Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1348196804.jpg)
Title: Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China
Author: Ed Young
Genre: Multicultural
Characters: Shang (the eldest sister), Tao (the middle), Paotee (the youngest), the wolf or "Po Po" and the mother.
Setting: Northern China, in the country
Themes: Don't trust strangers!
Summary: Three sisters are left home alone and a wolf comes pretending to be their "Po Po," their Grandmother. At first they believe him, but then the eldest sister gets too close and sees his face. They then climb up in a gingko tree, telling him that a gingko nut will give eternal life when eaten. The girls trick the wolf three times, and the third time he dies. The girls then go to bed and tell their mother all about their night when they see her the following morning.
My Opinion: I liked this book because I thought that it was really neat to see a multicultural version of the time old tale I grew up with, Little Red Riding Hood. I also enjoyed seeing how the sisters worked together to outsmart the wolf.
Author: Ed Young
Genre: Multicultural
Characters: Shang (the eldest sister), Tao (the middle), Paotee (the youngest), the wolf or "Po Po" and the mother.
Setting: Northern China, in the country
Themes: Don't trust strangers!
Summary: Three sisters are left home alone and a wolf comes pretending to be their "Po Po," their Grandmother. At first they believe him, but then the eldest sister gets too close and sees his face. They then climb up in a gingko tree, telling him that a gingko nut will give eternal life when eaten. The girls trick the wolf three times, and the third time he dies. The girls then go to bed and tell their mother all about their night when they see her the following morning.
My Opinion: I liked this book because I thought that it was really neat to see a multicultural version of the time old tale I grew up with, Little Red Riding Hood. I also enjoyed seeing how the sisters worked together to outsmart the wolf.
Mr. Lincoln's Way
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1348284862.jpg)
Title: Mr. Lincoln's Way
Author: Patricia Polacco
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Mr. Lincoln, Eugene, other students, ducks, and Eugene's grandfather
Setting: A school, particularly the atrium
Themes: 1) No one is too far to be reached
2) Just like birds, everyone is different and equally beautiful
Summary: Mr. Linoln is the principal of a school, and he decides that he wants to reach out to Eugene, a troubled student who bullies others. Mr. Lincoln notices that Eugene seems to love birds, so he asks him to help with the school atrium. Eugene helps Mr. Lincoln and starts to become happier and better behaved, although he still has problems at home, where his dad is very racist and mean towards Mr. Lincoln, who is African American. Mr. Lincoln uses the birds to teach Eugene about diversity. They then work together to help the ducklings who had been born in the atrium to get outside. Eugene then shows Mr. Lincoln that he has changed and tells Mr. Lincoln that he will make him proud!
My Opinion: I really loved this book. I thought it was an amazing story about how no student is too far gone, and if someone just takes the time to help them find something they love, the student can truly shine. I am planning on buying this book to add to my teacher's collection!
Author: Patricia Polacco
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Mr. Lincoln, Eugene, other students, ducks, and Eugene's grandfather
Setting: A school, particularly the atrium
Themes: 1) No one is too far to be reached
2) Just like birds, everyone is different and equally beautiful
Summary: Mr. Linoln is the principal of a school, and he decides that he wants to reach out to Eugene, a troubled student who bullies others. Mr. Lincoln notices that Eugene seems to love birds, so he asks him to help with the school atrium. Eugene helps Mr. Lincoln and starts to become happier and better behaved, although he still has problems at home, where his dad is very racist and mean towards Mr. Lincoln, who is African American. Mr. Lincoln uses the birds to teach Eugene about diversity. They then work together to help the ducklings who had been born in the atrium to get outside. Eugene then shows Mr. Lincoln that he has changed and tells Mr. Lincoln that he will make him proud!
My Opinion: I really loved this book. I thought it was an amazing story about how no student is too far gone, and if someone just takes the time to help them find something they love, the student can truly shine. I am planning on buying this book to add to my teacher's collection!
