International Children’s Literature: Passport to the World

Presented by: Jennifer Smith Northern Kentucky University

smithjen@nku.edu

Around the World: Introductions and Issues Around the World We Go! / Margaret Wise Brown; Christine Tappin, ill. Preschool introduction to the many countries of the world.

Children Just Like Me: A Unique Celebration of Children Around the World / Barnabas and Anabel Kindersley.Shows the commonalities among children from around the world.

Follow the Line Around the World by Laura Ljungkvist.Introduction to the animals around the world and where they live.

It’s Back to School We Go: First Day Stories from Around the World by Ellen Jackson; Illus. by Jan Davey Ellis.Describes what the first day of school might be like for children in various countries.

Maps by Aleksandra and Daniel Mizielinski.Informative maps of countries from around the world. Maps arranged by continents. Oversize book.

One World, One Day / Barbara Kerley.Shows the many common activities children undertake around the world in a 24 hour period.

People Around the World."With more than 70 chunky flaps to explore and engaging scenes of busy people from all over the world, this book is a wonderful first introduction to different cultures and places. From a bustling modern Asian city, to a rural African village, the color and glamour of India's Bollywood and the green calm of a small European farm-the book's playful scenes and engaging fact-filled text combine for hands-on learning. The changing details that appear under the flaps-like a Middle Eastern man charming a snake or a treasure hunter searching for a surprise on a hot Australian Beach-will fascinate even the most hard-to-please reader for hours."--The publisher.

Up for Sale: Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery / Alison Marie Behnke.Takes a hard look at human trafficking around the world and tells the stories of victims in their own words.

The Usborne Round the World Cookbook by Caroline Young.Provides a worldwide tour of food, cooking and eating traditions.

The Usborne Round the World Songbook / Emma Danes.Songs included are in 24 different languages and from 30 different countries. An English translation has been provided for all songs.

What the World Eats /Peter Menzel, Faith D'Aluisio."A photographic collection exploring what the world eats featuring portraits of twenty-five families from twenty-one countries surrounded by a week's worth of food

AfricaAfrica:I Just Want to Say Goodnight / Rachel Isadora. --Nancy Paulsen Books (Penguin), 2017. In a village on the African plains, a little girl stalls bedtime by saying good night to various animals and objects.

Old Mikamba Had a Farm written and illustrated by Rachel Isadora.The children's classic gets new life on the African plain. Kids will love the handsome illustrations as they sing EIEIO with spring boks, baboons, and wart hogs.

The Twelve Dancing Princesses retold and illustrated by Rachel Isadora.A retelling set in Africa, of the story of twelve princesses who dance secretly all night long and how their secret is eventually discovered.

Egypt: The Day of Ahmed’s Secret by Florence Parry Heide. Young Ahmed spends the day delivering butane gas to customers all over Cairo. But he can’t help but think about a happy secret he can’t wait to tell his family.

Hidden Girl : The True Story of a Modern-Day Child Slave by Shyima. Hall; Lisa Wysocky.The author, Shyima Hall, was eight when her parents sold her into slavery. In Egypt's capitol city of Cairo, she lived with a wealthy family and serve them eighteen hours a day, seven days a week. When she was ten, her captors moved to Orange County, California, and smuggled Shyima with them. Two years later, an anonymous call from a neighbor brought about the end of Shyima's servitude-- but her journey to true freedom was far from over. Now a US citizen, she regularly speaks out about human trafficking and candidly reveals how she overcame her harrowing circumstances.

Ethiopia:Fire on the Mountain by Jane. Kurtz, E. B. Lewis.A clever young shepherd boy uses his wits to gain a fortune for himself and his sister from a haughty rich man.

A Thirst for Home : A Story of Water across the World by Christine Ieronimo; Eric Velasquez.“Alemitu lives with her mother in a poor village in Ethiopia, where she must walk miles for water and hunger roars in her belly. Even though life is difficult, she dreams of someday knowing more about the world. When her mother has no choice but to leave her at an orphanage to give her a chance at a better life, an American family adopts Alemitu"-- Provided by publisher.

