Showing titles in Multicultural Stories

Sang Ly lives at Cambodia’s city dump and is grateful she can help earn a living for her family by sifting through the trash for recyclables and things that can be repaired and sold. On a good day, she can earn enough to buy food for her family. She needs enough good days so she can pay the rent collector, Sopeap—a grumpy old woman who shows no mercy and who is willing to evict any tenant who can’t pay their rent on time. When Sang Ly is unable to pay her rent for the month, she fears her family will have to leave the dump and their shanty home.

Delarai loves visiting Madar every Saturday and enjoys eating the Iranian Shirin Polo she prepares, but one Saturday, her mother tells her they can’t go visit Madar anymore because she’s passed away. Her relationship with Madar is full of tenderness and knowing, and she feels a heartfelt connection to her Iranian heritage at Madar’s funeral in a place her mother calls the cemetery. She’s the only kid invited, and she feels a special kind of pride knowing that Madar will always be with her so long as Shirin Polo exists.

There's nothing worse than being a tattletale. That's what 10-year-old Sophie Washington thinks until she runs into Lanie Mitchell, a new girl at school. Lanie pushes Sophie and her friends around at their lockers, and even takes their lunch money. If they tell, they are scared the other kids in their class will call them snitches and won't be their friends. And when you're in the fifth grade, nothing seems worse than that. Then a classmate gets seriously injured and Sophie needs to make a decision: fight back, or snitch?

Ayo's mother founded the biggest civil rights movement to hit New York City in decades. It’s called ‘See Us’ and it tackles police brutality and racial profiling in Harlem. Ayo has spent her entire life being an activist and now, she wants out. She wants to get her first real kiss, have a boyfriend, and just be a normal teen. When her mom is put into a coma after a riot breaks out between protesters and police, protestors want Ayo to become the face of See Us and fight for justice for her mother who can no longer fight for herself.

Fred Cabezadura es una historia caprichosa y rima sobre un chico enérgico y amante de la diversión llamado Fred. ¡Sus padres simplemente no saben cómo hacer que se quede quieto y escuche! Pero cuando Fred necesita un favor, mamá y papá lo usan como una oportunidad perfecta para enseñarle una o dos cosas sobre la responsabilidad.

This Splash Read collection includes seven historical fiction short stories about Black Americans. While Splash Read stories are enjoyed by kids of all ages, they were written to facilitate a conversation between a child and parent or student and teacher. Each story introduces an influential person from history. Stories discuss life skills, challenges, problem-solving, and important issues. We’ve heard positive reviews from kids as young as first graders and as old as 10th graders.

A young boy's imagination takes off as he gazes at family photos, whisking him off on a fantastical journey. Along the way, the boy tries exciting and bold new things, ventures into unexplored worlds, and forms deep connections with his multicultural heritage and the ancestors who imbue him with the strength and courage to make a difference.

When her confidence is shaken by peers who say they are scared of her because she's "too dark," Imani turns to her sister for a loving reminder that she’s smart, hope, brave, beautiful, strong, and just enough. After embracing what makes her truly special, Imani learns to be fearless! Inspired by the real-life experiences of Kheris Rogers, the young CEO and designer of the Flexin’ in My Complexion clothing line, this ode to dark-skinned girls will empower many.

Born to parents who fled slavery and the Trail of Tears, Magnolia Flower is a girl with a vibrant spirit. Not to be deterred by rigid ways of the world, she longs to connect with others, who too long for freedom. She finds this in a young man of letters who her father disapproves of. In her quest to be free, Magnolia must make a choice and set off on a journey that will prove just how brave one can be when leading with one’s heart.

Nîso kisêwâtisiwak iskwêsak. Mâmawâyâwinihk namôya wîhkâc osâmi otinamâsowak. Âsponâtisiw, pakwâtikosiw maci-pisiskiw. Kakwâyaki misiwanâtan kihci-okâwîmâw. Maskawisîwin ohci âhkamêyihtamowin, êkwa tanisi isi aspêyimowin, sâkihiwêwin, tapahtêyimisowin mîna ahcahkowin ta-kî-pakitinam maskawâtisiwin êkwanima mosci kwêskinam êwako ôma pimohtêwin.

