RER Booklist

KEY:
F = Fiction
NF = Non-Fiction
Anth = Anthology
P = Poetry

Charlie loves Char-siu-bao (Chinese barbecued pork buns). He brings it every day for lunch, but his friends think it looks awful until the day when he brings enough for his friends to share. An example of a child solving his own problems and sharing his own cultural heritage.

A beautifully written book and very touching. The poems, when read in sequence tell a story, but each poem also can stand alone. "Told from the point of view of Jorge, Jane Medina's moving poems vividly depict one boy's struggle to make a new life in a new country."

Trisha Ann is allowed to go by herself to "someplace special". She meets several kinds of injustice along the way, but a friend and the words of her grandmother give her the strength to go on to reach, at last....The Public Library, where above the door are engraved the words "ALL ARE WELCOME." Events are taken from the author's life. She grew up African American in Nashville, Tennessee.

This is the story of Ruby Bridges, the first Black child to enter the white school system in New Orleans, told in simple language in picture-book format. Readers may want to skim over religious references on pp. 3 and 6. Could be used with Through My Eyes.

A beautifully illustrated book by the artist, George Littlechild, honoring his Plains Cree ancestors and telling their stories. Each double page is complete in itself, so the Reader can make a selection based on his/her experience or the age level of the class. Paintings/collages include photographs of his ancestors. This is an excellent book for teachers seeking art projects to accompany RER.

KEY:
F = Fiction
NF = Non-Fiction
Anth = Anthology
P = Poetry

Although classmates say that she cannot play Peter Pan in the school play because she is black and a girl, Grace discovers that she can do anything she sets her mind to. Includes racism and sexism in a way children can understand. It inspires us to re-examine our beliefs about roles and personal initiative. (This is such a popular book, it may be overused.)
Also available in Spanish: La Asombrosa Graciela.

An African-American child wonders why none of the angels in the stores look like him. An artist friend becomes an ally.

A Vietnamese girl is teased at school for wearing traditional clothing. She and her tormentor fight, but when the principal intervenes they become friends. The class holds a Vietnamese fair to raise money so her mother can come to the U. S.

Surrounded by guards, fences and desert, Japanese-Americans in an internment camp create a baseball field. A young boy tells how baseball gave them a purpose while enduring injustice and humiliation. American Bookseller, Pick of the Lists.

The lifestory of César Chávez, illustrated with photographs. NOTE: Included is a one-page description, written by Daniel Escalante, about the plight of farm workers at the time Cesar Chavez became a leader of the UFW. This should be used to supplement the book.

César Chávez story in English and Spanish. Very nice full-page illustrations. Written by a professor of Chicano and Chicana Studies at San Diego State University.

Charlie loves Char-siu-bao (Chinese barbecued pork buns). He brings it every day for lunch, but his friends think it looks awful until the day when he brings enough for his friends to share. An example of a child solving his own problems and sharing his own cultural heritage.

A Cheyenne Indian boy is taken from his family and placed in the repressive atmosphere of an Indian School, which attempts to take away his culture, his language, and his pride. One sympathetic teacher encourages him to believe that he can remain Cheyenne

Excerpts from the diary of a third-grade class in the Topaz Relocation Camp. Shows resilience and determination in spite of repression.

Some history of Chinese railroad workers, information on Chinese culture, and examples of discrimination against Chinese. The book includes some suspense regarding disappearance of one main character.

"Danny Bigtree's family has moved to a new city, and no matter how hard he tries, Danny can't seem to fit in...The kids in his class call him 'chief' and tease him about being an Indian-the thing that makes Danny most proud." (From the book cover.) "This appealing portrayal of a strong family offers an unromanticized portrayal of Native American culture...and gives a subtle lesson in the meaning of daily courage." Set in contemporary times.

A Taino Indian boy on the island of San Salvador recounts the landing of Columbus and his men in 1492, then, as an old man, tells of the disastrous results for his people.

The author bases this story on her husband's experiences growing up as a migrant child in California. Chico has started school in many new places, and has often been teased or bullied. This time he faces down two bullies (besting them with his math skills!), makes new friends, and has a great first day in school.

"This triumphant story based on the 1964 Mississippi Freedom School Summer Project celebrates the strength of a people and the bravery of one young girl who didn't let being scared get in her way." (Quote from the book jacket.)

Trisha Ann is allowed to go by herself to "someplace special". She meets several kinds of injustice along the way, but a friend and the words of her grandmother give her the strength to go on to reach, at last....The Public Library, where above the door are engraved the words "ALL ARE WELCOME." Events are taken from the author's life. She grew up African American in Nashville, Tennessee.

A beautifully written book and very touching. The poems, when read in sequence tell a story, but each poem also can stand alone. "Told from the point of view of Jorge, Jane Medina's moving poems vividly depict one boy's struggle to make a new life in a new country."

A fence divides blacks and whites in a town. Some children work to overcome the divider.

"Taking a new look at Thanksgiving means putting aside the myth. It means questioning what we think we know. It means recovering lost voices -- the voices of the Wampanoag people." Illustrated with large color photographs of re-enactments.

A Japanese-American family revisits Manzanares Internment camp where the father was interned as a child, and where the grandfather is buried.

This is the story of Ruby Bridges, the first Black child to enter the white school system in New Orleans, told in simple language in picture-book format. Readers may want to skim over religious references on pp. 3 and 6. Could be used with Through My Eyes.

The story of Jackie Robinson, and how Pee Wee Reese stood up for him. Excellent historical account of segregation, and how a white male became an ally.

