Yolanda U. Trapp
Asia
Tien Nu (The Girl from Heaven) Tale From China. Amherst, New York: Creative Edge, Inc. 1989. A beautiful folktale of China about a girl who wanted to help with a little coin of gold to make a statute of Buda. For Spanish lessons the book is translated in Spanish. (For 3rd and 4th grade)
Waters, Kate and Slovenz-Low, Madeline. Photographs by Marta Cooper. Lion Dancer, Ernie Wan's Chinese New Year. New York, New York: Scholastic, Inc. 1990. This is a story of the most important day of Ernie Wan's life. This Chinese New Year, he will perform his first Lion Dance on the streets of New York City! (Kindergarten to 3rd grade)
Yashima, Taro and Mitsu. Umbrella. New York, New York: Puffin Books a Division of Penguin Books, U.S.A., Inc. 1977. Momo, an American Japanese girl, eagerly waits for a rainy day so she can use the red boots and umbrella she received on her third birthday. (Grades K-2nd)
Africa
Gray, Nigel. A Country Far Away. Pictures by Phillippe Dupasquier. New York, New York: Orchard Books. U.S.A. 1991. Side-by-side pictures reveal the essential similarities between the lives of two boys, one in a western country, one in a rural African village. (For K to 2nd grade)
Jenkins, Steve. Biggest, Strongest, Fastest. Published by Ticknor and Field Books for Young Readers. New York, New York: A Houghton Mifflin Company, Copyright 1995. A great picture book and story book about several animals children love like elephants, snakes, and also from different countries included. Cut-paper collages. "A great learning and teaching tool and an enjoyable picture book". -- School Library Journal 9/94.
Shertle, Alice. Down the Road. Illustrated by E.B. Lewis. San Diego, CA: Browndeer Press Hartcourt Brace and Company, printed in Singapore 1995. Hetty, a little African American girl, wants to go by herself to buy some eggs at Mr. Birdie's store. She went out of the road and broke the eggs, but her loving family enjoys anyway the afternoon eating apples and their child's first steps toward independence. (For Kindergarten to 2nd grades)
Verne, La C. Johnson. Kumi and Chanti Tell the Story of Harriet Tubman. Chicago, IL: Empak Publishing Company, 1992. This story is about Harriet Tubman and how she helped other slaves to escape to Philadelphia where they did not have slaves, and could be free.
Latin America (South Central)
Lippert, H. Margaret. The Sea Serpent's Daughter. A Brazilian legend. Illustrated by Felipe Davalos. (Legends of the World). Troll Associates. Library of Congress Cataloging-in publication data. 1993. Relates the traditional Brazilian legend of how the sea serpent's gift of darkness to his daughter brings night to the people of the rain forest. (3rd and 4th grade)
Rohmer, Harriet and Wilson, Dorminster. Mother Scorpion Country. Stories from Central America. Illustrations: Virginia Stearns. Library of Congress cataloging-in publication data. 1987. U.S.A. A brave young Miskito Indian follows his wife from the land of the living to the spirit world. English and Spanish version. (for 3rd and 4th grade)
Native American
Goble, Paul. The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses. Story and illustrations by Paul Goble. Copyright 1978. Alladin Books. New York, New York: MacMillan Publishing Company, 1986. Though she is fond of her people, a girl prefers to live among the wild horses where she is truly happy and free. A dramatic tale of a Plains Native American girl. (For 3rd and 4th grade)
De Paola, Tom, The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush. Retold and illustrated by Tomie De Paola. A Paper Star Book, published in 1996. New York, New York: Putnam and Grosset Group, U.S.A. Little Gopher follows his destiny, as revealed in a dream-vision, of becoming an artist for his people and eventually is able to bring the colors of the sunset down to the earth. Spanish and English versions. (3rd and 4th grade)
Multicultural Books
Baer, Edith. This Is The Way We Go To School. A book about children around the world. Illustrated by Steve Bjorkman. New York, New York: Scholastic, Inc. New York, 1990. Edith Baer takes all the teachers and students on a journey around the world, how other children go to school according to the place where they live. (For all grades)
W. Nikola, Lisa. Bein' With You This Way. Illustrated by Michael Bryant. New York, New York: Lee and Low Books, Inc. Printed in Hong Kong by South China Printing Company. 1988. (LTD) Using similarities and differences of all cultures beautifully illustrated, and written with rhythm. (All ages from K to 4th grade will enjoy it.)
Torres, Leyla. Subway Sparrow. Illustrated by her. Library of Congress Catalog Card number: 97-55104. Published simultaneously in Canada by Harper Collins. Canada, LTD. 1993. A sparrow is trapped in a New York subway train. Four different people will try to help it to escape. None of them speaks the same language but with the same attitude and feelings they understood and none of the cultural barriers divided them. (Great book for all grades, K-4th.)