The Matzah That Papa Brought Home
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1348285150.jpg)
Title: The Matzah That Papa Brought Home
Author: Fran Manushkin
Genre: Multicultural
Characters: Little girl, Papa, Mama, Sister, Brother, dog, and other members of the family who came for Passover
Setting: Little girl's home
Themes: The Jewish Passover
Summary: A little girl tells the reader about the different thingher family does to celebrate the Passover during their Seder Meal. These things range from reading questions to eating Matzah dumplings, and each of these things are a huge part of their special night.
My Opinion: I liked this book a lot because it taught me quite a bit that I did not know about the Jewish culture. I think that it is a great way for children to get a glimpse of the beautiful Jewish traditions during Passover, especially since this book is written as if it is through the eyes of a child.
Author: Fran Manushkin
Genre: Multicultural
Characters: Little girl, Papa, Mama, Sister, Brother, dog, and other members of the family who came for Passover
Setting: Little girl's home
Themes: The Jewish Passover
Summary: A little girl tells the reader about the different thingher family does to celebrate the Passover during their Seder Meal. These things range from reading questions to eating Matzah dumplings, and each of these things are a huge part of their special night.
My Opinion: I liked this book a lot because it taught me quite a bit that I did not know about the Jewish culture. I think that it is a great way for children to get a glimpse of the beautiful Jewish traditions during Passover, especially since this book is written as if it is through the eyes of a child.
I Hate English!
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1351197002.jpg)
Title: I Hate English!
Author: Ellen Levine
Genre: Multicultural
Characters: Mei Mei, Nancy, the Director, and Mei Mei's friends in both New York and Hong Kong.
Setting: Chinatown, New York.
Theme: New things can be good too!
Summary: Mei Mei and her family move from Hong Kong to Chinatown, York, although she does not want to. Mei Mei gets to school and begins to be able to understand English, but she refuses to speak English. She does not want to lose the part of her that spoke Chinese. Nancy comes to the learning center and encourages Mei Mei to speak English. Finally, by talking to one another, Nancy helps Mei Mei learn that speaking English is a good thing.
My Opinion: I liked this book because I think that it was a story many people, particularly children, can relate to. Many students may feel like Mei Mei; as if speaking English will make them lose part of themselves. This book shows that it does not take anything away from them but instead adds something to them!
Author: Ellen Levine
Genre: Multicultural
Characters: Mei Mei, Nancy, the Director, and Mei Mei's friends in both New York and Hong Kong.
Setting: Chinatown, New York.
Theme: New things can be good too!
Summary: Mei Mei and her family move from Hong Kong to Chinatown, York, although she does not want to. Mei Mei gets to school and begins to be able to understand English, but she refuses to speak English. She does not want to lose the part of her that spoke Chinese. Nancy comes to the learning center and encourages Mei Mei to speak English. Finally, by talking to one another, Nancy helps Mei Mei learn that speaking English is a good thing.
My Opinion: I liked this book because I think that it was a story many people, particularly children, can relate to. Many students may feel like Mei Mei; as if speaking English will make them lose part of themselves. This book shows that it does not take anything away from them but instead adds something to them!
The First Strawberries
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1351197340.jpg)
Title: The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story
Author: Retold by Joseph Bruchac
Genre: Multicultural
Characters: Man, Woman, and Sun
Setting: Outside, where the man and woman live.
Theme: Friendship and love are as sweet as strawberries.
Summary: A husband and wife live together happily until they have an argument and the woman leaves. The Sun sees that the man is sorry and starts growing blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries to try to get the woman to stop so her husband can apologize to her. Nothing works until the sun grows strawberries, which the woman stops to pick for her husband. He catches up to her, and they make up because of the strawberries.
Opinion: I thought it was a sweet story of love and friendship, and I enjoyed being able to read a story that Cherokees have told for years and years.
Author: Retold by Joseph Bruchac
Genre: Multicultural
Characters: Man, Woman, and Sun
Setting: Outside, where the man and woman live.
Theme: Friendship and love are as sweet as strawberries.
