The 20 Best Multicultural Chapter Books of 2022

Last not least! Following our lists of The Best Multicultural Young Adult Books of 2022, The 50 Best Multicultural Middle Grade Books of 2022 and The 100 Best Multicultural Picture Books of 2022, we are finishing our ‘Best of 2022’ with this selection of the best multicultural chapter books of 2022! Enjoy browsing!

The 20 Best Multicultural Chapter Books of 2022

Racing Ace: Drive It! Fix it!
by Larry Dane Brimner

Ace has built her very own car and is getting ready to race! After oiling the wheels and kicking the tires, Ace sets out to win. But when a missing part and a rut in the middle of the track threaten to keep her in last place, Ace has to think fast to finish strong — and come out on top! With simple text and full-colour artwork on every page, Racing Ace: Drive It! Fix It! is a fast-paced, action-packed book, perfect for new readers! ~ African – Elementary School

Space Blasters: Suzie Saves the Universe
by Katie & Kevin Tsang

Suzie Wen loves gadgets and inventing things – but her inventions don’t always turn out how she expects . . . When she invents the Super 3DTV Gizmo she ends up getting transported into her favourite TV show – Space Blasters! On board the space ship with Captain Jane, Spaceman Jack and alien with attitude Five-Eyed Frank, Suzie is soon exploring new planets – like the smelly Planet Cheddar – and meeting plenty of aliens. But when moons start disappearing, it’s up to Suzie to save the universe. Can she put her inventing skills to use? And will she ever get home? Highly illustrated Space Blasters is a hilarious new adventure series that includes real space facts and pages from Suzie’s inventors’ notebook. ~ Asian – Elementary School

Ways to Share Joy
by Renée Watson

Ryan Hart is caught in the middle. She has an older brother and a new baby sister, and she’s in a friendship tug-of-war with two friends who both want to be her best best friend. How can Ryan think about being kind to a classmate who is relentless with his teasing? Or be her signature sunny self when her brother, Ray, pulls the ultimate prank? But even when it seems like nothing is going her way, Ryan still looks for a way to see the bright side of things, refusing to let anything steal her joy, and finding ways to share it with everyone she meets. Ways To Share Joy is the third book in a charming young chapter book series starring Ryan Hart, a girl who is pure spirit and sunshine. ~ African – Elementary School

More in the series: Ways to Make Sunshine // Ways to Grow Love

Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom! (My First I Can Read)
by Kelly Starling Lyons

Ty can’t wait to ride his brand-new scooter at the park. Other kids zip and zoom by like race cars, but all Ty can do is wobble! Ty wants to give up, but a new friend helps Ty give it another try. With simple, rhythmic text and joyful, bright art, Ty’s Travels celebrates imagination and the power of persistence. ~ African – Elementary School

Kitten Around (Home for Meow #3)
by Reese Eschmann

Kira Parker lives above The Purrfect Cup, the cat café that her family owns. When her parents go on a weekend break, Granny is put in charge. But Kira’s got so many great ideas to make her cat friends and customers happy that Granny allows her to take control. Between a new, overly-energetic cat and a line of customers that never seems to end, running the café is harder than it looks though! Will Kira be able to run everything smoothly . . . or will this weekend be a total cat-astrophe? Kitten Around is the third book in a fun-filled chapter book series about a cat café. ~ African – Elementary School

Talent Showdown (That Girl Lay Lay #1)
by Jevon Bolden

Ever since her freestyle rapping video went viral, Lay Lay has been adjusting to her newfound fame. She loves the spotlight, but she’s also just a normal kid who likes to hang out with her friends. Lay Lay and her squad sign up for her school’s talent show, knowing they can each bring something special to it. But everyone at school assumes that only Lay Lay will be the star. Lay Lay hates that her crew has been pushed to the sidelines since she got famous. Can she make sure that everyone gets a chance to shine during the big show? Talent Showdown is the first in a new illustrated chapter book series featuring Lay Lay, the latest teen music sensation and Nickelodeon’s newest star. ~ African – Elementary School

