quality literature examples
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The Hello, Goodbye Window
Author: Norton Juster
Illustrator: Chris RaschkaSummary: This is a story about a little girl’s visits to her Nanna and Poppy’s house. The story focuses on the happiness that ensues upon looking through the hello, goodbye window before entering the house and focuses on all of the things that her grandparents and her do, all of which are activities that make up her childhood. What makes this an interracial family story is that the illustrations depict the child having different color skinned parents and grandparents, other than that race is not mentioned.
Author: Norton Juster
Illustrator: Chris RaschkaSummary: This is a story about a little girl’s visits to her Nanna and Poppy’s house. The story focuses on the happiness that ensues upon looking through the hello, goodbye window before entering the house and focuses on all of the things that her grandparents and her do, all of which are activities that make up her childhood. What makes this an interracial family story is that the illustrations depict the child having different color skinned parents and grandparents, other than that race is not mentioned.
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Hope
Author: Isabell Monk
Illustrator: Janice Lee Porter
Summary: Every summer, Hope spends at least one weekend with her Aunt Poogee. She loves her Aunt Poogee, as they always have a great time together. However, when Hope visits Aunt Poogee, one of Aunt Poogee's friends mentions that Hope is a "mixed" child. Hope doesn't understand what this means, so Aunt Poogee explains what being "mixed" means to Hope. She does this by focusing on the struggle white people and people of other races endured throughout history when they weren't allowed to marry one another. She explains to Hope that Hope is "generations of faith 'mixed' with lots of love!"
Author: Isabell Monk
Illustrator: Janice Lee Porter
Summary: Every summer, Hope spends at least one weekend with her Aunt Poogee. She loves her Aunt Poogee, as they always have a great time together. However, when Hope visits Aunt Poogee, one of Aunt Poogee's friends mentions that Hope is a "mixed" child. Hope doesn't understand what this means, so Aunt Poogee explains what being "mixed" means to Hope. She does this by focusing on the struggle white people and people of other races endured throughout history when they weren't allowed to marry one another. She explains to Hope that Hope is "generations of faith 'mixed' with lots of love!"
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Journey Home
Author: Lawrence McKay Jr.
Illustrator: Dom & Keunhee Lee
Summary: This story is about a girl named Mai and her mother who are traveling to Vietnam to search for her mother’s birth family. Her mother wants to learn about her past and her heritage seeing as she was adopted from an orphanage in Vietnam as a child and grew up in a white family in America. While her current family isn’t discussed we can see them in the illustrations, interacting with no differences. This story focuses on the importance of knowing who you are and where you come from, that gives you peace inside regardless of where you may be physically.
Author: Lawrence McKay Jr.
Illustrator: Dom & Keunhee Lee
Summary: This story is about a girl named Mai and her mother who are traveling to Vietnam to search for her mother’s birth family. Her mother wants to learn about her past and her heritage seeing as she was adopted from an orphanage in Vietnam as a child and grew up in a white family in America. While her current family isn’t discussed we can see them in the illustrations, interacting with no differences. This story focuses on the importance of knowing who you are and where you come from, that gives you peace inside regardless of where you may be physically.
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Winter Wood
Author & Illustrator: David Spohn
Summary: This is a story that talks about a boy named Matt and his father who are going out to cut firewood. It is a simple story about this activity that Matt and his father do, it shows their similarities and highlights their actions. The subtlety of the story has illustrations that let the reader see that the boy and his father have different colored skin, yet they both act the same way and have their routine of getting firewood together, their skin color makes no difference.
Author & Illustrator: David Spohn
Summary: This is a story that talks about a boy named Matt and his father who are going out to cut firewood. It is a simple story about this activity that Matt and his father do, it shows their similarities and highlights their actions. The subtlety of the story has illustrations that let the reader see that the boy and his father have different colored skin, yet they both act the same way and have their routine of getting firewood together, their skin color makes no difference.
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A Mother for Choco
Author & Illustrator: Keiko Kasza
Summary: This book is about a yellow bird named Choco who does not have a mother. Throughout the story he goes to numerous animals asking if they are his mother, these animals range from a giraffe, to a walrus, to a bear. After failing at finding one that looks like him he meets a bear who says she can be his mother even though they look nothing alike. It shows that family doesn’t have to look the same as long as there is love.
