01. New clothes for New Year’s Day

Bae, Hyun-Joo. New clothes for New Year’s Day. La Jolla, CA : Kane / Miller Book, 2007.

  Title:  New clothes for New Year’s Day
  Author:  Hyun-Joo Bae
  Publisher:  Kane / Miller Book
  Year of publish: 2007
  Audience: Aged 4-8
  Subject: Traditions

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Annotation:
It is the award winner of “Notable Book for a Global Society award winner, 2008”. It was translated from Korean. The author wrote and illustated the story. The storyline is simple about a Korean girl excited getting in her attire piece by piece for Korean New Year’s day which will be the same as other children over the world . At the end of the book it not only shows pictures of Korean dresses with explanation of every part of it in Korean name and in English, but also has information of Korean New Year’s traditions. The story is accomplished with the vivid and descriptive illustrations. The text is simple, engaging and poetic: “It's a new year, it's a new day, and it's a new morning. It's the first day for the beginning of everything. It is a great book for a glance in Korean tradition and culture; suits children aged 4-8.

02. Mirror

Baker, Jeannie. Mirror. Somerville, Mass. : Candlewick Press, 2010.

  Title:  Mirror
  Author:  Jeannie Baker
  Publisher:  Candlewick Press
  Year of publish: 2010
  Audience: Aged 4-8
  Subject: Multiculturalism

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Annotation:
It is an Australian fiction and multi awards winner of “2011 Children's Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year; 2011 Australian Indie Award Best children's book; 2011 The English Assoc and the UK Literary Assoc 4-11 Award Best Children's Illustrated Book (non fiction)” – from Goodreads reader reviews. It is an excellent book to teach children intercultural understanding and respect. The story is about one day shopping experience of two boys and their families who live in different parts of the world. One is in Sydney city in Australia, another one is in a valley in Morocco. Their clothes, life styles, environments, etc. are totally different, but there are some things are the same. Besides introduction is in text in both English and Arabic, it is a wordless picture book. It narrates the story in full details in 40 pages length through the rich collage style illustrations. It is designed to read it side by side to comparison the two boys’ daily lives. From the left to right of the book is the story of a boy in Sydney, from the right to left of the book is the boy in Morocco. It suits children aged 4-8.

03. My Two Grannies

Benjamin, Floella & Chamberlain, Margaret. My Two Grannies. London : Frances Lincoln, 2007.

  Title:  My Two Grannies
  Author:  Floella Benjamin
  Publisher:  Frances Lincoln
  Year of publish: 2007
  Audience: Aged 5-8
  Subject: Culture conflict

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It is a winner of USBBY Outstanding International Book for Grades 3-5 in 2009. The theme of the book is mixed culture conflicts within a family which is easily connect to lots of families in Australia. The story is set in London. A mix racial girl Alvina has one black granny from Trinidad, one white granny from Yorkshire. These two grannies always want to do different things and lead to fight. How Alvina manages to find a perfect solution for her grannies? Answers are in the book. Readers can explore the two different cultures through the two grannies childhood stories and activities that they told Alvina. This is a perfect story to teach children tolerance of cultural differences. The humorous illustrations add hilarious elements to the characters. It targets children 5-8 years old.

04. The name jar

Choi, Yangsook. The name jar. New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2001.

  Title:  The name jar
  Author:  Yangsook Choi
  Publisher:  Alfred A. Knopf
  Year of publish: 2001
  Audience: Aged 4-8
  Subject: Identity

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Annotation:
Author Yangsook Choi is winner of International Reading Association's Children's Book Award, and the Skipping Stones Award. It is one of her book. It is a simple and realistic story about the name of a Korean girl Unhei. She moved to America following her parents. On the first day to school, she couldn’t pronounce her name in English clearly and felt shame about her name. Her friendly classmates put suggested English names in jar for her to choose. At the end, she decided to keep her name to maintain her own cultural identity. The book is used oil paints with earthy tones which added touching and realistic accounts to the story. This story is relatable to many migrated children. It teaches children how to settle in a new environment and be proud of their own culture. The book is for children aged 4-8.

05. Nadia’s hands

English, Karen & Weiner, Jonathan. Nadia’s hands. Honesdale, PA : Boyds Mill Press, c1999.

  Title:  Nadia’s hands
  Author: Karen English
  Publisher:  Boyds Mill Press
  Year of publish: c1999
  Audience: Aged 5-8
  Subject: Social acceptance

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Annotation:
Karen English is a Coretta Scott King Honor Award-winning author. This book is one of her books. The story is features a Pakistani American girl was invited to her aunties traditional wedding in Pakistan where her hands were decorated with hena (colouring). However, she was excited about traditional artwork, in another hand she worried to show art to her American schoolmates. It is an excellent book shows themes of Pakistani traditions and their family values. To help readers to understand the original words of Urdu used in the book, there is a glossary translating these words. The story was accomplished with oil pastel illustrations which give richness details to all the characters. The book teaches children how to honour their original cultures. It is targeted to children aged 5-8.

