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Rez Dogs is a timely verse novel set during the coronavirus pandemic on the Wabanaki reservation about a girl named Malian, her grandparents, and a dog that becomes her best friend. Bruchac illustrates how American history has silenced the stories of indigenous people, including forced sterilization, boarding schools, family separation, and colonization. Malian is vocal and confident in her indigenous identity, thinks deeply, and makes hard choices. She challenges her teacher to recognize her own racist beliefs, providing a clear and hopeful message that all people can change when they acknowledge their own biased beliefs and commit to rejecting bigotry and embracing diversity.

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Rez Dogs, written by Joseph Bruchac, published by Dial Books, is an Honor Book in the Books for Older Children Category.

Rez Dogs is a timely verse novel set during the coronavirus pandemic on the Wabanaki reservation about a girl named Malian, her grandparents, and a dog that becomes her best friend. Bruchac illustrates how American history has silenced the stories of indigenous people, including forced sterilization, boarding schools, family separation, and colonization. Malian is vocal and confident in her indigenous identity, thinks deeply, and makes hard choices. She challenges her teacher to recognize her own racist beliefs, providing a clear and hopeful message that all people can change when they acknowledge their own biased beliefs and commit to rejecting bigotry and embracing diversity.

Author: Joseph Bruchac
Award: 2022 Honor Book for Older Children

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Rez Dogs - Jane Addams Peace Association

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Meet a young Inuit girl and her family. Learn why they sometimes live in an igloo and what life in an igloo is like.

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Jan Reynolds - Author, Illustrator

JAN REYNOLDS is an award-winning author and photographer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including National Geographic, The New York Times, and Outside magazine. All seven books in her Vanishing Cultures series of photo-essays for children were recognized as Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, and she is also the author of Celebrate! Connections Among Cultures; Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life; and Only the Mountains Do Not Move. Reynolds holds the world record for women's high altitude skiing, was part of the first expedition to circumnavigate Mount Everest, and performed a solo crossing of the Himalayas. She lives with her family in Stowe, Vermont. Please visit her on the web at janreynolds.com.

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Jan Reynolds - Author, Illustrator JAN REYNOLDS is an award-winning author and photographer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including National Geographic, The New York Times, and Outside magazine. All seven books in her Vanishing Cultures series of photo-essays for children were recognized as Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, and she is also the author of Celebrate!

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Jim's athletic skills were evident early on, as he played outdoors and hunted with his father and twin brother. When the boys were sent to Indian boarding school, Jim struggled in academics but excelled in sports. Jim moved from school to school over the years, overcoming family tragedies, until his athletic genius was recognized by Coach Pop Warner at the Carlisle Indian School.

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Themes

Nonfiction, Sports, Siblings, Identity/Self Esteem/Confidence, Occupations, Native American Interest, History, Friendship, Discrimination, Civil Rights Movement, Biography/Memoir, Sports History, Self Control/Self Regulation, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Coping with Death, Courage, Dreams & Aspirations, Education, Overcoming Obstacles, Persistence/Grit, Pride, United States History

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History | Native American | Sports | Football | Discrimination | Lee & Low Books

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Themes Nonfiction, Sports, Siblings, Identity/Self Esteem/Confidence, Occupations, Native American Interest, History, Friendship, Discrimination, Civil Rights Movement, Biography/Memoir, Sports History, Self Control/Self Regulation, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Coping with Death, Courage, Dreams & Aspirations, Education, Overcoming Obstacles, Persistence/Grit, Pride, United States History

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Tuwenowa lives in the heart of the Amazon River Basin, home to the largest tropical rain forest in the world. For Yanomama people such as Tuwenowa and his family, the jungle provides everything they need — from thatching for their huts to the tropical fruits, animals, and fish they eat.

The rainforest is the birthplace of the centuries-old traditions of Yanomama culture. The people celebrate life with songs of thanks and mark death with special rituals. By learning these customs from his father, a tribal shaman, Tuwenowa hopes to uphold the Yanomama way of life as he grows up.

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Jan Reynolds - Author, Illustrator

JAN REYNOLDS is an award-winning author and photographer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including National Geographic, The New York Times, and Outside magazine. All seven books in her Vanishing Cultures series of photo-essays for children were recognized as Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, and she is also the author of Celebrate! Connections Among Cultures; Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life; and Only the Mountains Do Not Move. Reynolds holds the world record for women's high altitude skiing, was part of the first expedition to circumnavigate Mount Everest, and performed a solo crossing of the Himalayas. She lives with her family in Stowe, Vermont. Please visit her on the web at janreynolds.com.