Author & Illustrator: Keiko Kasza
Summary: This book is about a yellow bird named Choco who does not have a mother. Throughout the story he goes to numerous animals asking if they are his mother, these animals range from a giraffe, to a walrus, to a bear. After failing at finding one that looks like him he meets a bear who says she can be his mother even though they look nothing alike. It shows that family doesn’t have to look the same as long as there is love.
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I Don't Have Your Eyes
Author: Carrie A. Kitze
Illustrator: Rob Williams
Summary: This book goes through a variety of different types of families covering physical differences that the child and parent may have but focusing on the personality traits and values that they share. This book shows that personalities and values overcome how a family may look physically and shows the diversity of the world in a positive and loving light.
Author: Carrie A. Kitze
Illustrator: Rob Williams
Summary: This book goes through a variety of different types of families covering physical differences that the child and parent may have but focusing on the personality traits and values that they share. This book shows that personalities and values overcome how a family may look physically and shows the diversity of the world in a positive and loving light.
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One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dads, Blue Dads
Author: Johnny Valentine
Illustrator: Melody SareckySummary: This story mentions a variety of dads that there are and then focuses on blue dads. After going through the idea of having one dad, two dads, brown dads, the little girl approaches the idea of blue dads which is a seemingly silly and impossible idea. However, a little boy does have 2 blue dads and talks about all the things they do together which seem to be surprising after the continuous questions that the little girl has about his parents being different. This book answers the questions that little kids might have regarding different families and people that look different while showing a variety of races and skin colors as well as family types considering the boy had two dads rather than a mom and dad.
Author: Johnny Valentine
Illustrator: Melody SareckySummary: This story mentions a variety of dads that there are and then focuses on blue dads. After going through the idea of having one dad, two dads, brown dads, the little girl approaches the idea of blue dads which is a seemingly silly and impossible idea. However, a little boy does have 2 blue dads and talks about all the things they do together which seem to be surprising after the continuous questions that the little girl has about his parents being different. This book answers the questions that little kids might have regarding different families and people that look different while showing a variety of races and skin colors as well as family types considering the boy had two dads rather than a mom and dad.
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Black, White, Just Right!
Author: Marguerite W. Davol
Illustrator: Irene Trivas
Summary: This is a book about a little girl who is half white, half black. Throughout the book, the girl discusses how her parents are different in many ways- her father likes dogs while her mother likes cats, her father likes junk food while her mother likes healthy food, etc. While the daughter sometimes favors what her mother’s preferences, she also agrees with her father some of the time. Some of the time, she makes her own choices as well. This book celebrates diversity and the unique characteristics that everyone holds.
Author: Marguerite W. Davol
Illustrator: Irene Trivas
Summary: This is a book about a little girl who is half white, half black. Throughout the book, the girl discusses how her parents are different in many ways- her father likes dogs while her mother likes cats, her father likes junk food while her mother likes healthy food, etc. While the daughter sometimes favors what her mother’s preferences, she also agrees with her father some of the time. Some of the time, she makes her own choices as well. This book celebrates diversity and the unique characteristics that everyone holds.
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Mommy Near, Mommy Far: An Adoption Story
Author: Carol Antoinette Peacock
Illustrator: Shawn Costello Brownell
Summary: This is a book about a little girl, Elizabeth, who was adopted from China. She doesn’t understand why her birth mother gave her up for adoption, so her adopted mother helps her understand why. Together, they discuss the adoption process and the one-child-per-family policy in China. Elizabeth comes to realize just how loved she really is.
Author: Carol Antoinette Peacock
Illustrator: Shawn Costello Brownell
Summary: This is a book about a little girl, Elizabeth, who was adopted from China. She doesn’t understand why her birth mother gave her up for adoption, so her adopted mother helps her understand why. Together, they discuss the adoption process and the one-child-per-family policy in China. Elizabeth comes to realize just how loved she really is.