Summary: A husband and wife live together happily until they have an argument and the woman leaves. The Sun sees that the man is sorry and starts growing blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries to try to get the woman to stop so her husband can apologize to her. Nothing works until the sun grows strawberries, which the woman stops to pick for her husband. He catches up to her, and they make up because of the strawberries.
Opinion: I thought it was a sweet story of love and friendship, and I enjoyed being able to read a story that Cherokees have told for years and years.
The Name Jar
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1351281028.jpg)
Title: The Name Jar
Author: Yangsook Choi
Genre: Multicultural
Characters: Unhei, Joey, Mr. Kim, Unhei's class, teacher, and her family.
Setting: Unhei's school and neighborhood.
Theme: 1) You should be proud of your cultural background
2)Different can be good!
Summary: When Unhei comes to America, other children have a hard time pronouncing her name, so she decides that she wants a new one. Her class puts names in a jar to help her decide on one. With the help of Mr. Kim and her friend Joey, she decides that she likes her name because it has meaning, and so she picks that as her name and teaches the class how to pronounce it. Joey then gets a Korean name stamp like hers, but his says “Chinku,” which means “friend.”
Opinion: I thought that this book was very cute, and the way it was written made you feel for little Unhei. I think that this is a great book to teach children how to embrace their culture, even if it is different than their friends'.
Author: Yangsook Choi
Genre: Multicultural
Characters: Unhei, Joey, Mr. Kim, Unhei's class, teacher, and her family.
Setting: Unhei's school and neighborhood.
Theme: 1) You should be proud of your cultural background
2)Different can be good!
Summary: When Unhei comes to America, other children have a hard time pronouncing her name, so she decides that she wants a new one. Her class puts names in a jar to help her decide on one. With the help of Mr. Kim and her friend Joey, she decides that she likes her name because it has meaning, and so she picks that as her name and teaches the class how to pronounce it. Joey then gets a Korean name stamp like hers, but his says “Chinku,” which means “friend.”
Opinion: I thought that this book was very cute, and the way it was written made you feel for little Unhei. I think that this is a great book to teach children how to embrace their culture, even if it is different than their friends'.
In Our Mothers' House
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1351893386.jpg)
Title: In Our Mothers' House
Author: Patricia Polacco
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Marmee, Meema, Will, Millie, and the narrator, as well as their extended family and neighbors.
Setting: The family's home and neighborhood in Berkeley, California.
Theme: Your family does not need to be "traditional" to be full of love.
Summary: A little girl tells the story of growing up with her two mothers. She tells about the fun times, the laughter, and her mothers' love for her and her siblings, even when other parents were mean to them. She recounts many of the good and special times filled with love, including a giant tea party and the neighborhood party her mothers threw.
Opinion: Considering I will teach many children from different backgrounds, including some with gay or lesbian parents, I was so glad to see that there was a book that these children can relate to. I also like that it gives a glimpse of the love-filled life that these children have, because it can show children from a more "traditional" household with a mother and a father that a household can be different without having less love.
Author: Patricia Polacco
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Marmee, Meema, Will, Millie, and the narrator, as well as their extended family and neighbors.
Setting: The family's home and neighborhood in Berkeley, California.
Theme: Your family does not need to be "traditional" to be full of love.
Summary: A little girl tells the story of growing up with her two mothers. She tells about the fun times, the laughter, and her mothers' love for her and her siblings, even when other parents were mean to them. She recounts many of the good and special times filled with love, including a giant tea party and the neighborhood party her mothers threw.
Opinion: Considering I will teach many children from different backgrounds, including some with gay or lesbian parents, I was so glad to see that there was a book that these children can relate to. I also like that it gives a glimpse of the love-filled life that these children have, because it can show children from a more "traditional" household with a mother and a father that a household can be different without having less love.
One Green Apple
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1351893348.jpg)
Title: One Green Apple
Author: Eve Bunting
Genre: Multicultural/Diversity
Characters: Farah, Anna, Jim, and other classmates.
Setting: An orchard somewhere in the United States
Theme: Things are both the same and different in other cultures.
