"Multicultural" books are books by and about people of color: African and African Americans, Native Americans, Asian/Pacific and Asian Pacific Americans, and Latinos. This listing introduces 50 essential books and a range of authors and illustrators for children (2010, Cooperative Children's Book Center).
Below is a linked list of recommended books. Be sure to click on the author's name in the catalog to see more of their work!
Preschool
In this version of a traditional tale, Senor Calavera arrives at Grandma Beetle's door, ready to take her to the next life, but after helping her count, in English and Spanish, as she makes her birthday preparations, he changes his mind.
2 Baby says John Steptoe. c1988
A baby and big brother figure out how to get along.
3 I love my hair! by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley ; illustrated by E.B. Lewis. c1998
A young African American girl describes the different, wonderful ways she can wear her hair.
4 Baby rattlesnake told by Te Ata ; adapted by Lynn Moroney ; illustrated by V c1989
Willful Baby Rattlesnake throws tantrums to get his rattle before he's ready, but he misuses it and learns a lesson.
5 Round is a mooncake : a book of shapes written by Roseanne Thong ; illustrated by Grace Lin. c2000
As a little girl discovers things round, square, and rectangular in her urban neighborhood, she is reminded of her Chinese American culture.
6 "More more more, said the baby : 3 love stories Vera B. Williams. c1990
Three babies are caught up in the air and given loving attention by a father, grandmother, and mother.
For Ages 5-7
7 Grandfather counts by Andrea Cheng ; illustrations by Ange Zhang. c2000
When her maternal grandfather comes from China, Helen, who is biracial, develops a special bond with him despite their age and language differences.
8 Hairs = Pelitos by Sandra Cisneros ; illustrated by Terry Ybáñez 1994
A girl describes how each person in the family has hair that looks and acts different, Papa's like a broom, Kiki's like fur, and Mama's with the sweet smell of bread before it's baked
9 I lost my tooth in Africa by Penda Diakité ; illustrated by Baba Wagué Diak 2006
While visiting her father's family in Mali, a young girl loses a tooth, places it under a calabash, and receives a hen and a rooster from the African Tooth Fairy.
10 Honey, I love : and other love poems by Eloise Greenfield ; pictures by Diane and Leo Dillon. c1978
Titles include "I Look Pretty," "Fun," "Riding on the Train," "Harriet Tubman," and "By Myself."
11 The good luck cat Joy Harjo ; illustrated by Paul Lee. c2000
Because her good luck cat Woogie has already used up eight of his nine lives in narrow escapes from disaster, a Native American girl worries when he disappears.
12 Uncle Peter's amazing Chinese wedding written by Lenore Look ; illustrated by Yumi Heo.
c2006
c2006
A Chinese American girl describes the festivities surrounding her uncle's Chinese wedding and the customs behind each one.
13 Mirandy and Brother Wind by Patricia C. McKissack ; illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. c1988
To win first prize in the Junior Cakewalk, Mirandy tries to capture the wind for her partner.
14 When the shadbush blooms by Carla Messinger with Susan Katz ; illustrated by David K c2007
A young Lenni Lenape Indian child describes her family's life through the seasons. Includes facts about the Lenni Lenape Indians.
15 Shades of black : a celebration of our children by Sandra L. Pinkney ; photographs by Myles Pinkney. c2000
Photographs and poetic text celebrate the beauty and diversity of African American children.
16 World team Tim Vyner. c2001
All over the world, children in places as different as Germany, Kenya, Japan, Australia, and India are practicing and playing soccer, all dreaming of winning the World Cup.
For Ages 7-9
17 Skysisters written by Jan Bourdeau Waboose ; illustrated by Brian Dein c2000
Two Ojibway sisters set off across the frozen north country to see the SkySpirits' midnight dance.
18 What can you do with a rebozo? by Carmen Tafolla ; illustrations by Amy Córdova. c2008
What can you use to dress up, play hide-and-seek, carry baby brother, and DANCE with? A rebozo!
19 My name is Maria Isabel Alma Flor Ada ; illustrated by K. Dyble Thompson ; translat c1993
Third grader María Isabel, born in Puerto Rico and now living in the U.S., wants badly to fit in at school; and the teacher's writing assignment "My Greatest Wish" gives her that opportunity.
20 From the bellybutton of the moon and other summer poems poems, Francisco X. Alarcón ; illustrations, Maya Chri c1998
A bilingual collection of poems in which the renowned Mexican American poet revisits and celebrates his childhood memories of summers, Mexico, and nature.
21 Dia's story cloth written by Dia Cha ; stitched by Chue and Nhia Thao Cha ; c1996
The story cloth made for her by her aunt and uncle chronicles the life of the author and her family in their native Laos and their eventual emigration to the United States.
22 The people could fly : American Black folktales told by Virginia Hamilton ; illustrated by Leo and Diane Di c1985
Retold Afro-American folktales of animals, fantasy, the supernatural, and desire for freedom, born of the sorrow of the slaves, but passed on in hope.
Retold Afro-American folktales of animals, fantasy, the supernatural, and desire for freedom, born of the sorrow of the slaves, but passed on in hope.
23 John Henry by Julius Lester ; pictures by Jerry Pinkney. c1994
Retells the life of the legendary African American hero who raced against a steam drill to cut through a mountain.
24 Ruby Lu, brave and true Lenore Look ; illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. c2004
"Almost-eight-year-old" Ruby Lu spends time with her baby brother, goes to Chinese school, performs magic tricks and learns to drive, and has adventures with both old and new friends.
