The document provides summaries for 12 multi-cultural literature works appropriate for grades 9-12, organized by theme. The works include fiction and non-fiction books, as well as picture books, addressing topics like race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, religion, and multi-cultural schools. Each summary includes an activity suggestion for students to help explore the work's themes and topics further.

1. Multi-Cultural Literature Portfolio

2. Budhos, M.T. (2007). Ask Me No Questions. New York, N.Y: Antheneum Books for Young Readers. Appropriate for grades 9-12 Race and Ethnicity - Fiction A fourteen-year-old girl and her family from Bangladesh is living in New York City when their visa expires and the events of September 11, 2001 lead to a frightening time for her family. Activity – Students will write at least three paragraphs about a time in their lives when they were afraid and/or felt different due to their race or ethnicity.

3. Kates, B. (1992). We’re Different, We’re the Same . New York, NY: Random House Books for Young Readers. Appropriate for grades 9 and 10 Race and Ethnicity – Picture Book Explains that although we might look different on the outside – we are the same inside. Activity – Students will think of someone they are familiar with that is a different race or ethnicity and write about how they are alike.

4. Keat, N. (2009). Alive in the Killing Fields: Surviving the Khmer Rouge Genocide. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Children’s Books. Appropriate for grades 9-12 Race and Ethnicity - Fiction The account of a young boy who escaped the war in Cambodia and came to the United States as a teenager. Activity – Students will conduct online research to find the story of another young person who survived a war or conflict. They will give a 3-5 minute presentation on their findings.

5. Alexander, H. (2010) A Child's Introduction to the World: Geography, Cultures, and People - From the Grand Canyon to the Great Wall of China. New York, NY.:Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers. Appropriate for g rades 9-12 Language and Geography – Picture Book Shows students different locations and cultures around the world. Activity – Students pick one location from book and create a “virtual tour” with still pictures.

6. Nelson, M. (1995). Long Walk To Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela. New York, NY : Back Bay Books. Appropriate for grades 9-12 Language and Geography - Non-Fiction Nelson Mandela tells his story of fighting the system of apartheid. Activity – Students will orally discuss in a teacher led discussion if they would have stood up the way Nelson Mandela did and what was the significance of his actions .

7. Jebreal, R. (2010). Miral: A Novel . New York, NY.:Penguin. Appropriate for grades 11-12 Language and Geography - Fiction Novel tells story of young women and their lives caught in the Israeli/Palestine conflict. Activity- Students will write at least 5 paragraphs about a day of their life in the United States and how it would be different if they lived in the area described in the book.

8. Spinelli, E & Iwai, M. (2001). Night Shift Daddy. New York, NY: Scholastic. Appropriate for grades 10-11 Class and Socio-Economics – Picture Book A little girl describes her night and morning routines with her father who works the night shift Connection to Diversity – Students will be able to relate to the little girl and her father who works a job that is considered to be a lower class position.

9. Braun, E. (2006). Cesar Chavez: Fighting for farmworkers . Mankato, MN: Capstone. Appropriate for grades 9-12 Class and Socio-Economics - Non-Fiction Tells the story of Cesar Chavez who organized the fight for farmworker’s rights. Activity – Students will create a picture essay about Cesar Chavez and present to class. They will also create a short summary (at least 2 paragraph) about the significance of Chavez’s actions.

10. Taylor, M. (1981). Let The Circle Be Unbroken .New York, NY: Puffin. Appropriate for grades 9-12 Class and Socio-Economics - Fiction Four young Black children experience racism and financial hardships in rural Mississippi during the Depression. Activity – Teacher will lead discussion on students’ perceptions on how much things have changed since this time period and how much they have stayed the same.

11. Age – Picture Book Berry, J. (2010). I love Grandmas and Grandpas . New York, NY: Joy Berry Books. Appropriate for 9 th grade A young child discusses why he loves his grandparents. Activity – Students will write at least 3 paragraphs describing a memory of their grandparents, older relative or community member.

12. Age - Non-Fiction Thompson, T. (2006). The Elderly. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven. Appropriate for grades 9-12 Discusses the social issues affecting the elderly. Activity – Students will orally discuss the issues affecting the elderly and try to predict if they will continue to be issues when they are that age. They will also discuss possible solutions.