Kenya:My Name is Blessing by Eric Walters: Eugenie Fernandes. Based on a true story about a young Kenyan boy whose mother left him but had named him Muthini which meant suffering because he was born with no fingers on his left hand and only two on his right. Many times he was made fun of or avoided which hurt him deeply. He lives with his very elderly grandmother, his Nyanya, along with many cousins whose parents had either died or left them. They are extremely poor and there is never enough money or food, but plenty of love. A difficult choice must be made and Muthini is the youngest child and needs to have a better chance in life, so his Nyanya takes him to an orphanage where he is blessed and his name is changed to Baraka which means blessing for he was a blessing just as his grandmother always knew.

Malawi: Galimoto by Karen Lynn Williams. Kondi decides he wants to make a galimoto out of wire he’s been saving up in his shoebox. Despite a few obstacles he remains persistent and completes his toy.

Masai people (East Africa): Who’s in Rabbit’s House? by Verna Aardema. Masai villagers gather together as actors don masks to perform the story of a group of animals who attempt to get a mysterious creature, the “long one”, out of rabbit’s house.

Morocco: My Father’s Shop by Satomi Ichikawa. Mustafa’s father tells him he must learn several foreign languages in order to keep the rug he has fallen in love with. In the busy tourist market, he finds several foreigners to help him.

South Africa: The Herd Boy by Niki DalyWhile doing a good job of caring for his grandfather’s sheep and goats on the grasslands of South Africa, young Malusi dreams of everything from owning his own dog to becoming president one day.

My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken, and Me by Maya Angelou; Photos by Margaret Courntney-Clarke.Introduction to a girl named Thandi, her mischievous brother, her best friend, a chicken, and her painted village among the Ndebele people of South Africa.

Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson. Gorgeously illustrated biography of this important historical figure.

The Soccer Fence by Phil Bildner; Jesse Joshua Watson.Each time Hector watches white boys playing soccer in Johannesburg, South Africa, he dreams of playing on a real pitch one day and after the fall of apartheid, when he sees the 1996 African Cup of Nations team, he knows that his dream can come true.

Sudan: A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park.When the Sudanese civil war reaches his village in 1985, eleven-year-old Salva becomes separated from his family and must walk with other Dinka tribe members through southern Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya in search of safe haven. Based on a true story.

The Red Pencil. By Andrea Davis Pinkney. Illus. by Shane W. Evans. In spite of the limited expectations for the girls in her village, Amira wants to learn and will not be stopped. Told in verse capturing the desperation of the people living in the middle of the Darfur conflict in Sudan.

West Africa: Deep in the Sahara by Kelly Cunnane. Illus. by Hoda Hadadi. Lalla wants to wear a malafa but first must understand its true meaning. Jewel-toned illustrations introduce a West African culture in this unusual, universal story of emerging maturity.

Antarctica and Artic (The Poles)Antarctic Antics: A Book of Penguin Poems by Judy Sierra. Who doesn’t love penguins playing around? No one. That’s who.

Poles Apart by Jeanne Willis; Illus. by Jarvis.Everyone knows that penguins live at the South Pole and polar bears live at the North Pole. But what would happen if, one day, an adventurous family of penguins took a wrong turn and ended up at the North Pole?

AsiaChina:Bound by Donna Jo Napoli.In a novel based on Chinese Cinderella tales, fourteen-year-old stepchild Xing Xing endures a life of neglect and servitude as her stepmother cruelly mutilates her own child’s feet so that she alone might marry well.

Grandfather Tang’s Story: A Tale Told with Tangrams by Ann Tompert.A story within a story about the fox fairies that could change their shapes and tried to outdo each other.

