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Early Childhood Equity Initiative
Children’s Bibliography
Preschool and K-3
“It is not a problem that children notice differences. The problem is that in our society, some differences are valued as positive and others as negative, and children absorb and act on these values." (Ellen Wolpert)
Children are eager learners, exploring all aspects of their world. This exploration frequently includes observations about why people are different from each other, why skin color differs from one person to another, what it means to be a boy or a girl and why people are involved in different activities than those of their own family and community. As the quotation above suggests, adults have to take great care that bias and prejudice do not dictate what children are taught about differences.
Early childhood educators and parents understand that young children are like sponges and soak up everything they experience and observe. This provides golden opportunities to influence their thinking in ways that will help them develop a positive identity, have empathy and understanding for others they perceive as different and behave in ways that are equitable and promote fairness. If the literature young children are exposed to is culturally affirming, accurate, non stereotypical and non-biased, it will engender healthy, positive identity development. It will also increase their understanding of those who they may see as different from themselves.
Purpose
The following bibliography was compiled to provide early childhood educators and parents with a resource that will help them capitalize on these opportunities; in short, to assist in one aspect of creating a multicultural and equitable learning environment.
Content Themes
The books included here serve a number of purposes. Some affirm racial and cultural identity. Others can promote cross-cultural understanding. Still others children in recognizing stereotypes that they encounter. We hope some of these books offer children ways to express empathy for others and to recognize and take a stand against unfairness. Some will have multiple purposes. And some are just lovely books with beautiful illustrations, stories told with various cultural contexts and perspectives.
Topic Headings
The specific topic headings are designed to help users simplify their search. Please know that some of the books could easily fit into more than one category. It may be helpful to determine what theme or topic you want to share with the children and then start your search with the topic heading that most closely approaches this theme. The topics are in alphabetical order, not in order of importance.
Language Usage
Some of the books are written using “home language” or dialects, language that is unique to the speaking styles of various cultures. Though these styles may not represent what is formally taught in the classrooms or in the home, they represent authentic communication patterns and expressions that will be familiar to and comfortable for some of the children being served. For those who may be unfamiliar with these styles, it is important for teachers and parents to validate them as legitimate ways to communicate and not as deficient or inappropriate.
How you can help?
ECEI will be adding more titles in the future and will indicate which titles are new. Therefore we encourage you to revisit our site on a continuing basis. We also encourage you to write your comments about your book selections and indicate how they were helpful to you in conveying particular themes to children. Your comments about concerns you may have about any of the books are welcome as well. Comments can be forwarded to ecei@teachingforchange.org. Any suggestions for additions to the bibliography are most welcome. We will carefully review any title you suggest and consider it for inclusion in our bibliography.
Bibliography
Activism
Altman, Linda Jacobs. The Legend of Freedom Hill. New York , NY: Lee & Low Books, 2003. [K-3] ISBN: 1584301694
Altman uses a folksy, third-person voice to describe a fictional episode set in California during the Gold Rush. The story concerns the friendship between outsiders Rosabel, an African American, and Sophie, a Jewish girl. The tale turns on the fact that Rosabel has her "freedom papers," but her mother does not.
Cohn, Diana. ¡Si, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can!. El Paso, Texas: Cinco Puntos Press, 2005. [K-3] ISBN: 093831789X In English/Spanish
¡Si, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can! is a bilingual fictional story set against the backdrop of the successful janitors' strike in Los Angeles in 2000. It tells about Carlitos, whose mother is a janitor. She and the other janitors have decided to go on strike. How will Carlitos support his mother?
Cronin, Doreen. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2000. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0689832133
The literacy rate in farmer Brown's barn goes up considerably once his cows find an old typewriter and begin typing and making demands. When farmer Brown refuses to comply with their demands, the cows take action. Soon the striking cows and Farmer Brown are forced to reach a mutually agreeable compromise, with the help of an impartial party--the duck.
Evans, Freddi Williams. A Bus of Our Own. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & Company, 2001. [K-3] ISBN: 0807509701 T LK
Long before Rosa Parks, a group of African American sharecroppers in a rural community in Mississippi organized their own bus so that their children could get to school. The story is based on a real event.
Hoffman, Eric. No Fair to Tigers. St. Paul , MN: Redleaf Press, 1999. [K-3] ISBN: 1884834620 In English/Spanish [out of print]
This is a story about how Mandy and Old Tiger ask for fair treatment and solutions to the problems they encounter. When Mandy goes to the store to buy tiger treats, the three steps out front make it impossible for her to get her wheelchair inside.
Karusa. The Streets Are Free. Toronto, On: Annick Press, 2005. [K-3] ISBN: 1550373706 [temporarily out of print]
The story, in an understandable manner, covers "issues" like urbanization, pollution, politics, and activism. It is a heartening, optimistic story about children who are promised a playground by the mayor but the mayor does nothing. Eventually, the kids and parents decide to take collective action.
Krull, Kathleen. Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Children's Books, 2003. [K-3] ISBN: 0152014373
The dramatic story of Chavez's 340-mile march to protest the working conditions of migrant farm workers in California is the centerpiece of this well-told biography. Readers meet Chavez at his grandparents' home in Arizona where he lived happily amid a large extended family.
Lionni, Leo. Swimmy. New York, NY: Dragonfly Books, 1973. [Preschool] ISBN: 0394826205
Swimmy is an exquisite picture book. Swimmy, a little fish, the lone survivor of a school of fish swallowed by a tuna, devises a plan to camouflage himself and his new companions. Swimmy, who is “different” from the other fish, bands together with other little fish to stand up to the bully.
Medina, Tony. Christmas Makes Me Think. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books, 2001. [K-3] ISBN: 1584300248
Christmas, for this child, is about time with Grandma, eating and making presents. Then he thinks of "all those trees that never make it to the next Christmas" and considers "how much better it would be [to] visit a turkey or a pig instead of eating one.
Monjo, F.N. The Drinking Gourd. New York, NY: Harper Trophy, 1992. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0064440427
The stars of the Big Dipper have led a runaway slave family to Deacon Fuller's house, a stop on the Underground Railroad. Will Tommy Fuller be able to hide the runaways from a search party -- or will the secret passengers be discovered and their hope for freedom destroyed?