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Jan Reynolds - Author, Illustrator JAN REYNOLDS is an award-winning author and photographer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including National Geographic, The New York Times, and Outside magazine. All seven books in her Vanishing Cultures series of photo-essays for children were recognized as Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, and she is also the author of Celebrate!

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Amprenula, a young Tiwi girl from an island off the Australian coast, gathers food with her mother. Amprenula lives closely with the land, just as her people have done for thousands of years, taking only what they need from the forest and the ocean around them.

For the Tiwi and other Aborigines, the land is sacred. It connects them with their ancestors and the beginning of creation. As Amprenula combs through the forests and mangrove swamps, she is proud to travel along the same paths, sharing the same land, as her ancestors from centuries ago.

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Themes

Comparing/Classifying/Measuring, Photographic Illustrations, Nature/Science, Nonfiction, Similarities and Differences, Responsibility, Multiethnic interest, Home, Holidays/Traditions, Families, Environment/Nature, Cultural Diversity, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Empathy/Compassion, Exploring Ecosystems, Human Impact On Environment/Environmental Sustainability , Informational Text, Pride

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It's springtime in the Arctic, and Sara and Kari are excited about the yearly reindeer roundup. Their people, the Sami, are moving the reindeer herds to mountain pastures for grazing. Family and friends also come together to celebrate the end of the long dark winter.

Sara and Kari help their father gather the family's herd together. Like other Sami people in northern Europe, Sara and Kari's family relies on reindeer for food, clothing, and shelter. Once the reindeer are rounded up, Sara and Kari join their neighbors and participate in springtime festivities such as games and reindeer races.

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People Also Bought

Written and photographed by Jan Reynolds

Hardcover: out of stock

Ebook

About the Creators

Jan Reynolds - Author, Illustrator

JAN REYNOLDS is an award-winning author and photographer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including National Geographic, The New York Times, and Outside magazine. All seven books in her Vanishing Cultures series of photo-essays for children were recognized as Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, and she is also the author of Celebrate! Connections Among Cultures; Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life; and Only the Mountains Do Not Move. Reynolds holds the world record for women's high altitude skiing, was part of the first expedition to circumnavigate Mount Everest, and performed a solo crossing of the Himalayas. She lives with her family in Stowe, Vermont. Please visit her on the web at janreynolds.com.

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Vanishing Cultures: Far North | Lee & Low Books

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In this series of seven books, photojournalist Jan Reynolds documents the distinctive cultures and climates of indigenous peoples.

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When twelve-year-old Edie finds letters and photographs in her attic that change everything she thought she knew about her Native American mother's adoption, she realizes she has a lot to learn about her family's history and her own identity.

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Kenalogak, a young Inuit girl, is helping her father build an igloo. She and her family sleep in this ice home while they are hunting caribou, an animal very important to her people.

While Father is hunting and Mother is sewing coats of caribou skin, Kenalogak and her brother play games and go ice fishing. Inside the igloo at night Grandmother and Grandfather lead the family in songs and dances. Kenalogak enjoys this time with her family, away from the village, learning the traditional ways of her people and their land.

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People Also Bought

Written and photographed by Jan Reynolds

Ebook

About the Creators

Jan Reynolds - Author, Illustrator

JAN REYNOLDS is an award-winning author and photographer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including National Geographic, The New York Times, and Outside magazine. All seven books in her Vanishing Cultures series of photo-essays for children were recognized as Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, and she is also the author of Celebrate! Connections Among Cultures; Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life; and Only the Mountains Do Not Move. Reynolds holds the world record for women's high altitude skiing, was part of the first expedition to circumnavigate Mount Everest, and performed a solo crossing of the Himalayas. She lives with her family in Stowe, Vermont. Please visit her on the web at janreynolds.com.

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Vanishing Cultures: Frozen Land | Lee & Low Books

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In this series of seven books, photojournalist Jan Reynolds documents the distinctive cultures and climates of indigenous peoples.

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Using illustrations that show the diversity in Native America and spare poetic text that emphasizes fry bread in terms of provenance, this volume tells the story of a post-colonial food that is a shared tradition for Native American families all across the North American continent. Includes a recipe and an extensive author note that delves into the social ways, foodways, and politics of America's 573 recognized tribes.