A beautifully illustrated book by the artist, George Littlechild, honoring his Plains Cree ancestors and telling their stories. Each double page is complete in itself, so the Reader can make a selection based on his/her experience or the age level of the class. Paintings/collages include photographs of his ancestors. This is an excellent book for teachers seeking art projects to accompany RER events.

Ruby Bridges recounts the story of her involvement, as a six-year-old, in the integration of her school in New Orleans in 1960. Many photographs.

The story of the Cherokee People, how they tried to live in peace with the white settlers and adopt many of the white ways, how eventually they lost most of their land and were removed to crowded camps in Oklahoma, and what the Cherokee Nation is like today. Written in simple language. Illustrations may be too small to show up effectively unless the students are sitting close to the Reader.

John is scared to leave the Navajo Reservation to go to school in Minnesota, where his mother and new stepfather are moving. His grandfather tells him the story of when he was a code talker in WWII, and tells him he will be OK, because he will always have the Well mysteries. The book has both humor and hardship. Good for follow-up reading. Also enjoyable for 4th and 5th graders.

Great book to look at racism, bullying, being an ally, dealing with conflict. A young African-American girl is traumatized when a gang attacks her and her brother on their way home from school, and spray-paints her face white.

The legend goes that King Christian of Denmark went riding among the people wearing a yellow star, after the Nazis ordered that all Jews must wear yellow stars. Soon all Danes were wearing the stars in support of the Jewish citizens. The author was not able to verify the truth of the story, but did ascertain that the king successfully interceded on behalf of the Jews during the Occupation.

KEY:
F = Fiction
NF = Non-Fiction
Anth = Anthology
P = Poetry

Surrounded by guards, fences and desert, Japanese-Americans in an internment camp create a baseball field. A young boy tells how baseball gave them a purpose while enduring injustice and humiliation. American Bookseller, Pick of the Lists.

The lifestory of César Chávez, illustrated with photographs. NOTE: Included is a one-page description, written by Daniel Escalante, about the plight of farm workers at the time Cesar Chavez became a leader of the UFW. This should be used to supplement the book.

César Chávez story in English and Spanish. Very nice full-page illustrations. Written by a professor of Chicano and Chicana Studies at San Diego State University.

A Cheyenne Indian boy is taken from his family and placed in the repressive atmosphere of an Indian School, which attempts to take away his culture, his language, and his pride. One sympathetic teacher encourages him to believe that he can remain Cheyenne

Excerpts from the diary of a third-grade class in the Topaz Relocation Camp. Shows resilience and determination in spite of repression.

Some history of Chinese railroad workers, information on Chinese culture, and examples of discrimination against Chinese. The book includes some suspense regarding disappearance of one main character.

"Danny Bigtree's family has moved to a new city, and no matter how hard he tries, Danny can't seem to fit in...The kids in his class call him 'chief' and tease him about being an Indian-the thing that makes Danny most proud." (From the book cover.) "This appealing portrayal of a strong family offers an unromanticized portrayal of Native American culture...and gives a subtle lesson in the meaning of daily courage." Set in contemporary times.

A beautifully written book and very touching. The poems, when read in sequence tell a story, but each poem also can stand alone. "Told from the point of view of Jorge, Jane Medina's moving poems vividly depict one boy's struggle to make a new life in a new country."

A Taino Indian boy on the island of San Salvador recounts the landing of Columbus and his men in 1492, then, as an old man, tells of the disastrous results for his people.

A young girl and her mother lose the ranch where they have lived a comfortable middle-class existence in Mexico and go with former ranch employees to be field workers in California at the time when field workers are beginning to organize and strike. Good for excerpts and as a follow-up book.
Also available in Spanish: Esperanza renace.

A poor rural black family loses the father when he tries to steal food for them and is taken to prison. Sounder is their loyal dog, who accompanies the boy when he goes to see his father in prison. (Pre-selection required).

The story of Jackie Robinson, and how Pee Wee Reese stood up for him. Excellent historical account of segregation, and how a white male became an ally.

A beautifully illustrated book by the artist, George Littlechild, honoring his Plains Cree ancestors and telling their stories. Each double page is complete in itself, so the Reader can make a selection based on his/her experience or the age level of the class. Paintings/collages include photographs of his ancestors. This is an excellent book for teachers seeking art projects to accompany RER

Ruby Bridges recounts the story of her involvement, as a six-year-old, in the integration of her school in New Orleans in 1960. Many photographs.

The story of the Cherokee People, how they tried to live in peace with the white settlers and adopt many of the white ways, how eventually they lost most of their land and were removed to crowded camps in Oklahoma, and what the Cherokee Nation is like today. Written in simple language. Illustrations may be too small to show up effectively unless the students are sitting close to the Reader.

John is scared to leave the Navajo Reservation to go to school in Minnesota, where his mother and new stepfather are moving. His grandfather tells him the story of when he was a code talker in WWII, and tells him he will be OK, because he will always have the Well mysteries. The book has both humor and hardship. Good for follow-up reading. Also enjoyable for 4th and 5th graders.

Great book to look at racism, bullying, being an ally, dealing with conflict. A young African-American girl is traumatized when a gang attacks her and her brother on their way home from school, and spray-paints her face white.

Excerpts from the diary of a third-grade class in the Topaz Relocation Camp. Shows resilience and determination in spite of repression.

The legend goes that King Christian of Denmark went riding among the people wearing a yellow star, after the Nazis ordered that all Jews must wear yellow stars. Soon all Danes were wearing the stars in support of the Jewish citizens. The author was not able to verify the truth of the story, but did ascertain that the king successfully interceded on behalf of the Jews during the Occupation.