Coleman, Evelyn (1996). White Socks Only. Illinois: Albert Whitman & Company. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-8075-8955-1 (hardcover).
Grandma tells the story about her first trip alone into town during the days when segregation still existed in Mississippi .
Wiles, Deborah (2001). Freedom Summer. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-689-87829-X (pbk.)
In 1964, Joe is pleased that a new law will allow his best friend John Henry, who is colored, to share the town pool and other public places with him, but he is dismayed to find that prejudice still exists.
Farris, Christine King (2003). My Brother Martin: a sister remembers growing up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Simon & Schuster. 39pp. ISBN: 0-689-84387-9
The early life of Martin Luther King, Jr. as seen through the eyes of his older sister. Some photographs are from Mrs. Farris’s personal collection. Also included is the poem “You Can Be Like Martin” by Mildred Johnson.
Roydhouse, Sandy (2005). The Chance to Dance. Illinois: ETA Cuisenaire. 24 pp. ISBN: 0-7406-3495-X
Li Cunxin was chosen by chance from a large classroom of children to join the Beijing Dance Academy. Read how his determination to succeed led him to become a world-famous ballet dancer.
Evans, Lynette (2005). Fishing With the Birds. Illinois: ETA Cuisenaire. 24 pp. ISBN: 0-7406-3493-3
People catch fish with poles and nets, but have you ever seen them fishing with birds? When Kun Yi goes fishing with his father, he learns to follow and respect the ways of the past.
Canizares, Susan & Moreton, Daniel (1999). Shelter. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-439-04550-9 (pbk.)
Photographs and simple text describe some of the different kinds of structures that people call home, from houseboats and clay huts to farmhouses and apartment buildings.
Delano, Marfe’ Ferguson (2005). American Heroes. D.C.: National Geographic Society. 191 pp. ISBN: 0-7922-7208-0
Fifty profiles of great Americans who set out, spoke up, stood tall, fought hard, or truly dared to dream.
Musgrove, Margaret (1976). Ashanti To Zulu: African Traditions. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-8037-0308-2
From A to Z, an authentic portrait of twenty-six African tribes, stunningly illustrated by winners of the 1976 and 1977 Caldecott Medal.
Collier, Bryan (2000). Uptown. New York: Henry Holt and Company. Unpaged. ISNB: 0-8050-5721-8
A tour of the sights of Harlem, including the Metro-North train, brownstones, shops on 125 th Street, a barbershop, summer basketball, the Harlem Boys Choir and a sunset over the Hudson River .
Dowswell, Paul (2005). The Usborne Introduction to the Second World War. New York: Scholastic Inc. 128 pp. ISBN: 0-439-81296-8
From 1939 to 1945, an estimated 50 million people died. This book tells you why the Second World War exacted such a bloody toll. Find out about huge battles and mighty weapons, the bombing of cities and the treatment of occupied nations, the Holocaust and D-Day. Discover how Adolf Hitler led his once-unbeatable armies to annihilation, and why Pearl Harbor was the greatest mistake of the war. Stunningly illustrated with dramatic contemporary photographs, and useful maps, this is an accessible and thought-provoking introduction to the most destructive conflict the world has ever known.
Warner, Rachel (1990). Going Fishing. New York: Scholastic. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-590-45990-2
A story set in Bangladesh. Suroth and his dad spend his day fishing. They start early, but Dad has no luck at all. He catches all kinds of things, but no fish. Luckily, clever Suroth has a secret plan.
Canizares, Susan & Chanko, Pamela (1999). Mexico. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-439-04570-3
Simple text and photographs present people in Mexico playing music and soccer, working, shopping, dancing, fishing, and farming. See the Mexican countryside and begin to feel what it’s like to live there.
Steele, Philip (1991), Journey Through China . New Jersey: Troll Associates. 32 pp. ISBN: 0-8167-2113-0
An introduction to China , the world’s most populous country. Open this book and take a journey through China. Visit its bustling cities. Take a trip into history at the Great Wall. Discover the wonderful terra cotta army. See what life is like beside the Yellow River, and take a boat down the Chang Jiang. Read about the country—its people, culture, geography, and history.
