Notable Books for Global Society

By: Simon Jongekryg and Rachel Doran

Introduction/Purpose of Assignment

The Notable Books of a Global Society award is given to those books that do an
outstanding job informing people about culture and other people around the world. This
award is unlike many others, due to the fact that it awards around 25 books every year
to the Notable list. The purpose of this assignment was to open our minds into
multicultural literature and to understand the criteria that books must meet to be
considered for this award. As well as discover new books that we can utilize in the
classroom in order to teach our students about various cultures and open their eyes to
the world around them. We understand that this is not an ending point, but rather it is
just the beginning of our learning. We would need to continue to explore multicultural
literature to get a better understanding of those such cultures. In an Exploring
International and Intercultural understanding through Global Literature, it mentions that
“Intercultural understanding is not a destination point, but a continual process of growth”
(Capari & Short, 2015, p. 4). This really stands out because it directly relates to the
purpose of this assignment. This assignment is to open our eyes, we should not be
finished after this, it should make us think deeper about multicultural literature and we
should then be curious to find out more after we complete this assignment.

Steps in Completing the Assignment

In order to complete this assignment, we checked out the Notable Books of

Global Society lists, and picked out books that seemed interesting to us. We made sure
that four of the books were in fact chapter books when selecting, and then chose four
picture books to accompany them. After the books were chosen, we each picked two
chapter books and two pictures books that we were most interested in reading. Once
we chose our books, we got busy reading. We ended up changing some of our books
we chose because we thought we would be more interested in a different title and
wanted to cover a wider range of cultures within our eight chosen books.. Rachel read
the picture books first (One Hen & Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes), in order to
spend more time reading the chapter books she chose (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
& Ruby on the Outside). While she was reading she would sticky-note places that she
could reference later, that she believed represented the criteria of the Notable Books for
a Global Society. Simon started off by reading the chapter books first (The Red Pencil &
Courage has no Color) but soon after starting to read Courage has no Color switched
his book selection to George because he wanted to learn more about the Transgender
community and he was told that George was not only informational but a really good
read. After reading the two chapter books Simon moved on to the picture books he
chose (Deep in the Sahara & This Day in June). While reading, sticky notes were
placed for reference so that he could go back and give specific examples of how each
book represented a Notable Books for a Global Society book and met its criteria.

Definition of Multicultural Literature

Before learning about multicultural literature I, Rachel Doran, believed that it was
literature that gave insight into a specific culture, kind of like informational texts. After
learning more about multicultural literature through the textbook and reading these
books off of the Notable Books for Global Society lists, my definition has changed. I now
believe that multicultural literature is, literature that deals with different cultures or
religions and shows them in a positive, but honest light. I still believe that multicultural
literature is to inform others of another culture, or at least shine light on a different
culture, but I no longer believe that they are all informational texts. I learned that
multicultural literature can be any book that revolves around a culture, or many cultures.
I believe that these books can be a great way to show people a different side to culture,
and help to bring the number of people with Xenophobia down (The mistrust or fear of
people who are stranger or foreigners - Tunnel & Jacobs, 2015, p. 201).

When first thinking about Multicultural Literature in the classroom I, Simon

Jongekryg, didn’t really have a good idea or example that I could use to identify this
term. What I originally thought it could mean was literature that was meant solely for the
purpose of giving information to the reader about a specific culture (mostly in the form of
nonfiction). How I originally visualized it is something similar to what readers would see
in a history book or paper. My understanding of this type of literature has completely
changed. While the genre does do a good job of giving the reader an understanding of a
culture, I have found through my reading that the genre is so much more than that.
Books that are considered National Books for a Global Society contain fun and accurate
stories that shed light on a culture in a positive way. Another idea I had about
Multicultural Literature was that it was only going to be centered around different
religions or races from the ones prevalent in my own community. Through my reading I
have discovered that this was not the case and that culture means so much more,
ranging from the LGBT community all the way to the Muslim community hitting every
culture in between.
 The Eight Notable Books we Read:

Ten Little Toes and Ten Little Fingers:

Fox, M., (2008). Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes. New York, NY. Houghton Mifflin.
Summary:
This short story uses rhyme and rhythm to show how babies around the world
are all the same. It introduces two babies from two different places in the world, then
shows that those babies have ten fingers and ten toes. At the end of the story it
introduces one baby and how he has ten fingers and ten toes and how he is just like the
others. This book is a cute way to introduce different cultures. And it helps to show how
even though people are of different cultures, and born in many different areas, we are
all still people, with ten toes and ten fingers.
Strengths:
This book is beautifully made, and it shows different cultures in a positive light. I
love the rhyme that it has, and the predictability that comes at the end of each baby “we
all have ten fingers and ten toes”.
Weaknesses:
One thing that I would have liked to see more is, more information or detail about
the cultures. Rather than just saying a boy was born in France. Yes, the illustrations
provided some detail into their culture, but it would have been even more engaging with
specific details about a culture. Considering they are comparing two babies and then
stating we all have ten fingers and ten toes, providing more detail would allow readers
to fully understand how we might be from different places and value different things, we
are all the same.

