multicultural books for kids - welcome to wylie · e mcd anansi the spider: ... china, where the...

Updated January 2017

Multicultural Books for Kids Picture Books

African & African-American E CON Lila and the Secret of Rain, 2008 David Conway & Jude

Daly

This poignant story addresses the issue of drought. For months the sun has burned down on Lila's Kenyan village. When her grandfather whispers to her the secret of rain, she decides to talk to the sky herself.

E CUN For You are a Kenyan Child, 2006 Kelly Cunnane

From rooster crow to bedtime, a Kenyan boy plays and visits neighbors all through his village, even though he is supposed to be watching his grandfather's cows.

E DIA I Lost My Tooth in Africa, 2006 Penda Diakité

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.

E HER Always an Olivia, 2007 Carolivia Herron

Herron, a Jewish-American of African descent, tells the unique story of her family's

history.

E HOF Amazing Grace, 1991 Mary Hoffman

Although a classmate says that she cannot play Peter Pan in the school play because

she is black, Grace discovers that she can do anything she sets her mind to do.

E JOH A Sweet Smell of Roses, 2005 Angela Johnson

Minnie and her sister hear about a freedom march and leave their home to go to their

city's downtown area where they listen to Dr. Martin Luther King and join the march,

all the while smelling roses.

E MCD Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti, 1972

Gerald McDermott


In trying to determine which of his six sons to reward for saving his life, Anansi the

Spider is responsible for placing the moon in the sky.

E MCD Zomo the Rabbit: A Trickster Tale from West Africa, 1992

Gerald McDermott

Zomo the rabbit, a trickster from West Africa, wants wisdom. But he must accomplish

three apparently impossible tasks before Sky God will give him what he wants. Is he

clever enough to do as Sky God asks?

E PIN Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children, 2000

Sandra L. Pinkney

Photographs and poetic text celebrate the beauty and diversity of African American

children.

E RIN Tar Beach, 1991 Faith Ringgold

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.

E ROB Under the Same Sun, 2014 Sharon Robinson

Auntie Sharon and Grandmother Bibi have come to visit the family in Tanzania--all the

way from America! But too soon, it's their last day together. And in a bittersweet

moment, at the ruins of an old slave port, Bibi's African-born grandchildren come to

learn what happened to their ancestors who went by slave ship to America.

E STE Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African

Tale, 1987

John Steptoe

Mufaro's two beautiful daughters, one bad-tempered, one kind and sweet, go before

the king, who is choosing a wife.

E WIL My Name is Sangoel, 2009 Karen Lynn Williams & Khadra Mohammed

As a refugee from Sudan to the United States, Sangoel is frustrated that no one can

pronounce his name correctly until he finds a clever way to solve the problem.

Caldecott J CALD AAR Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears: A West

African Tale, 1975

Verna Aardema

Reveals the meaning of the mosquito's buzz.


J CALD HAL A Story, A Story; an African Tale, 1970 Gail E. Haley

Recounts how most African folk tales came to be called "Spider Stories."

J CALD HEA The Snowy Day, 1976 Ezra Jack Keats

No book has captured the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall better

than The Snowy Day. Universal in its appeal, the story has become a favorite of

millions, as it reveals a child's wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and

keeping that wonder forever.

J CALD DE Last Stop on Market Street, 2015 Matt De La Pena

A young boy, CJ, rides the bus across town with his grandmother and learns to

appreciate the beauty in everyday things.

Holiday JHOL E JOH All Different Now: Juneteeenth, the first day of

freedom, 2014

Angela Johnson

In 1865, members of a family start their day as slaves, working in a Texas cotton

field, and end it celebrating their freedom on what came to be known as Juneteenth.

American Indian E ALE Thunder Boy Jr., 2016 Sherman Alexie

Thunder Boy Jr. wants a normal name, one that's all his own. Dad is known as Big

Thunder, but Little Thunder doesn't want to share a name.

E MIT Red Bird, 1996 Barbara Mitchell

Katie, also known as Red Bird, joins her family and other Indians at the annual

powwow in southern Delaware, where they celebrate their Nanticoke heritage with

music, dancing, and special foods.