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High in the Himalaya, Yangshi's mother is making a rice drink to trade at the market. For Sherpas and Tibetans, trading is a means of sharing their crops and goods with others who live throughout the mountain chain.

Yanghsi's family also takes some of the rice drink to the monastery as a gift for the monks. Sherpas and Tibetans live simply, in harmony with the world around them. Yangshi's people believe life is an endless circle that goes around and around, as symbolized by the prayer wheel she spins at the monastery.

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Themes

Photographic Illustrations, Animal/Biodiversity/Plant Adaptations, Nature/Science, Nonfiction, Similarities and Differences, Responsibility, Multiethnic interest, Home, Holidays/Traditions, History, Families, Environment/Nature, Cultural Diversity, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Asian/Asian American Interest, Animals, Empathy/Compassion, Exploring Ecosystems, Human Impact On Environment/Environmental Sustainability , Informational Text, Pride, Geography

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In this series of seven books, photojournalist Jan Reynolds documents the distinctive cultures and climates of indigenous peoples.

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Puerto Rican parrots, once abundant, came perilously close to extinction in the 1960s due to centuries of foreign exploration and occupation, development, and habitat destruction. In this compelling book, Roth and Trumbore recount the efforts of the scientists of the Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Program to save the parrots and ensure their future. Woven into the parrots’ story is a brief history of Puerto Rico itself, from before the first human settlers to the present day.

With striking collage illustrations, a unique format, and engaging storytelling, Parrots Over Puerto Rico invites readers to witness the amazing recovery efforts that have enabled Puerto Rican parrots to fly over their island once again.

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People Also Bought

By Susan L. Roth, Cindy Trumbore
Illustrated by Susan L. Roth

Ebook

Above the treetops of Puerto Rico flies a flock of parrots as green as their island home. . . . These are Puerto Rican parrots. They lived on this island for millions of years, and then they nearly vanished from the earth forever.

Puerto Rican parrots, once abundant, came perilously close to extinction in the 1960s due to centuries of foreign exploration and occupation, development, and habitat destruction. In this compelling book, Roth and Trumbore recount the efforts of the scientists of the Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Program to save the parrots and ensure their future. Woven into the parrots’ story is a brief history of Puerto Rico itself, from before the first human settlers to the present day.

With striking collage illustrations, a unique format, and engaging storytelling, Parrots Over Puerto Rico invites readers to witness the amazing recovery efforts that have enabled Puerto Rican parrots to fly over their island once again.

Check out the educator activities for Parrots Over Puerto Rico, a title featured in RIF’s Multicultural Book Collections. To find other free activities that inspire young readers as well as learn more about Reading Is Fundamental, visit us at RIF.org.

Check out how to compare and contrast with Parrots Over Puerto Rico and Puffling Patrol .

For further exploration of themes and connections, pair these field trip and activity ideas with Parrots Over Puerto Rico.

Check out Puerto Rican Parrots art activity, made by Crayola® Creativity Central.

About the Creators

Susan L. Roth - Author, Illustrator

SUSAN L. ROTH’s vibrant, unique, mixed-media collage illustrations have appeared in numerous outstanding picture books, including Parrots Over Puerto Rico, winner of the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal; Prairie Dog Song; The Mangrove Tree; and most recently Every Month Is a New Year and Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words. Roth and her husband live in New York. Visit her online at susanlroth.com.

Photo: Daniel Gonzales

Cindy Trumbore - Author

CINDY TRUMBORE has been involved with young people's literature for most of her career. A former editor in children's book publishing, she now writes children's books, edits books for classrooms, and teaches writing. She has collaborated with her friend Susan L. Roth on several award-winning titles, including Parrots Over Puerto Rico, which won the Robert F. Sibert Medal for Nonfiction; The Mangrove Tree; and most recently Prairie Dog Song. She lives with her husband in Delaware. You can visit her online at cindykane.net.

Photo: Krysti Sabins

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Parrots | Puerto Rico | Wildlife Rescue | Environment | Latin American Interest | Lee & Low Books

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A picture book telling the intertwined histories of the Puerto Rican parrot and the island of Puerto Rico, culminating with current efforts to save the parrots from extinction.

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On an outing in Nicola Valley, British Columbia, a Native American family forages for herbs and mushrooms while the grandmother passes down her language and knowledge to her young grandchildren.

