Every January, the American Library Association recognizes the most original and creative books and other media for children and teenagers. The ALA Youth Media Awards include the prestigious Newbery, Caldecott, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards. It is encouraging to see many multicultural children’s books amongst the winners this year!
Multicultural 2019 ALA Youth Media Award-Winning Books
Preschool
Alma and How She Got Her Name
by Juana Martinez-Neal
Caldecott Honor Book
Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela thinks she has way too many names. But then her daddy tells her about the family history of her names: From Sofia, the grandmother who loved books and flowers, to Esperanza, the great-grandmother who longed to travel, and José, the grandfather who was an artist. Alma and How She Got Her Name is a gorgeously illustrated, tender story that celebrates identity, family and belonging. ~ Hispanic – Preschool
Thank You, Omu!
by Oge Mora
Caldecott Honor Book, Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award
When Omu cooks her delicious stew, everyone in the neighbourhood follows their noses towards her house. And one by one, Omu offers a portion of her meal. Soon the pot is empty. Has she been so generous that she has nothing left for herself? Thank You, Omu! is a gorgeously illustrated, heartwarming story about community and generosity. ~ African – Preschool
More books about community: 12 Multicultural Children’s Books about the Power of Community
Grandmother’s Visit
by Betty Quan
Asian/Pacific American Honor – Picture Book
Grace has a close bond with her grandmother who lives with her family. Grandmother teaches her how to measure water for rice, tells her stories about growing up in China and walks her to and from school every day. But one day, Grandmother’s room is empty. After the funeral, Grace’s mom turns on all the outside lights so that Grandmother’s spirit can find its way home for one final goodbye. With expressive illustrations, Grandmother’s Visit is a gentle and poignant story about love, loss and grief. ~ Asian – Preschool
More books about grandparents: 40+ Multicultural Children’s Books about Grandparents
Julián Is a Mermaid
by Jessica Love
Stonewall Book Award
While riding the subway home with his Abuela one day, Julián is fascinated by three women spectacularly dressed up as mermaids. When he gets home, he makes his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think? Vibrantly illustrated, Julián is a Mermaid is a heart-warming celebration of self-love, individuality and acceptance. ~ Hispanic – Preschool
A Big Mooncake for Little Star
by Grace Lin
Caldecott Honor Book
A Moon for Moe and Mo
by Jane Breskin Zalben
Sydney Taylor Book Honor – Younger Readers
Jewish boy Moses Feldman (“Moe”) and Muslim boy Mohammed Hassan (“Mo”) live on the opposite ends of Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. One day at Sahadi’s market they are mistaken for brothers and become friends. When Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, overlaps with the Muslim holiday of Ramadan–an occurrence that happens only once every thirty years or so–, the boys bring their families together to share rugelach and date cookies in the park as they make a wish for peace. A Moon for Moe and Mo is a beautifully illustrated picture book about friendship and tolerance. ~ Asian – Preschool
The Stuff of Stars
by Marion Dane Bauer
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
“In the dark, in the dark, in the deep, deep dark, a speck floated, invisible as thought, weighty as God.” With lyrical text and the most gorgeous illustrations, The Stuff of Stars takes young readers from the void before the Big Bang to the birth of each one of us. In a seamless blend of science and art, this wonderful picture book reveals how we are all the stuff of stars. ~ African – Preschool
More science and art books: 50+ Multicultural STEAM Books for Children
Elementary School
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race
by Margot Lee Shetterly
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
Math geniuses Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden played an essential role in some of NASA’s greatest successes. Overcoming gender and racial barriers, the four black women provided the calculations for America’s first journeys into space. Hidden Figures is the first picture book adaption of this true story that will inspire children to believe in themselves and follow their dreams. ~ African – Elementary School
More Multicultural Science Books: 50+ Multicultural STEAM Books for Children
Let the Children March
by Monica Clark-Robinson
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
“I couldn’t play on the same playground as the white kids. / I couldn’t go to their schools. / I couldn’t drink from their water fountains. / There were so many things I couldn’t do.” In 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama, inspired by Dr Martin Luther King Jr, thousands of African American children marched for their civil rights in the place of their parents who feared losing their jobs. Facing fear, hate, and danger, these brave children used their voices to change the world. With expressive illustrations, Let The Children March is a moving account of this historical event. ~ African – Elementary School
More new books about Black History: 11 Brand New Black History Children’s Books 2019
Dreamers
by Yuyi Morales
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award