Judge Kim: The Case of the Missing Bicycle
by M. Stone & S. MartinBrough

When bicycles go missing at Fairville Elementary School, it’s up to Kim Webster to settle the case. Up in her treehouse court, Judge Kim listens to witnesses and evidence gathered by her friends before determining what’s fair and what’s not. Will Judge Kim be able to restore peace to her neighborhood? Part of the Ready-to-Read Graphics series, Judge Kim gives readers the perfect introduction to the graphic novel format with easy-to-follow panels, speech bubbles with accessible vocabulary, and sequential storytelling. Includes a how-to guide for reading graphic novels. ~ African – Elementary School

Future Hero (Future Hero, 1)
by Remi Blackwood

Jarell has never quite known where he belongs. He’s ignored at home and teased at school for wanting to draw instead of playing sports with the other boys. The only place he’s ever felt truly at ease is his local barbershop where the owner hangs Jarell’s art up on the walls. When Jarell discovers a hidden portal in the barbershop, he’s transported to a magical world that’s unlike anything he’s seen before. But it’s not just the powerful gods and dangerous creatures that makes this world different―it’s that everyone believes Jarell is the hero they’ve been waiting for. Future Hero is the start of a thrilling, highly illustrated series for younger fans of Black Panther and Last Gate of the Emperor. ~ African – Elementary School

King of the Ice #1 (Miles Lewis)
by Kelly Starling Lyons

Miles Lewis loves science and sports. But when his teacher announces a class field trip to an ice skating rink to learn about physics, he isn’t so excited. He’s never ice skated before, and his friend RJ challenges him to a bet: If Miles skates without falling, RJ will put a “Miles is the man” sign on his backpack. But if Miles falls, he has to put one on his that says the same about RJ. Miles can barely focus on the bet, though, because he suspects his beloved Nana has plans to move out of his family’s house—and that’s just too much to bear. Can he keep his cool with all the pressure from RJ while finding a way to make his grandma stay? Illustrated King of the Ice is the first in a new chapter book series perfect for STEM fans! ~ African – Elementary School

Mimi and the Cutie Catastrophe: A Graphix Chapters Book (Mimi #1)
by Shauna J. Grant

Cheerful and charming Mimi is a loyal friend and fun playmate, who has the best adventures with Penelope, her magical toy dog. But when Mimi notices people treating her like she’s too cute, can she show them that she’s much more than meets the eye? Or will she be stuck in this cute-astrophe? Mimi and the Cutie Catastrophe is a humorous debut book with an unforgettable protagonist. ~ African – Elementary School

Jo Jo Makoons: Fancy Pants
by Dawn Quigley

First grader Jo Jo Makoons knows how to do a lot of things, like how to play jump rope, how to hide her peas in her milk, and how to be helpful in her classroom. But there’s one thing Jo Jo doesn’t know how to do: be fancy. She has a lot to learn before her Aunt Annie’s wedding! Favorite purple unicorn notebook in hand, Jo Jo starts exploring her Ojibwe community to find ways to be fancy. Filled with lots of glitter, raised pinkies, and humorous misunderstandings, Jo Jo Makoons: Fancy Pants is the second book in the Jo Jo Makoons series about a young Ojibwe girl. ~ Diverse – 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

Moose and the Smelly Sneakers (Life in the Doghouse)
by D. Robertshaw, R. Danta & C. Velasquez

Rosa had been asking her parents to get a puppy for years, and they finally agreed on two conditions: that she help train and care for him, and that she works to improve her grade in science. But Moose doesn’t seem to understand any of the words Rosa tries to teach him, and she has no idea what topic to pick for her science project. That is, until she has an idea for how to turn her project into a way to solve both her and Moose’s problems with training at the same time. Life in the Doghouse is the second book in a sweet chapter book series about an irresistible puppy who’s hard to train. ~ Hispanic – Elementary School

Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun
by Hena Khan

Zara Saleem is in charge of of the neighbourhood: she organizes the games, picks the teams, and makes sure everyone has a good time. When a new family moves in across the street, suddenly Zara’s reign is threatened by Naomi, who has big ideas of her own about how the neighbourhood kids can have fun. To get everyone to notice her again, Zara decides she’s going to break a Guinness World Record. But when she finds herself increasingly alone in her record-breaking quest, Zara starts to wonder if sharing the crown and making a new friend might end up being the best rule of all. Zara’s Rules For Record-Breaking Fun is the first book in a fun series starring a young Muslim girl. ~ Asian – Elementary School

