New York, NY, June 17, 2004 …The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has assembled an online database of multicultural books for children in grades K-6 to help engage them in the lifelong process of learning about multiple perspectives and experiences.

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute Recommended Multicultural and Anti-Bias Books for Children Grades K-6, designed for educators, children, parents and caregivers, features more than 400 titles, each of which have been reviewed by ADL's education staff and selected as a recommended book based on a variety of evaluative criteria. Visitors to the site can take advantage of multiple user-friendly search methods, view titles in a variety of categories and sub-categories, and read guidelines for assessing children's literature. Links to order books online are also provided.

"Reading multicultural literature has the potential to foster children's understanding and respect for their own and others' cultural groups and to develop empathy," said Ed S. Alster, ADL Director of Education.  "Books should be both a mirror in which children see themselves reflected and a window on the world. The new online bibliography presents a remarkable opportunity to search for quality multicultural books by selecting various categories and subcategories, each representing a mirror or window that can build children's self-esteem and help them begin to see themselves as members of the global community."

Each entry on ADL's booklist includes a short description of the book with a suggested reading level, K-3, 4-6, or K-6. A "Featured Book" section highlights and offers analysis of a new title each month.