Perez, Theresa, Dr. (1991). Portraits of Mexican Americans: Pathfinders in the Mexican American Communities. Illinois: Good Apple. 92 pp. ISBN: 0-86653-605-1
Explore the lives of over fifteen individuals and groups of Mexican Americans and their special contributions to our society. Pio Pico, Cesar Chavez, the migrants, Ruben Salazar, George Sanchez and the vaqueros (cowboys) are all part of this unique resource.
Kwon, Yoon-duck (2005). My Cat Copies Me. California: Kane/Miller Book Publishers, Inc. Unpaged. ISBN: 978-1-933605-26-5
A shy little South Korean girl and her very independent cat play, hide, and comfort one another. Both children and parents will appreciate how the cat soothes the little girl and silently encourages her to explore the bigger world and experience new things.
te Loo, Sanne (2003). Little Fish. California: Kane/Miller Book Publishers, Inc. Unpaged.
ISBN: 1-929132-59-X
A boring day turns decidedly otherwise when little Rosa brings home a tiny, parti-colored fish that has jumped out of the sea into her lap. And it starts to become a great big fish… This magical-realism inspired tale brings the colors, tastes and feelings of Mexico to life, showing children that imagination knows no boundaries.
Chen, Chih-Yuan (2003). Guji Guji. California: Kane/Miller Book Publishers, Inc. Unpaged.
ISBN: 1-929132-67-0
This is a tale from Taiwan: A crocodile egg rolls into a duck's nest. When the egg hatches the crocodile is named Guji Guji. He thinks he is a duck, until he meets three bad crocodiles, who want to eat his family. Guji Guji comes up with a way to save the ducks.
Walker, Alice (1974). Langston Hughes: American Poet. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. 37 pgs.
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-079889-5 ISBN-10: 0-06-079889-0
An illustrated biography of the Harlem poet whose works gave voice to the joy and pain of the black experience in America.
Lee, Milly (2001). Earthquake. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-374-41946-9
A young Chinese-American girl and her family move their belongings from their home in Chinatown to the safety of Golden Gate Park during the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.
Barber, Tiki and Ronde (2006). Teammates. New York: Simon & Schuster. Unpaged.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-2489-0 ISBN-10: 1-4169-2489-2
A story of teamwork and perseverance based on the childhood of National Football League stars and twin brothers Tiki and Ronde Barber.
Michelson, Richard (2006). Across the Alley. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. Unpaged.
ISBN: 0-399-23970-7
Jewish Abe's grandfather wants him to be a violinist while African-American Willie's father plans for him to be a great baseball pitcher, but it turns out that the two boys are more talented when they switch hobbies.
Crane, Carol (2006). D is for Dancing Dragon: A China Alphabet. Michigan: Sleeping Bear Press. Unpaged. ISBN: 1-58536-273-5
This A to Z children's pictorial covers topics such as Beijing, Dragon Dance, Himalayan Mountain Range, Mongolians, and the giant panda. Each subject is introduced with a simple rhyme for younger readers. Expository text is also included for older readers.
Johnston, Tony (2006). Angel City. New York: Philomel Books. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-399-234055
An old black man finds a baby abandoned in a dumpster and raises him in a rough Los Angeles neighborhood to know both African-American and Mexican American ways.
Nolen, Jerdine (1999). In My Momma's Kitchen. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. Unpaged.
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-443786-8 ISBN-10: 0-06-443786-8
A child describes the family events, like making apple jelly and having relatives visit, that center around Momma's kitchen.
Freedman, Russell (2004). The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights. New York: Clarion Books. 114 pp. ISBN: 0-618-15976-2
Russell Freedman shows readers a singer pursuing her art in the context of the social and political climate of the day. Profusely illustrated with contemporary photographs, here is an inspiring account of the life of a talented, determined artist who left her mark on musical and social history.
Van Allsburg, Chris (2006), Probudit! Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin. Unpaged.
