These books discuss the people and cultures of various regions of the world. Biographies are not included on this page.
Author: Joseph Bruchac; Thomas Locker (Illustrator)
Published: 1999
Location: Bethlehem
"Through the guidance of his uncle and the retelling of various Native American legends, a young boy learns that everything living and inanimate has its place, and should be considered sacred and given respect"--Publisher's description.
Author: Kevin Noble Maillard; Juana Martinez-Neal (Illustrator)
Year: 2019
Location: Bethlehem
"Fry bread is food. It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate. Fry bread is time. It brings families together for meals and new memories. Fry bread is nation. It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond. Fry bread is us. It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference"--Publisher's description.
Author: Richard Van Camp; Julie Flett (Illustrator)
Published: 2013
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"This book celebrates the joy babies bring into the world"--Publisher's description.
Author: S.D. Nelson
Published: 2003
Location: Bethlehem
"When Young Wolf and his older sister wander from their village and face the danger of a prairie fire, their deceased grandmother, now one of the Star People, appears to guide them"--Publisher's description.
Author: Sherman Alexie; Yuyi Morales (Illustrator)
Published: 2016
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"Thunder Boy Jr. wants a normal name...one that's all his own. Dad is known as Big Thunder, but Little Thunder doesn't want to share a name"--Publisher's description.
Author: Traci Sorell; Frane Lessac (Illustrator)
Year: 2018
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"'Otsaliheliga' is a Cherokee word that is used to express gratitude. Journey through the year with a Cherokee family and their tribal nation as they express thanks for celebrations big and small. This book presents a look at modern Native American life as told by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation"--Publisher's description.
Author: Carole Lindstrom; Michaela Goade (Illustrator)
Published: 2020
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all. When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth and poison her people's water, one young water protector takes a stand to defend Earth's most sacred resource"--Publisher's description.
Author: Grace Lin
Published: 2018
Location: Bethlehem
"Reimagines the cycles of the moon as a mother bakes a Big Moon Cake and, despite Mama's request to wait, Little Star begins nibbling at it every night"--Publisher's description.
Author: Minh Lê; Dan Santat (Illustrator)
Year: 2018
Location: Bethlehem
"When a young boy visits his grandfather, their lack of a common language leads to confusion, frustration, and silence. But as they sit down to draw together, something magical happens - with a shared love of art and storytelling, the two form a bond that goes beyond words"--Publisher's description.
Author:
Published:
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"A little girl conjures increasingly destructive animals using Chinese martial arts poses"--Publisher's description.
Author: Christine McDonnell; Steve Johnson (Illustrator); Lou Fancher (Illustrator)
Published: 2011
Location: Bethlehem
"An understanding cat helps a young Korean girl adjust to her new home in America."--Publisher's description.
Author: Muon Van; April Chu (Illustrator)
Published: 2015
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"Moving from the wide world to the snugness of home and back out again, Village by the Sea tells the story of longing for the comforts of home. It is written in a spare, lyrical style with illustrations showing a dog and a cricket at a fishing village home and back out to sea where a fisherman longs to return to the woman and child in his hillside home"--Publisher's description.
Author: Grace Lin
Published: 2002
Location: Bethlehem
Kite Flying celebrates the Chinese tradition of kite making and kite flying and lovingly depicts a family bonded by this ancient and modern pleasure.
Author: Ed Young
Published: 1989
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"Three sisters staying home alone are endangered by a hungry wolf who is disguised as their grandmother"--Publisher's description.
Author: Uma Krishnaswami; Jamel Akib (Illustrator)
Published: 2003
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
Text in English with some Hindi words.
"A child describes waiting for the monsoon rains to arrive -- and the worry that they will not come"--Publisher's description.
Author: Helen Recorvits; Gabi Swiatkowska (Illustrator)
Published: 2003
Location: Bethlehem
Disliking her name as written in English, Korean-born Yoon, or "shining wisdom," refers to herself as "cat," "bird," and "cupcake," as a way to feel more comfortable in her new school and new country.
Author: Yangsook Choi
Published: 2003
Location: Bethlehem
"After Unhei moves from Korea to the United States, her new classmates help her decide what her name should be"--Publisher's description.
"A fable about a group of animals which strives to bring the perfect present to the Indian raja-king's birthday party. Discusses how the numerals we use originated in India"--Publisher's description.
Author: Aram Kim (author/illustrator)
Published: 2017
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
Yoomi loves Grandma's cooking--except for stinky, spicy kimchi. Luckily, Grandma has a good idea, and soon everyone has a new food to enjoy.
Author: Marcia Brown (Illustrator)
Published: 1972
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"As it changes from mouse to cat, to dog, to tiger, a hermit's pet also becomes increasingly vain. A folktale from India"--Publisher's description.
