It is important to teach children about different cultures, especially preschoolers because they will see other children who don’t look like them when they start school. Below we have reviewed a couple of our favorites we know you’d love.
ASIAN ADVENTURES: DELICIOUS ASIAN FOODS FROM A - Z
ASIAN ADVENTURES: DELICIOUS ASIAN FOODS FROM A – Z by Yobe Qiu is delightfully delicious.
It introduces children to yummy Asian foods while learning the alphabet.
From Korean Bibimbap and Japanese natto to Vietnamese phö and Indian roti, each page is laden with foods from Asian countries that match each letter of the alphabet.
The bold and colorful illustrations by Cynthia Li bring this decadent book to life that’s perfect for learning about the food culture of Asia. Publisher: By Yobe Qiu. AGE: 6-9
HOPE IS AN ARROW
HOPE IS AN ARROW by Cory McCarthy celebrates the life of Lebanese-American poet Kahlil Gibran.
Growing up in Lebanon, then fleeing to America, Kahlil persevered at school in Boston while his mother peddled goods.
He wrote poems whenever he visited his hometown in the mountains of Lebanon, then returned to America with words of hope, love, and community that are shared in his poems
The vibrant and beautiful illustrations by Ekua Holmes just flow through the pages like an arrow.
It’s great for little aspiring poets and inspires immigrant children to dream big and never forget where they come from. Publisher: Candlewick Press. AGE: 6-9
AUSTRALIAN BABY ANIMALS
Did you know that many baby animals in Australia are called Joey’s, hatchlings, and chicks, and others are also called fry, puggle, and pups?
AUSTRALIAN BABY ANIMALS by Frané Lessac introduces children to these wonderful animals and their young’s.
From kangaroos and Kookaburra to Possums and Pythons, we learn how they hatch, feed, and even play.
The vibrant illustrations will intrigue little animal lovers as they explore the wonderful animals of Australia. Publisher: Candlewick Press. AGE: 4-8
CAMBODIA: LIKE A DANDELION
LIKE A DANDELION by Huy Voun Lee is a delightful story of immigration.
It features a family as they navigate through life in a new country, embracing new friendships and community as the season’s change.
Every season brings new experiences and ultimately a sense of belonging.
The vibrant and captivating illustrations capture the essence of this book and their metaphorical references to dandelions.
It fosters strength and hope and is perfect for children immigrating to a new country. AGE: 4-8
HAITI: MY DAY WITH THE PANYE
In some countries, carrying the Panye on your head is considered a sign of strength and grace. MY DAY WITH THE PANYE by Tami Charles is a beautiful book that celebrates this tradition through the eyes of a Haitian girl.
It’s Fallon’s turn to accompany her Manman to the market, and she’s excited to finally carry the panye.
The panye is a basket that’s usually full of food and is carried by placing it on top of a mouchwa that’s wrapped around your head.
She’s waited a long time to carry it, and after it falls off her head a couple of times, she realizes it takes agility and grace, and it isn’t as easy as it seems.
With a little encouragement from her manman, some uplifting words, and practice, she carries it with pride and grace.
The book is one of the best books of 2021. It encourages children to be strong and resilient, and it’s extremely motivational.
The illustrations by Sara Palacios are absolutely remarkable and vividly represent Haitian culture. A definite must-have. Age: 4-8
CHINA: MY FIRST MANDARIN WORDS
MY FIRST MANDARIN WORDS by Michele Wong McSween allows children to learn Mandarin with panda cousins Gordon and Li Li.
Gordon lives in Brooklyn and speaks English and Li Li is from Beijing, China, and speaks Mandarin.
From clothes to fruits, numbers, and vehicles, they explore and learn each other’s languages. Every word includes the English word, characters, pinyin, and a pronunciation guide for easy learning.
The illustrations are full of bright colors and we love that Gordon and Li Li interact with the objects featured. How cool is that AGE:2-4
AFRICA: I JUST WANT TO SAY GOOD NIGHT
I JUST WANT TO SAY GOOD NIGHT by Rachel Isadora is about a cute little girl named Lala who just isn’t ready for bed. The sun is down and the moon is up but Lala has to say good night to ALL her animal friends. Every time Mama calls her to bed, she stalls, saying good night to the cat, the ants, the goat and dog lol.
As she’s tucked in bed she reads her book “goodnight moon” and even says good to the book. The illustrations are vibrant and bright and I could just take the pages and hang them on my wall. Sooo beautiful. AGE:2-4
HOW DO YOU SAY GOODNIGHT?
HOW DO YOU SAY GOOD NIGHT by Cindy Jin is a fun new release that can teach children to say good night in different languages and it’s a great way to learn about different cultures around the world.
It’s such a fun and interactive book that’s totally relatable because the words and languages may be different, but they hold the same special meaning for children at bedtime.
Shirley Ng-Benitez’s heartwarming and dreamy illustrations are super cute and take you along on the journey to different countries. A total bedtime favorite. AGE 2-4
KOREA: BEE-BIM BOP!
BEE-BIM BOP by Linda Sue Park celebrates this traditional Korean dish with delicious rhymes and wonderful yummy illustrations.
It features a girl and her mom heading to the grocery to buy the ingredients and making this wonderful dish. Together they have so much fun adding all the ingredients and setting the table. From carrots to spinach, then mixing with water, she can’t wait for the family to sit and share this delicious meal after all the hard work.
We love this book because Bee-Bim Bop is one of our favorite Korean dishes to make. It also features a recipe at the end of the book. How amazing is that?