13. Age - Fiction Babbit, N. (2007). Tuck Everlasting . Portland, OR: Squarefish. Appropriate for grades 9-12 A story about a family that drinks from a spring that allows them to stay young and a young girl who finds out their secret. Activity – Students will write at least paragraphs discussing if they would drink from a fountain that would allow them to stay eternally young. They will list reasons for and against drinking the water.

14. Gender and Sexuality – Picture Book Zolotow, C. (1972) William's Doll . New York, NY: HarperCollins. Appropriate for grades 9-12 Tells story of a little boy who wants a doll and his father who is not comfortable with the idea and thinks dolls are for girls. Activity – Students will orally discuss what is a “girl's” toy and what is a “boy's” toy and why society feel that way. They will also give their opinions including arguments for their reasons.

15. Gender and Sexuality - Fiction Garden, N. (2007). Annie on My Mind. New York, NY:Farrar, Straus and Giroux . Appropriate for grades 11-12 The story of two teenage girls involved in a romantic relationship. Connection to Diversity – Students will be able to see the similarities that these two young homosexual girls have to them and their romantic feelings toward the opposite sex. Those that may be sexually confused may be able to see themselves in the characters and see it's not a “bad” thing.

16. Gender and Sexuality - Non-Fiction Mastoon, A. (2001). The Shared Heart. New York, NY: HarperTeen. Appropriate for grades 10-11 Tells stories about different Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Teens. Activity – Students will research and write summary of at least 2 paragraphs or give presentation of at least 1 minute of a Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual person who has made a difference in society.

17. Multi-Cultural Schools – Picture Book Coles, R. (2010) The Story of Ruby Bridges . New York, NY: Scholastic. Appropriate for grades 9-12 Tells the true story of a six-year-old girl who was the first Black student to attend a Whites only school in New Orleans in 1960. Activity – Students will write at least two paragraphs detailing how Ruby felt that day and the positive things that would come out of her integrating the school.

18. Multi-Cultural School - Non-Fiction Morrison, T. (2004 ). Remember: The Journey to School Integration. Boston, MA.Houthton Mifflin Books for Children. Appropriate for 9 th grade Tells the story of racial integration in schools mostly in pictures. Activity – Students will chose 3 pictures and write at least 5 sentences or one paragraph describing what was happening in the picture including emotions the parties are experiencing.

19. Multi-Cultural Schools - Fiction Alexi, S. (2009). The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian . New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Appropriate for grades 9-12 Junior a Native American teenager leaves his troubled reservation school to attend an all-White school and encounters cultural difficulties. Activity – Students will write at least four paragraphs discussing their “take-aways” from the novel. What did they learn? What surprised them? What do they think the message(s) are?

20. Religion – Non-Fiction Klein, W. ( 1995). All But My Life: A Memoir. New York, NY: Hill and Wang. Appropriate for grades 9-12 This book is the autobiography of Gerda Weissmann Klein and her six years under a Nazi reign. As a child she and her family were separated and sent to German labor camps. She lost her family and all of their possessions. She and her newfound friends in the camps were able to overcome incredible loss and survive. Activity – Students will research and present a digital short telling the story of a Holocaust victim or a victim of another religious war or conflict.

21. Religion - Fiction Mahmoodian, M. (2008). Muslim Teens in Pitfalls and Pranks . Tempe, AZ: Muslim Writers Publishing. Appropriate for grades 9-12 This book includes the stories of many Muslim teenagers from different countries growing up in the United States. They endure not only the trials and triumphs of American teenagers but their experiences are somewhat different because they practice a different religion and their cultures and homes are not the “norm”. Activity - Students can take one event from the story and write 3 paragraphs that include what happened, what they would do in the student's place and what they learned from the situation.

22. Religion – Picture Book This picture book contains a list of six sacred places to Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Christians and Muslims. Activity – Students would create their own picture books about one religion's sacred place or practice which includes more detail. Sturges, P. (2000). Sacred Places. New York, NY: Putnam Juvenile. Appropriate for grades 9-12