Notable Books for a Global Society

Brieanna Olsen & Sheridan Blair

Teaching & Learning 307
Barbara Ward
Due: December 1, 2015
 There is a great importance for students to become culturally educated in todays
classrooms. It may be difficult for teachers to educate their students culturally through
experience, but with a good book, that is absolutely possible. Through using books that are rich
in culture in the school system, they can help students develop an understanding of the
perspectives of children from different backgrounds and learn to function in a multicultural
environment. Schools are beginning to expand with children of many different cultures from all
over the world who have had different experiences that others may not be familiar with. With
providing the students with books with a lot of culture in them, it gives them an opportunity to
become more knowledgeable in those areas. A way that students can receive much knowledge
through books is by reading from the list of Notable Books for a Global Society. This particular
list was developed for teachers, students, and their families to have a better understanding of the
diverse cultures in hopes for an appreciation for them as well. What my partner and I have
noticed through reading a variety of these books is they give the reader an opportunity to see
what other children go through or had gone through before in their lives. For the Notable Books
for a Global Society, a committee of the Childrens Literature and Reading Special Interest
Group of the International Reading Association comes together and selects 25 books that meet
all of the needed criteria. For example, in order to be eligible for selection by the committee, a
trade book must have been published in the United States for the first time during the year
preceding a lists publication (clrsig.org). If a book is eligible for the 2016 list, the book would
have had to of been published for the first time in the United States during the previous year in
2015. The criteria for the books include all in the following two parts:

Part I (Meet one or more criteria from this section.)

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;
Be rich in cultural details;
Honor and celebrate diversity as well as common bonds in humanity;
Provide in-depth treatment of cultural issues;
Include characters within a cultural group or between two or more cultural groups who interact
substantively and authentically;
Include members of a minority group for a purpose other than filling a quota.

Part II (Meet all criteria from this section.)

Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response;
Demonstrate unique language or style;
Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written; and Have
an appealing format and be of enduring quality.
 For the criteria in part I, the book needs to meet one or more of the listed requirements
in that particular section. But in part II, all of the criteria listed in that section needs to be
fulfilled in order for the book to be selected into the NBGS by the committee. For part I, the first
point includes that the book needs to portray culture accuracy and authenticity in many different
categories such as seen in the characters. Many books were written by the author as they are
telling a story about another person or peoples life and experiences. Although some of the books
are actually their own experiences. Under either circumstance, this means that the author needs
to do a lot of research so all the facts are accurate about the experiences or parts of culture.
Which then leads us to the second piece of criteria which is the book should be rich in cultural
details. If the details are correct and have a lot of depth to them, they are informational as well as
very interesting. The third part is to honor and celebrate diversity as well as common bonds in
humanity which I believe means the book should be not to scare the reader from the particular
culture, but to inform them on what goes on or went on and express the facts in a way for them to
appreciate what is being read. If the book can provide in-depth treatment of cultural issues, it
gives the reader a chance to see some problems that the character may have faced and how they
dealt with their problems or how they may have overcome them over time. If the book includes
characters within a cultural group or between two or more cultural groups who interact
substantively and authentically it shows even more variety and perspectives. This shows
examples and a learning opportunity to show how interacting with people from different cultures.
Many people do not know how to interact with other cultures because they do not know anything
about the other culture. By learning about it, such as how different cultures may interact with
each other, it may make situations much more comfortable and respectable. The last part of
criteria listed in part I is that the reading may include members of a minority group for a
purpose other than filling a quota. This is also important when it comes to having a chance to
learn about the different opportunities that may be perceived.

For part II of the criteria, because all parts need to be met in this section, it allows the
reader to become very familiar with the culture that is being talked about. With the book
providing a unique language or style, it keeps the reader interested and wanting to read more. If
the story is appealing, well written, and has good quality, it allows an easier read that they will
not want to put down until the story I over. If there are no pictures, the writing style needs be
good enough quality for the reader to imagine what is going on; like the person reading the story
is in the narrators shoes and going through the cultural experiences as they did.

The purpose of this project to is to examine what type of components it takes in order
to create and identify multicultural literacies. We are able to do this by evaluating and learning
more about the Notable Books for a Global Society list and criteria. The books selected in this
area show us many different types of cultural literalities for all ages and personal preferences. As
future teachers, it is important for us to understand more in depth about each culture. Having
background information on different cultures can help us have a better relationship with our
students. Teachers who incorporate multicultural literature into their curriculum expose students
to viewpoints and experiences that can broaden young adolescences self and the world (Landt).
This quote explains exactly why it is important for us as teachers to include these culturally
based books into our classrooms for our students to learn from. The books will open their eyes to
the rest of the world and this knowledge that we pass on to them, they can some day pass it on to
others as well. By learning about different cultures and the past, students have a better
understanding of what is actually happening or had happened in the world. Also, if students are
introduced to this type of information and reading at a young age, it may keep them away from
prejudices and misunderstanding of other people. Having multicultural literacy books in the
classroom not only benefits the students, but the teachers and parents too.