Summary: Farah and her family moved from their Muslim country to the USA, and Farah feels very out of place. She then goes on a field trip to an apple orchard, where she gets to know Anna and later Jim, children her age who are very friendly. At the orchard, Farah realizes that some things like laughter, dogs, and burps are the same as in her country. She realizes that she will learn to blend in, just as the lonely green apple that she picked blended with all of the red ones to make delicious apple cider.
Opinion: I enjoyed this book very much. I thought that it was a wonderful way to tell the story of a child from a different culture trying to fit in here in the USA, a story which many children can relate to. I liked the metaphor of the one green apple, and I thought that the illustrations were absolutely amazing.
Author: Eve Bunting
Genre: Multicultural/Diversity
Characters: Farah, Anna, Jim, and other classmates.
Setting: An orchard somewhere in the United States
Theme: Things are both the same and different in other cultures.
Summary: Farah and her family moved from their Muslim country to the USA, and Farah feels very out of place. She then goes on a field trip to an apple orchard, where she gets to know Anna and later Jim, children her age who are very friendly. At the orchard, Farah realizes that some things like laughter, dogs, and burps are the same as in her country. She realizes that she will learn to blend in, just as the lonely green apple that she picked blended with all of the red ones to make delicious apple cider.
Opinion: I enjoyed this book very much. I thought that it was a wonderful way to tell the story of a child from a different culture trying to fit in here in the USA, a story which many children can relate to. I liked the metaphor of the one green apple, and I thought that the illustrations were absolutely amazing.
Junkyard Wonders
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1351893324.jpg)
Title: Junkyard Wonders
Author: Patricia Polacco
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Trisha, Mrs. Peterson, and the rest of Trisha's tribe, Thom, Jody, Gibbie, and Ravanne.
Setting: The "Junkyard Wonders" class in a school in Michigan.
Theme: Do not let others' judgements or stereotypes stop you from succeeding.
Summary: Trisha wants to go to school in Michigan where her dad lives instead of in California with her mom because she does not want anyone to know she had trouble reading and was in "special" classes. It turns out, in Michigan she is put in yet another "special" class, the "Junkyard Wonders" class. She and her "tribe" of classmates grow closer, learning that they are special in a good way, thanks to Mrs. Peterson, their teacher. They decide that they want to recreate a junkyard airplane and send it to the moon! Working together, they do just that, even after a terrible tragedy occurs.
Opinion: I loved this book!! I thought that it was absolutely amazing to see how a teacher could take a "special" class and turn it into an adventure, a good thing instead of a bad one. Mrs. Peterson truly gave her students wings, which is something I hope to do as a teacher.
Author: Patricia Polacco
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Trisha, Mrs. Peterson, and the rest of Trisha's tribe, Thom, Jody, Gibbie, and Ravanne.
Setting: The "Junkyard Wonders" class in a school in Michigan.
Theme: Do not let others' judgements or stereotypes stop you from succeeding.
Summary: Trisha wants to go to school in Michigan where her dad lives instead of in California with her mom because she does not want anyone to know she had trouble reading and was in "special" classes. It turns out, in Michigan she is put in yet another "special" class, the "Junkyard Wonders" class. She and her "tribe" of classmates grow closer, learning that they are special in a good way, thanks to Mrs. Peterson, their teacher. They decide that they want to recreate a junkyard airplane and send it to the moon! Working together, they do just that, even after a terrible tragedy occurs.
Opinion: I loved this book!! I thought that it was absolutely amazing to see how a teacher could take a "special" class and turn it into an adventure, a good thing instead of a bad one. Mrs. Peterson truly gave her students wings, which is something I hope to do as a teacher.
And Tango Makes Three
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1351799975.jpg)
Title: And Tango Makes Three
Author: Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Roy, Silo, Mr. Gramzay, and Tango.
Setting: Central Park Zoo, New York City
Theme: "Non-traditional" animal families.