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Mount Everest—a place of mystery, majesty, and unparalleled beauty—rises into the sky higher than any other mountain on Earth. Many stories have been told about the dangers and triumphs of climbing to the summit; but few have been written about the Sherpa, the people who have lived on the mountain for centuries and consider it sacred.

Known for their bravery, strength, and skill in navigating the mountain’s treacherous slopes, Sherpas have played a crucial role in Mount Everest’s exploration since the 1920s. In recent years, however, increasing tourism has threatened the mountain’s fragile ecosystem. The Sherpa now face the challenge of restoring and protecting this sacred mountain for their future and for the world.

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Awards

Best Children's Books of the Year
Barnes & Noble Review

Society of Midland Authors Award, Juvenile Nonfiction
The Society of Midland Authors

Walter Williams Major Work Award
Missouri Writers' Guild

Themes

Photographic Illustrations, Nature/Science, Nonfiction, Responsibility, Religion/Spiritual, Overcoming Obstacles, Occupations, Multiethnic interest, Holidays/Traditions, Families, Environment/Nature, Cultural Diversity, Asian/Asian American Interest, Exploring Ecosystems, Human Impact On Environment/Environmental Sustainability , Informational Text, Integrity/Honesty , People In Motion, Persistence/Grit, Respect/Citizenship, Self Control/Self Regulation

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Mount Everest l Sherpa l environment l Asian | mountains l cultural traditions | Lee & Low Books

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Awards Best Children's Books of the Year Barnes & Noble Review Society of Midland Authors Award, Juvenile Nonfiction The Society of Midland Authors Walter Williams Major Work Award Missouri Writers' Guild Themes Photographic Illustrations, Nature/Science, Nonfiction, Responsibility, Religion/Spiritual, Overcoming Obstacles, Occupations, Multiethnic interest, Holidays/Traditions, Families, Environment/Nature, Cultural Diversity, Asian/Asian American Interest, Exploring Ecosystems, Human Impact On Environment/Environmental Sustainability , Informational Text, Integrity/Honesty , People In Motion, Persistence/Grit, Respect/Citizenship, Self Control/Self Regulation

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A framing narrative depicts a contemporary, diverse class of Native students presenting on topics related to Native American history and contemporary experience for Indigenous People’s Day. The bulk of the narrative is comprised of the students’ presentations, which cover topics both painful (Allotment, Assimilation, the Indian New Deal, Termination, Relocation) and hopeful (Tribal Activism, Self-Determination, Language Revival, Sovereign Resurgence, and more). An introduction and a handful of related points are provided for each. Extensive end matter for this digestible overview of ever-relevant events and subjects includes a timeline, glossary, and details about the people and events depicted. The colorful, culturally specific illustrations provide more in-depth context for the presentation topics. (Ages 7-10)

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for We Are Still Here! by Traci Sorell and Frané Lessac

From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

A framing narrative depicts a contemporary, diverse class of Native students presenting on topics related to Native American history and contemporary experience for Indigenous People’s Day. The bulk of the narrative is comprised of the students’ presentations, which cover topics both painful (Allotment, Assimilation, the Indian New Deal, Termination, Relocation) and hopeful (Tribal Activism, Self-Determination, Language Revival, Sovereign Resurgence, and more). An introduction and a handful of related points are provided for each. Extensive end matter for this digestible overview of ever-relevant events and subjects includes a timeline, glossary, and details about the people and events depicted. The colorful, culturally specific illustrations provide more in-depth context for the presentation topics. (Ages 7-10)

CCBC Choices 2022. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2022. Used with permission.

From the Publisher

A 2022 American Indian Youth Literature Picture Book Honor Book
A 2022 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

Twelve Native American kids present historical and contemporary laws, policies, struggles, and victories in Native life, each with a powerful refrain: We are still here!

Too often, Native American history is treated as a finished chapter instead of relevant and ongoing. This companion book to the award-winning We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga offers readers everything they never learned in school about Native American people's past, present, and future. Precise, lyrical writing presents topics including: forced assimilation (such as boarding schools), land allotment and Native tribal reorganization, termination (the US government not recognizing tribes as nations), Native urban relocation (from reservations), self-determination (tribal self-empowerment), Native civil rights, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), religious freedom, economic development (including casino development), Native language revival efforts, cultural persistence, and nationhood.

Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.