For this project, we did not have any preference on which culture we were going to
read about. We chose a variety of books with very different cultures that were published and
selected as Notable Books for Global Society in several different years. My partner and I looked
up books on the lists online and found different ones that we instantly became interested in. My
favorite book was one that talked about people in Lithuania back in 1941 who went through very
difficult times in their lives as they were being controlled by Soviets. My partner, Sheridan,
really enjoyed reading a book that talked about teenagers and the death penalty. Both of these
particular books expressed many hardships described through the eyes of young teenagers. These
types of topics would be appropriate for more mature readers, as they would relate to the age of
the characters. We chose a selection of a few chapter books and picture books, each one of them
fit the criteria well and we really enjoyed each one of them.

This project was completed by the two of us reading and examining the eight following texts:

Bibliographic Information

Bartoletti, Susan. (2008). The Boy Who Dared. New York: Scholastic Press Inc.

Bryan, Ashley. (2007). Let It Shine. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Deedy, C., Naiyomah, Wilson Kimeli, & Gonzalez, Thomas. (2009). 14 cows
for America (1st ed.). Atlanta, Ga.: Peachtree.

Kuklin, S. (2008). No choirboy: Murder, violence, and teenagers on death row (1st
ed.) New York: Henry Holt and Company.

Lin, G., & Little, Brown Company, publisher. (2012). Starry River of the Sky (1st ed.).
New York: Little, Brown.

Sepetys, Ruta. (2011). Between Shades of Gray. New York: Scholastic Press Inc.

Woodson, Jacqueline., & Lewis, E.B. (2012). Each Kindness. New York: Nancy
Paulsen Books.
Ss, P. (2007). The wall: Growing up behind the Iron Curtain (1st ed.). New York:
Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Multicultural/Global Literature
 Multicultural literature isnt just about race Ive learned; its also about other things such
as sexuality, religion, and socioeconomic pieces. Although everyone is different, people are
much more alike than they realize. It doesnt matter where you come from, what your culture is,
what your sexuality is, or what your religion is because above all we are all human beings and
deserve to be treated properly. Literature dealing with topics such as these help people come to a
better understanding of each other. The world doesnt revolve around just one type of people but
billions of people who are alike and similar in various different ways. At the end of the day
everyone has things they worry about, people they care about, things they dream about and its
through multicultural literature that their stories can be told. Its important to have stories written
about minorities because unfortunately the dominant or popular culture is sometimes portrayed
as being superior, which isnt true. (Yoon, Simpson, & Haag, 2010, p. 10). Everyone has a voice
that deserves to be heard, even if its different from the person sitting next to them. Sometimes
society can shape the way we think and feel not only about other people, but about ourselves as
well. Multicultural literature gives minorities the chance for their voice to finally be heard, for
their ambitions to be made known, and for their own struggles to be relatable to someone. They
deserve not only to be accepted, but to honored and feel proud of themselves.

In the next section, we will go into more depth of the stories we chose and explore their key
components that helped them be awarded the winners of The Notable Books for a Global
Society.

Meeting Notable Books for a Global Society Criteria:

Each Kindness written by Jacqueline Woodson

Summary: This is a story about a little girl named Chloe who will not play with the new girl
named Maya. Chloe and her friends talk behind Mayas back and will not do anything with
Maya. They make fun of Maya because she wears clothes that are hand-me-downs and she likes
to play games that the other students arent familiar with. Every time Maya tries to join the other
kids, they refuse to be around her. One day their teacher does a lesson on small acts of kindness
in the world and when its Chloes turn to share what good thing she has done for someone else,
she cannot think of anything. This gets her very upset and she feels bad about the way she had
been treating Maya. When she wants to do something good for her, it is too late, Maya had
moved away. The story is written in Chloes point of view and represents the bullying that goes
on every day in classrooms all over the world. People are treated unfairly before even getting to
know the person. But with a little lesson on the spreading of kindness, it can possibly spread or
rub off on the next person down the line. This would be a great book to read in the classroom to
teach a lesson to the students who need to be better informed about kindness.

Part I:
Include characters within a cultural group or between two or more cultural groups who interact
substantively and authentically;
 The characters in the story were made up of many different races and they interacted with
each other in ways of some disrespect. Chloe chooses to not be friends with Maya just
simply by her appearance and her background of where she had come from. She did not
get to know here before she chose to be mean to her and not include her in the other
group of friends.