This instant NY Times bestseller is another firm favourite of 2018! In lyrical text and with the most beautiful illustrations, Dreamers tells Yuyi Morales’ own immigration story. She left almost everything behind in Mexico and came to the US with her infant son in 1994. What she brought with her though were her strength, her passion, her hopes and dreams…and her stories. ~ Hispanic – Elementary School
More books about immigration: 30 Multicultural Picture Books about Immigration
More Pura Belpré books: Pura Belpré Award Winners 1996 – 2018
When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana
by Michael Mahin
Pura Belpré Illustrator Honors, Sibert Honor Book
Whenever Carlos Santana listened to his father playing el violín, he was mesmerized by its sound. He decided to play music, too, and tried el clarinete and el violín until he found la guitarra. Santana combined took Blues, Jazz, Rock’n Roll, and Afro-Cuban drums to create the unique style he became famous for. When Angels Sing tells the story of this music icon with vibrant illustrations and rhythmic text. ~ Hispanic – Elementary School
More books about music: 15 Multicultural Children’s Books based on famous songs
My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder
by Nie Jun
Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book
“People think I’m different,” Yu’er says to her grandfather. “Oh, who cares what they think!”, is his immediate response. In four whimsical graphic short stories, My Beijing follows a young girl with an unspecified disability and her loving grandfather on their magical little adventures, from finding a creative way for training for the Special Olympics to showing a cranky painter the sweet side of life. ~ Asian – Elementary School
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga
by Traci Sorell
Sibert Honor Book
“Cherokee people say otsaliheliga to express gratitude. It is a reminder to celebrate our blessings and reflect on struggles — daily, throughout the year, and across the seasons.” Beginning in the fall with the new year and ending in summer, follow a full Cherokee year of celebrations and experiences. Written by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, We Are Grateful is a beautiful celebration of gratitude and community. ~ Diverse – Elementary School
More Native American books: 32 Native American Children’s Book
King & Kayla and the Case of the Lost Tooth
by Dori Hillestad Butler
Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
Kayla lost a tooth, but now it’s missing! It’s not inside the tooth fairy pillow. It’s not inside her backpack. It’s not inside the car. With the help of her beloved dog, Kayla sets out to solve the mystery. Part of a series, King & Kayla and the Case of the Lost Tooth is a funny book that will delight early readers. ~ African – Elementary School
More multicultural book series: 40+ Multicultural Book Series for Girls & Boys
Drawn Together
by Minh Lê
Asian/Pacific American Award – Picture Book
When a young boy visits his grandfather, their lack of a common language leads to confusion, frustration, and silence. But as they sit down to draw together, something magical happens: With a shared love of art and storytelling, the two form a bond that goes beyond words. With little text and vibrant illustrations, Drawn Together is a stunningly beautiful picture book about love, connection and overcoming barriers. ~ Asian – Elementary School
More books about grandparents: 40+ Multicultural Children’s Books about Grandparents
Middle School
The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor
by Sonia Sotomayor
YALSA Award Finalist
Growing up in the rough South Bronx, Sonia Sotomayor dreamed of becoming a lawyer and a judge. Her determination, along with the guidance from mentors and the love of her extended Puerto Rican family, propelled her forward until her dream eventually came true. She became the first Latina and the third woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court. The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor is the middle-grade adaptation of this inspiring woman’s memoir. Includes an 8-page photo insert and a brief history of the Supreme Court.~ Hispanic – Middle School
Hurricane Child
by Kheryn Callender
Stonewall Book Award
12-year-old Caroline Murphy struggles with being bullied by students and teachers alike at her small school on St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands, a spirit that keeps following her, and the fact that her mother left home one day and never came back. When Caroline befriends Kalinda, a new student from Barbados, she soon realizes that her feelings for her are more than platonic. Although those feelings are not being reciprocated, Kalinda wants to help Caroline look for her missing mother and so the girls set out in a hurricane to find her before it is too late. Hurricane Child is a moving and suspenseful coming-of-age novel that young readers will love. ~ African – Middle School
More Caribbean books: 36 Children’s Books set in the Caribbean
Merci Suárez Changes Gears
by Meg Medina
John Newbery Medal Winner
Sixth-Grader Merci Suarez and her older brother, Roli, are the only scholarship students at their private school in Florida. They have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. Added to that Merci is being targeted by a jealous girl and at home, her beloved grandfather is acting increasingly strange, too. Merci feels very alone with her confusion and worry and tries to find her own way of navigating the difficult situation. Merci Suárez Changes Gears is a heartfelt yet humorous coming-of-age novel about change, authenticity and family connection. ~ Hispanic – Middle School
More Middle-Grade Novels: 21 Multicultural Middle-Grade Novels for Summer Reading
The Length of a String
by Elissa Brent Weissman