06. Ten little fingers and ten little toes

Fox, Mem & Oxenbury, Helen (illustrator). Ten little fingers and ten little toes. Orlando : Harcourt, c2008.

  Title:  Ten little fingers and ten little toes
  Author:  Mem Fox
  Publisher:  Harcourt
  Year of publish: c2008
  Audience: Aged 3-6
  Subject: Different and similar things

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Annotation:
It is an Australian fiction won Australian Book Industry Award for book of the year for younger children (2009). Indies choice book award nominee for best new picture book - Honor book (2009). It is about babies were born in different places, they are in different appearances and ethnic clothes with ten fingers and ten toes. The illustrations are in clear and soft water colour. The texts are simple, in rhythm and sweet tone. The combination of these deliver a clear concept of every babies are all the same with ten toes and ten fingers, no matter where you were born and what you are appearing. It teaches children respect each other.

07. A bus called heaven

Graham, Bob. A bus called heaven. Someville, Mass. : Candlewick, 2012

  Title:  A bus called heaven
  Author:  Bob Graham
  Publisher:  Candlewick
  Year of publish: 2012
  Audience: Aged 3-8
  Subject: Multiculturalism

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Annotation:
It is an Australian fiction has won awards of Picture Book of the Year 2012 from Children's Book Council of Australia and USBBY Outstanding International Books - Grades K-2 in 2013. Besides the above awards, Bob Graham has won multi children books awards. The book is written and illustrated by him. It is an uplifting story about multicultural neighbourhood despite their differences came together to build their own heaven from an abandoned old bus despite their differences. The main character is a litter school girl Stella, who only sees positive sides of her neighbours. The book is accompanied with Graham’s style of ink and water colour illustrations to depict the story in fine details, like Muslim women in hijab, tattoo bikers, etc. children will adore the soft cream and peach colour scheme and a girl character.

08. Say hello!

Isadora, Rachel. Say hello!. New York : G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2010.

  Title: Say hello!
  Author:  Rachel Isadora
  Publisher:  G.P. Putnam’s Sons
  Year of publish: 2010
  Audience: Aged 3-5
  Subject: Multiculturalism

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Annotation:
Would you like your children to learn how to say “Hello” in Spanish, Arabic, French, Japanese and many more? It is the one. Caldecott Honor winner Rachel Isadora wrote and illustrated this book, which is about a little girl Carmelita greets her multicultural neighbours in their native languages. The cutest scencs will be her dog also say hello to her neighbours after her. Children will love this upbeat story. At the back of the book shows pronunciation of each language. Children not only can learn the word in many languages, but also can learn the correct manner towards to different ethnicity people. It’s collage style textured illustrations are visually attracted to readers.

09. Duck for Turkey Day

Jules, Jacqueline & Mitter, Kathy (illustrator). Duck for Turkey Day. Morton Grove, Ill. : Albert Whitman, 2009.

  Title:  Duck for Turkey Day
  Author:  Jacqueline Jules
  Publisher:  Albert Whitman
  Year of publish: 2009
  Audience: Aged 5-8
  Subject: Cultural differences

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Annotation:
It is a realistic fiction setting in America. A Vietnamese girl Tuyet was disappointed her family serve duck instead of turkey at dinner at the Thanksgiving holiday. She even felt shame to tell her peers at school. But soon after, she realized other ethnic families are all celebrating in their own way. The book emphasizes “It doesn't matter what you eat on Thanksgiving, as long as you have a good time with family and friends." This story will be able to relate to many children from migrant families. It will be a great book to teach children how to face this kind of “differences”. Authors use bright colours and simple shapes illustrations featuring characters. Children will be engaged visually. It’s great for children at their 5-8 years old.

10. We’re different, we’re the same

Kates, Bobbi & Mathieu, Joe (illustrator). We’re different, we’re the same. New York : Random House, 1992.

  Title:  We’re different, we’re the same
  Author:  Bobbi Kates
  Publisher:  Random House
  Year of publish: 1992
  Audience: Aged 3-7
  Subject: Individual differences

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Annotation:
Sesame Street is a popular American children educational TV series. Its favourite character Muppets is used throughout the book to attract young kids. In the book, the authors educate children about racial harmony through illustrating same uses of different appearances of common body parts like noses, hairs, skins, etc. This is a simple concept book suitable for children from 3 to 7 years. It is fully colour illustrated with simple text. Although the book was published in 1992, it seems it haven’t been reduced its popularity. There are 4 star ratings from 13 readers reviews.

11. My first Chinese New Year

Katz, Karen. My first Chinese New Year. New York : Henry Holt, 2004.

