Books in this category address a wide range of historical and current forms of bigotry, prejudice that is both intentional and systemic and prejudice that is unintentional, but just as hurtful. In some books prejudice is the primary focus of the story; in others it is part of the fabric of the book but not its central theme.
This is whichCatvalue: 6
All Books in the Prejudice & Discrimination Category
Drita, My Homegirl Written by Jenny Lombard Drita and her family come to New York as refugees from war-torn Kosovo. Drita can’t wait to start school and make a new best friend, but her new classmates don’t make it easy, teasing her about virtually everything. The worst is Maxie, a tough African-American girl whose sassy attitude hides a painful secret. When Maxie takes things too far, their teacher assigns Maxie a paper on Drita and her journey to America from Kosovo. Suddenly, Maxie realizes she and Drita have more in common than she thought. And when Drita’s mother gets sick, there’s only one person who can help—Drita’s new homegirl. [Grade Level: 3 - 5]
Drita, My Homegirl Written by Jenny Lombard Drita and her family come to New York as refugees from war-torn Kosovo. Drita can’t wait to start school and make a new best friend, but her new classmates don’t make it easy, teasing her about virtually everything. The worst is Maxie, a tough African-American girl whose sassy attitude hides a painful secret. When Maxie takes things too far, their teacher assigns Maxie a paper on Drita and her journey to America from Kosovo. Suddenly, Maxie realizes she and Drita have more in common than she thought. And when Drita’s mother gets sick, there’s only one person who can help—Drita’s new homegirl. [Grade Level: 3 - 5]
Drita, My Homegirl Written by Jenny Lombard Drita and her family come to New York as refugees from war-torn Kosovo. Drita can’t wait to start school and make a new best friend, but her new classmates don’t make it easy, teasing her about virtually everything. The worst is Maxie, a tough African-American girl whose sassy attitude hides a painful secret. When Maxie takes things too far, their teacher assigns Maxie a paper on Drita and her journey to America from Kosovo. Suddenly, Maxie realizes she and Drita have more in common than she thought. And when Drita’s mother gets sick, there’s only one person who can help—Drita’s new homegirl. [Grade Level: 3 - 5]
Drita, My Homegirl Written by Jenny Lombard Drita and her family come to New York as refugees from war-torn Kosovo. Drita can’t wait to start school and make a new best friend, but her new classmates don’t make it easy, teasing her about virtually everything. The worst is Maxie, a tough African-American girl whose sassy attitude hides a painful secret. When Maxie takes things too far, their teacher assigns Maxie a paper on Drita and her journey to America from Kosovo. Suddenly, Maxie realizes she and Drita have more in common than she thought. And when Drita’s mother gets sick, there’s only one person who can help—Drita’s new homegirl. [Grade Level: 3 - 5]
Drita, My Homegirl Written by Jenny Lombard Drita and her family come to New York as refugees from war-torn Kosovo. Even though she barely speaks English, Drita can’t wait to start school and make a new best friend. But her new classmates don’t make it easy, teasing her about virtually everything. The worst is Maxie, a tough African-American girl whose sassy attitude hides a painful secret. When Maxie takes things too far, their teacher assigns Maxie a paper on Drita and her journey to America from Kosovo. Suddenly, Maxie realizes she and Drita have more in common than she thought. And when Drita’s mother gets sick, there’s only one person who can help—Drita’s new homegirl. [Grade Level: 3 - 5]
Drum, Chavi,Drum!/Toca, Chavi, Toca! Mayra Dole (Author), Tonel Tonel (Illustrator) Chavi is determined to play the drums on the school float during Miami's Calle Ocho parade, but everyone--from her music teacher to her own loving mother--is convinced that because she is a girl, she cannot possibly be good enough. Chavi knows differently, and she practices on anything she can get her hands on: pans, paint cans, car hoods. She just knows she's good, and before the book is over, so does everyone else. [Grade Level: K - 3]
El Chino Written and Illustrated by Allen Say Billy, the son of immigrants from China, was always told by his father that "In America, you can be anything you want to be." Billy's dreams of being a famous basketball player, however, are met with laughs and comments like, "Who's ever heard of a Chinese athlete!" Billy gives up his hopes of being a great athlete and studies engineering. Years later, while visiting Spain, Billy's dreams are reawakened when he falls in love with bullfighting and defies expectations to become the first Asian matador. [Grade Level: 2 - 6]
Eleanor Roosevelt: An Inspiring Life Written by Elizabeth MacLeod In fourteen brief chapters with short blocks of text and many photographs, the author describes Roosevelt’s privileged but sad childhood, her marriage, political and family life, and post-FDR humanitarian work. The importance of Roosevelt’s contributions to the world are emphasized, including her work on civil rights, women’s rights, and her role in creating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. [Grade Level: 3 - 6]
Elegy on the Death of Cesar Chavez Rudolfo A. Anaya (Adapter), Gaspar Enriquez (Illustrator) Chicano novelist Rudolfo Anaya was greatly influenced by the heroic life of labor and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez. This poem eulogizes Cesar and his work, expressing the grief of la gente and calling all peoples together to continue the nonviolent struggle for freedom and justice. Includes a chronology of Cesar's life. [Grade Level: 4 - 6]
Elena’s Serenade Campbell Geeslin (Author), Ana Juan (Illustrator) Elena, a young girl who lives in Mexico, dreams of being a glassblower like her father. When Papa rebuffs her dream by commenting, "Who ever heard of a girl glassblower?," Elena takes one of his old glassblowing pipes, disguises herself as a boy, and sets off to Monterrey, home of Mexico's "great glassblowers.” Along the way, she discovers that she can play sweet songs on the pipe, and when she finally reaches her destination, she creates beautiful ornaments, which are shaped by the tunes she plays on her pipe. Elena eventually creates a crystal swallow to carry her back home, where she disguises herself as an elderly man and shows her creations to Papa. When she finally reveals her identity, Papa realizes how special his daughter is. [Grade Level: K-4]
