Multicultural Book File

1.

Author: Nina Simonds & Leslie Swartz

Title: Moonbeams, Dumplings and Dragon Boats: A treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales,

Activities and Recipes

Publisher: Harcourt

Synopsis: Presents background information, related tales, and activities for celebrating

five Chinese festivals- Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival, Qing Ming, the Dragon

Boat Festival, and the Moon Festival

Evaluation

Style and Language 10

Comment: The book is clearly written and broken into the five festivals, very reader

friendly and easy to follow. Lots of recipes and crafts

Compelling Details (quotations, anecdotes, little known facts) 9

Comment: A lot of little known facts and great information

Fascinating comparisons 10

Comment: Comparisons about how people celebrate different festivals and holidays

Unusual subjects or viewpoints 2

Comment: Just a narrator viewpoint

 Personalized content (new perspectives, first-person accounts) 2

Comment: No personalized content

Accuracy (up to date research, references, etc) 10

Comment: Seems very accurate and has a ton of resources in the back of different

books an websites. There is even a guide to Chinese pronunciation

Attractive design 10

Comment: The front cover is very colorful and eye catching and the artwork through the

book is very interesting

Photo or artwork captions (new info) 2

Comment: The artwork does not have captions

Is it a well-rounded piece? 7

Comment: Personalized content would have been a great addition

RATING 9

Comment: This is a great book to learn about Chinese festivals and customs.

2.

Author: Alice Flanagan

Title: Carnival

Publisher: Compass Point Books

Synopsis: Different ways Carnival is celebrated around the world

Evaluation

Style and Language 10

Comment: Very easy language. Words in bold are defined in a glossary in the back. The

book is broken down into sections and very easy to follow.

Compelling Details (quotations, anecdotes, little known facts) 10

Comment: It is a very interesting read filled with little known facts

Fascinating comparisons 9

Comment: Compares Carnival celebrations in Europe, the Caribbean and North and

South America.

Unusual subjects or viewpoints 2

Comment: No unusual points of view

Personalized content (new perspectives, first-person accounts) 2

Comment: No personalized content

Accuracy (up to date research, references, etc) 10

Comment: Seems accurate, has a list of different websites, books and places to visit

Attractive design 9

Comment: Very colorful

Photo or artwork captions (new info) 2

Comment: Art work does not have captions

 Is it a well-rounded piece? 7

Comment: Could have used real life pictures and personalized content

RATING 8

Comment: Pretty good book to learn about Carnival

3.

Author: Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith

Title: Celebrating a Quinceanera: A Latinas fifteenth birthday celebration

Publisher: Holiday House

Synopsis: Describes the customs and traditions connected with the celebration of a

Mexican-American girls fifteenth birthday, marking her coming of age

Evaluation

Style and Language 10

Comment: Easy to follow and understand, has pronunciations

Compelling Details (quotations, anecdotes, little known facts) 8

Comment: More of a story than a bunch of facts, but they are in there

Fascinating comparisons 9

Comment: Compares how Mexican- American celebrate a girls fifteen birthday and

other Americans celebrate girls sixteenth.

Unusual subjects or viewpoints 10

Comment: The book revolved around a girl in California and her cousins quiceanera

Personalized content (new perspectives, first-person accounts) 10

Comment: The entire book is personalized content

Accuracy (up to date research, references, etc) 10

Comment: Seems accurate

Attractive design 10

Comment: A lot of real life photographs

Photo or artwork captions (new info) 10

Comment: Every photo has a caption with new info

Is it a well-rounded piece? 9

Comment: A lot of information in a story type book

RATING 9

Comment: This book teaches a lot about quinceaneras and Mexican American

traditions in general.

4.

Author: Margaret Musgrove

Title: Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions

Publisher: Dial Books

Synopsis: Explains some traditions and customs of twenty-six African tribes beginning

with the letters A to Z.

Evaluation

Style and Language 10

Comment: The way the book is laid out in an A through Z way is a good way to organize

the book. Easy to understand language and pronunciations of each tribe

Compelling Details (quotations, anecdotes, little known facts) 10

Comment: A lot of little known facts and tribes I have never heard of.

Fascinating comparisons 8

Comment: Some comparisons between the tribes

Unusual subjects or viewpoints 2

Comment: Just a narrator point of view

Personalized content (new perspectives, first-person accounts) 2

Comment: No personalized content

Accuracy (up to date research, references, etc.) 2

Comment: No references, just a map of Africa

Attractive design 10

Comment: Very beautiful artwork depictions of the different tribes

Photo or artwork captions (new info) 2

Comment: The pictures go along with the passage

 Is it a well-rounded piece? 7

Comment: It is an interesting read

RATING 7

Comment: It is a good book to focus on how many different tribes there are but it is not

good for specifics

5.

Author: Shannon Knudsen

Title: Easter Around the World

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books

Synopsis: Easter around the world

Evaluation

Style and Language 10

Comment: Easy to read and understand, broken into the different countries, defined

words

Compelling Details (quotations, anecdotes, little known facts) 10

Comment: Filled with little known facts

Fascinating comparisons 10

Comment: Comparisons between the countries and how they celebrate Easter

Unusual subjects or viewpoints 2

Comment: No interesting viewpoints

 Personalized content (new perspectives, first-person accounts) 2

Comment: No personalized content

Accuracy (up to date research, references, etc) 8

Comment: Seems accurate but no references just a world map and a recipe

Attractive design 8

Comment: Artwork depicting each countries tradition but it could have used photos

Photo or artwork captions (new info) 1

Comment: No captions

Is it a well-rounded piece? 5

Comment: Overall, a good piece

RATING 8

Comment: A good book to read at Easter to learn about different traditions Formatted: Line spacing: Double

6.

