Notable Books for a Global Society Project

Emma Couch and Katy Larson

Teaching and Learning 307
Introduction- The concern of literature rests upon its will to teach small minds about big ideas.
People around the world can begin to understand each other’s cultural values, histories, and
fulfilling differences as human beings through literature. By reading multicultural literature, we
are able to recognize “a global outlook as well as an understanding that members of the human
family have more similarities than differences” (Tunnell and Jacobs, p. 201). Throughout history,
people often lose sight of the simple view of the similarities of the human family, but rather
focus on the differences between race, religion, and intellectual and physical abilities. The
Notable Books for a Global Society aims to attract authentic response through its retellings of
diversity in human life.
It is meaningful for students to read multicultural books with personal accounts, as
“empathy development within readers may help them cross the cultural gap to understand the
perspectives, actions, and attitudes of the characters they encounter in multicultural literature”
(Louie, p. 587). Also, students from the same culture that they are reading about in their
multicultural book may gain “self-esteem and pride in their heritage” (Tunnell and Jacobs, p.
202). All humans are diverse in different ways, and literature helps us understand these
differences.

Purpose- The purpose of the Notable Books for a Global Society Project is to learn about
Multicultural literature, the importance of having it in the classroom, and to get some exposure to
multicultural and global literature that we may have never been exposed to. As future teachers
there is a possibility, a very likely one, that we will have diversity in our classrooms. It is our
responsibility to create safe and welcoming classrooms for these students. By incorporating
literature into the classroom that focuses on different cultures, students of diversity will feel
represented in the classroom while other students can learn about their peer’s culture. By reading
multicultural literature as an educator, we can prepare ourselves to accommodate to students
from other cultures, while educating ourselves on their beliefs, practices, and behaviors.

Personal Definitions of Multicultural/Global Literature-

Katy’s personal definition of multicultural literature before beginning our readings was that
multicultural literature is non-fiction literature merely written about differing cultures, but must
be written by someone of that same culture. “Students, usually limited in their background
knowledge about the multicultural texts they read, tend to interpret these texts on the basis of
their self-centered worldviews and experiences” (Louie, p. 587). After reading multiple texts
about differing cultures we have gathered new insights into the meanings of multicultural and
global literature. Multicultural literature embodies cultures and different ways of life by
artistically emphasizing details of a culture, as well as retelling the personal events of the cultural
history. Multicultural literature promotes a basis of understanding between people of different
cultures, among other differences including religion, and physical differences. “Well-written
multicultural (diverse culture) children’s books may serve to help our new generations see
people living in far-flung parts of the globe or even in their own city as equal and valuable
citizens” (Tunnell and Jacobs, p. 201). Literature is the platform for learning and growing that
human beings need to use in order to learn about each other on a deeper level.
Emma’s personal definition of multicultural literature before exploring these types of texts was
pretty much nonexistent. I never really explored or even thought to read a book on another
culture because I was content and comfortable in my own romance novel bubble. I guess I just
thought of multicultural literature as factual and boring. I assumed that it would contain facts
about a culture and throw information at me like a textbook. After being exposed to multicultural
literature I look back and think boy was I ignorant! Reading multicultural literature allows the
reader to see through the eyes of someone who is different than them and develop empathy for
that person (Collier, p.13). Throughout this assignment alone I was able to see through the eyes
of a Jew, a Dutch young woman through WWII, an African American Slave, a Pakistani Muslim
immigrant, and an innovative musician thanks to multicultural literature. Now that I have been
exposed to this type of text I am excited to see what more I can learn about other cultures.

Multicultural Books Read-

 This Land Is Our Land: A History of American Immigration
 The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window
 Freedom in Congo Square
 A Long Pitch Home
 When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop
 Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story
 Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life
 Girl in the Blue Coat
Summaries/Critiques and Criteria Meeting Notable Books for a Global Society-

This Land Is Our Land: A History of American Immigration by Linda Barrett Osborne

Strength- This Land Is Our Land: A History of American Immigration is a very controversial
non-fiction book. It deals with the topic of immigration into the United States over a long period
of history, and how the United States history of immigration policies might affect stereotyping
and immigration policies today. When I picked up the book, I merely thought this book was
about the great America. However, after reading only a page into the book, I quickly discovered
that This Land Is Our Land discusses the very question of who is "our"? Who does the land
belong to? The book tells us the many immigration laws set forth throughout history, but also the
racial prejudices immigrants faced when arriving and starting out their lives in America. America
was viewed as a land of prosperity and economic opportunity. However, when immigrants
arrived, they found that due to nativists fear for their own opportunity, America was not all it
seemed to be. The book also includes a very detailed timeline of America’s history of
immigration.

Weakness- While reading this book, I found myself learning a great deal about American
history. I expected to be confused, as I usually am with American history books, but I was not. I
understood and enjoyed this book. However, the second half of the book was harder to make
sense of. I had trouble keeping track of the many laws set forth, and could not choose which law
was most important. I loved how many personal accounts this book had in it, and how many
people the author interviewed in order to write it, however, if the author used a different style
that did not jump around so much and stuck to a couple different personal accounts throughout
the book it might have made more sense to me and stuck with me.

