Multicultural Children’s Literature

Multicultural children’s literature can be very influential to a teacher’s classroom.  Books about people from other countries can be used for a variety of units, lessons, and topics in the classroom.  Also, multicultural books can teach both teachers and students about children from other countries that they may encounter in their classrooms.  I chose this topic because multicultural children’s literature is becoming such an important part of classrooms today.  I have provided books about different cultures around the world so that diverse customs can be discussed and learned about.

Asian

Bang, M. (1987). The Paper Crane. New York: Mulberry Books.
    This ancient Japanese folktale tells the story of a struggling restaurant owner that helps a poor old man.  In return, the old man creates a paper crane that dances and eventually attracts much needed business.  The old man returns to the restaurant with a flute.  He then plays a song and flies away on the back of his crane.  The restaurant business booms because people come from all over to hear the story of the magical crane.  The illustrations are very paper cut-outs and very realistic.  This story would be excellent as part of a folktale unit or an ancient China unit.
Level: elementary and middle school

Bunting, E. (1998). So Far From the Sea. New York: Clarion Books.   
    This book tells the story of a Japanese family going back to visit the area of a relocation camp that their father was once in during World War II.  The children learn about what happened during this time period that lead their father and grandfather to be imprisoned there.  In the end, the children say goodbye to their grandfather’s grave that is there and prepare to move across the country to a new home with their parents.  I really loved this book and thought that it was very interesting.  The book gives a lot of information about events taking place after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  The illustrations are excellent and well-detailed.  This book would be perfect for students learning about Pearl Harbor and World War II.
Level: upper elementary

Lee, H.V. (1995). In the Snow. New York: Henry Holt & Company, Inc. 
    A young Chinese boy and his mother venture out for a nature walk during the first snow of the winter season.  On this walk, the boy learns the words and drawings for many items found in nature.  The collage illustrations are very unique.  The characters do not have elaborate facial features.  The most interesting aspect of this book is the glossary of Chinese symbols that depicts what they mean in English.  The book could support units on family, winter, and the Chinese language.
Level: early elementary

Native American

Bruchac, J. (2000). Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving. San Diego: Harcourt,         Inc.
    This classic story discusses how Squanto helped a group of settlers learn about the land, animals, and survival.  The story ends with the new friends joining together for a big feast, the first Thanksgiving.  The beautiful watercolor pictures add warmth and realism to the story.  The book would be a perfect addition to units on Native Americans, Thanksgiving, and/or, friendship.
Level: elementary

dePaola, T. (1988). The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush. G.P.  Putnam's Sons.
    A young Indian boy is depicted in this Indian folktale.  He knows very early in life that he is not made to be a hunter like the other males in his tribe.  The Indian boy travels to the hills where he is granted the tools he needs to paint his pictures and share his talent with the rest of his people.  The illustrations are beautiful and add much realism to the story.  This book would support units on Indian folktales, exceptional children and youth, and Native American history.
Level: early elementary

Schick, E. (1996). My Navajo Sister. New York: Simon & Schuster.
    A white girl befriends a Native American girl that has recently moved to the area.  Together, they climb canyon walls, collect shells, ride horses, and dream about the Navajo people that lived long ago.  After her Native American friend moves away, the girl still feels a sense of sadness and longing many years later.  The colored pencil illustrations are excellent portrayals of the southwest.  The book could support units on Native American traditions, families, and friendships.
Level: early elementary

African American

Adler, D.A. (1989). A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Holiday House.
    This book tells about the life and beliefs of Martin Luther King, Jr.  The text is easy to understand and the illustrations are large and vibrant.  The text also tells the stories of other important events taking place during the lifetime of King, including Rosa Parks and the bus.  This book would teach children not only about the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. but also about segregation and equality during the mid-1900’s.
Level: early elementary
A helpful website: Martin Luther King, Jr. & The Civil Rights Movement

Mitchell, R. (1997). The Talking Cloth. New York: Orchard Books.
    This story tells of an ancient African custom involving an adinkra cloth.  A young girl visits her aunt that has traveled all over the world.  In doing so, the young girl learns how the different colors of the cloth describe various colors and symbols.  The oil paintings in the story are beautiful but do not illustrate just how colorful the cloth was.  The cloth in the text does not seem like the same cloth in the illustrations.  Still, the book could support units on African customs, self-esteem, and family.   
Level: elementary

Sisulu, E.B. (1996).  The Day Gogo Went to Vote. Canada: Little, Brown & Company.
    This picture book tells the story of a grandmother leaving the house for the first time after many years.  The grandmother is excited because South Africans are finally allowed to vote.  Because she is elderly, the family tries to convince her not to go but she insists since this event is so monumental.  In the end, her granddaughter is inspired by the strength and will of her grandmother.  This book is very inspiring, and children would enjoy learning about people in other countries earning the right to vote.  The illustrations could be better and clearer but the text is worth the read.
Level: middle elementary

Steptoe, J. (1987). Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. New York: Lothrop, Lee, & Shepard Books.
    This Cinderella story takes place in Africa.  Two daughters live and care for their father.  One of the daughters is exceptionally friendly and kind.  The other is quite rude and ignorant.  The girls both go to the prince for the chance to marry him.  In the end, the kind, friendly daughter wins over his affection.  The illustrations in this book are very detailed and beautiful.  The book would be a perfect addition to units on folklore around the world or stepchildren.
Level: middle elementary