Night Sky Dragons by Mal Peet and Elspeth Graham; Illus. by Patrick Benson.Yazul loves making kites with his grandfather. When their home, along the Silk Road, is attacked by bandits, Yazul uses his kite making abilities to scare away the bandits.

Tiki Tikki Tembo retold by Arlene Mosel; Illus. by Blair LentProvides an explanation for changing the Chinese custom of giving the first born son a great long name to a very short name.

Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China retold by Ai-Ling Louie; Illus. by Ed Young.Chinese Cinderella story.

India:All My Noble Dreams and then What Happens by Gloria Whelan.As Rosalind continues to straddle the proper English world of her family and the culture of 1920s India where they live, her support of Gandhi and his followers in opposing British rule grows and she considers trying to carry the rebels' message to Edward, Prince of Wales, during his visit.

Darkness Everywhere: The Assassination of Mohandas Gandhi by Matt DoedenDescribes the events leading up to the assassination of Mohandas Ghandi, a preeminent champion of nonviolent civil disobedience, and details the political and social legacy he left behind.

Grandfather Gandhi by Arun Gandhi, Bethany Hegedus, Evan Turk."Mahatma Gandhi's grandson tells the story of how his grandfather taught him to turn darkness into light in this uniquely personal and vibrantly illustrated tale that carries a message of peace."--Amazon.com.

Grandma and the Great Gourd : a Bengali Folk tale by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Susy Pilgrim Waters.On her way to visit her daughter on the other side of the jungle, Grandma encounters a hungry fox, bear, and tiger, and although she convinces them to wait for her return trip, she still must find a way to outwit them all.

Kipling’s Rikki-Tikki Tavi The story of a mongoose who saved a family from the cobras that lived near their house.

Same, Same, but Different by Jenny Sue. Kostecki-Shaw.Pen pals Elliot and Kailash discover that even though they live in different countries--America and India--they both love to climb trees, have pets, and ride a school bus.

The Sultan's Tigers by Josh Lacey.Tom, who comes from a long line of criminals, travels with his roguish uncle to India to find a family treasure--an antique jewel-encrusted tiger stolen from the sultan's throne hundreds of years ago.

A Taste of Freedom : Gandhi and the Great Salt March by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, Giuliano Ferri.An old man in India recalls how, when he was a young boy, he got his first taste of freedom as he and his brother joined the great Muhatma Gandhi on a march to the sea to make salt in defiance of British law.

A Time to Dance. By Padma Venkatraman. Penguin/Nancy Paulsen. An emotional novel-in-verse about a young Indian dancer disabled in a freak car accident. With hard work, she adapts to dancing with prosthesis.

Iran:Dawn and Dusk by Alice MeadAs thirteen-year-old Azad tries desperately to cling to the life he has known, the political situation in Iran during the war with Iraq finally forces his family to flee their home and seek safety elsewhere.

The Earth Shook : A Persian Tale by Donna Jo Napoli; Gabi Swiatkowska.Little Parisa-Farsi, left alone after an earthquake demolishes her home of Bam, Iran, inspires the animals around her to put aside their differences and revel in the simple delights that unite them.

Iraq: The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq by Jeanette Winter. When war threatens to destroy Alia’s precious library collection, which includes rare editions, she bravely works to move 30,000 volumes to safety.

Japan:Dodsworth in Tokyo by Tim EganDodsworth's duck companion is surprisingly well-behaved during a visit to Tokyo, although he does fall into the koi pond at the Imperial Palace and becomes the center of attention at a Sanja Festival.

The Funny Little Woman retold by Arlene Mosel; pictures by Blair Lent.After following her run away rice dumpling, the little woman becomes a captive of the oni, but escapes and makes it back home.

I Live in Tokyo by Mari Takabayashi.Describes the various Japanese celebrations month by month.

The Origami Master by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer; Illus. by Aki Sogabe.An Origami Master whose only company has been his creations captures someone who has been leaving him a magnificent origami animal each night.

