Good Reads

The beloved husband-and-wife team celebrates Latino children in all of their various shades, cultures, and customs. Poetic, affirmative text accompanies the bright and striking photographs of children and uses the five senses to lead the reader on an exploration of Latino foods, music, language, and more. Full color.> ...More

CCBC Choices - 2002
When Bintou, a little girl living in West Africa, finally gets her wish for braids, she discovers that what she dreamed for has been hers all along. Illustrations. ...More

In the mountains of Ethiopia, a young girl named Almaz vows that one day her honey will be the best in the land. But the other beekeepers laugh her away and tell her it's men's work. Determined in her goal, Almaz decides to use her brains to prove them wrong. Full color. ...More

Fatima is thrilled. Her village has a brand-new pump. No more camels hauling water. No more storing water in baobab trees. Life will be easier and better for all. Well, almost all. Fatima's grandmother refuses to change her ways. She insists upon preparing the baobab tree, just as her mother and grandmother did before her. The other villagers think she's foolish, but she doesn't care. She has plenty of work to do -- and so does her granddaughter, who decides to help her. ...More

CCBC Choices - 2002
Sofia loved to watch her parents dance, but her father has been gone a long time now, and Sofia wonders if she will ever see her beautiful Mama dance again. The enduring nature of love and the depths of family relationships are explored in this masterfully crafted story that has a Cuban flair. Illustrations. ...More

In this bilingual book, a little Spanish-speaking girl resolves to learn English and finds inspiration and help from her new canine friend. Full color. ...More

2008 Golden Kite Reader Award- Picture Book Illustration Winner

2008 Américas Book Award Winner

La pequeña Maya anhela encontrar colores brillantes, hermosos e inspiradores en su mundo … pero en el mundo de Maya, el desierto de Mojave, parece no haber otra cosa que arena. Con la ayuda de un amigo con plumas, busca por todos lados para descubrir color en su mundo. Finalmente encuentra lo que busca en el púrpura brillante de las flores de su madre, el verde fresco de un cactus, el rosado candente del atardecer, y el negro brillante del cabello de Papi. La atrayente narrativa del libro y las vívidas ilustraciones alientan a los pequeños lectores a observar, explorar y a descubrir los colores por sí mismos. >

Sweet and full of wonder, from catchy to quiet, childrenas poems captivate readers of all ages. Here, familiar nursery rhymes and folk songs join poetry selections from many traditions. Recall old favorites and discover new poems, from Poland to Mozambique, Japan to Mexico, and every corner in between. Cheerful illustrations capture the beauty of diversity the world over. ...More

Tetl's skin is brown, his eyes are black, and his hair is long. He's different from the other children, whose taunts wound him deeply, leaving him confused and afraid. But Tetl's grandmother knows the ancient teachings of their Aztec ancestors, and how they viewed the earth as alive with sacred meaning. With her help, he learns to listen to the mountains, wind, corn, and stones. Tetl's journey from self-doubt to proud acceptance of his Nahuatl heritage is told in a series of powerful poems, beautifully expressed in both English and Spanish. Vivid illustrations celebrate nature's redemptive powers, offering a perfect complement to the poignant story. ...More

Mufaro was a happy man. Everyone agreed that his two daughters were very beautiful. Nyasha was kind and considerate as well as beautiful, but everyone -- except Mufaro -- knew that Manyara was selfish, badtempered, and spoiled.

When the king decided to take a wife and invited "The Most Worthy and Beautiful Daughters in the Land" to appear before him, Mufaro declared proudly that only the king could choose between Nyasha and Manyara. Manyara, of course, didn't agree, and set out to make certain that she would be chosen.>

John Steptoe has created a memorable modem fable of pride going before a fall, in keeping with the moral of the folktale that was his inspiration. He has illustrated it with stunning paintings that glow with the beauty, warmth, and internal vision of the land and people of his ancestors. ...More

In this traditional tale from West Africa, Anansi, the Spider, sets out on a long journey. Threatened by Fish and Falcon, he is saved from terrible fates by his sons. But which of his six sons should he reward? The color, splendid design montage, and the authentic African language rhythms forge a new direction in picture books for children. Caldecott Honor Book. Lewis Carroll Shelf Award. ...More

Everyone knows the story of Cinderella, but not everyone knows the story of how Pear Blossom, the Korean Cinderella, is treated like a slave by her jealous stepmother and forced to perform three impossible tasks. With the help of magical creatures, Pear Blossom not only accomplishes the tasks, but she also becomes a nobleman's wife. Full color ...More

It's time for Carnival! Puerto Rico's most magical holiday is full of sights and sounds to explore. Rosi Coqui is determined to show her brother the best way to enjoy the parade, while Rafi has a plan to make his sister queen for a day! But when Rafi scares Rosi with his terrible "vejigante" mask, she decides it's time to teach him a lesson. Even a little sister has a few tricks up her sleeve--and it's all part of the mischief of Carnival!

Lulu Delacre's rafi and rosi was hailed by critics for "the teasing banter and tender rapport between the siblings" "(School Library Journal)." Here once again Ms. Delacre brings us a charming story of two Puerto Rican tree frogs who share the special bond of being brother and sister. Young readers will especially enjoy sounding out a sprinkling of easy Spanish words that add flavor to the stories ...More

Around the world each night, parents tell stories to children as they put them to bed. Margaret Read MacDonald--a folklorist, storyteller, and children's librarian--uses bedtime tales in the daytime to end her story hours on a calm note. here she includes five of her favorites from around the world.Full color ...More

The joy of imagination permeates this beautifully illustrated, playful folktale about a young girl in Mexico whose dreams are based on her grandfather's stories. Full color. ...More

One long stretch of cloth is what Mother always wears--"elegant yet so graceful. The mystery of the sari can be magic for a child, winding and weaving, just like the connection between a child and its mother. The style, the motifs, the interplay of children, colors, and textures, create the rich, mood-filled, and dreamy world of ...More

CCBC Choices - 2002
A tour of Tokyo, Japan, is given through the point-of-view from a seven-year-old girl named Mimiko, who leads readers through a year's worth of fun, food, and festivities in her life, month by month. Full-color illustrations. ...More

In French, English and Arabic, the gentle rhymes of this unique counting book take us through a Middle Eastern day. This is the first of two beautifully illustrated books about Lebanon from Marijean Boueri. ...More

From the creators of the Caldecott Honor Book "Hush!" comes this tender, noisy, and gloriously illustrated game of hide-and-seek in which Papa calls on all the creatures in the jungles of Thailand to help find his baby. Full color. ...More