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The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (G.P.Putnam's Sons, 1989)

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The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (G.P.Putnam's Sons, 1989)

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This was one of the first novels I read about the Asian American experience after Song of the Buffalo Boy.  What made this book different for me was that it was also WRITTEN by an Asian author whereas the other book was written by a White author.  Its characters are all Asian American but the stories about their mothers in China were fascinating to me.  My mother is from Korea and her childhood was always a mystery to me so I was able to relate to these characters to my own background.  I was amazed how this book did not portray caricatures or stereotypes of Asians which is what I was accustomed to growing up. I felt a certain connection to my own identity after reading this book as an Asian American although I am not Chinese. It helped validate my own ethnic gender experiences. I realized after being influenced by this book how important diversity is literature. It fueled my desire to seek out more diverse literature. It made me realize not only how import diversity is in a collection but has long motivated me to create this type of landscape for the community I serve.

https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/19/books/the-joy-luck-club.html

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Discover and share books you love on Goodreads.

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Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson (Scholastic Corporation Weston Woods, 1995)

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Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson (Scholastic Corporation Weston Woods, 1995)

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This was one of the first books that I can remember from my childhood.  I loved how Harold used his imagination and made pies he could eat and places he could visit all by drawing them with his magical purple crayon.  I was always day dreaming as a child so I was delighted to find another child who did the same thing.  Growing up, I moved around quite a bit so aside from my older brother to play with, I was always in the process of making new friends.  This book was one of the first books I considered as a "forever friend" as I could find it in any library I visited no matter where we moved to.  It helped me feel less alone.  This book has influenced me to find books that can provide that same inspiration, comfort and companionship to the children I serve as a librarian.

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/crockett-johnson/harold-and-the-purple-crayon/

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Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews (Simon & Schuster, 1979)

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Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews (Simon & Schuster, 1979)

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I absolutely loved this book and the entire series when I was just entering high school! I read it when I was fourteen years old.  I loved how Cathy stood up to her mother at the end of the story and was able to escape the attic with her older brother and younger sister.  In a way it felt like a fairytale to me but in a modern era.  It was good versus evil.  It was also inspirational how Cathy and her siblings used their imaginations and the love they had for each other to pass the time while they waited for their mother to fulfill her promises to them. Many kids wondered why I was reading these books, but I genuinely cared for the characters in the book and felt their struggles were my own. Although I could not see myself ethnically through Cathy her being blonde and blue eyed, I did relate to her emotionally. I think many teenagers feel trapped in some way and tries to find the courage to remove themselves from a bad situation. This book is a personal reminder to seek out stories that can provide the same kind of inspiration, emotional connection, and excitement to middle schoolers and high schoolers.

https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/reading-in-the-attic

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Flowers in the Attic [V.C. Andrews] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Flowers in the Attic

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Where's Halmoni? by Julie Kim (Little Bigfoot, 2017)

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Where's Halmoni? by Julie Kim (Little Bigfoot, 2017)

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Although this book was published only a couple years ago, it really had such a profound impact on me.  Not only is this book about Korean-American children it is done in a graphic novel style and written in English but also with the Korean language on each page.  I love how it uses Korean folklore to tell its story and interweaves magic and mystery as well.  I was so happy to see the Korean American experience represented with its culture and history and language for children making it an invaluable part of diversity in any collection. As I loved discovering this book to add to our collection, it was also another reminder to want other readers to feel endeared to a title that they too could see themselves in. It reinforced in me the importance to continue to look for high quality books with diverse characters and backgrounds. To help those who are lonely to feel less so by being able to see themselves in the stories they read.

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/julie-kim/wheres-halmoni/

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Beautifully illustrated and told by debut author Julie Kim, this picture book in a graphic-novel style follows a young Korean girl and boy whose search for their missing grandmother leads them into a world inspired by Korean folklore, complete with mischievous goblins ( dokkebi), a greedy tiger, a clever rabbit, and a wily fox.

Two young children pay a visit to Halmoni (grandmother in Korean), only to discover she's not home. As they search for her, noticing animal tracks covering the floor, they discover a window, slightly ajar, new to their grandmother's home. Their curiosity gets the best of them, and they crawl through and discover an unfamiliar fantastical world, and their adventure begins. As they continue to search for their grandmother and solve the mystery of the tracks, they go deeper into a world of Korean folklore, meeting a number of characters who speak in Korean along the way, and learn more about their cultural heritage.

This beautifully illustrated graphic picture book is filled with a number of Easter eggs for readers of all ages to discover, and is inspired by the Korean folktales that author and illustrator Julie Kim heard while growing up. Translations to Korean text in the story and more about the folktale-inspired characters are included at the end.

