“Then began an experience that turned my life around — working on a book with a black kid as hero. None of the manuscripts I'd been illustrating featured any black kids — except for token blacks in the background. My book would have him there simply because he should have been there all along.” ~ Erza Jack Keats.
We love him just for that, for his creation of Peter, the black protagonist. Read more » |
Review of I am Flippish
By Leslie V. Ryan; illustrated by Adolph Soliz
“Why don’t I look like you?” is a question every parent, especially mixed families, must have encountered (or will encounter) at some point in time. “I am Flippish,” a story set in a very practical context, addresses this for all of us.
The author, Leslie Ryan, sent me a copy of this book. Read more » |
Another year passes by. Weekly trips to the library, gifts and several visits to our local used bookstores...books flowed in from everywhere. Huddling up for a read-aloud still seems to be the most favorite thing to do in our family. I sometimes think I should keep track of every book we read together. But that would almost be impossible. I usually end up reviewing the ones that make an immediate impact or the ones we keep going back to. Read more » |
November is Native American Heritage month. In our family, our eight-year-old daughter has developed a deep fascination for the culture, primarily through books. Besides the several stories of Squanto and Sacagawea we’ve read together, the books based on “Kaya” of the American Girl series helped sustain her adoration. She is currently reading Scott O’Dell’s “Sing Down the Moon” and I am curious to hear what she thinks of it. Read more » |
One day, while driving around in our car, my four-year-old son complained from behind, “Ma, I wish all of us were not Indians. It is boring. You or Appa could have been Mexican or Italian.” I smiled at his wish for our family to be biracial. I was also proud because the global mindset that we have tried to infuse in our children early on, was presenting itself in little ways—like how he thought a third language or a piñata could spice up our lives. Read more » |
A passport to the second-largest and second-most-populous continent, these picture books will transport children to the landscapes and lifestyles of Africa through enjoyable stories and delightful art.
Catch That Goat!
By Polly Alakija
Ages: 3+
Catch That Goat! takes us to a vibrant street market in Nigeria where little Ayoka is fretting about the family goat that has just absconded from her care Read more » |
Growing up in India, we played a lot of board games in our family. The tradition is now carried over and my kids are very excited on game nights. Lately, I’ve been curious about the origin and cultural orientation of board games. And how, with the fundamentals intact, the games have evolved over time and crossed borders and cultures. Here is a list of games and related facts that truly fascinate me. Read more » |
Every summer my kids and I spend at least six weeks in Chennai, a metropolis in Southern India where I was born and raised. Even though the chaos and noise of a hot, crowded city has grown on them over the years, there are certain things that continue to fascinate them. For instance, I’ve noticed how they stand on the verandah and catch the action on the street with undivided attention every morning. Read more » |
I was in the children’s section of a big, chain bookstore last week. I ambled around browsing picture book covers and flipping through the ones that were colorful or artistic. At first, I didn’t notice anything strange—there were many books on vehicles and animals; there were the seasonal ones (spring and summer themed books) and the timeless classics like “Goodnight Moon” and “Where the Wild Things Are. Read more » |
“The Chalk Doll” by Charlotte Pomerantz and pictures by Frané Lessac
Ages: 4+
Don’t we all love talking to our kids about our past, beginning a story with “When I was your age, there was no…” or “In those days, we did not…?” Often, reminiscing is very gratifying. Sometimes I even win the sympathy and admiration of my kids, considering our starkly contrasting childhoods. Read more » |
Goyangi Means Cat
By Christine McDonnell; Illustrated by Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher
Ages: 4+
It is Soo Min’s first week in America. She is trying to adjust to a new country, a different culture and a new set of parents. Soo Min only speaks Korean; English is still foreign to her. She survives the first few days with the limited Korean her Omah (Mom) and Apah (Dad) know. Read more » |
Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book
By Muriel Feelings (author) and Tom Feelings (illustrator)
Ages: 3 and Up
With no Q and X sounds, there are only 24 letters in the Swahili alphabet (unlike the English language). And 45 million people speak it. These facts in the author’s introductory note get my kids excited almost immediately. However, I keep returning to the image of the African girl on the front cover with a big smile and wide open arms towards the sky. Read more » |
May is Asian-Pacific American heritage month. It is the perfect time to showcase some of the truly amazing authors in Asian-American children’s literature, who have consistently produced works that bridge cultures.
The reading list includes authors and books that highlight Asian heritage through great stories. This kind of literary exposure can be very enriching as it helps children develop a deeper understanding of cultures and hence an appreciation for the diverse communities in which we live. Read more » |
By Eve Bunting; Illustrated by Karen Barbour
Ages: 4+
Sophia’s grandfather “gifts” her with an olive tree on her seventh birthday. But the tree is on a small island in Greece where Sophia’s mother was born. A year later, her dying grandfather also entrusts her with her grandmother’s beads, urging her to hang them on her olive tree. Read more » |
“Chicken Sunday” by Patricia Polacco
Ages: 4+
Author-artist, Patricia Polacco’s books are among the best loved ones in our home. We read and re-read her stories with unabated interest. “Chicken Sunday” is our most recent favorite. And pysanky (Ukrainian Easter eggs), featured in the story and showcased beautifully in Polacco’s artwork, make it a great read for Easter. Read more » |
Foods embody cultures. And food-themed books are a great way to sample and savor cultures. Here are seven wonderful picks from around the world that we’ve enjoyed in our family.
PINO AND THE SIGNORA’S PASTA by Janet Pedersen
Ages: 4-8
Set in the bustling streets of Rome, the story starts off with a feline bunch waiting to lap up some pasta that Signora lovingly serves every day Read more » |
I’ve realized the term “love marriage” is absent in the West. In India and a few other countries in South Asia, it would denote one of the two possible ways leading to a union, the other being arranged marriage.
Love is probably the last thing on the checklist when two people are arranged to live together for the rest of their lives. Strange but true. Read more » |
Paati (grandma) joined us this past summer from India. It was her first visit to our home in the U.S since the kids. Paati can understand, read and write elementary English, while our six-something-year-old daughter can handle only minimal Tamil (the regional Indian language we speak). With no clairvoyance, my husband and I concluded that the lack of a medium of communication was going to deter and procrastinate the bonding between Paati and our children. Read more » |
Diwali: A Festival of Lights and Fun (Diwali: Kushiyon Ka Tyohaar)
By Manisha Kumar & Monica Kumar (Authors), Sona & Jacob (Illustrators)
Reviewed by Meera Sriram
(Reprinted with permission from Saffrontree.org)
This bilingual book on Diwali is from Meera Masi, a Bay Area based cross-cultural publishing house with a mission to pass on the heritage of India to immigrant children, through books and other products on Indian languages and culture. Read more » |
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