Title: Where Are You Going? To See My Friend!

Author: Eric Carle and Kazuo Iwamura

Illustrator: Eric Carle and Kazuo Iwamura
Grade Level: K-2
ISBN #: 9780439416597
Copyright Date: 2001
Summary: This story tells the story of two friends
(and their animal friends) who set out to meet each other and gather more and more
friends because my friend is your friend. Each character starts out at the traditional
beginning side of the book (Left for the western style, and right for the Eastern style) and
meet in the middle, where they all come together and sing a song.
Yes

No

N/A

Questions
1

Does this book properly represent (portray

in historically accurate and unbiased
descriptions/illustrations):

Depicted racial groups?

Males?

Females?

Depicted SES groups?

Does this book use inclusive language (such

as avoiding gender-specific words like
man/mankind)?

Does this book depict people with

disabilities?

x
x

Appropriately (not as a weaker/less

able character)?

Does the book avoid implied derogatory

content?

Does the book exclude tokenism (when

minorities included only to prevent

Notes

criticism and give the appearance that

people are being treated fairly)?
6

Does this book represent people from

multiple cultures?

Is this book free of stereotypes?

(if characters are animals) Does this book

avoid assigning a certain gender to a
stereotypically representative animal?

Does this book encourage a positive

message?

10

Is the author qualified to write this book?

11

Do members of the historically

underrepresented group agree with the
way their culture is being depicted in the
book (have there been no public/local
complaints about representation)?

12

Does the setting accurately reflect the time

period?

13

Are relationships depicted appropriately:

The book
represent an
English
speaking child
and a Japanese
speaking child

Both renowned
authors are
native speakers
of the language
they write in
and represent

fathers?

mothers?

single parent families?

brothers?

There is no real
setting that
relates to any
specific time
period

sisters?

extended family caretakers?

adoptive families?

teachers?

other adults?

friends?

14

Can the students see themselves within this

book?

Comments

I find this book extremely well done with a

positive message of friendship and
acceptance amongst people of different
cultures, backgrounds, and nationalities,
easily opening discussion among students.
The book is bilingual with Romanization
under the Japanese text for reading and
pronunciation aid to monolingual speakers.

x
x

There are only

two characters,
one is a
Japanese female
while the other
is a white male,
so children of
other
nationalities are
not represented
in the book,
however the
theme of
multicultural
friendship
opens the door
to discussion of
friendships
among other
groups as well

Title: Project Mulberry

Author: Linda Sue Park
Illustrator: N/A
Grade Level: 4-6
ISBN #:
Copyright Date: 2005
Summary: This story tells about a girl and her struggle with
her Korean-American identity, in which she comes to
embrace her own as well as others ethnicity, and to question
the reactions of those around her to those of another
ethnicity. She learns all of this through a science project she and her friend are doing on
silkworms, in which they raise them, observe them, and then harvest the silk in order to
use for sewing.
Yes

No

N/A

Notes

Questions
1

Does this book properly represent (portray

in historically accurate and unbiased
descriptions/illustrations):

Depicted racial groups?

Males?

Females?

Depicted SES groups?

Does this book use inclusive language (such

as avoiding gender-specific words like
man/mankind)?

Does this book depict people with

disabilities?

Appropriately (not as a weaker/less

There are a few

usages of words
that generalize
both genders into
a typically male
represented term
used
colloquially

able character)?
4

Does the book avoid implied derogatory

content?

Does the book exclude tokenism (when

minorities included only to prevent
criticism and give the appearance that
people are being treated fairly)?

Does this book represent people from

multiple cultures?

Is this book free of stereotypes?

(if characters are animals) Does this book

avoid assigning a certain gender to a
stereotypically representative animal?

Does this book encourage a positive

message?

Embracing ones
ethnicity,
Friendship,
Life and Death
(of animals
silkworms)

10

Is the author qualified to write this book?

The author
writes influence
by her own
experiences

11

Do members of the historically

underrepresented group agree with the
way their culture is being depicted in the
book (have there been no public/local
complaints about representation)?

12

Does the setting accurately reflect the time

period?

13

Are relationships depicted appropriately:

fathers?

European
American,
African
American,
Korean
American

mothers?

single parent families?

brothers?

sisters?

extended family caretakers?

adoptive families?

teachers?

other adults?

friends?

14

Can the students see themselves within this

book?

