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Recommended Reading

During the 2006-2007 school year the Sunnyside Diversity Committee created the following list of books that address different aspects of diverse cultures. Special thanks to Julie Day for coordinating the project.

Please feel free to send recommended additions to the Diversity Committee. Stay tuned for how to do that!

Parent Recommended Books

Title Author(s)
Publisher/ISBN
Ages*
 Description
*(but will work for some younger, and some older kids, too)
Gender

 
Paper Bag Princess Robert N. Munsch and Michael Martchenko
Annick Press
4-8
 Disrupts the conventional princess stereotype — she saves the prince

 
The Boy Who Cried Fabulous Leslea Newman and Peter Ferguson
Tricycle Press
4-8
  

 
Oliver Button is a Sissy Tomie dePaola
Voyager Books
4-8
  

 
Girls A to Z Eve Bunting and Suzanne Bloom
Boyds Mills Press
4-8
  

 
Cinder Edna Ellen Jackson and Kevin O'Malley
HarperCollins
4-8
  

 
The Story of Ferdinand Munro Leaf
Viking Juvenile
4-8
 Ferdinand is a bull who likes smelling flowers more than fighting.

 
Pirate Girl Cornella Funke
The Chicken House
4-8
  

 
The Princess Knight Cornella Funke
The Chicken House
4-8
  

 
Sleeping Bobby Mary Pope Osborne, Will Osborne, and Giselle Potter
Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books
4-8
  

 
Judaism

 
Rivka's First Thanksgiving Elsa Okon Rael
Aladdin/ isbn#0-689-83901-4
4-8
  

 
Sammy Spider's First Trip to Israel Sylvia Rouss
Kar-Ben Publishing/ isbn#1-58013-035-6
4-8
  

 
Sammy Spider's First Hanukkah Sylvia Rouss
Kar-Ben Publishing
4-8
  

 
Sammy Spider's First Passover Sylvia Rouss
Kar-Ben Publishing
4-8
  

 
Bagels from Benny Aubrey Davis
Kids Can Press, Ltd.
4-8
 Very sweet story about a little boy and his grandfather who owns a bakery - with a great message about homelessness

 
The Eight Nights of Chanukah Leslea Newman
Abrams Books for Young Readers
4-8
  

 
Something From Nothing Phoebe Gilman
Scholastic
4-8
  

 
Runaway Dreidel! Leslea Newman
Henry Holt and Co.
4-8
  

 
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat Simms Taback
Viking Juvenile
Baby-Preschool
  

 
The Peace Book Todd Parr
Little, Brown
 

 
Mrs. Moskowitz and the Sabbath Candlesticks Amy Schwartz
Jewish Publication Society of America
9-12
  

 
Gay/Lesbian

 
King and King Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland
Tricycle Press/ isbn#1-58246-061-2
4-8
 Two dad’s theme — another great gay love story for toddlers!

 
King and King and Family Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland
Tricycle Press/ isbn#1-58246-113-9
4-8
 Continuation of above as dad's adopt a kid

 
And Tango Makes Three Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing
4-8
 The BEST, a true story about a penguin with two dads!

 
The Different Dragon Jennifer Bryan
Two Lives Press
4-8
 She's a Sunnyside parent

 
Molly’s Family Nancy Garden
Farrar Straus Giroux
4-8
  

 
One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dad Johnny Valentine
Alyson Books
4-8
  

 
Historical African-American

 
Rosa Nikki Giovanni
Henry Holt and Co./ isbn# 13: 978-0-8050-7106-1
4-8
  

 
Ellington Was Not a Street Ntozake Shange and Kadir Nelson
Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing
9-12
  

 
Charlie Parker Played Be Bop Chris Raschka
Live Oak Media
4-8
  

 
Mysterious Thelonious Chris Raschka
Live Oak Media
4-8
  

 
Stomping at the Savoy Bebe Moore Campbell
Philomel
4-8
  

 
Race/Ethnicity

 
Let’s Talk About Race Julius Lester
Amistad
4-8
 Julius Lester (he lives in Amherst) has a nice book about race

 
What if Zebras Lost Their Stripes John Reitano and William Haines
Paulist Press
4-8
  

 
Happy to be Nappy Bel Hooks and Chris Raschka
Jump the Sun
4-8
  

 
Nina Bonita Ana Maria Machado and Elena Iribarren
Kane/Miller Book Publishers
4-8
 This enchanting story of diversity, in which a very white rabbit falls in love with a very dark girl and longs to discover the secret for being so dark and pretty, juxtaposes soft illustrations with simple text.

