Lorenda Schantz Text Set: Diversity The book I read with my literature group was Henry and the

Kite Dragon. The theme of this book was diversity; it is an important topic to embrace and teach in the classroom. Children experience diversity everyday between their cultures, ethnicity, family structure, and traditions. I have a collection of genres that helped build my text set based on the theme of diversity: nonfiction, historical text, and fiction. I used the Teacher Resource Center to locate the books; they have lists with suggested texts on various themes: diversity, multiculturalism, concepts, etc Text Set: Literature Circle Book: Henry and the Kite Dragon

Hall, Bruce E. Henry and the Kite Dragon. New York: Philomel Books, 2004. Genre: Historical Fiction Grade Level: 3rd 5th Summary: Henry and the Kite Dragon share the story about two groups of children from different cultures: Chinese and Italian. Both groups of children develop a conflict due to a cultural misunderstanding; in the end both groups overcome their conflict by realizing symbolic importance to one another and developing a mutual understanding.

Book: A Taste of Colored Water

Faulkner, Matt. A Taste of Colored Water. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for YoungReaders, 2008. Genre: Historical Fiction Grade Level: 3rdth 4th Summary: A Taste of Colored Water illustrates an important time of segregation from two young Caucasian children's point of view who wanted to drink from the "colored water". Both children develop an understanding of what "colored water" meant through their experience drinking from the fountain.

Book: Masai and I

Kroll, V. L., & Carpenter, N. (1992). Masai and I. New York: Four Winds Press. Genre: Fiction Grade Level: 3rd-5th Summary: Masai and I shares a story about a young girl's vivid imagination that allows her to develop a fantasy world of what it would be like living in Masai. The young girl transforms her various settings and daily activities life in Masai.

Book: In Our Mothers' House

Polacco, P. (2009). In our mothers' house. New York: Philomel Books. Genre: Juvenile Fiction Grade Level: 1st-4th Summary: In Our Mother's House shares a story about multicultural siblings that live in a family with two mothers. A young girl narrates her family's life showing the similarities to other families and obstacles her family structure goes through.

Book: Autism and Me: Sibling Stories

Shapiro, Ouisie,Vote, Steven. (2009). Autism and me: Sibling stories. Morton Grove, Ill: Albert Whitman. Genre: Non-fiction Grade Level: 3rd 6th Summary: Autism and Me provides a small insight to the world of an individual with Autism. The author utilizes sibling stories to show how Autism affects not just the child with it but their life too.