Meeting Notable Books For A Global Society Criteria-

Part I- Include members of a “minority” group for a purpose other than filling a “quota.”.
 Multiple minority groups were portrayed in This Land Is Our Land: A History of
American Immigration. These minority groups included African Americans, Latin
Americans, Mexicans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, among many others. The minority
groups were immigrants who were treated extremely poorly once they reached America.
One Chinese person immigrating into the U.S. who was held on Angel Island left this
carving in the wall, “I used to admire the land of the Flowery Flag (the United States) as
a country of abundance. I immediately raised money and started my journey. For over a
month, I have experienced enough winds and waves…. I look up and see Oakland
(California) so close by…. Discontentment fills my belly and it is difficult for me to
sleep. I just write these few lines to express what is on my mind” (Osborne, pp. 699-700).
This authentic truth uncovered by a Chinese immigrant tells the reader the devastating
realizations of America that minority groups endured as they immigrated from their
native lands.

Part II- Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response.

  This Land Is Our Land: A History of American Immigration straightforwardly invites
readers to respond to its call to action as it aims to open discussion to the question of why
America has sometimes invited immigration and other times feared it. Furthermore, the
readers are able to reflect upon the level at which race has played a part in whether
America accepts new immigrants.

Demonstrate unique language or style.

 This history-packed chapter book demonstrates unique style, as it incorporates personal

accounts of immigrants who have successfully built lives in America. The language used
is factual, yet written in a way that strikes emotion in the heart of the reader. This results
in readers opening discussion and response to the controversial topic of immigration.

Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written.

 This book is quality literature for the genre of nonfiction as it portrays information that is
factual and accurate due to personal accounts. The author interviewed countless
immigrants and their families, and those personal stories are included throughout the
book. Pictures of immigrants are shown throughout the book as well, which shows
credibility and helps the reader understand truly what the minority groups endured in this
time. Also, there is an in-depth timeline in the back of the book that places the many laws
set forth and immigration policies over history that can be referenced to throughout the
book.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.

 This Land Is Our Land: A History of American Immigration possesses an appealing

format, as the chapters are logical in where the immigrants arrive to America from. The
first chapter includes immigrants from Germany, Ireland, and the opposing view, which
are the Nativists. The second chapter includes immigrants from Europe, the third chapter
includes immigrants from Asia, the fourth are immigrants from Latin America, the fifth
was about refugees, and the final chapter discussed whose land America truly was. The
structure and quality of this book was captivating and intentional as it reflected the
history of America itself.
The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window by Jeff Gottesfeld

Strength- A Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window is a well-written
children's book that eloquently ties together the details in Anne Frank's life in the annex. I
enjoyed reading this book, as it left me with mixed emotions of sadness and ah-ha moments. Jeff
Gottesfeld carefully wrote the picture book from the perspective of the chestnut tree, and tied in
quotes from Anne Frank herself. Also, seeds from the tree were dispersed throughout the world
in remarkable places, which leaves me with a smile and warm feeling. The death of the tree,
years after the death of Anne Frank speaks volumes in the picture book. The line, "The tree
recalled how few had tried to save the girl" when so many people were trying to save the tree,
was my favorite line in the book. I believe it is a good way to teach younger children about the
Holocaust, as it is from the perspective of a tree, and as a teacher you can give that more or less
meaning as you see fit.

Weakness- The tree seems to be confused throughout the book. There are many things the tree
does not understand, even when Anne is still alive and living in the annex. If the tree’s character
understood or could see more into her life, the book could give the reader more information or
context about the war or what Anne lived through. If the tree was less confused or wiser, the
book would be more informational instead of symbolic.

Meeting Notable Books For A Global Society Criteria-

Part I- Include members of a “minority” group for a purpose other than filling a “quota.”.

 The minority group included the Jewish people living in Germany. In the case of A Tree
in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window, the specific minority group
was Anne Frank and her family who lived in the annex. They were being oppressed by
Nazi Germany and stayed in hiding due to this.

Part II- Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response.

 A Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window invites readers to
reflect upon its metaphoric language as it symbolically creates a relationship between the
tree and Anne Frank. Readers are able to respond in emotional ways to the events
following the tree’s death alike Anne Frank’s.

Demonstrate unique language or style.

 The unique language used in this picture book takes on a tone of loneliness and sorrow.
The language is in past-tense, as if the tree is telling a story from a long time ago. The
tree is devastated and forever confused as to why nobody saved the girl, but everyone had
tried to save the tree. The style of this book is clever, as the book begins with a quote
from Anne Frank herself, as she speaks of the chestnut tree that she had watched and how
it entranced them that they couldn’t speak. The middle of the story mentions Anne and a
boy looking at the tree, and how it entranced them that they couldn’t speak and finally,
the end of the story talks about children who come to view the seedlings and how they
 are entranced that they cannot speak. This creative and unique style drives honest
emotion through the reader while reading this picture book.

Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written.

 This picture book meets the criteria for a quality nonfiction picture book as it employs
creative writing style, as well as captures accurate information of what families such as
Anne Frank’s endured during this time.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.

 A Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window employs an appealing
format as the illustrations give the reader insight into bits and pieces of how little
outsiders could view into the simplistic life of Anne Frank. The quality of this picture
book shines through the illustrations of the large chestnut tree that billows over the
courtyard and fills up the pages.
Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford

Strength- Freedom in Congo Square is well written. It is from the slave's perspective, as they
are awaiting their holy day, which is Sunday. On Sunday's they are allowed half the day to gather
in Congo Square down in New Orleans where they are free to be together with the other slaves
and dance, eat, sing, talk, and perform as they wish. They are able to be who they are, and
express their personal culture in Congo Square. It is Freedom in Congo Square. They live for
Sunday's, and the book shows the slaves working on the plantation and how they get through
their work by thinking about what joys Congo Square will bring. The illustrations are bright on
the pages where they are celebrating in Congo Square. The illustrations are also all shape-like
figures, rather than humanistic illustrations of the slaves. There are many patterns formed. This
picture book gives the reader a sense of the happiness the slaves felt when they celebrated
together in Congo Square, even though the reader has never lived the life they lived.

Weakness- While this book gives the reader insight into the slave’s excitement and purest
feelings towards Congo Square, the picture book lacked providing background into slavery and
why Congo Square was truly such a pivotal place in history. In order for readers to understand
the meaning of Congo Square, they would need to research slavery prior to reading this book to
gain context and find meaning.

Meeting Notable Books For A Global Society Criteria-

Part I- Be rich in cultural details.

 Freedom in Congo Square is rich in cultural details as it emphasizes African culture

through the slave’s ancestral roots as well as instruments, language, tribes, clothing and
music. The slaves were only able to enrich themselves in their own cultural lives at
Congo Square, otherwise they were striped of their cultural identities.

Part II- Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response.

 This creatively illustrated picture book invites readers to reflect and analyze its depiction
of slavery and the joys of the freedom allowed in Congo Square. This picture book shows
sides to slavery that are not discussed in most nonfiction books about slavery, so readers
are able to react in differing ways to the positive light shed on slavery.

Demonstrate unique language or style.

 Freedom in Congo Square demonstrates unique language, as each word used in the
picture book was extremely purposeful and intentional in its place. The word “freedom”
was used quite frequently throughout the book, as the concept of freedom was the blurry
line that was drawn between Congo Square and being a slave. “half day; half free in
Congo Square” (Weatherford, p. 18). The language and style in this book took on the
notion that the slaves pretended as if they were free in Congo Square, but in reality they
were enslaved.
Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written.
 Freedom in Congo Square is a picture book, as well as nonfiction. This book upholds the
criteria for a quality picture book as the illustrations are of great quality. The illustrations
show extreme movement, many shapes, colors, cultural details and patterns. This book is
nonfiction and proves its accuracy through the illustrations that further tell the story of
what the slaves did on the plantation on a daily basis, as well as at Congo Square.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.

 The appealing format in this book comes in the form of simplistic, yet captivating
sentences about the days leading up to Congo Square. The majority of each page’s layout
is the extremely entertaining illustration. The illustrations radiate emotion, whether that
be melancholy or joy depending on what the slaves are doing, the quality of Freedom in
Congo Square is pleasing.
A Long Pitch Home by Natalie Dias Lorenzi

Strength: A Long Pitch Home does a great job of opening up the life of immigrant Muslims and
showing that they are just are just like any other person. It introduces the reader to Pakistani
culture through the eyes of a child, which is very unique. This book also provides a viewpoint on
what it is like to be an ELL student. Reading a book from this point of view could be an asset for
teachers and students to get an understanding of what it can be like to move to a new country and
have a language barrier.

Weakness: Even though I really enjoyed reading this book, there is one aspect of the Muslim
life that I think should have been incorporated into A Long Pitch Home. I wish that
discrimination would have come into play at some point in the book because this is a real issue
that is going on in today's society. Muslim immigrants are sometimes treated or called terrorists
and while this is not acceptable behavior, it happens. I think seeing this in the book could help
provide the reader with empathy toward a mostly peaceful culture. Also, the resolution in
conflict between the male teammates and Jordan was solved when they found out her father was
deployed. The issue of Jordan being a girl on a baseball team goes way deeper than this. They
boys may have felt sorry for Jordan she is missing and worried for her father, but unfortunately I
am not sold that they would accept here into their circle because of this one fact.