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

This childrens picture book begins with introducing a new girl that had to begin school
and she was not welcomed by her classmates just because of her appearance. The story
does a good job of reflecting on each of the main characters feelings and sharing why
they may feel this way. The little girl who was being a bully to the new girl eventually
learned her lesson by being taught what kindness could do if it were spread throughout
the world more often. Even though it shared that she was too late to going back and being
nicer to Maya, she can still learn from this experience and spread kindness more often
than bullying people.

Demonstrate unique language or style;

The language used in this story is simplistic. The author does a good job of writing the
story using many emotions that the reader can clearly identify. Most of the story is the
narrator talking or explaining what is happening, but there are also parts where other
characters talk and the words are italicized to show that it is someone else speaking. As
you are reading the story, you can clearly see that the author is trying to express that the
theme is bullying. But by the words Chloe says, you can tell that the little girl is not that
mean and actually has a good heart, but she portrays to be the bully of the situation. Her
emotions are clearly shown, but there could have been more expression to show why she
was actually doing what she was doing. It would have also been good to maybe see more
of what Maya was thinking as she was being bullied by other classmates. The style
overall showed many emotions that made the theme clear.

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

The genre stays true through the entire story as it entails the difference between bullying
and kindness. It expresses how it takes so much to be a bully to someone, but it is easy to
show kindness and help others by small or large actions. It explains how the little girl is
being bullied because of her appearance and there is no real reason behind why she is
truly not wanted in the groups of friends at school. This childrens book is a fine piece of
art as well as the amazing illustrations. Woodson is known for her amazing books that
have received many awards. She not only writes a powerful message in the book, but also
keeps the readers from keeping this message with them when they arent even reading the
book.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.

 The story is told through the perspective of a little girl who is has to learn that how she is
treating people is wrong. The whole story flows very well and keeps the readers
attention by the many actions and emotions throughout it. The quality of the book was
excellent and the illustrations made the text stand out very well. When the narrator is
expressing her emotions as well as the little girls who is getting bullied, the images of
their body language and facial expressions match perfectly. It is an easy read and the
objectives are very clear. This quality of a book needs to be incorporated into the
classroom setting to teach a lesson to the children in the class to try and stop bullying one
person at a time to make the school systems and world a better, nicer place.

Let it Shine written by Susan Bartoletti.

Part I
Be rich in cultural details; & Honor and celebrate diversity as well as common bonds in
humanity;

I thought for this book that these two parts of criteria fit very well together when it comes
to this particular book. This book is made up of lyrics from songs that would commonly
be sung at church. There are three different songs in the text: This Little Light, When
the Saints, and In His Hands. These songs can be incorporated into any culture that
believes in the power of Jesus and coming together as one no matter who you may be.
The illustrations in the book show many cultural details as all of the people and objects
are different colors. The colors to me scream the idea of culture. I believe that culture
represents power and being unique. This book shows the many people, probably from
many different cultures, coming together, walking together, and singing together. There
are flowers in the book that show different cultures or represent different parts of the
world as well as the buildings. On one page of the book it shows different building such
as churches, huts, teepees, igloos, tomes, and large city buildings. This image stood out to
me the most because of all the representations of the cultures being showed in these
buildings yet they were all together in one area.

Part II
Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response;

The song lyrics in this book that make up the text are a reflection of the power of people
and coming together. From the book it says, Hes got the whole world in His hands, hes
got the whole world in His hands which I believe represents that we are all Gods people
no matter who we are or what we look like. I like that the author used amazing pictures to
go with the simple lyrics of each song. The repose from this book could be peace and
cheer. The text is supposed to be sung instead of being read, which is a very unique way
to keep the reader of this book engaged and following along. There it would be a good
book to read to children before bed to calm them down and give them a peaceful mindset
before they fall asleep.

Demonstrate unique language or style;

 What is the most unique thing about this book is that the text is actually all songs. They
mostly rhyme and the flow of the words is very soft and easy. In the text it continues to
mention Him or His which to a Christian may represent God, but to other cultures, it
may represent someone else that is powerful to them and their beliefs. These are easy
songs to sing with children and they can follow along with the pictures to see the
representations of the different cultures. The simplistic style goes along nicely with the
flow of the musical words.

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

This book is a very artistic piece that is musically written, yet sends a powerful message.
The flow of the book is easy and the words can be fun for the children to sing as they are
reading along. The genre is very multicultural throughout the words and shown in the
pictures. The authors purpose was to give the children a book to sing along to, maybe
with their parents before bed, as also a learning experience as well. It is not only well
written, but can give the readers excitement about what they are reading and learning
from. The songs are very easy to pick up so the students can be singing the songs even
after they are finished reading the book. The artistic genre includes many different
cultures that make everyone feel included.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.