 
All the Colors We Are Katie Kissinger
Redleaf Press
4-8
 Preschoolers are curious and construct their own "theories" about the differences in skin colors. All the Colors We Are wonderfully takes up the challenge to provide scientifically accurate explanations that are meaningful at their developmental stage.

 
You Be Me I’ll be You Pili Mandelbaum
Kane/Miller Book Publishers
4-8
 Anna, the interracial child of a white father and black mother, explores questions and yearnings she has about her identity by "switching" skin-colors with her father.

 
The Adventures of Sugar and Junior Angela Shelf Medearis
Holiday House
4-8
 The friendship and adventures of Sugar Johnson, a black girl, and Santiago Ramirez, a Hispanic boy known as Junior.

 
Vicky the Vet Felicity Brooks
Usborne Publishing Ltd.
4-8
 Does not address diversity explicitly, but does show people of diverse races throughout. It’s more subtle, but I appreciated that approach.

 
Daisy the Doctor Felicity Brooks
Usborne Publishing Ltd.
4-8
 Does not address diversity explicitly but does show people of diverse races throughout the stories. It's more subtle but I appreciated that approach as well.

 
Amazing Grace Mary Hoffman
DIAL
4-8
 A girl wants to play Peter Pan in her classroom’s production of the play.  Her mother and Nana encourage her when some of the kids say she can’t play that part because she’s black and a girl.

 
The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales Virginia Hamilton, Leo Dillon, and Diane Phd Dillon
Knopf Books for Young Readers
9-12
 Unforgettable slave escape fantasy.

 
Apt. 3 Ezra Jack Keats
Puffin
4-8
 2 black brothers who live in an apartment befriend a blind musician

 
Goggles Ezra Jack Keats
Puffin
4-8
 Everyone wants the goggles that Peter, a black boy, found

 
Mama, Do You Love Me? Barbara M. Joosse
Chronicle Books
4-8
 Inuit daughter tests her mother’s love by imaginary changes into a walrus, polar bear, etc. Beautiful illustrations that show aspects of Inuit culture.

 
Yoko Rosemary Wells
Hyperion
4-8
 Yoko the kitten has gone off to her school with her willow-covered cooler filled with sushi, looking forward to a good day. But her classmates tease her mercilessly when lunch time rolls around.

 
Frida Jonah Winter
Arthur A. Levine Books
4-8
 About the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Gorgeous -illustrations

 
Zomo the Rabbit: A Trickster Tale from West Africa Gerald McDermott
Harcourt Brace & Company
4-8
 By the same author who did Arrow to the Sun. A little but clever rabbit seeks wisdom and has funny adventures along the way; based on a Nigerian folk tale.

 
Arrow to the Sun Gerald McDermott
Puffin Books
4-8
 Based on a Pueblo Indian myth, this is the story of a boy who doesn’t know who his father is, and in searching to find the answer, discovers that his father in the Sun.

 
Big Moon Tortilla Joy Cowley
Boyds Mills Press
9-12
 A picture book set on a Tohono O'odham (Papago) reservation in southern Arizona. 

After a bad day a girl’s grandmother helps her by sharing a traditional story about dealing with adversity.

 
Just Right Stew Karen English
Boyds Mills Press
4-8
 It's Big Mama's birthday and her family decides to surprise her by making her favorite dish, oxtail stew. Unfortunately, no one knows all of the ingredients.

 
The Snowy Day Ezra Jack Keats
Puffin
4-8
 Classic story about a black boy exploring a new snowfall.

 
Thank You, Dr. King! Robin Reid
A little black boy and his grandma celebrate Martin Luther King Day together, and talk about how to be friends with people who are different and help each other out.