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TeachingBooks Book Descriptions | We Are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know

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for We Are Still Here!
by Traci Sorell
and Frané Lessac

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We Are Water Protectors empowers the reader to stand up for environmental justice and one of the most important elements for our survival – water.  The story, with its foundation taken from the 2016 Standing Rock protests in the Dakotas, takes place on Indigenous land and reminds us “we are stewards of the Earth and that together we must fight to protect our planet’s sacred water.”  Fighting against the arrival of an oil pipeline, the female main character, literally and metaphorically, stands up against the evil “black snake” calling on us all to embrace that “we are water protectors. WE STAND.”  Goade, through vibrant watercolors, communicates the clear and imminent necessity of communities standing together in solidarity for our world.  Young readers are called to respond passionately by joining the stand, pledging to become water protectors and earth stewards.

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We Are Water Protectors, written by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade, and published by Roaring Brook Press, is the Winner in the Books for Younger Children category.

We Are Water Protectors empowers the reader to stand up for environmental justice and one of the most important elements for our survival - water. The story, with its foundation taken from the 2016 Standing Rock protests in the Dakotas, takes place on Indigenous land and reminds us "we are stewards of the Earth and that together we must fight to protect our planet's sacred water." Fighting against the arrival of an oil pipeline, the female main character, literally and metaphorically, stands up against the evil "black snake" calling on us all to embrace that "we are water protectors. WE STAND." Goade, through vibrant watercolors, communicates the clear and imminent necessity of communities standing together in solidarity for our world. Young readers are called to respond passionately by joining the stand, pledging to become water protectors and earth stewards.

Author: Carole Lindstrom
Illustrator: Michaela Goade
Award: 2021 Winner Book for Younger Children

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We Are Water Protectors - Jane Addams Peace Association

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We Are Water Protectors, written by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade, and published by Roaring Brook Press, is the Winner in the Books for Younger Children category. We Are Water Protectors empowers the reader to stand up for environmental justice and one of the most important elements for our survival - water.

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Manda, a young Tuareg boy, is excited. He and his father are going to travel to a nearby village for a festival and camel races.

Manda helps his father prepare the camel caravan for the trip. The Tuareg have been traveling through the Sahara Desert on camelback for centuries, and the men take great pride in their camel-riding skills. As Manda leaves his village, he is eager to see the great riders in the races. He is proud to be going on this special journey with his father.

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Awards

Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
National Council for the Social Studies/ Children's Book Council

Parents' Choice Award Winner
Parents' Choice Foundation

Pick of the List
American Bookseller's Association

Themes

Photographic Illustrations, Animal/Biodiversity/Plant Adaptations, Nature/Science, Nonfiction, Similarities and Differences, Responsibility, Muslim/Muslim American Interest, Multiethnic interest, Home, Holidays/Traditions, History, Fathers, Families, Environment/Nature, Cultural Diversity, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Animals, Empathy/Compassion, Exploring Ecosystems, Human Impact On Environment/Environmental Sustainability , Informational Text, People In Motion, Pride, African/African American Interest, Geography

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Awards Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People National Council for the Social Studies/ Children's Book Council Parents' Choice Award Winner Parents' Choice Foundation Pick of the List American Bookseller's Association Themes Photographic Illustrations, Animal/Biodiversity/Plant Adaptations, Nature/Science, Nonfiction, Similarities and Differences, Responsibility, Muslim/Muslim American Interest, Multiethnic interest, Home, Holidays/Traditions, History, Fathers, Families, Environment/Nature, Cultural Diversity, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Animals, Empathy/Compassion, Exploring Ecosystems, Human Impact On Environment/Environmental Sustainability , Informational Text, People In Motion, Pride, African/African American Interest, Geography

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Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation

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Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation

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This nonfiction book examines how we can foster reconciliation with Indigenous people at individual, family, community and national levels.

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It is a special day for cousins Dawa and Olana. Dawa's father is going to find them two small horses in the family's herd. Like other young Mongolian boys, Dawa and Olana are learning to be skilled horsemen.

Living as nomads on the grassy plains, Mongolians rely on horses to support their traditional way of life. Horses help with the daily work of rounding up the goats and cows that provide meat and milk for food, as well as skins for clothing and shelter. Dawa and Olana hope that with their new horses, they will learn to be great horsemen.