Tapwe and the Magic Hat
by Buffy Sainte-Marie

Tâpwê can’t wait to spend a week with his cousins on the other side of the Cree reserve―especially since Kokhom, his grandma, has given him the most amazing gift: a Magic Hat with bluebirds and grass snakes that come to life! Tâpwê is so excited that he soon forgets Kokhom’s advice: Watch out for tricksters! Tâpwê’s adventure is everything he imagined. He meets his cousins, takes part in a powwow, and sleeps in a tipi. But soon he’s reminded of Kokhom’s words. Is his new friend Wâpos leading him astray with mischief? Tâpwê and the Magic Hat draws on a rich Indigenous tradition of storytelling and sends an important message for young readers about being yourself, and learning to dance to the beat of your own heart. ~ Diverse – Elementary School

Fly High, Lolo (Lolo Early Reader Series, 4)
by Niki Daly

More fun is on the way for Lolo in Fly High, Lolo, the fourth book in Niki Daly’s fun series about a girl who lives in South Africa with her mother and grandmother, Gogo. Lolo is kind-hearted, creative, full of joy, and she always knows just what to do to save the day. In this collection of easy-to-read stories, Lolo gets an unexpected role in the school play, meets Miss Teen the Beauty Queen, goes on a beach clean-up with Mama’s new friend, and makes beautiful recycled Christmas decorations. ~ African – Elementary School

All About Plants! (Ada Twist, Scientist: The Why Files #2)
by A. Beaty & Dr. T. Griffith

What do plants eat? Why do some plants have flowers and others don’t? And what’s the tallest plant out there? Ada Twist, Scientist: The Why Files: All About Plants is the perfect resource for all these questions and more. Based on the bestselling Questioneers series and the Netflix show, this nonfiction early reader series is perfect for the youngest scientists of tomorrow, as they learn along with Ada. Designed in a scrapbook format, these books combine art from the show, illustrations, and photography to bring simple science concepts to life. ~ African – Elementary School

Spooky Sleuths #1: The Ghost Tree
by Natasha Deen

Asim’s new town is freaking him out! There are weird noises at night, eerie lights, and now an evil tree that is growing way faster than it should. he’s sure there’s something supernatural going on. His friend Rokshar believes that everything can be explained by science. But even she’s worried when the tree takes control of their teacher! It’s starting to look like an evil spirit straight out of Guyanese folklore is to blame. Can Asim and his friends save their teacher–and the town–from the ghost tree? Spooky Sleuths #1: The Ghost Tree is the first book in a new spooky series based on ghost stories from Guyana. ~ African – Elementary School

Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party
by Saadia Faruqi

All Marya wants for her 8th birthday is an over-the-top birthday party just like the ones Alexa, her rich neighbour, always throws. When Alexa parades into school with fancy invitations, Marya can’t help herself—she claims that she’s having the most epic henna party ever. Now she has to convince her family to make it happen. Maybe she could cook dinner for her parents, or clean her grandmother’s room? Except everything Marya does seems to end in disaster. Will Marya and her family be able pull it together and throw the best party ever?! Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party is the start of a charming chapter book series about a 3rd-grader whose persistence and heart are inspiring. ~ Asian – Elementary School

Also available: Marya Khan and the Fabulous Jasmine Garden

Maggie Sparks and the Monster Baby
by Steve Smallman

Maggie Sparks does NOT want a baby brother! Especially not one who is noisy, smelly and gets ALL the attention. The good thing is, Maggie’s a witch. A super powerful, super smart, super talented witch … who sometimes gets her spells wrong. But that won’t stop her finding a way to win back her mom and dad from the evil monster baby with the help of Bat, her pet chameleon. All she needs is a little magic … Maggie Sparks and the Monster Baby is the first book in a new series about in the magical adventures of a naughty little witch whose temper tantrums fizz into all kinds of trouble! ~ African – Elementary School

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3 Responses

whoiscall

September 22, 2023 |

Thanks!
Julie Yeros

February 1, 2023 |

Always look forward to your book lists! Thank you for sharing.
Mia MEIKO Wenjen

January 26, 2023 |

This is such an important genre to have representation because kids are reading independently for the first time. It motivates them to keep reading when they see themselves reflected back and, as well, learn about those who don’t look like them. You have such a wonderful and important blog. Thank you for all the work that you do. You are changing the world, one book at a time. We thank you for being part of Multicultural Children’s Book Day as a longtime co-host and reviewer.