The format of this book has very easily written text and the pictures are very vibrate and
powerful. The illustrations tend to represent the cultures more than the actual words in
book, but the words have an equally powerful message if the reader knows what it is
talking about. On the back of the book the text continues by saying, Hes got the lion
and the lamb in His hands, hes got the tiger and the ram in His hands. I think this is a
beautiful message because it can represent the peace that the book is expressing. Usually
a lion or tiger would eat a lamb or a ram in order to survive, but this shows them standing
side by side and together. They arent hurting each other because of their differences,
rather standing equally together as one. This can represent the message of different
people in cultures standing together as well like it is shown inside the book. The author
used lyrics instead of her own words, so I would not change anything to this story
because it does a good job of relaying the main message in an overall good quality
picture book.

The Boy Who Dared written by Susan Bartoletti

Part I
Provide in-depth treatment of cultural issues;

Summary: This is a historical novel that was written based on a teenage boy named
Helmut Hbener. The book takes place in Nazi Germany just after it has formed when
 Hitler takes over control of the people. This shows a lot of culture by the events that were
described throughout the story. Helmut enters the Hitler Youth program where he
eventually imprisoned for distrusting anti-Nazis. He wanted people to understand the
truth behind what Hitler was all about and also the truth about the German people in the
war. The cultural treatments between the Nazis and the Jews were completely unfair. The
story explains how some people were on Hitlers side, while others were surprisingly not.
Not all Germans supported Hitler and that is sometimes not expressed in stories of this
type of history. But in this book, there are examples of the differences and thoughts that
people had on the situations. There were even other cultures expressed in this story such
as Helmut always growing up learning about being a Mormon. The issues between the
cultures go into great depth through the entire text.

Part II
Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response;

The events that were taking place during the time of this story were being reflected as
time continued on. The response that the book is trying to get is the understanding of
different perspectives. As Helmut wanted people to know what was going on, he was set
back from that when he was imprisoned. Hitler believed they should all be on his side,
but why would they be on his side when some actually saw how evil he really was as he
was taking over peoples lives?

Demonstrate unique language or style;

The style of this book is very easy to follow. Some of the words are more difficult to read
and understand, so this book would be better for a juvenile audience. There is a timeline
of events that had occurred in the back of the book which is unique because many books
would only describe those events as they are writing the story. I think it would have been
even better if there was to be a glossary of some of the more difficult words for the
readers to get a better understanding about.

Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written; and have an
appealing format and be of enduring quality.

This book was fairly lengthy, but I think that is necessary for what the book had to offer.
I also think that is why it should be offered to other teenagers to read because it wouldnt
be as hard for them to understand. The book was very appealing throughout the entire
text as it continued to have multiple events that I wanted to continue reading about so I
could feel the emotions of the characters.

The Wall: Growing Up behind the Iron Curtain written by Peter Ss

This book is about a boy who grows up in Czechoslovakia during the Cold War. Through
pictures he tells his story of what it was like living behind the communist side of the Iron Wall.
He explains how constricting the government behind the Iron Wall was and how scary it was
living during a time of war not knowing when you might be blown up from atomic weapons. He
used drawings as his only way of being able to express himself because it seemed everyones
every move and thought was being controlled by the government. People were being
brainwashed and spied on, taking away individuality and freedom. Long hair and rock music
were even banned at one point. Finally towards the end he expresses the freedom he felt once the
Iron Wall was taken down and he moved to America.

Strengths: This book shows the importance of music, freedom, and self-expression. Its crazy
reading about how people didnt have basic rights such as even listening to what kind of music
they wanted to. It also shows how bands such as The Beatles made a huge impact on society and
was a threat to the Soviet government.

Weaknesses: Some of the pictures made the book a little confusing just because you couldnt
really tell what was going on in them. Although there was text at the bottom explaining what was
going on, it was still difficult to fully understand the context.

Part I
Provide in-depth treatment of cultural issues

This book shows how poorly the people who were on the communist side of the Iron
Wall were treated by their government. Its a cultural issue because it affected their
everyday lives, constantly feeling like they were in danger or being spied on. Even a
young boy was affected by this. August 21, 1968. 500,000 troops from the Soviet
Union, Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary, and Poland invade Czechoslovakia. This is a
cultural issue because it discusses what was happening during the Cold War and how it
affected the people of Czechoslovakia.

Part II
Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response

Reading this book makes you wonder how a government could ever think it was morally
okay to control the way its people behave and think in such a way that it restricts their
basic freedoms. While reading this I was intrigued at the fact that people wanted to rebel
and still try to have their own individuality. Its interesting reading about first-hand
experiences related to topics we know of but not enough about.