Rappaport, Doreen. Martin's Big Words. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children, 2001. [K-3] ISBN: 0786807148
Collier combines his distinctive watercolor-and-collage art with Rappaport's uncluttered text to sum up King's life and work. Each two-page spread begins with a short paragraph about King and his crusade for civil rights, followed by a powerful sample of his own words set in oversized, boldface type. Both portions of the succinct text work together to emphasize the leader's courage, commitment, and ultimate sacrifice, without sensationalizing his death.
Rappaport, Doreen. The School Is Not White: A True Story of the Civil Rights Movement. New York, NY : Jump At The Sun, 2005. [K-3] ISBN: 0786818387
This book tells the story of an African-American family in Mississippi in 1965. The author calls them not-yet-celebrated Americans and recounts their pursuit of an equal education at the beginning of desegregation.
Sisulu, Eleanor Batezat. The Day Gogo Went to Vote. New York, NY: Megan Tingley, 1999. [K-3] ISBN: 0316702714
Thembi accompanies her hundred-year-old great-grandmother to the polling place in the first election in which black South Africans are allowed to vote. Infirm and housebound, Gogo is determined to vote and does so with a little help from her community.
Families And Family Relationships
Bailey, Debbie. Grandma. Richmond Hill, ON: Annick Press Ltd., 1994. [Preschool] ISBN: 1550379666
Through the use of simple text, this book explores the relationship between young children and their grandmothers. The diversity of families is portrayed in the real photographs that illustrate activities enjoyed by grandmothers and their grandchildren such as talking, visiting interesting places, and building toys.
Bailey, Debbie. Grandpa. Richmond Hill, ON: Annick Press Ltd., 1994. [Preschool] ISBN: 1550379674
Through the use of simple text, this book explores the relationship between young children and their grandfathers. The diversity of families is portrayed in the real photographs that illustrate activities enjoyed by grandfathers and their grandchildren such as drawing, talking, cooking, playing games, and reading.
Farris, Christine King. My Brother Martin. New York, NY: Scholastic, 2003. [K-3] ISBN: 0439581729
In the straightforward style of a master storyteller, Farris recalls the birth of her two younger brothers, Martin Luther King Jr. and Alfred Daniel King, (known in the family as M.L. and A.D) and relates anecdotes that demonstrate both the mischievous exploits of the siblings and the love and understanding that permeated the close-knit multigenerational family in which they grew up.
Hausherr, Rosmarie. Celebrating Families. New York, NY: Scholastic, 1997. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0590489372
This attractive and appealing photo-essay features a broad representational mix of families. Each left-hand page shows a color photo of a young child with some kind of picture of his or her family. Justin wears a T-shirt silk-screened with an image of his Papa; Isaac holds photos of his Colombian foster family in one hand and a drawing of his "real mom" in the other. The facing pages display naturalistic black-and-white prints of each family engaged in common, everyday activities. (shopping, gardening, etc.)
Johnson, Angela, Tell Me a Story Mama. New York, NY: Orchard Books, 1992. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0531070328
In this touching picture book, a mother and preschool-aged daughter talk together as the child is being prepared for bed. "Tell me a story, Mama, about when you were little," begs the child, and proceeds to tell all the stories herself, her headlong narrative punctuated by maternal commentary.
Joosse, Barbara. Mama Do You Love Me. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 1998. [Preschool] ISBN: 0811821315
This wonderfully illustrated book, from an Intuit cultural perspective, tells a beautiful and timeless story, about a daughter's attempt to find the limit of her mother's love. ("I love you more than the raven loves his treasure, more than the dog loves his tail, more than the whale loves his spout")
Lomas, Carmen Garza. Family Pictures/Cuadros de Familia. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press, 2005. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 089239207X In English/Spanish
In gratitude to those who helped her achieve this goal, Mexican-American Garza has generously afforded readers a glimpse of her cherished childhood in a poor rural Hispanic community.
Mora, Pat. Pablo's Tree. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1994. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0027674010
Five-year-old Pablo can hardly wait to see how Abuelito , his grandfather, has decorated Pablo's tree for his birthday. When Mama first told her father that she was going to adopt a baby and name it after him if it were a boy, Lito went out and bought the tree for his grandson. Every year since then, Lito has decorated the tree for Pablo's birthday.
Morris, Ann. Grandma Maxine Remembers: A Native American Family Story Minneapolis, MN : Millbrook Press, 2002. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0761323171
Eight-year-old Shawnee belongs to the Shoshone tribe and lives on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming with her mother and her siblings. Her grandparents live nearby and she and her grandmother share a special bond. The book explores this relationship while adding information about the history, culture, and daily life of the people.
Morris, Ann. Grandma Lois Remembers: An African-American Family Story. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press, 2002. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0761317295
Erick lives with his parents and two older siblings in Queens, NY. This photo-essay begins by describing the special, loving relationship that he has with his mother and his father, then shifts focus to Grandma Lois.
Morris, Ann. Grandma Esther Remembers: A Jewish-American Family Story. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press, 2002. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 076132318X
Morris describes the routines of three families, emphasizing how the grandmothers and grandchildren interact with one another. In the course of the narratives, information about the women's personal histories emerge.
Morris, Ann. Grandma Lai Goon Remembers: A Chinese-American Family Story. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press, 2002. [K-3] ISBN: 0761317309
Morris describes the routines of three families, emphasizing how the grandmothers and grandchildren interact with one another. In the course of the narratives, some information about the women's personal histories emerge.
Morris, Ann. Grandma Hekmatt Remembers: An Arab-American Family Story. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press, 2003. [K-3] ISBN: 0761319441
The relationship between three young Arab-American sisters and their grandmother is profiled in this series title. The narrative moves between scenes of the girls and their grandmother at home in New Jersey to Grandma Hekmatt's memories of her former home in Egypt.
Morris, Ann. Grandma Francisca Remembers: A Hispanic Family Story. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press, 2002. [K-3] ISBN: 0761317333
Clear, color photographs, headline-type captions over the text, and an engaging intergenerational relationship mark this book. Angelica's and her grandmother, Francisca, go for walks, practice speaking Spanish, look at old family photos, sew, and cook.