The Three Samurai Cats: A Story from Japan retold by Eric A. Kimmel; illus. by Mordicai Gerstein.An adaptation of a Japanese folktale in which a feudal lord seeks a samurai cat to rid his castle of a savage rat, but soon discovers that violence is not always the best way to accomplish things.

Korea:Peach Heaven by Yangsook ChoiThe Korean town where Yangsook lives is famous for wonderful peaches, but one year a heavy rainstorm threatens the crop.

A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park.Tree-ear, a thirteen-year-old orphan in medieval Korea, lives under a bridge in a potters’ village, and longs to learn how to throw the delicate celadon ceramics himself.

Oman:The Turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye. Aref is unhappy about leaving Oman to journey to Michigan where his parents will study for three years. In his final days he shares many new experiences with his beloved grandfather, Sidi, and some quiet moments too.

Pakistan: Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams. Two girls in a Pakistan refugee camp each find one shoe in a pair and decide to share them.

Thailand:Hush!: A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho A charming onomatopoetic bedtime story.

Vietnam:Vietnam: a History of the War by Russell Freedman.A succinct account of the most puzzling and controversial of America’s wars

Australia and OceaniaAustralia: My Farm by Alison Lester. Alison Lester grew up on an Australian farm overlooking the sea. This is her story of a memorable year on the farm.

New Zealand: Elizabeth Queen of the Seas by Lynne Cox. The true story of an elephant seal who decides to make her home on Christchurch’s Avon River.

EuropeAustria: A Gift for Mama by Linda Ravin Lodding. In 1890s Vienna, Oskar has a single coin to buy a gift for his mama. In this heartwarming story, he makes trade after trade with the important historical people of the city until he has just the right gift.

Czech Republic: The Three Golden Keys by Peter Sís. Three legends are worked into an allegory about Prague, with detailed and intriguing illustrations.

Denmark:The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen; adapted and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.An ugly duckling spends an unhappy year ostracized by the other animals before he grows into a beautiful swan.

The Whispering Town by Jennifer Riesmeyer Elvgren, Fabio Santomauro,In Denmark during World War II, young Anett, her parents, and their neighbors help a Jewish family hide from Nazi soldiers until it is safe for them to leave Anett's basement. Based on a true story.

England:The Boy, the Bear, the Baron, the Bard by Gregory RogersA boy playing among the warehouses of London kicks a soccer ball into an abandoned theater. There he finds an enchanted cape that transports him back in time right onto the stage of one of William Shakespeare's plays! A comic romp through Shakespeare's London featuring an intrepid little boy, a friendly bear, and-in the role of dastardly villain-the Bard himself. What happens when a boy bursts through the curtain of a deserted theatre and onto the world's most famous stage? He lands on the Bard himself and the chase is on-through the streets of Shakespeare's London. This is a rare and inventive visual feast-a runaway story about a curious boy, a magic cloak, a grumpy bard, a captive bear and a baron bound for the chopping block. It is also a richly illustrated, dramatic and very funny tale of adventure and friendship.

Chanticleer and the Fox by Geoffrey Chaucer; adapted and illustrated by Barbara Cooney.Taken from the Canterbury Tales, the story tells of how Chanticleer, the rooster, outwits a fox.

Dick Whittington and His Cat retold by Margaret Hodges; Illus. by Melisande Potter.Retells the legend of the poor boy in medieval England who trades his beloved cat for a fortune in gold and jewels and eventually becomes Lord Mayor of London.

France: Adele & Simon by Barbara McClintock.After Adele picks her brother up from school, Simon manages to lose his belongings at the various stops they make on the way home.

The Cat Who Walked Across France by Kate Banks. When a cat’s owner dies he sets off across the country, eventually finding his way home again.

