Project for school

1. +30 Book Look
Jasmine C. Harris
October 18, 2013

2. +
30 Book Look

30 Picture books were randomly selected from displays at a
Public Library.

Books were reviewed for the presence of a multicultural
element.

Covers were analyzed for featured images, gender, and types
of illustrations.

3. +
30 Book Look
Bone Dog by Eric Rohmann
This is the story of a
friendship between a boy,
Gus, and his dog Ella. Old age
separates Ella from Gus. This
picture book is great for
helping children understand
a lose caused by death. The
Halloween focus adds an
interesting element to the
story with creepy skeleton
characters. The pictures are
simply and bold with black
outlined images prominently
drawn atop blues and whites
for backgrounds.

4. +
30 Book Look
A Mango in the Hand by Antonio
Sacre
This is a beautifully illustrated
picture book that captures the
colors of Hispanic culture. This
picture book is excellent for
teaching traditional Hispanic
culture as the story interweaves
Hispanic proverbs. Readers will
also learn Spanish phrases as
the story is told using both
English and Spanish.

5. +
30 Book Look
Chopsticks by Amy Krouse
Rosenthal
The idea of friendship while
maintaining individuality is
taught in this story. The main
characters are chopsticks
amongst a variety of kitchen
utensils as friends. The
illustrations and colors are vivid
with a simple white background.
The story is told in non-rhyming
words with one or two sentences
per page. Uniquely, elements of
Asian culture are illustrated
throughout the story.

6. +
30 Book Look
Pip and Posy The Scary Monster
by Axel Scheffler
The characters in this story are a
rabbit and a mouse. The story of
friendship is told with simple
wording and one to two
sentences on each page. Large
words against a white
background are helpful for
young children who are
beginning to read. Illustrations
are large and colorful.

7. +
30 Book Look
Animals Home Alone by Lose
Riphagen
Animals Homes Alone is a fun and
vividly colored book. The
colorful and detailed
illustrations tells a story without
words of mischievous animals
and the destruction of their
human’s house. There is
something new to see on each
page. There are questions on the
inside front and back covers to
help guide readers through the
book.

8. +
30 Book Look
One of Those Days by Amy
Krouse Rosenthal
One of Those Days is a quick read
with simple one-line sentences
on each page. The illustrations
are large and colorful featuring
children of a variety of ethnic
backgrounds. Children will learn
how to cope with a not so good
day.

9. +
30 Book Look
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
by Mark Teague
This picture book uses rhyming
words to tell the adventure of
Wallace Bleff’s time as a cowboy.
Illustrations are beautiful and
can lead to discussions about
Hispanic culture with the
mentioning of a matador.

10. +
30 Book Look
The Apple Pie that Papa Baked
Lauren Thompson
This story features the bond
between father and daughter.
The simple tan, black, and cream
color combination of this book
helps to feature the bright red
apples that star in the pie.
Wording is simple with buildable
sentences that trace back to how
the pie was baked.

11. +
30 Book Look
Hogwash by Karma Wilson
Hogwash is a four liner-rhyming
sentences picture book.
Illustrations feature pigs
behaving like humans. They
outsmart their human as they try
to avoid getting washed. Pictures
are detailed, but cartoon like
adding to the light-hearted
nature of the story.

12. +
30 Book Look
Dinosaur Vs. The Library by Bob
Shea
The large words and prominent
illustrations of this picture book
are great for young readers. The
colorful illustrations also depict
animals talking and behaving
like humans. The story of a
Dinosaur behaving not so nicely
teaches young readers about
being polite.

13. +
30 Book Look
The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? By
Mo Wilems
In The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?
Pigeon tries to understand why
he doesn’t get the things he asks
for. The simple illustrations set a
foundation for a humorous story
with simple large text wording.
Young children will enjoy the
soft colors and the funny
misgivings of Pigeon.

14. +
30 Book Look
Benny’s Brigade by Arthur
Bradford
Benny’s Brigade is a slightly over
sided book all the better to fit
beautiful large and realistic
illustrations. Two sisters find a
small shell with a smaller walrus
inside. Together the sisters work
with their friends to return the
walrus to its natural habitat.
Through the lovely illustrations of
a diverse group of children, young
readers will learn the value of
friendship and respect for
differences.

