Region: Americas

Materials from the Americas

Chester

Chester is more than a picture book. It is a story told, and retold, by dueling author-illustrators. Melanie Watt starts out with the story of a mouse in a house. Then Melanie’s cat, Chester, sends the mouse packing and proceeds to cover the pages with rewrites from his red marker, and the gloves are off. [...]
Other Descriptors: Canada, Picture Book, Preschool, Primary (Gr. K-3) » Themes: , , , , » Leave a comment

American Born Chinese

A tour-de-force by rising indy comics star Gene Yang, American Born Chinese tells the story of three apparently unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family only to discover that he’s the only Chinese-American student at his new school; the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest and [...]
Other Descriptors: China, Graphic Novel, Taiwan, United States of America, Young Adult (Gr. 9-12) » Themes: , , » Leave a comment

Miss Lady Bird’s Wildflowers: How a First Lady Changed America

Bluebonnets and lady’s slippers, larkspurs and blazing stars, black-eyed Susans and Granny’s nightcaps. From a lonely childhood in the Piney Woods of East Texas to an exciting life in the White House, Lady Bird Johnson loved these wildflowers with all her heart. They were her companions in her youth, greeting her everywhere as she explored [...]
Other Descriptors: Nonfiction, Picture Book, Primary (Gr. K-3), United States of America » Themes: , , » Leave a comment

Proud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion

Much has been written about war and remembrance, but very little of it has been for young children. As questions come from a young grandchild, his grandpa talks about how, as a very young man, he was as proud as a peacock in uniform, busy as a beaver on his Atlantic crossing, and brave as [...]
Other Descriptors: Canada, Picture Book, Primary (Gr. K-3), Realistic Fiction » Themes: , , » 1 Comment

The Killer’s Tears

On the afternoon when Angel Allegria arrives at the Poloverdos’ farmhouse, he kills the farmer and his wife. But he spares their child, Paolo–a young boy who will claim this as the day on which he was born. Together the killer and the boy begin a new life on this remote and rugged stretch of [...]
Other Descriptors: Chile, Drama, Young Adult (Gr. 9-12) » Themes: , , , , » 2 Comments

Dragonwings

Moon shadow is eight years old when he sails from China to join his father, Windrider, in America. Windrider lives in San Francisco and makes his living doing laundry. Father and son have never met, but Moon Shadow grows to love and respect his father and to believe in his wonderful dream. And Windrider, with [...]
Other Descriptors: Fiction, Intermediate (Gr. 4-8), United States of America, Young Adult (Gr. 9-12) » Themes: , , , , , » Leave a comment

Zulema and the Witch Owl/Zulema y la Bruja Lechuza

When Grandma Sabina comes to live with the family, the first thing Zulema says to her is, ”You sure look old and ugly.” Grandma Sabina warns her granddaughter about the Witch Owl who prowls the night looking for mean children, but Zulema laughs defiantly at such a preposterous tale. In this story about the consequences [...]
Other Descriptors: Picture Book, Primary (Gr. K-3), United States of America » Themes: , , , » 2 Comments

Creepy Creatures and Other Cucuys

Creepy Creatures and Other Cucuys presents the author’s retellings of fifteen traditional tales heard during his childhood in southern Texas.
Other Descriptors: Folklore, Intermediate (Gr. 4-8), Short Stories, United States of America » Themes: , » 1 Comment

Juan y el Chupacabras/Juan and the Chupacabras

Young Juan and his cousin Luz savor Abuelo’s hair-raising stories. He tells the children of defeating terrifying fiends like the Chupacabras and La Llorona. The children cling to every word as he describes his brave stand-off with the Chupacabras, a terrifying beast with wings, claws and sharp fangs. But yet they wonder if there’s more [...]
Other Descriptors: Picture Book, Primary (Gr. K-3), United States of America » Themes: , , » 2 Comments

Lucha Libre: A Bilingual Cuento: the Man in the Silver Mask

Carlitos attends his first lucha libre match in Mexico City. At ringside, Carlitos sees the famous luchador — the Man in the Silver Mask, a man whose eyes look terribly familiar. He is mesmerized as the Man in the Silver Mask is pitted against the terrible forces of evil — los rudos, the bad guys [...]
Other Descriptors: Mexico, Picture Book, Primary (Gr. K-3) » Themes: , , » 4 Comments
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      Exploring a Sense of Belonging through Literature

      We are excited to announce a special children’s literature mini-conference on Thursday, March 11, 4:00-9:00 p.m. in the Kiva, College of Education, University of Arizona. The conference is free and open to the public and Professional Development Credit is available for teachers.

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