In Search of the Little Prince : The Story of Antoine de Saint-Exupery by Bimba Landmann.As a child, Antoine dreamed of flying. His dream was realized when he became a pilot, first serving France during World War I, then working as an international mail courier. As he wrote letters to his family describing the foreign countries he visited, he soon discovered that writing contained its own sense of adventure. His stories showed a childlike fascination with the world, culminating with The Little Prince, one of the best-selling books ever published.

The inquisitor's Tale, or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz, Hatem Aly."A peasant girl and her holy greyhound, an oblate on a mission from his monastery, and a young Jewish boy travel across medieval France to escape persecution and save holy texts from being burned"-- Provided by publisher.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel in Words and Pictures by Brian Selznick.When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toy seller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.

The Iridescence of Birds : A Book about Henri Matisse by Patricia MacLachlan; Hadley Hooper.If you were a boy named Henri Matisse who lived in a dreary town in northern France, what would your life be like? Would it be full of color and art? Full of lines and dancing figures? Find out in this beautiful, unusual picture book about one of the world’s most famous and influential artists.

The King’s Day: Louis XIV of France by Aliki.A day in the life of France’s King Louis XIV, focusing on the elaborate ceremonies which took place when he dressed in the morning, ate his meals, conducted afffairs of state, entertained, and finally, when he prepared to go to bed at night.

Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully.Mirette learns tightrope walking from Monsieur Bellini, a guest in her mother’s boarding house, not knowing that he is a celebrated tightrope artist who has withdrawn from performing because of fear.

Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault; illus.by Fred Marcellino.The story of a rascal cat, Puss, and how he helps his master, the Miller’s son, to become prosperous.

Saint-Saens's Danse Macabre by Anna Harwell. Celenza, JoAnn E. KitchelA fictionalized account of how the composer Saint-Seans conceived of and wrote Danse Macabre

Shooting at the Stars : The Christmas Truce of 1914 by John Hendrix.In 1914 France, a British soldier writes to his mother about the strange events of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, when German and Allied soldiers met on neutral ground to share songs, food, and fun. Includes historical notes and glossary.

Stone Soup: An Old Tale by Marcia Brown.Three soldiers come into a French village tired and hungry. The peasants hide their food and ignore the soldiers. Then, the soldiers begin making stone soup and trick the villagers into providing them with the ingredients.

A walk in Paris by Salvatore Rubbino.A child's-eye walking tour of Paris.

Wild Boy: The Real Life of the Savage of Aveyron by Mary Losure; Timothy B. Ering.Presents the story of the feral boy known as the Savage of Aveyron, discovered in the mountain wilderness of Southern France in the late 18th century, and describes the attempts led by Paris physician Jean Marc Gaspard Itard to civilize him.

Germany:Going over by Beth Kephart.In the early 1980s Ada and Stefan are young, would-be lovers living on opposite sides of the Berlin Wall--Ada lives with her mother and grandmother and paints graffiti on the Wall, and Stefan lives with his grandmother in the East and dreams of escaping to the West.

Rapunzel retold and illustrated Paul O. Zelinsky.A retelling of the German folktale in which a beautiful girl with long golden hair is kept imprisoned in a lonely tower by a sorceress.

Rumpelstiltskin retold and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky.A strange little man helps the miller’s daughter spin straw into gold for the king on the condition that she will give him her firstborn child.

Wall by Tom Clohosy Cole.Follows a small boy and his family as they try to reunite with his father after the Berlin Wall is built.

Greece:The Griffin and the Dinosaur: How Adrienne Mayor Discovered a Fascinating Link between Myth and Science by Marc Aronson, Adrienne Mayor, Chris Muller.Traces the research scientist co-author's explorations in Greece and the Gobi Desert for the origins of the mythical griffin, relating the story of the ancient Scythians and the griffins that were said to have guarded their treasure.

Mikis and the Donkey by Bibi Dumon Tak; Illus. by Philip Hopman; Trans. By Laura Watkinson.“Mikis is thrilled when his grandfather buys a new donkey, but soon begins to worry that he is overworking the animal"-- Provided by publisher.

