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The complete book list below is ordered by the first column, the subject. Click on the table headers to order by different columns. Many of the books on this list can be found at Forbes Library or a Western MA Library in the C/W MARS network.
| Subject Areas | Title | Authors | Publisher | Year | Ages | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ability/Disability | A Very Special Critter | Mayer, Mercer | Golden Books | 1995 | 0-3, 3-5 | About a new student in class who uses a wheelchair. |
| Ability/Disability | Don't Call Me Special: A First Look at Disability | Thomas, Pat and Lesley Harker | Barron Educational Series | 2005 | 3-5, 5-8 | This picture book explores questions and concerns about physical disabilities in a simple and reassuring way. Younger children can find out about individual disabilities, special equipment that is available to help the disabled, and how people of all ages can deal with disabilities and live happy and full lives. |
| Ability/Disability, Individual Differences | Fritz and the Beautiful Horses | Brett, Jan | Houghton Mifflin Company | 1981 | 3-5 | A kind and gentle pony, Fritz, though not considered physical attractive, proves he is a more than worthy member of a town known for its beautiful horses. |
| Bilingual/Spanish | Polar Bear, Polar Bear/ Oso polar, oso polar, que es ese ruido? | Carle, Eric and Bill Martin | Henry Holt and Co. | 2000 | 0-3 | Great Spanish translation |
| Bilingual/Spanish | Green Eggs and Ham/Huevos Verdes Con Jamon | Dr. Seuss, and Aida Marcuse | Lectorum Publications | 1992 | 3-5, 5-8 | A great translation |
| Bilingual/Spanish | We All Went on Safari/ Nos fuimos todos de safari | Krebs, Laurie and Yanitzia Canetti | Barefoot Books | 2005 | 0-3, 3-5 | A counting book we like |
| Bilingual/Spanish | My Friends/Mis Amigos | Gomi, Taro | Chronicle Books | 2006 | 3-5 | A bilingual book we like |
| Bilingual/Spanish | Good Night Moon/ Buenas Noches Luna | Brown, Margaret Wise | Aims Intl Book Corps | 1995 | 0-3 | Good translation |
| Bilingual/Spanish | The Big Red Barn / El Gran Granero Rojo | Brown, Margaret Wise | Rayo | 1996 | 0-3 | Good translation |
| Bilingual/Spanish | El Conejito Andarin/ The Runaway Bunny | Brown, Margaret Wise | Rayo | 2006 | 0-3 | The comforting story of a little bunny's imaginary game of hide-and-seek and the lovingly steadfast mother who finds him every time. |
| Bilingual/Spanish | Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?/ Oso Pardo, oso pardo, que ves ahi? | Carle, Eric and Bill Martin | Henry Holt and Co. | 2009 | 0-3 | Great Spanish translation |
| Bilingual/Spanish, Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | Antonio | Gonzalez, Rigoberto and Cecilia Alvarez | Children’s Book Press | 2005 | 3-5, 5-8 | Bilingual story. A boy's conflict about showing his class that he has two moms. |
| Bilingual/Spanish, Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Hispanic | Diez Deditos: Ten Little Fingers & other play rhymes and action songs from Latin America | Kleven, Elisa | Dutton Juvenile | 2002 | 3-5, 0-3 | This can also come with a CD. 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. |
| Bilingual/Spanish, Service/Social Action, Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Hispanic | Si Se Puede: Yes We Can! | Cohn, Diana | Cinco Puntos Press | 2005 | 5-8 | 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 |
| Death/Aging | Dragonflies and Waterbugs: Explaining Death to Young Children | Stickney, Doris and Gloria Ortiz Hernandez | Pilgrim Press | 2010 | 5-8, 9-12 | How can we answer the many questions young children have about death? Looking for a meaningful way to explain the death of a five-year-old friend to neighborhood children, Stickney adapted a graceful fable about a water bug that changed into a dragonfly. |
| Death/Aging | The Fall of Freddy the Leaf | Buscaglia, Leo | Slack | 1982 | 3-5, 5-8 | The book uses the gentle, concrete metaphor of the annual changes in leaves on a tree to help anyone appreciate the different phases of life. |
| Death/Aging, Family Composition | Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs | dePaola, Tomie | Puffin | 2000 | 3-5, 5-8 | Originally published in 1973, this autobiographical picture book was one of the first to introduce very young children to the concept of death. Given its graceful treatment of a difficult subject, it has been a parental staple ever since, and a new generations of readers will be glad to discover this timeless tale in a lovely new edition. |
| Death/Aging, Multicultural, Native American, Inuit Culture | Northern Lights, The Soccer Trails | Kusugak, Michael Arvaarluk | Annick Press Ltd | 1993 | 3-5, 5-8 | An Inuit girl mourns the loss of her mother and seeks comfort from a traditional fable told to her by her grandmother. |
| Death/Aging, Religion/Spirituality, Buddhist | The Mountains of Tibet | Gerstein, Mordicai | HarperCollins | 1989 | 5-8, 3-5 | This story of the death and reincarnation of a Tibetan woodcutter is a beautifully gentle look at one human being dealing with life's choices and possibilities. |
| Death/Aging, Religion/Spirituality, Christian | What is Heaven | Shriver, Maria and Sandra Speidel | Golden Books Adult Division | 2007 | 5-8, 3-5 | What should parents say when a loved one dies? Heaven is a difficult subject that always comes up at tough times, and Maria Shriver has written a very special book precisely for these stressful moments. What's Heaven? is the story of Kate, a little girl whose great-grandma has just died. She seeks answers, and her mother helps her learn about Heaven. |
| Family Composition | Families | Kuklin, Susan | Hyperion | 2000 | 3-5, 5-8 | A beautiful photo essay with short pieces in kids' voices celebrating the diversity of American families |
| Family Composition | The Mommy Book | Parr, Todd | Little, Brown Young Readers | 2002 | 3-5 | All types of moms in colorful illustrations. Another great book by Todd Parr. |
| Family Composition, Adoption | Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born | Curtis, Jamie Lee | HarperTrophy | 2000 | 0-3 | About a little girl and how her adoptive mom and dad met her on the day she was born and became family with her |
