How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz

32 p., Farrar Straus Giroux, 2008.

War may involve both emigration and deprivation, as it does in this story based on the author's childhood experiences during World War II. During wartime, a boy and his parents flee to a new, different country where they are chronically hungry. One day, instead of coming home from the bazaar with food, his father disappoints the boy and his mother by coming home with a map. But in spite of himself, the boy finds himself drawn in by the map, and before he knows it, he's imaginatively transported to fascinating faraway places, some of which offer him trees full of ripe fruit. This story celebrates the power of imagination to sustain us in times of devastation.

Ages: 5-8
Cultural Context: multicultural

I Love It When You Smile by Sam McBratney

Illustrated by Charles Fuge. 26 p., HarperCollins, 2006.

When you feel irritable, sometimes you can't force yourself to be happy - it has to happen by itself. Little Roo wakes up grumpy one morning, and his mother tries all kinds of things to get him to smile, but he just doesn't feel like smiling. So she suggests that they go look for something to eat. Roo isn't hungry, but he reluctantly gets into his mom's pouch, and off they go. Mom isn't paying good attention to where she's going, and falls into a big hole full of mud. When Roo sees his wet, muddy mother, he can't help smiling. Finally, his grumpy mood is broken. With Roo, children will feel validated in not responding when someone tries to force a change in their mood - and will see that grumpiness doesn't have to last forever.

Ages: 2-6
Cultural Context: non-human

Germs Are Not for Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick

Illustrated by Marieka Heinlen. 14 p., Free Spirit, 2006.

We teach children that it's important to share, but we don't want them to share germs. In simple, accessible language and pictures, this book tells kids how to avoid sharing germs by explaining what to do when they sneeze, cough, or drop food on the floor, and how and when to wash their hands. It also encourages children to blow kisses instead of giving them directly when they're sick. An afterword for parents and caregivers gives clear, practical suggestions for teaching toddlers how to avoid contagion. The only change I'd make would be to teach "Catch that cough/sneeze" instead of "Cover it up," because not only does it sound more fun, but also, "Cover it up" could potentially suggest shame. With this friendly, attractive board book, the youngest children will be empowered to help protect their health and the health of people around them.

Ages: 1-3
Cultural Context: multicultural

One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads by Johnny Valentine

Illustrated by Melody Sarecky. 32 p., Alyson, 1994.

Beginning with a take-off on Dr. Seuss's One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, this story introduces the possibility of blue dads. A little girl doubts this until she meets a boy named Lou who has two blue dads. Lou tells the girl that his dads do all sorts of ordinary things, asking, "Did you think that they simply would stop being dads, just because they are blue?" The girl asks how Lou's dads became blue - perhaps at some point they went through the laundry with a blue pen? Lou reacts as if the questions are strange - his dads have always been blue, "well - because they are blue." It's being blue that seems "different" in this story, not being gay. The message is clear that dads don't stop being dads because they're gay, any more than they would because they were blue. In a humorous, upbeat style, this story offers appreciation for diverse families' similarities.

Ages: 4-8
Cultural Context: multicultural