NEW Multicultural Children's Books March 2022

March has seen the release of some gorgeous new multicultural children’s books! Our favourites this month are Brown Sugar Baby (Babies & Toddlers), Climb On! (Preschool), Stella Keeps The Sun Up (Elementary School), New From Here (Middle School), and Every Variable Of Us (High School). Enjoy browsing!

NEW Multicultural Children’s Books March 2022

Babies & Toddlers

Brown Sugar Baby
by Kevin Lewis

“Brown sugar baby, dark eyes spark bright with glee…Pie of my eye, stay right here with me.” The first book in a new series, Brown Sugar Baby is a lyrical celebration of the powerful love and protective, comforting instincts of a mother for her child. With soothing rhymes and charming illustrations, t’s the perfect bedtime book. ~African – Babies & Toddlers

Preschool

Girl Dad
by Sean Williams

A fun read-aloud written in upbeat rhyming verse, Girl Dad is a picture book that honours the strong men who raise, love, and uplift strong girls. Perfect for fans of Hair Love by and Made for Me, and a great gift for Father’s Day. ~ African – Preschool

The Stack
by Vanessa Roeder

Luna begins her stack with a single chair. But it’s not quite tall enough. So she adds a stool, then some books . . . and her bed . . . and before she knows it, she’s thrown a pile of plates, a bathtub (currently occupied), and a whale up there too. And yet the stack still isn’t tall enough. Finally, after she flings and slings bigger and wackier things into the stack, and then climbs and stretches just so, she is able to reach into the sky for just what she wants: a star of her own to use as a night-light! Stunningly illustrated The Stack is a clever bedtime story about doing (and building!) whatever it takes to reach for the stars. ~ African – Preschool

Emile and the Field
by Kevin Young

Emile loves the field close to his home–in spring, summer, and fall, when it gives him bees and flowers, blossoms and leaves. But not as much in winter, when he has to share his beautiful, changeable field with other children…and their sleds. With stunning illustrations and a charming text, Emile and the Field celebrates a child’s relationship with nature. ~ African – Preschool

Why Not You?
by Ciara & Russell Wilson

“Why not you? Amazing you! You’re a winner! You’re so strong! You are perfect and important—you and all your gifts belong!” Sometimes it’s hard to imagine our big dreams coming true. But what if someone saw all the amazing and spectacular parts of us—our winning smiles, our fancy feet, our warm hearts—and asked, “Why not you?” Whether it’s becoming a football player or a pop star or the president or a scientist: Why not you? From pop star Ciara and Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson comes this lyrical celebration of self-esteem, perseverance, and daring to shoot for the stars. ~ African – Preschool

Let’s Do Everything and Nothing
by Julia Kuo

“Will you climb a hill with me? / Dive into a lake with me? / Reach the starry sky with me, / and watch the clouds parade?” Love can feel as vast as a sky full of breathtaking clouds or as gentle as a sparkling, starlit night. It can scale the tallest mountains and reach the deepest depths of the sea. Standing side by side with someone you love, the unimaginable can seem achievable. But not every magical moment is extraordinary. Simply being together is the best journey of all. Let’s Do Everything and Nothing is a lush and lyrical picture book celebrating special moments―big and small―shared with a child. ~ Asian – Preschool

When I’m With You
by Pat Zietlow Miller

“There’s something that I’ve noticed. / Perhaps you’ve seen it, too. Life is so much better / when it’s me and you.” From the time we are young, we are drawn to special people—the ones who complete our sentences and who know our favourite colour, food, and song. The people who understand us and make us happier than anyone else in the world. After all, no matter how much time passes or how many miles tug us apart, there is no one quite like a best friend. When I’m With You is a jubilant celebration of friendship and the adventures of childhood. ~ Diverse – Preschool

Climb On!
by Baptiste Paul

When a young child reminds her dad about the hike they planned, her father is hesitant —To the tippy top? It’s a great day to watch futbol (soccer). But as the two climb on, her enthusiasm is contagious. Filled with setbacks, surprises, and stunning views, Climb On! is a warm and humorous story that highlights the bonding power of a shared experience. A list of creatures at the end prompts a second look for keen-eyed readers to make discoveries of their own. ~ Diverse – Preschool

Elementary School

Stella Keeps the Sun Up
by Clothilde Ewing

If Stella had her way, she would stop sleeping on her sixth birthday. Because sleep is boring. So she comes up with a plan. People only have to go to bed when it gets dark, and it only gets dark because the sun goes down. If she can keep the sun in the sky, she and her best friend, Roger, can stay up for a hundred years! They offer the sun a cup of coffee, shine a light at it so it will shine back, and jump on a trampoline to reach the sun and push it higher. But before long, Stella begins to wonder…are there downsides to keeping the sun up forever? Stella Keeps The Sun Up is an incandescently fun, hijinks-filled picture book kids will love! ~African – Elementary School