 
Small World Books Gwenyth Swain
First Avenue Editions
2-8
 Great, simple books for toddlers on up- "Bedtime!" "Get Dressed" and probably other titles - beautiful photos of kids from around the world - showing different traditions around these common activities – with simple words

 
Nine O'Clock Lullaby Marilyn Singer
HarperTrophy
4-8
 A beautifully illustrated book that transports readers around the world to view what happens around the world, in 16 countries on 6 continents, when it's 9 p.m. in Brooklyn. Great inclusion of diverse cultures and some of their traditions.

 
Sharing Cultures (CD) Ella Jenkins and children from the LaSalle Language Academy of Chicago
Wonderful.  Lots of songs in Spanish, some in Hebrew, one in Japanese, some Gospel. Also by Ella Jenkins, "You'll Sing a Song and I'll Sing a Song."

 
Mama's Lullaby, Lullabies Sung by Women Around the World (CD)  
Italian, Israeli, French, Irish, Siberian, Zimbabwian, Japanese....and more!

 
Dream Carver Diana Cohn
Chronicle Books
3-6
 A Oaxacan Mexican boy who carves traditional animal figures with his father, follows his dream of carving in new ways.

 
Spanish

 
Antonio's Card / La Tarjeta de Antonio Rigoberto Gonzalez and Cecilia Concepcion Alvarez
Children’s Book Press
4-8
 Bilingual story.  A boy's conflict about showing his class that he has two moms. 

 
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?/ Oso Pardo, oso pardo, que ves ahi? Eric Carle and Bill Martin
Henry Holt and Co.
Baby-Preschool
 Great Spanish translation

 
Polar Bear, Polar Bear/ Oso polar, oso polar, que es ese ruido? Eric Carle and Bill Martin
Henry Holt and Co.
Baby-Precschool
 Great Spanish translation

 
Green Eggs and Ham/Huevos Verdes Con Jamon Dr. Seuss and Aida Marcuse
Lectorum Publications
4-8
 A great translation

 
We All Went on Safari/ Nos fuimos todos de safari Laurie Krebs, Yanitzia James Canetti, and Julia Cairns
Barefoot Books
4-8
 A counting book we like

 
My Friends/Mis Amigos Taro Gomi
Chronicle Books
4-8
 A bilingual book we like

 
Good Night Moon/ Buenas Noches Luna Margaret Wise Brown
Aims Intl Book Corps
Baby-Preschool
 Good translation

 
The Big Red Barn / El Gran Granero Rojo Margaret Wise Brown
Rayo
Baby-Preschool
 Good translation

 
Abuela (English Edition with Spanish Phrases) Arthur Dorros
Dutton Juvenile
3-8
 This book is in English but introduces Spanish phrases into the story. It is about a girl and her Puerto Rican grandmother. The illustrations are
beautiful.

 
Isla Arthur Dorros and Elisa Kleven
Dutton Juvenile
3-8
 This is a sequel to the first story where Rosalba and her grandmother fly
like birds to Puerto Rico.

 
Diez Deditos: Ten Little Fingers & other play rhymes and action songs from Latin America Elisa Kleven (selected, arranged, and translated by Jose-Luis Orozco)
Dutton Juvenile
4-8
 This can also come with a CD, Diez Dediditos, of this music. Jose-Luis
Orozco is probably the best in terms of Spanish music for children. He has
put out maybe a dozen CDs of Spanish children's music which are simple
traditional songs that make it easy to learn Spanish.

 
El Conejito Andarin/ The Runaway Bunny Margaret Wise Brown
Rayo
Baby-Preschool
 The comforting story of a little bunny's imaginary
game of hide-and-seek and the lovingly steadfast mother who finds him every time.

 
Si Se Puede: Yes We Can! Diana Cohn
Cinco Puntos Press
3-6
 A Mexican  boy who lives with his grandmother and mother in LA, learns important lessons when his mother, a janitor, goes on strike with other janitors; text in English and Spanish

 
Family Composition

 
The Mommy Book Todd Parr
Little, Brown Young Readers
4-8
  
Love Makes a Family: Portraits of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Parents and Their Families Peggy Gillespie, Kath Weston, Gigi Kaeser, and April Martin
University of Massachusetts Press
—
  

 
The Family Book Todd Parr
Little, Brown Young Readers
4-8
 It's a simple, colorful and fun book that depicts all kinds of families.  One of my favorite lines from the book is: "Some families look like each other.  Some families look like their pets."

