Multicultural/Diversity Books
Multicultural/Diversity books are cross-cultural literature that include books by and about people of all cultures.
The Name Jar
by Yangsook Choi
On Unhei's first day of school her grandmother gives her a wooden block with her name carved into to it to remind her of her Korea heritage. On the bus the kids make fun of her name so when she gets to her new class and they ask her what her name is she says she hasn't picked on yet. At home she tells her parents she wants to change her name because she is different, her parents remind her that being different is good and that her name means grace. At school kids fill up a jar with names for her. Joey, a friend in her class, learns her real name. Unhei find the name jar missing and she tells the class her Korean name. She finds out that Joey took the jar because he wanted her to keep her Korean name. Unhei gives Joey a Korean name, Chinku meaning friend.
In Our Mothers' House
by Patricia Polacco
Meema and Marmee adopt and girl when she was just a baby, three years later they adopt Will, and three years later they adopt Mille. While growing up their house was filled with laughter, they would slide down the staircase, family time was infront of the fireplace, they had home made Halloween costums. They had puppies, a tree house, a kitchen for big family holidays, block parties, and mother/daughter tea. However, Mrs. Lockner never approved of their family. Eventually they would all grow up; the narrator went to medical school, Will goes into engineering, and Millie becomes a fashion designer. They would all marry in their backyard under their old treehouse and their children learned to walk when they did. When Meema and Marmee die they buried them in a hill over looking the bay where they pledge their love to each other.
I Hate English
by Ellen Levine
Mei Mei moves from China to New York and joins a Chinese center. Mei Mei continues to do everything in Chinese. Mei Mei is given a teacher who wants her to learn English. Eventually Mei Mei speaks both English and Chinese.
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Story from China
by Ed Young
A mother of three sets of to see her mother for her birthday. A wolf disguised as the grandmother, Po Po, goes to the house and the children let the wolf in. They go to pick Gingko from a tree. The wolf dies and the children go into the house and lock the door.
Too Many Tamales
by Gary Soto
Maria and her mother are kneading masa for tamales on Christmas Eve. When Maria's mother leaves the room she tries on her ring and continues to knead. The rest of her family arrives and she goes to play with them. Soon she notices the ring is gone. Maria and her cousins eat all the tamales but don't find the ring. Maria goes to tell her mother but sees her wearing the ring and tells her they ate all the tamales. The whole family makes tamales together.
Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match
by Monica Brown
The right side of the book is writen in English, the left side is in Spanish.
Marisol doesn't match. She has brown skin and red hair, she speaks English and Spanish in the same sentence. She writes her first name in cursive and her last in print. She eats peanut butter and jelly burritos. She tries things to match, like eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich, but she doesn't like. She declares "I'm Marisol McDonald and I don't match because I don't want to!". In the end she adopts a dog that doesn't match and names him Kitty.
Marisol doesn't match. She has brown skin and red hair, she speaks English and Spanish in the same sentence. She writes her first name in cursive and her last in print. She eats peanut butter and jelly burritos. She tries things to match, like eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich, but she doesn't like. She declares "I'm Marisol McDonald and I don't match because I don't want to!". In the end she adopts a dog that doesn't match and names him Kitty.
The Sandwich Swap
by Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah
Selma and Lilly are best friends. Selma eats hummus and pita everyday for lunch. Lily eats peanut butter and jelly for lunch every day. They both think the other's is weird and eventually they tell each other. The cafe spilts and a food fight breaks out. Selma and Lily are ashammed and they try each others sandwiches and the love it. They hold a school event where everyone brings in their own food.