Multicultural
Picture Books for Today's Children
Multicultural
Picture Books for Today's Children
The following books reflect the great diversity of children and their families in the United States and around the world. Duluth Public Library call numbers are included; an explanation of the call numbers appears at the end.
Ajmera, Maya. Children from Australia
to Zimbabwe: A Photographic Journey Around the World. Charlesbridge,
1997.
Text and photographs depict how children live in nations across
the alphabet, from Australia to Zimbawe. (j910 Ajmera)
Ajmera, Maya. To Be a Kid. Charlesbridge,
1999.
Text and photographs from countries around the world illustrate
some of the activities children everywhere have in common. (j910
Ajmera)
Andrews, Jan. Very Last First Time.
Atheneum, 1986.
When the tide recedes, a young Eskimo girl living in northern
Canada journeys alone for the first time under the ice, walking
on the seabed floor to gather mussels. (j Andrews [Reading Rainbow])
Baer, Edith. This Is the Way We Go to
School: A Book About Children Around the World. Scholastic,
1990.
Describes, in text and illustrations, the many different modes
of transportation children all over the world use to get to school.
(j Baer)
Carling, Amelia Lau. Mama and Papa Have
a Store. Dial, 1998.
A little girl describes what a day is like in her parents' Chinese
store in Guatemala City. (j Carling)
Cooper, Melrose. I Got Community.
H. Holt, 1995.
A young girl describes, in rhyming verse, how members of her community
make her feel loved. (j Cooper [Reading Rainbow])
Dorros, Arthur. Abuela. Dutton, 1991.
While riding on a bus with her grandmother, a little girl imagines
that they are carried up into the sky and fly over the sights
of New York City. (j Dorros [(Reading Rainbow])
Fox, Mem. Whoever You Are. Harcourt
Brace, 1997.
Despite the differences between people around the world, there
are similarities that join us together, such as pain, joy, and
love. (j Fox)
Glaser,
Linda. Our Big Home: An Earth Poem. Millbrook, 2000.
Describes the water, air, soil, sky, sun, and more shared by all
living creatures on Earth. (j Glaser)
Gray, Nigel. A Country Far Away.
Orchard, 1988.
Parallel pictures reveal the essential similarities between the
lives of two boys, one in a western country, one in a rural African
village. (j Gray)
Hamanaka, Sheila. All the Colors of the
Earth. Morrow, 1994.
Reveals in verse that despite outward differences children everywhere
are essentially the same and all are lovable. (j Hamanaka)
Heide, Florence Parry. The Day of Ahmed's
Secret. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1990.
A young Egyptian boy describes the city of Cairo as he goes about
his daily work and waits for the evening to share a special surprise
with his family. (j Heide)
Hollyer, Beatrice. Wake up, World!: A
Day in the Life of Children Around the World. H. Holt/ Oxfam,
1999.
Explores the lives of eight children from different countries
around the world. (j910 Hollyer)
Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane. Celebrating Ramadan.
Holiday House, 2001.
A look at the 1400-year-old tradition that is one of the pillars
of the Islamic faith. (j297.36 Hoyt-Goldsmith)
Isadora, Rachel. Caribbean Dream.
Putnam, 1998. 
A lyrical and evocative dreamscape of the Caribbean. (j Isadora)
Kindersley, Barnabas. Children Just Like
Me. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
Photographs and text depict the homes, schools, family life, and
culture of young people around the world. (j910 Kindersley)
Lomas Garza, Carmen. Family Pictures/Cuadros
de Familia. Children's Book Press, 1990.
The author describes, in bilingual text and illustrations, her
experiences growing up in a Hispanic community in Texas. (j Lomas
Garza [Foreign Language/Spanish])
McDonald, Megan. My House Has Stars.
Orchard Books, 1996.
Young people describe the different kinds of homes they live in
around the world and how they see the stars. (j McDonald)
Mollel, Tololwa M. Big Boy. Clarion,
1995.
Little Oli wants to be big enough to go bird hunting with his
brother Mbachu but has to take a nap instead.