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people & places - united states - asian american

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american / british style comic books and graphic novels

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british style comic books and graphic novels

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children’s / teenage fiction: family and home stories

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children’s / teenage fiction: general fiction

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children’s / teenage general interest: places and peoples

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children’s / teenage personal and social topics: families and family members

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juvenile fiction / comics & graphic novels / general

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juvenile fiction / family / multigenerational

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juvenile fiction / people & places / united states / asian american

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juvenile fiction/comics & graphic novels - general

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juvenile fiction/people & places - united states - asian american

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people & places - united states - asian american

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
teenage fiction: family and home stories

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teenage general interest: places and peoples

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teenage personal and social topics: families and family members

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family; books for kids 5-7; childrens books by age 5-8; books for 4 year olds; grandparents; kids books ages 6-8; books for 5 year old girls; books for 5 year olds; books for 5 year old boys; books for 6 year old girls; gifts for grandma; korean books; korean american; korean folklore; tiger; korean folktales; grandparents gifts; korea; korean books for kids; books for 7 year old girls; graphic novels for kids 6-9; comic books for kids 6-8; books for 8 year old boys; books for 9 year old boys

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korean american;korean folklore;tiger;korean folktales;grandparents gifts;korea;korean books for kids;gifts for grandma;korean books;family;books for kids 5-7;childrens books by age 5-8;grandparents;books for 4 year olds;books for 7 year old girls;books for 5 year old girls;books for 5 year old boys;kids books ages 6-8;graphic novels for kids 6-9;comic books for kids 6-8;books for 8 year old boys;books for 6 year old girls;books for 5 year olds;books for 9 year old boys;grandpa;grandpa book

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juvenile fiction / comics & graphic novels / general

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile fiction / family / multigenerational

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile fiction / people & places / united states / asian american

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile fiction/comics & graphic novels - general

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile fiction/people & places - united states - asian american

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
american / british style comic books and graphic novels

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
children’s / teenage fiction: family and home stories

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
children’s / teenage fiction: general fiction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
children’s / teenage general interest: places and peoples

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
children’s / teenage personal and social topics: families and family members

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Where's Halmoni? [Kim, Julie] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Where's Halmoni?

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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Macillian, 1865)

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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Macillian, 1865)

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I always loved this book because I felt the way Alice would stand up to the Queen or other adults was inspiring.  Her courage to say what she felt was right and wrong can teach other children to say what is on their mind.  Especially at the time this book was published children were typically seen and not heard.  I felt this book gave power to children to speak up and explore the world around them. I also loved the fact that Alice is a girl and especially around the time this book was published there were not too many female protagonists. While I am always championing diversity, I also try to seek out books that empower girls. This is one of the first books I can remember that I felt a girl, Alice, was a strong, feisty, well-liked character. She still reminds me to stay curious, and vigil when it comes to finding powerful female lead characters in both fiction and non-fiction genres. I included an article about an Alice pop up book which I absolutely adored as it is also interactive. My two copies of this pop up book are now very worn out.

https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-689-84743-1

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I honestly dont know what to rate it bc I dont even know how I feel about this. I am bitter about certain aspects but then I wonder why am I bitter about them when I have clearly seen weirder shit in some other books? Why does this make me feel any different?
If anything this book encourages the imagination to grow!
I hate Alice tho...she's annoying than all the adults in A series of Unfortunate events put together!

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Read this more than a decade ago and dont remember a single thing.
Rereading t...more

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Petra X wishes all US friends happy 4th July

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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, #1)

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I honestly dont know what to rate it bc I dont even know how I feel about this. I am bitter about certain aspects but then I wonder why am I bitter about them when I have clearly seen weirder shit in some other books?

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The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (Scholastic Press, 2008)

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The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (Scholastic Press, 2008)

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This book was simply amazing.  Hugo was all alone running the clocks and stealing food in order to survive.  The illustrations are beautiful and I love how the graphic novel and print are mixed together.  It is a long book but such a quick read because of the mystery that pulls you in.  Even though Hugo is alone he finds friendship in others giving children hope that they too can overcome their own loneliness.  The beauty and imagination of this book is just pure magic. This book is also a marvel because it won the Caldecott Medal creating acceptance of graphic novels. I read so many Archie comic books growing up with many teachers and classmates dismissing them as fake reading. However, I loved how pictures also would tell a story and this book paved the way for graphic novels to be taken seriously as literature. After reading this book I tried to build the juvenile graphic collection with interesting but fun stories. This is something I continue to do today and spread my enthusiasm not just to my daughter but the children that visit our library.

https://www.montclair.edu/iapc/review-the-invention-of-hugo-cabret-a-novel-in-words-and-pictures/

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The Invention of Hugo Cabret book. Read 14,228 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the...

