Multicultural Picture Books

"The Sounds of Kwanzaa" 

The book "The Sounds of Kwanzaa" was written by Dimitrea Tokunbo and illustrated by Lisa Cohen. It is written for first through fourth graders. 


Rating: I would give this book a rating of 5 ***** out of 5 stars. 

This book is dedicated to the teaching of Kwanzaa and how it is celebrated. It takes the reader step by step through the celebration of Kwanzaa. Each page is designated for a specific day during Kwanzaa and tells the reader what is done on each day. For example, on the second night of Kwanzaa one red candle is lit and traditions about self determination are shared. The illustrations accompany the Swahili word being introduced on the opposing page. 

Last sentence of each page in this book is dedicated
to which candle is lit which night. 

 This book also has some great elements that could be used in the classroom. Every page starts with the same two lines which is great for struggling readers. Patterns allow them to see the same words over and over again to be able to turn unfamiliar words into familiar words. 














"Almost to Freedom" 


"Almost to Freedom" is written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by Colin Bootman. This book is written for second to fourth graders. 


Rating: I would give this book 5 ***** out of 5 stars. 


Summary: This story is told from Sally, Lindy's doll's point of view. She is constantly by Lindy's side and she is there for her during some pretty rough times. She watches Lindy get whipped by the slave master and listens intently at a late night bonfire where people speak of something called freedom. Lindy is awoken in the middle of the night and is about to embark on an extremely dangerous journey. 


This is a phenomenal picture book. I would recommend that it is used with children closer
to third or fourth grade because of the amount of text and content. This is an amazing book 
to use when teaching students about slavery. You can use this book to describe the types of work the slaves were forced to complete and the songs and traditions passed down from 
generations. Towards the beginning of the book a bonfire is held and the topic of freedom is brought up. Lindy and Sally don't know what the adults are talking about. This would be a 
great time to talk to students about what it means to be free. A class chart could be made 
with each student contributing an idea of what freedom means to them. The chart would be discussed and you can dramatically tell students that each of these items were unavailable to African Americans during this time. This is what brought about the need for the 
underground railroad. When Lindy is awakened in the dead of night, she and her mother run to meet her father and meet a few amazing and courageous people along the way. They meet someone who rows them across the river and an elderly couple who hides Lindy and her 
family in their basement. These people were part of a secret system of both whites and 
african americans who helped slaves escape to the north. This is another important topic 
that should be taught in school in conjunction with the topic of slavery. You could also
introduce your students to the Civil War which explains why the slaves ran to the north to 
find freedom. This is time jumping just a little bit, but you can also use this book to teach
students about the civil rights movement. During this time, African Americans still weren't
given equal rights and opportunities and there were some very important people who
fought and gave their lives for this cause.

This is a great reference tool for teachers to use while teaching this book. You can plan
great lessons from this resource.




"The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses"

"The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses" is writtenand illustrated by Paul Goble. Paul Goble is an award winning children's author who writes mostly Native American stories. This book can be used with students grades first through
third.


Rating: I would give this book 4 **** out of
four stars.


Summary: A young girl growing up in a Native American village who loved horses. She knew everything there was to know about horses
and the village began to notice. The young girl spent many years roaming with the horses and was missed by her family. One day returned
home but was unhappy without her horses,
returned to them and visited her family once a year.


"The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses" is an amazing children's book that allows teachers to
incorporate diversity into their classroom, specifically about Native American culture. This book illustrates the intense bond and relationship some humans developed with animals.
This could be introduced by talking to students about the bonds shared between humans and animals in our culture today. Such as, dogs cats or birds. This can be applied to teaching
students about the bond in Native American culture. This is also a great book to teach
students about legends. These types of stories are passed down from generation to
generation and are believed to be factual. One idea I had that I would like to incorporate
into my classroom is have a day where my students and I dress in traditional Native
American dress and we sit in a circle and share our own legends that we have written. A sort of tribute to the culture of these people and a way to show our appreciation to the legends of the native people. This book and its illustrations allow students to immerse themselves into the lives of the people in this village. Such as the way they dress, act and live. 


Here are some resources and lesson plans for teachers to use to incorporate this specific book into their diversity activities