ISBN-13: 978-0-618-75502-8 ISBN-10: 0-618-75502-0
On his birthday, Calvin and his friend Rodney see a magician perform, then copy him by hypnotizing Calvin's little sister, but the joke is on them when they are unable to snap her out of it.
Yin (2006). Brothers. New York: Philomel Books. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-399-23406-3
Having arrived in San Francisco from China to work in his brother's store, Ming is lonely until an Irish boy befriends him.
Stanton, Karen (2007). Papi's Gift. Pennsylvania: Boyds Mills Press. Unpaged. ISBN-13: 978-1-59078-422-8 ISBN-10: 1-59078-422-7
Graciela's Papi has been working in the United States for so long that she has almost forgotten his face, so when the box he promised for her seventh birthday does not arrive, she is very upset and nearly loses hope that he --and the rain-- will someday return.
Adler, David A. (2007). Campy: The Story of Roy Campanella. New York: Viking. Unpaged.
ISBN: 978-0-670-06041-2
This is the story of how Roy Campanella, baseball star, coped with his disability after being injured in a car wreck.
Lester, Julius (1982). This Strange New Feeling: Three Love Stories from Black History. New York: Dial Books. 193 pp. ISBN: 978-0-8037-3172-1
This remarkable book is about freedom and how it first fell to those who had been deprived of it all their lives. It is also about being a slave. But most of all, it is a love story. These three stories are all inspired by true events and people.
Woodson, Jacqueline (2007). Feathers. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 118 pp. ISBN: 978-0-399-23989-2
When a new, white student nicknamed "The Jesus Boy" joins her sixth grade class in the winter of 1971, Frannie's growing friendship with him makes her start to see some things in a new light.
Christian, Mary Blount (2007). If Not for the Calico Cat. New York: Dutton Children's Books. Unpaged. ISBN: 978-0-525-47779-2
In Japan, the ship The Jade Lotus takes a calico cat aboard for good luck, but the crew still runs into all kinds of trouble.
Daly, Niki (2006). Pretty Salina: A Little Red Riding Hood Story from Africa. New York: Clarion Books
29 pp. ISBN-13: 978-0-618-72345-4 ISBN-10: 0-618-72345-5
In this version of "Little Red Riding Hood", set in Ghana, a young girl fails to heed Granny's warning about the dangers of talking to strangers.
Park, Linda Sue (2004). The Firekeeper's Son. New York: Carion Books. 37 pp. ISBN: 0-618-13337-2
In early 19th century Korea, after Sang-hee's father injures his ankle, Sang-hee attempts to take over the task of lighting the evening fire, which signals the palace that all is well. Some historical notes are included.
Stock, Catherine (2001). Gugu's House. New York: Clarion Books. 31 pp. ISBN: 0-618-00389-4
Kukamba loves helping her grandmother decorate her mud home in a dusty Zimbabwe village, but when the annual rains partially destroy all her work, Kukamba learns to see the goodness of the rains.
Grant, Karima (2006). Sofie and the City. Pennsylvania: Boyds Mills Press. Unpaged. ISBN: 1-59078-273-9
When Sofie calls her grandmother in Senegal on Sundays, she complains about the ugliness of the city she now lives in, but her life changes when she makes a new friend.
Patz, Nancy and Roth, Susan L. (2007). Babies Can't Eat Kimchee! New York: Bloomsbury Publishing. Unpaged. ISBN-10:1-59990-017-3 ISBN-13: 978-1-59990-017-9
A baby sister must wait to grow up before doing big sister things, such as eating spicy Korean food and ballet dancing.
Elvgren, Jennifer Riesmeyer (2006). Josias, Hold the Book. Pennsylvania: Boyds Mills Press. Unpaged.
ISBN: 1-59078-318-2
The setting of this story is in Haiti. Each day Chrislove asks his friend Josias when he will "hold the book," or join them at school, but Josias can only think of tending the bean garden so that his family will have enough food.
