Running Head: NOTABLE BOOKS FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY PROJECT 1

Notable Books for a Global Society Project

Ashley Hurst and Pamela Henderson

Washington State University

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Multicultural literature, which is a very recent trend in literature, is now emerging

and becoming popular for its positive features such as its ability to foster an awareness,

understanding, and appreciation of people who at first glance seem different from the

reader, present a positive and reassuring representation of a reader's own cultural

group, and introduce readers to the literary traditions of different world cultures or

cultural groups within a specific nation. According to the article Multicultural Literature

and Young Adolescents: A Kaleidoscope of Opportunity, the importance of multicultural

literature is to expand students knowledge about other cultures so that ignorance and

prejudice in society is avoided. This article states that in order to do this, students need

to be exposed to culturally specific books that give the reader insight into cultures other

than their own (Landt 693). Another important aspect of multicultural books are to

expose students to a broader view of the world. This essentially means that students

are able to experience other cultures through someone's perspective rather than

reading about different cultures in a textbook. This element interests students more and

motivates them to want to learn more about other cultures which is very important

(Landt 691). The idea that some students cultures have not always been represented in

literature is a huge problem that is just recently being recognized and dealt with. The

article also states that Not seeing ones self,or representations of ones culture,in

literature can activate feelings of marginalization and cause students to question their

place within society (Landt 694). As future teachers, these are all considerations that

we need to be aware of and this assignment helps educate us on these important

issues.
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This assignment's purpose was to look at eight of the selected Notable Books for

a Global Society and critique them based upon the criteria of the NBGS books and

essentially what makes a good multicultural books. This assignment's purpose is very

relevant and important for us being future teachers because it's essential that we are

exposed to multicultural literature and that we embrace diversity and individuality in the

classroom. Both of our definitions of multicultural literature varied greatly at the

beginning of this assignment, but after reading these NBGS books and doing the

project, we are both more informed about what multicultural literature is. For example,

Ashleys definition before doing this project was simply that multicultural literature is

literature that contains different cultural groups or ideas from different cultures. Now

her understanding is much greater and she would now define multicultural literature as

a powerful tool that may be used to bring together people from different backgrounds

through an awareness of their culture, as opposed to the ignorance that often comes

with Xenophobia. As stated in Children's Literature Briefly, With the increased

emphasis on well-written multicultural and international childrens books, teachers and

parents have an additional means by which they may help children avoid the pitfalls of

ignorance that breed intolerance, hatred, and conflict. In an atomic age, we certainly

cannot afford the increasingly deadly outcomes sparked by xenophobic behaviors

(Tunnell and Jacobs 199). This essentially just provides the claim that literature has the

power to educate people. From being educated, we are more likely to be able to live in

peace with one another, despite any differences that may be present. We are all human

and we should all have empathy and compassion for one another. In contrast Pamelas

definition before completing this assignment was that multicultural literature is literature
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that comes from cultures other than American culture that celebrates these cultures

customs and traditions. Now she has a better awareness of the importance of including

these books in classrooms to expose her students to different cultures and beliefs. The

eight multicultural books we chose to read and critique were The Story of my Life: An

Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky (Ahmedi & Ansary, 2005), Brown Girl

Dreaming (Woodson, 2014), Separate Is Never Equal (Tonatiuh, 2014), Beyond

Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out (Kuklin, 2014), George (Gino, 2015), Where

the Mountain Meets the Moon (Lin, 2009), Last Stop on Market Street (Pea, 2015) and

The Chickens Build a Wall (Dumont, 2013). We selected these books for a variety of

reasons, one of the most important being that we wanted a wide selection of books

covering a variety of topics and themes. We wanted multiple themes covered through

these books so we could choose the best book as the winner of the Notable Books for a

Global Society. We also wanted to include different types of books such as picture

books and chapter books. By having a diverse pool of books to choose from we can

definitively say that our books represent the Notable Books for a Global Society in the

best way.