Summary: In Central Park Zoo there are many different animal families, including numerous penguin families. One penguin family, though, is different. Roy and Silo are both male penguins. Neither of them wants to be with a girl penguin, but they love each other. The only thing the two of them could not have was a baby. So, their keeper, Mr. Gramzay, gave them an egg that needed parents. Roy and Silo sat on the egg and took good care of it until, finally, their little Tango hatched! Roy, Silo, and Tango are a happy little family at last!
Opinion: I thought that this story was very interesting and sweet, especially since it was based on a true story. Not only did the story show a non-traditional family, but it was also about penguins, which made it that much more endearing.
Author: Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Roy, Silo, Mr. Gramzay, and Tango.
Setting: Central Park Zoo, New York City
Theme: "Non-traditional" animal families.
Summary: In Central Park Zoo there are many different animal families, including numerous penguin families. One penguin family, though, is different. Roy and Silo are both male penguins. Neither of them wants to be with a girl penguin, but they love each other. The only thing the two of them could not have was a baby. So, their keeper, Mr. Gramzay, gave them an egg that needed parents. Roy and Silo sat on the egg and took good care of it until, finally, their little Tango hatched! Roy, Silo, and Tango are a happy little family at last!
Opinion: I thought that this story was very interesting and sweet, especially since it was based on a true story. Not only did the story show a non-traditional family, but it was also about penguins, which made it that much more endearing.
Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match!
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1351893412.jpg)
Title: Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match
Author: Monica Brown
Genre: Multicultural/Diversity
Characters: Marisol, her family and friends, and her teacher, Miss Apple.
Setting: Marisol's home and school.
Theme: Being yourself is a good thing, and every bit of your personality, culture, and character makes you perfect, even if it does not match.
Summary: Marisol does not match! Her clothes are mismatched, her food is mismatched, her artwork is crazy, and because she is Scottish and Hispanic, even her hair and skin color do not match! Marisol is perfectly happy not matching, but everyone, whether it is her brother, her cousin, or the kids from school, always makes fun of her for not matching. Finally, she decides that she will try to match. She matches for a full day but she is bored and sad. Her teacher notices that Marisol is not herself, so she writes Marisol a letter saying how much she loves Marisol being the way she is, even if she does not match. That makes Marisol very happy, and she decides that she won't match because she likes it that way!
Opinion: I absolutely loved this book! I immediately fell in love with Marisol and her unmatched personality. This is a wonderful book to help children see that they are unique and that they do not have to be like everyone else to be perfect; they just have to be themselves. It is also a great book to see what an impact a teacher can have on helping a student be who they are meant to be.
Author: Monica Brown
Genre: Multicultural/Diversity
Characters: Marisol, her family and friends, and her teacher, Miss Apple.
Setting: Marisol's home and school.
Theme: Being yourself is a good thing, and every bit of your personality, culture, and character makes you perfect, even if it does not match.
Summary: Marisol does not match! Her clothes are mismatched, her food is mismatched, her artwork is crazy, and because she is Scottish and Hispanic, even her hair and skin color do not match! Marisol is perfectly happy not matching, but everyone, whether it is her brother, her cousin, or the kids from school, always makes fun of her for not matching. Finally, she decides that she will try to match. She matches for a full day but she is bored and sad. Her teacher notices that Marisol is not herself, so she writes Marisol a letter saying how much she loves Marisol being the way she is, even if she does not match. That makes Marisol very happy, and she decides that she won't match because she likes it that way!
Opinion: I absolutely loved this book! I immediately fell in love with Marisol and her unmatched personality. This is a wonderful book to help children see that they are unique and that they do not have to be like everyone else to be perfect; they just have to be themselves. It is also a great book to see what an impact a teacher can have on helping a student be who they are meant to be.
Laurie
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1351893300.jpg)
Title: Laurie
Author: Elfi Nijssen and Eline Van Lindenhuizen
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Laurie, her dog Laika, and the other children at school.
Setting: Laurie's school
Theme: A challenge or a disability is not always a bad thing; sometimes it can be a good thing!
