Multicultural Books
Selected titles available in the HBLL
Multicultural literature is an ever growing genre that is needed to bridge cultural diversity in our global society. Literature is a powerful teacher, and through multicultural literature many people, ranging from young children to adults, can begin to see the world through another’s eyes. To build understanding between various cultures, in today’s increasingly diverse society, it is crucial to become more aware and to take the time to learn, respect, and celebrate various unique cultures. Through the settings, characters, and authors of various multicultural books, all readers can achieve a greater understanding of the varying cultures represented. Although multicultural literature can be a powerful and positive teacher, much depends on the views and writing of the author. It is important to critically analyze the purpose for and validity of the cultures being represented in the story as one is reading.
Below is a selection of multicultural literature books, published between 2002 and 2007, available in the Harold B. Lee Library. The majority of books chosen for this bibliography are fiction.
CALL NUMBER TITLE AUTHOR CULTURE REPRESENTED/ RECOMMENDED AGE
Geographic Location
United States: African Americans
813 D7917c
Copper Sun
Draper, Sharon M. (Mills)
African American
Ages 13 +
923 T79wea
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom
Weatherford, Carole Boston
African American
Ages 4-8
813 J7267111s
Standing Against the Wind
Jones, Traci L.
African American
Ages 13 +
813 G88251r
The Road to Paris
Grimes, Nikki
African American
Ages 13 +
813 M992j
Jazz
Myers, Walter Dean
African American
Ages 4-8
813 Ad71b
Black is Brown is Tan
Adoff, Arnold
Interracial
Ages 4-8
811 W868L
Locomotion
Woodson, Jacqueline
African American
Ages 13 +
813 F599b
Bang!
Flake, Sharon
African American
Ages 13 +
813 R1822fs
Freedom Ship
Rappaport, Doreen
African American
Ages 4-8
813 L5674d
Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue
Lester, Julius
African American
Ages 13 +
813 H198g
The Gift Giver (163rd street trilogy)
Hansen, Joyce
African American
Ages 13 +
813 H198o
One True Friend (also in the 163rd street trilogy)
Hansen, Joyce
African American
Ages 13 +
813 H198y
Yellow Bird and Me (also in the 163rd stree trilogy)
Hansen, Joyce
African American
Ages 13 +
813 D8652111b
The Bicycle Man
Dudley, David L.
African American
Ages 9-12
813 H9411g
A Girl Called Boy
Hurmence, Belinda
African American
Ages 9-12
813 W868c
Coming on Home Soon
Woodson, Jacqueline
African American
Ages 4-8
813 M217pL
Porch Lies: Tales of Slicksters, Tricksters, and Other Wily Characters
McKissack, Patricia
African American
Ages 9-12
813 W12cs
Candy Shop
Wahl, Jane
African American + Taiwanese
Ages 4-8
813 K967iss
In the Small, Small Night
Kurtz, Jane
Ghanaian Americans
Ages 4-8
813 En36bow
The Baby On the Way
English, Karen
African American
Ages 4-8
813 T4937111c
Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom
Tingle, Tim
Choctaw Indian & African American
Ages 9-12
813 J631112f
The First Part Last
Johnson, Angela
African American
Ages 13 +
813 M992be
The Beast
Myers, Walter Dean
African American
Ages 13 +
813 W868h
Hush
Woodson, Jacqueline
African American
Ages 13 +
United States: Asian Americans
813 C42111gc
Goldfish and Chrysanthemums
Cheng, Andrea
Chinese American
Ages 4-8
895.1 C738sp
The Story of Paper
Compestine, Ying Chang
Chinese American
Ages 4-8
813 F199b
Butterflies for Kiri
Falwell, Cathryn
Japanese American