Parnell, Peter, and Justin Richardson. And Tango Makes Three. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2005. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0689878451
This is a beautiful story of a loving couple, Roy and Silo, two male penguins living in New York City’s Central Park Zoo. After watching Roy and Silo try to hatch a rock, the zookeeper, Mr. Gramzay, placed an egg in their nest that needed to be cared for. The two penguins took turns sitting on the egg until it finally hatched, and they became the proud fathers of a baby girl named Tango. This true story illustrates the real meaning of family.
Roe, Eileen. Con Mi Hermano / With My Brother. New York, NY: Aladdin, 1994. [Preschool] ISBN: 0689718551 In English/Spanish
A small boy treasures the time his brother spends with him, and admires the older boy's abilities. He hopes, in time, to be able to play ball, deliver papers, and go to school with his sibling. But for now, he is happy when the two of them play together.
Scott, Ann Herbert. On Mother's Lap. New York, NY: Clarion Books, 1992. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0395629764
The furnishings are few in this chilly Eskimo dwelling, but when Michael jumps in Mother's lap, the love between them warms the room, as "back and forth, back and forth, they rock.”
Skutch, Robert. Who's in a Family. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press, 1997. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 188367266X
Beginning with a traditional nuclear family and ending with blank spaces in which the child reader is instructed to "draw a picture of your family," this slight book catalogues multicultural contemporary family units, including those with single parents, lesbian and gay parents, mixed-race couples, grandparents and divorced parents.
Leyla, Torres. The Kite Festival. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Geroux, 2004. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0374380546
Fernando and his multigenerational Colombian family pack a picnic and go off for a drive, ending up at San Vicente, where there is a kite festival. They have come with all sorts of goodies, but no kite. So, starting with Grandpa and down to little Flora, each member of the family finds something to use for the kite.
Tran, Truong. Going Home, Coming Home / Ve Nha, Tham Que Huqny. San Francisco, CA : Children's Book Press, 2003. [K-3] ISBN: 0892391790 In English /Vietnamese
This moving bilingual picture book, from an author and artist who are both Vietnamese American, tells a contemporary immigrant story, not of child refugees coming to America, but of a child of those refugees visiting, for the first time, the country her parents still call home.
Wells, Rosemary. Yoko's Paper Cranes. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children, 2001. ISBN: 0786807377
Wells returns to the plucky heroine she introduced in Yoko with this wistful story about the green-eyed kitten and her far-away grandparents. Yoko writes weekly to Japan to her beloved grandmother, Obaasan, whose garden is visited each year by migrating cranes.
Williams, Sherley Anne and Byard, Carole. Working Cotton. New York, NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc, 1992. ISBN: 0152996249
This is a story about an African American family's daily work picking cotton from the fields. Williams incorporates a good deal of African American culture into the story. Her familiarity with the dialect allows for the story to be portrayed in a very realistic way.
Williams, Vera B. More, More, More Said the Baby. New York , NY: Greenwillow Books, 1990. [Preschool] ISBN: 0688091733
From beneath the tickles, kisses, and unfettered affection showered on them by grownups, the children in Vera B. Williams' Caldecott Honor Book cry out for "more more more!" Quirky watercolor drawings and colorful text feature multi-ethnic families.
Gender Identity
Caines, Jeannette. Just Us Women. New York, NY: Harper Trophy; 1984. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0064430561
This is a story of a young girl's travels with her aunt and illustrates how exciting and adventurous simple things like having dinner on the road or visiting a flea market can be for a youngster. It reinforces idea that women can have adventures together as "just us women."
DePaola, Tomie. Oliver Button Is a Sissy. Orlando, FL: Voyager Books, 1990. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0156681404
A little boy must come to terms with being teased and ostracized because he’d rather read books, paint pictures, and tap-dance than participate in sports. There is a good balance between the simple text and the expressive pictures.
Hooks, Bell. Be Boy Buzz. New York, NY: Jump At the Sun, 2002. [Preschool] ISBN: 0786808144
An alliterative ode to the snips, snails, and puppy-dog tails. The syncopated text suits the subject well: "I be boy /All bliss boy. /All fine beat boy/All beau boy." It captures children running, jumping, "talking way too loud," and then, "sitting all quite still.”
Howe James. Horace and Morris, But Mostly Dolores. New York, NY: Aladdin Library, 2003. ISBN: 068985675X
This book is about three mice that are best friends. One day, the two boy mice decide to join the Mega-Mice Club, but no girls are allowed. Dolores joins the Cheese Puff Club for girls. She is unhappy and bored because all the girls want to do is make crafts and discuss ways to “get a fella using mozzarella.” One day the girls decide to quit their clubs and start a clubhouse where boys and girls are both welcome.
Jimenez, Karleen Pendleton. Are You a Boy or a Girl. Toronto, On: Green Dragon Press, 2000. [K-3] ISBN: 1896781144
A story of a child thinking through who she is, a child learning through her mother’s love to be both strong and soft.
Munsch, Robert and Michael Martchenko. Angela’s Airplane. Buffalo, NY: Annick Press, 1988. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 155037026X English 1550371894 Spanish
In this book a little girl, Angela, makes an airplane fly as a result of her urges to keep pushing buttons. Available in Spanish and English
Zolotow, Charlotte. Williams Doll. Mexico: Harper Collins, 1972. [Preschool] ISBN: 0060270470
This is a tender tale about a boy and his desire to own a doll of his own. Books that break stereotypes rarely do it as intelligently and simply as Charlotte Zolotow's remarkable, "William's Doll".
Holiday Celebrations
Daly, Niki. What’s Cooking Jamela? New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, 2001. [K-3] ISBN: 0374356025
Set in a South African township, this is a story of a young girl, Jamela, who sets out to rescue Christmas, her pet chicken, from becoming the family’s holiday meal. Throughout the book are images of South African culture: a nativity play where “Jamela played Mary and carried baby Jesus on her back like a real mama,” the Wise Men wore “Madiba shirts,” and Christmas songs were sung “to the sound of marimba and drums.” Xhosa and Zulu vocabulary is also used throughout this engaging story.