| Family Composition, Adoption | A Mother for Choco | Kasza, Keiko | Putnam Juvenile | 1996 | 3-5, 5-8 | Choco a little bird finally gets adopted by a loving bear mom. |
| Family Composition, Adoption, Gay/Lesbian, Multicultural | Felicia’s Favorite Story | Newman, Leslea | Two Lives Publishing | 2002 | 3-5, 5-8 | About a little girl adopted from Guatemala by her Puerto Rican and New York born moms |
| Family Composition, Adoption, Single Parenting | I Love You Like Crazy Cakes | Lewis, Rose and Jane Dyer | Little, Brown Young Readers | 2000 | 0-3 | About a single, American mom and the baby she adopts in China |
| Family Composition, African-American Contemporary, African | Boundless Grace | Hoffman, Mary | Puffin | 2000 | 3-5, 5-8 | This is the second story after, "Amazing Grace." Here Grace must overcome her own preconceptions and fears to accept and find acceptance with her divorced and remarried father's "other" family in Africa. Grace travels to visit her father in Gambia, Africa and learns that "families are what you make them." |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | King and King | de Haan, Linda and Stern Nijland | Tricycle Press | 2003 | 3-5, 5-8 | A prince marries a prince. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | King and King and Family | de Haan, Linda and Stern Nijland | Tricycle Press | 2004 | 3-5, 5-8 | Continuation of the King&King book as the 2 dads adopt a girl. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | The Different Dragon | Bryan, Jennifer | Two Lives Press | 2006 | 3-5, 5-8 | A Sunnyside parent in Northampton wrote this book about a boy (who just happens to have 2 moms) telling a bedtime story about a dragon who does not want to be fierce anymore. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dad | Valentine, Johnny | Alyson Books | 2004 | 3-5 | A boy with two blue dads. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | And Baby Makes 4 | Benjamin, Judith | Motek Press | 2009 | 3-5 | About a little girl becoming a big sister when one of the moms in her two mom family is pregnant. Told through photographs. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | Emma and Meesha My Boy: A Two Mom Story. | Considine, Kaitlyn Taylor | twomomsbooks.com | 2005 | 3-5 | A little girl with two moms who learns to be nicer to their cat. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | Daddy, Papa, and Me. | Newman, Leslea | Tricycle Press | 2009 | 0-3, 3-5 | A sweet board book about a toddler’s day with two dads. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | Mommy, Mama, and Me | Newman, Leslea | Tricycle Press | 2009 | 0-3, 3-5 | A sweet book about a toddler’s day with two moms |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | Oh The Things Mommies Do!: What Could Be Better Than Having Two? | Tompkins, Crystal | Oh the things mommies do | 2009 | 3-5, 0-3 | Shows a variety of two mom families at work and play. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | Love Makes a Family: Portraits of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Parents and Their Families | Gillespie, Peggy and Kath, Gigi Kaeser, a Weston | University of Massachusetts Press | 1999 | 3-5, 5-8 | A photo book of family portraits and interviews of LGBTQ parents and their children. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | Heather Has Two Mommies | Newman, Leslea | Alyson Wonderland | 1989 | 3-5 | One of the first books published for LGBT families. Besides the obvious two mom theme, talks about how kids have all different kinds of families, blended, single parent, adoptive, interracial, etc. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | And Tango Makes Three | Richardson , Justin and Peter Parnell | Simon and Schuster | 2005 | 3-5, 5-8 | A true story about a penguin with two dads at the New York Central Park Zoo! |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | The Family Book | Parr, Todd | Little, Brown Books | 2003 | 3-5, 5-8 | A simple, colorful and fun book that depicts all kinds of families. A favorite line from the book is: "Some families look like each other. Some families look like their pets." |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | Molly’s Family | Garden, Nancy | Farrar Straus Giroux | 2004 | 3-5, 5-8 | When Molly draws a picture of her two mom family in kindergarten, the other kids learn that families come in all shapes.. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | 1, 2, 3 A Family Counting Book | Combs, Bobbie | Two Lives Publishing | 2001 | 0-3, 3-5 | Gay-parented families depicted in illustrations of counting book. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian | Donovan's Big Day | Newman, Leslea | Tricycle Press | 2011 | 3-5, 5-8 | Donovan gets to be the ring bearer at his two mom's wedding. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian, Adoption, Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Contemporary | In Our Mothers' House | Polacco, Patricia | Philomel | 2009 | 3-5, 5-8 | The oldest of three adopted children recalls her childhood with mothers Marmee and Meema in a multi-racial family. |
| Family Composition, Gay/Lesbian, Divorce | Saturday is Patty Day | Newman, Leslea | New Victoria Publishing | 1993 | 3-5, 5-8 | About a divorced two-mom family. |
| Family Composition, Individual Differences | “Let’s Get a Pup!” Said Kate | Graham, Bob | Candlewick | 2003 | 0-3 | Mom & dad but they have tats & piercings but are wholly "normal" a great visual/story |
| Family Composition, Individual Differences | We Are All Alike... We Are All Different | Cheltenham Elementary School, Kindergarteners of | Scholastic Inc. | 1991 | 3-5 | Photos and illustrations show multicultural make up of the children in a Pennsylvania kindergarten class. Note: no gender diversity in families. |
| Gender, Gender: Female | Girls A to Z | Bunting, Eve | Unknown | 2004 | 3-5, 5-8 | A celebration of girls and their dreams from Aliki the astronaut to Zoe the zookeeper. |
| Gender, Gender: Female | Cinder Edna | Jackson, Ellen | HarperCollins | 1998 | 5-8, 3-5 | A clever re-invention of the classic Cinderella story. A double story following Cinderella and her creative neighbor Cinder Edna. |