The Notable Books for a Global Society criteria has a long list of elements that it

must meet to be considered for selection. It is separated into two parts, in the first part

only one or more criteria must be met from this section. This allows for some diversity in

the content but ensuring the book is pertinent to multicultural literature. The elements in

the first part are: portrays cultural accuracy and authenticity of characters in terms of

physical characteristics, intellectual abilities and problem solving capabilities, leadership

and cooperative dimensions, social and economic status, be rich in cultural details,
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honor and celebrate diversity as well as common bonds in humanity, provide in-depth

treatment of cultural issues, include characters within a cultural group or between two or

more cultural groups who interact substantively and authentically, include members of a

minority group for a purpose other than filling a quota. In the second part of the

criteria all elements must be met to qualify for selection. The elements in this part are:

invite reflection, critical analysis, and response,demonstrate unique language or style,

meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written, and

have an appealing format and be of enduring quality. These criteria are important

because they set the guidelines for what is included in the books. These criteria are

very unique and specific for the Notable Books for a Global Society because the

committee wants the books to be the highest standard of multicultural literature and to

express a diversity in content. For example the criteria that states the book must honor

and celebrate diversity as well as common bonds in humanity is important because

multicultural literatures goal is to celebrate diversity in culture and to remove negative

stereotypes about people. This criteria, along with all the others, makes this selection of

books one that all teachers will want to be aware of because it is important to include

diversity in the classroom and this list is full of authentic multicultural literature. We will

now summarize each of these multicultural books and then discuss how they match this

criteria for NBGS books.

First we will summarize and critique the literary elements of the book The Story

of my Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky. We chose this book as one of

our runner up books because of its ability to foster empathy within the reader and think

about the hardships and struggles that come along with being from another country.
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This book is an autobiography of Farah Ahmedi who grew up in Afghanistan during the

war and faced many struggles in her life. The huge plot of the book is revolved around

her family being torn apart and dealing with severe challenges in life as a result of

events that took place due to the massive warfare. One of the challenges for instance

involved an incident in which she stepped on a landmine on the way to school, which

resulted in her getting her leg amputated in Germany. Also, when she is finally able to

return home with her family after eighteen months of being in a German hospital, she

experiences tremendous loss. Her father and sisters were killed also as a result of the

war and her brothers left Afghanistan for fear of being drafted into the war. After this,

her and her mother immigrated to the United States through the program World Relief.

When living in the United States, Farah and her mother are then bombarded with the

difficulties that come along with adapting to a new country and culture. Although all of

these tragic events take place in her life and throughout the book, some positive

outcomes arose such as meeting a person named Alyce who helps Farah and her

mother in so many different ways. I would definitely incorporate this book into an

English classroom in high school because of how interesting the book is and also

because of the power I think it could have on an individual or in a school. I would most

likely have students read it both individually and in the classroom and then have in

depth discussions about issues brought up in the book. This would also be a good book

to be used when educating students on the war and refugees. Because this book shows

the other side of the war that is a lot of times not really shown in media and everyone

has very different political views, this book may be considered a controversial book and
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I think it would be important to know your students and form an environment where your

students feel comfortable discussing such heavy issues.

The Story of my Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky is a very

emotional and compelling book. This book is definitely one of my favorite books I have

read throughout the course of the semester and provided me with a new perspective on

issues brought up in this book. As a future teacher, I found this book to be very relevant

because with the increase of diverse students that will be in my future classrooms, it's

essential to be aware of the struggles that ELL students face when adapting to a new

language and culture. I also think that as a teacher, I would require all of my middle

school or high school aged students to read this book because I think it would provide

them with a better understanding of classmates or people in general that immigrated

from another country to The United States. I think that this book would lead to more

empathy in society and also bring the ignorance and intolerance that some people have

towards foreigners in this country to an end, resulting in a more peaceful and accepting

society. I really enjoyed how this book was an easy read which would be of interest to a

lot of readers. I also think that the way the book was formatted in a sequential way as

opposed to jumping around in time added to this component of it being an easy read

and added to the overall quality of the book. The biggest positive trait about this book

however is its ability to evoke emotional responses out of the reader because of it being

based upon a true story. The plot of the book is very engrossing and since the story is

told by Farah herself, her voice authentically shines through. This makes the book so

much more relatable in comparison to reading a textbook about the war going on in

Afghanistan and still educates the reader on the war and what goes on in other
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countries through using heavy themes such as war, loss, struggles, family, friends, and

adapting to change. I really have no negative criticism towards this book because I

consider it to be one of my favorite overall books and a life changing read.