Ages 4-8
895.6 Sa99m
Music for Alice
Say, Allen
Japanese American
Ages 4-8
895.7 P17s
Sumi's First Day of School Ever
Pak, Soyung
Korean American
Ages 4-8
813 P21942f
The Firekeeper's Son
Park, Linda Sue
Korean American
Ages 4-8
895.9 H65p
Peek! A Thai Hide-and-Seek
Ho, Minfong
Thai American
Ages 4-8
813 T797s
Seven Chinese Sisters
Tucker, Kathy
Chinese
Ages 4-8
813 K116k
Kira-Kira
Kadohata, Cynthia
Japanese American
Ages 9-12
813 L872r
Ruby Lu, Brave and True
Look, Lenore
Asian American
Ages 9-12
813 L63y
The Year of the Dog
Lin, Grace
Tawainese American
Ages 9-12
813 C42111h
Honeysuckle House
Cheng, Andrea
Chinese American
Ages 9-12
813 H571422t
The Trouble Begins
Himelblau, Linda
Vietnamese
Ages 9-12
813 L872rL
Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything
Look, Lenore
Chinese Americans
Ages 9-12
813 M351q
The Quail Club
Marsden, Carolyn
Thai
Ages 9-12
813 Y58b
Brothers
Yin
Chinese Americans
Ages 4-8
813 H3444111n
Nothing but the truth : (and a few white lies)
Headley, Justina Chen
Tawainese American
Ages 13 +
813 Sa34e
Eyes of the Emperor
Salisbury, Graham
Japanese American
Ages 13 +
813 F62912L
Lowji Discovers America
Fleming, Candace
East Indian
Ages 9-12
899 D37151f
Fresh Off the Boat
de la Cruz, Melissa
Filipino American
Ages 13 +
823 K89772h
The happiest tree : a yoga story
Krishnaswami, Uma
East Indian
Ages 4-8
823 Y35bc
The bone collector's son
Yee, Paul
Immigrant to Vancouver
Ages 13 +
895.1 N151hh
Half and half
Namioka, Lensey
Chinese American/ Scottish American
Ages 9-12
813 R245m
My Name is Yoon
Recorvits, Helen
Korean American
Ages 4-8
United States: Latino Americans
823 F762m 2006
Mia's Story: A Sketchbook of Hopes and Dreams
Foreman, Michael
Chilean
Ages 4-8
813 C1598111t
The Tequila Worm
Canales, Viola
Mexican American
Ages 13 +
813 Os11c
Cuba 15
Osa, Nancy
Cuban American
Ages 13 +
813 AL86b
Before We Were Free
Alvarez, Julia
Dominican Republic
Ages 13 +
813 R957b
Becoming Naomi Leon
Ryan, Pam Munoz
Mexican American
Ages 9-12
813 R911r
The Remembering Stone
Russell, Barbara Timberlake
Costa Rican Americans
Ages 4-8
813 M7645g bk.1
A Crazy Mixed-Up Spanglish Day
Montes, Marissa
Latino American
Ages 9-12
813 D361u
Under the Same Sky
DeFelice, Cynthia
Mexican American
Ages 13 +
813 H652cw
Crossing the Wire
Hobbs, Will
Mexican American
Ages 13 +
813 L9735111h
Heat
Lupica, Michael
Cuban American
Ages 9-12
813 C66132111d
Dream Carver
Cohn, Diana
Mexican American
Ages 4-8
813 W669811tt
Tiny Tortilla
Williams, Arlene
Latino American
Ages 4-8
813 J28111L
La Linea
Jaramillo, Ann
Mexican American
Ages 13 +
813 C888Lm
Little Mama Forgets
Cruise, Robin
Mexican American
Ages 4-8
813 Ad53i
Young Zorro: The Iron Brand
Adkins, Jan
Latino American
Ages 9-12
813 G8345111mg bk.1
Chasing the Jaguar
Greene, Michele
Central American in America
Ages 13 +
863 C3685111a
Amelia's Show-and-Tell Fiesta/Amelia y la Fiesta de "Muestra y Cuenta"
Chapra, Mimi
Cuban Americans
Ages 4-8
923 C398k
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez
Krull, Kathleen
Latino in US
Ages 9-12
813 Si84r
Rosa takes a chance : Mexican immigrants in the Dust Bowl years
Miller, Susan Martins
Mexican American
Ages 9-12
United States: Native Americans
813 Er29gs
The Game of Silence
Erdrich, Louise
Ojibwa Indians
Ages 9-12
813 T4937111c
Crossing Bok chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom
Tingle, Tim
Choctaw Indian & African American
Ages 9-12
813 B834hr
Hidden Roots
Bruchac, Joseph
Native American
Ages 9-12
813 B834g
Geronimo
Bruchac, Joseph