E NAP The Crossing, 2011 Donna Jo Napoli

In 1805, Sacagawea, a woman of the Shoshoni tribe, helps Meriwether Lewis and

William Clark find a passage to the West Coast, in this story told through the eyes of

the baby boy on Sacagawea's back

E SMI Jingle Dancer, 2000 Cynthia Leitich Smith


Jenna, a Native American girl, gathers metal jingles to sew onto her dress so she can

make pleasant sounds when she dances in the next powwow.

E YOU Minnow and Rose: An Oregon Trail Story, 2009 Judy Young

Traveling west with her pioneer family in a wagon train, Rose meets Minnow, who

lives in a Native American village along the banks of a river.

Caldecott J CALD GOB The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses, 2001 Paul Goble

Though she is fond of her people, a girl prefers to live among the wild horses where

she is truly happy and free.

Asian & Asian-American E AVR What Will You Be, Sara Mee?, 2010 Kate Aver Avraham

At her Tol, the first birthday party, Sara Mee plays the traditional Korean prophecy

game--Toljabee--while her extended family and friends watch.

E CHE Shanghai Messenger, 2005 Andrea Cheng

A free-verse novel about eleven-year-old Xiao Mei's visit with her extended family in

China, where the Chinese-American girl finds many differences but also the similarities

that bind a family together.

E FLA The Story About Ping, 1961 Marjorie Flack

A little duck finds adventure on the Yangtze River when he is too late to board his

master's houseboat one evening.

E LEE A Place Where Sunflowers Grow. 2006 Amy Lee-Tai

While she and her family are interned at Topaz Relocation Center during World War II,

Mari gradually adjusts as she enrolls in an art class, makes a friend, plants sunflowers

and waits for them to grow.


E LOO Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding, 2006 Lenore Look

A Chinese American girl describes the festivities surrounding her uncle's

Chinese wedding and the customs behind each one.

E MCD Goyangi means Cat, 2011 Christine McDonell

An understanding cat helps a young Korean girl adjust to her new home in America.

E MES Take Me Out to the Yakyu, 2013 Aaron Meshon

A little boy's grandfathers, one in America and one in Japan, teach him about baseball

and its rich, varying cultural traditions.

E OEL Made in China, 2008 Vanita Oelschlager

Made in China tells the story of a girl adopted into an American family and the

problems she encounters with her older sister. With help from her father, the adopted

sister learns the value of her Chinese beginnings. Later the girls accept their

differences and embrace the joy that comes from a loving family.

E SAY Tea with Milk, 1999 Allen Say

After growing up near San Francisco, a young Japanese woman returns with her

parents to their native Japan, but she feels foreign and out of place. (We have lots

more of Allen Say’s books).

E THO Round is a Mooncake Roseanne Thong

As a little girl discovers things round, square and rectangular in her urban

neighborhood, she is reminded of her Chinese American culture.

E TRA The Little Weaver of Thai-Yen Village, 1987 Khanh Tuyet Tran

A young Vietnamese girl maintains her own cultural identity while struggling to adjust

to the United States.

E YOL The Seeing Stick, 2001 Janet Yolen

Hwei Min, the only daughter of the emperor of China, has been blind since birth. It

seems that no one from magicians to physicians can help her. Then, one day a wise

old man with a mysterious seeing stick visits the princess. Will he be able to teach

Hwei Min that there is more than one way to see the world?

E YUM The Twins’ Blanket, 2011 Hyewon Yum

Two twin girls, who have always shared everything, sleep in separate beds with their

own blankets for the first time.


Caldecott J CALD SAY Grandfather’s Journey, 1993 Allen Say

A Japanese American man recounts his grandfather's journey to America which he

later also undertakes, and the feelings of being torn by a love for two different

countries. (We have lots more of Allen Say’s books).

Holiday JHOL E COM The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale,

2011 Ying Chang Compestine

On Chinese New Year's Eve, a poor man who works for the richest businessman in

Beijing sends his son to market to trade their last few eggs for a bag of rice, but

instead he brings home a magic wok that changes their fortunes forever.