Ford, Juwanda and Wilson-Max, Ken. K is for Kwanzaa. New York, NY: Cartwheel, 2003. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0439560713
This alphabet book teaches about Kwanzaa foods, customs, costumes, and language. After a brief history of Kwanzaa and an explanation of the seven principles, different aspects of this special holiday are illustrated such as “E for Embe” (African fruit), “F for Feast,” “G for Gele” (strip of cloth wrapped around an African woman’s head), and “Z for Zawadi” (presents). The format is simple and the illustrations are colorful.
Gayle, Sharon Shavers. A Kwanzaa Miracle. Minneapolis, MN: Econo-Clad Books, 1999. [K-3] ISBN: 061301829X
When Ashley and her brother Darryl include their lonely neighbor Mrs. Jackson in their Kwanzaa celebrations, they take part in a Kwanzaa ceremony they'll never forget.
Jimenez, Francisco. The Christmas Gift/El Regalo de Navidad. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin, 2000. [K-3] ISBN: 0395928699
The boy, Panchito, dreams of getting a red ball for Christmas; but there's no work and no money for presents, and the family must move again. The surprise on the last page reveals Papa's true gifts of kindness and love.
Winter, Jeanette. Calavera Abecedario: A Day of the Dead Alphabet Book. New York, NY: Harcourt Children’s Books, 2004. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0152051104
Inspired by the life of Don Pedro Linares, this book tells the story of a family in Mexico City that makes papier-mâché calaveras in preparation for the fiesta of el Dia do los Muertos. When the calaveras are taken to market, the book shifts to an alphabet portion where the skeletons act out various Spanish words: E for enfermera (nurse), I for ilustradora (illustrator), Q for quimico (chemist). When the fiesta ends, Don Pedro, his sons, and grandsons think about preparing for next year. (An alphabet glossary is included at the end.)
Interracial Identity and Interracial Families
Barkow, Henriette. That’s My Mum. United Kingdom:Mantra Lingua, 2001. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 1852696028
Mia and Kai are good friends who experience the prejudice of being judged by the color of their skin. Both children are of mixed heritage; Mia closely resembles her dark skinned father while Kai closely resembles his fair skinned father. When they go out with their mothers, people are confused about which child belongs to which mother. The two friends develop a plan for dealing with this problem.
Davol, Marguerite W. Black, White, Just Right. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & Company, 1993. [Preschool] ISBN: 0807507857
A mixed-race child celebrates the rich inclusiveness of her life in a joyful picture book. Mama's face is chestnut brown, Papa's face turns pink in the sun, the child's a little dark, a little light, "Just right!"
Friedrich, Molly. You’re Not My Real Mother! New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company, 2004. [Preschool] ISBN: 0316605530
A young, adopted girl with brown skin and black hair struggles to understand why she does not look like her blond-hair, green-eyed mother. The mother explains that she is the girl’s “real mother” through daily acts of love. These acts of love include putting “twenty bandages on a bruised knee when you really only need one” and “smother[ing] you with kisses, and try[ing] to gobble you up because you are so irresistible.” The mother further explains that the girl’s birth mother started her life, but as her adoptive mother, she gets to watch her grow.
Igus, Toyomi. Two Mrs. Gibson’s. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press, 2001. [K-3] ISBN: 0892391707.
There are two Mrs. Gibson’s in this young girl's life, and she remembers both of them lovingly. The older Mrs. Gibson has skin the color of chocolate, big hands, and a big voice, and she gives big, fat hugs. The younger Mrs. Gibson has skin the color of vanilla, writes, Japanese, and cooks the family food from her homeland. It is not until the end of the book that readers discover that the first Mrs. Gibson is the girl's grandmother, while the second is her mother.
Wing, Natasha and Casilla, Robert. Jalapeno Bagels. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1996. [Preschool] ISBN: 0689805306
This book is about child growing up bi-racially and how his parents help him accept and value both parts of his identity. It's International Day at school, and Pablo wants to bring a treat from his parents' panderia to share with his classmates. Should he bring his mother's wonderful pan dulce or a challah, which his father has shown him how to braid? What about his favorite chango bars or some of the jalapeno bagels he and his parents make together?
Justice and Conflict Resolution
Beckwith, Kathy. Playing War. ME: Tilbury House Publishers, 2005. [K-3] ISBN: 0884482677
By bringing up the impact of war on one child, who gets upset when his friends engage in war play, and showing us his friends’ caring responses, Playing War provides a forum for children and adults to talk about the real impact of war.
Carlson-Paige, Nancy. Best Day of the Week. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, 1998. [K-3] ISBN: 0613802659
This engaging urban story encourages children’s creative, imaginative play while also illustrating positive approaches to mediating interpersonal conflict. Angela’s sensitive reactions to her friend Calvin’s hurtful remarks will help children learn to resolve disagreements without violence and to their mutual benefit. This book is a very valuable teaching tool for the classroom, as well as for the home.
Carlson, Nancy -Paige. Before Push Comes to Shove: Building Conflict Resolution Skills with Children. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, 1998 [Teacher guide] ISBN: 1884834531
By using Best Day of the Week as a starting point, Before Push Comes to Shove shows teachers how they can begin to build conflict resolution skills in young children in ways that are meaningful and embedded in every day school experiences.
Cosby, Bill. The Meanest Thing to Say. New York, NY: Cartwheel, 1997. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0590956167
In The Meanest Thing to Say Little Bill must figure out how to avoid the challenge offered by the new kid in his class, "The Dozens," a duel of insults Bill doesn't want to join. With his family's help (which is free of preaching), Bill finds a solution.
Meiners, Cheri J. Join in and Play. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 2004. [Preschool] ISBN: 1575421526
What do you do when you want to join in and play with others? This book helps answer that question. In the story, a young girl explains how she joins in to play with others giving several options for when things do not go as expected. The story emphasizes talking and listening with respect and being fair. The colorful illustrations depict children and adults of various ethnicities. It concludes with ideas that teachers can use to reinforce the social skills addressed in the book. This book is part of the Learning to Get Along Series.