| Gender, Gender: Female | Pirate Girl | Funke , Cornelia | The Chicken House | 2005 | 5-8, 3-5 | A girl who outwits pirates, a book with strong women characters. |
| Gender, Gender: Female | The Princess Knight | Funke, Cornelia | The Chicken House | 2004 | 3-5, 5-8 | A princess comes to her own rescue. |
| Gender, Gender: Female | Sleeping Bobby | Osborne , Mary Pope and Will Osborne | Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books | 2005 | 5-8 | A female "hero" in this version of sleeping beauty. |
| Gender, Gender: Female, Gender: Male | The Story of Ferdinand | Leaf, Munro | Puffin | 2007 | 3-5 | The funny story of Ferdinand, a pacifist bull who would rather smell flowers than fight. Originally published in 1936 by The Viking Press. |
| Gender, Gender: Male, Individual Differences | Sam Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt | Ernst, Lisa Campbell | Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books | 1983 | 3-5 | While mending the awning over the pig pen, Sam discovers that he enjoys sewing the various patches together but meets with scorn and ridicule when he tries to joins his wife's quilting club. |
| Gender, Gender:Female | The PaperBag Princess | Munsch, Robert and Michael Martchenko | Annick Press | 1992 | 3-5, 5-8 | Disrupts the conventional princess stereotype — she saves the prince. |
| Gender, Gender:Male | The Boy who Cried Fabulous | Newman, Leslea and Peter Ferguson | Tricycle Press | 2007 | 3-5, 5-8 | Roger is always late because he thinks everything in the world is "fabulous!". The adults in his life learn to appreciate his outlook. |
| Gender, Gender:Male | Oliver Button is a Sissy | dePaola, Tomie | Voyager Books | 1979 | 3-5, 5-8 | A book that addresses name-calling and gender stereotypes. |
| Gender, Gender:Male, Gay/Lesbian | The Sissy Duckling | Fierstein, Harvey | Simon & Schuster | 2002 | 3-5, 5-8 | Elmer duck is called a sissy, much to his father's chagrin, but he marches to his own beat and saves his father from hunters at the end. |
| Homelessness/Hunger/Poverty | The Lady in the Box | McGovern, Ann | Turtle Books | 1999 | 5-8 | A compassionate book about two children's response to a homeless woman. |
| Homelessness/Hunger/Poverty | A Chair for My Mother | Williams , Vera | Greenwillow Books | 1984 | 5-8 | A tender story told through the eyes of a young girl of a family that has lost its possessions in a fire. |
| Individual Differences | It’s Okay to be Different | Parr, Todd | Little, Brown Young Readers | 2009 | 3-5, 5-8 | |
| Individual Differences | Max | Graham, Bob | Candlewick Press | 2006 | 3-5 | Parents are superheroes but he's not quite one; a great book |
| Individual Differences | The Giantess | Hasler, Eveline | Kane/Miller Book Publishers | 1997 | 5-8 | |
| Individual Differences | Stellaluna | Cannon, Janell | David Bennett Books | 1997 | 3-5, 5-8 | |
| Individual Differences | Roberto The Insect Architect | Laden, Nina | Chronicle Books | 2000 | 0-3 | |
| Individual Differences | We’re Different We’re the Same (Sesame Street) | Kates, Bobbi | Random House Books for Young Readers | 1992 | 3-5, 5-8 | Sesame Street Muppets cavort cheerfully with people of all sizes, shapes and ethnicities. |
| Individual Differences | Starting Small: Teaching Tolerance in Preschool and the Early Grades | Paley, Vivian Gussin | Teaching Tolerance | 1997 | Adult | 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. |
| Individual Differences | Minikin | Cosgrove, Stephen | Price Stern Sloan | 1984 | 3-5, 5-8 | A very small lamb learns self-acceptance and confidence |
| Individual Differences | Am I Really Different? | Van Dort, Evelien | Floris Books | 1998 | 0-3 | This book gently makes the point that everyone is unique and special; and that laughing at someone for being different is really rather silly. |
| Individual Differences | A Color of His Own | Lioni, Leo | Knopf | 2006 | 0-3, 3-5 | One chameleon is not pleased with his changeable appearance. It isn't until he befriends another older, wiser chameleon that our hero begins to find inner peace, even as his outer surface is transformed again and again. |
| Individual Differences | Frederick | Lioni, Leo | Dragonfly Books | 1967 | 0-3, 3-5 | While other mice are gathering food for the winter, Frederick seems to daydream the summer away. When cold weather comes, it is Frederick the poet-mouse who warms his friends and cheers them with his words. Teaches the importance of art and poetry... as food for the spirit! |
| Individual Differences, Characters of Color | Louie | Keats, Ezra Jack | Viking Juvenile | 2004 | 0-3, 3-5 | |
| Individual Differences, Characters of Color | Regards to the Man in the Moon | Keats, Ezra Jack | Puffin | 2009 | 3-5 | |
| Individual Differences, Gender, Race/Ethnicity/Culture | Free to be You and Me | Thomas, Marlo | Running Press Book Publishers | 1973 | 3-5, 5-8 | The sentiments of thirty-five years ago are as relevant today as when this book was published. Celebrating individuality and challenging stereotypes empowers both children and adults with the freedom to be who they want to be and to have compassion and empathy for others who may be different. |
| Individual Differences, Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Ability/Disability | All Kinds of People: What makes us different. | Waters, Jennifer | Spyglass Books | 2002 | 3-5, 5-8 | Explores the diversity among humankind, including differences in physical appearance, communication, mobility, and personality. |
| Multicultural | Sharing Cultures (CD) | Jenkins, Ella | 2003 | 3-5, 5-8 | 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." | |
| Multicultural | Mama's Lullaby, Lullabies Sung by Women Around the World (CD) | CD, | 2001 | 3-5, 5-8 | Italian, Israeli, French, Irish, Siberian, Zimbabwian, Japanese....and more! | |
| Multicultural | Tales of Wisdom and Wonder | Lupton, Hugh | Barefoot Books | 2008 | 3-5, 5-8 | Seven stories from different cultures (Haitian, Cree, English, French, West African, Russian, and Irish) are retold in this collection by a seasoned storyteller. |