JHOL E JUL Duck for Turkey Day, 2009 Jacqueline Jules

When Tuyet finds out that her Vietnamese family is having duck rather than turkey for

Thanksgiving dinner, she is upset until she finds out that other children in her class

did not eat turkey either.

JHOL E LIN Thanking the Moon, 2010 Grace Lin

Each member of a Chinese family contributes to the celebration of the Mid-Autumn

Moon Festival. Includes author's note explaining this festival's customs and traditions.

Princess E NOY Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the

Secret of Silk Out of China, 2007 Deborah Noyes

In long-ago China, as a young princess prepares to leave her parents' kingdom to

travel to far-off Khotan where she is to marry the king, she decides to surreptitiously

take with her a precious reminder of home.

Hispanic & Latino E ADA I love Saturdays y Domingos Alma Flor Ada


A young girl enjoys the similarities and the differences between her English-speaking

and Spanish-speaking grandparents

E ADA Three Golden Oranges. 1999 Alma Flor Ada

Master storyteller Alma Flor Ada offers a poetic and magical retelling of a well-loved

traditional story about Blancaflor, a mythical young woman who appears in various

stories throughout the Hispanic world.

E ARE Marta! Big & Small, 2016 Jen Arena

In this story that incorporates Spanish words, Marta explores the world of opposites

and animals.

E BRO Chavela and the Magic Bubble, 2010 Monica Brown

When Chavela blows a bubble with a strange new gum, she floats away to Mexico,

where her great-grandfather once worked harvesting the tree sap that makes gum

chewy.

E CAS Abuela’s Weave, 1993 Omar S. Castaneda

A young Guatemalan girl and her grandmother grow closer as they weave some

special creations and then make a trip to the market in hopes of selling them.

E DOR Abuela, 1991 Arthur Dorros

Readers are invited to join Rosalb and her grandmother on a magical journey, as they

fly over the streets, sights, and people of Manhattan. The story is narrated in English

and sprinkled with Spanish phrases.

E IYE Romina’s Rangoli Malathi Michelle Iyengar

When her teacher asks each student to bring in something reflecting his or her

heritage to display at an open house, Romina struggles over how to represent both

her father's Indian culture and her mother's Mexican one.

E MED Mango, Abuela, and me, 2015 Meg Medina

Mia's abuela has left her sunny house with parrots and palm trees to live with Mia and

her parents in the city. The night she arrives, Mia tries to share her favorite book with

Abuela before they go to sleep and discovers that Abuela can't read the words inside.

So while they cook, Mia helps Abuela learn English ("Dough. Masa"), and Mia learns

some Spanish too, but it's still hard for Abuela to learn the words she needs to tell Mia

all her stories. Then Mia sees a parrot in the pet-shop window and has the perfecto

idea for how to help them all communicate a little better. An endearing tale from an

award-winning duo that speaks loud and clear about learning new things and the love

that bonds family members.

E MOR Tomás and the Library Lady Pat Mora

While helping his family in their work as migrant laborers far from their home, Tomás

finds an entire world to explore in the books at the local public library.


E MOR Niño Wrestles the World, 2016 Yuyi Morales

Lucha Libre champion Niño has no trouble fending off monstrous opponents, but when

his little sisters awaken from their naps, he is in for a no-holds-barred wrestling match

that will truly test his skills.

E SOT Too Many Tamales, 1993 Gary Soto

Maria tries on her mother's wedding ring while helping make tamales for a Christmas

family get-together. Panic ensues when hours later, she realizes the ring is missing.

E TON Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant’s

Tale, 2013

Duncan Tonatiuh

When Papa Rabbit does not return home as expected from many seasons of working

in the great carrot and lettuce fields of El Norte, his son Pancho sets out on a

dangerous trek to find him, guided by a coyote. Includes author's note.

E VAM The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred,

2011

Samantha R. Vamos

This is the story of how the farm maiden and all the farm animals worked together to

make the rice pudding that they serve at the fiesta.

