Multicultural Authors

Canadian Literature
for Young People

Multicultural

We live in a world of change and diversity. This rich diversity needs to permeate every aspect of the curriculum to show that we value the gifts and differences that our students bring to us.

Students need books that speak to them in a special way; that they can see themselves in. Books help us to see that we are not alone in our struggles. Reading literature that reflects our own cultural background validates us. Reading about others' cultures breaks down stereotypes and allows us to see both the differences and similarities between our own and other cultures leading to better abilities to analyze, evaluate and make judgments.

The following resources are provided to help you to choose books that are accurate representations of the culture they portray that will connect with and speak to the concerns of the young people you work with. It will help them work through their own identity issues and empower them in unique ways.

Reference:
Darby, M. A. & Pryne, M. (2002). Hearing all the voices: Multicultural books for adolescents. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.

Articles Online

10 Quick Ways to Analyze Children's Books for Racism and Sexism
This thoughtful list was originated by the Council on Interracial Books for Children, a leading force in raising awareness on issues in evaluating multicultural literature for children and teens from the mid-1960s thorugh the mid 1980s.

Looking at ourselves, looking at others: Multiculturalism in Canadian children's books in English
by Gail Edwards & Judith Saltman

Canadian Multicultural Picture Books
by Joyce Bainbridge, Sylvia Pantaleo & Monica Ellis
Multiculturalism and Canadian children's books, research on the importance of multicultural literature, and criteria for selecting multicultural literature are discussed.

Multicultural picture books: Perspectives from Canada
by Joyce Bainbridge, Sylvia Pantaleo & Monica Ellis
Discusses Canadian multicultural children's literature. Overview of the history of multiculturalism in Canada, research on the importance of multicultural literature & criteria for selecting multicultural literature.
(If you have access to the University of Alberta Libraries click on the link and enter your logon and password. If not you may access the article through your local library database, Ebscohost, Academic Search Elite.)

Stereotyping? Moi?
Books That Reflect Our Racial and Ethnic Diversity
by Philip Harper
A search for Canadian materials for a multicultural community that satisfy the need to support an anti-racist curriculum in the French Immersion school.

Examining Multicultural Picture Books for the Early Childhood Classroom: Possibilities and Pitfalls
by Jean Mendoza & Debbie Reese
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Making Multicultural Connections Through Books
Links to books selected because they represent a specific culture and its traditions, history, folktales, or current peoples.

Thoughts On Not Seeing Oneself
by Debbie Reese

One Light, One Sun - Multicultural Picture Books
A list of younger-age oriented multicultural picture books prepared by Teresa Hartman, Tess Prendergast & Lysanne Fox
(Canadian Books are marked with a Cdn. Flag)

A Select Bibliography of Children's Books by and about Aboriginal Peoples for Ages 4 - 14
Including a bibliography, fiction, non-fiction, picture books, myths and legends for older children, aboriginal language material and also indexed by aboriginal peoples represented.

All the World's Children
Noteworthy and award winning multicultural titles.

In The Same Boat Series

Who Hides in the Park
Written by Warabe Aska

From Far and Wide
A Canadian Citizenship Scrapbook
Written by Jo Bannatyne-Cugnet
Illustrated by Song Nan Zhang

The Man Who Ran Faster Than Everyone
The Story of Tom Longboat
Written by Jack Batten

A Boy of Tache
Written by Ann Blades

Clever-Lazy
Written by Joan Bodger

The Quarter-Pie Window
Written by Marianne Brandis

The Sign of the Scales
Written by Marianne Brandis

I Once Knew an Indian Woman
Written by Ebbitt Cutler
Illustrated by Bruce E. Johnson

The Kite
Written by Luis Garay

Beyond the Dance
A Ballerina's Life
Written by Chan Hon Goh and Cary Fagan

High Flight
A Story of World War II
Written by Linda Granfield
Illustrated by Michael Martchenko

Pier 21
Gateway of Hope
Written by Linda Granfield

Awakening the Dragon
The Dragon Boat Festival
Written by Arlene Chan
Illustrated by Song Nan Zhang

A Mountain Alphabet
Written by Margriet Ruurs
Illustrated by Andrew Kiss

Remember Me
A Search for Refuge in Wartime Britain
Written by Irene N.Watts

The First Red Maple Leaf
Written by Ludmila Zeman

Little Tiger in the Chinese Night
An Autobiography in Art
Written by Song Nan Zhang

The Light Bearer's Daughter
(The Chronicles of Faerie)
Written by O. R. Melling

Swimming in the Monsoon Sea
Written by Shyam Selvadurai

I Came As a Stranger
The Underground Railroad
Written by Bryan Prince

Children of the Yukon
Written by Ted Harrison

A Northern Alphabet
Written by Ted Harrison

Maria Chapdelaine
Written by Louis Hemon
Illustrated by Rajka Kupesic

Emma's Story
Written by Deborah Hodge
Illustrated by Song Nan Zhang

ABC x 3 English, Espanol, Francais
Written by Marthe Jocelyn
Illustrated by Tom Slaughter

Samurai Spirit
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life
Written by Burt Konzak

West Coast Chinese Boy
Written by Sing Lim

The Ojibway Dream
Written by Arthur Shilling

A Child in Prison Camp
Written by Shizuye Takashima

Bones in the Basket
Written by C.J. Taylor
more books by C.J Taylor

Rachel's Gift
Written by Richard Ungar
more books by Richard Unger

Finding Sophie
Written by Irene N.Watts

My Canary Yellow Star
Written by Eva Wiseman

No One Must Know
Written by Eva Wiseman

Silver threads
Written by Marsha Skrypuch
Illustrated by Michael Martchenko
teachers guides for her books

Posted by Janice Biebrich

Posted Dec. 21, 2005