15. +
30 Book Look
You Can’t Take a Balloon Into the
Metropolitan Museum by
Jacqueline Preiss Weitzmann
and Robin Preiss Glasser
You Can’t Take a Balloon Into the
Metropolitan Museum is a story
without words. The illustrations
uniquely highlight the main
actions of the story with color so
that viewers can follow without
confusion. Young readers of this
story will learn a great deal about
art with photo cut outs of famous
sculptures and paintings.

16. +
30 Book Look
Brown Bear, White Bear by
Svetlana Petrovic
Brown Bear, White Bear tells the
story of race. Her African
American grandmother gives her
a brown bear and a white
grandmother gives her a white
bear. Both the grandmothers
tease about which bear Alice
loves best. This teasing
transcends to the behavior of the
bears as they fight to capture all
of Alice’s attention. In the end,
young readers will learn the
lesson of race, culture and
equality.

17. +
30 Book Look
Say Hello by Rachel Isadora
Say Hello takes readers
through a colorful neighborhood
of many different cultures.
Young children will learn how to
say hello in many different
languages; including, Spanish,
Hebrew, Japanese, Swahili,
French, Arabic, Mandarin, and
Italian. The beautiful
illustrations help to identify the
custom dress for each culture.

18. +
30 Book Look
Secret Pizza Party by Adam
Rubin
Secret Pizza Party features a
raccoon behaving like a human
as he plots to get pizza. The
story is told in an omniscient
voice that talks to the raccoon
and helps him plan his secret
party. The wording is simple
with few sentences on each
page. Illustrations are dark at
some points and light at others.

19. +
30 Book Look
Quiet in the Garden by Aliki
Quiet in the Garden explores a
little boy’s quiet space. He sits
in his garden and allows himself
to hear the activities of the
garden creatures. His
imagination escapes him as he
creates a conversation for each
creature. The beautifully
illustrated colors capture the
very essences of life in a
garden.

20. +
30 Book Look
The Lonely Phone Booth by
Peter Ackerman
The Lonely Phone Booth tells the
story of the rise of technology
and the demise of analog. The
phone booth was once a
necessity in the community until
the cell phone arrived. A storm
knocks the power out and sends
people flocking back to the
phone booth for service. Wording
is simple and illustrations
incorporate beautiful earth tones.

21. +
30 Book Look
Angelina’s Island by Jeanette
Winter
Angelina’s Island is an
immigration story. Angelina
copes with her new home in
American while lamenting her
beautiful island of Jamaica. She
list all the things she misses
and how she does not fit into
her new home, until her mom
tells her about a festival that
celebrates her heritage.

22. +
30 Book Look
Khadija and the Mirror by
Da’Vel Kent-Bey
Khadija and the Mirror is a story
of confidence. Khadija does not
fit in and thinks that she is not
liked. She finds a magical
mirror that shows her how to be
more confident in her abilities.
Older children will love the bold
illustrations as they learn how
to grow into themselves and
understand self-confidence.

23. +
30 Book Look
Get Dolled Up by Cynthia
Rylant
Brownie plays dress up with her
cat Pearl. Large bright photos
will be a wonderful visual
experience for young children.
Words are in large bold print.
The story is told in a nonrhyming text with few words on
each page.

24. +
30 Book Look
Jangles a Big Fish Story by
David Shannon
Jangles a Big Fish teaches the
story of right and wrong. Jangles
is a large fish that is sought after
by everyone. One day the little
boy telling the story is saved by
Jangles, but still desires to
capture the big fish anyway. The
boy has a change of heart and
sets the big fish free. This book is
for older kids, as sentences are
lengthy. Illustrations capture the
enormity of the big fish with
beautiful color.

25. +
30 Book Look
Those Darn Squirrels Fly South
by Adam Rubin
Old Man Fookwire is a grumpy
old man pestered by squirrels.
When fall comes the squirrels
“fly” south, and Old Man
Fookwire begins to miss them.
Squirrels behave like humans in
this story. Illustrations use soft
light colors. Sentences are
lengthy.