Apache Indians
Ages 13 +
813 P316c
Crooked River
Pearsall, Shelley
Ojibwa Indians
Ages 9-12
813 B834wd
Whisper in the Dark
Bruchac, Joseph
Narragansett Indians
Ages 9-12
813 B834dp
The Dark Pond
Bruchac, Joseph
Shawnee Indians
Ages 9-12
813 Or8711g
The Good Rainbow Road
Ortiz, Simon J
Acoma Indians
Ages 9-12
813 K14841w
Worlds apart
Karr, Kathleen
Sewee Indians
Ages 13 +
813 B834e
Eagle Song
Bruchac, Joseph
Iroquois/Mohawk Indians
Ages 4-8
Canada
823 H31711t
Theories of Relativity
Haworth-Attard, Barbara
Author from Ontario
Ages 13 +
823 W99t
A Thief in the House of Memory
Wynne-Jones, Tim
Ontario
Ages 13 +
823 W99r
Rex Zero and the End of the World
Wynne-Jones, Tim
Ottowa/Vancouver
Ages 9-12
823 B413b
The Blue Helmet
Bell, William
New Toronto
Ages 13 +
823 SL12m
Megiddo's Shadow
Slade, Arthur
Canada/Canadian Army
Ages 13 +
813 F9288b
The Braid
Frost, Helen
Scottish emigrants to Cape Breton, Canada
Ages 9-12
813 P8346111c
The Crazy Man
Porter, Pamela Paige
Saskatchewan
Ages 9-12
813 G29oaL
Luck
George, Jean Craighead
Northern Canada to Platte river
Ages 4-8
823 T8279211r
Red Sea
Tullson, Diane
Author from Calgary
Ages 13 +
823 G341511n
No Small Thing
Ghent, Natale
Ontario
Ages 9-12
823 Y35bc
The Bone Collector's Son
Yee, Paul
Vancouver
Ages 13 +
Central/South America
843 B64111k
The Killer's Tears
Bondoux, Anne-Laure
Chile
Ages 13 +
813 AL86b
Before We Were Free
Alvarez, Julia
Dominican Republic
Ages 13 +
813 G8345111mg bk.1
Chasing the Jaguar
Greene, Michele
Central American in America
Ages 13 +
863 C3685111a
Amelia's Show-and-Tell Fiesta/Amelia y la Fiesta de "Muestra y Cuenta"
Chapra, Mimi
Cuban Americans
Ages 4-8
813 C66132111d
Dream Carver
Cohn, Diana
Mexican
Ages 4-8
813 W669811tt
Tiny Tortilla
Williams, Arlene
Latino
Ages 4- 8
813 J28111L
La Linea
Jaramillo, Ann
Mexican
Ages 13 +
813 H652cw
Crossing the Wire
Hobbs, Will
Mexican
Ages 13 +
813 R957b
Becoming Naomi Leon
Ryan, Pam Munoz
Mexican
Ages 9-12
813 M58911tg
Tree Girl
Mikaelsen, Ben
Guatemala
Ages 13 +
813 C145c
Colibrí
Cameron, Ann
Mayan/Guatemala
Ages 13 +
823 In46222v
The Voyage of the Poppykettle
Ingpen, Robert
Peru
Ages 4-8
813 R154pp
A Pen Pal for Max
Rand, Gloria
Chile
Ages 4-8
Europe
823 B816sb
Silly Billy
Anthony Browne
Guatemalan worry dolls/ European author
Ages 4-8
843 G862411f
The Fighter
Greif, Jean-Jacques
Warsaw to Paris to Auschwitz
Ages 13 +
896 N143w
Web of Lies
Naidoo, Beverley
England
Ages 13 +
843 M866411p
The Pull of the Ocean
Mourlevat, Jean-Claude
France
Ages 13 +
843 P651322w
When I Grow Up, I Will Win the Nobel Peace Prize
Pin, Isabel
Translated from the German.
Ages 4-8
823 R2596L
Larklight: A Rousing Tale of Dauntless Pluck in the Farthest Reaches of Space
Reeve, Philip
England
Ages 9-12
823 Se28f
The Foreshadowing
Sedgwick, Marcus
France/England/Great Britain History
Ages 13 +
823 W736t
Tanglewreck
Winterson, Jeanette
London
Ages 13 +
823 G7674111dgt bk.1
Blood Red Horse
Grant, K.M.
England
Ages 9-12
863 G135422L
The Legend of the Wandering King
Gallego Garcia, Laura
Translated from Spanish/ Arabian Peninsula
Ages 13 +
823 G176i
I, Coriander.
Gardner, Sally
17th century London
Ages 13 +
823 H351411m
The Minister's Daughter
Hearn, Julie
Great Britain
Ages 13 +
833 H747i
An Innocent Soldier
Holub, Josef
Germany/Russia
Ages 13 +
823 M582422w
The Whispering Road
Michael, Livi
Manchester, England
Ages 13 +
813 M8237ih
It Happened at School: Two Tales
Morgenstern, Susie
France
Ages 9-12
823 M192p
Permanent Rose
McKay, Hilary
England
Ages 13 +
823 C82811f
Framed!
