Title: In The Snow

Author: Huy Voun Lee

Illustrator: Huy Voun Lee
ISBN: 10: 0-8050-6579-2
Copyright: 2000
Summary: Xiao Ming and his mother go
for a walk outside in the snow. As they are
walking, They both draw Chinese characters
in the snow and talk about how the
characters are made and what they mean. As
the book continues, they talk more about
how sometimes characters can be combined
to form a new word. The book finishes by
them going home and Xiao Ming looking forward to coming back to the
park so they can draw more Chinese characters in the snow.
Childrens Book Review Criteria
Question

Yes N
o

1.

Are there various racial groups depicted in the

pictures?
List them- Asian American, White, African
American

2.

Is the book bi/multi lingual?

3.

Does this book avoid tokenism? (all characters

x
should have various facial features and do not look
the same)

4.

Does this book avoid gender stereotypes?

5.

Is the author qualified about the subject on which

they are writing?

6.

Does this actively portray modern ideas to properly x

relate to kids?

N/
A

x
x

7.

Does this book avoid disability stereotypes?

8.

Does this book depict a variety of family units?

9.

Are women in active roles?

10 Are people with disabilities in active roles?

.

11 Are people of color in active roles?

.

12 Do the illustrations reflect diversity?

.

14 Does the book make sure to use gender sensitive

.
terminologies?

Comments: YES I would use this book. This book shows students some
characters in Chinese and explains a little bit about how the language
works and how the characters are formed. This is also relatable to children
because many of them have played outside in the snow and have drawn
pictures in the snow before themselves.

Title: I Hate English!

Author: Ellen Levine
Illustrator: Steve Bjorkman
ISBN: 0-590-42305-3
Copyright: 1995
Summary: Mei Mei is a young girl
who is frustrated her family moved to
New York from Hong Kong China.
She is upset because she cannot speak
english and she wished that everyone
spoke Chinese. This made it difficult
for her in school, because she wouldnt want to participate in class, since
everything was in English. One day a teacher came to help Mei Mei
understand English. Although Mei Mei was frustrated at first, she grew to
like her teacher Nancy. Nancy helped Mei Mei be able to speak in both
English and Chinese whenever Mei Mei wants.
Childrens Book Review Criteria
Question

Yes N
o

1.

Are there various racial groups depicted in the

pictures?
List them- Chinese, White,

2.

Is the book bi/multi lingual?

3.

Does this book avoid tokenism? (all characters

x
should have various facial features and do not look
the same)

4.

Does this book avoid gender stereotypes?

5.

Is the author qualified about the subject on which

they are writing?

6.

Does this actively portray modern ideas to properly x

relate to kids?

N/
A

x
x

7.

Does this book avoid disability stereotypes?

8.

Does this book depict a variety of family units?

9.

Are women in active roles?

10 Are people with disabilities in active roles?

.

11 Are people of color in active roles?

.

12 Do the illustrations reflect diversity?

.

13 Does the author/illustrator prevent all characters

.
from looking alike?

14 Does the book make sure to use gender sensitive

.
terminologies?

Comments: YES I would use this book in the classroom. This book I feel
would be beneficial not just for Chinese American students, but especially
for ESL students. This would also be good for the whole class to help
illustrate the hardships of having to learn English as a second language.
This book could also make those ESL students feel like they are not alone,
and it is a positive ending that gives them hope and motivates them that
they are able to pick up a second language!

Title: Apple Pie 4th Of July

Author: Janet S. Wong
Illustrator: Margaret Chodos-Irvine
ISBN: 9780152057084
Copyright: 2006
Summary: A young Chinese American girl is
surprised that her parents are cooking Chinese
food to sell on the 4th of July; which is a
typical American holiday. She tries to tell her
parents that people will want American food on
this day and not Chinese food. On the 4th with
all the happenings of fireworks and the parade.
Many people are delighted to purchase and
enjoy Chinese food on this Holiday.
Childrens Book Review Criteria
Question

Yes N
o

1.

Are there various racial groups depicted in the

pictures?
List them-Chinese American, White

2.

Is the book bi/multi lingual?

3.

Does this book avoid tokenism? (all characters

x
should have various facial features and do not look
the same)

4.

Does this book avoid gender stereotypes?

5.

Is the author qualified about the subject on which

they are writing?

6.

Does this actively portray modern ideas to properly x

relate to kids?

7.

Does this book avoid disability stereotypes?

N/
A

8.

Does this book depict a variety of family units?

9.

Are women in active roles?

x
x

10 Are people with disabilities in active roles?

.

11 Are people of color in active roles?

.

12 Do the illustrations reflect diversity?

.

13 Does the author/illustrator prevent all characters

.
from looking alike?

14 Does the book make sure to use gender sensitive

.
terminologies?

Comments: YES I would use this book in the classroom. This book
discusses an important American holiday and ties in another culture to it.

Title: The Emperor and the Kite

Author: Jane Yolen
Illustrator: Ed Young
ISBN: 0-399-21499-2
Copyright: 2000
Summary: Princess Ojeow Seow,
youngest and smallest daughter of the
Emperor, is not thought of very much
by her familywhen thought of at all.
So she spends her days playing with a
kite made from paper and sticks. When the Emperor is captured and
imprisoned in a high tower, though, it is Djeow Seow who patiently
weaves a long, strong rope of her own hair, attaches it to the tail of her
kite, and cleverly flies up to her father in hopes of rescuing him.
Childrens Book Review Criteria
Question

Yes N
o

1.

Are there various racial groups depicted in the

pictures?
List them- Chinese

2.

Is the book bi/multi lingual?

3.

Does this book avoid tokenism? (all characters

should have various facial features and do not look
the same)

4.

Does this book avoid gender stereotypes?

5.

Is the author qualified about the subject on which

they are writing?

6.

Does this actively portray modern ideas to properly

relate to kids?

x
x

N/
A

7.

Does this book avoid disability stereotypes?

8.

Does this book depict a variety of family units?

9.

Are women in active roles?

10 Are people with disabilities in active roles?

.
11 Are people of color in active roles?
.

x
x

12 Do the illustrations reflect diversity?

.

13 Does the author/illustrator prevent all characters

.
from looking alike?

14 Does the book make sure to use gender sensitive

.
terminologies?

Comments: NO I would not use this book in the classroom. The

illustrations are poor and tokenism is very prevalent here. The story is
also about ancient China so it doesnt give a representation of the culture,
or people today.