Meeting Notable Books For A Global Society Criteria-

Part I- Honor and celebrate diversity as well as common bonds in humanity;

 A Long Pitch Home does an amazing job at celebrating diversity. Jordan and Bilal are both the
outsiders in the beginning. Jordan works through being the only girl on a baseball team. However,
she challenges herself and becomes a strong role model to girls by out performing all the boys on
her team and becoming the MVP. Bilal came into baseball camp with absolutely no baseball
experience.
 Exploring common bond in humanity also. For example, Bilal, a Pakistani Muslim boy, and
Jordan, a Caucasian girl, are brought together because of their longing to see their fathers.
Because Jordan’s father is in the military, the reader may not be surprised to see strife between
Jordan and Bilal, or their families, for political reasons. However, a simple bond of feelings and
baseball bring them together.

Part II- Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response;

 With immigration laws and different refugee policies being a major topic in politics and the
media, this would be a great book to allow children to create their own reflections and responses.
Students can reflect on what they have heard about Muslim culture and compare it to a life they
are reading about. The reader can critically analyze how they think future immigration policies
could affect people like Bilal and his family. Then the reader could respond by changing the way
they treat their peers from different cultures and help them form their political stance.

Demonstrate unique language or style;

 A Long Pitch Home demonstrates unique language by incorporating Urdu words into the text
making it very authentic. Some of the words are defined by Bilal and others are not. By not
defining all of the words, the reader can get a sense of what Bilal feels like when he is reading or
involved in conversations where there are words that are unknown to him.
Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written; and
 A great quality of A Long Pitch Home is that the book doesn’t focus on giving too many facts or
information. For example, holidays are introduced and explored as they occur and the separation
of Pakistan from India is acknowledged when speaking of cultural songs in music class. A great
piece of information is given during the end of the season pizza party. Bilal explains to his friends
what halal is when he can’t eat the pizza that contains meat. All of this information gives the
reader and understanding of Bilal’s culture subtly without shoving too much information at once.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.

 The format of A Long Pitch Home is pretty standard to most chapter books. The cover of the book
has rich purple colors in the sky making the book look dramatic and intriguing. The text is fairly
big and easy to read and follow along making it a great book for elementary school readers.
When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Hill Laban Carrick

Strength: When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop encourages the
reader to go after their dreams and work hard to achieve their goals. Clive lived in a project
where he used his problem solving skills and persistence to do what he loves and create music.
He started from nothing and built himself from the ground up by doing the dirty work and never
giving up. Because of his dedication to his dreams, Clive is a great representation of a role model
who happens to be African American.

Weakness: While the success of DJ Kool Herc is a very interesting story, he had to have had
some setbacks, trials, and tribulations while trying to make his dream come true. It would be
valuable for the reader to get this information as well because then the reader will be able to
connect and celebrate DJ Kool Herc’s success in a deeper way. If the lows of his life were
explored the highs would seem much higher and it could add the element of overcoming
obstacles into the story.

Meeting Notable Books For A Global Society Criteria-

Part I- Be rich in cultural details

 While it is pretty commonly known that hip hop and rap music came from African
Americans, the origin of the inspiration of this music is not always advertised. In this
case, DJ Kool Herc was inspired Jamaican DJs that would chant and toast over the music
when the beat bumped but the lyrics were faded.

Honor and celebrate diversity as well as common bonds in humanity

 In the case of this book, the diversity is between subgroups in the African American
population in New York. Through the common bond of music, gangs were able to put
aside their differences and come together to listen to DJ Kool Herc’s music. They would
spend the night dancing rather than fighting. Music has the power to influence peace and
When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop represents this idea
very well.

Part II- Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response

 Reading this story allows the reader to reflect on his or her own dreams and passions.
They can see the good that DJ Kool Herc’s music was doing in his community and think
of ways to pursue their own passions to create a positive surrounding community. The
reader can also look back at the starting place that Clive began his journey and compare
that to where he ended up. By looking at how far Clive came to become DJ Kool Herc
they reader can imagine how far they can take their dreams with the dedication that Clive
showed.

Demonstrate unique language or style

 The language in When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop
made the book very unique. The descriptions of different musics made you also most
hear them in your head. For example when talking about jazz, “wah wah scat of a jiving
 trumpet” is used (Hill, p. 4). If you have ever listened to jazz you can basically hear the
trumpet in your head from this description.

Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written
 This book provides accurate information in a way that focuses on telling the story of DJ
Kool Herc’s life and letting the facts and information fit and flow throughout the story.
 The illustrations accurately portray the African American music culture. The illustrations
and words work together to tell the whole story. The text at times becomes apart of the
illustration showing the movement and bump of the beat.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.

 The format of When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop is
very visually pleasing. The words are fit around a full page of illustration. This layout
makes the words flow through the book like lyrics on a page. The format is very fitting
for a book about music.
 Award Winner
Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story - Written by Caren Stelson
Stelson, C. (2016). Sachiko: a Nagasaki bomb survivor’s story. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda
Books.

The incredible and inspiring story of Sachiko, the Nagasaki Bomb Survivor from World
War II, stood out to me as one of my favorite non-fiction books I have ever read. This book left
me jaw-dropped; in it's simplistic statements of the actual happenings of WWII, and what
America did to Japan. The personal story of Sachiko made me want to hold onto the book, as her
life spoke for the millions affected. Sachiko's life grew more and more devastating throughout
the book, and one would not believe that a person could recover from a life such as hers.
However, she found strength through the teachings of Ghandi, Hellen Keller, and Martin Luther
King Jr. Only then did she find the will to go on and tell her story to the world, finally at age 56.
She spoke confidently, and these words brought tears to my eyes due to everything that she went
through throughout her life, leading up to this moment.