E VEL Looking for Bongo, 2016 Eric Velasquez

When a boy's abuela accuses him of being careless with his beloved Bongo, he devises

a trap and catches the toy thief red-handed.

Spanish Easy JSPA E BRA My Tata’s Guitar, 2003 Ethriam Cash

Brammer

While sharing stories of their Mexican-American family's past, a father gives his young

son the guitar he received from his own father.

JSPA E CUM Quinito’s Neighborhood = El Vecindario de Quinito, 2004

Ina Cumpiano

A bilingual book that features a young Latino boy, Quinito, describing the jobs done by

members of his immediate and extended family as well as others in his neighborhood.

(See also Quinito, Day and Night JSPA E CUM).


JSPA E HER Grandma and Me at the Flea = Los Meros Meros

Remateros, 2002

Juan Felipe Herrera

Juanito accompanies his grandmother to a flea market in southern California, where

he helps her and the other vendors and where they enjoy seeing old friends from their

Mexican-American community.

JSPA E MOR Viva Frida!, 2014 Yuyi Morales

Biography of the life of the painter Frida Kahlo.

Holiday JHOL E KEE Clatter, Bash!: A Day of the Dead Celebration,

2004 Richard Cleminson Keep

Rhyming text presents traditions used to celebrate the Day of the Dead.

Indian Subcontinent ECOH Namaste!, 2009 Diana Cohn

Whenever Nima meets someone on her long walk to the market village in Nepal, she

brings her hands together with her fingers almost touching her chin, bows her head

slightly, and says "Namaste," which means "the light in me meets the light in you."

Includes information on the geography, culture, and people of Nepal.

E HEI Chandra’s Magic Light, 2014 Theresa Heine

A heartwarming story set in Nepal of two resourceful sisters who bring the safety of

solar-powered light to their family.

E IYE Romina’s Rangoli, 2007 Malathi Michelle Iyengar

When her teacher asks each student to bring in something reflecting his or her

heritage to display at an open house, Romina struggles over how to represent both

her father's Indian culture and her mother's Mexican one.

E KOS Same, Same but Different, 2011 Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

Pen pals Elliott and Kailash discover that even though they live in different countries--

America and India--they both love to climb trees, own pets, and ride school buses.

E PAT Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth, 2012 Sanjay Patel


An original story based on Hindu mythology, this book tells the story about how

Ganesha's love of sweets led to a broken tusk and the writing of the epic poem, the

Maha ̄bha ̄rata. Includes author's note about the myth.

E STR Kami and the Yaks, 2007 Andrea Stenn Stryer

When his family's yaks go missing, Kami, a young deaf Sherpa boy, sets off into the

Himalaya Mountains alone to find them.

E YOU I, Doko: the Tale of a Basket, 2004 Ed Young

A Nepalese basket tells the story of its use through three generations of a family.

E ZIA Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji, 2011 F. Zia

Aneel and his grandfather, Dada-ji, tell stories, use their imaginations, and make

delicious roti, a traditional Indian flatbread.

Inuit & Yupik E BAN Kumak’s Fish, 2004 Michael Bania

On a beautiful Arctic morning when Kumak and his family go ice fishing, Kumak

hooks what seems like an enormous fish, and the entire village gets involved.

E GEO Nutik, the Wolf Pup, 2001 Jean Craighead George

When his older sister Julie brings home two small wolf pups, Amaroq takes care of

the one called Nutik and grows to love it, even though Julie tells him it cannot stay.

(Sequel Nutik & Amaroq Play Ball)

E GEO Snow Bear, 1999 Jean Craighead

George

Bessie and a polar bear cub named Snow Bear play on the ice, while her older

brother and the mother bear watch to make sure that everyone is safe.

E JOO Mama, Do You Love Me?, 1991 Barbara M. Joosse

A child living in the Arctic learns that a mother's love is unconditional.


E SCO On Mother’s Lap, 1992 Ann Herbert Scott

A small Inuit boy discovers that Mother's lap is a very special place with room for

everyone.

E SMI Arctic White, 2016 Danna Smith

A young girl looks around her home in the arctic and sees only white, white, white.