Demonstrate unique language or style

This book had a unique style because it implanted history and vocabulary words into the
page either in the picture or in the border of the page. It provided context as to what was
taking place at the time while also telling the story of a young boy who lived through this
history as it was happening. There were pages that included his journal entries about what
was happening around him. His journal entries are surrounded by colorful borders of
different pictures of the types of things that inspired him.
Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written

The genre of this book is childrens non-fiction but its also an autobiography in a way. It
successfully meets the accepted criteria for a childrens picture non-fiction book because there
are pictures that add context to the story and its not too lengthy of a read. Its sort of an
autobiography because the author of this book is writing about himself when he was a young
boy; so its about the authors life but its told from the perspective of himself as a young boy.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality

The format is appealing because it tells a story in chronological order without random
things happening out of nowhere. Each page contains pictures with an evenly distributed
amount of words so that its not too much to take in at once. There are two pages within
the book that have an extremely colorful border that show notes he wrote in his diary
when he was growing up about events that were taking place around him. Theres one
page within the book that looks really groovy, symbolizing the time for wanting peace
and freedom during this era. On this page theres a woman with colorful pants, shoes
with stars on them, and shes playing the guitar. In the sky is a picture of a yellow
submarine, with The Beatles written under it. I think these pictures make the story so
much more interesting.

Starry River of the Sky written by Grace Lin

Summary: After a boy named Rendi runs away from home he finds himself working in a village
as a chore boy for an Inn. He has so many questions about the Inn hes staying at and the people
hes surrounded by. People rarely ever come to stay at the Inn but one day a mysterious woman
comes to stay and she ends up telling him stories that are really fascinating. He struggles with
figuring out the meaning of his own story as he listens to her.

Strengths: This book does an amazing job at incorporating the beauty of different culture through
the stories told and even the detail within the stories, including the scenery. It shows how curious
Rendi is about the world and why things happen such as where did the moon go? Even though
its a chapter book there are beautiful illustrations here and there showing the Chinese culture.

Weaknesses: Although this book had a great amount of Chinese folklore and culture
incorporated into it, there could have been more in-depth about cultural issues. Theres nothing
wrong with not talking about cultural issues considering this book was already such a good read,
but it wouldve enhanced the story more.

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

This book portrays people of Chinese culture in way that shows people are so much more
than just their ethnicity or skin color. The members of this Chinese group are the main
characters throughout the whole story, rather than just a few pages or a small chapter.
 They lead ordinary lives just like any human being, showing that they are relatable and
not much different than the person whos reading the book. They arent just filling a
quota because they are portrayed as real people who have their own thoughts and
problems just like anyone else. Rendi is on his journey through life just like any young
boy, except he doesnt have his family with him because he ran away from home.

Part II

Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response

Upon reading the stories that are being told to Rendi, the reader is also captivated in the
same way he is. Its sort of like having the mysterious woman, Madame Chang tell the
stories personally to you, even though they are being told in a book to another character.
It causes the reader to make an appreciation for Chinese culture and reflect on what they
like about these stories and think about what stories they have heard by people in real life
involving how things came to be, such as myths or tales.

Demonstrate unique language or style

The author makes it very evident that these are not American people within the story
based on the language and style he uses. The main character is Rendi and the story is told
from his perspective but in 3rd person. Even though its told in 3rd person the author still
manages to let the reader know what is going on in Rendis head. It has a unique style
because whenever a story is being told by Madame Chang theres a bold heading and
bigger font letting the reader know its her time for talking about a story now. For
example, when she tells the story of the six suns, at the beginning of the page in big blue
letters it reads The Story of the Six Suns with pictures of roosters on both sides of the
title.

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

This is a childrens fiction/ childrens fantasy book. It meets accepted criteria for these
genres because there isnt anything too out of the world or over the top that seems
unrealistic, but at the same time its about fictional characters. The characters are still
relatable and even inspiring. The only thing that seems fantasy like is the Chinese
folklore being told, which doesnt make it any less real to them however. Although
stories about mountains being moved might seem unrealistic, they are still important
stories and hold a lot of meaning to the people who pass them on.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality

Being a chapter book, this book is very organized and well-written. Its not too
challenging of a read and its fun for children. The illustrations are appealing and add
depth to the story. For example, on page 10 theres an illustration of Master Chao
 showing his black hair in a bun and his mustache. The picture shows what kind of clothes
are part of Chinese culture which helps the reader get a better understanding and visual of
the characters.

Notable Books for a Global Society Award Winner:

No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row written by Susan Kuklin

Summary: This book is a compilation of five different personal stories about teenagers being
affected by the death penalty. Through different perspectives it shows the horror of what it feels
like being sentenced to death row and why people under 18 are no longer subjected to the death
penalty. Three different and unique stories are told by males who were sentenced to death and
how it changed them as a person. Their stories give insight as to how prison and death changes
your perspective on life. Another story is told by the brother of someone who was sentenced to
death which shows another perspective. The last story was told by a family of a young man who
was killed at work. Its interesting that this book successfully gives perspectives of the people
directly affected by the death penalty, the family of those people who are sentenced to death row,
and the family of the victim. Giving all of these different perspectives enables the reader to feel
the pain of each person. The author writes this book advocating that change is possible in anyone
and that nobody should be sentenced to death.