25 The people shall continue written by Simon Ortiz ; illustrated by Sharol Graves. c1988
Traces the progress of the Indians of North America from the time of the Creation to the present.
26 Rickshaw girl Mitali Perkins ; illustrated by Jamie Hogan. c2007
In her Bangladesh village, ten-year-old Naimi excels at painting designs called alpanas, but to help her impoverished family financially she would have to be a boy--or disguise herself as one.
27 Tar Beach Faith Ringgold. c1991
A young girl dreams of flying above her Harlem home, claiming all she sees for herself and her family. Based on the author's quilt painting of the same name.
28 Indian shoes Cynthia Leitich Smith ; illustrated by Jim Madsen. c2002
Together with Grampa, Ray Halfmoon, a Seminole-Cherokee boy, finds creative and amusing solutions to life's challenges.
29 Justin and the best biscuits in the world Mildred Pitts Walter ; with illustrations by Catherine Stoc c1986
Suffering in a family full of females, ten-year-old Justin feels that cleaning and keeping house are women's work until he spends time on his beloved grandfather's ranch.
30 Show way Jacqueline Woodson ; illustrated by Hudson Talbott. c2005
The making of "Show ways," or quilts which once served as secret maps for freedom-seeking slaves, is a tradition passed from mother to daughter in the author's family.
For Ages 9-12
31 Through my eyes Ruby Bridges ; articles and interviews compiled and edited c1999
Ruby Bridges recounts the story of her involvement, as a six-year-old, in the integration of her school in New Orleans in 1960.
32 Words to my life's song by Ashley Bryan, with photographs by Bill McGuinness. c2009
An introduction to the life and career of the writer and artist Ashley Bryan, a three-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award.
An introduction to the life and career of the writer and artist Ashley Bryan, a three-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award.
33 Bud, not Buddy Christopher Paul Curtis. c1999
Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father--the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of Grand Rapids.
34 The birchbark house Louise Erdrich with illustrations by the author. 2002
Omakayas, a seven-year-old Native American girl of the Ojibwa tribe, lives through the joys of summer and the perils of winter on an island in Lake Superior in 1847.
Omakayas, a seven-year-old Native American girl of the Ojibwa tribe, lives through the joys of summer and the perils of winter on an island in Lake Superior in 1847.
35 1621 : a new look at Thanksgiving by Catherine O'Neill Grace and Margaret M. Bruchac et al
c2001
This exciting book describes the actual events that took place during the three days that the Wampanoag people and the colonists came together.
c2001
This exciting book describes the actual events that took place during the three days that the Wampanoag people and the colonists came together.
36 Oh, freedom! : kids talk about the Civil Rights Movement wi by Casey King and Linda Barrett Osborne ; portraits by Joe c1997
Interviews between young people and people who took part in the civil rights movement accompany essays that describe the history of efforts to make equality a reality for African Americans.
Interviews between young people and people who took part in the civil rights movement accompany essays that describe the history of efforts to make equality a reality for African Americans.
37 Where the mountain meets the moon Grace Lin. 2009
Minli, an adventurous girl from a poor village, buys a magical goldfish, and then joins a dragon who cannot fly on a quest to find the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of bringing life to Fruitless Mountain and freshness to Jade River.
Minli, an adventurous girl from a poor village, buys a magical goldfish, and then joins a dragon who cannot fly on a quest to find the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of bringing life to Fruitless Mountain and freshness to Jade River.
38 The tree is older than you are : a bilingual gathering of p selected by Naomi Shihab Nye.
c1995
c1995
Sixty-four Mexican poets and painters share their ideas, visions, and dreams for life with American readers.
39 A single shard Linda Sue Park. c2001
Tree-ear, a thirteen-year-old orphan in medieval Korea, lives under a bridge in a potters' village, and longs to learn how to throw the delicate celadon ceramics himself.
40 Esperanza rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. 2000
Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth and privilege in Mexico to go work in the labor camps of Southern California, where they must adapt to the harsh circumstances facing Mexican farm workers on the eve of the Great Depression.
Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth and privilege in Mexico to go work in the labor camps of Southern California, where they must adapt to the harsh circumstances facing Mexican farm workers on the eve of the Great Depression.
41 Ellington was not a street written by Ntozake Shange ; illustrations by Kadir Nelson. c2004
In a reflective tribute to the African-American community of old, noted poet Ntozake Shange recalls her childhood home and the close-knit group of innovators that often gathered there.
In a reflective tribute to the African-American community of old, noted poet Ntozake Shange recalls her childhood home and the close-knit group of innovators that often gathered there.
42 Boys without names Kashmira Sheth. 2010
Eleven-year-old Gopal and his family leave their rural Indian village for life with his uncle in Mumbai, but when they arrive his father goes missing and Gopal ends up locked in a sweatshop from which there is no escape.
43 The composition Antonio Skármeta ; pictures by Alfonso Ruano. c2000
When a government official comes into a third grade classroom and tells the students to write a composition entitled "What My Family Does at Night," Pedro must decide how he feels about the military dictatorship that is running his country.
When a government official comes into a third grade classroom and tells the students to write a composition entitled "What My Family Does at Night," Pedro must decide how he feels about the military dictatorship that is running his country.
44 Roll of thunder, hear my cry Mildred D. Taylor ; frontispiece by Jerry Pinkney. c1976
A black family living in Mississippi during the Depression of the 1930s is faced with prejudice and discrimination which its children do not understand.
A black family living in Mississippi during the Depression of the 1930s is faced with prejudice and discrimination which its children do not understand.
45 One crazy summer by Rita Williams-Garcia. c2010
In the summer of 1968, after traveling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.
No comments:
Post a Comment