Not only did I find this book to be very well written, but I also found it to meet the

criteria of The Notable Books for a Global Society. I think the criteria of providing in

depth treatment of cultural issues was positively depicted through this book because of

the themes that are present in the book. The controversial and political issue of

immigration is one that is very present in society today and I think that this book did an

excellent job showcasing what it's like to be a refugee or an immigrant in the United

States. It is also very eye opening to read about the cultural issue of wars that take

place throughout the world. I think that this aspect of culture is not something that

people tend to think about very often. I think that often times, Americans only think

about negative connotations when they think about the war in Afghanistan and often

stereotype everyone as our enemy or as a terrorist, which is a hugely inaccurate

portrayal of this group. Another one of the NBGS criteria that I think this book met was

that this book includes characters between two or more cultural groups who interact

substantively and authentically. In The Story of my Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other

Side of the Sky, Farah and Alyce become very good friends and come from two very

different backgrounds. This is a very important aspect because I believe it's important

for readers to be exposed to the idea that people from different cultural backgrounds

can be friends and it's very possible to live peacefully with one another and accept one

another's differences. I also really believe that this book invites personal reflection which

is one of the NBGS criteria. I think that a lot of times Americans take for granted how
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blessed we are to live in this country while so many other individuals in other countries

live in poverty or deal with tragedies like the ones displayed in this book. I cannot

personally imagine going through all of the things that Farah and her mother did, so I

think that it definitely puts things into perspective and makes the reader appreciative of

the smaller things in life.

Next, Separate Is Never Equal : Sylvia Mendez & Her Familys Fight for

Desegregation is a nonfiction book that won the Orbis Pictus Honor Award in 2015. This

is a very eye opening book involving race and segregation, specifically in the

educational system in California. The plot of this book revolves around the historical

case of Mendez v. Westminster School District was crucial to the beginning of

desegregation and the movement against racism and prejudices in the school system.

Sylvia, the main character in this picture book with whom the voice of the book was told

from, was a real girl as well as her family who fought against the Westminster School

District because they would not allow her to go to school there because of her skin

color. Because of this, she was forced to go to a school for colored children, which was

not of good quality. The story starts out with Sylvia not feeling accepted at school, but

once she remembers how hard her and her family fought for her to be able to go there,

she is appreciative. I thought that the way the book was formatted was very effective.

For example, The Authors Note section of this book contains very accurate information

regarding the events portrayed in this book along with other valuable information

pertaining to The Civil Rights Movement and how race still plays a role in classroom

settings today. The back of the book also features photographs of Sylvia, her family,

and The Westminster School. This picture book also provides a glossary, a
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bibliography, and an index, which adds to the accuracy of this book and also enables

students with the resources to learn completely about this historical topic. I also thought

that the idea that the dialogue from the trial scene in the book originated directly from

court transcripts and the rest of the book was inspired through conversations the author

had directly with Sylvia made the book more effective and a well written book in general.

I think that this book is a very important book to introduce to students in the classroom.

Because this is a picture book and includes a glossary as well, I think this book can be

read to students in elementary school at a variety of levels. I think that this book would

be best used in the classroom during the month of Martin Luther King Jr. Day or any

other time in the school year that racism or topics of prejudice is discussed. We believe

that this book would contribute to an overall more accepting classroom environment,

and also provide students with essential historical information on segregation in the

United States.

Separate is Never Equal Sylvia: Mendez & Her Familys Fight for Desegregation

is a very culturally applicable book as well that meets the NBGS criteria. I think that this

book portrays cultural authenticity in the fact of the leadership and cooperative

dimensions. Sylvia and her familys fight for racial equality was a huge step towards the

goal of desegregation within the school system. All of the historical information

portrayed in this book is accurate and gives the reader an awareness of what took place

in history and how much people had to fight for the rights that we have and the society

we live in today. Like I had mentioned previously, this book contains many solid aspects

like a bibliography, index, and glossary which all help reinforce the historical accuracy

presented. Segregation in the United States was a huge cultural issue that I think is well
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represented in this book. This cultural issue is brought about in a way in this book that

would interest a reader more than reading about racial inequality and segregation in

education in a textbook would have done. Just like The Story of my Life: An Afghan Girl

on the Other Side of the Sky, I believe that this book evokes reflection and response

from the reader because I think that education is something that is commonly taken for

granted in society today, along with many other factors that used to involve race. This

book may also bring up the question of Are these issues regarding race in society

actually solved or do we still have a long way to go in terms of social and racial

inequality? I would argue that although we have come a long way since events like

what happened in this book have taken place, that their is still a lot of improvements that

can be made. I truly believe that this book shows the leadership and determination

towards the goal of desegregation, gives accurate informational, provides in depth

treatment of cultural issues, and evokes readers to think and reflect on the themes

addressed.