Author: Xiaohong Wang; Grace Lin (Illustrator)
Published: 2006
Location: Bethlehem
A year-long journey in the world of Ling Ling, a young girl who lives in Beijing, China. Her personal accounts tell about Chinese culture, including school life, family life, and holidays and festivals.
Author: Amy Lowry Poole; Hans Andersen
Published: 2005
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"In a small garden near the great city of Beijing, five peas rest patiently in the same shell. As the peas grow, so do their dreams... But it is the smallest pea whose journey transforms the life of a mother and daughter"--Publisher's description.
Author: Minfong Ho (Illustrator); Holly Meade (Illustrator)
Published: 2004
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"A father and daughter play hide-and-seek in the midst of the animals near their house in Thailand"--Publisher's description.
Author: Rudyard Kipling; Jerry Pinkney (Illustrator)
Published: 1997
Location: Bethlehem
A courageous mongoose thwarts the evil plans of Nag and Nagaina, two big black cobras who live in the garden.
Author: Roseanne Greenfield Thong; Grace Lin (Illustrator)
Published: 2000
Location: Bethlehem
"As a little girl discovers things round, square, and rectangular in her urban neighborhood, she is reminded of her Chinese American culture"--Publisher's description.
Author: Helen Bannerman; Fred Marcellino (Illustrator)
Published: 2002
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
In this story set in India, tigers steal all of Babaki's fine clothes, but he takes them back when the tigers argue over them.
Author: Taro Yashima
Published: 1958
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
Momo can't wait to use the red boots and umbrella she received on her birthday. All she needs now is a rainy day!
Author: Kabir Sehgal; Surishtha Sehgal; Jess Golden (Illustrator)
Published: 2016
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"In this twist on the classic song 'The Wheels on the Bus,' the wheels on the tuk tuk go round and round all over the city in India"--Publisher's description.
Author: Rosemary Wells (Illustrator)
Published: 2009
Location: Monroe
"When Yoko brings sushi to school for lunch, her classmates make fun of what she eats -- until one of them tries it for himself"--Publisher's description.
Author: Rosemary Wells
Published: 2001
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
When Yoko moves from Japan to California, she decides to make and send origami swans to her grandmother for her birthday.
Author: Chitra Soundar; Poonam Mistry (Illustrator)
Published: 2018
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"The baby animals of the Indian forest can't sleep. SWISH-SWISH! CRACK-TRACK! FLASH-SNAP! goes the storm. Only Mama Elephant's words of wisdom can reassure them, 'You're safe with me'"--Publisher's description.
Author: Omar S. Castaneda
Published: 1993
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"A young Guatemalan girl and her grandmother grow closer as they weave some special creations and then make a trip to the market in hopes of selling them"--Publisher's description.
Author: Campbell Geeslin; Ana Juan (Illustrator)
Published: 2015
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"This story follows a girl in the 1920s as she strives to become a drummer, despite being continually reminded that only boys play the drums, and that there has never been a female drummer in Cuba. The book includes notes about Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, who inspired the story, and 'Anacaona,' the all-girl dance band she formed with her sisters"--Publisher's description.
Author: Carmen Lomas Garza; David Schecter (Editor); Harriet Rohmer (Editor); Francisco X. Alarcón (Translator)
Published: 1996
Location: Bethlehem
"The author describes, in bilingual text and illustrations, her experiences growing up in an Hispanic community in Texas."--Publisher's description.
Author: Marisa Montes; Joe Cepeda (Illustrator)
Published: 2000
Location: Bethlehem
"Although he tries to do exactly as his mother tells him, foolish Juan Bobo keeps getting things all wrong"--Publisher's description.
Author: Juana Medina (Illustrator)
Published: 2016
Location: Bethlehem
Spanish words interspersed in the text
"A spunky young girl from Colombia loves playing with her canine best friend and resists boring school activities, especially learning English, until her family tells her that a special trip is planned to an English-speaking place"--Publisher's description.
Author: Francisco Jiménez; Simón Silva (Illustrator)
Published: 1998
Location: Bethlehem
"Because he can only speak Spanish, Francisco, son of a migrant worker, has trouble when he begins first grade, but his fascination with the caterpillar in the classroom helps him begin to fit in"--Publisher's description.
Author: Susan Middleton Elya; Juana Martinez-Neal (Illustrator)
Published: 2017
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
Text in Spanish and English
"A rhyming twist on a classic fairy tale in which a queen places a pea under a young lady's mattress to see if she is truly a princess. Incorporates Spanish words and includes a glossary"--Publisher's description.
Author: Angela Dominguez (Illustrator)
Published: 2013
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
Text in English and Spanish
"In this bilingual version of the classic rhyme, set in Peru, Maria takes her llama to school one day"--Publisher's description.