But one day her grandfather takes her out on a journey across the tundra. And at

the end of their cold walk, the dark opens up to show the Northern Lights dancing

across the sky--blue, green, and purple.

Islam E ADD Time to Pray, 2010 Maha Addasi

When young Yasmin goes for a visit, her grandmother teaches her a Muslim's daily

prayers, makes special prayer clothes, and gives a gift that will help Yasmin remember

when to pray. Includes facts about prayer customs.

E CUN Deep in the Sahara, 2013 Kelly Cunnane

An Arab girl of the Sahara who wants to wear a malafa, the veiled dress worn by her

mother and older sister, learns that the garment represents beauty, mystery,

tradition, belonging, and faith.

E KHA Golden Domes & Silver Lanterns: a Muslim Book of Colors, 2012

Hena Khan

In simple rhyming text a young Muslim girl and her family guide the reader through

the traditions and colors of Islam.

Holiday JHOL E BUl Rashad’s Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, 2012 Lisa Bullard

For Muslims, Ramadan is a time for fasting, prayer, and thinking of others. Rashad

tries to be good all month. When it's time for Eid al-Fitr, he feasts and plays! Find out

how people celebrate this special time of year.

JHOL E GIL Nabeel’s New Pants: an Eid tale, 2010 Fawzia Gilani-Williams

While buying gifts for his family to wear to the mosque on Eid a shoemaker is

persuaded to get new pants for himself, but the only pair available is too long and no

one seems to have time to shorten them.

JHOL E JAL Moon Watchers: Shirin’s Ramadan Miracle, Reza Jalali


2010

Nine-year-old Shirin wants to join her family and other Muslims in fasting for Ramadan

but is told she is too young, and so she seeks other ways to participate including,

perhaps, getting along better with her older brother, Ali.

JHOL E MOB A Party in Ramadan, 2009 Asma Mobin-Uddin

Ramadan is coming and Leena is excited. Although she is too young to fast each day

during the Muslim holy month, she decides to fast on a Friday that her aunt will be

visiting. Now Leena has a dilemma. She receives an invitation to a party which

happens to fall on that same Friday. Leena doesn't want to miss the party, but she

doesn't want to miss fasting either. So Leena decides to go to the party, but not eat or

drink Later, she will join her family for the meal known as iftar, when the daily fast is

broken. But when Leena, who is the only Muslim at the party, sees her friends

enjoying fresh lemonade and chocolate cake, her stomach starts to growl and her

head begins to hurt. Will she keep her Ramadan fast?

JHOL E WHI Under the Ramadan Moon, 2008 Sylvia Whitman

Ramadan is one of the most special months of the Islamic year, when Muslims pray,

fast, and help those in need. Whitman's lyrical story, with luminous illustrations by

Sue Williams, serves as an ideal introduction to Ramadan.

Jewish E AYL My Grandfather’s Coat, 2014 Jim Aylesworth

A tailor's very old overcoat is recycled numerous times over the years into a variety of

garments and other uses.

E HER Always an Olivia, 2007 Carolivia Herron

Herron, a Jewish-American of African descent, tells the unique story of her family's

history.

E KIM A Cloak for the Moon, 2001 Eric A. Kimmel

A retelling of one of Rabbi Nachman's tales in which a tailor, dreaming that the moon

is cold in the sky, goes in search of a special fabric with which to make it a cloak.

E POL The Blessing Cup, 2013 Patricia Polacco

A single china cup from a tea set left behind when Jews were forced to leave Russia

helps hold a family together through generations of living in America, reminding them

of the most important things in life.

E POL The Keeping Quilt, 1998 Patricia Polacco


A homemade quilt ties together the lives of four generations of an immigrant Jewish

family, remaining a symbol of their enduring love and faith.

E WAL Clever Rachel, 2009

In this retelling of a Jewish folktale, Jacob tries to stump Rachel with his best riddles

but fails repeatedly. When a young woman in need of help presents Rachel and Jacob

with the trickiest riddles of all, they discover the only way to solve them is to work

together.

