Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Written by: Grace Lin

Upper Elementary Grades

"In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.gracelin.com/content.php?page=wherethemountainmeetsthemoon

First Family

First Family

Written by: Deborah Hopkinson
Illustrated by: AG Ford

Elementary Grades

"At work, at play, at home in the White House! The White House is a museum, the office of the chief executive, a gathering place for leaders and visitors from around the globe. It's also a home for one special family - the First Family. This book follows a day in the life of the Obama family, including first pup Bo!"

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/white-house-101

The Pet Dragon: A Story about Adventure, Friendship, and Chinese Characters

The Pet Dragon: A Story about Adventure, Friendship, and Chinese Characters

Written and Illustrated by: Christoph Niemann

Elementary Grades

"Meet Lin and her pet dragon! When the dragon mysteriously disappears, Lin sets off on a journey to find her best friend and readers set off on a journey of learning and discovery.

By ingeniously integrating written Chinese characters into the illustrations as the story progresses, Christoph Niemann has created a book that is engrossing, unique, and memorable. The Pet Dragon is a playful introduction to the fascinating world of Chinese language and culture . . . and a terrific story to share with children everywhere."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.chinese4kids.net/

The Name Jar

The Name Jar

Written and Illustrated by: Yangsook Choi

Elementary Grades

"Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what about when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her. So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week. Her new classmates are fascinated by this no-name girl and decide to help out by filling a glass jar with names for her to pick from. But while Unhei practices being a Suzy, Laura, or Amanda, one of her classmates comes to her neighborhood and discovers her real name and its special meaning. On the day of her name choosing, the name jar has mysteriously disappeared. Encouraged by her new friends, Unhei chooses her own Korean name and helps everyone pronounce it,"

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=14832

Flowers from Mariko

Flowers from Mariko

Written by: Rick Noguchi and Deneen Jenks
Illustrated by: Michelle Reiko Kumata

Upper Elementary and Junior High Grades

"This is the story of a Japanese-American girl whose family has suffered through three years of internment at a desolate "relocation center" during World War II. When her father returns to California, he finds that his truck has been sold and that their former landlord has disappeared with the proceeds. This sad event, along with the loss of most of their other possessions, means that Mariko's father cannot immediately resume his gardening business.

The family settles into a bleak trailer park established for returning internees. Bit by bit, they are able to rebuild their lives. The child's father finds some discarded gardening equipment that he can fix and Mariko starts a flower garden that comes to symbolize their rebirth. An author's note provides some brief background that allows children to put the story in context."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.tolerance.org/resource/flowers-mariko

Mice and Beans

Mice and Beans

Written by: Pam Munoz Ryan
Illustrated by: Joe Cepeda

Elementary Grades

"Rosa Maria loves to cook big meals for her big family, and she's determined to make her youngest grandchild's birthday party a special occasion. But when important items start to disappear from her kitchen, she doesn't know what to think. You will delight in uncovering the clues that lead to a very funny surprise. Vibrant paintings with brilliant comic touches, a winsome main character, jaunty rhythms, and playful refrains make MICE AND BEANS a feast for the eyes and ears."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://treasures.macmillanmh.com/florida/students/grade2/book2/unit6/mice-and-beans
http://suzyred.com/mbirdmice.htm
http://readingtokids.org/Books/BookView.php?bookID=00000462

Estela's Swap

Estela's Swap

Written by: Alexis O Neill
Illustrated by: Enrique O Sanchez

Elementary Grades

"It's early Sunday morning at the Santa Ana Swap Meet, and Estela is excited. Today she hopes to sell something, a music box, for the first time and then use the money for dance lessons. Watching her father she learns how to bargain, but she can't find a buyer for her own item. Another vendor admires the music box, just as Estela admires the dancing skirt that the vendor is sewing. There's no exchange of money; instead, Estela and the vendor trade the box and skirt as gifts. This is a warm, nicely paced story about sharing and bartering that's filled with sensory descriptions of the vibrant open market."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
*download PDF teachers guide on this page by clicking under the book image*
http://www.leeandlow.com/p/estela_tg.mhtml