| Multicultural | My Granny Went to the Market: Around the World Counting Rhymes | Blackstone, Stella | Barefoot Books | 2006 | 3-5, 5-8 | Granny buys a flying carpet from a man in Istanbul and travels around the world, purchasing items indigenous to each country she visits. It is an international counting rhyme. |
| Multicultural, Asian | First Book of Sushi | Sanger, Amy Wilson | Tricycle Press | 2001 | 0-3 | Board Book with rhyming and artful descriptions of sushi. |
| Multicultural, Asian | Yum Yum Dim Sum | Sanger, Amy Wilson | Tricycle Press | 2003 | 0-3 | Board book with rhyming and artful descriptions of Chinese dim sum. |
| Multicultural, Asian, -- Asian Historical | The Firekeeper's Son | Park, Linda Sue | Clarion Books | 2004 | 3-5, 5-8 | In early-19th century Korea, after Sang-hee's father injures his ankle, Sang-hee takes over the task of lighting the evening fire which signals to the palace that all is well. Includes historical notes. |
| Multicultural, Asian | The Emperor and the Kite | Yolan, Jane | Philomel Books | 1988 | 5-8 | When the Emperor is imprisoned in a high tower, his smallest daughter, whom he has always ignored uses her kite to save him. |
| Multicultural, Asian, Immigrant Experience | Dragon Parade | Chin, Steven A. | Raintree Steck-Vaughn | 1993 | 3-5, 5-8 | A Chinese New Year story about an immigrant who introduces Chinese New Year to the general population of San Francisco during the Gold Rush Years. |
| Multicultural, Gender:Female | Grandmother | Muten, Burleigh | Barefoot Books | 2006 | 5-8 | Muten retells eight folktales with the purpose of restoring the image of the wise woman "as a benevolent, resourceful, independent, informed guide, who is respected in her community." The stories come from Senegal, Japan, Russia, Hawaii, Mexico, Ireland, Germany, and Sweden, and are a mixture of the familiar ("The Old Woman Who Was Right" and "Old Mother Holle") and the lesser known ("The Midwife and the Djinn" and "The Woman in the Moon"). |
| Multicultural, Race/Ethnicity/Culture | Small World Books (series) | Swain, Gwenyth | First Avenue Editions | 2000 | 0-3, 3-5 | Great, simple books for toddlers on up- "Bedtime!" "Get Dressed", "Eating" and many other titles - beautiful photos of kids from around the world - showing different traditions around these common activities – with simple words |
| Multicultural, Race/Ethnicity/Culture | Nine O'Clock Lullaby | Singer, Marilyn | HarperTrophy | 1993 | 3-5, 5-8 | 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. |
| Multicultural, Race/Ethnicity/Culture | A Little Bit of Soul Food | Sanger, Amy Wilson | Tricycle Press | 2004 | 0-3 | Board book with rhyming and artful descriptions of southern foods. |
| Multicultural, Race/Ethnicity/Culture | Mangia! Mangia | Sanger, Amy Wilson | Tricycle Press | 0-3 | Board book with rhyming and artful descriptions of Italian foods. | |
| Multicultural, Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian | Celebrating Chinese New Year | Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane | Holiday House / New York | 1998 | 5-8, 3-5 | This book depicts a San Francisco boy and his family preparing for and enjoying their celebration of Chinese New Year, their most important holiday. |
| Multicultural, Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Jewish | The Shabbat Box | Simpson, Lesley | Kar-ben Publishing | 2001 | 3-5, 5-8 | When it is finally Ira's turn to take his nursery school class's Shabbat Box home, he loses it in a snowstorm and must decide what to do next. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture | Let’s Talk About Race | Lester, Julius | Amistad | 2008 | 3-5, 5-8 | Amherst author. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture | What if Zebras Lost Their Stripes | Reitano, John and William Haines | Paulist Press | 1998 | 3-5, 5-8 | |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture | Nina Bonita | Machado, Ana Maria and Elena Iribarren | Kane/Miller Book Publishers | 1996 | 3-5, 5-8 | 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. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Contemporary, Hispanic | The Adventures of Sugar and Junior | Medearis, Angela Shelf | Holiday House | 2001 | 3-5, 5-8 | The friendship and adventures of Sugar Johnson, a black girl, and Santiago Ramirez, a Hispanic boy known as Junior. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Multiracial, African-American Contemporary | You Be Me I’ll be You | Mandelbaum, Pili | Kane/Miller Book Publishers | 1990 | 3-5, 5-8 | 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. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture | The Colors of Us | Katz, Karen | Henry Holt | 2007 | 3-5, 5-8 | Lena's mother insists that there are many different shades of brown. Lena discovers that she and her friends and neighbors are all beautiful shades of brown. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African | Zomo the Rabbit: A Trickster Tale from West Africa | McDermott, Gerald | Harcourt Brace & Company | 1996 | 3-5 | 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. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African | Bringing The Rain to Kapiti Plain | Aardema, Verna | Scholastic, Inc. | 1992 | 3-5, 5-8 | An African folktale in rhyming prose about a shepherd who brings rain to a drought ridden plain. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African | Catch That Goat! A Market Day in Nigeria | Alakija, Polly | Barefoot Books | 2007 | 3-5, 5-8 | While her mother is out, Ayoka is supposed to "look after the goat." The goat escapes to a busy Nigerian market and Ayoka searches for the goat by talking to vendors/neighbors along the way. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African | My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken, and Me | Angelou, Maya | Crown Books | 2003 | 3-5, 5-8 | A superb portrayal of Ndebele village life in South Africa and art for young children. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African | We All Went on Safari: A Counting Journey through Tanzania | Krebs, Laura and Julia Cairns | Barefoot Books | 2004 | 0-3 | The young reader will learn numbers from one to ten in English and Swahili as Mosi, Tumpe, Arusha, and other friends count African wildlife. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African | Mama Panya's Pancakes: A village tale from Kenya | Chamberlin, Mary and Rich Chamberlin | Barefoot Books | 2006 | 0-3 | Mama Panya is planning on using her few coins at the market to buy the ingredients to dinner. Adika invites all of their friends and neighbors to dinner. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African | It Takes a Village | Cowen-Fletcher, Jane | Scholastic | 1999 | 3-5, 5-8 | Based on the West African proverb, a mother asks her daughter to watch her younger brother in the market. She soon loses track of him but he is okay because everyone at the market cares for him. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African | Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters | Steptol, John | Scholastic Inc. | 1987 | 5-8 | An African folktale about two sisters, one honest and true, one deceitful, who journey to a city to seek marriage to the king. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African, Gender | The Village of Round and Square Houses | Grifalconi, Ann | 1986 | 3-5, 5-8 | African folk tale told by a little girl and her grandmother who live in the village of Tos in West Central Africa. | |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African, Homelessness/Hunger/Poverty, Service/Social Action | Beatrice's Goat | McBrier, Page | 3-5, 5-8 | This is a true story about how one Ugandan child, given the right tools, is able to lift her family out of poverty with the help of Heifer Project International. | ||
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African, Service/Social Action | Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai | Nivola, Claire | Frances Foster Books | 2008 | 3-5, 5-8 | Kenyan activist Wangari Maathai encouraged people to repair their economy, land, and health with the simple acts of planting more trees. Nivola writes about potentially complex, abstract relationships, such as those between ecological preservation and human health, with clear language that shows connections that children will easily grasp. The story of how each human and tree can make a difference will inspire young people. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African, Service/Social Action, Gender: Female | Seeds of Change | Johnson, Jen Cullerton | Lee & Low Books | 2010 | 5-8 | A biography of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Winner and environmentalist Wangari Maathai, a female scientist who made a stand in the face of opposition to women's rights and ecosystem by planting millions of trees. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Contemporary | Goggles | Keats, Ezra Jack | Puffin | 1998 | 3-5 | Everyone wants the goggles that Peter, a black boy, found |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Contemporary | Just Right Stew | English, Karen | Boyds Mills Press | 2003 | 3-5, 5-8 | 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. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Contemporary | Thank You, Dr. King! | Reid, Robin | Simon Spotlight | 2003 | 3-5, 5-8 | 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. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Contemporary | Pass It On: African American Poetry for Children | Hudson, Wade | Scholastic Press | 1993 | 3-5, 5-8 | A potpourri of poems by Gwendolyn Brooks, Eloise Greenfield, Nikki Giovanni and Langston Hughes is interspersed with works by lesser known writers. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Contemporary | Happy to be Nappy | hooks, Bell and Chirs Raschka | Jump the Sun | 1999 | 3-5 | Renowned feminist and social critic bell hooks takes on... hair! "Hair for hands to touch and play! Hair to take the gloom away." This rhythmic read-aloud is, on the surface, all about hair: nappy, plaited, long, short, natural, twisted, "soft like cotton, flower petal billowy soft, full of frizz and fuzz." Comb through the surface and find a celebration of childhood and girls and the freedom to express individuality. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Contemporary | Apt. 3 | Keats, Ezra Jack | Puffin | 1999 | 3-5 | 2 black brothers who live in an apartment befriend a blind musician |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Contemporary, Characters of Color | The Snowy Day | Keats, Ezra Jack | Puffin | 2004 | 3-5 | Classic story about a black boy exploring a new snowfall. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Contemporary, Gender, Gender:Female | Amazing Grace | Hoffman, Mary | DIAL | 2007 | 5-8 | 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. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Contemporary, Single Parenting | Jonathan and His Mommy | Smalls, Irene | Litte, Brown Books | 1994 | 0-3 | A young black child and his mother take a walk around their urban neighborhood, turning the trip into a game as they go. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Historical | Rosa | Giovanni, Nikki | Henry Holt and Co. | 2007 | 3-5 | |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Historical | Mysterious Thelonious | Raschka, Chris | Live Oak Media | 2003 | 3-5, 5-8 | |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Historical | Stomping at the Savoy | Campbell, Bebe Moore | Philomel | 2006 | 3-5, 5-8 | |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Historical | The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales | Hamilton, Virginia and Leo and Diane Dillon | Knopf Books for Young Readers | 1993 | 9-12 | Unforgettable folk tales about escaping slavery. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Historical | The Story of Ruby Bridges | Coles, Robert | Scholastic Inc. | 1995 | 5-8 | An account of the first black child to attend an all-white elementary school in 1960, New Orleans. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Historical | Ellington Was Not a Street | Shange, Ntozake and Kadir Nelson | Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing | 2004 | 5-8, 9-12 | In the poem, Shange recalls her childhood when her family entertained many of the "-men/who changed the world," including Paul Robeson, W.E.B. DuBois, Ray Barretto, Dizzy Gillespie, "Sonny Til" Tilghman, Kwame Nkrumah, and Duke Ellington. Both the words and the rich, nostalgic illustrations are a tribute to these visionaries |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Historical | Charlie Parker Played Be Bop | Raschka, Chris | Live Oak Media | 1997 | 0-3 | Charlie Parker Played Be Bop is a colorful, whimsical romp through the world of jazz. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Historical | Duke Ellington: the piano prince and his orchestra | Pinkney, Andrea Davis | Scholastic Inc. | 1999 | 5-8 | A brief recounting of the career of this jazz musician and composer who, along with his orchestra, created music that was beyond category. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Historical | Satchel Page: Don't Look Back | Adler, David A. | Harcourt, Inc. | 2007 | 5-8, 3-5 | At an age when most players retire, Satchel Page, who had been confined to playing in the negro leagues rises to stardom in major league baseball. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Historical | When Marian Sang | Ryan, Pam Munoz | Scholastic Press | 2002 | 5-8 | An introduction into the life of Marian Anderson, an extraordinary singer and the first African American to perform with the Metropolitan Opera, whose life and career encouraged social change. A powerful, poignant bioraphy. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, African-American Historical, Religion/Spirituality | The Invisible Princess | Ringgold, Faith | Crown Publishers, Inc. | 1999 | 3-5, 5-8 | Mama and Papa Love have a child, the Invisible Princess, who saves them and the other plantation slaves from their cruel master. They all find happiness in the Invisible Village of Peace, Freedom, and Love. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian | Yoko | Wells, Rosemary | Hyperion | 1998 | 3-5 | 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. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian | The Korean Cinderella | Climo, Shirley | Harper Collins Publishers | 1993 | 3-5, 5-8 | Beautifully illustrated version of the Cinderella story showing historical, traditional rural Korean Life. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian | Thanking the Moon: Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival | Lin, Grace | Knopf Books | 2010 | 3-5, 5-8 | Lin fashions a child-friendly introduction to the mid-autumn harvest moon festival with engagingly simple text and colorful, oversize gouache illustrations. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian | Dim Sum for Everyone | Lin, Grace | Dragonfly Books | 2003 | 3-5, 5-8 | A family with three daughters arrives at a restaurant for a meal of "little dishes." Describes Chinese dining tradition of Dim Sum. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian | Bringing in the New Year | Lin, Grace | Knopf | 2008 | 3-5, 5-8 | This exuberant story follows a Chinese American family as they prepare for the Lunar New Year. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian | The Chinese Mirror | Ginsburg, Mirra | Harcourt Brace & Company | 1988 | 3-5 | A retelling of a traditional Korean tale in which a mirror brought from China causes confusion within a family as each member looks in it and seek a different stranger. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian, Indian | Elephant Dance: A Journey to India | Heine, Theresa | Barefoot Books | 2007 | 3-5, 5-8 | The scenes alternate between Grandfather's depictions of his homeland India and the boy's life in an unidentified country, where his family continues to embrace their traditions. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian, Sibling rivalry | Big Red Lollipop | Khan, Rukhsana | Viking Juvenile | March 4, 2010 | 3-5, 5-8 | Sibling rivalry (a universal concept) as seen through the eyes of Rubina, a young first generation South Asian girl. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian, Death/Aging | The Green Frogs | Heo, Yumi | Houghton Mifflin Company | 1996 | 5-8 | A folktale about two green frogs who always disobey their mother, explaining why green frogs cry out whenever it rains. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian, Family Composition | The Ugly Vegetables | Lin, Grace | Charlesbridge Publishing | 2009 | 3-5, 5-8 | A Chinese-American girl and her mother grow Chinese vegetables in a neighborhood where everyone else grows flowers. The girl thinks the garden is ugly but soon learns the beauty in being different. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian, Family Composition | Kite Flying | Lin, Grace | Dragonfly Books | 2004 | 3-5, 5-8 | A Chinese girl describes how the members of her family come together to make and fly a dragon kite. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian, Gender: Female, Individual Differences | China's Bravest Girl | Chin, Charlie | Children's Book Press | 1993 | 5-8 | Legend of Hua Mu Lan who goes to war disguised as a man to save the family honor and becomes a great general. English with Chinese translation. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian, Homelessness/Hunger/Poverty, Service/Social Action | Sam and the Lucky Money | Chinn, Karen | Lee & Low Books | 1997 | 3-5, 5-8 | Sam receives four red envelopes with money as part of the traditional Chinese New Year celebration. He decides that his four dollars would be best spent on the barefoot stranger he meets. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian, Multicultural, Immigrant Experience | Angel Child, Dragon Child | Surat, Michele Maria | Scholastic Inc. | 1983 | 3-5, 5-8 | A young Vietnamese girl and her siblings struggles to assimilate into American culture while awaiting being reunited with their mother. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian, Religion/Spirituality | Tenzin's Deer | Soros, Barbara | Barefoot Books | 2005 | 3-5, 5-8 | A story of a young Tibetan boy's efforts to care for a wounded deer aptly reflect the compassionate and caring values pervading Tibetan culture. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Asian, Religion/Spirituality | Tibetan Tales for Little Buddhas | Rose, Naomi | Clear Light Pub | 2004 | 3-5, 5-8 | Three traditional Tibetan tales that exemplify Tibetan Buddhist beliefs. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | Vicky the Vet | Brooks, Felicity | Usborne Publishing Ltd. | 2006 | 3-5, 5-8 | Does not address diversity explicitly, but does show people of diverse races throughout. It’s more subtle, but I appreciated that approach. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | The Paperboy | Pilkey, Dav | Orchard Books | 1996 | 0-3, 3-5 | Story of a boy who wakes up very early and delivers newspapers with his dog. Lovely, lyrical text and beautiful illustrations create a quiet mood and intimate tone. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | Bear on a Bike | Blackstone, Stella | Barefoot Books | 2001 | 0-3, 3-5 | Young black boy tries to keep up with a bear as they try out various modes of transportation. Enchanting illustrations and lovely, repetitive text. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | Not Norman: A Goldfish Story | Bennett, Kelly | Candlewick | 2005 | 3-5, 0-3 | A little boy is disappointed when he receives a goldfish for his birthday. However, as Norman performs acrobatics and makes the child laugh, listens attentively during his show-and-tell presentation when the rest of the class does not, sings along during band practice, and comforts him when he is awakened by a scary noise at night, the boy comes to love and appreciate the pet he at first disdained. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | Rain Feet | Johnson, Angela | Scholastic | 1994 | 0-3 | First of four board books showing Joshua, a young African American boy, celebrate a rainy day |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | Sammy: the Classroom Guinea Pig | Berenzy, Alix | Henry Holt and Co. | 2005 | 3-5, 5-8 | Ms. B. and her class figure out what is wrong with Sammy, one morning. We learn some facts about guinea pigs, and about friendship. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | Olu’s Dream | Evans, Shane W. | Shane W. Evans | 2009 | 3-5, 5-8 | Olu's dad tells him to go to bed, but his imagination takes him through fantastic adventures while he sleeps. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | Jafta | Lewin, Hugh | Carolrhoda Books | 1983 | 0-3 | A young African boy learns to express his strong feelings through animals. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | Splish! Splash! | Jarnow, Jill | Reading Railroad Books | 2000 | 0-3, 3-5 | Minimal text and glorious photos and illustrations of kids enjoying water play during the summer |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | Pet Show! | Keats, Ezra Jack | Picture Puffins | 1972 | 3-5, 5-8 | The children decide which pets to enter in a neighborhood pet show. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | Whistle for Willie | Keats, Ezra Jack | Viking | 1964 | 0-3, 3-5 | Nearly wordless story of Peter learning to whistle for his dog |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | Lola at the Library | McQuinn, Anna and Rosalind Beardshaw | Charlesberg | 2006 | 3-5, 5-8 | Lola, a young black child, discovers how much she loves the library. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | More, More, More, Said the Baby | Williams, Vera | Greenwillow Books | 1996 | 0-3 | The spontaneity and delight of play is captured perfectly in this trio of multigenerational, multiracial "love stories" about three pairs of babies and their grown-ups |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | All the Colors we Are | Kissinger, Katie | Redleaf Press | 2002 | 3-5, 5-8 | It provides straight forward information for children, teachers, and parents that answers the often asked and hard-to-answer questions about how we get our skin color. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | Daisy the Doctor | Brooks, Felicity | Usborne Publishing Ltd. | 2008 | 3-5, 5-8 | 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. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | Feast for 10 | Falwell, Cathryn | Clarion Books | 1993 | 3-5 | A counting book with an African American family. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color | The Hello Goodbye Window | Juster, Norton | Hyperion Books for Children | 2005 | 3-5 | The kitchen window at her grandparents' house is a magic gateway for one little girl who is multiracial. The story depicts the special relationship she has with her grandparents. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color, African-American Contemporary | Red Dancing Shoes | Patrick, Denise Lewis | Mulberry Books | 3-5, 5-8 | An African American girl shows off the dancing shoes given to her by her grandmother | |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color, African-American Contemporary | Totally Wonderful Miss Plumberry | Rosen, Michael | Walker Books Ltd | 2006 | 3-5, 5-8 | It is a totally wonderful morning and Molly brings Grandma's special crystal into school for Show and Tell. But when everyone is more interested in Russell's water-squirting stegosaurus, suddenly Molly's day becomes totally horrible. Luckily Miss Plumberry knows just what to do to make Molly's day totally wonderful again! |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color, Bilingual/Spanish | Kitchen Dance | Manning, Maurie J. | Clarion | 2008 | 3-5, 5-8 | Two children wake up to the sounds of clanging and singing coming from the ktichen.Expressive pictures and joyful text -- Como te quiero! -- celebrate home and family. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color, Family Composition | Black is Brown is Tan | Adoff, Arnold | Amistad | 2004 | 3-5, 5-8 | Originally published in 1973, Black Is Brown Is Tan was the first children's book to feature an interracial family. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Characters of Color, Family Composition | Two Mrs. Gibsons | Iqus, Toyomi | Children | 2001 | 3-5, 5-8 | A narrator describes her life growing up with her African American grandmother and Japanese mother. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Hispanic | Frida | Winter, Jonah | Arthur A. Levine Books | 2002 | 3-5 | About the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Gorgeous -illustrations |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Hispanic | Dream Carver | Cohn, Diana | Chronicle Books | 2002 | 3-5, 5-8 | A Oaxacan Mexican boy who carves traditional animal figures with his father, follows his dream of carving in new ways. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Hispanic | Abuela (English Edition with Spanish Phrases) | Dorros, Arthur | Dutton Juvenile | 1997 | 3-5, 5-8 | 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. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Hispanic | La Isla | Dorros, Arthur and Elisa Kleven | Dutton Juvenile | 1999 | 3-5, 5-8 | This is a sequel to Abuela where Rosalba and her grandmother fly like birds to Puerto Rico. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Hispanic, Bilingual/Spanish | Off We Got to Mexico! | Krebs, Laurie | Barefoot Books | 2008 | 3-5, 5-8 | A family visits Mexico and view different regions and cultural celebrations. This is a rhyming book with some Spanish words. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Hispanic, Bilingual/Spanish | Tales Our Abuelitas Told: An Hispanic Folktale Collection | Flor Ada, Alma | Atheneum | 2006 | 5-8 | Collection Hispanic Folktales in Spanish and English |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Hispanic, Bilingual/Spanish | Pio Peep! Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes | Flor Ada, Alma | Rayo | 2003 | 0-3 | Tradtional Hispanic nursery rhymes in Spanish and English |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Immigrant Experience, Jewish, Family Composition | When Jessie Came Across the Sea | Hest, Amy | Candlewick Press | 1997 | 5-8 | A thirteen-year-old Jewish orphan reluctantly leaves her grandmother and immigrates to New York City, where she works for three years sewing lace and earns money to bring her grandmother to the Unites States. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Individual Differences, Bilingual/Spanish | El Color de mi Piel: Hablemos del racismo or The Skin I'm In: A First Look at Racism | Thomas, Pat and Lesley Harker | Juventud | 2008 | 3-5, 5-8 | A simple explanation of racism, its basic causes, and the ways in which it can lead to unfair practices. Written by a psychotherapist and child counselor, the book promotes positive interaction among children, parents, and teachers. It also features a guide for parents on how to use the book, a glossary, suggested additional reading, and a list of resources. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Native American | Mama, Do You Love Me? | Joosse, Barbara M. | Chronicle Books | 1991 | 3-5 | Inuit daughter tests her mother’s love by imaginary changes into a walrus, polar bear, etc. Beautiful illustrations that show aspects of Inuit culture. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Native American | Big Moon Tortilla | Cowley, Joy | Boyds Mills Press | 2002 | 5-8, 9-12 | A picture book set on a Tohono O'odham (Papago) reservation in southern Arizona. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Native American, Death/Aging | The Legend of Lady's Slipper | Wargin, Kathy-jo | Sleeping Bear Press | 2001 | 5-8 | Suspenseful tale of a maiden's run through the forest in an attempt to save the people of her village. The pink and white flowers of the lady's slipper that carpet the ground each spring are a tribute to her sacrifice. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Native American, Religion/Spirituality | Arrow to the Sun | McDermott, Gerald | Puffin Books | 1977 | 3-5 | 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. |
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Religion/Spirituality | Tales from Celtic Lands | Matthews, Caitlin | 3-5, 5-8 | The joyous stories, songs and blessings of the Celtic peoples from Ireland, Scotland, Whales and Brittany create an irresistible magic both for descendants of the Celts and those from other traditions | ||
| Race/Ethnicity/Culture, Service/Social Action | Listen to the Wind | Mortenson, Greg | Dial | January 22, 2009 | 3-5, 5-8 | Picture book version of Three Cups of Tea. Greg Mortenson helps to build a school in a remote rural village in Pakistan. Information about Pakistan and the Pennies for Peace program. |
| Religion/Spirituality, Characters of Color, African-American Contemporary | Finding the Green Stone | Walker, Alice | Harcourt Brade Jovanovich, Publishers | 1991 | 5-8 | After saying unkind things to his family and friends, Johnny loses both the green stone and his interest in life, and he only recovers them when he discovers love in his heart. |
| Religion/Spirituality, Jewish | Rivka's First Thanksgiving | Rael, Elsa Okon | Aladdin | 2001 | 3-5, 5-8 | |
| Religion/Spirituality, Jewish | Sammy Spider's First Trip to Israel | Rouss, Sylvia | Kar-Ben Publishing | 2002 | 3-5, 5-8 | |
| Religion/Spirituality, Jewish | Sammy Spider's First Hanukkah | Rouss, Sylvia | Kar-Ben Publishing | 1993 | 3-5, 5-8 | |
| Religion/Spirituality, Jewish | Sammy Spider's First Passover | Rouss, Sylvia | Kar-Ben Publishing | 1995 | 3-5, 5-8 | |
| Religion/Spirituality, Jewish | The Eight Nights of Chanukah | Newman, Leslea | Abrams Books for Young Readers | 2002 | 3-5, 5-8 | |
| Religion/Spirituality, Jewish | Something From Nothing | Gilman, Phoebe | Scholastic | 1993 | 3-5, 5-8 | |
| Religion/Spirituality, Jewish | Runaway Dreidel! | Newman, Leslea | Henry Holt and Co. | 2007 | 3-5, 5-8 | |
| Religion/Spirituality, Jewish | Joseph Had a Little Overcoat | Taback, Simms | Viking Juvenile | 1999 | 0-3, 3-5 | Based on a Yiddish song. Caldecott Medal winner. |
| Religion/Spirituality, Jewish | Mrs. Moskowitz and the Sabbath Candlesticks | Schwartz, Amy | Jewish Publication Society of America | 1983 | 9-12 | |
| Religion/Spirituality, Jewish, Homelessness/Hunger/Poverty, Service/Social Action | Bagels from Benny | Davis, Aubrey | Kids Can Press, Ltd. | 2005 | 3-5, 5-8 | Very sweet story about a little boy and his grandfather who owns a bakery - with a great message about homelessness. |
| Service/Social Action | The Peace Book | Parr, Todd | Little, Brown | 2004 | 3-5, 5-8 | |
| Service/Social Action, African-American Historical | A Picture Book of Harriet Beecher Stowe | Adler, David A. | Holiday House | 2003 | 5-8 | Details the life and achievements of the abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe, whose book Uncle Tom's Cabin, is said to have started the Civil War. |