 
Families Susan Kuklin
Hyperion
4-8
 A beautiful photo essay with short pieces in kids' voices celebrating the diversity of American families

 
“Let’s Get a Pup!” Said Kate Bob Graham
Candlewick
Baby-Preschool
 Mom & dad but they have tats & piercings but are wholly "normal" a great visual/story

 
Louie Ezra Jack Keats
Viking Juvenile
Baby-Preschool
  

 
Regards to the Man in the Moon Ezra Jack Keats
Puffin
4-8
  

 
Heather Has Two Mommies Leslea Newman
Alyson Wonderland
4-8
 Besides the obvious lesbian theme, talks about how kids have all different kinds of families, blended, single parent, adoptive, interracial, etc.

 
I Love You Like Crazy Cakes Rose Lewis and Jane Dyer
Little, Brown Young Readers
Baby-Preschool
 About a single, American mom and the baby she adopts in China

 
Felicia’s Favorite Story Leslea Newman
Two Lives Publishing
4-8
 About a little girl adopted from Guatemala by her Puerto Rican and New York born moms

 
Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born Jamie Lee Curtis
HarperTrophy
Baby-Preschool
 About a little girl and how her adoptive mom and dad met her on the day she was born and became family with her

 
A Mother for Choco Keiko Kasza
Putnam Juvenile
4-8
 The talented creator of The Wolf's Chicken Stew (1987 ALA Notable) provides a warmhearted contemporary surprise ending for the time-honored formula of a little creature searching the animal kingdom for its appropriate mother.

 
Ability/Disability

 
A Very Special Critter Mercer Mayer
Golden Books
Baby-Preschool
 About the new kid in the class, who uses a wheelchair

 
Individual Differences

 
It’s Okay to be Different Todd Parr
Little, Brown Young Readers
4-8
  

 
Max Bob Graham
Candlewick Press
—
 Parents are superheroes but he's not quite one; a great book

 
Free to be You and Me Marlo Thomas
Running Press Book Publishers
9-12
  

 
A Color of His Own Leo Lioni
Knopf
Baby-Preschool
  

 
Frederick Leo Lioni
Dragonfly Books
Baby-Preschool
  

 
The Giantess Eveline Hasler
Kane/Miller Book Publishers
5-8
  

 
Stellaluna Janell Cannon
David Bennett Books
4-8
  

 
Roberto The Insect Architect Nina Laden
Chronicle Books
Baby-Preschool
  

 
We’re Different We’re the Same (Sesame Street) Bobbi Kates
Random House Books for Young Readers
4-8
 Sesame Street Muppets cavort cheerfully with people of all sizes, shapes and ethnicities.

 
Starting Small: Teaching Tolerance in Preschool and the Early Grades Vivian Gussin Paley
Teaching Tolerance
For Educators & Parents
 The teachers of young children who speak to us so earnestly in the stories in Starting Small work in different communities but share a common vision: that children can learn to care about every other person's feelings, beliefs and welfare.

 
Death/Aging

 
Dragonflies and Waterbugs: Explaining Death to Young Children Doris Stickney and Gloria Ortiz Hernandez
Pilgrim Press
9-12
  

 
What is Heaven Maria Shriver and Sandra Speidel
Golden Books Adult Division
4-8
  

 
The Fall of Freddy the Leaf Leo Buscaglia
Slack
—
 A good book to help kids talk about death

 

 
Peach and Blue Sarah S. Kilborne
Dragonfly Books
5-8
  

 
Hunger & Homelessness

 
Madeleine goes to Cooking School(Video)  
Available at Forbes Library
Great story of Madeleine and her 11 friends learning to cook, and caring for those who go hungry at the same time.  We like this one because it stars girls, and girls who don't live in a traditional home (never quite sure if it's a boarding school or orphanage), and introduces the reality of those who lack enough food.

 
The Lady in the Box Ann McGovern
Turtle Books
4-8
 Ben's story tells how he and his sister try to help the "lady in the box" who keeps her "home" over the heating grate outside the Circle Deli.

 
A Chair for My Mother Vera B. Williams
HarperTrophy
4-8
 A young girl tells how she, her mother, and her grandmother save up all of their spare coins in a big glass jar toward the day when they will buy a much-needed easy chair. (Their old furniture and their possessions were destroyed in a fire.)