Also, another book that provided valuable cultural information along with being a

well written book is Brown Girl Dreaming. Overall, I really appreciated this

autobiography on Jacqueline Woodson's life. I loved the way that this book was

formatted and how it was written using free verse poetry style. This factor also

contributed to making it a pretty fast read which I think may attract readers. The plot

was centered around her experiences as an African-American women growing up

during the time of The Civil Rights Movement and the differences between living in the

north and in the south. She also focuses a lot on her passion for writing. I found the way

the author brought up themes like racism different than other authors did because of the
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subtleness in her writing. I liked the way she didn't overwhelm the reader with this

theme, rather she was brief and used foreshadowing as a way to make the reader think

on their own and interpret the literature in their own way. However, I think she could

have used the power of literature to evoke more emotion out of the reader and to

consequently get the reader more interested. I also think that the author used beautiful

word choice and I enjoyed the way it was written from her perspective. I also believe

that this is an Important book for children to read and that this would be a great book for

older readers when learning about civil rights or during Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Also, we read the book Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by

Susan Kuklin. This book contains personal information on six individuals that identify as

transgenders. The author interviewed these six different people to try and gain

knowledge about their personal experiences, both different and similar. These gender

issues discussed in the book are the main theme of the book and the plot focuses on

the development of these characters including their childhood and backgrounds, how

they view gender, and their variety of social experiences that have come from the result

of identifying as a part of the transgender subculture. I personally really enjoyed how the

author let the stories speak for themselves. She also included very personal photos that

help reinforce the text and make the reading much more relatable for the reader.

Therefore, because of this, Beyond Magenta reads much like a picture book which may

attract readers interest. This is also a very relevant subject right now with the attention

of the media covering the issue of people coming out as trans like Bruce Jenner for

example. I also found that the author represented the diversity present in the trans

community well. For example, There is an equal representation of two trans feminine
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people, two trans masculine people, and two nonbinary people. Also, at least half of the

interviewees are people of color, and all six come from different socioeconomic and

familial backgrounds. This is very important for a multicultural book because it's

essential that the characters are relatable to a broad range of readers.

I found that the book Beyond Magenta met many aspects of the list of criteria.

For instance, the bullet regarding honoring and celebrating diversity as well as common

bonds in humanity is well represented in this book. Through reading this book, I think

that the reader will see that gender identity is much more diverse than just the body

youre born in. These diverse perceptions of themselves are then also accompanied in

the book with stories that anyone can relate to, not primarily transgender individuals. I

think this is very important because it shows that trans people are still in fact people and

that they are not as foreign or strange as a lot of people think. Another criteria I think

that this book meets is that it provides rich cultural details. I felt as if I was educated on

gender identity before reading this book, but I think that I actually learned a lot more

about this culture through the stories and the details provided. This book also clearly

showcased a minority group for a reason other than filling a quota. For students

questioning their gender or sexuality, I think this piece of literature could really speak to

them since transgender teenagers are a huge minority group that is not often

represented in literature. An even more important minority group that was represented

in this book besides primarily transgender teenagers, is a transgender teenager of color.

I think that the fact that this book is about the minority group of transgenders is a very

powerful tool when considering statistics of this subculture. For instance, the statistic

that 49 % of trans people attempt suicide is very disturbing along with the fact that 1 in
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12 trans people is murdered in the United States. I think that literature like Beyond

Magenta is essential to these people's lives and I think it's essential that people are

educated on these issues in order to create a more accepting society for these people.

Another book we read was The Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pea.

This is a heartwarming picture book about appreciating all the small things in life. This

books opens with a young boy named CJ and his Nana leaving church on a rainy

Sunday afternoon. CJ asks his Nana why they have to wait for the bus in the rain and

why they dont have a car. Nana replies to CJ that the trees are thirsty and that they

didnt need a car when they had a bus that breaths fire. CJ and his Nana continue on

their adventure on the bus where Nana teaches CJ how to appreciate the ride and all

their friends they meet. CJ and his Nana's journey ends when they reach the last stop

on Market Street and go volunteer at a soup kitchen. This book is written very well and

allows a lot of interpretation to come from the illustrations which are very detailed and

colorful. This book teaches children to see the beauty and love in the world that are

sometimes hidden. This is an important book to share with a class because it teaches

children that there is always beauty in the world and to look for all the positive in their

situation. The illustrations in this book are colorful and really heighten the story and take

this book to the next level. It comes as no surprise that this book won the Caldecott