(j Mollel)
Mora, Pat. A Birthday Basket for Tía.
Macmillan, 1992.
With the help and interference of her cat Chica, Cecilia prepares
a surprise gift for her great-aunt's ninetieth birthday. (j Mora)
Mora, Pat. Tomás and the Library
Lady. Knopf, 1997.
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. (j Mora)
Morris, Ann. Houses and Homes. Lothrop,
Lee & Shepard, 1992.
A simple discussion of different kinds of houses and what makes
them homes. (j363.5 Morris)
Morris, Ann. Loving. Lothrop, Lee
& Shepard, 1990.
Provides examples of the different ways in which love can be expressed,
with an emphasis on the relationship between parent and child.
(j306.85 Morris)
Morris, Ann. On the Go. Lothrop,
Lee & Shepard, 1990.
Discusses the ways in which people all over the world move from
place to place, including walking, riding on animals, and traveling
on wheels and water. (j629.04 Morris)
Pak, Soyung. Dear Juno. Viking, 1999.
Although Juno, a Korean American boy, cannot read the letter he
receives from his grandmother in Seoul, he understands what it
means from the photograph and dried flower that are enclosed and
decides to send a similar letter back to her. (j Pak)
Pinkney, Sandra L. Shades of Black: A
Celebration of Our Children. Scholastic, 2000.
Photographs and poetic text celebrate the beauty and diversity
of African American children. (j Pinkney)
Reiser, Lynn. Margaret and Margarita,
Margarita y Margaret. Greenwillow, 1993.
Margaret, who speaks only English, and Margarita, who speaks only
Spanish, meet in the park and have fun playing together even though
they have different languages. (j Reiser [Foreign Language/Spanish])
Rotner, Shelley. Lots of Dads. Dial
Books for Young Readers, 1997.
Photos of dads and their children show their special relationships.
(j Rotner)
Schuett, Stacey. Somewhere in the World
Right Now. Knopf, 1995.
Describes what is happening in different places around the world
at a particular time. (j Schuett [Reading Rainbow])
Sisulu,
Elinor Batezat. The Day Gogo Went to Vote: South Africa, April
1994. Little, Brown, 1996.
Thembi and her beloved great-grandmother, who has not left the
house for many years, go together to vote on the momentous day
when black South Africans are allowed to vote for the first time.
(j Sisulu)
Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Jingle Dancer.
Morrow, 2000.
Jenna, a member of the Muscogee, or Creek, Nation, borrows jingles
from the dresses of several friends and relatives so that she
can perform the jingle dance at the powwow. Includes a note about
the jingle dance tradition and its regalia. (j Smith)
Soto, Gary. Big Bushy Mustache. Knopf, 1998.
In order to look more like his father, Ricky borrows a mustache from a school costume, but when he loses it on the way home his father comes up with a replacement. (j Soto)
Steptoe, John. Creativity. Clarion,
1997.
Charles helps Hector, a student who has just moved from Puerto
Rico, adjust to his new life. (j Steptoe)
Takabayashi, Mari. I Live in Tokyo.
Houghton Mifflin, 2001.
A year in the life of a seven-year-old Japanese girl living in
Tokyo. (j915.213 Takabayashi)
Waboose, Jan Bourdeau. Morning on the
Lake. Kids Can Press, 1997.
In three linked stories, an Ojibway boy and his grandfather spend
a day exploring nature. (j Waboose)
Wheeler, Bernelda. Where Did You Get
Your Moccasins? Pemmican, 1986.
A boy describes in detail how his grandmother, or Kookum, made
his moccasins.
(j Wheeler)
Williams, Vera B. "More More More"
Said the Baby: 3 Love Stories. Greenwillow, 1990.
Three babies are caught up in the air and given loving attention
by a father, grandmother, and mother.
(j Williams)
About Duluth Public Library call numbers: Generally, "j" followed by author's last name indicates that the book is in the picture book bins. Foreign Language books are in a separate collection. Books with "j" followed by a number and author's last name are in the nonfiction collection. Please ask staff if you need help finding these books.
