Hannah Scott

Multicultural Text Set

Title/Author

Ind.
Reading
Level

Genre

Plot

Cultural Perspective

Value to Set

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman

3rd - 5th

Contemporary
Realistic
Fiction

A young African-American girl defies norms

and plays Peter Pan in the schools
performance

African-American, Gender

Perseverance, prejudice and

tolerance

Leo The Late Bloomer by Robert

Kraus

1 - 3rd

Modern Fantasy

Leo the tiger is a late bloomer--he cannot read

write, speak or draw--until one day, he
blooms!

Special Needs

Persistence, patience, selfacceptance

I Love My Hair by Natasha A.

Tarpley

2nd - 4th

Contemporary
Realistic
Fiction

A young African-American girl learns to love

her natural hair when she learns about her
cultural heritage.

African-American

Heritage, natural beauty

My Name is Maria Isabel by Alma

Flor Ada

3rd - 5th

Contemporary
Realistic
Fiction

A young Puerto-Rican girl moves to the US

and loses her birth name in school. Maria
Isabel struggles to accept her new identity.

Latino-American

Heritage, identity, names

Zero by Kathryn Otoshi

2nd - 4th

Modern Fantasy

A number who is nothing wonders how she

can become something.
She eventually learns that by being herself, she
brings more value to everyone.

None/Can be relevant to all

children

Value, self-worth

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

3rd - 5th

Contemporary
Realistic
Fiction

A young Korean girl moves to the US and

want to pick a more American name to fit in.
Eventually she decides to use her birth name,
Unhei.

Korean-American

Heritage, identity, names

The Blacker the Berry

By Joyce Carol Thomas

3rd - 5th

Poetry

A collection of poems the celebrate the

different shades of black.

African-American

Skin color, Individuality, AfricanAmerican identity

Shades of Black by Sandra L.

Pinkney

3rd - 5th

Poetry,
Informational

A collection of poems and photographs that

show the rich diversity among AfricanAmericans.

African-American

Skin color, individuality, AfricanAmerican identity

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match

by Monica Brown

1st - 3rd

Contemporary
Realistic
Fiction

Marisol McDonald is one of a kind! This

spunky biracial girl is proud of who she is,
even if she doesnt match everybody else.

Latino-American

Individuality, biracial identity,

being yourself

The Colors of Us by Karen Katz

3rd - 5th

Contemporary
Realistic
Fiction

A young girl learns that people come in many

different shades, and each is a beautiful
variation of brown. She compares the spectrum

Multiracial

Skin color, individuality, identity

Hannah Scott
of colors to delicious foods and beautiful
sights.
Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie

2nd - 4th

Contemporary
Realistic
Fiction

A young Native-American boy is searching for

his perfect name. While some think he should
be named after his father, the boy wants to be
named for his accomplishments

Native-American

Identity, accomplishments, pride

All The Colors We Are: The Story of

How We Get Our Skin Color by
Katie Kissinger

1st - 3rd

Informational
Text

A developmentally appropriate, yet

scientifically accurate explanation of how we
get our skin color. Includes beautiful
photographs that highlight all skin colors.

Multiracial

Skin color

Chocolate Me! by Taye Diggs

1st - 3rd

Contemporary
Realistic
Fiction

A young boy gets picked on because of the

color of his skin, his mother helps him learn to
love the skin hes in by comparing him to
sweet chocolate

African-American

Skin color, self-acceptance

My Name Is Jazz by Jessica Herthel

and Jazz Jennings

2nd - 4th

Autobiography

Jazz Jennings chronicles her childhood

experiences and talks about her gender
dysmorphia--how she was born with a girl
brain in a boy body-- how she has girl
thoughts and dreams, how she likes
stereotypical girl things. How she isnt
happy as a boy. She writes that being
different is totally okay, as long as you are
happy--thats all that matters.

LGBTQ +

Gender roles, being different is

okay, self acceptance

The Skin You Live In by Michael

Tyler

1st - 3rd

Poetry

A rhyming story of diversity and acceptance

that shows how friendship and fun can
transcend differences.

Multiracial

Skin color, friendship, acceptance,

self-esteem, and diversity

Cheshire Moon by Nancy Butts

4th - 6th

Contemporary
Realistic
Fiction

A story about a deaf girl who learns accept

herself in the hearing world. She comes to the
realization that being deaf doesnt mean she is
broken, just different--she can hear with her
eyes and speak with her hands.

Deaf

Self-acceptance, different abilities

Just Because I Am: A Childrens

Book of Affirmations by Lauren
Murphy Payne

2nd - 4th

Poetry

This is a collection of short affirmations about

listening to our bodies and our feelings,
acknowledging our needs, standing up for
ourselves, and making mistakes. These simple
lessons about self-esteem and self-advocacy
will encourage and empower children,
regardless of their background. Each poem is
paired with illustrations that depict children of
all races and abilities.

Multicultural

Affirmations, self-esteem, selfadvocacy

Hannah Scott
All My Stripes by Shaina Rudolph
and Danielle Royer

3rd - 5th

Modern Fantasy

Zane the zebra talks about his terrible day at

school, and about how he feels different from
the rest of his classmates because of his
autism stripe. With the help of his mother,
Zane comes to appreciate all of his stripes--the
unique characteristics that make him who he
is.

Special Needs-Autism

Self-acceptance, different abilities

Lets Talk About Race by Julius

Lester

4th - 6th

Autobiography

By telling us his story, the author shows how

our race is only a small part of our story.
There is so much more to us as humans. The
author tells the reader to look at people for
who they are, not for how they look.

Multiracial

Tolerance, human identity, stories

Not All Princesses Wear Pink by

Jane Yolen

2nd - 4th

Poetry

A whimsical book about how girls can do

anything, regardless of what society tells them.
Girls can play sports, jump in the mud, build
things with tools, and breakdance. A true
princess is any girl who does what she loves,
not matter what people will think.

Gender

Gender roles.

Families are Different by Nina

Pellegrini

3rd - 5th

Contemporary
Realistic
Fiction

Two adopted girls have trouble finding in their

own identity. They eventually learn that they
can be Korean and American.

Korean-American

Identity, family structure,

bicultural, self-acceptance

Pezzetino by Leo Lionni

2nd - 4th

Modern Fantasy

A creature lives in a world where everyone is

big. Pezzettino feels like he doesnt fit in.

None/Can be relevant to all

children

Self acceptance, differences

Same Difference by Calida Garcia

Rawles

3rd - 5th

Poetry

Two young girls are inseparable until they

notice their differences. Their grandmother
reassures them that they can look different but
still be the same--they can love to do the same
things, and they can share a special friendship,
regardless of how they look. Grandmother
compares their natural beauty to different
times of day, how each is special in its own
beautiful way.

African-American

Skin color, self-acceptance,

differences, tolerance

I Like Being Me by Judy Lalli

2nd - 4th

Poetry

A collection of poems about feeling special

and appreciating who you are.

Multicultural

Self-acceptance, self-esteem

No Mirrors in My Nanas House by

Ysaye M. Barnwell

2nd - 4th

Poetry

A simple poem of a young African-American

girl who learns to see herself and the world
around her as beautiful, not by looking in
mirrors, but by looking in her nanas eyes.

African-American

Beauty, acceptance, tolerance