Staff Picks
CSMCL's Best Multicultural Children's Novels and Nonfiction of 2021
- Caitlin B.
- Tuesday, February 01, 2022
Collection
The following novels and nonfiction books were all named in the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature's Best Multicultural Children's Books of 2021. Want to learn more about diverse books? Check out this blog post.
Want more books? Ask your librarian for their recommendations or call the Children's Room at Richland Library Main (803.929.3434). We can send books to your closest Richland Library location!
Black Boy Joy
Published in 2021
A collection of stories, comics, and poems about the power of joy and the wonders of Black boyhood.
Recognize!
An Anthology Honoring and Amplifying Black Life
Published in 2021
"An anthology featuring over thirty Black authors and illustrators to honor Black life past, present, and future"-- Provided by publisher.
Child of the Flower-song People
Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua
Published in 2021
A fictionalized account of a Nahua woman who grew up in Mexico during the early 1900s, became a model for artists, worked with scholars to preserve Nahuatl language and stories, and was known as the "soul of Mexico." Includes author's note, timeline, and glossary.
Being Clem
Published in 2021
When nine-year-old Clem's father dies in the Port Chicago Disaster he is forced to navigate his family's losses and strunggles in 1940's Chicago.
King of Ragtime
The Story of Scott Joplin
Published in 2019
This toe-tapping picture book biography of African American composer Scott Joplin, whose ragtime music paved the way for jazz, is told through kaleidoscopic illustrations.
Sharice's Big Voice
A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman
Published in 2021
This inspiring picture book autobiography tells the remarkable story of Sharice Davids, one of the first Native American women elected to Congress and the first LGBTQ congressperson to represent Kansas.
Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna
Published in 2021
"Based on a true story, the tale of one girl's perilous journey to cross the U.S. border and lead her family to safety during the Mexican Revolution"-- Provided by publisher.
Shaped by Her Hands
Potter Maria Martinez
Published in 2021
"The most renowned Native American Indian potter of her time, Maria Poveka Martinez learned pottery as a child under the guiding hands of her Ko-ōo, her aunt. She grew up to discover a new firing technique that turned her pots black and shiny, and made them--and Maria--famous. This inspiring story of family and creativity illuminates how Maria's belief in sharing her love of clay brought success and joy from her New Mexico Pueblo to people all across the country"-- Provided by publisher.
We Can
Portraits of Power
Published in 2021
Presents a collection of original celebrity portraits from Tyler Gordon, now 15, a partially deaf painting prodigy whose work has been lauded by popular media and art critics alike.
Samira Surfs
Published in 2021
After months of rebuilding a new life in Bangladesh with her family, Samira decides to become a Bengali surfer girl of Cox's Bazar, in this novel in verse about a young Rohingya girl's journey from isolation and persecution to sisterhood, and from fear to power.
The 1619 Project
Born on the Water
Published in 2021
Stymied by her unfinished family tree assignment for school, a young girl seeks Grandma's counsel and learns about her ancestors, the consequences of slavery, and the history of Black resistance in the United States.
Playing the Cards You're Dealt
Published in 2021
"Ten-year-old Anthony Joplin has made it to double digits! Which means he's finally old enough to play in the spades tournament every Joplin Man before him seems to have won. So while Ant's friends are stressing about fifth grade homework and girls, Ant only has one thing on his mind: how he'll measure up to his father's expectations at the card table. Then Ant's best friend gets grounded, and he's forced to find another spades partner. And Shirley, the new girl in his class, isn't exactly who he has in mind. She talks a whole lot of trash- way more than his old partner. Plus, he's not sure that his father wants him playing with a girl. But she's smart and tough and pretty, and knows every card trick in the book. So Ant decides to join forces with Shirley--and keep his plans a secret. Only it turns out secrets are another Joplin Man tradition. And his father is hiding one so big it may tear their family apart... "--Dust jacket.
Soul Lanterns
Published in 2021
Twelve-year-old Nozomi's understanding of the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945 is transformed when she learns how those she knows and loves were affected by the event. Includes author's notes.
The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee
Published in 2021
Presents the life and career of Hazel Ying Lee, the first Chinese American woman to fly for the U.S. military.
The Highest Tribute
Thurgood Marshall's Life, Leadership, and Legacy
Published in 2021
Thurgood Marshall's determination to make all Americans equal under the law led him to the Supreme Court. But to get to the highest court in the land, Thurgood had to make space for himself every step of the way. Kekla Magoon and Laura Freeman tell the incredible story of the first Black Supreme Court justice.
A Plan for the People
Nelson Mandela's Hope for His Nation
Published in 2021
"This biography follows Nelson Mandela from his work with the African National Congress, to his imprisonment on Robben Island, to his extraordinary rise to the presidency"-- Provided by publisher.
The Water Lady
How Darlene Arviso Helps a Thirsty Navajo Nation
Published in 2021
Cody is worried when his family on a New Mexico Navajo reservation runs out of water, but Darlene Arviso, called "The Water Lady," is on the way with her tanker truck. Includes glossary of Navajo terms and notes about Arviso and life on a reservation.
