Rosa
By Nikki Giovanni
"She was tired of "Colored" entrances, "Colored" balconies, "Colored" drinking fountains, and "Colored" taxis. She was tired of getting somewhere first and being waited on last. Tired of "separate," and definitely "not equal."
This is the story of the day Rosa Parks stood up for her
rights. As a result, she helped to begin a movement for change in our country.
This book is very interesting as it tells about the details of Mrs. Parks' day
leading up to her confrontation with authorities. This book also discusses the
events that happen as a result of Mrs. Parks' courageous choice to say
"no". This book received the Caldecott Honor in 2005 for its awesome
mixed media illustrations by Bryan Collier. I highly recommend this book for anyone
wanting to recognize and celebrate Rosa Parks' contribution to the civil rights
movement.
Reading Level: 5.5
Suggested Grade Level: 3-6
Reviewed by Lorisa Harvey
Rain School
by James Rumford
Thomas is on his way to his first day of school in the African country of Chad. But when he gets there, there are no classrooms, no desks, not even a school. Thomas and the other students learn how to build their school from mud bricks and use grass for the roof. Each day after, Thomas learns something new and thanks his teacher on the last day. Just in time for the big rains...The school may disappear, but it doesn't matter for the children have taken the knowledge with them.
Interest level: K-3
Reading level: 2.5
Reviewed by Lesley Hermann
When the Shadbush Blooms
Written By by Carla Messinger and Susan Katz
Illustrated by David Kanietakeron Fadden
Recommended for Ages 4-8
This story is told through the words of a contemporary Lenape girl and an ancestral girl. It weaves together the traditions and experiences of both times through the cycles of the seasons, and encourages readers to think about the comfort of rituals and the acceptance of change. Highly recommended for giving insight into a specific Native American culture and honoring both the past and present qualities of the people, this book also honors the natural world with beautiful illustrations. Readers can learn more about the Lenni Lenape culture through the additional information provided at the end of the book.
Reviewed by Robin Hosemann
At the CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center), [they] define "multicultural" literature as books by and about people of color: African and African Americans, American Indians, Asian/Pacific and Asian Pacific Americans, and Latinos.
Click here to see what multicultural books the CCBC recommends.
sju.edu
The Jumping Tree
By Rene Saldana, JR.
Rey's stories of growing up in the "barrio" are intuitive and meaningful. Yet Rey's expireinces are not unlike many adolecent boys. He is embarassed when he is forced by his parents to dance with his sister at a cousin's quince. He is ashamed of the house his family lives in because it's the only traditonally flat roofed stucco house (painted pink) on his block. But aside from all the little embarasments and dissapointments Rey expireinces as a child, this is really the story of a boy growing into a man. Through his expiriences in middle school, Rey discovers what's most important in his life. He discovers what it means to take pride in yourself and your culture and what it really means to be a man.
Suggested Grade Level: 5-8
Reading Level: 6.8
Reviewed by Lorisa Harvey
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie
Art by Ellen Forney
Arnold Spirit, Junior, is painfully honest about growing up on a Spokane Indian Reservation, the rez. Living in poverty with an alcoholic dad, a sister in hiding and a best friend, Rowdy who hits anything that looks at him, Junior is convinced by his math teacher to transfer to the rich, white school in town. While there Junior struggles with being the outcast at his new school as well as on the rez now that he has deserted his tribe. Although depressing at times, the reader will appreciate the point of view of Junior. Highly Recommended!
Interest level: Grades 7-10
Reading level: 600
Reviewed by Lesley Hermann
Kira-Kira
By Cynthia Kadohata
Interest Level: 6-8
Grade Level: 5.8
Katie is the middle child in a Japanese-American family who moves from Iowa to Georgia in the 1950s. She relies on her older Lynn for advice and lessons about the way the world works, and like most little sisters look up to their older sisters, Katie idolizes Lynn. When illness strikes Lynn, Katie must face one of the most difficult experiences in her young life. This book was deserving of the 2005 Newbery medal for its heartfelt understanding of sibling relationships and what it means to experience the world as an outsider looking for a place to belong.