Strengths: The different perspectives are definitely one of the biggest strengths of this book.
Reading about these peoples stories shows that the people who are sentenced to death truly are
just human beings and theres much more to them than the crimes theyve committed. They
know for themselves that they have to live with the horrible mistakes theyve made for the rest of
their lives and that in and of itself is a huge punishment. Showing the perspective of the brother
of someone who was put on death row shows that the people who are sentenced to death also
have a family who cares about them and are greatly affected by their death sentence. The last
perspective shows what it feels like to have a family murder murdered and the pain it brings to
them; pain that they dont know how to deal with or manage. This perspective is the part where
the reader feels remorse towards the killer and maybe even thinks that they are indeed deserving
of death row. However, the family surprises readers and actually ends up preventing their
brothers killer from being sentenced to death because they knew in their hearts that this
wouldnt bring any justice to what happened.

Weaknesses: I think this book couldve done a better job at meeting the NBGS criteria of
Including characters within a cultural group or between two or more cultural groups who
interact substantively and authentically. Although there are many interactions, there arent
really any authentic interactions between multiple cultures. However, I still think this is one of
the best books I read in a long time. Even though there arent as many authentic interactions, its
still a great story because its more about the individual battling and fighting for himself.

Part I
Be rich in cultural details
 The background of each of the people sentenced to death is provided, giving insight as to
what their home-life was like and what may have caused them to turn to violence or even
murder. The right amount of details about the characters are provided, allowing the
reader to get a better idea of the person as an individual.

Provide in-depth treatment of cultural issues

This book shows that young African-Americans are more likely to lose a case in court
when dealing with someone of a white race. An African-American named Napolean was
the class president, captain of the football team, and a very well-rounded person who
ended up getting an unfair trial just because of the color of his skin. He was sentenced to
death and the book states that if it were a white young male who committed the same
crime then he probably wouldnt have been sentenced to death. This shows how unfair
society is even when it comes to a matter of life or death; treating someone differently
because of the color of their skin. Even in the last chapter, the family refuses to agree to
give the death penalty to the person who murdered their son. Think about it, a sixteen-
year-old white boy is killed on his second day at work by a black man who will be tried
by a probably all-white jury in Virginia (168). Even the dad knew that would be an
unfair trial because he knew how society was.

Include members of a minority group for a purpose other than filling a quota.

Numerous times throughout this book the characters describe a time when they felt
discriminated against or wrongfully treated based on their race. However, this book
proves that these boys are much more than the worst thing someone thinks of them. They
try to create their own purpose while being locked up behind bars; they dont want to
succumb to what society thinks they are.

Part II
Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response

This book is constantly causing the reader to reflect, analyze, and respond not only to
how they feel about the death penalty, but how they feel about the treatment of all human
beings and their own mistakes. One member who was in prison constantly had to remind
himself Remember who you are, not what they make you out to be (104) which I
thought was a good quote because so many people deal with peer pressure of trying to be
someone theyre not when they follow the wrong crowd that it can be easy to lose sight
of who you are.

Demonstrate unique language or style

The different perspectives from various people, letters, the dialogue, and the interviews
give this book a unique style. Instead of it being a book all about the same person, the
 chapters are broken up into different stories which make it really unique.

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

This book is a Juvenile nonfiction book but it also falls under the category of biography
and crime. It definitely meets the criteria for being a nonfiction book because these are
real stories being told about real people and the adversity they faced dealing with the
death penalty at a young age. The author uses interviews from people who talked to the
characters firsthand and doesnt twist any information around. There are direct quotes
from the people who the stories are about.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality

Its appealing because the book is very well organized and broken up into specific
sections so that you dont have to read the whole thing at once. However, the stories told
in each chapter are so interesting and touching that it actually makes you want to
continue reading.

I chose No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row as the NGBS
winner because it honestly inspired me and expanded my knowledge about multicultural
literature more than any of the other books. While reading this book I felt connected to the
characters without even knowing them. I developed compassion for them and felt like I could
relate to these people, which is crazy because they were sentenced to death row. I just loved how
the characters were constantly reflecting on their life and changing themselves for the better,
even if it was behind bars. They each faced a battle within themselves of trying not to give in to
the negative thoughts that were in their heads. I can say I didnt really have any thoughts about
the death penalty until I read this book. I always knew that there was a lot of controversy over
the topic but I was never one of those people who took much interest in it because it didnt affect
me at all. Reading this book however completely changed my perspective because for the first
time I saw people who committed violent crimes as real people. Just like anyone, they have their
own dreams and problems in life and more than anything they are misunderstood.

