Annotated Bibliography
Book 1 (ages 6-8)
LaMothe, M. (2017). This is how we do it: One day in the lives of seven kids from around the world. Chronicle Books.
“This is how we do it: One day in the lives of seven kids from around the world” is a real education in variety for both the very young and the somewhat older. It allows children to see the lives of children from all around the world, including Italy, Japan, India, Peru, Uganda, and Iran. Young readers gain insight into how other youngsters live, eat, and play. Although some things are strikingly different, many others feel eerily the same. Hence, this book is a helpful tool for an educator because it offers a great variety of insights into different cultures.
Book 2 (ages 6-8)
Kim, A. (2020). Danbi leads the school parade. Penguin.
In this novel by Anna Kim, the main character Danbi travels to the United States from Korea and is excited about her first day at her new school. However, she rapidly discovers that things have changed and that she is unable to keep up with the others. Danbi, on the other hand, turns things around with a little ingenuity and a dash of moxie and finally has everyone following her in a joyous procession that no one will soon forget. Thus, it shows the difference between the culture in the US and that of Asia.
Book 3 (ages 3-5)
Isadora, R. (2010). Say Hello! Penguin Young Readers Group.
Say Hello! by Rachel Isadora is the story of Carmelita and her dog Manny, and this book is a celebration of multiculturality. When the two characters go for their daily walk, they meet and greet every one of their neighbors. Carmelita learns to say hello in Spanish, English, French, and Japanese in a busy neighborhood full of people from diverse backgrounds. Thus, children can learn more about the different languages with this book.
Book 4 (ages 3-5)
Blackburne, I. (2021). I dream of Popo. Macmillan.
This book is a touching story of a young girl who is separated from her adored grandma after her family relocates to America. Although this girl misses Popo deeply, the two stay in touch, and Popo remains an important part of her life. This charming story demonstrates how love can transcend both time and geography and can help teach children to feel compassion toward other cultures.
Summary of Learning
Multicultural literature may be utilized to broaden children’s perspectives since it promotes knowledge of diversity in the classroom and aids in the development of an understanding of and respect for individuals from various cultures. In addition, multicultural literature may be utilized to investigate prejudice that affects the way some groups are treated in society (Mendoza & Debbie, 2001). Thus, multicultural education helps children learn about the differences between their perceptions of the world and those of others.
However, there are some drawbacks to using multicultural literature in a classroom. For example, there is a potential that teachers will struggle to determine how fully students grasp the content. Since not all pupils come from the same ethnic background, this creates a linguistic barrier (The National Association for Multicultural Education, n.d.). Other cultures’ people may be non-confrontational, subservient, or otherwise indirect. Hence, the teacher must understand the specifics of the student’s culture to interpret their behavior and interactions properly and teach other students about these specifics. In summary, the use of multicultural literature in a classroom allows the teacher to broaden the understanding of the students in the domain of other cultures.
Summary
Overall, this paper explores the variety of books for children ages between 3 to 5 and 6 to 8 years old. These books help educators teach children about diversity and other cultures and bring their attention to the important facts about other ethnicities. Multicultural education for children is essential, but teachers may face barriers when providing multicultural education lessons as not all children may understand the necessity of this learning material.
References
Blackburne, I. (2021). I dream of Popo. Macmillan.
Isadora, R. (2010). Say Hello! Penguin Young Readers Group.
LaMothe, M. (2017). This is how we do it: One day in the lives of seven kids from around the world. Chronicle Books.
Mendoza, J. & Debbie, R. (2001). Examining multicultural picture books for the early childhood classroom: Possibilities and pitfalls. Early Childhood Research & Practice, 3(2), 10-20.
The National Association for Multicultural Education. (n.d.). Aren’t they too young?Ā Web.
Kim, A. (2020). Danbi leads the school parade. Penguin.