Caldecott J CALD WIS Golem David Wisniewski

A saintly rabbi miraculously brings to life a clay giant who helps him watch over the

Jews of sixteenth-century Prague.

Holiday JHOL E BAR Is it Passover yet?, 2015 Chris Barash

One family prepares for the traditional seder that ushers in Passover.

JHOL E KIM Even Higher!: A Rosh Hashanah Story, 2009 Eric A. Kimmel

A skeptical visitor to the village of Nemirov finds out where its rabbi really goes just

before the Jewish New Year, when the villagers claim he goes to heaven to speak to

God.

JHOL E KIM Simon and the Bear: a Hanukkah tale, 2014 Eric A. Kimmel

Stranded on an iceberg on his way to America, Simon remembers his mother's parting

words and lights the first candle on his menorah while praying for a miracle, which

soon arrives in the form of a friendly polar bear.

JHOL E ROS Happy Birthday, Tree!: A Tu B’Shevat Story, 2012

Madelyn Rosenberg

Joni and Nate figure out how to celebrate a tree's birthday for Tu B'Shevat, the Jewish

"New Year for trees".

JHOL E SIM Oskar and the Eight Blessings, 2015 Richard Simon


A young Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany arrives in New York City on the seventh

night of Hanukkah and receives small acts of kindness while exploring the city.

J HOL E SIN The Parakeet Named Dreidel, 2015 Isaac Bashevis

On the eighth night of Hanukkah, a family rescues a Yiddish-speaking, dreidel-playing

parakeet.

JHOLE STR The Elijah Door: A Passover Tale, 2011 Linda Leopold

Strauss

For years the Galinskys and the Lippas have shared Seder, the special Passover

dinner, together. But no more! Mama Lippa shuts her windows tight against Galinsky

voices. Papa Galinsky cuts a new side door into the house to avoid seeing the Lippas.

But David Lippa and Rachel Galinsky love each other, and fortunately, they have a

trick up their sleeves. This charming folktale, stunningly illustrated with hand-painted

woodcuts, celebrates the joys of love, freedom, and family.

JHOL E YOL How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah?, 2012 Janet Yolen

Illustrations and rhyming text present some of the different ways a well-behaved

dinosaur can celebrate the eight days and nights of Chanukah.

Middle Eastern E RUM Silent Music: A story of Baghdad, 2008 James Rumford

As bombs and missiles fall on Baghdad in 2003, a young boy uses the art of

calligraphy to distance himself from the horror of war.

E WEU Nasreddine, 2013 Odile Weulersse

As Nasreddine and his father take dates, wool, chickens, or watermelon to market,

people tease them no matter who is riding their donkey, and this causes Nasreddine

embarrassment until his father helps him to understand.

Subjects

E WIL Four Feet, Two Sandals, 2007 Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra

Mohammed

Two young Afghani girls living in a refugee camp in Pakistan share a precious pair of

sandals brought by relief workers. Includes author's note about refugees.

E YOU What About Me? Ed Young


A young boy determinedly follows the instructions of the Grand Master in the hope of

gaining knowledge, only to be surprised as how he acquires it. Based on a Sufi tale.

Multiracial & Many Cultures E ALK I’m Your Peanut Butter Big Brother, 2009 Selina Alko

A child in an interracial family wonders what his yet-to-be-born sibling will look like.

E KER One World, One Day, 2009 Barbara Kerley

One World, One Day uses exquisite, moving photographs and Barbara Kerley’s poetic

text to convey a simple yet profound concept: we are one global family. This is a

sophisticated concept book, presented as an elegant picture book with contributions

from top international photographers.

E TUT God’s Dream, 2008 Desmond Tutu

An introduction for the youngest readers to Archbishop Tutu's message of forgiveness

and empathy.

Holiday JHOL E PIE Shante Keys and the New Year’s Peas, 2007 Gail Piernas-

Davenport

When Shanté is sent to find black-eyed peas for her family's New Year's celebration,

she learns about each of her neighbor's New Year's traditions in their home countries.

multicultural books for kids - welcome to wylie · e mcd anansi the spider: ... china, where the...

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