Weatherford, Carole Boston (2007). Jesse Owens: Fastest Man Alive. New York: Walker & Company. Unpaged. ISBN-10: 0-8027-9550-1 ISBN-13: 978-0-8027-9550-2
Jesse Owens, the first American track-and-field athlete to win four gold medals in a single Olympics, is one of the most famous Olympic champions of all time. The son of a sharecropper and the grandson of a slave, James Cleveland Owens was born in Oakville, Alabama.
dePaola, Tomie (1992). Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-590-46914-2
This is an Irish folktale. The night Jamie O'Rourke caught a leprechaun, he returned home with a magic potato see instead of a pot of gold. Saints preserve us! That clever leprechaun had outsmarted the laziest man in all of Ireland! Or had he?
dePaola, Tomie (1992). Fin M'Coul: The Giant of Knockmany Hill. New York: The Trumpet Club. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-440-84737-0
Stories about the popular Irish giant, Fin M'Coul, have been handed down from generation to generation. Perhaps Fin M'Coul is best known for the Giant's Causeway, the highway he built between Ireland and Scotland. The encounter between the giant, Cucullin, and Fin at Knockmany is one of the funniest of Fin M'Coul's adventures. Details in the border art were inspired by early Irish jewelry and metalwork.
dePaola, Tomie (1992). Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland. New York: Holiday House. Unpaged.
ISBN: 0-8234-1077-3 (pbk)
This book relates the life and legends of Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
dePaola, Tomie (1997). Days of the Blackbird: A Tale of Northern Italy. New York: Puffin Books. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-14-240271-0
In this elegant tale, Tomie dePaola imagines how Le Giornate della Merla, the Days of the Blackbird, came to be celebrated. Gemma and her father , the Duke of Gennaro, live in a house with courtyard that fills with birds of all colors through the spring and summer. When the Duke falls ill, Gemma begs the birds to stay to raise his spirits. However, as snow and fierce winds begin to swirl down on the village, the birds must fly south to stay warm, and eventually only one loyal bird remains. This moving story is filled with breathtaking glimpses of the northern Italian countryside.
Woodruff, Elvira (2006). Small Beauties: The Journey of Darcy Heart O'Hara. New York: Knopf. Unpaged. ISBN: 09375-82686-6
Darcy Heart O'Hara, a young Irish girl who neglects her chores to observe the beauties of nature and everyday life, share "family memories" with her homesick parents and siblings after the O'Haras are forced to immigrate to America in the 1840s.
Jasmine, Julia (1994). Multicultural Holidays. California: Teacher Created Materials, Inc. 304 pp.
ISBN: 1-55734-615-1
In many countries throughout the world, one holiday follows quickly on the heels of another. This is especially true of countries with a rich cultural diversity. Individuals from all over the world bring their holidays, holy days, and celebrations with them. Some of these holidays stay the same and some change because they are being celebrated in a new place, but either way they remain important to the people who celebrate them.
Olsen, Madeline (1998). Native American Sign Language. New York: Troll associates. 32 pp.
ISBN: 0-8167-4509-9
Native American sign language was used by the various tribes of the Great Plains. Using simple hand signals, members of tribes that did not share a common language were able to communicate with each other--exchanging information about the location of buffalo, the presence of enemies, weather conditions, or goods to be traded.
Weiss, Nicki (2000). The World Turns Round and Round. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged.
ISBN: 0-439-38903-8
Simple text and illustrations of presents sent to children in different parts of the world. The gifts and the giver are in the native language with pronunciation key at the end of the book.
Moreton, Daniel & Berber, Samantha (1999). A Day in Japan. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged.
ISBN: 0-439-04571-1
Simple text and photographs present children engaged in various activities in school, after school, and at home.
Steidl, Kim Sakamoto (1991). Portraits of Asian-Pacific Americans. Illinois: Good Apple. 92 pp.
ISBN: 0-86653-598-5
The biographies provided in this book represent a cross section of Asian-Pacific Americans. Their life experiences are intended to inspire and give examples of the great diversity that exists in the Asian-Pacific community. By recognizing the achievements and contributions of Americans from all backgrounds, we can hopefully gain a clearer understanding of our collective American heritage.
