Multicultural

American Girl. Bk. 3, Happy New Year, Julie
Megan McDonald (2007) , 76 pages
Audience:
   Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
Category:
   Diversity
   Divorce and Remarriage
   Families
   Feelings
   Friendship
   Multicultural
   Realistic Fiction
   Winter Holidays

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I think this book is great. The book is about Julie and her best friend Ivy. Julie's parents are divorced so she only gets to see Ivy once a week. One week Ivy invited Julie to celebrate Chinese New Year. Read the book to find out what happens next.
Kid review written by Gabrielle, Age 8

City of Orphans
Avi (2011) , 350 pages
Audience:
   Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
Category:
   Friendship
   Historical
   Multicultural
   New Books
   Realistic Fiction

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It's 1893 and Maks, 13, lives with his immigrant family on the Lower East Side in New York City. Life is hard, but Maks is lucky not to be among the many orphaned and abandoned kids living on the streets. Maks helps his family by earning eight cents a day as a newsie selling newspapers. Newsboys have it especially rough with Bruno and his gang, the Plug Uglies, beating up newsies and stealing their newspaper money. Once a newsie is robbed, he can't buy his newspapers the next day so he's out of a job. Maks is worried that he won't be able to keep outrunning the gang. And with Maks' father and sister being laid off from the shoe factory, the family needs his earnings more than ever. When Maks' sister is arrested and jailed, their parents don't know what to do so it's up to Maks to prove his sister is innocent. Can he outsmart the Pug Uglies and free his sister too?
Librarian review written by Elizabeth

Peoples of the Rain Forest
Robert Low (1997) , 24 pages
Audience:
   Primary (K-3rd grade)
Category:
   Multicultural
   Nonfiction

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I like this book because you learn about the native tribal people and their culture living in a rain forest and why it is important that we do our best to protect the rain forest all over the world.
Kid review written by Aric, Age 10

Fiesta!
Ginger Foglesong Guy (1996) , 32 pages
Audience:
   Preschool
Category:
   Bilingual/Bilingue
   Multicultural

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The children, in this story, are going to the market to buy things for a party. Help them count everything that they need. There are airplanes, horns, rings, and candy. Everything that they buy is going into a piñata. What a great party!
Librarian review written by HEIDI

Black Star, Bright Dawn
Scott O'Dell (1988) , 134 pages
Audience:
   Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
   Adults & Parents
Category:
   Action
   Adventure
   Animals
   Families
   Multicultural
   Realistic Fiction

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Bright Dawn, an Eskimo teen, lives happily with her parents and dogs in a remote Alaskan sea village. Bright Dawn's father Bartok treats her like a son. While the other village women stay home, Bright Dawn drives the dog sled and hunts bearded seals on the ice with Bartok. Then Bartok is recruited to race in the Iditarod, the famous Alaskan dog sled race that runs over 1,150 miles from Anchorage to Nome. Bright Dawn helps her father and the dogs train for the race until Bartok is injured. Then Bartok insists that Bright Dawn take his place in the Iditarod and she agrees. When Bright Dawn begins the race, she accepts advice and help from an experienced musher named Oteg. Bright Dawn and her dogs, lead by Black Star, bravely face many threats including moose attacks and below freezing snow blizzards. As Bright Dawn continues the race, she learns that she must depend upon her own mind, her dogs, and especially Black Star in order to survive. (Recommended for families, Book on CD.)
Librarian review written by Elizabeth

Say Hello!
Rachel Isadora (2010) , 32 pages
Audience:
   Toddlers
   Preschool
Category:
   Multicultural
   Neighborhoods / Communities

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Carmelita and her mother walk through their neighborhood to her grandmother's house. On their way, they meet their neighbors and friends who say hello in many different ways! You will also love the vibrant pictures that accompany the story.
Librarian review written by Tara

The Dreamer
Pam Mu?oz Ryan (2010) , 384 pages
Audience:
   Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
Category:
   Biographies
   Families
   Multicultural
   New Books

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Neftali lives in Chile with his family. His overbearing father is gone a lot with his job. He is always trying to get Neftali outside to toughen him up and he tells him to stop reading so much. Neftali loves words and keeps the drawer full of slips of paper with certain words he loves. He takes little trips in his mind to escape his home life when his father is there. One summer the family goes to the beach and Neftali and sister are forced into the ocean everyday to learn to swim. Neftali befriends a swan and a local librarian who gives him many books to read. As Neftali gets older and wants to go to University to write poetry, his father says he will not pay for that. Neftali needs to become a man in a profession where he can earn a living. So, Neftali writes under a pseudonym, Pablo Neruda, and becomes one of the most famous poets of all time. Told in magical realism style, with beautiful illustrations by Peter Sis, this is a stunning story about pursuing your dreams.
Librarian review written by Kristi

The Five Ancestors: Eagle
Jeff Stone (2010) , 223 pages
Audience:
   Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
Category:
   Adventure
   Multicultural

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This book is great because it has a lot of action, surprise, and mystery.
Kid review written by William, Age 9

The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook
Eleanor Davis (2009) , 152 pages
Audience:
   Intermediate (4th-6th grade)
Category:
   Adventure
   Friendship
   Graphic
   Humor
   Multicultural
   New Books

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Julian the ultra nerd, has moved to a new town, and decides to try to act like everyone else so that he won't be teased and can make friends. But it's hard to turn off your super-smart brain! After Julian reveals his smarts, he receives an encrypted note, which eventually leads him to Greta the school troublemaker, and Ben the ultrajock. They're also secret inventors, complete with underground lab and big plans. Together, they form the Secret Science Alliance, and they have to spring into action when another scientist steals their plans and uses their inventions for his criminal purposes. Will they save the day? Find out in this fast-paced and fun graphic novel that celebrates brain power!
Librarian review written by Becker

I loved the book alot. It was about these three friends who have a secret lab in one of thier backyards. they like to create thier own mechines and write them down in thier journal.
Kid review written by kesem, age 9

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Happy Belly, Happy Smile
Rachel Isadora (2009) , 32 pages
Audience:
   Preschool
Category:
   Multicultural
   New Books

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Louie's very favorite place is his grandfather's Chinese restaurant - he goes there every Friday night. Join Louie and meet the people who work in the kitchen and the customers from around the neighborhood who eat there. The collage pictures in this book are so cool! See if you can tell how the illustrator made them.
Librarian review written by Gwen