Summary: Laurie is different than the other children at school; she can't hear well at all. The other children do not understand, so they make fun of her, won't look at her so she can read their lips, or play with her. She feels like no one understands her or will be her friend except for her dog, Laika. Then, Laurie goes to the hearing doctor, who gives her hearing aids. They help her to hear like the other children! Finally, she can play with the other kids and she feels like she belongs, even though sometimes she misses the silence of before. When she feels like that, she just turns her hearing aids down. The other kids become jealous of her, and instead of feeling sad and left out, she feels lucky!
Opinion: I thought this book was a wonderful way to talk about a hearing disability. At first, I felt so bad for Laurie, but as the story progressed, I was so happy to see Laurie learn to accept and even like her disability. I think that this book is perfect to read to students, because some of them may have a disability of some sort, and this helps them to learn to think of it in a more positive light. Additionally, this book can help other children to learn more about hearing disabilities and how to understand and help students who may have a similar challenge.
Author: Elfi Nijssen and Eline Van Lindenhuizen
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Laurie, her dog Laika, and the other children at school.
Setting: Laurie's school
Theme: A challenge or a disability is not always a bad thing; sometimes it can be a good thing!
Summary: Laurie is different than the other children at school; she can't hear well at all. The other children do not understand, so they make fun of her, won't look at her so she can read their lips, or play with her. She feels like no one understands her or will be her friend except for her dog, Laika. Then, Laurie goes to the hearing doctor, who gives her hearing aids. They help her to hear like the other children! Finally, she can play with the other kids and she feels like she belongs, even though sometimes she misses the silence of before. When she feels like that, she just turns her hearing aids down. The other kids become jealous of her, and instead of feeling sad and left out, she feels lucky!
Opinion: I thought this book was a wonderful way to talk about a hearing disability. At first, I felt so bad for Laurie, but as the story progressed, I was so happy to see Laurie learn to accept and even like her disability. I think that this book is perfect to read to students, because some of them may have a disability of some sort, and this helps them to learn to think of it in a more positive light. Additionally, this book can help other children to learn more about hearing disabilities and how to understand and help students who may have a similar challenge.
Molly's Pilgrim
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1354796720.jpg)
Title: Molly's Pilgrim
Author: Barbara Cohen
Genre: Multicultural/Diversity
Characters: Molly, her mother, her teacher and the students at school.
Setting: New York
Theme: Diversity; Different is a good thing
Summary: Molly is a Russian Jewish immigrant and she hates going to school because everyone always makes fun of her. When Thanksgiving comes, the students are told to make Pilgrims and Indians. Molly's mother is excited and makes a pilgrim, but not the typical kind. She makes someone who looks exactly like her. When Molly takes it into school everyone makes fun of it, but she says that her mother said they were pilgrims because they came to America for religious freedom just like the typical pilgrims. Molly's teacher loved it, and the kids finally stopped making fun of Molly.
Opinion: I enjoyed this book a lot. I thought it was awesome to see that Molly was different but that it ended up being a good thing, and I loved her mother's pilgrim!
Author: Barbara Cohen
Genre: Multicultural/Diversity
Characters: Molly, her mother, her teacher and the students at school.
Setting: New York
Theme: Diversity; Different is a good thing
Summary: Molly is a Russian Jewish immigrant and she hates going to school because everyone always makes fun of her. When Thanksgiving comes, the students are told to make Pilgrims and Indians. Molly's mother is excited and makes a pilgrim, but not the typical kind. She makes someone who looks exactly like her. When Molly takes it into school everyone makes fun of it, but she says that her mother said they were pilgrims because they came to America for religious freedom just like the typical pilgrims. Molly's teacher loved it, and the kids finally stopped making fun of Molly.
Opinion: I enjoyed this book a lot. I thought it was awesome to see that Molly was different but that it ended up being a good thing, and I loved her mother's pilgrim!
Looking After Louis
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/1354812015.jpg)
Title: Looking After Louis
Author: Lesley Ely
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Louis and the narrator
Setting: A school
Theme: Children with disabilities are not that different after all.