26. +
30 Book Look
Opposites Everywhere Sign
Language for Opposites by
Dawn Babb Prochovinc
Illustrations features animals
behaving like humans. The
characters are used to illustrate
opposites. On each page a
particular word is bolded. A sign
is then given for that bolded
word. Images are bright and
sentences are simple.

27. +
30 Book Look
Aliens Love Underpants by
Claire Freedman and Ben Cort
Aliens invade earth to capture
underpants. Illustrations are
large and colorful and feature a
potentially scary topic in a lighthearted and funny way.
Rhyming sentences are simple
with no more than four lines on
the page.

28. +
30 Book Look
Vampirina Ballerina Hosts a
Sleep Sleepover by Anne Marie
Pace
Vampirina is a Vampire girl. In
the story she teaches readers
how to plan and throw a
sleepover. Simple sentences
help to tell the story with very
few words on each page.
Images are elaborate at times,
but help to pleasantly illustrate
a potentially scary theme.

29. +
30 Book Look
My Octopus Arms by Keith
Baker
Preschoolers will enjoy Octopus
as he demonstrates how he
uses all eight of his arms.
Sentences are simple and the
large and bright illustrations
capture the octopus as he
behaves like a human. The
feature of other sea creatures
will spark conversation about
sea life.

30. +
30 Book Look
In the Rain with Baby Duck by
Amy Hest
In the Rain with Baby Duck
features ducks behaving like
humans, as a duck family
traverses the streets on a rainy
day. Despite the rainy day
theme, illustrations cast a bright
light. Sentences are complex,
but boldly printed on the page.

31. +
30 Book Look
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by
Kevin Henkins
Lily has a difficult day at school
when her favorite teacher takes
her favorite purse, quarters, and
glittery glasses. She does not
quite know how to cope with
discipline so she draws a not-sonice picture of her teacher. When
she regrets her bad behavior she
makes plans to redeem herself.
This is a story of good behavior
while in school.

32. +
30 Book Look
In Like a Lion Out Like a Lamb
by Marion Dane Bauer
The rhyming words of this book
use a lion to describe the
roaring weather of winter.
Sentences are simple and
accompanied with the
whimsical illustrations are fun to
read. Young readers will find
this book ideal for the changing
seasons.

33. +
30 Book Look
Findings

15 books featured humans

13 books featured animals

4 books featured characters that are neither animals nor human

10 books with boys as the main characters

10 books with girls as the main characters

6 books sex unknown

Of the 30 books 9 have a multicultural presence

10 books depict children with animals

12 books depict animals acting like humans

34. +
30 Book Look
Findings

The results show that there are few books with a multicultural
element.

Male and females are equally featured.

Animals are predominately favored in children’s literature.

However, there are options for parents and teachers to help
expose their children to other cultures.

35. +
30 Book Look
Multicultural books for Children

My Name in Yoon by Helen Recorvits

H.O.R.S.E a Game of Basketball and Imagination by Christopher Myers

Whistle for Willie by Ezra Keats

Pecan Baby by Jacqueline Woodson

Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky by Faith Ringgold

My Dadima Wears a Sari by Kashmira Sheth

The Korean Cinderella by Shirley Climo

Sundiata Lion King of Mali by David Wisniewski

Brothers of the Knight by Debbie Allen

Golem by David Wisniewski

36. +
30 Book Look
Resources for Parents and teachers

First Book


Flavor Wire 10 Multicultural Book for Children


http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3721.Best_Multicultural_Books_for_Children
Amazon’s Children’s Multicultural Story Books


http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/how-choose-best-multicultural-books
Goodreads Best Multicultural Books


http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/multicultural/2012-multicultural-booklist.htm
Scholastic’s How to Choose the Best Multicultural Books


http://flavorwire.com/400364/10-great-multicultural-childrens-books/
Reading is Fundamental- RIF’s Multicultural BookList


www.firstbook.org
http://www.amazon.com/Multicultural-Books-for-Children/lm/R1I1AQK6Y16AB8
Ipl2.org- For Kids

http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48493