Drumbeat... Heartbeat: A Celebration of the Powwow, by Susan Braine.

With skillful use of pictures and words, the author shares her lifelong love of the powwow, the place where she reconnects with family and friends who honor each other and the spirits of their ancestors.

Breaking Through

Breaking Through, by Francisco Jiménez

Told from a teen’s viewpoint, this is a true tale of Jiménez’ own Mexican-American family. They bring hopes and strong backs to the US where they endure deportation, a return to the States, and daily struggles to work two jobs and go to school. (Spanish version: Senderos Fronterizos)

Nips XI

Nips XI, by Ruth Starke.

Lan wants to be a real Aussie; he thinks the way is through playing cricket. As a joke, and a means to fend off ridicule, he calls his newly constituted cricket team, of all Asian boys, the NIPS XI. They find a tired-out former star player who will coach for free and the fun—and work—begin on the way to breaking cultural barriers and playing cricket.

The Year of the Dog

c
The Year of the Dog was written by illustrator Grace Lin as the book she wished she had when she was growing up. She finds humor and irony in being too Chinese for her American friends and too American for Chinese friends. The drawings are full of exquisite detail to amplify this story about finding herself.

What a Wonderful World

What a Wonderful World, by George David Weiss and Bob Thiele, uses color, bold illustrations by Ashley Bryan, and the words of a song made famous by Louis Armstrong to celebrate a beautiful, harmonious world for children.