Author: Gerald McDermott

Title: Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian tale

Publisher: The Viking Press

Summary: An adaptation of the Pueblo Indian myth which explains how the spirit of the

Lord of the Sun was brought to the world of men

Evaluation
Plot:

Believability 1

Comment: This is obviously an ancient tale

Major Dramatic Question Clear? Yes

Comment: The boy finding is father is presented early on

Other Considerations 8

Comment: It has a little tension build and a clear conclusion

Style and Language 10

Comment: Very easy to understand

Pacing 8

Comment: Short book but good pacing

Character 8

Comment: One main character but we dont learn a lot about him

Setting 8

Comment: The setting doesnt really play a role

Theme 9

Comment: The purpose of a tale is usually to answer a question this book seemed to do

that
 Other considerations 9

Comment: This book has a hopeful tone

Is it a well rounded piece? 8

Comment: It has a lot of good elements

OVERALL RATING 8

Comment: Good story to read with a Native American theme

7.

Author: Gail Haley

Title: A Story, A Story

Publisher: Atheneum Books

Summary: An African Tale

Evaluation

Plot:

Believability 1

Comment: Not believable

Major Dramatic Question Clear? Yes

Comment: Clear from the very beginning that the Spiderman wanted the tales from the

Sky God

Other Considerations 8

Comment: Clear conclusion

Style and Language 4

Comment: Hard to understand African words and phrases

Pacing 4

Comment: Dragged out

Character 5

Comment: Dont really learn a lot of the Spider man

Setting 9

Comment: Set in Africa

Theme 8

Comment: Answers the question about how tales are passed down from generation to

generation

Other considerations 8

Comment: The mood is hopeful

Is it a well rounded piece? 8

Comment: It has interesting elements to it

OVERALL RATING 5

Comment: The language detracts from the message

8.

Author: Kelly Cunnane

Title: For You Are a Kenyan Child

Publisher: Atheneum Books

Summary: A day in the life of a Kalenjin boy

Evaluation

Plot:

Believability 10

Comment: Everything that happens in the story could happen in real life and does

everyday in villages in Africa

Major Dramatic Question Clear? Yes

Comment: He is supposed to be watching the cows but he gets distracted by everything

going on in the village.

Other Considerations 10

Comment: The tension builds and there is a climax and a conclusion

Style and Language 10

Comment: Even though this book was filled with African words and phrases they were

defined and had the pronunciation in the beginning. It was easy to understand. The

book was presented like it was talking to the reader.

Pacing 8

Comment: Good pacing, slow then building then slow again

Character 9

Comment: The reader is kind of the main character, very interesting

Setting 10

Comment: The Kenyan Village is the setting and that is what the book fully revolves

around

Theme 9

Comment: A fun story about a day in the life of someone who lives a completely

different culture

Other considerations 9

Comment: This is a happy book

Is it a well rounded piece? 9

Comment: This book makes you smile

OVERALL RATING 9

Comment: Good story to go along with African activities

9.
Author: Judy Cox Formatted: Line spacing: Double

Title: Cinco De Mouse O! Formatted: Font: Italic

Formatted: Font: Italic
Publisher: Holiday House

Summary: Mouse enjoys the sights and smells of Cinco de Mayo despite being trailed

by a determined cat

Evaluation

Plot:

Believability 1-10

Comment: A mouse celebrating Cinco De Mayo is not believable

Major Dramatic Question Clear? Yes Yes but slow emerging NO

Comment: The cat starts following the mouse early on

Other Considerations 10 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: The tension builds and there is a satisfactory conclusion

Style and Language 10 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: Easy to follow, has some Spanish words but easy to decipher

Pacing 10 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: Quick pacing to go along with the adventure

Character 8 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: We dont learn a lot about the mouse but cheer him on

Setting 9 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: The festival plays a big part in the story

Theme 9 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: A cute adventure story that teaches about Cinco de Mayo

Other considerations 10 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: The book sets an exciting tone

Is it a well rounded piece? 9 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: Cute story that also teaches

OVERALL RATING 10 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: This is a good book to read to teach younger children about some Cinco De

Mayo traditions

Formatted: Font: (Default) Arial, 12 pt

10.

Author: Sandy Lanton Formatted: Line spacing: Double

Title: Lots of Latkes: A Hanukkah Story Formatted: Font: Italic

Publisher: Kar-Ben

Summary: Rivka Leah invites her neighbors to a Hanukkah party, but a series of

mishaps casues each of them to bring the same dish-latkes.

Evaluation

Plot:
 Believability 1-710

Comment: Not likely, but could happen

Major Dramatic Question Clear? Yes Yes but slow emerging NO

Comment: All the friends bring the same thing

Other Considerations 9 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: Clear tension and conclusion

Style and Language 10 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: Easy to understand

Pacing 10 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: Good pacing

Character 7 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: Dont learn a lot about the characters but they all play an important role

Setting 7 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: Setting plays a small role, we learn its a faraway village nestled between two

mountains

Theme 8 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: Good Hannakkah story and a theme about turning an unfortunate incident

into a positive one

Other considerations 10 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: Happy mood

Is it a well rounded piece? 9 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: Teaches about Hanukkah in a cute story

OVERALL RATING 10 Formatted: Font: Bold

Comment: Would use to enhance a Hanukkah lesson

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Believability 1-10
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Major Dramatic Question Clear? Yes Yes but slow emerging NO
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