Summary: When Louis comes to the classroom,it becomes obvious that he isn't quite like the other kids. Sometimes he does different things like staring at walls or repeating people. The girl in the book, however, is very nice to him. She tries to talk to him and befriend him, and over time, they become friends. Her friend Sam is very good at soccer. They find out that Louis really likes soccer too even though he isn't the best at it. They then start a game of soccer with him and make him feel happy.
Opinion: I loved this book! I thought that it was such a sweet book introducing autism. The book handles it sensitively but honestly, and it shows that students with and without disabilities have things in common. I think that this is an awesome book to use to introduce your students to a disability.
Author: Lesley Ely
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Louis and the narrator
Setting: A school
Theme: Children with disabilities are not that different after all.
Summary: When Louis comes to the classroom,it becomes obvious that he isn't quite like the other kids. Sometimes he does different things like staring at walls or repeating people. The girl in the book, however, is very nice to him. She tries to talk to him and befriend him, and over time, they become friends. Her friend Sam is very good at soccer. They find out that Louis really likes soccer too even though he isn't the best at it. They then start a game of soccer with him and make him feel happy.
Opinion: I loved this book! I thought that it was such a sweet book introducing autism. The book handles it sensitively but honestly, and it shows that students with and without disabilities have things in common. I think that this is an awesome book to use to introduce your students to a disability.
Same, Same But Different
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/7340104.jpg?1)
Title: Same, Same But Different
Author: Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw
Genre: Diversity/Multicultural
Characters: Elliot and Kailash
Setting: The US and India!
Theme: People may have differences and have different cultures, but they still have some similarities!
Summary: This book shows Elliot and Kailash, who are pen pals. Elliot lives in the United States and Kailash lives in India. The boys look at the differences between the way they live, play, and go to school. Not only do they look at the differences, though, but they also realize that there are many similarities between what they do and how they live as well!
Opinion: I love this book! I think that this book is great to help children learn to be open to other cultures and to not focus only on the differences between other cultures but to also see the wonderful similarities!
Author: Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw
Genre: Diversity/Multicultural
Characters: Elliot and Kailash
Setting: The US and India!
Theme: People may have differences and have different cultures, but they still have some similarities!
Summary: This book shows Elliot and Kailash, who are pen pals. Elliot lives in the United States and Kailash lives in India. The boys look at the differences between the way they live, play, and go to school. Not only do they look at the differences, though, but they also realize that there are many similarities between what they do and how they live as well!
Opinion: I love this book! I think that this book is great to help children learn to be open to other cultures and to not focus only on the differences between other cultures but to also see the wonderful similarities!
The Sandwich Swap
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/8/1/13810663/4492524.jpg?1)
Title: The Sandwich Swap
Author: Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Lily and Salma
Setting: A school in the United States
Theme: Different can be good!
Summary: Lily and Salma are best friends. They bring different sandwiches to eat at lunch, however. Lily brings a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, while Salma brings a humus sandwich. Both girls think the other sandwiches are gross. One day, they get into an argument over it, and they say a lot of mean things. Then, students start to take sides, and eventually a huge food fight breaks out. Salma and Lily make up and try each other's sandwiches, and they then all have a multicultural lunch!
Opinion: I loved this book. I think that this book is a great way to teach children about liking differences, about being willing to try new things, and about realizing that other people's differences can be a good thing.
Author: Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah
Genre: Diversity
Characters: Lily and Salma
Setting: A school in the United States
Theme: Different can be good!
Summary: Lily and Salma are best friends. They bring different sandwiches to eat at lunch, however. Lily brings a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, while Salma brings a humus sandwich. Both girls think the other sandwiches are gross. One day, they get into an argument over it, and they say a lot of mean things. Then, students start to take sides, and eventually a huge food fight breaks out. Salma and Lily make up and try each other's sandwiches, and they then all have a multicultural lunch!
Opinion: I loved this book. I think that this book is a great way to teach children about liking differences, about being willing to try new things, and about realizing that other people's differences can be a good thing.