Medal for excellence in children's picture book as well as the Newbery Award which is

given to the childrens book that has the most distinguished contribution to American

literature. I really enjoyed this book, it is fun and colorful but also conveys a very

important message. This book would make an excellent addition in any classroom. I

would use this book for a read aloud in class or as a book to let the children read
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themselves. It would be a really good book to discuss in class, we could discuss the

meaning of the book and how the message can be applied to everyday life. This would

also be a good book to create classroom activities for such as crafts and artwork. This

books has many literary elements that make it culturally relevant such as its plot, theme

and voice. The theme of the book is very relevant it current times because there are

many children who are living below the poverty line and have to deal with the struggles

that are associated with not having enough resources every day. The plot is also

important because it teaches children that they can find beauty and happiness in

situations that are not always the best. The voice of this book is very important to the

overall plot and theme. Nana and CJ both have very distinctive voices and their syntax

and diction is good because it is characteristic of their cultural identity. This book has

many strengths that make it an excellent book one of these is the illustrations in the

book. The illustrations are created with acrylic paint, collage, and a little digital

manipulation. This creates the vibrantly unique illustrations in Last Stop on Market

Street that provide a visual experience in the book that goes hand in hand with the text.

Another strength in the book is the overall text in the book. The story is both whimsical

and also moral in its text. The books offers a lot to be left up to the imagination and

interpreted by the reader but it also has a clear lesson about appreciating the little

things in life. One weakness in the book is that is a little textually simple. This works for

a children's book but is still could have been more complex with increased depth to the

text to give the story a more dimensional plot. Overall I think this book is an excellent

book that I would recommend for all classrooms or just general reading.
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In accordance with the Notable Books for a Global Society criteria Last Stop on

Market Street is an excellent book which is why we chose it to be one of the runners up

for our the Notable Books for a Global Society award. In the selection process this book

satisfies a few of the criteria in part one. One of these is that the book portrays cultural

accuracy and authenticity of characters in terms of social and economic status. In Last

Stop on Market Street the main characters CJ and Nana take the bus to the soup

kitchen to volunteer one dreary Sunday. CJ wonders Nana, how come we dont got a

car? (Pea 2015) Nana replies with Boy, what do we need a car for? We got a bus

that breathes fire (Pea 2015) Through this short conversation we can gain that CJ

and Nana come from a low socioeconomic status where they can not afford to own a

car of their own. Another criteria Last Stop in Market Street satisfied in part one was

honoring and celebrating diversity as well as common bonds in humanity. This criteria is

important because multicultural books are meant to show the common bonds in people

from different cultures or environments. In this book CJ and Nana come from a low SES

but their interaction with people on the bus show the similarities in humanity even with

people from different backgrounds. One example of this is the interaction between Nana

and the blind man on the bus. When CJ asks why the man cant see Nana replies with

Some people watch the world with their ears. (Pea 2015) The blind man then says

Thats a fact. Their noses too, thats a mighty fine perfume youre wearing today

maam. (Pea 2015) This interaction shows that even though people are different and

have different disabilities we are all the same and can all see the beauty in our situation.

In part two of the criteria selection Last Stop on Market Street fills all the quotas

required. For example the first criteria is that the book must invite reflection, critical
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analysis and response. This book satisfies this criteria because it makes the reader look

internally and ponder where they can look and find the beauty in a situation they might

not have seen otherwise. This book also meets the criteria that says it must

demonstrate unique language or style. CJs dialect in this book is very unique to him

and it hints at his diversity and cultural difference. For example he says How come we

always gotta go here after church? Miguel and Colby never have to go nowhere. (Pea

2015) His dialect is characteristic of a young child but also of someone who comes from

a different cultural background. Another criteria met by this book is that is has an

appealing format and be of enduring quality. This book is very attractive to say the least.

The illustration draw you into the story and make you feel like youre on the bus with CJ

and Nana. It also is of enduring quality because people are always going to have to deal

with poverty as well as being reminded to look at the positive of a situation so the

themes of this book will always be applicable to children and adults alike.

The next book we read was George by Alex Gino. This book is a touching story

of a young boy discovering she was a transgender and her journey into self realization.

George has always felt like she was a girl but she has kept this a secret her whole life.