Meiners, Cheri J. Share and Take Turns. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 2003. [Preschool] ISBN: 1575421240
Share and Take Turns teaches children valuable social skills. This text specifically addresses techniques for sharing. It reinforces concepts such as generosity and patience. The illustrations depict young children from various cultural groups engaged in activities to which all students can relate. The book concludes with activities for teachers to use in their own classrooms to help children practice the skill of sharing. This book is part of the Learning to Get Along Series.
Meiners, Cheri J. Talk and Work it Out. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 2005. [Preschool] ISBN: 1575421763
This book highlights the process of peaceful conflict resolution. The text explains that when a problem arises, you should calm yourself, state the problem, listen, think of solutions, try one, evaluate results, and even agree to disagree when a solution isn't possible. At the end of the book there are skill building activities and role-plays that teachers can use with their students to practice peaceful resolution. This book is part of the Learning to Get Along Series.
Meiners, Cheri J. Understand and Care. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 2003. [Preschool] ISBN: 1575421313
This book helps to build empathy in children. The simple text explains that others have feelings that may be different from their own. The book emphasizes the need to listen to others and respect their feelings in order to show that you care. Children from various cultural groups are shown in the illustrations. The last few pages contain ideas for teachers to use in their classrooms in order to promote care and understanding. This book is part of the Learning to Get Along Series.
Moss, Peggy. Say Something. Gardiner Maine: Tilbury House Publishers, 2004. [K-3] ISBN: 0884482618
This story takes an interesting slant on an important topic. A young narrator describes different examples of bullying that she witnesses at school and on the bus, but remains silent until she finally experiences it herself. She realizes she must learn to speak up for herself and others.
Rotner, Shelley. Lots of Feelings. Brookfield, CT:Millbrook Press, 2003. [Preschool] ISBN: 0761323775
Through the use of real photographs of diverse young children, this book provides students with the vocabulary to discuss their feelings. Children’s expressions illustrate feelings such as “confused,” “grumpy,” “thoughtful,” and “proud.” This book can serve as a wonderful springboard for discussion as children explore the feelings that emerge as they interact with others.
Williams, Sam. Talk Peace. New York, NY: Holiday House, 2005. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0823419363
Sam Williams has created a rhythmic text that encourages young children to “talk peace.” No matter where you go (“on a train/on a plane”) or what you do (“when you eat/when you play”), there should be “two words on the lips of the world, talk peace.” The lyrical prose is accompanied by illustrations of children from various cultural groups.
Learning About Disabilities
Debear, Kirsten. Be Quiet Marina. Long Island City, NY: Star Bright Books, 2001. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 1887734791
A little girl who likes to scream and has cerebral palsy and a quiet, shy little girl with Down Syndrome learn to play together and eventually become best friends.
Dwight, Laura. Brothers and Sisters. New York, NY: Star Bright Books, 2005. [K-3] ISBN: 1887734805
This book introduces the reader to six families in which one or more of the children has a disability. Vignettes are provided from a sibling’s perspective that share ways in which the siblings play together and help one another. They include explanations of the disabilities and the equipment that helps each child such as hearing aids, computers, and prosthetic limbs. Color photographs of the culturally diverse families accompany the text.
Fleming, Virginia. Be Good to Eddie Lee. New York, NY: Philomel, 1993. [K-3] ISBN: 0399219935
Eddie Lee is a young boy with Down’s Syndrome. When he follows Christy and JimBud to a nearby pond, the two try to chase him away and make him go back home. Eddie Lee is persistent and in the end takes Christy to a hidden place filled with frog eggs and water lilies. It is then that Christy realizes that everyone is special and has unique individual gifts to offer. This is a touching story about acceptance and friendship that encourages deeper consideration for others.
Holub, Joan. My First Book of Sign Language. Troll Communications L.L.C., 1996. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0439635829
This text teaches children how to sign the alphabet as well as commonly used vocabulary words. Multicultural pictures that clearly illustrate how to execute the signs accompany each word. The first portion of the book is arranged in alphabetical order followed by several pages that offer other helpful signs such as pronouns, family words, question words, counting, days of the week, and emotion words.
Krull, Kathleen. Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman. Orlando, FL: Voyager Books, 2000. [K-3] ISBN: 0152020985
This is a story about Wilma Rudolph, the prematurely born black child who, despite suffering from polio, became the first woman to win three Olympic gold medals.
Rankin, Laura. The Handmade Alphabet. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc. 1991. [Preschool] ISBN: 0140558764
This is a manual alphabet (sign language) book. Beautifully illustrated with hand spelling illustration and object that begins with each letter
Rogers, Fred. Let’s Talk About It: Extraordinary Friends. New York, NY: Putnam Juvenile, 2000. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0698118618
This book addresses the questions and concerns some children might have about people with special needs. Real photographs depict children who have a range of disabilities – from needs that are not immediately evident to needs that require assistive equipment such as wheelchairs and computer screens used for communication. The text assures children that it is normal to be curious, and the best way to understand and appreciate children with disabilities is by talking with them and asking questions.
Senisi, Ellen B. All Kinds of Friends, Even Green. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House, 2002. [K-3] ISBN: 1890627356
In school, Moses, and the rest of his class are given the assignment of choosing a friend to write about. As he wonders which person to choose, he thinks of his circle of friends. That's it! Moses will write about Zaki. After all, they really have something in common. Moses and Zaki both have special needs.
Life In Different Social Economic Classes
Bunting, Eve. Fly Away Home. New York, NY: Clarion Books, 1993. [K-3] ISBN: 0395664152
In this timely and touching work, Bunting and Himler present a naturalistic look at the plight of the homeless--their tale of a boy and his father living in a busy airport is all the more disturbing for its lack of a pat resolution.
Cooper, Melrose. Getting Through Thursday. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books 2000. [K-3] ISBN: 1584300140
Andre dreads Thursdays. Thursday is the day before Mama gets paid at work each week - and the day when money is tight and spirits are low for Andre and his older brother and sister. As report card day approaches, Andre is excited because he anticipates making the honor roll, and Mama has promised a royal party for just such an event.