Meeting Notable Books For A Global Society Criteria-

Part I- Include characters within a cultural group or between two or more cultural groups who
interact substantively and authentically.

 The basis of the book is WWII, specifically Americans attacking and dropping bombs on
Japanese cities. This stands out as two cultural groups interacting in the most blatant and
violent way. The progression of the interaction between America and Japan throughout
the book is that further in the story, American troops and people like Helen Keller come
to Japan after everything they had put them through, but there is a still a cultural fear and
barrier.

Provide in-depth treatment of cultural issues.

 The survivors of the Nagasaki bombing crowd around the hypocenter every year in
silence in order to commemorate the atomic bombing. They do this to forgive. However,
they do not know who they are forgiving. They do not know if they are forgiving the
Americans, themselves for surviving, or the ones who perished. They live with this issue
for the rest of their lives.
 The survivors of the Nagasaki bombing are looked down upon in their own culture
following the bombing for years after due to the effects that the bombing had physically
and psychologically. Some people suffered radiation sickness, had severe burns, or
wounds from flying objects. The news and schools censored information about the
bombing, so that everything was forgotten unless you had lived through it. Survivors
were neglected and made fun of, but Sachiko overcame this.

Be rich in cultural details

 Sachiko’s family lost everything in the bombing, including her littlest brother, Toshi.
However, one cultural detail that remains throughout the book is their grandmother’s
 bowl. The bowl symbolizes how they survived the bombing. Instead of gathering at the
hypocenter to commemorate the bombing, Sachiko’s family places ice chips in the bowl
to remember the terrible bombing.
 The camphor tree that Sachiko constantly mentions throughout the book is something that
is a strong part of her life. This is a cultural detail, as Sachiko compares her father and
mother to the camphor trees throughout the book and asks herself if she can be as strong
as the camphors.

Part II- Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response.

 The story of Sachiko’s life invites reflection because as readers we are able to respond to
the Japanese side of the war that is not voiced as loudly in generic class discussions.
Literature such as this book should be more frequently discussed in classrooms in order
to provide a voice for the Nagasaki bombing survivors. This book invites readers to
critically analyze Sachiko’s words, as she speaks out today with insight and depth of
knowledge about her past that makes readers think about how “every word is precious”
(Sachiko Yasui, p. 112).

Demonstrate unique language or style.

 This unique non-fiction chapter book demonstrates a great technique of style. The style of
this book is in the form of a personal story of Sachiko that persuades the reader to never
want to set the book down. However, between each chapter of Sachiko’s compelling
story, factual events fill the pages with American stories, as well as Japanese stories, and
facts about different illnesses that were caused after the bombings. The pilots of the
planes that dropped the bombs are shown in these pages, as well as background
information about the war and racism that prompted it. The style of Sachiko: A Nagasaki
Bomb Survivor's Story truly drew me in.

Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written.

 The genre of this chapter book is nonfiction, and it surely upholds the criteria. The book
has a informative layout, with pictures that tell accurate information about WWII and
Sachiko’s family over the years as well. In the back of the book, there is a glossary of
Japanese words and a bibliography in order to tell the reader more about the information
presented. The writing style and tone is informative, yet emotional.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.

 The format of this book is appealing in that information is always given to you when you
are needing to find it. There is not too little nor too much information on each page, and
the pictures of personal accounts help to tell the story. The quality of the writing is
impeccable, as it will bring the reader to tears in it’s simplistic, heartbreaking tone.

We chose Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor’s Story as the Multicultural Literature

Award Winner as it told a captivating yet heartbreaking part of Japanese and American history.
This notable book surpassed the criteria required for notable books for a global society in all
aspects, as it included multiple cultures interacting in the most primal of ways. Also, cultural
issues were discussed throughout this book, as these internal issues consisted in Japan after the
Nagasaki bombing. The cultural details remained constant throughout the book, and throughout
Sachiko’s life as they symbolized her strength. This book is heartbreaking in that it tells the story
of America’s destruction of Japan and Nagasaki in particular. Sachiko lives a life that tempts her
to the darkness, but finds the will of strength through strong people who lived before her.
Through her strength and her words, readers are able to be inspired as well. For these reasons,
this book is the Multicultural Literature Award Winner, and well deserving of that title.

This book is applicable to students as it contains various information in the format of

pictures that tell real life events. Students in older grades, such as high school, will be able to
resonate with this book by reading the traumatic experiences of Sachiko’s life and understanding
what she suffered through by seeing the accounts of pictures and reading actual stories. Sachiko
finally spoke out about her experiences when she was 56 years old, and the moving speech she
gave in this time of her life spoke for the millions of people who endured the Nagasaki Bombing.
The simplistic, yet devastatingly honest words that come from Sachiko’s heart in this book can
teach students meaningful information about global history.