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Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick Press, 2000)

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Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick Press, 2000)

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I liked how Opal tried to make the most of her life with her pastor father.  She tried to make sense that her mother just left them and even though she was a child and her father an adult, she coped better with her mother leaving than her father.  I really enjoyed how different this book was.  Most children's books never talk about mother's leaving, mother's are almost always portrayed as sweet and nurturing and supportive.  I was able to relate to Opal and her father and the fierce love she had for Winn-Dixie.  This book for me normalized a parent leaving a child. Most books did not touch on this subject much particularly with a mother leaving. It is a personal topic for me and I feel very sympathetic for children who go through a home life that is often not considered "normal".

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kate-dicamillo/because-of-winn-dixie/

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Song of the Buffalo Boy by Sherry Garland (HMH Books, 1994)

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Song of the Buffalo Boy by Sherry Garland (HMH Books, 1994)

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This is the first book I ever read that I could relate to as an Asian American.  This book features a biracial protagonist who is half Vietnamese and half Caucasian.  I am half Korean and half Caucasian.  I found this book in my late teens and even though the story mostly took place in Vietnam I was beyond delighted to read about a character who was similar to me as all the stories I had read prior were all White characters. This is one of the first books that inspired me to seek out more diversity in literature. I felt quite motivated and driven in my feelings that other children, teens, adults should be able to find themselves in the stories they read. I wanted everyone to have the experience I had with this book. The article I provide below does go over racism in this book regarding Caucasian features to be superior and beautiful as compared to the Vietnamese people in the background.

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/sherry-garland/song-of-the-buffalo-boy/

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Song Of The Buffalo Boy is a touching story of Loi, a Vietnamese daughter of an American soldier. She has her eyes on Khai, a buffalo tender. Khai really understands Loi and they create a plan to escape the village and get married. Promised in an arranged marriage to Officer Hiep, a hard-hearted older man and an abusive officer in their village, Loi flees to Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City. Along with thousands of others, she applies for the chance to go to the United States in search of his biological...more

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Song Of The Buffalo Boy is a touching story of Loi, a Vietnamese daughter of an American soldier. She has her eyes on Khai, a buffalo tender. Khai really understands Loi and they create a plan to escape the village and get married.

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My parents were an interracial couple and I didn't read too many books with these types of relationships.  This book featured a love story between Kate and Sam who were of different races.  Even though they lived during a time where this love was impossible they still loved each other. I felt this book offered a special type of positivity that hope and love can triumph over fear and hate. It is a truly inspirational book that can help children get through their own tough situations in their lives just as it helped me get through some of mine.

https://www.hbook.com/?detailStory=review-holes

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Read 26.4k reviews from the world’s largest community for readers. Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-s…

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Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel and Illustrated by Blair Lent (Square Fish, 1968)

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Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel and Illustrated by Blair Lent (Square Fish, 1968)

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I read this book to my daughter when she was three and then to her class when she was in kindergarten.  This book had a fun, rhythmic tone to it and my daughter loved having me read it to her.  Only years later I realized how racist this book is full of cultural inaccuracy and stereotypes.  This book is also written by a White author.  I add this book here because as an Asian American I realize that even I did not recognize the harm this book can cause. It was a wake up call for me to be more aware of how these types of books are inappropriate for Asian Americans as it perpetuates negative stereotypes and incorrect cultural information.  Even though I have explained all this to my now 12 year old daughter, she still likes this book. This book taught me to seek out what is authentic in the content as librarians are considered gatekeepers. It also made me realize how I internalized the racist beliefs of Asian Americans growing up. It really helped me have a better sense of perspective and an overwhelming reminder of how grateful I am that the landscape of literature is rapidly changing. This book has kept me aware of exercising caution when adding certain books to our collection. The article below details the racist themes and tones in this story.

https://socialjusticebooks.org/tikki-tikki-tembo/

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fairy tales & folklore - country & ethnic

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fairy tales & folklore - country & ethnic

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juvenile fiction / fairy tales & folklore / country & ethnic

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juvenile fiction / fairy tales & folklore / general

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juvenile fiction/fairy tales & folklore - general

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modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)

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folktales for children; children folktales; fairy tales for kids; fairy tales for children; read aloud stories; chinese culture; china children's books; award winning picture books; children's classics; juvenile books; kids books; picture books for toddlers; kid books; books children; young childrens books; books for young children

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juvenile fiction / fairy tales & folklore / country & ethnic

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juvenile fiction / fairy tales & folklore / general

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
juvenile fiction/fairy tales & folklore - general

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)

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Tikki Tikki Tembo [Mosel, Arlene] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Tikki Tikki Tembo