Meet Phoenix! She's a culturally enthusiastic young girl who comes from a multicultural Ethiopian and African American family. But, she lacks the confidence to show off her Ethiopian cultural wear in front of her new friends at school. That is, until her mother begins to remind her of how beautiful and significant the two cultures are, while also encouraging her to show up exactly as she is.

A naughty white kitten, Sagwa, comes from a long line of royal Chinese cats. Her mischief changes the spirit of a cruel magistrate and helps shape the future for her ancestors. This beautiful story illustrates why Siamese cats are really Chinese cats and why their faces, ears, paws, and tails turn darker as they grow up.

Granny Jinks and Jada have officially joined the Dalton Green Magic Society, but the fun has only just started! For their next trick, Granny Jinks and Jada will have to perform magic with the cheekiest assistant of them all—an animal! Will naughty Luna the cat learn her magic trick in time and will Jada’s best friend, Matilda, ever find the perfect pet for hers? Inspired by the true story of Jenny Mayers—the first Black woman to be accepted into the Magic Circle.

Twelve-year-old Lizzie Chu lives in Glasgow with her grandad Wai Gong, and he's been acting a little strangely lately. He is becoming forgetful, and spends a lot of time talking to his statue of Guan Yin—the Chinese goddess of compassion, kindness and mercy. Even the shared passion he and Lizzie have for dancing and Strictly seems to be tailing off. Lizzie is worried about Wai Gong, but doesn't really know what to do to help him. She's already got a lot on her plate with caring for him, doing the shopping and everything else on top of schoolwork and the trials of being 12!

Shiny is a whale child. One day his mother teaches him about the harm facing the world's oceans because of human carelessness. Shiny agrees to be turned into a boy by the ocean's water spirit so he can visit the land and alert people to these dangers. He meets Alex, a young Coast Salish girl who learns from Shiny that the living spirit of water exists in everything - glaciers, rivers, oceans, rain, plants, and all living creatures.

At four years old, Ria Thundercloud was brought into the powwow circle, ready to dance in the special jingle dress her mother made for her. As she grew up, she danced with her brothers all over Indian country. Then Ria learned more styles—tap, jazz, ballet—but still loved the expressiveness of Indigenous dance. And despite feeling different as one of the only Native American kids in her school, she always knew she could turn to dance to cheer herself up.

When Diana Taurasi was a girl, professional women's basketball didn't exist in the US. Diana knew she was talented, and she worked hard to create opportunities for herself and other female athletes. She won high school and college championships before going pro with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and winning five Olympic gold medals, inspiring many girls to follow in her athletic footsteps. In this chapter book biography by award-winning author Monica Brown, listeners learn about the amazing life of Diana Tauras—and how she persisted.

Stacey Abrams began her career in politics at the age of seventeen when she was hired as a typist for a congressional campaign. From there, she worked hard to get into Yale law school and, eventually, was elected into the House of Representatives. In 2018, she became the first Black woman in the United States to be a major party's nominee for governor when she was selected as the Democratic candidate.

A heartfelt story of a young girl seeking beauty and connection in a busy world. As the seasons change, so too does a young Hmong girl's world. She moves into a new home with her family and encounters both birth and death. As this curious girl explores life inside her house and beyond, she collects bits of the natural world. But who are her treasures for?

Yasmin is starting secondary school soon—and her talking toy best friend, Levi, is well excited about it! They’ll get to continue their Guardian Llama missions to help kids with their problems, just like how Levi helped Yasmin find her voice. Secretly though, Yasmin is worried that people will think she’s weird for carrying a toy llama around, and maybe it isn’t the best idea for Levi to come with her. But with a family seaside holiday promising lots of beachside thrills to distract her, Yasmin is ready to have fun with Levi and her (human) best friend, Ezra.