Diversity List for Children

The following is a selected list of books for children published in the last three years that reflects a diversity of culture and ethnicity in order to mirror the lives of different peoples and provide a window into the greater world. It is by no means complete. We encourage teachers, students and parents looking for materials on a specific country, religion, culture, differing abilities and gender issues to consult with a librarian for specific titles. Chosen by Lisa Von Drasek, Children's Librarian

Picture Books for Under Five Years Old

Park, Linda Sue. (2005). Bee-bim Bop! Clarion.
Ages 4-6

A young girl helps her mom prepare her favorite Korean dish. Rhymed text and humorous watercolors. Includes recipes. Illustrated by Ho Baek Lee.

Juster, Norman. (2005). The Hello, Goodbye Window. Hyperion.
Ages 3-5

A joyous celebration of a child's warm relationship with Nanna and Poppy.
Riotous and energetic mixed media depict a biracial family. Illustrated by Chris Raschka.

Orozco, Jose-Luis. (2005). Rin, Rin, Do, Re Mi: A picture book in Spanish and English. Orchard.
Ages 3-5

A lively, charming romp through a child's day. Primarily in Spanish with full English translation in the back of the book. Illustrated by David Diaz.

Guy, Ginger Fogelsong. (2005). Siesta. Greenwillow.
Ages 2-5

Bilingual text teaches colors, while a brother and sister get ready to camp in their backyard. Illustrated by Rene King Moreno.

Park, Linda Sue, & Durango, Julia. (2005). Yum! Yuck: A Foldout Book of People Sounds. Charlesbridge.
Ages 3-6

An illustrated compendium of exclamations in ten different languages accompanying a humorous word-less story. Illustrated by Sue Rama.

Diakite, Penda. (2006). I Lost My Tooth in Africa. Scholastic.
Ages 5-8

Amina loses her tooth while on vacation in Mali. Illustrated by Bab Wague Diakite.

Look, Lenore. (2006). Uncle Peter's Amazing Chinese Wedding. Simon & Schuster.

Illustrated by Yumi Heo.

Picture Books for Older Children

Hall, Bruce Edward. (2004). Henry and the Kite Dragon. Philomel.
Ages 7-9

In the 1920's, New York's Chinatown, there is a misunderstanding between Chinese Kite-flyers and Italian homing-pigeon-flyers is resolved. Illustrated by William Low.

Say, Allan. (2005). Kamishibai Man. HMCO.
Ages 6-9

Forced into retirement by the advent of television, an elderly Japanese storyteller ventures out onto once-familiar streets and makes a surprising discovery.

Rodman, Mary Ann. (2005). My Best Friend. Viking.
Ages 5-7

An African-American six-year-old girl learns how a best friend should really act. Illustrated by E.B. Lewis.

Parker, Toni. (2005). Sienna's Scrapbook: Our African American Heritage Trip. Chronicle.
Ages 8-10

Join Sienna's family as they explore historic sights form Connecticut to North Carolina. Illustrated by Janell Genovese.

Woodson, Jacqueline. (2005). Show Way. Putnam.
Ages 10-13

Pieces of a quilt reflect the path from slavery to freedom through nine generations. Illustrated by Hudson Talbot.

Williams, Mary. (2005). Brothers in Hope: Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan. Lee and Low.
Ages 9-12

Sudanese boys uprooted by war eventually make new lives in the United States. Based on real events. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie.

Fairy Tales and Folklore

Paul, Ann Whitford. (2004). Manana, Iguana. Holiday House 2004
Ages 5-8

A retelling of the classic story Little Red Hen with a Mexican twist and clearly translated in Spanish vocabulary. Illustrated by Ethan Long.

So, Meilo. (2004). Gobble, Gobble, Slip Slop: A Tale of a Very Greedy Cat. Knopf.
Ages 7-9

A greedy cat gets his comeuppance in this retelling of a traditional tale from India. Clever water color illustrations.

Demi. (2004). The Hungry Coat: A tale from Turkey. Margaret K. McElderry books.
Ages 7-10

Nasrettin Hoca, a good man in a not-so-good coat, learns then teaches that appearances can be deceiving.

Hamilton, Virginia. (2004). The People Could Fly. Knopf.
Ages 7-10

The title story of American slaves from the original 1993, with intense, haunting paintings. Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon.

Mora. Pat. (2005). Dona Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman With A Great Big Heart, Un Cuento De Una Mujer Giante Con Un Gran Corazon. Simon and Schuster
Ages 6-9

A delightful tall tale told in warm lyrical language and rich oil paintings. English and Spanish. Illustrated by Raul Colon.

Kilaka, John. (2005). Fresh Fish: A Tale from Tanzania. Groundwood.
Ages 6-9

When Dog steals Chimpanzee's fish, the animals of the village spring into action to catch the thief.

Tingle, Tim. (2006). Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom. Cinco Puntos.
Ages 8-12

Illustrated by Jeanne Rorex Bridges.

Campoy, Isabel F., & Ada, Alma Flor. (2007). Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection. Atheneum.

Illustrated by Felipe Davalos.

McKissack. Patricia C. (2006). Porch Lies: Tales of Slicksters, Tricksters, and Other Wily Characters. Schwartz & Wade.