I think this would be a great book to use in the classroom because I know it will have an
effect on kids the same way it had an effect on me. Although there are a lot of harsh and
gruesome things in this book such as violence and homosexual rape, its a topic that needs to be
learned about. Time and time again the characters in book would mention the times the small
things they missed that a normal person would take for granted; such as mowing the lawn or
walking across their living room carpet. This book will help children realize how much they
should be grateful for. Also, it helps develop of sense of compassion for children as they read
this book. Certainly I wouldnt read this in a 3rd grade class, but I think its an excellent book for
middle school and high school. One of the most inspiring things that I read in this book was
about a man who used reading as his motivation for life. In prison he looked forward to reading
new books and expanding his knowledge because it was all that he had left. Something that
really stuck out to me that he said was The more I read, the more I realized how little I knew.
Books are like a mirror into your own life. They help you relate and understand your own
experiences through others (112). Now heres a man stuck behind bars will an inspiring passion
to read; I truly think this would be amazing to kids.
 Honor Book Choice #1

14 Cows for America written by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez

This is a childrens picture book that tells a story of how the Maasai people in western Kenya
committed a huge act of kindness towards America after hearing about the tragic September 11
attacks. They give their blessing of 14 cows to America which is a huge deal because cows are
very sacred to them. It shows that the Maasai are very compassionate people and they want to
reach out to people in times of sorrow and tragedy.

Strengths: This book definitely encompasses the criteria for a multicultural book. It gives a
glimpse of life in another country and how beautifully they all work together and support each
other. There are very beautiful pictures throughout this book that truly show the compassion that
the Maasai portray. The pictures show how important unity is to them and theres a lot of red
showing emotion and passion.

Weaknesses: The only weaknesses I could think of about this book is that it could be longer to
make the story more enriching. I really enjoyed this book so I didnt find anything wrong with it,
but I wouldve loved if there was more to the story.

I chose this book as one of them to give the Honor Award to because not only does it encompass
the Notable Books for a Global Society Criteria, but it is the perfect book for using in any
classroom as well. I know that this is a book children would love to read along to or look at the
pictures, especially minority students. Its important to have books in the classroom that
everyone can relate to; not just the dominant culture of the classroom, whatever that may be. I
loved this book because it taught the importance of giving even if you dont have much to give.
The last page shows an illustration of the Maasai boy; a close-up of his face so that its only
1/4th of his face. The illustration focuses on his eye, which is a window to the world. On the
other side of the page it says, Because there is no nation so powerful that it cannot be wounded,
nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort. This quote really stuck out to me
because it truly is humbling and makes the reader take a step back and see the bigger picture.

Part I

Be rich in cultural details

The colors of the pages and the story of this group of people is truly amazing. One of my
favorite pages shows a tribe of young warriors with weathers, beads, red tunics, spears,
and smiles on their faces. The text reads, Hundreds of Maasai greet the American in full
tribal splendor. At the sight of the brilliant blood-red tunics and spectacular beaded
collars, he can only marvel. It is a day of sacred ritual. These details included within the
pictures and words bring the characters to life in such a beautiful way.
Include characters within a cultural group or between two or more cultural groups who interact
substantively and authentically
This book portrays the Maasai as being very caring and authentic people. Although they
deeply cherish their cows, they are willing to give them up for the greater good of
something else. Offering their grievances towards America with their cows truly was an
amazing act. This book not only shows two different cultures interacting in a positive
way, but two different countries as well.

Part II

Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response

Reading this book makes people reflect on their own losses and it reminds people of the
September 11 incident. It makes people realize that although this was a terrible thing that
happened, it truly brought people together as a community. Its a good book for making
someone think to themselves what small act of kindness they might be able to do for
someone else.

Demonstrate unique language or style

This childrens book showed a unique style and language because throughout the whole
read the reader is inspired and in awe by this loving community. The authors style of
writing was definitely a heart-felt one, especially since he experienced this story through
his own eyes as a little boy.

Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written
This is a very well-written nonfiction childrens book because it tells a true story about
how one persons compassionate reaction to an incident caused a chain reaction of even
more compassion. The events were true but they were told in a story so that it could be
more relatable to children.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality

This book not only was very appealing, but it was also informational. It gave insight to
another culture in a way thats very attractive to children, using lots of imagery and
pictures. The paintings are beautiful and filled with so much emotion.