Joyce, Roslyn (2005). The Golden Fish. Illinois: ETA Cuisenaire. 16 pp. ISBN: 0-7406-3494-1
This is an old story from China. Even when she was feeling sad and alone in the world, Yeh Hsien showed kindness to the creatures around her. To thank her, a beautiful golden fish gave her a very special present.
Jin, Sarunna (1992). My First American Friend. Texas" Steck-Vaughn Company. Unpaged.
ISBN: 0-8114-4310-8
A young Chinese girl beginning a new life in America finds the difficult adjustment more endurable when she makes her first American friend.
Prepared by the Geography Department, Lerner Publications Company (1990). Ireland in Pictures. Minnesota: Lerner Publications Company. 64 pp. ISBN: 0-8225-1878-3
Introduces the geography, history, government, people, economy, and culture of the "Emerald Isle."
Dorros, Arthur (1991). Tonight is Carnival. New York: Puffin Unicorn. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-14-055467-X
Illustrated with original hand-quilted arpilleras from Peru, this lively, musical story about a young boy's eager preparations for Carnival is rich with the culture of the Andes Mountains.
Dohery, Gillian & Claybourne, Anna (2001). The Usborne Book of Peoples of the World. New York: Scholastic Inc. 96 pp. ISBN: 0-439-40127-5
You will find a wide-ranging exploration of the cultures, beliefs, homes, jobs, traditions and everyday lives of the six billion people who inhabit our planet. This book will take you on a continent-by-continent journey through remote rainforest villages, vibrant cities, noisy carnivals, and bustling shanty towns, looking at: national festivals, customs and traditions; religious beliefs and rituals; where people live and what their homes look like; the food people eat and the clothes they wear; how people travel; and how governments work.
Gruber, Beth (2007). Countries of the World: Mexico. D.C.: National Geographic Society. 64 pp.
ISBN: 0-7922-7669-8
Modern Mexico is the product of a rich Indian heritage, three centuries of Spanish rule, and shared borders with the world's richest country--the United States. Mexicans take great pride in the Olmec, Maya, Aztec and other ancient Indian cultures that created some of the world's most advanced civilizations.
Chessen, Betsey & Chanko, Pamela (1999). Australia. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-439-04574-6
Simple text and photographs introduce the cities, towns, beaches, ranches, farms, and several native animals of Australia.
Canizares, Susan & Berger, Samantha (1999). Canada. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged.
ISBN: 0-439-04573-8
Simple text and photographs present views of the landscape, people and activities of Canada. North, south, east, west--discover Canada from all directions.
Canizares, Susan & Chessen, Betsey (1999), Italy. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged.
ISBN: 0-439-04572-X
Simple text and photographs explore the sights of Italy, including bridges, staties. gondolas, and fountains. Did you know that Italy has a building that leans, steps covered with flowers, and canals for streets?
Balgassi, Haemi (1996). Peacebound Trains. New York: Clarion Books. 47 pp. ISBN: 0-395-72093-1
Sumi's grandmother tells the story of her family's escape from Seoul during the war, while they watch the trains which will eventually bring her mother back from army service.
Bailey, Donna (1992). A Festival in Germany. Texas: Steck-Vaughn Company. 16 pp. ISBN: 0-8114-5109-7
The German festival, Oktoberfest, takes place in Bavaria; it starts at the end of September and lasts sixteen days. Horses, carriages and wagons are decorated for the parade. A costume parade takes place on the second day of the festival. At the booth around the fairgrounds, hungry visitors buy traditional German food. Photographs show these activities.
Ashabranner, Brent (1992). Land of Yesterday, Land of Tomorrow: Discovering Chinese Central Asia. New York: Cobblehill Books. 84 pp. ISBN: 0-525-65086-5
Photographs and text explore the Chinese province of Xinjiang, closed to foreigners by the Communist government in 1949 and only reopened in 1984.
Hoffman, Mary (1991). Amazing Grace. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. Unpaged.
ISBN: 0-8037-1040-2
Although classmates say that she cannot play Peter Pan in the school play because she is black and a girl, Grace discovers that she can do anything she sets her mind to do.