Fiction

Himelblau, Linda. (2005). The Trouble Begins. Delacorte.
Ages 10-12

A Vietnamese refugee, reunited with family members after many years, struggles to learn English and adjust to life in the United States.

Houston, Julian. (2005). New Boy. Houghton Mifflin.
Ages 12 +

As a new sophomore at an exclusive boarding school, a young black man us witness to the persecution of another student with bad acne.

Howe, James. (2005). Totally Joe. Atheneum.
Ages 11-14

A touching and humorous memoir of a gay twelve-year-old with a supportive family and fine friends.

Lerangis, Peter. (2005). Smiler's Bones. Scholastic.
Ages 11-13

The only surviving Inuit of six "presented" to the Museum of Natural History in 1897 tells the story of a complete misunderstanding between two cultures.

Lin, Grace. (2006). The Year of the Dog. Little, Brown.
Ages 7-10

Lord, Cynthia. (2006). Rules. Scholastic.
Ages 11-14

Pennypacker, Sara. (2006). Clementine. Hyperion.
Ages 7-10

Illustrated by Marla Frazee

Pearsall, Shelley. (2006). All of the Above: A Novel. Little Brown.

Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe.

Salisbury, Graham. (2005). Eyes of the Emperor. Putnam.
Ages 12-14

When a Japanese American living on Hawai`i in 1941 enlists in the U.S. Army, his loyalty is tested. A shameful chapter of American history.

Selvadurai, Shyam. (2005). Swimming in the Monsoon Sea. Tundra.
Ages 12-14

A young man becomes aware of his homosexuality and comes to terms with the rigid mores and traditions of the Sri Lankan culture.

Information Books

Bolden, Tonya (2005). Maritchka: A Nineteenth-Century American Girl. Abrams.
Ages 10-13

Born in 1848 in New York City, African-American Maritcha lives a comfortable life until events change things drastically- she overcomes prejudice and fulfills her dreams. Based on an unpublished memoir.

Giovanni, Nikkie. (2005). Rosa. Henry Holt.
Ages 8-10

A picture book biography of Rosa Parks, whose determination and courage inspired one of the seminal events of the Civil Rights Movement. Illustrations by Brian Collier.

Dwight, Laura. (2005). Brothers and Sisters. Star Bright.
Ages 7-10

Children of varying abilities are described by their typically developing siblings.

Freedom, Russell. (2004). The Voice that Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights. Clarion.
Ages 9-13

Jurmain, Suzanne. (2005). The Forbidden Schoolhouse: The True and Dramatic Story of Prudence Crandall and Her Students. HMCO.
Ages 11-14.

A woman who was determined, against fierce odds, that she would open a school for ladies of color in Canterbury, Connecticut in the 1830's.

Kuklin, Susan. (2006). Families. Hyperion.
Ages 4-8

Children from diverse families share thoughts about their families and photographs.

Morris, Ann & Larson, Heidi. (2005). Tsunami: Helping each other. Millbrook.
Ages 6-10

The 2004 disaster as it affects two young Thai boys, including details of their efforts at recovery. Photographs.

Richardson, Justin & Parnell, Peter. (2005). And Tango Makes Three. Simon and Schuster.
Ages 4-8

Illustrated by Henry Cole. Two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo adopt an abandoned egg.

Rumford, James. (2004). Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave his People Writing. HMCO.

A Man who could neither read nor write devised a system of writing for the Cherokee people. Translated by Anna Sixkiller Huckaby.

Winter, Jeanette. (2004). Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq. Harcourt.
Ages 8-10

In the midst of the invasion of Iraq by U.S. forces, Alia Baker's ingenuity and bravery saves precious books.

Jonah Winter. (2005). Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Atheneum.
Ages 7-9

Lyrical biography of the first Latino major league baseball player. Energetic, highly textured paintings. Illustrations by Raul Colon.

Yoo, Paula. (2005). Sixteen Years, Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story. Lee and Low.
Ages 8-10

A brilliant diver who, despite discrimination became the first Asian-American to win an Olympic gold medal even while he was studying to be a physician.Illustrations by Com Lee.

Poetry

Myers, Walter Dean. (2004). Here is Harlem: poems in many voices. Holiday House.
Ages 12 +

In strong evocative verse is, the flavor of this New York neighborhood is expressed by its diverse residents.

Carmen T. Benier. (2005). Cesar: !Si, Se Per-Grand, Puede! Yes, We Can! Grand, Cavendish.
Ages 8-10

Powerful verse and stylized illustrations create a moving accoungt of Chavez's life and work for farm workers' rights. Illustrations by David Diaz.

Francisco X. Alarcon. (2005). Poems to Dream together; Poemas Para Sonar Juntos. Lee and Low.
Ages 8-12

Celebrating family life in California and Mexico in Spanish and English. Vibrant cut-paper and gouache illustrations.

Carlson, Lori Marie (Ed.). (2005). Red Hot Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Being Young and Latino in the United States. Henry Holt.
Ages 12-14

Introduction by Oscar Hijuelos. Bilingual poems describing adolescent life in the United States. Includes glossary of translated Spanish vocabulary and short biographies of the poets.

Date modified: May 6th, 2010. Contact librarian@bankstreet.edu

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