Rose, Malcom
Wales
Ages 9-12
823 Up1mo
Montmorency on the Rocks : Doctor, Aristocrat, Murderer?
Updale, Eleanor
London
Ages 13 +
823 W694i
The Illustrated Mum
Wilson, Jacqueline
England
Ages 13 +
843 Sp45311k
Kipling's Choice
Spillebeen, Geert
France/ Translated from Dutch
Ages 13 +
928 Z42811
When I Was a Soldier
Zenatti, Valerie
France/ Israel
Ages 13 +
813 R1822ss
The Secret Seder
Rappaport, Doreen
France
Ages 4 -8
823 B886gg
Gleam and Glow
Bunting, Eve
Bosnia
Ages 4 -8
823 M488cf bk.1
The Hunter's Moon
Melling, O. R.
Irish & American characters
Ages 13 +
823 Z89b
The Book Thief
Zusak, Markus
Germany
Ages 13 +
823 H256sd 2006
The Silver Donkey
Hartnett, Sonya
France
Ages 13 +
813 C89742mma
Moi & Marie Antoinette
Cullen, Lynn.
France
Ages 4 -8
813 M13211as
Adele & Simon
McClintock, Barbara.
France
Ages 4-8
813 W46mt
The Miraculous Tale of the Two Maries
Wells, Rosemary
France
Ages 4-8
823 D752711s
A Swift Pure Cry
Dowd, Siobhan
Ireland
Ages 13 +
895.1 N151hh
Half and Half
Namioka, Lensey
Chinese American/ Scottish American
Ages 9-12
813 N162fi
Fire in the Hills
Napoli, Donna Jo
Italian
Ages 13 +
813 D6119122q
The Queen's Soprano
Dines, Carol
Italian
Ages 13 +
813 M332t
There's a Dolphin in the Grand Canal!
Marciano, John Bemelmans
Italian
Ages 4-8
813 C274511p
Pizza for the Queen
Castaldo, Nancy F
Italian
Ages 4-8
823 T756pb
The Paint Box
Trottier, Maxine
Italian
Ages 9-12
813 H487d
Dante's Daughter
Heuston, Kimberly
Italian
Ages 13 +
833 P9265m
Malka
Pressler, Mirjam
Poland
Ages 13 +
813 R8124111y
Yellow Star
Roy, Jennifer Rozines
Poland
Ages 9-12
839.8 G11og
The Orange Girl
Gaarder, Jostein
Norway
Ages 13 +
813 Sc95222s
Super Grandpa
Schwartz, David M.
Sweden
Ages 4-8
813 W2477tc
Twilight Child
Warner, Sally
Finland/Scotland
Ages 13 +
813 M228p
The Problem with Chickens
McMillan, Bruce
Iceland
Ages 4-8
813 N874h
Hana in the Time of the Tulips
Noyes, Deborah
Netherlands
Ages 9-12
823 B63hw bk.1
The House of Windjammer
Richardson, V. A.
Netherlands
Ages 13 +
813 H2994e
Eyes Like Willy's
Havill, Juanita
France/Austria
Ages 9-12
813 K153861r
Real Time: A Novel
Kass, Pnina
Germany/Israel
Ages 13 +
823 F8897w
Where in the World
French, Simon
Germany/Australia
Ages 9-12
813 W571t
The Turning
Whelan, Gloria
Russia
Ages 9-12
813 Av51ca
Crispin : At the Edge of the World
Avi
England
Ages 13 +
823 T849fi
Forged in the Fire
Turnbull, Ann
London
Ages 13 +
813 St97t
A True and Faithful Narrative
Sturtevant, Katherine
Great Britain
Ages 13 +
823 B56371p
Parent Swap
Blacker, Terence
England
Ages 13 +
Middle East
813 F22951ca
Clever Ali
Farmer, Nancy
Middle Eastern
Ages 4-8
813 T835mwm
Moon Without Magic
Tunnell, Michael O.
Arabia
Ages 13 +
813 T835w
Wishing Moon
Tunnell, Michael O.
