biracial

The Ghosts Of Rose Hill

Sent to stay with her aunt in Prague and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez, a biracial Jewish girl finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents’ desire for her to pursue a more stable career. When she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery behind her aunt’s cottage, she meets the ghost of a kindhearted boy named Benjamin, who died over a century ago. As Ilana restores Benjamin’s grave, he introduces her to the enchanted side of Prague, where ghosts walk the streets and their kisses have warmth. But Benjamin isn’t the only one interested in Ilana. Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, has become fascinated with her and the music she plays. He offers to share his magic, so Ilana can be with Benjamin and pursue her passion for violin. But after Ilana discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city, she resolves to save the boy she loves, even if it means losing him forever.

A love letter to Latin American and Jewish diasporas, based on the author’s experiences working to maintain Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe. The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a tender and empowering read that you will devour in one sitting. Steeped in history and the experiences of immigrant families, especially Jewish families, each carefully chosen word of this magical verse novel casts a spell.

Beautiful You, Beautiful Me

“A simple story exploring the feelings of a mixed heritage child who begins to notice the physical differences between her mother’s features and her own. One day, Izzy notices that her skin looks different from her mama’s. “Mama,” exclaims Izzy. “We don’t match! You’re sand, and I’m chocolate.” Then Izzy realizes that her hair has big swirls and curls that jump out from her braids, while her mama’s hair is smooth and straight with a braid that hangs right down the middle of her back. At first, Izzy is sad that she looks so different from her mama. She only sees the beauty in her mother’s features, and not in her own. But using a gentle refrain, her mama lovingly tells her You’re part of me, and I’m part of you. I’m beautiful like me, and you’re beautiful like you. And with time and encouragement, Izzy comes to realize that beauty and belonging come in all shapes and sizes”–

French Toast

Phoebe half Jamaican, half French-Canadian hates her school nickname of “French Toast.” So she is mortified when, out on a walk with her Jamaican grandmother, she hears a classmate shout it out at her. To make things worse, Nan-Ma, who is blind, wants an explanation of the name.

It’s Not All Black and White: Multiracial Youth Speak Out

Black, white, and everything in between . . . Through poems, interviews, and short essays, a group of young people describe being biracial, multiracial, or of mixed race. These poignant firsthand accounts reflect the unique and varied voices of the writers, whose backgrounds range from Caribbean, Vietnamese, and Latin American to Native American, Spanish, and Irish, among others. With devastating honesty, these youth tell what it’s been like to make their way in the world with their roots in many places and in many cultures. Themes include navigating mixed-race relationships, dealing with prejudice and the assumptions people make based on appearances, and working through identity confusion to arrive at a strong and positive sense of self. Includes a section with suggestions for parents and caregivers who are raising children of mixed race.

Less Than Half, More Than Whole

A child who is only part Native American is troubled by his mixed racial heritage.

Dogtag Summer

Twelve-year-old Tracy–or Tuyet–has always felt different. The villagers in Vietnam called her con-lai, or “half-breed,” because her father was an American GI. And she doesn’t fit in with her adoptive family in California, either. But when Tracy and a friend discover a soldier’s dogtag hidden among her father’s things, it sets her past and her present on a collision course. Where should her broken heart come to rest? In a time and place she remembers only in her dreams? Or among the people she now calls family?

Mexican Whiteboy

Sixteen-year-old Danny searches for his identity amidst the confusion of being half-Mexican and half-white while spending a summer with his cousin and new friends on the baseball fields and back alleys of San Diego County, California.

Cinnamon Baby

Miriam the baker is beloved in her village. Every day she bicycles to work and saves her favorite cinnamon bread for last, singing as she kneads spices into the dough. The scents and songs attract fellow bicyclist Sebastian, and he falls head over handlebars for Miriam. After marrying, their domestic bliss is disrupted when their beautiful new baby begins to cry continuously. What finally placates the fussy infant? The sounds and smells of Miriam making a batch of cinnamon bread. Many children will welcome the beside-the-point depiction of a multicultural family: Miriam is paper white, Sebastian is cocoa brown, and their cinnamon-colored child gives the title a sly double meaning. A charming offering infused with warmth, romantic whimsy, and love

Hooray For Anna Hibiscus!

Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa. Amazing Africa. She loves singing to her two baby brothers, Double and Trouble. But when she is chosen to sing for her school in front of the president, her throat runs dry and her bones turn to stone. Can Double and Trouble save her?

My Two Grannies

An appealing story about a mixed-race family learning to accept different traditions and customs. Alvina has two grannies: Grannie Vero from Trinidad and Grannie Rose from England. When Alvina’s parents go on vacation, both grannies arrive to look after Alvina. But the two grannies have two very different ideas about what to eat, what to play, even what stories to tell. The grannies get angrier and angrier with each other, but Alvina devises a plan so that each granny can have her own way — or so she hopes! This sweet, funny story about tolerance and understanding reminds children that no matter how great the differences may seem, there’s always room for common ground.