Chidi Only Likes Blue: An African Books of Colors

Chidi Only Likes Blue: An African Book of Colors

Written by: Ifeoma Onyefulu

Elementary Grades

"This companion to the author's A Is for Africa (Cobblehill, 1993) introduces everyday objects used by a family living in a Nigerian village. Chidi, a young boy whose favorite color is blue, likes it, "Because the sky is blue, and my best shirt is blue." His older sister has other favorite colors: red for the caps of the chiefs, yellow for the gari made from cassava roots, green for the leaves from the akwukwo uma plant used to wrap foods, brown for the board used in the game okwe. The color photography is sharp and lush with close-ups that help to identify the objects. The people all smile happily for the camera. Youngsters studying aspects of life in Africa or how children live in different parts of the world will find this concept book useful."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Places/Find/Nigeria

Gracias/Thanks

Gracias/Thanks

Written by: Pat Mora
Illustrated by: John Parra

Elementary Grades

"A boy recounts the many things he is thankful for, like his time at the beach and the bees that don’t sting him when he is outside playing. The poetic writing flows in both Spanish and English and carries a sense of happiness brought by the simple things in life. The cheery and brightly colored acrylic illustrations are full of fun details and add depth to the text. Multicultural characters are revealed page by page, but unless readers are paying close attention, they might not pick up on the boy’s Mexican-American heritage. This delightful bilingual book has universal appeal and would be a wonderful choice for library storytimes or classroom read-alouds as the “giving thanks” theme lends itself to holidays and social topics. The author’s endnote challenges readers to list the things for which they are thankful. A must buy for all libraries looking to add to their children’s Spanish collections."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.examiner.com/x-13215-Austin-Latino-Neighborhood-Examiner~y2010m1d22-Discover-Languages-with-Pat-Moras-Gracias--Thanks

My Abuelita

My Abuelita

Written by: Tony Johnston
Illustrated by: Yuyi Morales

Elementary Grades

"Abuelita's hair is the color of salt. Her face is as crinkled as a dried chile. She booms out words as wild as blossoms blooming. She stuffs her carcacha--her jalopy--with all the things she needs: a plumed snake, a castle, a skeleton, and more. Her grandson knows he has the most amazing grandmother ever--with a very important job. What does Abuelita do? With her booming voice and wonderful props, Abuelita is a storyteller. Next to being a grandmother, that may be the most important job of all. Sprinkled with Spanish and infused with love, My Abuelita is a glorious celebration of family, imagination, and the power of story."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.youtube.com
http://imaginenselibros.blogspot.com/2009/09/yuyi-morales.html/watch?v=Y_G8YNRwrE4

Federico Garcia Lorca

Federico García Lorca

Written by: Georgina Lázaro,
Illustrated by Enrique S. Moreiro

Upper Elementary and Junior High Grades

"Written in Spanish, Georgina Lázaro’s lyrical poetry evokes the spirit and style of the beloved 20th century poet and playwright, Federico García Lorca. Lázaro gives children a close personal experience with classic Spanish literature in a picture book biography. She uses the cadence and style of Lorca to paint a picture of the artist as a fragile, sensitive young boy who finds his strength in stories, songs, plays and books. “Federico García Lorca” celebrates the beauty of the Spanish language and the healing power of words."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/163

Return to Sender

Return to Sender

Written by: Julia Alvarez

Upper Elementary and Junior High Grades

"Sixth-grader Tyler Paquette lives in a dairy-farming community in Vermont. His father was injured in a tractor accident and must now turn to undocumented Mexican laborers to run the farm. Thus, a trailer on the property soon becomes home to the Cruz family sixth-grader Mari, her two younger sisters, father, and two uncles, all needing work to survive and living with fear of la migra. They have had no word on Mari's mother, missing now for several months. Tyler and Mari share an interest in stargazing, and their extended families grow close over the course of one year with holiday celebrations and shared gatherings. Third-person chapters about Tyler alternate with Mari's lengthy, unmailed letters to her mother and diary entries. Touches of folksy humor surface in the mismatched romance of Tyler's widowed Grandma and cranky Mr. Rossetti.

When "coyotes" contact Mr. Cruz and set terms for his wife's freedom, Tyler secretly loans the man his savings, then renegotiates a promised birthday trip in order to accompany Mari to North Carolina to help rescue her abused mother. When immigration agents finally raid the farm and imprison both Cruz parents, it signals an end to the "el norte" partnership, but not the human connections. This timely novel, torn right from the newspaper headlines, conveys a positive message of cooperation and understanding."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://return-to-sender.juliaalvarez.com/