  Title:  My first Chinese New Year
  Author:  Karen Katz
  Publisher:  Henry Holt
  Year of publish: 2004
  Audience: Aged 2-6
  Subject: Chinese New Year

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Annotation:
It is a story about how a little Chinese girl and her family celebrate their New Year. It is simple and informative explanation of the traditions and customs associated with New Year celebration, such as Red envelope, greeting of “Gung Hay Fat Choy!”… After reading this book, children will easily understand the New Year customs of their Chinese peers. The texts lay on one page with large font, on another page shows what describe in the text which allows easy to read and follow for children up to 6. Cute feature characters and Asian style illustrations show the atmosphere of Chinese New Year.

12. I hate English!

Levine, Ellen & Bjorkman, Steve (illustrator). I hate English!. New York : Scholastic, c2009.

  Title:  I hate English!
  Author:  Ellen Levine
  Publisher:  Scholastic
  Year of publish: c2009
  Audience: Aged 5-8
  Subject: Culture and customs

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Annotation:
This book has won an award of ALA Notable Children’s Books in 1990.
It is one of children books from Ellen Levine, whose writing style is easy to understand, informative in emotionally intense tone. The title has showed strong emotion at the first glance. Her books usually base on real life experiences of children. The book is about when a young Chinese girl Mei Mei migrated to New York from Hong Kong. She refused to speak English. She only enjoyed staying in Chinatown and speaking in Chinese. Because she was afraid she would lost her Chinese culture after speaking English. Does it sounds relatable? The book will be useful for children language and culture barrier issues as well as others to understanding them. The watercolour illustrations capture every single emotion of the characters. It is great for children aged 5-8.

13. Laundry day

Manning, Maurie J.. Laundry day. Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012.

  Title:  Laundry day
  Author:  Maurie J. Manning
  Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  Year of publish: 2012
  Audience: Aged 4-8
  Subject: Multiculturalism ; Neighborhoods

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Annotation:
Maurie J. Manning is an IRA Notable Book 2003 award author /illustrator wrote and illustrated this book.
The story is setting in New York City in early 20 century. It starts with a miracle red cloth felled on a shoeshine boy. While he tried to find the owner of the cloth, he had the opportunities to explored diversity cultural neighbours and be friend with them. This book combines realistic, fantasy and graphic novel elements. There are only a few conversation in the book containing some foreign phrases which could found translations at the back on the glossary. The author vividly illustrated the movements of the boy with watercolour and pastel. No matter the character moved back and forth, up and down were hilariously. Children aged 4-8 will be amused. The book delivers a message of social harmony to children.

14. My friend Jamal

McQuinn, Anna & Frey, Ben(illustrator). My friend Jamal. Toronto : Annick Press, c2008.

  Title:  My friend Jamal
  Author:  Anna McQuinn
  Publisher:  Annick Press
  Year of publish: c2008
  Audience: Aged 4-7
  Subject: Cultural differences

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Annotation:
The book is in the series of “My friends”. This is a story about cultural differences and boyhood friendship. The story features two boys and their families and is narrated by one of the boys Joseph a Polish American about his friend Somali boy Jamal. Joseph also examines many aspects of culture differences between the two. Such Jamal doesn’t eat pork as a Muslim; he read Koran instead of Bible; Jamal’s family sat on floor to eat. His mom cooks pasta with banana…. Despite the differences, they have so many are alike and enjoy being close friends. It is an excellent book to teach children acceptance of different cultures. There are a lot of dashes and exclamation marks in the text to show the conversation between the boys. It is in fast pace speed. Although the story is setting in America, the themes and differences issues are easy to connect to peoples around and those immigrant families in Australia. The authors combines real photographs and artwork together to add realistic and touching feeling to the story. Children age 4-7 will be interested.

15. Shante Keys and the New Year's peas

Piernas-Davenport, Gail & Eldridge, Marion (illustrator). Shante Keys and the New Year's peas. Morton Grove, ILL. : Albert Whitman, 2007.

  Title:  Shante Keys and the New Year's peas
  Author:  Gail Piernas-Davenport
  Publisher:  Albert Whitman
  Year of publish: 2007
  Audience: Aged 5-8
  Subject: Family traditions

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Annotation:
The story is about a young African American girl Shante went to family feast for New Year. She discovered “black-eyed peas” was a lucky symbolic food in African tradition. After she visiting their neighbours of Chinese, Scotish, Hindi, she found they have different traditional food for New Year. It is a great multiculturism story in upbeat tone. It allows children have a glimpse at New Years’s food traditions around the world in a simple way. The text is in rhythm accompanying with bright, colourful illustrations. Shante’s energetic portrays will be adored by children aged 5-8.

16. My Dadima wears a sari

Sheth, Kashmira & Jaeggi, Yoshiko (illustrator). My Dadima wears a sari. Atlanta : Peachtree, 2007.