That is until her teacher says the class is allowed to try out for the schools Charlotte's

Web play. George wants to try out as Charlotte and with the help of her best friend Kelly

George gets to live out her dream and become who she truly is to the world. This book

is extremely heartwarming and one of the best books I have read in awhile. This book is

a chapter book but a very fast read, it is one of those books you cant seem to put down

once you pick it up. The book not only is an excellent story but it is excellently written as

well. The literary elements included are executed near perfect making this book reach
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the next level. For example the theme of this book is very important in todays time and

age because although not all children will struggle with being transgender all children

and adults struggle with one or more aspects of themselves. This book can teach

children how you should never be afraid of who you truly are and that you should

always be honest with yourself and do what makes you happy. The plot is also timeless

because it teaches about acceptance and tolerance and how to deal with things youre

not familiar with and frankly I think everyone could use a little more tolerance in their

lives. The writing style of this book works very well with the story because it is written in

a more traditional chapter book feel which conveys the theme well and allows the

reader to really take in the story and really contemplate it. This book has many

strengths, one of which being the way it is written. Alex Gino is genderqueer which

gives this book the perspective it needs to really be good. In the book George

addresses herself as a she even though she was born a male. This unique

perspective allows the reader to really connect with George because the reader can see

how George addresses herself and feels about her situation. One weakness of this

book is its controversial topic. I personally loved this book but I can imagine a lot of

people who would say this book should be burned and that Gino is trying to turn their

children gay (which is obviously ridiculous). Some people might say this book is too

controversial and it is just too ahead of its time so that the message is being ignored by

all the drama being stirred about about the transgender protagonist. I personally think it

is an excellent book that is very needed in todays political climate because what could

make a difference more than people being positively exposed to things people are

unfamiliar with and creating more tolerance in our children.

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George is an excellent book and it is no wonder why it made it on the Notable

Books for a Global society list in 2016. It fills most all of the criteria listed in both parts

one and two. It honors and celebrates diversity as well as common bonds in humanity.

George is very different from everyone she knows and some people were not accepting

of her differences such as her teacher and sometimes her mother, but overall many

people were supportive of George. One of the most important was her best friend Kelly.

When George first told Kelly she was a girl Kelly accepted it without hesitation. This

support is exactly what George needed and she gains confidence in herself. Through

this you can see that diversity is a positive thing and that we are all humans and

deserve respect even if we are different. Another criteria that George meets is providing

in-depth treatment of cultural issues. Alex Gino does not shy away from tackling the

controversial issue that is transgender children. They tackles this controversial topic

head on and creates the loveable characters George and Kelly that children will be able

to relate to and help understand this issue. This book also includes members of a

minority group for a purpose other than filling a quota. In this book George is a

minority and he is the protagonist of the story fulfilling this criteria of diversity and

multicultural literature. This book also invites reflection, critical analysis, and response

because it requires the reader to reflect in on themselves and analyze how they deal

with diversity and how that could affect people. George also meets generally-accepted

criteria of quality for the genre in which it is written. The genre of George is LGBT and

this book definitely meets the criteria of quality for this book because it has a

transgender protagonist as well as being an accurate depiction of how someone in this

situation might feel as well as not including negative stereotypes about LGBT people.
Running Head: NOTABLE BOOKS FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY PROJECT 20

References:

Ahmedi, F. & Ansary, T. (2005). The Story of my Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side

of the Sky. New York, New York: Simon Spotlight Entertainment.

Dumont, J. (2013) The Chickens Build a Wall. New York, New York: Eerdmans Young

Readers.

Gino, A. (2015). George. New York, NY: Scholastic Corporation.

Kuklin, S. (2014). Beyond Magenta. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press

Landt, S. (2006). Multicultural Literature and Young Adolescents: A Kaleidoscope of

Opportunity. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 49 (8), 690-697.

Lin, G. (2009). Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. New York, New York: Little, Brown

and Company.

Pea, M. (2015). Last Stop on Market Street. New York, New York: G. P. Putnams

Sons.

Tonatiuh, D. (2014). Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Familys Fight for

Desegregation. New York, NY: Abrams Books For Young Readers.

Tunnell, M. O., Jacobs, J. S., Young T.A., & Bryan G. (2011). Children's Literature,

Briefly. 5th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.

Woodson, J. (2014). Brown Girl Dreaming. New York, New York: Nancy Paulsen Books