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Themes

Photographic Illustrations, Animal/Biodiversity/Plant Adaptations, Nature/Science, Nonfiction, Similarities and Differences, Responsibility, Multiethnic interest, Home, Holidays/Traditions, History, Families, Environment/Nature, Cultural Diversity, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Asian/Asian American Interest, Animals, Empathy/Compassion, Exploring Ecosystems, Human Impact On Environment/Environmental Sustainability , Informational Text, People In Motion, Pride, Geography, Siblings

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Themes Photographic Illustrations, Animal/Biodiversity/Plant Adaptations, Nature/Science, Nonfiction, Similarities and Differences, Responsibility, Multiethnic interest, Home, Holidays/Traditions, History, Families, Environment/Nature, Cultural Diversity, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Asian/Asian American Interest, Animals, Empathy/Compassion, Exploring Ecosystems, Human Impact On Environment/Environmental Sustainability , Informational Text, People In Motion, Pride, Geography, Siblings

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When Lucia Zenteno walks into a mountain village in central Mexico, some villagers whisper that her long black hair blocks out the sun, and they are afraid. Others say her brilliant hair outshines the sun. Frightened, they banish Lucia from the village and watch in amazement as their precious river follows her, for it loves her and will not leave her. Never had the villagers imagined that their beautiful river would leave them, no matter what they did—and so the whole village sets out to find Lucia and beg for her forgiveness.

The legend of Lucia Zenteno is part of the oral history of the Zapotec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico—a region of Mexico renowned for its rich cultural history with roots that go back many centuries before Columbus. Alejandro Cruz Martinez, the Zapotec poet who wrote down the original version of The Woman Who Outshone the Sun, later gave up his life in his struggle to help win back the water rights of the Zapotec people.

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By Alejandro Martinez
Illustrated by Fernando Olivera

When Lucia Zenteno walks into a mountain village in central Mexico, some villagers whisper that her long black hair blocks out the sun, and they are afraid. Others say her brilliant hair outshines the sun. Frightened, they banish Lucia from the village and watch in amazement as their precious river follows her, for it loves her and will not leave her. Never had the villagers imagined that their beautiful river would leave them, no matter what they did-and so the whole village sets out to find Lucia and beg for her forgiveness.

The legend of Lucia Zenteno is part of the oral history of the Zapotec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico-a region of Mexico renowned for its rich cultural history with roots that go back many centuries before Columbus. Alejandro Cruz Martinez, the Zapotec poet who wrote down the original version of The Woman Who Outshone the Sun, later gave up his life in his struggle to help win back the water rights of the Zapotec people.

Check out the classroom-tested, standards-aligned lesson plan Using Picture Books to Explore Identity, Stereotyping, and Discrimination by Loraine Woodard with The Woman Who Outshone the Sun, provided by ReadWriteThink.org, a website developed by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English.

For ideas on how to teach the diversity of Spanish-speaking cultures, check out the NEH unit, La Familia, which recommends The Woman Who Outshone the Sun from EDSITEment, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) website for K-12 teachers, school librarians, and students.

Check out reading and craft tips created by the staff and partners of Reading to Kids, a grassroots organization dedicated to inspiring underserved children with a love of reading.

About the Creators

Alejandro Martinez - Author

was a promising young Zapotec poet who spent many years collecting the oral traditions of his people, including the story of Lucia Zeneno. He published his own version of the story as a poem in 1986. Alejandro was killed in 1987 while organizing the Zapotec to regain their lost water rights.

Fernando Olivera

is an internationally acclaimed painter who lives in Oaxaca, Mexico. He was fascinated with the story of Lucia Zenteno ever since he first heard it from his close friend Alejandro Cruz Martinez. His work has been shown internationally, in places like Mexico, El Salvador, and the US. His work is influenced by traditional Oaxacan ways of life, myths and legends, and political and social concerns.

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Folk Lore | Bilingual | Mexican History | Nature | Community | Lee & Low Books

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By Alejandro MartinezIllustrated by Fernando Olivera When Lucia Zenteno walks into a mountain village in central Mexico, some villagers whisper that her long black hair blocks out the sun, and they are afraid. Others say her brilliant hair outshines the sun.

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Teased for his fair coloring, eleven-year-old Jimmy McClean travels with his maternal grandfather, Nyles High Eagle, to learn about his Lakota heritage while visiting places significant in the life of Crazy Horse, the nineteenth-century Lakota leader and warrior, in a tale that weaves the past with the present. Includes historical note and glossary.