Iceland:Puffling patrol by Ted Lewin, Betsy Lewin."Ted and Betsy Lewin detail the annual rescue of baby puffins by the children of Heimaey, the largest island in the Westman Islands off the coast of Iceland. Includes additional information about puffins and the Westman Islands, glossary, and further reading"--Provided by publisher.

Italy:Madeline and the Cats of Rome by John Bemelmans Marciano.Madeline and the other girls take a vacation to Rome, Italy.

The Matchbox Diary by Paul Fleischman; Bagram Ibatoulline.Follow a girl's perusal of her great-grandfather's collection of matchboxes and small curios that document his poignant immigration journey from Italy to a new country.

Pinocchio by C. Collodi; adapted by Ed Young.The adventures of a talking wooden puppet whose nose grows when he tells a lie. This particular version is presented as a theatre script.

Netherlands:The Greatest Skating Race: A World War II Story from the Netherlands by Louise Borden; illus. by Nkik Daly.During World War II, a ten-year-old boys’ dream of skating in a famous race allows him to help two children escape to Belgium by ice skating past German soldiers and other enemies.

The Sea Man by Jane Yolen; Illus. by Christopher Denise>When sailors aboard a Dutch ship in 1663 capture a creature, half man and half fish, the superstitious crewmen want to kill it, except for a young cabin boy who believes that the creature deserves to live.

Poland:The Cats in Krasinski Square by Karen Hesse. Based on the true story of how children use cats to help smuggle in food for resistance fighters during WWII.

Russia or Soviet Union:Arcady's Goal by Eugene Yelchin. Arcady longs to play for the Red Army Soccer Club. Many obstacles interfere with attaining his goal because his family is considered enemies of the state.

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming. Fleming brilliantly delineates the tragic fall of the Russian royal family, contrasting their opulent lives with primary source voices from the rebellion.

When Stravinsky Met Nijinsky: Two Artists, Their Ballet, and One Extraordinary Riot by Lauren Stringer.Illustrations dance across the page as Russian composer Stravinsky and choreographer Nijinsky collaborate on “The Rite of Spring,” creating a modern ballet that polarized their artistic world.

Sweden:My Happy Life byRose Lagercrantz: Illus. by Eva Eriksson. In this simple chapter book translated from the Swedish, Dani starts school and finds a best friend, who then sadly moves away; a portrait of an optimistic child working her way through a broken heart.

Ukraine: The Mitten retold by Jim Aylesworth; Illus. by Barbara McClintockA retelling of the traditional tale of how a boy’s lost mitten becomes a refuge from the cold for an increasing number of animals.

The Mitten by Alvin TresseltA version of this classic folktale about a group of animals trying to stay warm.

My Mother is the Most Beautiful Woman in the World retold by Becky Reyher; pictures by Ruth Gannett.During a feast, a little girl is separated from her mother. Proves the proverb: We do not love people because they are beautiful, but they seem beautiful to us because we love them.

North AmericaCanada:The Kite that Bridged Two Nations: Homan Walsh and the First Niagara Suspension Bridge by Alexis O’Neill; illus. Terry Widener.Based on actual events, this tells the story of Homan Walsh, who dreamed of flying his kite across the wide Niagara.

Caribbean:Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella by Robert San Souci; Illus. by Brian Pinkney.A variation of the Cinderella wonder tale.

Cuba:The Lightning Dreamer: Cuba's Greatest Abolitionist by Margarita Engle. Tula fights for freedom and education for herself, and ultimately for women, slaves, and dissenters, in a poetic story of nineteenth-century Cuban abolitionist and writer Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda.

Haiti:Serafina's Promise: A Novel in Verse by Ann E. Burg, Ann E. Set in Haiti and told in verse, 11-year-old Seraphina and her poor but loving family endure hunger, floods, and earthquakes while the determined girl never gives up her dreams of going to school and becoming a doctor.