Hoffman, Mary (1995). Boundless Grace. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-590-7391-0
This is the sequel to Amazing Grace. Grace discovers that families are what you make them. Her parents are split up and her father lives in Africa. He has another family. Grace receives money for two tickets from her father to visit him during her spring vacation. Her grandmother goes with her to Africa.
Hamanaka, Sheila (1994). All the Colors of the Earth. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged.
ISBN: 0-439-20221-3
Simple text and photographs illustrate that children come in all the colors of the earth and sky and sea.
Bridges, Ruby (1999). Through My Eyes. New York: Scholastic Inc. 63 pp. ISBN: 0-590-54630-9
This inspirational story, told by Ruby Bridges herself, can help children understand some of the struggles of African-Americans during the 1960's. The message young reader are presented with is Ruby's courageousness and determination. The real-life photos give readers a visual account of the hard times that Ruby and other African-Americans endured.
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald (1991). Aunt Flossie's Hats (and Crab Cakes Later). New York:
Scholastic Inc. 31pp. ISBN: 0-590-48881-3
For Sarah and Susan, a visit to their great-great-aunt Flossie is a literal and figurative feast. After tea and cookies, and before crab cakes, they are permitted to look through Aunt Flossie's prodigious collection of hats and try on their favorites. "Each hat has it's story." says Aunt Flossie, as she relates tales of the old days. This is an affecting portrait of a black American family and of the ways in which shared memories can be a thread, invisible yet strong, that ties generations together. Oil paints on canvas were used to create the full-color art in this book.
Grimes, Nikki (2002). Talkin' About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman. New York:
Scholastic Inc. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-439-59871-0
The life of the world's first licensed African-American female pilot is recalled through 20 eulogies, fictionalized perspectives based on actual people. "I remember that bone-chillin' January day in 1892 when Bessie's first cry raised the roof off that dirt-floor cabin back in Texas," Bessie's father, George Coleman, begins. Newspaper editor Robert Abbott tells of her enrollment in a French flight school "no flight school in our color-minded nation would accept a woman, or a Negro". E.B. Lewis's elegant portraits appear alongside the words of each speaker; full-bleed, full page paintings illustrate dramatic moments in Coleman's life.
Gayle, Sharon Shavers (1999). Escape! New York: Scholastic Inc. 31 pp. ISBN: 0-439-17217-9
While on a visit to the Anacostia Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, Emma finds herself as a runaway slave using the Underground Railroad to make her way to freedom in Canada.
Marzollo, Jean (1993). Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged.
ISBN: 0-590-44066-7
This is a paperback child development teaching tool, for individual and home school, as well as classroom setting; illustrated art, re-enforcing black family values, and social acceptance through achievement. Martin Luther King wanted to be able to go places together, share food together, and love one another in peace. Because he worked so hard for freedom and helped so many people to gain it, we honor him every year on his special day.
Stanley, Jerry (1994). I Am An American. New York: Scholastic Inc. 102 pp. ISBN: 0-590-68444-2
Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, nearly 120,000 Americans were imprisoned by the federal government. They had brokes no laws--indeed, many had gone to great lengths to demonstrate their loyalty to the United States. Their crime was that they were of Japanese ancestry. I Am An American chronicles the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, focusing on the experiences of one high school student, Shi Nomura, and relating them to the larger events of the period--from the history of Japanese immigration to the political and military events of the war and the outstanding service of Japanese American soldiers.
Knight, Margy Burns (1992). Talking Walls. Maine: Tilbury House. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-88448-154-9
This book is an illustrated description of walls around the world and their significance, from the Great Wall of China to the Berlin Wall. It introduces young readers to different cultures by exploring walls around the world, showing the impact of walls on the people who build and are divided or unified by these partitions.
Park, Linda Sue (2001). A Single Shard. New York: Scholastic Inc. 152 pp. ISBN: 0-439-44546-9
Tree-ear was so called after the mushroom that grew on tree trunks without benefit of parent seed. A good name for an orphan, Crane-man said. Foraging in fields and on rubbish heaps, and sharing the food with his friend Crane-man, used to be enough to fill Tree-ear's days. But now all Tree-ear wants to do is watch master potter Min at work. This account of a creative spirit on its journey toward fulfillment is set in twelfth-century Korea, where the course of human destiny could be determined by a single celadon shard.