Comments

This book depicts very well the struggle of

coming to terms with many things while
growing up such as ethnicity, prejudice,
death, and friendship. It is clever and can
be used in correlation to almost (if not
completely) all subjects.

x
x

While not all

cultural groups
are represented,
several are, and
the context can
be extended
through open
discussion

Title: The Lotus Seed

Author: Sherry Garland
Illustrator: Tatsuro Kiuchi
Grade Level:
ISBN #: 0-15-249465-0
Copyright Date: 1993
Summary: This story tells about a Vietnamese family
that is forced to escape from a civil war, and have to
survive as refugees and adapt to a new way of life in a
new country without losing their heritage.
Yes

No

N/A

Questions
1

Does this book properly represent (portray

in historically accurate and unbiased
descriptions/illustrations):

Depicted racial groups?

Males?

Females?

Depicted SES groups?

Does this book use inclusive language (such

as avoiding gender-specific words like
man/mankind)?

Does this book depict people with

disabilities?

Appropriately (not as a weaker/less

able character)?

Does the book avoid implied derogatory

content?

Does the book exclude tokenism (when

minorities included only to prevent
criticism and give the appearance that

Notes

people are being treated fairly)?

x

Only those of
Vietnamese
descent are
depicted in the
story

Does this book represent people from

multiple cultures?

Is this book free of stereotypes?

(if characters are animals) Does this book

avoid assigning a certain gender to a
stereotypically representative animal?

Does this book encourage a positive

message?

Hope in hard
times,
remembering
ones
heritage/peoples
stuggles

10

Is the author qualified to write this book?

Close relation to
Vietnamese
families

11

Do members of the historically

underrepresented group agree with the
way their culture is being depicted in the
book (have there been no public/local
complaints about representation)?

12

Does the setting accurately reflect the time

period?

13

Are relationships depicted appropriately:

x
x

fathers?

mothers?

single parent families?

brothers?

sisters?

extended family caretakers?

x
x

adoptive families?

teachers?

other adults?

friends?

14

Can the students see themselves within this

book?

Comments

The book does well in what it aims to do,

which is to tell the story of Vietnamese
refugees, and to show the link of cultural
heritage to modern life.

The story is
particular in that
it relates to
Vietnamese
refugees. If there
are Vietnamese
students, then
they might have
some stories to
share, though
other students
might be able to
relate through
their own
heritage

Title: Azzi In Between

Author: Sarah Garland
Illustrator: Sarah Garland
Grade Level:
ISBN #: 978-1-84780-261-3
Copyright Date: 2012
Summary: This story tells about a girl name Azzi and
her family who have to leave their home country and
escape to another in a frightening journey by car and
boat. In the new country they have to find a new home
and speak a new language. She makes a new friend and
begins to adapt to her new life.
Yes

No

N/A

Questions
1

Does this book properly represent (portray

in historically accurate and unbiased
descriptions/illustrations):

Depicted racial groups?

Males?

Females?

Depicted SES groups?

Does this book use inclusive language (such

as avoiding gender-specific words like
man/mankind)?

Does this book depict people with

disabilities?

Appropriately (not as a weaker/less

able character)?

Does the book avoid implied derogatory

content?

Does the book exclude tokenism (when

Notes

minorities included only to prevent

criticism and give the appearance that
people are being treated fairly)?
6

Does this book represent people from

multiple cultures?

Is this book free of stereotypes?

(if characters are animals) Does this book

avoid assigning a certain gender to a
stereotypically representative animal?

Does this book encourage a positive

message?

10

Is the author qualified to write this book?

11

Do members of the historically

underrepresented group agree with the
way their culture is being depicted in the
book (have there been no public/local
complaints about representation)?

12

Does the setting accurately reflect the time

period?

13

Are relationships depicted appropriately:

Middle-Eastern,
European
American,
African

The author is a
renowned writer
and is backed by
Amnesty
International

fathers?

mothers?

single parent families?

brothers?

sisters?

extended family caretakers?

adoptive families?

x
x

teachers?

other adults?

friends?

14

Can the students see themselves within this

book?

Comments

This book is very interesting, because while

there are hints that the characters of this
book are from the Middle-East, and are
most likely refugees from the conflict in the
Middle-East, it is never explicitly stated,
which allows this book to relate to all
refugee situations.

Students can see

themselves
through main
character or
other characters
in the book

Title: Jyotis Journey

Author: Helen Ganly
Illustrator: Helen Ganly
Grade Level:
ISBN #: 0-233-97899-2
Copyright Date: 1986
Summary: This story tells about a girl named Jyoti
who lives in India. Her father is in England and she
lives her daily life. The book describes a typical
Indian marriage, as well as the journey from India to
England, and her settling down in her new home.
Yes

No

N/A

Notes

Questions
1

Characters are
not developed,
and traditional
roles, such as
women cooking
and sewing are
depicted while
Jyoti is still in
India, however,
as this idea still
prevails in rural
India, I am
unsure where
this fits

Does this book properly represent (portray

in historically accurate and unbiased
descriptions/illustrations):

Depicted racial groups?