Cooper, Susan. Danny and the Kings. New York, NY: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1993. [K-3] ISBN: 068950577
Danny, his mother, and his little brother, Joe live in a trailer near the highway and cannot afford to buy a Christmas tree to help celebrate the holiday. While rehearsing for the school’s Nativity play, Danny argues with Steve over the importance of the Three Kings in the story. His teacher intervenes by saying, “My old grannie even used to say that those Three Kings are still traveling the world, carrying presents,” words that foreshadow the story yet to come. After their scuffle, Steve feels badly and takes Danny to his house to cut down a small Christmas tree, but it is smashed by a truck as Danny is carrying it home. The truck driver gives Danny a ride to the truck stop where they meet two other truck drivers who listen to Danny’s tale of wanting a tree for his little brother. The truck drivers take Danny and his family to the school for the Nativity play, and when they return home that night, there is a surprise waiting for them.
Disalvo-Ryan, Dyanne. Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen. New York, NY: Mulberry Books, 1997. [K-3] ISBN: 0688152856
Uncle Willie works at the local soup kitchen, and his young nephew is interested in learning what his job is all about. So, on his day off from school, the boy accompanies Uncle Willie and learns about the work that goes into feeding the hungry people who come to the soup kitchen. While there, he sees the “Can Man” who is always searching for empty cans in the neighborhood that he can turn into the supermarket for money and the woman he saw sleeping on the park bench. By taking action with Uncle Willie, the young boy learns the value of helping those in need.
Jimenez, Francisco. The Christmas Gift. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin, 2000. [K-3] ISBN: 0395928699
The boy Panchito dreams of getting a red ball for Christmas; but there's no work and no money for presents, and the family must move again. The surprise on the last page reveals Papa's true gifts of kindness and love.
Non-Traditional Roles
Barber, Barbara E., and Ligasan, Darryl. Allie’s Basketball Dream. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books, Inc., 1996. [K-3] ISBN: 1880000385
Ever since Allie’s father took her to a basketball game at Madison Square Garden, she has loved the sport. One day her father surprises her with a basketball of her own. Allie heads to the park to play but is met with explicit and implicit messages from those at the park that “basketball is a boy’s game.” While the ending ties up a little too neatly, the urban setting and use of a strong, black, female protagonist make this a valuable text.
Chin-Lee, Cynthia. Amelia to Zora: Twenty-six Women Who Changed the World. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge Publishing, 2005. [K-3] ISBN: 1570915229
This unique “alphabet book” introduces the reader to contemporary women who have made an impact on our world. The women included in this book represent a variety of races, ethnicities, and cultures and include athletes, scientists, writers, political figures, entertainers, artists and advocates. Some of these women are already well known and the rest should be. A short profile is provided for each woman, sharing the story of her talents, strength and courage that will surely inspire young children.
Lyon, George Ella. Mama is a Miner. New York, NY: Orchard Books, 1994. [K-3] ISBN: 0531087034
The narrator of this story is a young girl who tells about her mother’s job as a miner. The details of the job are intertwined with the girl’s complicated emotions surrounding her mother’s work including pride, awe, and concern. The rhythmic text is an important element of this story of a woman in a non-traditional role, working hard to help support her family.
Nolen, Jerdine. Thunder Rose. Orlando, FL: Silver Whistle, 2003. [K-3] ISBN: 0152164723
Thunder Rose is an African-American child born on a stormy night abuzz with booming thunder, flashing lightning, and hailing rain. Her parents are awestruck by her remarkable gifts, which include forming a ball out of lightning, speaking in full sentences minutes after her birth, and snoring through a booming, thunderous rumble. This is a wonderful hero fantasy.
Pinkley, Brian. Jo Jo’s Flying Side Kick. New York, NY:Simon and Schuster, 1998. [K-3] ISBN: 0153079134
Jojo must break a board with a flying sidekick in order to earn her yellow belt in tae kwan do. She receives lots of advice from friends and family, but in the end has to find the courage within herself to accomplish this feat. This is a wonderful story featuring a female protagonist who displays strength, perseverance, and courage.
Richards, Beah E. Keep Climbing, Girls. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2006. [K-3] ISBN: 1416902643
The text for this book is a poem first published in 1951 by Beah Richards, a renowned African-American writer. Her poem speaks of the determination and courage of a young girl who insists on climbing to the top of a very tall tree despite the warnings from Miss Nettie and the consequences that must be faced when she finally climbs down. In the end, “The moral is: Keep climbing girls, and let no one prevent you!” R. Gregory Christie created stunning illustrations that accompany this empowering story.
Racial/Cultural Identity
Ada, Alma Flor. Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish And English. New York, NY: Rayo Books, 2001. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0688170676 In English/Spanish
This is an alphabet book with exceptional illustrations and excellent poetry that gives voice to the experience of Hispanic agricultural workers. Each letter is matched with a Spanish word (for example, "Arboles" for "A") and accompanied by a poem in both Spanish and English that describes how the plant, fruit, vegetable, person, or feeling functions in the lives of these workers.
Adoff, Arnold and Emily Arnold McCully. Black Is Brown Is Tan. New York, NY: Amistad Books, 2004. [K-3] ISBN: 0064436446
Originally published in 1973, Black Is Brown Is Tan was the first children's book to feature an interracial family. In this 21st-century version, with new, sunlight-drenched watercolors, Mom is still "a tasty tan and coffee pumpkin pie / with dark brown eyes and almond ears," and Daddy is "light with pinks and tiny tans / dark hair growing on my arms / that darken in the summer sun / brown eyes / big yellow ears."
Angelou, Maya. My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken, and Me. New York, NY: Crown Books for Young Readers, 2003. [K to 3] ISBN: 0375825673
"Hello Stranger-friend" begins eight-year-old Thandi as she stands in front of a brightly painted house. In a thoroughly child-true voice, she tells about her beloved chicken, her people's ideas of "good" (which is as close as they come to saying "beautiful"), their ways of making designs in paint or beads, her brother, and going to town. Courtney-Clarke's full-color photographs are stunning.
Argueta, Jorge. A Movie in My Pillow. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press, Bilingual edition 2001. [K-3] ISBN: 0892391650 In English/Spanish
Poems in Spanish and in English communicate the poet's memories of being a boy in El Salvador and in San Francisco.