Stock, C. (2001). Gugu’s House. New York: Clarion Books.
    This book tells the story of a young girl visiting her grandmother’s house.  The two women clean, cook, and paint all day on the walls of the mud house while the men are away caring for the livestock.  In the evening, Grandmother tells stories and a great rain comes.  The young girl is disappointed that her paintings have washed away but Grandmother teaches her to appreciate the beauty that the rain has brought.  This book was very interesting because it told a cute story while teaching about life in an African village.  The back of the book had a glossary of the African words mentioned and an author’s note about the inspiration for the story.  This book would be a wonderful addition to units on families or life in Africa.
Level: middle elementary

Mexican

Mora, P. (1994). Pablo’s Tree. New York: Simon & Schuster.
    A young adopted Mexican boy celebrates an annual tradition of visiting his grandfather on the night of his birthday.  Each year, the grandfather decorates a special tree for the boy.  This particular year, his grandfather has decorated the tree with wind chimes, and the two sit under the tree and reminisce about past decorations and birthdays.  The author does an excellent job of incorporating Spanish and English text together.  The cut-out illustrations are colorful.  The story would support units on family, traditions, and/or adoption.
Level: early elementary

Mora, P. (1997). Tomas and the Library Lady. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
    Tomas is moving to Iowa with his parents who are migrant workers.  Here, inspired by his grandfather’s stories, Tomas travels to the town’s library and meets a librarian that introduces him to many genres of books.  In return, Tomas teaches her Spanish.  The two new friends must say goodbye at the end of the summer but both feel motivated from each other.  This book could be used with many different themes in the classroom, including friendship, migrant workers, and family.  I love how the book incorporated Spanish along with the text.
Level: early to middle elementary

Perez, L.K. (2002). First Day in Grapes. New York: Lee & Low Books, Inc.
    A young Mexican boy has moved to a new area due to the family’s jobs as migrant workers.  On the first day at his new school, the young boy is teased by other students and has difficulty with his writing.  However, he excels in math and is soon asked to participate in the school math fair.  After lunch, he amazes other students when he stands up to the older boys that have been teasing him.  In doing so, he makes new friends and feels more comfortable in his new environment.  The illustrations are bright, colorful, and depict the emotions of the characters.  The book would support discussions on migrant workers, bullying, and moving.
Level: elementary

da Costa, D. (2001). Snow in Jerusalem. Illinois: Albert Whitman & Co.   
    Two boys meet in Jerusalem as they continually feed a stray cat.  The two boys find each other and become friends when they both follow the cat one day and realize she has had kitten.  The new friends decide to adopt the kitten while sharing the mother cat.  This book was very interesting because one of the boys spoke Arabic words with his English while the other spoke Hebrew with this English.  The illustrations were very detailed and gave a clear picture of the town in Jerusalem.  This book would be an excellent addition to any unit on different cultures in the Middle East or simply friendship.
Level: middle elementary

Ellis, D. (2001). The Breadwinner. California: Publisher’s Group West.
    This novel tells the story of a young girl living under the Taliban army in modern day Afghanistan.  Parvana’s father is arrested so in order to earn money for the family, Parvana dresses up like a boy so she can go out into the market each day.  The story is very realistic and an excellent portrayal of the misery that women and girls must undergo each day in Afghanistan.  This would be an excellent read-aloud when discussing issues in the Middle East.
Level: late elementary through middle school

Ellis, D. (2002). Parvana’s Journey. California: Publisher’s Group West.
    This sequel to The Breadwinner tells Parvana’s journey as she heads through the deserts of Afghanistan in search for her family that has been separated.  The story is very sad and heartbreaking but the events are very realistic.  This would be an excellent read-aloud following the reading of The Breadwinner.  Students may be interested to know what happens to Parvana since her first story ends so abruptly.
Level: late elementary through middle school

Nye, N.S. (1997). Sitti’s Secrets. New York: Simon & Schuster.
    A young girl reminisces about a recent journey she had to a small Palestinian village on the West Bank to visit her grandmother.  Here, she is unable to communicate with her grandmother due to language barriers but the two learn to overcome this challenge.  She also is able to learn about family traditions and play with her cousins during this visit.  After returning home, the young girl writes a letter to the president, expressing her wishes for world peace.  The illustrations accurately portray the wisdom of the text and the secrets that grandmother has.  This book could support discussions on family, traditions, and communication barriers.
Level: elementary and early middle school  

Lowry, L. (1989). Number the Stars. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
    This excellent historical fiction novel takes place during the Nazi occupation of Denmark.  A family hides a ten-year-old Jewish girl from German soldiers after the rest of her family flees to find safety.  Together, the girls learn about what is happening in their country and how their families are working with the Resistance Movement to prevent it.  The text is very powerful, and it gives a very accurate portrayal of life during this time period.  It was one of my favorite novels that I read in elementary school.  The book could support units on World War II, bravery/heroism, and the Holocaust. 
Level: late elementary through middle school

Matas, C. (1987). Lisa’s War. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.
    Lisa is a twelve year old girl living during the German occupation of Denmark.  Bravely, this young girl joins the Danish resistance with her brother and does very dangerous missions for them.  This novel would be an excellent read-aloud when talking about the events leading up to World War II.  The story could also be used to discuss women’s rights and the bravery of women during this time period.
Level: late elementary through middle school

Professional Resource Links

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Multicultural children's literature

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December 2003