The Secret Explorers and the Moon Mission
by SJ King

Meet the Secret Explorers—a diverse group of young experts with a specialty, from outer space to dinosaurs. Each story follows the characters who get chosen for a “secret exploration.” In The Secret Explorers and the Moon Mission, space expert Roshni and geology expert Cheng blast off into outer space on a mission to the moon. There, they must navigate the dangerous terrain to clear up space debris before it can interfere with a lunar mission. Along the way they pilot a space buggy and collect important rock samples. With fun illustrations, scientific facts, quizzes, and a vocabulary list, this is a great classroom read! ~Diverse – Elementary School

Carrimebac, the Town That Walked
by David Barclay Moore

The Civil War may be over, but things are not substantially improved for the freed Black citizens of Walkerton, Georgia. One day, Rootilla Redgums and her grandson, Julius Jefferson, arrive. Rootilla teaches the citizens of Walkerton how to make all sorts of beautiful things, and the white people can’t get enough. But some aren’t so happy. When a hooded mob threatens to burn down the town, Julius and Rootilla must work wonders to protect Walkerton and its people—even if it means moving heaven and earth itself. With exquisite cinematic illustrations and the rhythms of traditional African American storytelling, Carrimebac, the Town That Walked shines a powerful light on Black endurance. ~African – Elementary School

Middle School

Troublemaker
by John Cho

12-year-old Jordan can’t live up to his older sister’s example or his parent’s expectations. When he returns home from school one day hoping to hide his suspension, L.A. has reached a turning point. In the wake of the acquittal of the police officers filmed beating Rodney King, as well as the shooting of a young black teen by a Korean store owner, the country is at the precipice of confronting its racist past and present. As tensions escalate, his father leaves to check on the family store, spurring Jordan and his friends to embark on a dangerous journey to help him, and come to terms with the racism affecting their community. Troublemaker follows the events of the LA Riots through the eyes of a Korean American tween. ~ Asian – Middle School

Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence
by Sonja Thomas

12-year-old Mira’s summer is looking pretty bleak. Her best friend Thomas moved away, her jobless dad has been super down lately, and her phone screen cracked after a home science experiment gone wrong. Mira’s beloved cat, Sir Fig Newton, has been the most stable thing in her life lately, but he’s been diagnosed with diabetes. When Mira’s parents tell her they may have to give Fig up to people who can afford his treatment, Mira insists she can earn the $2,000 needed within a month. Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence is a heartfelt middle grade novel about a determined young girl who must rely on her ingenuity and scientific know-how to save her beloved cat. ~ African – Middle School

Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa
by Julian Randall

12-year-old Pilar Ramirez’s is intrigued by Abuela and Mami’s silence around her cousin Natasha―who vanished in the Dominican Republic fifty years ago during the Trujillo dictatorship. When Pilar discovers a folder with her cousin’s name on it, she gets sucked into the blank page within. She lands on Zafa, an island swarming with coconut-shaped demons, butterfly shapeshifters, and a sinister prison where her cousin is being held captive. Pilar has to go toe-to-toe with the fearsome Dominican boogeyman, El Cuco, in order to free Natasha and get back home. Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa is a gripping middle-grade fantasy that brings Dominican myths and legends to life. ~ Hispanic – Middle School

New from Here
by Kelly Yang

When the coronavirus hits Hong Kong, 10-year-old Knox Wei-Evans’s mom makes the last-minute decision to move him and his siblings back to California. Knox has two days to prepare for an international move—and for leaving his dad, who has to stay for work. At his new school, Knox’s classmates think that because he’s from Asia, he must have brought over the virus. As anti-Asian racism skyrockets, Knox tries to stand up to hate, while finding his place in his new country. Can you belong if you’re feared; can you protect if you’re new? And how do you keep a family together when you’re oceans apart? Sometimes when the world is spinning out of control, the best way to get through it is to embrace our own lovable uniqueness. New From Here is a poignant story about courage, hope, and resilience. ~ Asian – Middle School

High School

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American
by Laura Gao

After spending her early years in Wuhan, China, riding water buffalos and devouring stinky tofu, Laura emigrates to Texas, where her hometown is as foreign as Mars—at least until 2020, when COVID-19 makes Wuhan a household name. Messy Roots is a heartfelt graphic memoir about a girl who simply wants to make the basketball team, escape Chinese school, and figure out why girls make her heart flutter. ~ Asian – High School

