dillon. Knopf, 2004. Ages 7-10 The title story of American slaves from the original 1993, with intense, haunting paintings. |
Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman With A Great Big Heart, Un Cuento De Una Mujer Giante Con Un Gran Corazón. By Pat Mora, ill. Raul Colón, Simon and Schuster, 2005, Ages 6-9.
A delightful tall tale told in warm lyrical language and rich oil paintings. English and Spanish.
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| Fresh Fish: A Tale from Tanzania written and illustrated by John Kilaka, Groundwood, 2005, Ages 6-9 When Dog steals Chimpanzee’s fish, the animals of the village spring into action to catch the thief. |
| Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom. Written by Tim Tingle, Illus. by Jeanne Rorex Bridges. Cinco Puntos. 2006 Ages 8-12, |
| F. Isabel and. Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection. By Isabel F. Campoy and Alma Flor Ada Illus. by Felipe Dávalos et al. Atheneum. |
Porch Lies: Tales of Slicksters, Tricksters, and Other Wily Characters , Patricia C. McKissack, 2006 Schwartz & Wade.
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| The Trouble Begins by Linda Himelblau, Delacorte, 2005, ages 10-12 A Vietnamese refugee , reunited with family membes after many years, struggles to learn English and adjust to life in the United States. |
New Boyby Julian Houston Houghton Mifflin Co., 2005 Ages 12 and up. As a new sophomore at an exclusive boarding school, a young black man us witness to the persecution of another student with bad acne. |
Totally Joeby James Howe Atheneum , 2005, Ages 11-14 A touching and humorous memoir of a gay twelve-year-old with a supportive family and fine friends. |
Smiler’s BonesBy Peter Lerangis Scholastic,2005, Ages 11-13 The only surviving Inuit of six “presented” to the Museum of Natural History in 1897 tells the story of a complete misunderstanding between two cultures. |
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The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin Little, Brown. 2006 Ages 7-10 |
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Rules by Cynthia Lord Scholastic, 2006, Ages 11-14 |
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Clementine by Sara Pennypacker. Illus. by Marla Frazee Hyperion, 2006 Ages 7-10 |
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All of the Above: A Novel by Shelley Pearsall, Illus. by Javaka Steptoe Little Brown, 2006 |
Eyes of the Emperor by Graham Salisbury Putnam, 2005, Ages 12-14 When a Japanese American living on Hawaii in 1941 enlists in the U.S. Army, his loyalty is tested. A shameful chapter of American history. |
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Swimming in the Monsoon Sea by Shyam Selvadurai Tundra, 2005 Ages 12-14 A young man becomes aware of his homosexuality and comes to terms with the rigid mores and traditions of the Sri Lankan culture |
Maritchka: A Nineteenthe-Century American GirlBy Tonya Bolden Abrams. 2005 Ages 10-13 Born in 1848 in New York City, African-American Maritcha lives a comfortable life until events change things drastically- she overcomes prejudice and fulfills her dreams. Based on a unpublished memoir. |
| Rosa by Nikkie Giovanni, ill. Brian Collier, Henry Holt, 2005, Ages 8-10 A picture book biography of Rosa Parks, whose determination and courage inspired one of the seminal events of the Civil Rights Movement. |
| Brothers and Sisters, written and photographed by Laura Dwight, Star Bright, 2005, Ages 7-10 Children of varying abilities are described by their typically developing siblings. |
The Voice that Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights by Russell Freedom. Clarion, Ages 9-13
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| The Forbidden Schoolhouse: The True and Dramatic Story of Prudence Crandall and Her Students by Suzanne Jurmain, HMCO, 2005, Ages 11-14. A woman who was determined, against fierce odds, that she would open a school for ladies of color in Canterbury, Connecticut in the 1830’s. |
| Families. By Susan Kuklin, Hyperion 2006, Ages 4-8 Children from diverse families share thoughts about their families and photographs. |
| Tsunami: Helping each other by Ann Morris and Heidi Larson, Millbrook, 2005, Ages 6-10. The 2004 disaster as it affects two young Thai boys, including details of their efforts at recovery. Photographs. |
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, illus. by Henry Cole. Simon and Schuster, Ages 4-8 Two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo adopt an abandoned egg. |
Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave his People Writing written and illustrated by James Rumford. Trans. By Anna Sixkiller Huckaby. HMCO 2004
A Man who could neither read nor write devised a system of writing for the Cherokee people.
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Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter Harcourt, 2004, Ages 8-10 In the midst of the invasion of Iraq by U.S. forces, Alia Baker’s ingenuity and bravery saves precious books. |
| Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates by Jonah Winter, ill. Raul Colon, Atheneum, 2005 Ages 7-9 Lyrical biography of the first Latino major league baseball player. Energetic, highly textured paintings. |
Sixteen Years, Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story by Paula Yoo, ill. Com Lee, Lee and Low, 2005, Ages 8-10
A brilliant diver who, despite discrimination became the first Asian-American to win an Olympic gold medal even while he was studying to be a physician.
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| Here is Harlem: poems in many voices by Walter Dean Myers, Holiday House, 2004. Ages 12+ In strong evocative verse is, the flavor of this New York neighborhood is expressed by its diverse residents. |
| César: !Si, Se Per-Grand, Puede! Yes, We Can! By Carmen T. Benier –Grand, ill. By David Diaz, Cavendish. Ages 8-10. Powerful verse and stylized illustrations create a moving accoungt of Chavez’s life and work for farm workers’ rights. |
| Poems to Dream together; Poemas Para Soñar Juntos by Francisco X. Alarcón Lee and Low, 2005, Ages 8-12 Celebrating family life in California and Mexico in Spanish and English. Vibrant cut-paper and gouache illustrations. |
| Red Hot Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Being Young and Latino in the United States edited by Lori Marie Carlson, into. By Oscar Hijuelos, Henry Holt, 2005, Ages 12-14. Bilingual poems describing adolescent life in the United States. Includes glossary of translated Spanish vocabulary and short biographies of the poets. |
Last updated 03-Apr-2008
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