Schroeder, Alan (1996). Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-8037-1888-8
Young Harriet Tubman, whose childhood name was Minty, dreams of escaping slavery on the Brodas plantation in the late 1820's. While Minty is a fictional account of Harriet Tubman's childhood, and some scenes have been invented for narrative purposes, the basic facts are true. Harriet Tubman--whose "cradle" name was Araminta (hence the nickname, Minty)--was indeed a slave on the Brodas plantation of Maryland's Eastern Shore in the 1820's. She was known as a "difficult" slave, and was often punished for it. As in this story, Minty was sent to work in the fields after proving herself too clumsy and not docile enough to be a house slave. Further, she was assigned, on one occasion, to tend to muskrat traps; it's easy to imagine that it was her nature to free a captured animal, just as she would one day help to free hundreds of slaves.
Strohmeier, Lenice U. (2003). Mingo. New York: Marshall Cavendish. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-7614-5111-0
In Massachusetts in 1771, seven-year-old Olivia learns about freedom from her father's slave, Mingo, who was promised that he's to be freed when the tide was low enough that he could walk to a certain spot offshore.
Pinkney, Andrea Davis (1998). Duke Ellington. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-439-10994-9
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was a forerunner in the evolution of jazz. He composed and played swing music, one of the best-loved forms to grace the American music scene. During the more than fifty years of this celebrated career, Duke wrote and composed at least one thousand compositions, including ballet and film scores, orchestral suites, musicals, and choral works. More than eight hundred musicians appeared with his Orchestra during its years on the road.
Say, Allen (2004). Music for Alice. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company 31 pp. ISBN: 0-618-31118-1
A Japanese American farmer recounts her agricultural successes and setbacks and her enduring love of dance. Based on the true life story of Alice Sumida, who with her husband Mark established the largest gladiola bulb farm in the country during the last half of the twentieth century.
Cooper, Floyd (1996). Mandela: From the Life of the South African Statesman. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-590-90114-1
Nelson Mandela was born into royalty and learned leadership early from his father, who was chief of Mvezo and a counselor to the kings of Thembuland. Like his father and his grandfather before him, Nelson was groomed to be an advisor to the throne, but he was also taught by his father to stand up for what was just and fair.
Flournoy, Valerie (1985). The Patchwork Quilt. New York: Scholastic Inc. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-590-89753-5
This is a wonderful story of a grandmother who starts collecting scraps from her family's clothes for a quilt for her granddaughter. But grandma gets sick, and it is her granddaughter and family who rally to finish the quilt.
Flournoy, Valerie (1995). Tanya's Reunion. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-8037-1604-4
This is the sequel to The Patchwork Quilt. When she and her grandmother go to help with preparations for a big family reunion, Tanya learns about the history of the farm in Virginia where grandma grew up.
Myers, Walter Dean (1999). At Her Majesty's Request: An African Princess in Victorian England. New York: Scholastic Inc. 146 pp. ISBN: 0-590-48670-5
Sarah Forbes Bonetta was an African princess whose parents were murdered by enemy warriors. A British naval officer rescued her and brought her to England, where she became the protegee of Queen Victoria herself.
Woodson, Jacqueline (2001). The Other Side. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. Unpaged.
ISBN: 0-399-23116-1
Clover has always wondered why a fence separates the black side of town from the white side. But this summer when Annie, a white girl from the other side, begins to sit on the fence, Clover grows more curious about the daring girl who sits on it, rain or shine. And one day, feeling very brave, Clover approaches Annie.
Giovanni, Nikki (2005). Rosa. New York: Henry Holt and Company. Unpaged. ISBN: 0-8050-7106-7
Rosa Parks is one of the most famous figures in American history. On December 1, 1955, she got on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus after work and refused to give up her seat to a white man, an act that sparked a revolution. This is the story of that event, and of a woman whose quiet determination changed our history.