A Thousand Steps Into Night
by Traci Chee

In the realm of Awara, where gods, monsters, and humans exist side by side, Miuko is an ordinary girl resigned to a safe, if uneventful, existence as an innkeeper’s daughter. But when Miuko is cursed and begins to transform into a demon with a deadly touch, she embarks on a quest to reverse the curse and return to her normal life. With her transformation comes power and freedom she never even dreamed of, and she’ll have to decide if saving her soul is worth trying to cram herself back into an ordinary life that no longer fits her… and perhaps never did. A Thousand Steps Into Night is a Japanese-influenced fantasy brimming with demons, adventure, and plans gone awry. ~ Asian – High School

The Rumor Game
by D. Clayton & S. Charaipotra

Bryn used to have it all―the perfect boyfriend, a bright future in politics, and popularity thanks to her best friend, cheer captain Cora. Then one mistake sparked a scandal that burned it all to the ground. But now the spotlight at Foxham Prep has shifted: It’s geeky Georgie, newly hot after a summer makeover, whose name is on everyone’s lips. When a rumor ignites, Georgie rockets up the school’s social hierarchy, pitting her and Cora against each other. As the rumors grow and morph, all three girls’ lives begin to unravel. But one person close to the drama has the power to stop the gossip in its tracks. The question is―do they even want to? The Rumor Game is an edge-of-your-seat social thriller with a twist. ~ Diverse – High School

All My Rage: A Novel
by Sabaa Tahir

Pakistani American Salahudin and Noor are more than best friends; they are family. Growing up as outcasts in the small desert town of Juniper, California, they understand each other the way no one else does. Until The Fight, which destroys their bond with the swift fury of a star exploding. Now, Sal scrambles to run the family motel as his mother’s health fails and his grieving father loses himself to alcoholism. When Sal’s attempts to save the motel spiral out of control, he and Noor must ask themselves what friendship is worth—and what it takes to defeat the monsters in their pasts and the ones in their midst. All My Rage is a breathtaking novel of young love, old regrets, and forgiveness. ~ Asian – High School

Every Variable of Us
by Charles A. Bush

Academics have never been her thing, but Alexis is freshly motivated by Aamani Chakrabarti, the new Indian student who becomes her friend (and crush?). When she is injured in a gang shooting, her dreams of a college scholarship and pro basketball career vanish in an instant. To avoid becoming another Black teen trapped in her poverty-stricken neighbourhood, she shifts her focus to the school’s STEM team, a group of self-professed nerds seeking their own college scholarships. Every Variable of Us is a heartfelt and authentic account of a Black teenager trying to find her place in the world. ~ African – High School

Girl on Fire
by Alicia Keys

14-year-old Lolo’s world explodes when a cop pulls a gun on her brother, James, in a dangerous case of mistaken identities. Staring down the barrel, with no one else to help, Lolo discovers powers she never knew she had. Using only her mind, she literally throws the cop out of the way. Skin, a dangerous dealer with designs on taking over the neighborhood, hears of Lolo’s telekinetic abilities and decides that he needs her in his crew. Lolo’s not willing to let Skin use her to hurt the people—and neighbourhood—that she loves. But it’s going to take a whole different kind of bravery to stand-up for what’s right. Girl on Fire is a poignant graphic novel, about finding the strength within in times of adversity. ~ African – High School

Turning
by Joy L. Smith

Genie used to fouetté across the stage. Now the only thing she’s turning are the wheels to her wheelchair. Genie was the star pupil at her exclusive New York dance school, with a bright future and endless possibilities before her. Now all she wants is to be left alone. But then she meets Kyle whose traumatic brain injury has sent him to the same physical therapist that Genie sees. With Kyle’s support, Genie starts to see a new path. But healing also means confronting: The booze her mother, a recovering alcoholic, has been hiding under the kitchen sink; the ex-boyfriend who was there the night of the fall and won’t leave her alone; and the fact that the accident may not have been so accidental after all. Turning is a raw, searingly honest debut novel about a teenager who must confront her past in order to move forward. ~ African – High School

Blood Scion
by Deborah Falaye

15-year-old Sloane can incinerate an enemy at will—she is a Scion, a descendant of the ancient Orisha gods. Under the Lucis’ brutal rule, her identity means her death if her powers are discovered. But when she is forcibly conscripted into the Lucis army, Sloane sees a new opportunity: to overcome the bloody challenges of Lucis training, and destroy them from within. Inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, Blood Scion follows one girl’s journey of magic, injustice, power, and revenge. ~ African – High School

Right Where I Left You
by Julian Winters

Isaac Martin is ready to kick off his last summer before heading off to college where he won’t have his best friend, Diego. Where—despite his social anxiety—he’ll be left to make friends on his own. Knowing his time with Diego is limited, Isaac enacts a foolproof plan: snatch up a pair of badges for the epic comic convention, Legends Con, and attend his first ever Teen Pride with Diego. But then he has an unexpected run-in with Davi, his old crush… Right Where I left You is a deliciously geeky best friends-to lovers romance from award-winning author Julian Winters. ~ Diverse – High School