Sydney Taylor Book Honor – Older Readers
Imani is adopted and she knows exactly what she wants as her big bat mitzvah gift: to find her birth parents. Being Black in her mostly White Jewish community, she has always wondered where she came from. When her great-grandma Anna passes away, Imani discovers her old diary from 1941, the year she was twelve and fled Nazi-occupied Luxembourg alone. Anna’s diary records her journey to America and her new life with an adoptive family of her own. As Imani reads the diary, she begins to see her family, and her place in it, in a whole new way. The Length Of A String is a gripping novel about identity, family and belonging. ~ African – Middle School
by Kelly Yang
Asian/Pacific American Award – Children’s Literature
Ten-year-old aspiring writer Mia Tang manages the front desk of a motel where her immigrant parents clean the rooms. If the mean motel owner, Mr Yao, finds out they’ve been letting other immigrants stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed. Featuring an irresistible protagonist, Front Desk is an engaging middle-grade novel about immigration, poverty and resilience. ~ Asian – Middle School
More books about immigration: 30 Multicultural Picture Books about Immigration
The House That Lou Built
by Mae Respicio
Asian/Pacific American Honor – Children’s Literature
Lou Bulosan-Nelson plans to build a tiny house on land she inherited from her dad. She longs for a place where she can escape her lovable but crazy extended Filipino family. But then she finds out that the land may not be hers for much longer. With Lou’s determination and the help of friends and relatives, her dream eventually begins to take shape. The House That Lou Build is a warm coming-of-age story about culture and family, forgiveness and friendship. ~ Asian – Middle School
The Night Diary
by Veera Hiranandani
John Newbery Honor Book
After India has been divided into two countries (India and Pakistan), 12-year-old half-Muslim/half-Hindu Nisha doesn’t know where she belongs anymore. Her family embarks on a dangerous journey to find a new home. Told through Nisha’s letters to her late mother, The Night Diary is a poignant story of loss, identity and hope. ~ Asian – Middle School
More books set in Pakistan: 15 Children’s Books set in Pakistan
Finding Langston
by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
After the death of his mother, 11-year-old Langston and his father move from Alabama to Chicago’s Bronzeville district. Everything is different here and Langston misses his home, his family and his friends. Being bullied at his new school and not seeing much of his father, Langston feels lonely in the big and noisy city. The library becomes his safe place and this is where he discovers the Langston his mother named him after. Finding Langston is a lyrical novel about one boy’s experiences during the Great Migration. ~ African – Middle School
They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid’s Poems
by David Bowles
Pura Belpré Author Honors Book
Twelve-year-old Güero is a Mexican American border kid with red hair, light skin and freckles. He is a book, game and music nerd and has just started 7th grade with a woke English teacher who knows how to make poetry cool. They Call Me Güero is a vibrant novel-in-poems about growing up between two cultures. ~ Hispanic – Middle School
More books about immigration: 30 Multicultural Picture Books about Immigration
The Parker Inheritance
by Varian Johnson
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book, Odyssey Honor Audiobook
In an old attic in Lambert, South Carolina, Candice finds a letter addressed to her grandmother, who left the town in shame. The letter tells of an injustice that happened decades ago, a mystery and the fortune awaiting the person who solves the puzzle. Together with her friend Brandon, Candice embarks on a journey that leads deep into Lambert’s dark history, and deeper into their own families, with their own unspoken secrets. The Parker Inheritance is a powerful novel about racism, justice and friendship. ~ African – Middle School
More books about racism: 37 Children’s Books to help talk about Racism & Discrimination
The Season of Styx Malone
by Kekla Magoon
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
When brothers Caleb and Bobby Gene meet their cool new neighbour, Styx Malone, they are in for a mad adventure. Styx convinces them to join in the Great Escalator Trade: Exchanging one small thing for something better in the hope of ending up with a motorbike. But soon things get out of control. The Season Of Styx Malone is a heartwarming novel about friendship, trust, and the yearning to escape the ordinary. ~ African – Middle School
More books about friendship: 18 Multicultural Children’s Books about Friendship
Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop: The Sanitation Strike of 1968
by Alice Faye Duncan
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
Sparked by the death of two colleagues due to unsafe equipment, sanitation workers in Memphis went on a 2-month strike in February 1968. The strike became Dr Martin Luther King Jr.’s final stand for justice. He was assassinated in his Memphis hotel the day after delivering his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” sermon. In a powerful combination of poetry and prose, Memphis, Martin and the Mountaintop presents these historical events from the perspective of nine-year-old Lorraine Jackson whose father participated in the protest. ~ African – Middle School
More historical fiction: African American Historical Fiction for Middle School
High School
Monday’s Not Coming
by Tiffany D. Jackson
