Book Club

Global Reading: Selected Books for Children and Teens Set in Other Countries: CCBC booklist

CCBC-Recommended Book Search: Books recommended in annual editions of CCBC Choices, the CCBC’s annual best-of the-year list. In addition to filtering by broad diversity subject, age ranges and more, subject headings assigned to books  include specifics of identity and experience (e.g., “Immigrants and Refugees,” “Japanese and Japanese Americans,”  “Mexicans and Mexican Americans,” “Somalis and Somali Americans,” etc); and broad–and some specific –historical  categories (e.g., “Middle Ages,” “Vietnam War,” “World History,” “19^th century,” “20^th century,” etc.)

CCBC Book Search tutorial: a video tutorial providing an overview of the CCBC’s thematic booklists and recommended book search.

Resources beyond the CCBC: 

The CCBC web site includes links to many children’s and young adult literature award and best-of-the-year lists. Below are awards and lists with a global focus.

Américas Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award/Commended List 

Outstanding books about Latin America or Latinos in the United States (Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs  Committee on Teaching and Outreach

Children’s Africana Book Awards 

The best children’s books about Africa (Outreach Council of the African Studies Association)

Jane Addams Children’s Book Award 

For promotion of peace, social justice, world community, and/or equality of the sexes and all races (Jane Addams Peace  Association/Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom)

Mildred L. Batchelder Award  

For outstanding book originally published in another country in another language before being translated into English for  publication in the United States. (Association for Library Service to Children/American Library Association)

Middle East Outreach Council Book Awards 

“…quality books for children and young adults that contribute meaningfully to an understanding of the Middle East and its  component societies and cultures.” (Middle East Outreach Council)

South Asia Book Award 

Books that “accurately and skillfully” depict South Asia/South Asian experience, including the South Asian diaspora (South Asia  National Outreach Consortium)

Notable Books for a Global Society 

Annual list of “outstanding trade books for enhancing student understanding of people and cultures throughout the world.”  (International Reading Association)

Outstanding International Books 

Annual list of outstanding books originally published in countries other than the United States and published here in the U.S.  in the preceding year (United States Board on Books for Young People)

Africa Access Review 

Searchable database of critical reviews of titles about Africa.

Readers Inspired 

Blog devoted to children’s books about Africa and the African diaspora includes spotlights on creators, recommended books and more.

See What We See: Social Justice Books 

Books can be accessed by “theme,” including areas of the world. (Teaching for Change)

Worlds of Words 

Original articles about international, translated, and multicultural books and publishing, booklists and book reviews, a  searchable database and links to additional resources. (University f Arizona College of Education)

In choosing books for this presentation, we focused on titles from the most recent edition of  CCBC Choices, the CCBC’s annual best-of-the-year list, and new (c2021) books we’ve read and  appreciated.

For the purpose of our presentation, we are defining “global” as books set in other countries or about people from outside the United States migrating here.

As always when looking at children’s literature set in other countries, just as when evaluating books about any aspect of diversity, we are aware of that no single narrative can speak to an the complexities of identity and experience—no single book speaks for multitudes. Additionally, we know that when it comes to global stories, what gets published here in the United States is often (though not always) stories that focus on painful struggles and challenges. As important as such stories are, it’s just as important to remember that life in other places is far more than stories of struggle and hardship alone.

There are many more books with international settings recommended by the CCBC. See the Global Reading Resources list we developed for how to search the CCBC web site, as well as annual award-and-best-of-the-year lists from other organizations that relate to books set around the world.

Binford, Warren. Hear My Voice/Escucha mi voz: The Testimonies of Children Detained at the Southern  Border of the United States. Illustrated by 17 Mexican and Mexican American artists. Workman, 2021. 96 pages (9781523513482)

Blackburne, Livia. I Dream of Popo. Illustrated by Julia Kuo. Roaring Brook Press, 2021. 40 pages  (9781250249319)

Latham, Irene, and Karim Shamsi-Basha. The Cat Man of Aleppo. Illustrated by Yuko Shimizu. Putnam,  2020. 32 pages (9781984813787)

Quang, Phùng Nguyên and Hyunh Kim Liên. My First Day. Random House, 2021. 40 pages  (9780593306260)

Alkaf, Hanna. The Girl and the Ghost. Harper, 2020. 275 pages (9780062940957)

Dassu, A.M. Boy, Everywhere. Tu Books/Lee and Low, 2021. 400 pages (9781643791968) Fajardo, Anika. What if a Fish. Simon & Schuster, 2020. 231 pages (9781534449831)

Getten, Kereen. When Life Gives You Mangos. Delacorte, 2020. 193 pages (9780593173978)

Kuzki, Shaw. Soul Lanterns. Translated from the Japanese by Emily Balistrieri. Delacorte, 2021. 162 pages (9780593174340)

Okorafor, Nnedi. Ikenga. Viking, 2020. 240 pages (9780593113523)

Soontornvat, Christina. A Wish in the Dark. Candlewick, 2020. 375 pages (9781536204940)

Kunkel, Angela Burke. Digging for Words: José Alberto Gutiérrez and the Library He Built. Illustrated by  Paola Escobar. Schwartz & Wade, 2020. 32 pages (9781984892638)

Langeland, Deirdre. Meltdown: Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima. Roaring Brook Press, 2021. 208 pages (9781626727007)

Sabic-El-Rayess, Amra, with Laura L. Sullivan. The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and  Survival. Bloomsbury, 2020. 370 pages (9781547604531)

Soontornvat, Christina. All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team.  Candlewick, 2020. 280 pages (978-1-5362-0945-7)

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Native Nonfiction

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Social Justice Book List: American Indians / Indigenous Peoples / Native Nations

Revised and Withdrawn

Problematic Phrases

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The Sacred Little One’s Project is an ongoing project, which was originally developed and funded through the American Indian College Fund. The College of Menominee Nation’s Teacher Education program continues to build on our long-term partnerships and existing infrastructures with the Menominee Nations early childhood education institutions and elementary schools by offering them culturally responsive materials.

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