China's Bravest Girl: The Legened of Hua Mu Lan by Charlie Chin; Illustrated by Tomie Arai

Chin, C. (1993). China’s bravest girl:The legend of Hua Mu Lan (T. Arai, Illustrator, W. X. Chu, Trans.). San Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press.

Summary: This is the story of Hua Mu Lan, the warrior who pretended to be a man and was a hero in the war protecting China against her invaders. Here it is written in verse.

Review: Beautiful pictures and verse makes this story come alive.

Diversity: This is a Chinese folktale.

Suggestions for Teachers: This book could be a read aloud when discussing verse or heroes. It would do nicely to contrast with the princess phenomenon.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: Lexile 420-820L, ATOS Book Level 2.75-5.14, Flesh-Kincaid 1.98-5.34, 3.53-6.13RMM
2. Qualitative: This text is moderately complex. It is told chronologically. It is written in verse with an ABCB pattern that students will enjoy hearing. Many students will have background of this story from the Disney film version Mulan.  
3. Content Areas: English Language Arts, History

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.2
Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3
Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5
Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.6
Acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.9
Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by different authors or from different cultures.

Relevant Links: Interview with Charlie Chin

Subjects/Themes: women, China, legends

Awards: N/A

Series Information: N/A

Sky High: The True Story of Maggie Gee by Marissa Moss; Illustrated by Carl Angel

Moss, M. (2009). Sky high: The true story of Maggie Gee (C. Angel, Illustrator). Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press.

Summary: Maggie always dreamed of flying. Like her family, she wanted to create and experience her own life stories and adventures. She is given that opportunity during the outbreak of WWII when she joins the Women Airforce Service Pilots. She has adventures flying as a Chinese American pilot.

Review: This is a beautiful biography picture book of a strong, determined young woman of color.

Diversity: Maggie Gee is Chinese American; she is confused at one point as a Japanese during her time as a pilot.

Suggestions for Teachers: Use this book when you teach biography.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: Lexile 740-1010L, ATOS Book Level 4.97-7.03, Flesh-Kincaid 4.51-7.72, 5.42-7.92 RMM
2. Qualitative: This text is moderately complex. It is organized chronologically although there are some flashbacks. Most of the vocabulary is familiar. Students will be able to make meaning of Maggie's story; those who are familiar with a basic understanding of WWII will be able to access this book more easily. The illustrations are beautiful and help describe Maggie's experiences.

Content Areas: Language Arts, Social Studies

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.2
Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.6
Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided.

Relevant Links: Teaching Books

Subjects/Themes: biography, Chinese American, WWII

Awards: N/A

Series Information: N/A

Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates by Jonah Winter; Illusrated by Raúl Colón

Winter, J. (2005). Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates (R. Colón, Illustrator). New York, NY: Aladdin Paperbacks.

Summary: This book is a short picture biography of Roberto Clemente from him as a boy growing up without money in Puerto Rico to coming to the United States and making a name for himself in a racist society to his tragic death on an airplane to help earthquake victims.

Review: A beautiful story biography for all of our students who aspire to be baseball players.

Diversity: Clemente is a Black Puerto Rican who endured lots of racism.

Suggestions for Teachers: Use this book to teach biography.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: Lexile 800L, ATOS Book Level 2.75-5.14, Flesh-Kincaid 1.98-5.34, 3.53-6.13 RMM
2. Qualitative: This text is slightly complex. It is organized chronologically. Yet, the sentences are written like poetry in stanzas. Vocabulary is largely familiar and contemporary. The colorful illustrations give life to Clemente's story. Knowledge of baseball and Roberto Clemente will help students.

Content Areas: Language Arts

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.7
Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.8
Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.9
Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic.

Relevant Links: Teaching Books

Subjects/Themes: racism, identity, biography, perseverance, acceptance, family

Awards: N/A

Series Information: N/A

Lakas and the Makibaka Hotel by Anthony D. Robles, Illustrated by Carl Angel & Translated by Eloisa D. de Jesús

Robles, A. D. (2006). Lakas and the Makibaka Hotel (C. Angel, Illustrator, E. D. De Jesús, Trans.). San Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press.

Summary: Lakas finds out his friends at the Makibaka Hotel are being kicked out of their homes. He doesn't like this and so joins in the protest. This is based on a true San Francisco story.

Review: This is a great book to introduce injustice and activism.

Diversity: Lakas is a Filipino boy and the residents of the Makibaka Hotel are all people of color. Also, this book has the original Tagalog juxtaposed with the English translation.

Suggestions for Teachers: Use this to teach injustice and activism as a read-aloud book.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: Lexile 740-1010L, ATOS Book Level 4.97-7.03, Flesh-Kincaid 4.51-7.72, 5.42-7.92
2. Qualitative: This text is moderately complex. It is organized chronologically. Vocabulary is largely familiar with some Tagalog phrases. Some students might be confused by the Tagalog on each page. The beautiful colorful illustrations help students make meaning of the text. Knowledge of the Makibaka strike will be helpful but not necessary.

Content Areas: Language Arts

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3
Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).

Relevant links: Teaching Books

Subjects/Themes: peace, violence, identity, Filipino, protest, injustice

Awards: N/A

Series Information: N/A

Earthquake by Milly Lee; Pictures by Yangshook Choi

Lee, M. (2001). Earthquake (Y. Choi, Illustrator). New York, NY: Frances Foster Books.

Summary: The 1906 earthquake hits San Francisco. A Chinese American girl and her family have to pack up their essential belongings. They place them on a cart along with her mother and grandmother. The children and father push the cart over the SF hills to Golden Gate Park for safety as the city burns around them and aftershocks continue to shake the ground.

Review: This is a beautifully illustrated book that shows Chinese Americans during the earthquake. The author's after note will also bring up discussion about 1906 in the US and who counted as a person and who didn't.

Suggestions for Teachers: This text could be used when teaching about CA history and the 1906 earthquake. It also could be used on a more general unit on earthquakes or SF history.

Reading Level:

1. Quantitative: Lexile 880L, ATOS Book Level 5.9, Flesh-Kincaid 5.7, Readability Grade Level 6.5, RMM 5.4
2. Qualitative: Earthquake is slightly complex. It is organized chronologically and it is clear and easy to predict. The use of graphics adds lots of value to the text itself. Language is explicit and sentences are mostly simple in structure. There are some words like PoPo which are part of Chinese culture, but can be defined through context. There is one level of meaning which is literal. Students who have experienced an earthquake or have some background from other learning experiences will find this narrative helpful.

Content Areas: English, Social Studies, Science

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.6
Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.9
Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures.

Relevant links: CalAcademy, MacMillan, Teaching Books

Subjects/Themes: 1906 earthquake, natural disaster, social studies, CA history

Awards: N/A

Series Information: N/A