Puerto Rico:Parrots Over Puerto Rico. Roth, Susan L. and Trumbore, Cindy. Illus. by Susan L. Roth. A story of the rescue and return of the Puerto Rican parrot, a species once so abundant it blotted out the sun.

Mexico:Diego Rivera: An Artist for the People by Susan Goldman Rubin, Maria T Middleton."Diego Rivera offers young readers unique insight into the life and artwork of the famous Mexican painter and muralist. The book follows Rivera's career, looking at his influences and tracing the evolution of his style. His work often called attention to the culture and struggles of the Mexican working class. Believing that art should be for the people, he created public murals in both the United States and Mexico, examples of which are included."--Amazon.com

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan.When Esperanza and Mama are forced to flee to the bountiful region of Aguascalientes, Mexico, to a Mexican farm labor camp in California, they must adjust to a life without the fancy dresses and servants they were accustomed to on Rancho de las Rosas. Now they must confront the challenges of hard work, acceptance by their own people, and economic difficulties brought on by the Great Depression. When Mama falls ill and a strike for better working conditions threatens to uproot their new life, Esperanza must relinquish her hold on the past learn to embrace a future ripe with the riches of family and community

Frida by Jonah Winter; Illus. by ana Juan.Biography of Frida Kahlo, Mexican painter.

Frida & Diego: Art, Love, Life by Catherine Reef.Explores the tumultuous lives, marriage, and work of Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale by Duncan Tonatiuh.An emotional story of the effects of undocumented immigration on those who leave and those who stay behind. Through traditional folk elements, readers follow young Pancho Rabbit in his arduous journey across the border in search of his father. 

United States: Angel Island: Gateway to Gold Mountain (immigration) by Russell Freedman. Illus. Chinese poems Tr. by Evans Chan. Clarion. More than half a million people from 80 countries arrived at Angel Island California between 1910 and 1940. Freedman tells their stories in this well documented and handsomely illustrated book that illuminates a little known piece of history.

Brown Girl Dreaming (African American) by Jacqueline Woodson.Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child's soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson's poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become

Buffalo Woman (Plains Indians) by Paul Goble.A hunter stalks his prey, a buffalo, but when it turns into a woman, her marries her. Later he must find his wife and son among the Buffalo Nation, or lose them forever.

Freedom in Congo Square (slavery) by Carole Boston Weatherford; Illus. by R. Gregory Christie.Six days a week, slaves labor from sunup to sundown and beyond, but on Sunday afternoons, they gather with free blacks at Congo Square outside New Orleans, free from oppression.

Here’s How I See It: Here’s How It Is (rural America) by Heather Henson.At almost-thirteen, Junebug has never felt right except as stagehand at her father's summer theater, but after her parents separate and an irritating intern takes over her responsibilities, she discovers how hard life can be without a script to follow.

In the Year of of the Boar and Jackie Robinson(Chinese American) by Bette Bao Lord; Illus. by Marc Simont.In 1947, A Chinese child comes to Brooklyn, where she starts to feel at home and make friends when she discovers baseball and the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Lift Your Light a Little Higher / Heather Henson; Bryan Collier. – Simon and Schuster, 2016. Grab your lantern and follow the remarkable and world-famous Mammoth Cave explorer—and slave—Stephen Bishop as he guides you through the world’s largest cave system in this remarkable homage to the resilience of human nature.

A New School Year: Stories in Six Voices / Sally Derby; Mika Song. – Charlesbridge, 2017. In a unique narrative, readers meet a diverse group of six children ranging in age from Kindergarten through fifth grade. With nerves and excitement each child gears up for a new school year by hustling in the morning, meeting new teachers and new classmates during the day, and heading home with homework and relief by day’s end.

