Leon the Chameleon by Mélanie Watt

32 p., Kids Can Press, 2001.

Leon is a young chameleon who, instead of turning the same color as his surroundings, turns the opposite color. He's embarrassed about this difference and feels left out. But his feelings change when he sneaks along with the other chameleons to go exploring. They get lost, and Leon's contrasting color helps their parents find them. After this, he feels special instead of self-conscious about his difference. An afterword introduces color theory. This story helps children see that there is more than one way to interpret what makes them "different," and that it's possible to value their differences.

Ages 3-6
Main character's cultural background: non-human
Cultural context: non-human

Come Along, Daisy! by Jane Simmons

32 p., Little, Brown, 1998.

Children need to find a balance between exploration and safety. In this story, Mama duck keeps telling Daisy to "come along," but the duckling doesn't listen; she is busy watching fish, chasing dragonflies, and playing with a frog. When she finds herself alone, she starts to see dangerous animals, and she needs her mother. Mama soon finds her, and she feels safe again. After that, Daisy finds a way to explore while staying close to her mother. Daisy's curiosity, fear, and relief are clearly illustrated in her facial expressions. This book will help children understand how to use their relationship with an adult to help them feel secure as they explore the world in a way that is both fun and developmentally necessary.

Ages 2-4
Main character's cultural background: non-human
Cultural context: non-human

Sometimes We Were Brave by Pat Brisson

Illustrated by France Brassard. 32 p., Boyds Mills, 2010.

When your mom's away, it's hard to be brave. Jerome's mom is a sailor, and she asks him to be brave when her ship goes out to sea. But when she leaves, he doesn't feel brave - he feels sad. Although he misses Mom, Dad takes good care of him and the family dog, Duffy. They maintain their normal routines, and have both happy and difficult times. Jerome looks at a picture of Mom, and makes a book for her, to cope with missing her. Dad helps him to remember that just as he's thinking about Mom, she's thinking about him. Jerome generally copes well, but his experience of stress comes out in occasional bedwetting and getting into trouble at school. When there's a pet show at school, Jerome brings Duffy, who is scared. But Duffy does what he's supposed to do. Jerome's teacher explains to him that because Duffy did what he was supposed to do, even though he was scared, he'd been brave. And Jerome realizes that he, too, has been brave in his mother's absence. Now he can anticipate a joyful reunion with her. Children will find empathy, acceptance, and encouragement in this sensitively-told story.

Ages 4-8
Main character's cultural background: European American
Cultural context: European American

Lights for Gita by Rachna Gilmore

Illus by Alice Priestley. 24 p., Tilbury House, 1994.

Sometimes it takes a great deal of creativity to see a new country as home. Gita has moved to North America from India because of her father's job. At first the move had seemed like an exciting adventure, but as Divali approaches, she misses India, her relatives, and the community celebration. When freezing rain threatens, it feels as if her new home can never really be home. Gita's mother helps her understand that Divali is a celebration of bringing light to darkness, and when the ice storm causes a power outage, the family's glowing diyas literally bring light to the neighborhood. Gita understands that she and her parents have, in fact, created light, and she's able to see the ice as a source of sparkling light too. Gita shows children the possibility of joy in integrating their experiences of their old home with those of their new home.

Ages 4-7
Main character's cultural background: Indian American
Cultural context: multicultural

Who Belongs Here? An American Story by Margy Burns Knight

Illus by Anne Sibley O'Brien. 40 p., Tilbury House, 1993.
Immigration can include both trauma in a child's country of birth and prejudice, as well as joy, in his or her new home. Nary, about 10 years old, is a refugee from Cambodia. His parents were killed and he lives with his grandmother and uncle in the United States. This story explains the war in Cambodia and describes Nary's immigration through a refugee camp in simple language. Nary is happy about much of his life in the U. S. and finds ways to own both Cambodian and U.S. cultures. However, his classmates sometimes call him names such as chink and tell him that he doesn't belong here. When he tells his teacher about this hurtful experience, she or he responds with a lesson on immigration in which students act out parts of the process. Additional text on most pages puts Nary's immigration story - including the prejudice he experiences in the U. S. - in the context of the immigration of millions from many countries, as well as including information about native people. It also describes the multicultural origins of many foods we eat and of some English words. Raising the question of who really is an American, given that most Americans are immigrants or descendants of immigrants, this story questions the assumptions that underlie prejudice. Simultaneously, it provides an empathic view of immigration. A teacher's guide is available.

Ages 8-11
Main character's cultural background: Asian American
Cultural context: multicultural