The illustrations by Ho Baek Lee are deliciously vibrant and bright. AGE 2-6
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: ISLANDBORN
I love love love this book called ISLANDBORN by Junot Díaz. Not only because it’s such a beautiful story but the illustrations by Leo Espinosa are the best…ever! It’s full of color and definitely reminds you of the Islands.
In the book, Lola has to draw a picture that reminds her of the island she came from, but unlike the other children, she can’t seem to remember, so she sets out on a mission to find out everything about the island from her family and by asking people in her neighborhood.
You’ll be amazed at all the things Lola learned. From the music to the food to some beautiful moments in history and also some terrifying ones.
The book is completely relatable and absolutely relevant. It’s important to teach children about their ancestors and where they came from. Knowing your culture and heritage is beautiful.
Younger children will love the beautiful, vibrant pictures and older children will love reading it too. A must-have for every home. AGE :5-10
ME AND THE WORLD
Did you know that people in India read the most and that Hong Kong is the most visited city in the world?
ME AND THE WORLD by Mireia Trius is a magnificent infographic book about this beautiful and diverse world we live in.
From the different types of families to different jobs, homes, school uniforms, and even playground games, this book highlights our differences, and what makes each country, each culture, and each person special?
Thanks to the vibrant and vivid illustrations by Joana Casals, this is the perfect pictorial Encyclopedia for children and even adults.
Teachers and Educators will love it, we couldn’t put this book down. AGE 4-8, PUBLISHER: Chronicle Books.
AFRICA: BABY GOES TO MARKET
Atinuke’s BABY GOES TO MARKET is about a baby on his mother’s back as she walks through a market in Africa. The curious little baby is so friendly that the vendors give him food. One vendor gave the baby 6 bananas, he ate one and put the rest in his mother’s basket.
As they walk along, each vendor gave the baby one less item than the vendor before and the baby eats one of each item before putting it in his mother’s basket.
The book teaches children simple addition and subtraction, counting and sharing and even teaches about different foods in Africa.
What I love most about this book are the bright and vibrant illustrations by Angela Brooksbank. It’s full of color, the goods look rich and delicious and it gives you a little taste of Africa with the brightly colored garments and even the different taxis. The marketplace is busy and crowded but baby was happy and definitely full from all the food he ate. The book is amazing and a definite must-have. AGE:2-4
RUBY'S CHINESE NEW YEAR
Vickie Lee and Joey Chou are back with another wonderfully illustrated picture book called RUBY’S CHINESE NEW YEAR. It features a little girl named Ruby and her quest to take a letter to her grandma. Every year her grandmother came to visit for Chinese New Year but this year she could not travel and would miss spending the holiday with Ruby.
During Ruby’s journey, she meets the animals of the Chinese zodiac along with a friendly cat. First, she invites cat and rat to join her, then an Ox who gave them a ride as he carried rice cakes and candies to the farmer’s home. Soon after they met a tiger and a rabbit who had streamers flying behind them and a dragon and snake who were making paper lanterns. The happy friends noticed horse and goat grazing in the meadow picking flowers and asked them to join their journey. At the pond, they met a monkey and rooster catching fish for the holiday feast and they tagged along too.
As Ruby swam across the pond, her letter got wet and she thought it ruined everything. Grandma reassured her it wasn’t always about the letter, but about friendship and support because they had everything they needed to have a wonderful New Year. They were happy together.
Chinese New Year is about families uniting to celebrate. However, not everyone can travel for the festivities. Ruby’s thoughtfulness to bring the festivities to her grandma made her happy. AGE: 2-6
AFRICA: EMMANUEL'S DREAMS
EMMANUEL’S DREAM by Laurie Ann Thompson is the story of Ghanaian cyclist Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah.
Emmanuel was born with one deformed leg but it didn’t stop him from going to school and playing soccer with his friends or even riding a bike.
Though he had a rough childhood, his mother taught him to always reach for his dreams. He loved cycling and in 2001 decided to ride four hundred miles across Ghana in just 10 days, proving that you can still achieve your dreams even if you have disabilities.
Omg the illustrations by Sean Qualls are bright and realistic and the book is perfect for any child and sends a powerful message to children that one person is enough to make a difference and change the world. AGE:6-10
NORTH KOREA: RICE FROM HEAVEN
RICE FROM HEAVEN The secret mission to feed North Koreans by Tina Cho is another one of our favorite books celebrating the drive and ambition of Korean people.
It features a girl who embarks on a mission with her father (Appa) to feed hungry children across the border. In secret, they tie bags of rice to special balloons and send them over the border to North Korea.
From interrupted missions to spreading a message of hope and love, this book sends a positive message that one courageous person is more than enough to create change.
The illustrations by Kuem Jim Song are vivid and vibrant and capture the entire essence of the message in this book. AGE: 4-8
AFRICA: THE WATER PRINCESS
THE WATER PRINCESS by Susan Verde is based on the childhood of supermodel Georgie Badiel.
It features young, happy Gie Gie who is princess of her own little kingdom.
She tames the dogs with her songs, make the tall grass dance and make the wind play hide-and-seek. However, she can’t make the water come closer. Every morning Gie Gie and her mother travel very far just to collect water. Though the journey is long, it becomes a journey of song and dance. The water is dirty but it is much need to make food and wash their clothes and to keep them clean.
Gie Gie dreams of one day having clean water for everyone in her village so no one will ever have to journey far away for water again.
Wonderfully illustrated by one of my favorite illustrators Peter Reynolds, this book teaches children the importance of perseverance and hope.
In reality, Gie Gie grows up and starts the #georgiebadielfoundation committed to providing clean water to the people of Burkina Faso and other places in Africa. AGE:4-8
MEXICAN CINCO DE MAYO
