6 BOOKS TO INTRODUCE CHILDREN TO OTHER CULTURES
"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one."
- George R.R. martin, A Dance with Dragons
Enjoy these books that are filled with adventures from around the world. Click on a book to learn more about it and even here portions read aloud.
RICKSHAW GIRL
By: Mitali Perkins
Ages: 8-12
In the small Bangladeshi village where Naima lives with her struggling family, only boys are allowed to work with rickshaw. Naima has a talent with pain, and she longs to help decorate the elaborate carts. Naima finds a way to help her family while challenging the notion that girls have nothing of value to offer outside helping their mothers in the kitchen. Perkins richly details the foods and traditions of Bangladesh in this story of perseverance.
TORTILLA SUN
By: Jennifer Cevantes
Ages: 8-12
Forced to spend the summer with her grandmother in a small adobe village in New Mexico, Izzy learns a lot about pueblo culture and neighbors who provide what's needed when times are hard. Alongside Izzy's journey of self-discovery. New Mexican food and culture come alive as vividly as the bright colors worn by many of the people who live there.
THE HEALING SPELL
By: Rose Kent
Ages: 9-12
When Joseph has to write an essay about his ancestors for a school class, he's not sure where to begin. As a Korean boy adopted into an ethnic Italian-American family that lives in New Jersey, he doesn't know anything about his ancestors. At first he makes up a story, but then the assignment sends him on a quest to learn more about the Korean way of life and gives him a way to connect with his Italian upbringing.
WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON
By: Grace Lin
Ages: 8-12
It seems that no matter how hard Minli and her parents work in their village in China, they barely have enough to eat. The only things that keep her spirits up are the tales her father tells of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man in the Moon. When Minli encounters a magical fish, she sets off to find the places in her father's tales so she can change her family's fortunes. The story is rich in Chinese folklore and its depiction of Chinese village life.
THE HEALING SPELL
By: Kimberley Griffiths Little
Ages: 9-12
Livie's mam lies in a coma inside their little home near a Louisiana bayou, cared for by her dad and sisters. However, Livie harbors a powerful secret about the day of her mama's accident. She thinks the only way to wake her mama up is to visit a traditional healer and complete the steps of a healing spell. The bayous of southern Louisiana and Cajun culture come to life in this mother-daughter tale of love, forgiveness and resilience.
LAUGH WITH THE MOON
By: Shana Burg
Ages: 9-12
When Clare accompanies her physician father on a mission to a village in Malawi, Africa, she is determined not to like anything there. However, when she finds people who are happy despite deprivation, she learns about honoring loss while celebrating life. Readers learn about Malawi culture as well as the struggles children face in attending school and seeing education.
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