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Grandfather Counts
Author: Andrea Cheng
Illustrator: Ange Zheng
Summary: This book is about Helen who is half Chinese and half white. Her grandfather, Gong Gong, has come from China to America to live with the family. Throughout the book, Helen teaches Gong Gong English, and Gong Gong teaches Helen Chinese. Although Helen didn't attend Chinese school because the other children were already far ahead of her, she still embraces her Chinese culture and learns more about it through her grandfather.
Author: Andrea Cheng
Illustrator: Ange Zheng
Summary: This book is about Helen who is half Chinese and half white. Her grandfather, Gong Gong, has come from China to America to live with the family. Throughout the book, Helen teaches Gong Gong English, and Gong Gong teaches Helen Chinese. Although Helen didn't attend Chinese school because the other children were already far ahead of her, she still embraces her Chinese culture and learns more about it through her grandfather.
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The Aunt in our House
Author: Angela Johnson
Illustrator: David Soman
Summary: This is a story told by two children who live with their white father and African-American mother. One day, their white aunt comes and stays with them. They love their aunt, but sometimes she is sad. They often wonder why she is sad, and their parents tell them that it is because she lost her house. Instead of focusing on the fact that the family is interracial, the focus is on the support and love the family offers to the aunt who has just lost her house.
Author: Angela Johnson
Illustrator: David Soman
Summary: This is a story told by two children who live with their white father and African-American mother. One day, their white aunt comes and stays with them. They love their aunt, but sometimes she is sad. They often wonder why she is sad, and their parents tell them that it is because she lost her house. Instead of focusing on the fact that the family is interracial, the focus is on the support and love the family offers to the aunt who has just lost her house.
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Two Mrs. Gibsons
Author: Toyomi Igus
Illustrator: Daryl Wells
Summary: This is a book about a little girl who is the product of an interracial marriage. Her mother is Japanese, and her father is African-American. The focus in this story is on the girl’s Japanese mother and her African-American grandmother. Although they have different physical characteristics and enjoy different types of activities, they both have one thing in common, according to the little girl- “they both loved my daddy and they both loved me.”
Author: Toyomi Igus
Illustrator: Daryl Wells
Summary: This is a book about a little girl who is the product of an interracial marriage. Her mother is Japanese, and her father is African-American. The focus in this story is on the girl’s Japanese mother and her African-American grandmother. Although they have different physical characteristics and enjoy different types of activities, they both have one thing in common, according to the little girl- “they both loved my daddy and they both loved me.”
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How My Parents Learned to Eat
Author: Ina R. Friedman
Illustrator: Allen Say
Summary: This story, which is told from the perspective of a little girl, is about the little girl's parents, Aiko and John. Aiko is a Japanese woman and John is an American sailor. While Aiko hasn't used knives and forks and utensils such as that, John is not familiar with using chopsticks. Together, they help one another to use different eating utensils. By doing this, they learn about one another's cultures and fall in love with each other.
Author: Ina R. Friedman
Illustrator: Allen Say
Summary: This story, which is told from the perspective of a little girl, is about the little girl's parents, Aiko and John. Aiko is a Japanese woman and John is an American sailor. While Aiko hasn't used knives and forks and utensils such as that, John is not familiar with using chopsticks. Together, they help one another to use different eating utensils. By doing this, they learn about one another's cultures and fall in love with each other.
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Black is Brown is Tan
Author: Arnold Adoff
Illustrator: Emily Arnold McCully
Summary: Published in 1973, this was the first book published about an interracial family. The story is about a family that has a white mother and a black father. It goes throughout the story focusing on the idea that despite their different skin colors, the parents still love each other and they still love their family. The language also works to reinforce the equality that is depicted throughout by writing words that regard color the same way. This story shows the love and equality that exists in a family even if the skin colors are different.
Author: Arnold Adoff
Illustrator: Emily Arnold McCully
Summary: Published in 1973, this was the first book published about an interracial family. The story is about a family that has a white mother and a black father. It goes throughout the story focusing on the idea that despite their different skin colors, the parents still love each other and they still love their family. The language also works to reinforce the equality that is depicted throughout by writing words that regard color the same way. This story shows the love and equality that exists in a family even if the skin colors are different.