Book Finder

Be Water, My Friend

Ken Mochizuki

Illustrator:

Dom Lee

Age Level:

9-12

Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story

Paula Yoo

Illustrator:

Dom Lee

Age Level:

6-9

Genre:

Biography, Nonfiction

As a young boy, Hoi comes to America from China to help build the railroad. Only a skinny boy at first, his love for American pies quickly helps him gain in size and strength — and earns him the nickname of Pie-Biter. Pie-Biter eventually became a successful trader with the help of Spanish Louis, and while no one knows what happened to Pie-Biter when he returned to China, travelers from China often talk about the pie shops in their villages — serving Pie-Biter’s favorite flavors! Trilingual in English, Spanish, and Chinese.

Pie-Biter

Ruthanne Lum McCunn

Age Level:

6-9

Emi is filled with sadness as she prepares to leave her home for the internment camp where she and her fellow Japanese-Americans will be forced to live. Just before she leaves, her best friend Laurie brings her a special bracelet so that Emi will not forget her. When Emi loses the bracelet though in the crowds, she feels that has lost so much more and even more alone — until she realizes that maybe she doesn’t need the bracelet to remember Laurie after all.

The Bracelet

Yoshiko Uchida

Age Level:

9-12

As a young boy, Hiroki Sugihara lived in Lithuania, where his father was a diplomat. One morning, the family woke up to find a crowd of people outside of the house. They were Jews from Poland looking for visas and safe passage to Japan. Despite the danger that he and his family would be in, Hiroki’s father began writing visas for the refugees and continued for many days, saving thousands of lives — “Sugihara’s survivors.” This unforgettable story as remembered by Hiroki will resonate with readers for a long time to come.

Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story

Ken Mochizuki, Hiroki Sugihara

Age Level:

6-9

At home, Masako speaks Japanese and sips green tea with her parents. But at her friends’ houses near San Francisco, May speaks English and enjoys pancakes and tea with milk and sugar. When May’s parents decide to return to Japan, she feels lost. May finally begins to find her way in the big city of Osaka, where she makes a special friend who also speaks English — and drinks his tea with milk and sugar. Allen Say brings tenderness and humor to his mother’s unforgettable story in this beautiful tribute to his parents.

Tea with Milk

Allen Say

Age Level:

9-12

This is the story of two Mrs. Gibsons, a tall African American woman from Tennessee, and a petite Japanese woman from Gifu. While there were many differences in the way they dressed, cooked, and expressed their feelings, the two Mrs. Gibsons shared something much more important — they both loved young Toyomi and her father. Based on author Toyomi Igus’ childhood, this heartwarming story about her mother and grandmother is truly a multicultural celebration in the truest sense.

Two Mrs. Gibsons

Toyomi Igus

Illustrator:

Daryl Wells

Age Level:

6-9

Nanami is nervous about translating for her American grandmother, Gram, and her Japanese grandmother, Baachan — especially when the conversation takes a turn towards World War II. As they collect wakame seaweed together, though, she soon realizes that the two wise women have even more in common than she imagined. This lovely tribute celebrates bicultural and bilingual children and the promise of peace.

The Wakame Gatherers

Holly Thompson

Illustrator:

Kazumi Wilds

Age Level:

6-9

“My heart beats in two places.” So begins the tale of Jangmi, a young girl who is preparing to leave her home in Korea (382 Shin Dang Dong) for a new home in Massachusetts (112 Foster Terrace). Jangmi can’t bear the thought of leaving her house, her favorite willow trea, the monsoon rains, and most of all, her best friend Kisuni. Jangmi’s story and its hopeful conclusion will resonate with children who have left a beloved home or friend behind.

Good-Bye, 382 Shin Dang Dong

Frances Park

Illustrator:

Yangsook Choi

Age Level:

6-9

Genre:

Fiction

Wei can hardly believe his luck — he is about to become an American citizen and lose a tooth on the same day! What starts as double luck becomes double trouble, however, when he loses his tooth in front of the federal courthouse. Marion Hess Pomeranc presents a funny, heartwarming story about the blending of cultures and the excitement of becoming a new U.S. citizen.

The American Wei

Marion Hess Pomeranc

Illustrator:

DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan

Age Level:

6-9

Meet Hiromi, a young girl who wants to follow in her father’s footsteps as a sushi chef in New York City. Although Papa is reluctant to take Hiromi to the fish market at first, he soon realizes that she is truly interested in his craft, and he begins to train his daughter, who will eventually become one of the first female sushi chefs in New York. Based on a true story, this story offers a kid-friendly and fascinating look into the art of sushi, as well as the possibilities that America offers in bringing different cultures together.

Hiromi’s Hands

Lynn Barasch

Age Level:

6-9

Rabbit Ears Treasury of World Tales: Volume Two

Rabbit Ears

Age Level:

6-9

Genre:

Fiction, Fairytales, Folk Tales, and Tall Tales

Stink: Solar System Superhero

Megan McDonald

Age Level:

6-9

The Yellow House

Blake Morrison

Illustrator:

Helen Craig

Age Level:

6-9

Genre:

Fiction

Watch Me Grow! A Down-to-Earth Look at Growing Food in the City

Deborah Hodge

Age Level:

6-9

Genre:

Nonfiction

The Trouble with Chickens

Doreen Cronin

Age Level:

6-9

Genre:

Fiction, Mystery

Seabird in the Forest: The Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet

Joan Dunning

Age Level:

6-9

Genre:

Nonfiction

Polar Bears

Mark Newman

Age Level:

6-9

Genre:

Nonfiction

For a quick tour of Orlando and a glimpse at the state of Florida, a fast tour in photographs and information snippets may be just right. A brief overview of the high points of the city and state, some of its famous inhabitants, and more are provided. This is one of a series that may pique curiosity about states and some of their better-known cities.