  Title:  My Dadima wears a sari
  Author:  Kashmira Sheth
  Publisher:  Peachtree
  Year of publish: 2007
  Audience: Aged 5+
  Subject: Asian People, Places & Cultures

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Annotation: The book has won “Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2008” .
It is about two American born Indian girl Rupas and Rupa are curious her grandma Dadima, who always wear her tradition dress – Sari without other alternatives. The story was depicted through the conversations between Dadima and her two granddaughters. In the story Dadima showed her different sari and explained to the girl the histories and the uses of a sari. There were Hindu words among their conversations. At the end of the book, there was an instruction how to wear sari. It is a fast paced story. The soft tone watercolour illustrations showed delicacy. Every page sari were illustrated differently. It is a great book to introduce Indian culture and tradition to children aged 5 and up.

17. What can you do with a paleta?

Tafolla, Carmen & Morales, Amy (illustrator). What can you do with a paleta? Berkeley : Tricycle Press, c2009.

  Title: What can you do with a paleta?
  Author: Carmen Tafolla
  Publisher:  Tricycle Press
  Year of publish:  c2009
  Audience: Aged 3-7
  Subject:  Social life and customs

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Annotation:
It is the winners of “Pura Belpre honor for illustration 2009” and “Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, 2010”.

This book is about summer treat with paletas which easily connect with children. Through two Mexican-American girls chasing and playing with paletas in barrio, it introduces Mexican-Latino culture to readers. The text is simple and catchy written in English and Spanish. Children can learn a few useful adjective words to describe sights, smell and tastes, such as “crispy”, “buttery”, “sweet” and many more, as well as simple Spanish words, such as “paleta”, etc. The illustrations are using acrylic on the shades of red, brown and yellow creates fun and enjoyable visual effects. It can exercising children’s imagination of what would they do and what can you do with a paleta? It will also teach children awareness of cultural difference by reading the story of Mexican-Latino neighbourhood.

18. I live in Tokyo

Takabayashi, Mari. I live in Tokyo. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 2001.

  Title: I live in Tokyo
  Author: Mari Takabayashi
  Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
  Year of publish:  2001
  Audience: Aged 4-8
  Subject:  Culture and customs

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Annotation:
The story is written in nursery rhythm. The story is setting in Tokyo. It depicts the story through a 7 years old Japanese girl Mimiko and her family’s daily life to highlight the Japanese traditions on the aspects of food, festivals and activities month by month through a year. It is a simple guide to Japanese culture and customs. After reading the book, children will learn simples like: what are the top 10 favourite foods of a Japanese child; what school activities are like; how to wear a kimono; Some simple Japanese words and phrases, like Omisoka ( New Year’s Eve).

The author use pastel watercolours illustrations accompany to the text acrossing two pages which are providing simple and detail information to readers. The text is simple and easy to read aloud. It will be fun and interesting books for children aged 4-8.

19. The skin you live in

Tyler, Michael. The skin you live in. Chicago, IL : Chicago Children Museum, 2005.

  Title: The skin you live in
  Author: Michael Tyler
  Publisher:  Chicago Children Museum
  Year of publish:  2005
  Audience: Aged 4-8
  Subject:  Different and similar things

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Annotation:
The story is written in nursery rhyme and can be read aloud: “The skin you’re all day in;…the skin that you snuggle up, cuddle up, lay in…” etc. Children who are aged 4-8 will enjoy it. The book is about different skin tones of human body around the world. Though the topic is simple and natural scene, the author is delivering an important message to children about different but similar, self-acceptance.

The illustrator of the book vividly illustrated all sort of activities that children can easily relate to their daily activities, like swimming, chasing butterflies, eating cakes, etc. The colour and unique smiling faces is eye catching.

20. Yoko

Wells, Rosemary. Yoko. New York : Hyperion Books for Children, c1998.

  Title:  Yoko
  Author:  Rosemary Wells
  Publisher:  Hyperion Books
  Year of publish: c1998
  Audience: Aged 3-7
  Subject: Social acceptance

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Annotation:

This book has won awards of Booklist Editors' Choice - Books for Youth - Young Readers Category in 1998 and School Library Journal Best Books in1998.

The storyline is simple and issue-oriented. It is about a Japanese cat character Yoko brought her favorite Sushi to school for lunch, but her classmates were shocked and teasing her after seeing the raw fish and green seaweed. The rejection stopped until one boy have tried her food. This issue can be related to many immigrants. Children can learn the importance of cultural acceptances from the story.

The story contains lots of conversations with minimal text. Children can be easy to understand food talks at age of 3-7.The book features animals in different culture groups. Rosemary Wells is a popular author and illustrator of a few children books. Her style of animal illustrations makes the story more interesting.