Arabia
Ages 13 +
813 Sa995111a
Anahita's Woven Riddle
Sayres, Meghan Nuttall
Iran
Ages 13 +
813 F637a
Alphabet of Dreams
Fletcher, Susan
Iran
Ages 13 +
813 St277u
Under the Persimmon Tree
Staples, Suzanne Fisher
Afghanistan
Ages 13 +
891 K5276222s
Silly Chicken
Khan, Rukhsana
Pakistan
Ages 4-8
813 Sh316c
The Carpet Boy's Gift
Shea, Pegi Deitz
Pakistan
Ages 9-12
853 D12i
Iqbal : a novel
D'Adamo, Francesco
Pakistan
Ages 9-12
891 K5276222ruc
Ruler of the Courtyard
Khan, Rukhsana
Pakistan
Ages 4-8
928 B171111w
The Librarian of Basra : a true story from Iraq
Winter, Jeanette
Iraq
Ages 4-8
Africa
813 D5399611i
I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Diakite, Penda
Mali
Ages 4-8
843 St69s
The Shadows of Ghadames
Stolz, Joelle
Libya
Ages 13 +
813 K967iss
In the Small, Small Night
Kurtz, Jane
Ghanaian Americans
Ages 4-8
923 L538
Facing the lion : Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna
Lekuton, Joseph Lemasolai (with Herman J. Viola)
African (Kenya)
Ages 9-12
966.9 On9h
Here Comes Our Bride!: An African Wedding Story.
Onyefulu, Ifeoma.
African (Nigeria)
Ages 4-8
511 C31541o
One Child, One Seed: A South African Counting Book
Cave, Kathryn.
Africa (S. Africa)
Ages 4-8
823 D178o
Once Upon a Time
Daly, Niki
Africa (S. Africa)
Ages 4-8
896 N143ob
Out of Bounds: Seven Stories of Conflict and Hope
Naidoo, Beverley.
Africa (S. Africa
Ages 13 +
813 St98b
Babu’s Song
Stuve-Bodeen, Stephanie.
Tanzia
Ages 4-8
823 H262311o
Orphan of the Sun
Harvey, Gill
Egypt
Ages 9-12
Asia
823 Si64811y
Younguncle Comes to Town
Singh, Vandana
India
Ages 9-12
813 Sh316t
Tangled Threads: A Hmong Girl's Story
Shea, Pegi Deitz
Hmong:
Ages 13 +
813 T797s
Seven Chinese Sisters
Tucker, Kathy
Chinese
Ages 4-8
895.6 Sa99k
Kamishibai Man
Say, Allen
Japanese
Ages 9-12
928 M119j
The Diary of Ma Yan: The Struggles and Hopes of a Chinese Schoolgirl
Ma, Yan
Translated from French
Ages 13 +
813 F62912L
Lowji Discovers America
Fleming, Candace
East Indian
Ages 9-12
813 H571422t
The Trouble Begins
Himelblau, Linda
Vietnamese
Ages 9-12
813 B859511a
Ask Me No Questions
Budhos, Marina
Bangledash
Ages 13 +
899 D37151f
Fresh Off the Boat
de la Cruz, Melissa
Phillipines
Ages 13 +
823 K89772n
Naming Maya
Krishnaswami, Uma
India
Ages 9-12
813 M351s
Silk Umbrellas
Marsden, Caroline
Thailand
Ages 9-12
863
The Legend of the Wandering King
Gallego Garcia, Laura
Translated from
Ages 13 +
G135422L
Spanish/ Arabian Penninsula
928 Z42811
When I Was a Soldier
Zenatti, Valerie
France/ Israel
Ages 13 +
813 M351w
When Heaven Fell
Marsden, Carolyn
Vietnamese
Ages 9-12
813 L8845111L
Little Sap and Monsieur Rodin
Lord, Michelle
Cambodia/France
Ages 4-8
Australia/New Zealand/ Pacific Islands
823 C5534k
Kalpana's Dream
Clarke, Judith
Australia/ India
Ages 13 +
823 L138711s
Surviving Aunt Marsha
Laguna, Sofie
Australia
Ages 9-12
823 Or5Ln
Lizzie Nonsense: A Story of Pioneer Days
Ormerod, Jan
Australia
Ages 4-8
823 B3265111r
The Running Man
Buar, Michael Gerard
Australia
Ages 13 +
823 Sm636111u
The Unknown Zone
Smith, Phil
New Zealand
Ages 13 +
823 C8391h
Hunter
Cowley, Joy
Maori
Ages 13 +
823 B3884111n
Nobody's Dog
Beck, Jennifer
New Zealand
Ages 4-8
823 B812111b
A Booming in the Night
Brown, Ben
New Zealand
Ages 4-8
823 L333a
Aunt Effie and the Island that Sank
Lasenby, Jack
New Zealand
Ages 4-8
823 B319912b
The Boyfriend Rules of Good Behavior
Bateson, Catherine
Australia
Ages 9-12
823 B319912s
Stranded in Boringsville
Bateson, Catherine
Australia
Ages 13 +
Compiled by Holly Dickman, Farnsworth Juvenile Literature Library, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, February 2008.