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award
When Claudia’s best friend Monday doesn’t show up for school for two weeks, Claudia knows that something is wrong. But Monday’s mother refuses to give her a straight answer. As Claudia digs deeper into her friend’s disappearance, she discovers that no one seems to remember the last time they saw her. Monday’s Not Coming is a gripping novel about one teenage girl’s disappearance ~ African – High School
The Poet X
by Elizabeth Acevedo
Michael L. Printz Award, Pura Belpré Author Award, Odyssey Honor Audiobook
Growing up in her Dominican community in Harlem, Xiomara Batista has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking. But her deepest thoughts she only shares with her diary in the form of poems, like the frustration about her strict religious mother and her feelings for a classmate. When Xiomara is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she wants to attend but knows her mum would never allow her to. The Poet X is a powerful novel-in-verse about the struggles of a young Afro-Latina. ~ Hispanic – High School
More Pura Belpré award-winning books: Pura Belpré Award Winners 1996 – 2018
Anger Is a Gift: A Novel
by Mark Oshiro
Schneider Family Book Award (Teens)
Ever since his father was murdered by an Oakland police officer and vilified by the media, Moss Jefferies suffers from crippling panic attacks. At school, Moss and his classmates find themselves increasingly treated like criminals. The students decide to organize and push back against the administration. When tensions rise and tragedy strikes again, Moss must face a difficult choice: give in to fear and hate or realize that anger can actually be a gift. Featuring a very diverse cast of characters (Black, Latinx, LGBTQIA), Anger is a Gift is a powerful novel about racism, police brutality and friendship. ~ African – High School
The Black God’s Drums
by P. Djeli Clark
Alex Award Winner
In an alternate New Orleans caught in the tangle of the American Civil War, the wall-scaling girl named Creeper yearns to join the crew of the airship Midnight Robber. Hiding her own dark secret, Creeper earns Captain Ann-Marie’s trust with information about a Haitian scientist and his mysterious weapon. Soon, the crew are pulled into a perilous mission to stop the entirety of New Orleans being wiped out. The Black God’s Drums is a fast-paced and mesmerizing fantasy novel that teenagers will love! ~ African – High School
The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After
by Clementine Wamariya
Alex Award Winner
In 1994, six-year-old Clemantine Wamariya and her fifteen-year-old sister, Claire, fled the Rwandan massacre and spent the next six years migrating through seven African countries. Not knowing whether their parents were still alive, they searched for safety and experienced hunger, imprisonment, abuse, and refugee camps. They found unexpected kindness and witnessed inhuman cruelty. The sisters were eventually granted refugee status in the U.S. where Clemantine was taken in by a family who raised her as their own. The Girl Who Smiled Beads is a haunting and powerful story about one girl’s commitment to constructing a new life despite the traumatic events she went through. ~ African – High School
How Long ’til Black Future Month?: Stories
by N.K. Jemisin
Alex Award Winner
Lawn Boy
by Jonathan Evison
Alex Award Winner
Young Chicano Mike Muñoz just got fired from his latest job as a lawn boy. He wants to change his life but just doesn’t seem to get his foot on the first rung of that ladder to success. Only after a challenging trip, he can finally see the future and his place in it. Lawn Boy is a vibrant coming-of-age novel about social class distinctions, cultural discrimination, and standing up for oneself. ~ Hispanic – High School
The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees
by Don Brown
YALSA Award, Sibert Honor Book
The Unwanted is an eye-opening exploration of the Syrian refugee crisis. With straightforward text and expressive drawings in muted colours, the book tells the stories of the survivors – the heartbreaking horrors they went through, their courage and resilience and their hopes and dreams for a better future. ~ Asian – High School
Picture Us In The Light
by Kelly Loy Gilbert
Stonewall Honor Books
Darius the Great Is Not Okay
by Adib Khorram
Asian/Pacific American Award – Young Adult Literature, William C. Morris Award
Iranian American Darius Kellner feels he never fits in anywhere. He speaks better Klingon than Farsi and knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. His clinical depression doesn’t exactly help matters either. But when Darius meets Sohrab on his first-ever trip to Iran, everything changes. The two boys talk for hours on a secret rooftop. Sohrab calls him Darioush—the original Persian version of his name. Darius has never felt more like himself. Darius The Great Is Not Okay is a heartfelt and tender novel about identity and friendship. ~ Asian – High School
The Astonishing Color of After
by Emily X. R. Pan
Asian/Pacific American Honor – Young Adult Literature
A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919
by Claire Hartfield
Coretta Scott King Author Winner
In July 1919, an angry white man threw stones at five black teenagers that swam close to Lake Michigan’s “white” beach, killing one of them. This incident sparked violent race riots that shook the city of Chicago to its core. A Few Red Drops is a gripping account of the riots and the racial, cultural, economic and political tensions that had been building for decades. ~ African – High School
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