Root Magic
Published in 2021
"It's 1963, and things are changing for Jezebel Turner. Her beloved grandmother has just passed away. The local police deputy won't stop harassing her family. With school integration arriving in South Carolina, Jez and her twin brother, Jay, are about to begin the school year with a bunch of new kids. But the biggest change comes when Jez and Jay turn eleven and their uncle, Doc, tells them he's going to train them in rootwork. Jez and Jay have always been fascinated by the African American folk magic that has been the legacy of their family for generations--especially the curious potions and powders Doc and Gran would make for the people on their island. But Jez soon finds out that her family's true power goes far beyond small charms and elixirs... and not a moment too soon"-- Provided by publisher.
In the Spirit of a Dream
13 Stories of American Immigrants of Color
Published in 2021
"In the spirit of a dream, many immigrants of color set out across continents, oceans, and borders, travelling to the United States in pursuit of opportunity. Celebratory, triumphant, and inspiring, In the Spirit of a Dream is a tribute to thirteen immigrant stories, from world-famous trailblazers to local heroes. You will read about astronaut Anousheh Ansari; Paralympic athlete Alejandro Albor; surgeon Ayub Khan Ommaya; jazz musician Candido Camero; dancer ConceicÌʹao Damasceno; businessman David Tran;basketball player Dikembe Mutombo; author Edwidge Danticat; politician Ilhan Omar; comic artist Jim Lee; environmental activist Juana Guttierez; cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and the Undocupoets, a group of undocumented poets from around the world"-- Provided by publisher.
Nicky & Vera
A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued
Published in 2021
"Caldecott Honoree and Sibert Medalist Peter Sís honors a man who saved hundreds of children from the Nazis. In 1938, twenty-nine-year-old Nicholas Winton saved the lives of almost 700 children trapped in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia--a story he never told and that remained unknown until an unforgettable TV appearance in the 1980s reunited him with some of the children he saved. Czech-American artist, MacArthur Fellow, and Andersen Award winner Peter Sís dramatizes Winton's story in this distinctive and deeply personal picture book. He intertwines Nicky's efforts with the story of one of the children he saved--a young girl named Vera, whose family enlisted Nicky's aid when the Germans occupied their country. As the war passes and Vera grows up, she must find balance in her dual identities--one her birthright, the other her choice. Nicky & Vera is a masterful tribute to a humble man's courageous efforts to protect Europe's most vulnerable, and a timely portrayal of the hopes and fears of those forced to leave their homes and create new lives"-- Provided by publisher.
Sisters of the Neversea
Published in 2021
In this magical, modern twist on Peter Pan, stepsisters Lily and Wendy are spirited away to Neverland by a mysterious boy and must find a way back to the family they love.
Nina
A Story of Nina Simone
Published in 2021
"A biography of Nina Simone, an acclaimed singer whose music gave voice to the struggle for racial equality during the Civil Rights Movement"-- Provided by publisher.
Lotería
Published in 2021
In Oaxaca City, Mexico, ancient friends Life and Death discuss free will while engaged in a game of chance, with eleven-year-old Clara as the protagonist of their theories and a pawn in their game, moving inevitably towards her ultimate fate. Includes author's notes and reader's guide.
Born Behind Bars
Published in 2021
In Chennai, india, after spending his whole life in jail with his mother, who is serving time for a crime she did not commit, nine-year-old Kabir is suddenly released and has to figure out how to survive on his own in the outside world.
The Many Meanings of Meilan
Published in 2021
"A family feud before the start of seventh grade propels Meilan from Boston's Chinatown to rural Ohio, where she must tap into her inner strength and sense of justice to make a new place for herself"-- Provided by publisher.
Unspeakable
The Tulsa Race Massacre
Published in 2021
"Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a powerful look at the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation's history"-- Provided by publisher.
Your Legacy
A Bold Reclaiming of Our Enslaved History
Published in 2021
"Your story begins in Africa. Your African ancestors defied the odds and survived 400 years of slavery in America and passed down an extraordinary legacy to you. Beginning in Africa before 1619, Your Legacy presents an unprecedentedly accessible, empowering, and proud introduction to African American history for children. While your ancestors' freedom was taken from them, their spirit was not; this book celebrates their accomplishments, acknowledges their sacrifices, and defines how they are remembered-and how their stories should be taught"-- Provided by publisher.
Room to Dream
Published in 2021
"After years of hard work, Mia Tang finally gets to go on vacation with her family--to China! A total dream come true. Mia can't wait to see all her cousins and grandparents again, especially her cousin Shen. As she roams around Beijing, witnessing some of the big changes China's going through, Mia thinks about the changes in her own life, like . . . 1. Lupe's taking classes at the high school! And Mia's own plans to be a big writer are . . . stuck. 2. Something happened with Jason and Mia has no idea what to do about it. 3. New buildings are popping up all around the motel, and small businesses are disappearing. Can the Calivista survive? Buckle up! Mia is more determined than ever to get through the turbulence, now that she finally has . . . room to dream!"--Provided by publisher.
Healer of the Water Monster
Published in 2021
"Nathan, a young Navajo boy from Phoenix, Arizona, goes on an epic hero's journey."--Kirkusreviews.com
The People Remember
Published in 2021
Recounts the journey of African descendants in America by connecting their history to the seven principles of Kwanzaa.