Honor Book Choice #2

Between Shades of Gray written by Ruta Sepetys

We chose Between Shades of Gray written by Ruta Sepetys as our honor book because
in our opinion, it was the second best book that we read for this project. This book is about a
teenage girl who lived in Lithuania with her family and was taken away like a slave by the
NVDK under Stalins control. She was thrown into a packed cart of a train that had the words
criminals and prostitutes written on it so outsiders would think that they were bad people. Lina,
along with many other Lithuanians were forced to work hard labor, were beaten and threatened,
few very little, and treated horrifically. She had to watch people be killed while others died of
other natural causes while under their control. The only thing Lina could have to survive this
terribly scary time in her life is to have hope and fight for her own life.

This book is very well deserving of an honor award as well as being listed in the
Notable Books for a Global Society for many reasons. The text expresses many emotions
through the hardships in Linas life and she narrates many details about what she sees and how
she feels. She also describes the differences between what her people were going through as
other cultures with different beliefs were continuing to live their lives. She talks about the wars
that were going on and talks about how they hope that other parts of the countries will help and
stand up for their people so they could be free again. This book is similar to a journal of Linas
life, but she was not the one who wrote this book so it is not a personal biography. However, the
author does a really good job of making the reader feel as if she was actually there living life in
Linas shoes and I believe that is what makes an incredible book.

Part I
Provide in-depth treatment of cultural issues;

There were many obvious issues throughout this entire chapter book. The details of the
events that were happening can allow the reader to feel some of the pain that these
Lithuanian prisoners went through. When Ruta Sepetys includes cultural details in her
book such as the clothes they were wearing, the differences in the languages, and the
materials that surrounded the people it gives us a lot of information about what their
culture was about. Lina describes how her culture was treated by the men such as talking
about how one woman was taken out of a hospital right after she had just given birth to a
new baby. The woman was forced to bring her baby and all she had with her was a
hospital gown and her baby wrapped in a small blanket. Later, she was killed by the
NKVD because she was mourning too much over the loss of her new baby. How could
they just kill a woman for being scared for her life over the loss of a loved one? The
soldiers showed no mercy and did not care for anyone other than the people of their own
kind. Lina also describes how Hitler was also beginning to capture and kill thousands of
Jews. Stalin and Hitler were very similar leaders with objectives to destroy peoples lives
for their own cultures or people.

Part II
Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response;

The text does a really good job of reflecting on the issues happening to certain people in
different parts of the world. The struggles that people were going through were described
 to get a response from the reader to feel like they have it better than they think. Many
children do not understand that events like this took place in the world once before and
they are lucky they are not going through it. The reader is constantly reminded of how
these people were being treated no matter what age they were. It is a very eye opening
book as you are reading about what once happened in previous history.

Demonstrate unique language or style;

The thing that I really liked in this book was the style it was written in. Lina would be
going through her current events that were very tough, but some of these moments would
remind her of happier moments that she has had in the past. When the story is taking
place presently, the words are written in regular text. But when she flashes back to an old
memory, the text becomes italicized to represent that she is thinking in the past. In one
part of the book she is in a situation when she remembers her father talking to other men
in their living room about how there was nothing worse than Stalin and how He is the
epitome of evil (Sepetys, 168). Then the text goes on as Stalin eventually does show
how evil he really is by taking the people away from their home and separating people
from their families. He truly was evil by the way he was killing innocent people just
because they were not like him.

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

This is a nonfiction book that expresses the actual real life events that people went
through. It does a very good job of expressing the genre of the story, keeping the reader
informed of the events and issues that took place, and keeping our emotions similar to the
narrators. At times throughout this book I would actually get chills because of the things
she was describing. You do not really understand the lives some people had to live until
you get more information about them and actually hear them from a perspective of
someone who was there living it. The book is shares how a girl is breaking the silence
about what really went on in history.

Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.

The format of this book was long, but it kept my attention throughout it because of all the
events and specific details that were shared. It made me feel as if I was reading her
journal or living her life. When Lina describes how she was tightly packed into a train car
with many other people and how she could smell their odors, I felt as if I could imagine
exactly what that was life. There were also maps included in the beginning of the book
that showed the parts of the world they were from and traveling through which I thought
gave the book a unique, appealing format.

Conclusion
 After reading the books and finishing this project, we have a much better understanding
of what people have gone through or the differences between the many different cultures. Some
of these books had so many incredible details that it left us with different emotions such as chills
and wonder. The purpose of this project really stood out to us because we now know how
important it is for teachers, as well as students, to have a better understanding of the world,
cultures, and what people go through. We will continue to read books off of this list to
understand the multicultural events that are taking place in this world and try to do our best in
introducing them into our future classrooms. All cultures and people matter, so they should be
learned about and acknowledged throughout the rest of time.

More Sources Used

Landt, S. (2006). Multicultural literature and young adolescents: a kaleidoscope of

opportunity. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 49(8), 690-697.

Yoon, B., Simpson, A., & Haag, C. (2010). Assimilation Ideology: Critically
Examining. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 116-116. Retrieved
November 30, 2015.