Avery, Charles. Everybody Has Feelings. Seattle, WA: Open Hand Pub LLC, 1992. [Preschool] ISBN: 0940880334 In English/Spanish
The prose is simple and right for young children in both English and Spanish. Properly guided and stimulated by adults, the book helps children to explore their feelings. This book contains excellent photographs capturing children's wide range of emotions.
Dooley, Norah. Everybody Cooks Rice. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, 1992. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0876145918
Carrie canvasses the neighborhood, trying to round up her younger brother in time for dinner. Every household she visits represents a different ethnic heritage--Fendra Diaz's grandmother lives in Puerto Rico, Madame Bleu hails from Haiti, the Huas have emigrated from China, etc. All the families are either preparing or consuming dinner, and Carrie discovers that despite divergent backgrounds, "everybody cooks rice."
Herrera, Juan Felipe. The Upside Down Boy. San Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press, 2000. [K-3] ISBN: 08923391626
The Upside Down Boy is Juan Felipe Herrera's memoir of the year his migrant family settled down so that he could go to school for the first time. Jaunito is bewildered by the new school. Everything he does feels upside down, but his sensitive teacher and loving family help him find his voice through poetry, art, and music.
Herron, Carolivia. Nappy Hair. New York, NY: Dragonfly Books, 1998. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0679894454
The title leaves no doubt about the focus of this picture book. At a family picnic, everyone pokes fun at the youngest girl's nappy hair. Devised as a call-and-response dialogue, the interchanges offer explanations and comments on why Brenda's hair is the nappiest, the curliest, the twistiest hair in the family.
Hubbell, Patricia. Black All Around. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books, 2003. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 1584300485
Exuberant acrylic paintings keep the pages turning in this African-American girl's imaginative ode to the color black. In both rhyming and free-form verses, she reflects on the many wondrous black objects in her world.
Katz, Karen. The Color of Us. New York, NY: Owlet Paperbacks, 2002. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0805071636
Lena discovers that she and her friends and neighbors are all beautiful shades of brown. "I am the color of cinnamon. Mom says she could eat me up," says Lena.
Kissinger, Katie. All the Colors We Are. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, 1994. [Preschool]
ISBN: 0934140804 In English/ Spanish
Preschoolers are curious and construct their own "theories" about the differences in skin colors. All the Colors We Are wonderfully takes up the challenge to provide scientifically accurate explanations that are meaningful at their developmental stage.
Machado, Ana Maria, Iribarren, Elena, Faria, Rosana. Nina Bonita. Kane Miller Book Publishers: 2001. [Preschool] ISBN: 0916291634
This is an enchanting story of diversity, in which a very white rabbit falls in love with a
very dark girl [Nina Bonita] and longs to discover the secret for being so dark and pretty.
Note: Although one part of the story appears to suggest Nina Bonita could only be a “godmother” to a black bunny, the teacher or parent can make clear that she could be godmother to any of the bunnies, no matter what color they are.
Pinkney, Sandra L. Shades of Black. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc., 2000. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0439148928
The beauty of African-American children is celebrated in this joyous picture book. Wonderful, clear, full-color photographs of youngsters illustrate a poetic, vivid text that describes a range of skin and eye colors and hair textures.
Tarpley, Natasha Anastasia. Bippity Bop Barbershop. Singapore: Megan Tingley, 2002. [K-3] ISBN: 0316522848
This book celebrates the positive self-image and cultural identity of African-American boys. In this story, Miles goes with his father to the barbershop for his first “official” haircut. After considering many different styles such as dreadlocks and afros, Miles settles on a cut just like his daddy’s. The “two cool cats” leave the barbershop walking to the rhythm of a “bippity bop” beat. The illustrations show warm, loving scenes of community life.
Tarpley, Natasha Anastasia. I Love My Hair. Boston, MA: Little and Brown and Co.: 1998. [Preschool] ISBN: 0316522759
A young African-American girl describes the familiar mother-daughter nightly ritual of combing the tangles out of her hair. When she cries because it hurts, her sympathetic mother tells her how lucky she is to have such beautiful hair and explains why.
Ringgold, Faith. Dinner at Aunt Connie’s House. New York, NY: Scholastic: 1993. [K-3] ISBN: 0590137131
Melody loves the annual family excursion to Aunt Connie's house. This year there are surprises as well: a newly adopted cousin her own age and a series of paintings of famous African American women that “talk.”
Yarbrough, Camille. Cornrows. Toronto, ON: Putnam Juvenile, 1997. [K-3] ISBN: 0698114361
The cornrows give a sense of African American pride and history. The book also gives some focus on the present, by including prominent African Americans. Great book for not only African Americans to enjoy, but for all backgrounds.
Understanding Prejudice and Discrimination
Coleman, Evelyn. White Socks Only. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & Company, 1999. [K-3] ISBN: 080758956X
Grandma tells of sneaking off to town one sizzling summer day when she was a child, "planning on doing no good." Approaching a water fountain, the thirsty girl mistakes its "Whites Only" sign to mean that she should take off her shoes so that only her white socks will touch the step stool.
Hoffman, Mary. Amazing Grace. New York, NY: Dial, 1991. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0803710402
Grace loves stories, whether she hears them, reads them, or makes them up. Thus, it is natural, when her teacher announces a classroom production of Peter Pan that Grace wants to play the lead. One classmate says she can't because she's a girl and another says she can't because she's black. Note: The teacher or parent will need to explain to children that Grace is dressed in a “stereotypical” multi-feathered Native American headdress, playing Hiawatha.
Hoffman, Eric. Play Lady/La Señora Juguetona. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, 1999.
[K-3] ISBN: 1884834612
A neighborhood rich in ethnic diversity is the setting for this winning tale of community solidarity . Senora Juguetora, beloved for her garden and her playfulness, finds her mobile home vandalized; the neighborhood quickly comes to her aid.
Mochizuki, Ken. Baseball Saved Us. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books, 1995. [K-3] ISBN: 1880000199
During World War II the author's parents were sent to an internment camp in Idaho. That family history led to this poignant story about a young Japanese-American boy in an internment camp and the baseball diamond that gave the internees a purpose in life and a way of passing the time.