Radiant Child (Brooklyn, NY; Puerto Rican, Haiti) by Javaka Steptoe.Biography of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Focuses on his childhood and his passion for art.

Saving Wonder (Appalachia) by Mary KnightCurley Hines has lost his father, mother, and brother to coal mining, and now he lives with his grandfather in the Appalachian mountains of Wonder Gap, Kentucky—but when the mining company prepares to destroy their mountain he must use the words his grandfather has taught him to save Red Hawk Mountain, even if it means losing the life he loves.

Steamboat School / Deborah Hopkinson; Ron Husband. – Jump at the Sun, 2016.When James first started school, his sister practically had to drag him there. The classroom was dark and dreary, and James knew everything outside was more exciting than anything he'd find inside.Then their school was shut down by a new law forbidding African American education in Missouri. Determined to continue teaching his students, Reverend John Berry Meachum decided to build a new school-a floating school in the Mississippi River, just outside the boundary of the unjust law.Based on true events, Ron Husband's uplifting illustrations bring to life Deborah Hopkinson's tale of a resourceful, determined teacher; his bright, inquisitive students; and their refusal to accept discrimination based on the color of their skin.

The Story of Jumping Mouse (Native American) by John Steptoe.The gifts of Magic Frog and his own hopeful and unselfish spirit bring Jumping Mouse finally to the Far-Off Land where no mouse goes hungry.

Take Me Out to the Yakyu (Japanese American) by Aaron Meshon.This colorful picture book playfully explores the similarities and differences between baseball gamesplayed in the U.S. and Japan as seen through the eyes of a young boy.

The Thing about Luck (Japanese American) by Cynthia Kadohata.Just when twelve-year-old Summer thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong in a year of bad luck, an emergency takes her parents to Japan, leaving Summer to care for her little brother while helping her grandmother cook for harvest workers.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 (African American)by Christopher Paul Curtis.The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963.

South AmericaChile:I Lived on Butterfly Hill by Marjorie Agosín. Illus. by Lee White. When warships appear and neighbors and friends begin to disappear, 11-year-old Celeste’s idyllic life is shattered. She is sent into exile and when she returns home, she works to move her country forward. This Chilean story offers a refreshing perspective on resiliency.

To Go Singing through the World: The Childhood of Pablo Neruda by Deborah Kogan Ray.Biography of Latin America’s most celebrated poet.

Columbia:Juana & Lucas by Juana Medina.Juana, a spirited young girl in Bogotá, Colombia, shares her frustrations and successes in learning English.

Guatemala: Abuela’s Weave by Omar S. Castaneda. Esperanza learns the traditional skill of weaving with her grandmother and the two travel to the Fiesta de Pueblos with their creations.

Caminar by Skila Brown.During the Guatemalan Civil War, Carlos embarks on a solitary journey. A difficult coming-of-age story told through lyric, emotionally-charged poems.

Resources

Why Teach with Multicultural Books?https://kidworldcitizen.org/2013/03/23/why-teach-with-multicultural-books/

Resources for finding International Children’s LiteraturePrimary Sourcehttp://resources.primarysource.org/globalliteratureInternational Children’s Digital Libraryhttp://en.childrenslibrary.org/USSBY Outstanding International Bookshttp://www.usbby.org/list_oibl.html

“Arts” Resources for Featured BooksMapsAmerican Memory Map Collections--Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/maps/collections/National Geographichttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/ Do a search for maps; Best Maps of 2016Portraits and PaintingKadir Nelsonhttp://www.kadirnelson.com/Music and DanceRite of Springhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF1OQkHybEQ (ballet)DramaShakespeare--The Tempesthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCj5e75s30AHow to Teach Shakespeare to Reluctant Learnershttps://owlcation.com/academia/How-to-Teach-Shakespeare-to-Reluctant-Learners

Tangram Animalshttp://www.supercoloring.com/puzzle-games/tangrams/tangram-animals

Goose Rabbit

Lion