It is extremely difficult it locate a weakness or critique of this wonderfully depicted book

of Sachiko’s life, however I would critique this chapter book in the fact that it is extremely
somber, and the audience it serves for children is limited due to the mournful events of Sachiko’s
life that are vividly described in the book. I ate the events up, myself, however, as a K-8th grade
teacher, I would not read this book to my students as children of this age are not prepared to
understand such pure devastation that Sachiko endures.

Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor’s Story accurately exceeds all criteria of

Multicultural Literature, as well as embodies excellent literary elements that satisfy the demands
of a good nonfiction book. For example, the book includes effective, emotional writing style,
tone, theme, and mood. As well as an informative layout that includes a glossary of Japanese
words and alternating perspectives of WWII. The literary elements combined to create a work of
art that exceeded all expectations when we first had picked up the book. Sachiko: A Nagasaki
Bomb Survivor’s Story tells a culturally detailed, and inspiring story that needs to be read
globally.
 Honor Award Nominee
Girl in the Blue Coat: Written by Monica Hesse
Hesse, Monica. Girl in the Blue Coat. Little, Brown and Company, 2016.

An inspiring story of a girl and her friends making a small but honorable contribution of
the Nazi resistance. Henneke starts out by helping the Dutch people find food, clothing, and
other supplies that are hard to come by since the beginning of the war. She finds food for those
whos rations would leave them starving for a cost that she uses to support her own family.
Henneke is recruited to find a missing Jewish girl who has run away from her hiding spot.
During her search Henneke becomes involved with an old friend's resistance group where she
begins to see the harsh reality of a life of a Jewish person.

Strength: Girl in the Blue Coat is a great educational read that any tween and teenage girl could
relate to. Young love is an occurrence throughout the book. Henneke and Bas portray a great
example of first and young love that most girls can relate to in some way or form. Because of
this connection, young girls may be sucked into a story with a powerful viewpoint during the
time of World War II and obtain an example of what life was life for some people during this
time. Jealousy is another aspect of the book that may speak to the reader. Everyone has wanted
something they don’t have and may have done something in the heat of their envy that they
instantly regret. Jealously sneaks up on Amalia as she resents the attention that Christoffel
Mirijam. Green with envy, Amalia tells the secret of where Mirijam and her family are hiding
from the Nazis. Even if the jealousy that someone has not experienced was over love, everyone
has experienced jealousy in some form.

Weakness: One weakness of Girl in the Blue Coat is the underdevelopment of the Jewish
population point of view. Reading this book alone wouldn’t tell the whole story of what was
going on in Amsterdam during this time. Perhaps this book would serve best as a supplement to
another read focusing on a Jewish point of view. The logistics of the resistance that Ollie.
Willem, Judith, and Mina are participating is also lacks in details. For example, Mina and Judith
work together to place Jewish babies into non-jewish families to protect them for the Nazis,
however there is never an explanation of where the Nazis think the babies go. The Nazis were
very organized and documented everything and the book even states this. I can’t imagine missing
babies going unnoticed without some kind of cover story.

Meeting Notable Books For A Global Society Criteria-

Part I- Include characters within a cultural group or between two or more cultural groups who
interact substantively and authentically;
 The cultural groups portrayed in this book consist of the Dutch, German, and Jewish. One
interaction that is strong is between Dutch boys, Ollie and Willem, with Jewish women of
similar ages, Mina and Judith. Together the four of them work together to undermine the
Germans and fake documents to provide Jewish families with the resources they need to
survive. They also work to save babies from the Nazi by relocating them with Aryan
families.
  Unlike other books on this topic, Girl in the Blue Coat acknowledges the threat the Nazis
pose to other sub groups. This book quickly touches on the gay population and the danger
that revealing this side of yourself contains if found by the Nazis.

Part II- Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response;

 Reflection is called for while watching how characters in the book respond to the German
invasion into the Netherlands. Some joined the Nazi regime, some joined the resistance,
some did nothing and turned their heads to the violence, and others ran and hid in fear.
By seeing the reactions of all the characters, the reader is actively reflecting on how they
would respond to the circumstances that the characters are going through and if they
would really be able to respond in an honorable way.
 Critical analysis is prompted with the deep story that allows the reader to identify the
purpose of the writing. In this the text could have been written to inform the reader of the
horrific way that the Jewish people were being treated and how the Dutch cultural group
responded. It could also be a cautionary tail of what can happen when a cultural group
allows a evil and powerful leadership to take place.
 Response by the reader is invited once they have finished the book. The reader may be
more interested in the topic and encouraged to read and educate himself or herself more
on World War II. They may also be inspired to keep a closer eye on their own
government, or even stand up and make an impact on prejudices in their own community.