Peacock, Louise (2007). At Ellis Island: A History in Many Voices. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 44 pp. ISBN-13: 978-0-689-83026-6 ISBN-10: 0-689-83026-2
The experiences of people coming to the United States from many lands are conveyed in the words of a contemporary young girl visiting Ellis Island and of a girl who immigrated in about 1910, as well as by quotes from early twentieth-century immigrants and Ellis Island officials.
Turner, Ann (2007). Sitting Bull Remembers. New York: HarperCollins. Unpaged. ISBN: 978-0-06-051399-3
Although this book is based on historical facts, it is a work of fiction. As such, it is intended to explore how Sitting Bull might have thought and felt about the events that shaped his life.
Lofthouse, Liz (2007). Ziba Came on a Boat. California: Kane/Miller. Unpaged. ISBN: 978-1-933605-52-4
The author was inspired to write after hearing stories told by people from the Hazara community - refugees from Afghanistan who now live in Perth. Based on real events, this is the moving story of a little girl whose family has lost almost everything. This beautiful picture book takes us on her brave journey to make a new life, far from home.
Deedy, Carmen Agra (2007). Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale. Georgia: Peachtree. Unpaged. ISBN 13: 987-1-56145-399-3 ISBN 10: 1-56145-399-4
In this humorous retelling of a Cuban folktale, a cockroach interviews her suitors in order to decide whom to marry.
McGinty, Alice B. (2007). Thank You, World. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. Unpaged. ISBN: 978-0-8037-2705-2
In this compelling book of celebratory rhyme and glowing pictures, eight very different kids, from eight different countries, all go about their day and experience the same moments of happiness. Uplifting and visually rich, this book reminds us that the world isn't as large as it seems, and that life's greatest pleasures are the simple ones.
MORE TO COME
Celebrating Cultural Diversity Through Children’s Literature http://www.multiculturalchildrenslit.com/
50 Multicultural books every child should read http://www.nea.org/readacross/resources/50multibooks.html
Multicultural Book List 2000 http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/libdev/Multiculturalbooklst2000.html
Great Multicultural Picture Books http://www.weberpl.lib.ut.us/booklists/books.php?BookListID=21&SortOrder=Author
Coretta Scott King Book Awards http://www.ala.org/ala/emiert/corettascottkingbookaward/corettascott.htm
Growing Up Around the World: Books as Passports to Global Understanding for Children in the United States http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/alscresources/booklists/GrowingUpAroundWorld.htm
Links to Articles, Research, and Tips for Teaching English Language Learners to read
Webpage: Teaching Diverse Learners http://www.alliance.brown.edu/tdl/index.shtml
Tips for teaching English Language Learners (ELL) http://www.celt.sunysb.edu/ell/tips.php
Teaching English Language Learners to Read http://www.readingrockets.org/webcasts/ondemand/2001
English Language Learners (ELLs) and Literacy Development http://nccic.org/poptopics/englang-learners.html
Article: “Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners” by David Freeman and Yvonne Freeman http://www.ncte.org/library/files/Free/Journals/tp/TP0121Meeting.pdf
Article: “Language, Literature, and Learning in the ESL Classroom” by Mary Kooy and Annette Chiu http://www.ncte.org/library/files/Free/Journals/ej/EJ0882Language.pdf
“Checklist for Effective Practices with English Language Learners” by David Freeman and Yvonne Freeman http://www.cstp-wa.org/Navigational/Resources_reading/Articles/Checklist_for_%20Effective_Practices_With_English_Learners.pdf
Report: Effective Reading Programs for English Language Learners – A Best-Evidence Synthesis by Robert E. Slavin and Alan Cheung http://www.csos.jhu.edu/crespar/techReports/Report66.pdf
Article: “Teaching English Language Learners Using Non-fiction Text” by Margo DelliCarpini http://www.scientificjournals.org/articles/1029.htm
Article: “The Right to Learn and the Advancement of Teaching: Research, Policy , and Practice for Democratic Education by Linda Darling-Hammond http://www.jstor.org/view/0013189x/ap040250/04a00030/0
More to Come