Males?

Females?

Depicted SES groups?

Does this book use inclusive language (such

as avoiding gender-specific words like
man/mankind)?

x
x

Does this book depict people with

disabilities?

Appropriately (not as a weaker/less

able character)?

Does the book avoid implied derogatory

content?

Does the book exclude tokenism (when

minorities included only to prevent
criticism and give the appearance that
people are being treated fairly)?

Does this book represent people from

multiple cultures?

Only people of
Indian descent
are represented.

Is this book free of stereotypes?

Female
stereotypes (as
discussed above)

(if characters are animals) Does this book

avoid assigning a certain gender to a
stereotypically representative animal?

Does this book encourage a positive

message?

10

Is the author qualified to write this book?

I could not find

anything that
explains if the
author is
qualified

11

Do members of the historically

underrepresented group agree with the
way their culture is being depicted in the
book (have there been no public/local
complaints about representation)?

Again nothing
could be found

12

Does the setting accurately reflect the time

period?

13

Are relationships depicted appropriately:

fathers?

Ends abruptly on
a not so happy
tone

Again same

stereotype
discussed above,
father away
working to
provide for his
family

mothers?

single parent families?

brothers?

sisters?

extended family caretakers?

adoptive families?

teachers?

other adults?

friends?

14

Can the students see themselves within this

book?

Comments

The book starts of good, and beautifully

depicts Indian lifestyle, however, the tone
quickly shifts when Jyoti goes to England,
where everything is depicted as drab and
cold. Jyoti wonders what her life will be
like, and the book ends. I am unsure if this
book should actually be used in a
classroom.

Mother works at
the home

Children of
Indian heritage
might be able to
see themselves in
the book, but
most students
will not be able
to

Title: The Story About Ping

Author: Marjorie Flack
Illustrator: Kurt Wiese
Grade Level: 1-2
ISBN #: 0-14-050241-6
Copyright Date: 2005
Summary: This story tells about a duck named Ping
who is taken by his owner to feed on the riverbank.
Later, Ping is the last duck to return, so he hides to
avoid being spanked. He observes some fishing
birds and then a boy captures him for his family's
dinner, but is luckily released. The next day, returns to his family knowing he will be
the last duck again, but this time he accepts the punishment.
Yes

No

N/A

Notes

Questions
1

Stereotyping of
ancient Chinese
peoples

Does this book properly represent (portray

in historically accurate and unbiased
descriptions/illustrations):

Depicted racial groups?

Males?

Females?

Depicted SES groups?

Does this book use inclusive language (such

as avoiding gender-specific words like
man/mankind)?

Does this book depict people with

disabilities?

Appropriately (not as a weaker/less

able character)?

Does the book avoid implied derogatory

content?

Characters
illustrated with
yellow skin color

Does the book exclude tokenism (when

minorities included only to prevent
criticism and give the appearance that
people are being treated fairly)?

All characters
are Chinese
(except for the
ducks)

Does this book represent people from

multiple cultures?

Only Chinese
people are
represented

Is this book free of stereotypes?

Illustrations
include slight
stereotyping of
skin color and
clothing

(if characters are animals) Does this book

avoid assigning a certain gender to a
stereotypically representative animal?

Does this book encourage a positive

message?

In my opinion,
no. Its message
seems to be
accept your
punishment
which is fine if
the character had
done something
bad, but
somebody
always will be
last in line, so
perhaps this
could be easily
misconstrued by
the students.

10

Is the author qualified to write this book?

As far as I know,
the author does
not have any
qualifications for
writing about the
setting of ancient
China or

There are male

and female ducks

domesticated
ducks
11

Do members of the historically

underrepresented group agree with the
way their culture is being depicted in the
book (have there been no public/local
complaints about representation)?

12

Does the setting accurately reflect the time

period?

13

Are relationships depicted appropriately:

I could not find

many bad
reviews for this
book, but I also
could not find
many reviews of
this book by
Chinese
Americans
x

Slightly
stereotyped in
illustrations
Father in
stereotypical
strong role,
mother cooks

fathers?

mothers?

single parent families?

brothers?

sisters?

extended family caretakers?

adoptive families?

teachers?

other adults?

friends?

14

Can the students see themselves within this

book?

Comments

The book seems generally well-received,

but I dont really think that it is a good
book to use as it can promote certain

stereotypes about Chinese people, and the

lesson that is meant to be taught (not to run
away from your problems) can be
misinterpreted as not to be last.