Ringgold, Faith. Tar Beach. New York, NY: Dragonfly Books, 1996. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0517885441
Using her 1988 story quilt to create this picture book, Ringgold recounts her childhood memories through the fictional character, Cassie Louise Lightfoot. While lying on the roof of her Harlem apartment building as her family picnics, Cassie imagines herself flying high above the city. She passes over the George Washington Bridge, a bridge her father helped build, and the union building where her father was denied membership because of his Black and Indian heritage. This story beautifully intertwines the realities of social injustice with the dreams of a young child.
Wiles, Deborah. Freedom Summer. New York, NY: Atheneum /Anne Schwartz Books 2001. [K-3] ISBN: 0689830165
When new laws mandate that the pool, and everything else, must desegregate, the boys rejoice, until the town fills the pool with tar in protest and the narrator tries to see this town, "through John Henry's eyes." It's the illustrations that stun.
Winter, Jeanette. Following the Drinking Gourd. New York, NY: Dragonfly Books, 1992. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0679819975
Winter's picture book relates the story of an old white sailor called "Peg Leg Joe" who went from plantation to plantation in the pre-Civil War south, teaching enslaved blacks a folksong that he wrote, the lyrics of which held directions for following the Underground Railroad to freedom.
Woodson, Jacqueline. The Other Side. New York, NY: Putnam Juvenile, 2001. [K-3] ISBN: 0399231161
Clover, the young African-American narrator, lives beside a fence that segregates her town. Her mother instructs her never to climb over to the other side because it isn't safe. But one summer morning, Clover notices a girl, who is white, on the other side. Both children are curious about one another, and as the summer stretches on. Clover and Annie work up the nerve to introduce themselves.
Valuing Cultural Differences
Ancona, George. Barrio: Jose’s Neighborhood. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1998. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0152010483
This is the story of Jose’s barrio community located in the Mission District of San Francisco, California. Through the text and vivid photographs, the reader is introduced to the school, the food, the language, and the traditions of Jose’s neighborhood. Some of the celebrations illustrated in the story include Carnaval, Day of the Dead, and Jose’s own birthday. This book introduces issues on which teachers can expand such as the role of social activists (Cesar Chavez, Rigoberta Menchu) who appear in the murals painted on Jose’s school and the life of illegal immigrants.
Choi, Yangsook. The Name Jar. New York, NY: Dragonfly Books, 2003. [K-3] ISBN: 0440417996
On the way to her first day of school, Unhei is teased by the children on the bus for her Korean name. When she reaches her classroom and is asked her name, she tells her classmates that she has not yet decided on one. To be helpful the children put their suggestions into a name jar.
Guntley, Jenette Donovan. I Can Accept Others. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2004. [Preschool] ISBN: 0836842448
One in a series of books by Jenette Donovan Guntley which shares the importance of children learning to accept others. The series is entitled “Do the Right Thing.”
Guntley, Jenette Donovan. I Can Show I Care. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2004. [Preschool] ISBN: 0836842472
One in a series of books by Jenette Donovan Guntley which shares how children can show that they care. The series is entitled “Do the Right Thing.”
Guntley, Jenette Donovan. I Can Share with Others. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2004. [Preschool] ISBN: 0836842464
One in a series of books by Jenette Donovan Guntley with addresses the importance of learning how to share with others. The series is entitled “Do the Right Thing.”
Guntley, Jenette Donovan. I Can Be Responsible. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2004. [Preschool] ISBN: 0836842456
One of a series of books by Jenette Donovan Guntley which shares how children can behave in ways that are responsible. The series is entitled “Do the Right Thing.”
Fox, Mem. Whoever You Are. Orlando, FL: Voyager Books, 2001. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0152164065
Fox has composed a simple refrain to celebrate human connections in this lovely picture book. "Little one, whoever you are," she explains, there are children all over the world who may look different than you, live in different homes and different climates, go to different schools, and speak in different tongues but all children love, smile, laugh, and cry. We are all different from each other in many ways and that is okay.
Kerley, Barbara. A Cool Drink of Water. Washington, D.C: National Geographic Society, 2002. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0792267230
Breathtaking photographs from around the world are used to illustrate that water is basic to all human life. The pictures capture the diverse ways that people collect, transport, and drink water. Whether it be “scooped from the river” in India, “caught as it drips from the roof” in Nepal, carried in “brass pots” on the heads of women in India, or drunk from “a burlap bag” in Australia, “everyone, everywhere” uses water.
Knight, Margy Burns. Welcoming Babies. ME: Tilbury House Publishers, 1998. [Preschool and K-3] ISBN: 0884481247
A beautiful discussion of the various ceremonies used to greet newborns: Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Hopi, Korean, Greek, Nigerian, and Latin American.
Levine, Ellen. I Hate English. New York, NY: Scholastic Paperbacks, 1995. [K-3] ISBN: 0590423045
Mei Mei, an immigrant from Hong Kong, is having much difficulty adjusting to the new language and culture at school in New York City. She is afraid if she learns English she might lose something of herself.
Pinkney, Sandra. A Rainbow All Around Me. New York, NY: Cartwheel, 2002. [Preschool] ISBN: 043930928X
Husband-and-wife team Sandra L.and Myles C. Pinkney once again pair poetry and lively photographs in “A Rainbow All Around Me” a multiethnic cast of realistic looking children presents each color of the rainbow.
Van Camp, Richard and Littlechild, George. A Man Called Raven. San Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press, 1997. [K-3] ISBN: 0892391448
Pacific Northwest folklore is woven into a contemporary moral tale in this unusual title. Two brothers injure a raven. When it escapes, an impressively huge and angry man appears. He makes the boys take him to their home, where he tells them about a man who liked to hurt ravens and paid for it.
Van Laan, Nancy. La Boda: A Mexican Wedding Celebration. Canada: Little/Brown and Co., 1996. [Preschool] ISBN: 031696268
The wedding rituals of Alfonso and Luisa, a young Mexican couple, are observed through the wondering eyes of a young Oaxacan village girl. Van Laan creates a singsong conversation between the girl and her grandmother from which readers learn Spanish words and their translations.
Many thanks to Laura Kleinmann (Oyster ES), Colorful World, and Busboys and Poets Books for sharing books to review for this bibliography.
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