Author: Matt de la Peña; Ana Ramírez (Illustrator)
Published: 2017
Location: Bethlehem
"La Música exists in many places... When La Música discovers a boy with longing in his heart and no music in his home, she vows to help him find his passion"--Publisher's description.
Author: Duncan Tonatiuh
Published: 2013
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"When Papa Rabbit does not return home as expected from many seasons of working in the great carrot and lettuce fields of El Norte, his son Pancho sets out on a dangerous trek to find him, guided by a coyote"--Publisher's description.
Author: Sarah Stewart; David Small (Illustrator)
Published: 2012
Location: Bethlehem
"The story of young immigrant Isabel, who misses her family and friends back in Mexico, while decorating a large box as a place of quiet contemplation and encountering new experiences, including a first snowstorm and a kind teacher."--Publisher's description.
Author: Carmen Tafolla; Magaly Morales (Illustrator)
Published: 2009
Location: Bethlehem
Text in Spanish and English
"A young Mexican American girl celebrates the paleta, an icy fruit popsicle, and the many roles it plays in her lively barrio"--Publisher's description.
Author: Donald Crews (Illustrator)
Published: 1991
Location: Bethlehem
"Visiting Bigmama's house in the country, young Donald Crews finds his relatives full of news and the old place and its surroundings just the same as the year before"--Publisher's description.
Author: Janice N. Harrington; Shelley Jackson (Illustrator)
Published: 2007
Location: Bethlehem
"A young farm girl tries to catch her favorite chicken, until she learns something about the hen that makes her change her ways"--Publisher's description.
Author: Karen Hesse; Jon J. Muth (Illustrator)
Published: 1999
Location: Bethlehem
"A young girl eagerly awaits a coming rainstorm to bring relief from the oppressive summer heat"--Publisher's description.
Author: Patricia C. McKissack; Jerry Pinkney (Illustrator)
Published: 2001
Location: Bethlehem
"In segregated 1950s Nashville, a young African American girl braves a series of indignities and obstacles to get to one of the few integrated places in town: the public library"--Publisher's description.
Author: Helen E. Buckley; Jan Ormerod (Illustrator)
Published: 1994
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe"A child considers how Grandmother's lap is just right for those times when lightning is coming in the window or the cat is missing"--Publisher's description.
Author: Dinah Johnson; Kelly Johnson (Contribution by)
Published: 2007
Location: Bethlehem
"Kelly Johnson's stunning photographs of girls wearing a range of hairstyles and the lyrical words of Dinah Johnson's poem celebrate African American hair in all its radiant variety"-- Publisher's description.
Author: Patricia C. McKissack; Giselle Potter (Illustrator)
Published: 2000
Location: Bethlehem
After promising never to lie, Libby learns that it's not always necessary to blurt out the whole truth either.
Author: Niki Daly (author/Illustrator)
Published: 1999
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"Jamela gets in trouble when she takes the expensive material intended for a new dress for Mama, parades it in the street, and allows it to become dirty and torn"--Publisher's description.
Author: Matt de la Peña; Christian Robinson (Illustrator)
Published: 2015
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"Every Sunday after church, C.J. and his grandma ride the bus across town. But today, C.J. wonders why they don't own a car like his friend Colby. Why doesn't he have an iPod like the boys on the bus? How come they always have to get off in the dirty part of town? Each question is met with an encouraging answer from grandma, who helps him see the beauty -- and fun -- in their routine, and the world around them"--Publisher's description.
Author: Langston Hughes; E. B. Lewis (Illustrator)
Published: 2009
Location: Bethlehem
"The famous poem, taken from 'The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes,' is accompanied by watercolor illustrations"--Publisher's description.
Author: Kathryn Cave; Gisele Wulfsohn (Illustrator, Photographer)
Published: 2003
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
Starting with a single seed in a child's hand and leading right through to a warm, nourishing meal, a counting book, which includes information about the life and culture of South Africa, offers up a story of the fruits of a communal effort.
Author: Jacqueline Woodson; Earl Lewis (Illustrator); E. B. Lewis (Illustrator)
Published: 2001
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
Two girls, one white and one black, gradually get to know each other as they sit on the fence that divides their town.
Author: Jacqueline Woodson; Sophie Blackall (Illustrator)
Published: 2010
Location: Bethlehem
"When Mama's pregnancy draws attention away from Gia, she worries that the special bond they share will disappear forever once the baby is born"--Publisher's description.
Author: N. Joy; Nancy Devard (Illustrator)
Published: 2007
Location: Bethlehem
"Olivia shares a secret with her best friend, who then lets it slip to someone else, and soon everyone knows about Olivia's secret"--Publisher's description.
Author: Faith Ringgold
Published: 1991
Location: Bethlehem
"A young girl dreams of flying above her Harlem home, claiming all she sees for herself and her family. Based on the author's quilt painting of the same name"--Publisher's description.