Demonstrate unique language or style;

 Particular language and code words in this book are very interesting. Because the
resistance had to be very careful when talking about the actions they were taking against
the Nazis, they developed a way of talking on the phone in a way that didn't seem
suspicious. For example, babies with lighter features were referred to as tea and babies
with darker features were referred to as coffee. While on the phone Judith expressed that
Tea was much preferred over coffee because those babies resembled their new families
more than the darker babies.

Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written;
 One quality that Girl in the Blue Coat successfully demonstrates is not sugar coating the
harsh realities of what was really happening to Jewish people during this time frame. The
reality of the Schouwburg is a perfect example. Henneke is mauled by people who are
desperate for salvation, contact with their family, and any kind of answer on what their
future holds. She describes the smell as one mixed of excrement, fear, and death. The
desperation and living conditions that these people are experiencing is described in such a
way that just as frightening to the reader as it is to Henneke in the moment.
 Another great quality of Girl in the Blue Coat is there isn’t too much of an emphasis on
historical details. The details are woven into the story in a way that reader doesn’t even
realize that they are educating themselves on the topic at hand.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.

 The format of Girl in the Blue Coat is very pleasing. The organization is clear and the
flashbacks that Henneke has of Bas always relate to something that is going on in real
time of the book. The cover of the book is striking. In a time where everything is
 documented in black and white the bright blue title makes the book stand out and
attractive to the potential reader.

This book was chosen be one of our honor books because it went above reaching the
Notable Books for a Global Society Criteria. This book truly went above the criteria by giving a
unique point of view of a Dutch young adult and the honest and authentic account it provides the
reader with the reality of World War II. The decision to join the resistance was a decision that
was not made lightly considering that it put an individual's life on the line. The story of Henneke
portrays a girl going through this tough decision. The fear of putting your own life and your
family’s life in jeopordy isn’t something that anyone would take lightly. The inner battle that
Henneke has with herself is an authentic battle that any person would face while making such a
hard decision. The risk that she makes just makes the success that much sweeter, although not
everything works out in the most ideal way.

This book is applicable to students because it will inspire them to stand up and fight for
what is right, even if that decision is at a smaller scale. Strife between people at large and small
scales will always be present. The exclusion of a person or bullying in the classroom may be an
issue that students are struggling with. This story of a girl who is risking her life for a cultural
group may inspire a reader to risk their social standing for the greater good.

Because I found this book so full of worth and quality, it was difficult for me to find a
critique. However, one aspect that would have been beneficial to the story would be to provide
another perspective. Seeing a Dutch perspective of working in the resistance was interesting, but
Mina and Judith were both Jewish working with the resistance. Their point of view could have
developed the story much farther and given the reader more information on the Jewish side. This
way a reader could get more of the big picture from one book rather and having to supplement it.

The literary elements of provide a great reading experience for the reader. The authentic
and honest accounts of brutality that were demonstrated in the book fulfill the element of validity
that hold the integrity of a historical fiction text.
 Honor Award Nominee
Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life: Written by
Ashley Bryan
Bryan, A. (2017). Freedom over me: eleven slaves, their lives and dreams brought to life by
Ashley Bryan. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life is about the
Fairchild’s estate that is up for sale after Mr. Fairchild dies. Each of the 11 slaves work together
on the Fairchild’s Estate and have created their own families with one another. They are all
marked with a price followed explain their skills and responsibilities on the istate. The
interesting part of this read is inner relationships that are described, as well as their hopes and
dreams for freedom in the future.

Strength: Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life was an
authentic read that gave insight and honesty to a slave’s life. The pairing of a slave’s reality with
the hope and dream of what their life would pan out to be really brings the reality of captivation
to life for the reader. I loved the incorporation of the cultural artwork that was used throughout
the book as well it kept the integrity of the book strong. While reading the book I felt a sense of
sadness. It was amazing to see each of the eleven slaves have such a great potential for a great
and successful life just ripped away by another human being.

Weakness: One aspect of the book that I found hard to follow were the relationships. Because
there are so many different but equally important characters in the book, it was sometimes
confusing to differentiate them. I think it would have been helpful for the illustrations to
somehow show the relationship between each of the different characters. However, making a
chart of each slave’s relationship into some sort of family tree may be a creative way for
someone to further their understanding of the book on their own.

Meeting Notable Books For A Global Society Criteria-

Part I-Portray cultural accuracy and authenticity of characters in terms of (a) physical characteristics,
(b) intellectual abilities and problem solving capabilities, (c) leadership and cooperative dimensions, and
(d) social and economic status;
 Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life displayed the
relationship between slave and master very accurately. The illustrations portrayed
African American men and women with physical features accurate to the people. For
example, the hair styles stay true to their culture throughout the book. Dreadlocks, roots,
twists, and braids are all featured in the book and all date back to the origins of African
culture. Intellectual abilities are shown through the different slaves lives. For example,
Stephen has the ability to design and build complex structures. White people portrayed
African Americans as dumb property. However, the Fairchilds lent Stephen to friends
because of his sharp mind when it came to construction and carpentry. Leadership is
shown through many different characters. Peggy takes the role of a leader by tending to
the sick slaves. She heals their injuries and takes it upon herself to look after their big
 family. Finally, the social status is very well shown. Each slave is marked with a price
showing their worth in the mind of their master. The price tag shows how far below the
white man African American people were considered.

