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.

King and King

King and King, by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland, is a lighthearted tale of love and marriage among non-traditional young lovebirds. Pressured by his mother to get married, the prince rejects her choices and finds another prince who wins his heart.

Thank You, Mr. Falker

Thank You, Mr. Falker, by Patricia Polacco

This painful but hopeful book is the author’s own story of how she learned to read and of her hero, a teacher who “unlocked the door and pulled [her] into the light” and away from the ridicule of her peers.

How Does It Feel to Be Old?

How Does It Feel to Be Old? by Norma Farber.

In this poignant book, illustrated with loving detail, a grandmother speaks to her granddaughter with honesty and humor about growing old. She speaks of the special joys, happy times and those that were not so happy. She speaks of the past and the future, the good things and the not-so-good things about being old.

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.