Author: Kelly Starling Lyons; E. B. Lewis (Illustrator)
Published: 2012
Location: Bethlehem
"Tosh has spent many days in the kitchen with his grandmother, Honey, watching her bake cookies and listening to tales of their slave ancestors, so when Honey's memory starts to fail, Tosh is able to help with the cookies and more"--Publisher's description.
Author: Jacqueline Woodson; James Ransome (Illustrator)
Published: 2013
Location: Bethlehem
"A rope passed down through the generations frames an African American family's story as they journey north during the time of the Great Migration"--Publisher's description.
Author: Bryan Collier
Published: 2000
Location: Bethlehem
"A tour of the sights of Harlem, including the Metro-North Train, brownstones, shopping on 125th Street, a barber shop, summer basketball, the Boy's Choir, and sunset over the Harlem River"--Publisher's description.
Author: Sherley Anne Williams; Carole Byard (Illustrator)
Published: 1992
Location: Bethlehem
"A young black girl relates the daily events of her family's migrant life in the cotton fields of central California"--Publisher's description.
Author: Chris Raschka
Published: 1993
Location: Bethlehem
Two lonely characters, one black and one white, meet on the street and become friends.
Author: Reem Faruqi; Fahmida Azim (Illustrator)
Year: 2021
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"Amira is excited because tomorrow is Eid, with special clothes, treats, gifts, and a morning party at her mosque. Then she realizes that she is going to miss class picture day at school, something she was also looking forward to, so Amira has to figure out a way to be in two places at once"--Publisher's description.
Author: Hena Khan; Mehrdokht Amini (Illustrator)
Year: 2018
Location: Bethlehem
"In simple rhyming text a young Muslim girl guides the reader through the traditions and shapes of Islam"--Publisher's description.
Author: Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow; Ebony Glenn (Illustrator)
Year: 2018
Location: Bethlehem & Monroe
"A young Muslim girl puts on a head scarf and not only feels closer to her mother, she also imagines herself as a queen, the sun, a superhero, and more"--Publisher's description.
Author: Karen Katz
Published: 2007
Location: Bethlehem
"A boy observes the Muslim holy month of Ramadan with his family"--Publisher's description.
Author: Hena Khan; Julie Paschkis (Illustrator)
Published: 2008
Location: Bethlehem
"Yasmeen has a wonderful time celebrating the Muslim holy month of Ramadan with her family and friends."--Publisher's description.
Author:Rukhsana Khan; R. Gregory Christie (Illustrator)
Published: 2003
Location: Bethlehem
After confronting what she believes to be a snake in the bath house, Saba finds the courage to overcome her fear of the chickens in the courtyard.
Author:Mina Javaherbin; Bruce Whatley (Illustrator)
Published: 2010
Location: Bethlehem
"In this retelling of a Persian folktale attributed to Jalaledin R¯um¯i , a parrot tricks a wealthy merchant into setting him free"--Publisher's description.
Author: Kathy East; Rebecca L. Thomas
Year: 2007
Location: Monroe
Compiled by two experienced librarians, Across Cultures introduces you to more than 400 recent fiction and nonfiction multicultural resources for preschool through grade 6 and encourages you to make literature about diversity an integral part of your program of instruction. Arranged in thematic groupings (Identity and Self-Image, Family and Friends, Traditions, Exploring the Past in Diverse Communities, for example), this lively volume links diverse peoples, themes, and issues. It presents both annotations and practical advice on programming strategies. Connections are made to projects, graphic organizers, and activities.
Author: Jamie Campbell Naidoo; Sarah Park
Location: Bethlehem
"When planning services, collections, and programs for children and teens from diverse populations, many librarians and teachers fail to fully embrace the broad spectrum of diversity within the United States, as well as the scope of considerations for developing inclusive library and classroom practices. These essays help you understand that your offerings should represent all of the cultural expressions that are often overlooked"--Publisher's description.
Author: Kathy Macmillan; Christine Kirker
Year: 2012
Location: Bethlehem
"Storytime audiences grow ever more diverse, and it's important that the materials used in programs reflect that richness of experience. Multiculturalism should not be an occasional initiative attached to particular holidays. This book offers a new paradigm for multicultural programs, one in which diversity is woven into any and every storytime. With numerous activities and programming suggestions, this book will seamlessly integrate and enhance cultural awareness for children all year round"--Publisher's description.
Author: Jamie Campbell Naidoo; Sarah Park
"A significant reason racism endures is because it is structural: it's embedded in culture and in institutions. One of the places that racism hides -- and thus perhaps the best place to oppose it -- is books for young people. Philip Nel presents five serious critiques of the history and current state of children's literature tempestuous relationship with both implicit and explicit forms of racism"--Publisher's description.
We Need Diverse Books is a non-profit organization whose mission it is to put more books featuring diverse characters into the hands of all children.