Part II- Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response.

 The reader is guided to think about the life that could have been without enslavement.
They are able to reflect on the damage slavery created for a specific ethnic group and
how that is still affecting lives today. This book is inspires the reader to face the horrors
of slavery then and face the horrors of racism and discrimination of today.

Demonstrate unique language or style.

 Freedom is used quite often throughout the book. The language building up to the word
freedom expresses the yearning that each slave has to live their own life very clearly.
Slave resistance is also mentioned throughout the book. The power and fear that the
mention of this topic is clear by the describing the action as whispers and loud music to
cover any sound of their discussions of running away.

Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written.
 This picture book would be considered historical poetry or historical fiction. While real
documents are used, the lives and details about each character were interpreted by Ashley
Bryan as he went through the creative process of writing and illustration the book. The
illustrations include many cultural details as well as vibrant colors. The lines on the faces
of each slave show their worn bodies from the labor intensive lives they live.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.

 The format and organization of this book is quite appealing to the reader. The reality
followed by the dream relays a powerful message about the monetary value given to a
slave based on physical characteristics and skills compared to the inside and the part of
them that can not be sold which is their dreams.

We chose Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life as a
honor book for the Notable Books of a Global Society because it gives the reader a unique
viewpoint of the lives that each of these human beings could have lead and the potential for
success that they possess that was unfortunately ripped away by another culture. The description
of each slave followed by their hopes and dreams on the next page expresses the reality of being
a slave in a way that the reader probably hasn’t been exposed to.

This book is applicable to students because it will show them the harsh reality of slavery.
Putting a price tag on a human seems horrific, but students will see the price that was given to a
person for the skills they possess. They will see the salve by the amount that a white woman
valued them as and then see then see them for who they really are, which is worth much more
than anyone could ever pay for another human being.

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life can amaze a
reader time and time again. However, one aspect of the book that may bring the reader difficulty
is the web of relationships. Keeping track of eleven people and who they parent and who they
love can be tricky even after multiple readers. For this reason, it would have been helpful for the
illustrations to show the relationships at some point throughout the book so the reader can keep
better track and have a better understanding of the slave relationships without flipping back and
forth through the book.

This book provides an authentic and honest reading experience for a reader. Children can
get an understanding of slavery while also being exposed to beautiful African American artwork.
Using this book in the classroom, or even just having it, will provide students with a valuable
exposure to slavery and a slave’s desire to be free.
Conclusion-
From this assignment we learned the importance of incorporating multicultural literature
in our classrooms, along with the importance of reading multicultural literature ourselves. By
participating in reading multicultural literature we, as educators, can be better equipped to
diverse students and their families. It is important for educators to anticipate misconceptions and
ways to welcome all students into the classroom so they can feel comfortable and successful.
Using multicultural texts can help these diverse students know that they are accepted and don’t
have to change who they are (Collier, p.13). By educating ourselves through multicultural
literature, we can start to achieve this goal.
As future educators, we still like to learn about how to access and advertise these books
to our students. Personally, we have never seen a multicultural section in bookstores or libraries,
so we would like to know some more resources on finding quality multicultural literature. We
would also like to learn about more cultures in general and how to incorporate each culture into
the classroom in specific and authentic ways.
If we were to do the assignment again we think it would be beneficial if we took more
time to find books on the same topic. This way we could really compare each book and their
literary elements. Having eight books on different topics made some of the comparisons difficult
because our taste drew us towards different books. With eight books all on the same topic our
decision making process could have been less bias.
This assignment ties into different courses and coursework quite nicely. We are working
on our ELL endorsements so multicultural literature will be very helpful for us in the future. In
our previous ELL classes we have learned the importance of incorporating different cultures into
our classrooms and literature is a great way to do this. In this course we have learned about
creating a balanced classroom library and without multicultural literature this would be
impossible to do. Also, we have learned about the benefits of alternatives to traditional book
reports to deepen the reading experience for students. Multicultural books paired with
alternatives to traditional book reports would provide readers with an even greater opportunity
for learning about different cultures.
Bibliography of Sources-

Bryan, A. (2017). Freedom over me: eleven slaves, their lives and dreams brought to life by

Ashley Bryan. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Collier, L. (2016). How diverse literature helps children find themselves in books, and why

it matters. No longer invisible, 13-17.

Dias, Lorenzi, N. (2016). A long pitch home. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

Gottesfeld, J. (2016). The tree in the courtyard: looking through Anne Frank's window. New

York, NY: Knopf Books For Young Readers.

Hesse, M. (2016). Girl in the blue coat. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.

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York, NY: Roaring Brook Press.

Louie, B. (2005). Development of empathetic responses with multicultural literature. Journal of

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Books.

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Weatherford, C. B. (2016). Freedom in Congo Square. New York, NY: Little Bee Books.