One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference:

Milway, K.S., Fernandes, E. (2008). One Hen: How One Small Loan Made A Big
Difference. Tonawanda, NY. Kids Can Press Ltd.

Summary:
One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference, is about a young boy
named Kojo who lives in Ghana. His family and community is poor and they all live off
small loans that help the people in his community get by. One day Kojo uses the small
loan his mother gives him to buy a hen. He believes that he can sell the eggs his hen
produces and also give food to him and his mother. The eggs did so well he was able to
buy two more hens in six months. He was able to go to school and feed his family. He
went on to college and used his knowledge to buy a farm. Many people from his
community came to work on this farm, and depended on the money to support their own
families. Eventually, Kojo’s farm was the best thing to happen to Ghana. He had his
own family and he was able to support them, and his mother. It all started with a small
loan, one hen, and his big dreams.
Strengths:
This book is very inspirational. It shows that you can follow your dreams and you
can make something of yourself. The book was well written, and the illustrations were
beautiful. They definitely helped move the story along. I also love the fact that at the end
of the story there is “the real Kojo” and it just further talks about his life and what he has
accomplished, but it also has ways that you can help your community and a glossary for
words that you may not know.
Weaknesses:
Something I noticed while reading, is each page was lengthy with words. This is
more of a format critique, but breaking up the words so it is not just one full page of text,
might allow more readers to be interested in the story. The illustrations are beautiful but
the lengthy pages of text might not be as engaging as it could be.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas:

Boyne, J. (2006). The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. New York, NY. Random House
Children’s Books.
Summary:
This book is one that pulls at your heart-strings. A young boy named Bruno is
uprooted from his home in Berlin to Out-With (Auschwitz). Bruno has no idea why his
family had to move but he immediately hates it. His father is a part of the Hitler Soldiers
and is the one running the Auschwitz concentration camp. Bruno is an adventurists and
loves to explore. One day he decides to check out the camp that he sees in the
distance. He ends up meeting another young boy, one in the striped pajamas, and he is
so thrilled that there is another boy here that he can play with. They develop a
friendship and meet everyday to play. On one horrible day, the boys were lead to the tall
smoke towers that Bruno had seen in the distance. Because no one knew he was not
supposed to be there he was pushed into the tower with his friend. They both die
together. This story shows how your culture or background does not make you a better/
worse person than the next. Bruno became best friends with a boy and he did not factor
in that he was Jewish or looked different than him, he didn’t care about that stuff, all he
saw was another boy to play with. He ended up finding out the truth behind his father’s
work, but was never able to speak out about it.
Strengths:
This book is beautifully written. It impacts the way you think about the entire story
of the holocaust. Considering the children of the leader of Auschwitz don’t even know
where they are or how to say Auschwitz just in itself really allows you to feel for the
children. Not only that but the book allows the readers to make their own conclusions
along the way, they are able to ask questions and bring up good talking points which
just makes the book that much better.
Weaknesses:
The only critique I would give this book is not giving enough information about
the people Bruno is around. It is vague about their culture or where they are from and I
believe that with that information, it would bring the story to a whole new level. The
servants and people around him have such a big impact, but they are never truly
discussed.

Ruby on the Outside:

Baskin, N.R. (2015). Ruby on the Outside. New York, NY. Simon & Schuster Books for
Young Readers.
Summary:
Ruby on the outside is a story about a young girl, named Ruby who is living with
a big secret, her mother is in jail. She is about to start middle school and only her Aunt
know this about her. She meets a new friend in her apartment complex named Margalit
and they become best friends. Ruby is fearful to tell Margalit about her secret because
she is afraid they will not be friends anymore. Ruby then finds out that Margalit’s family
has a secret of their own, and it closely relates to the reasons her mother is in jail.
Margalit’s brother had lost his life, and Ruby’s mother was a part of the reason why.
Ruby doesn’t tell Margalit why her mother is in jail, but instead that she is in jail. When
Ruby writes a story about “Trudy” and sends it to her mother in jail, at the next visit her
mother tells her everything that happened. Ruby never tells anyone the reason her
mother is in jail, but after finding out that her mother didn’t truly hurt anyone she was
just with someone who did, she is able to face her fear of telling her friends about her
mother and goes into middle school with four new best friends.
Strengths:
This book would be a great for young readers. The style and language allow you
to feel that fear and sadness that Ruby has about her mother. Many people might be
able to relate to this type of story because everyone has backgrounds in their family that
they are not comfortable sharing. The story was easy to follow and allowed you to follow
Ruby’s journey to accepting her mother and herself.
Weaknesses:
A weakness that I noticed while reading was that it was slow going. You don’t
understand where the story is going until closer to the middle. The beginning chapters
are explaining Ruby and her family and new friends but the reader does not understand
the conflict until further along. I would have liked to see the problem clearly established
and then the journey to fix it closer to the beginning so the reader understands the point
of the book.
The Red Pencil:
Pinkey, A.D. (2014). The Red Pencil. New York, NY. Little Brown and Company.
Summary:
The Red Pencil is a story centered around a twelve year old girl named Amira
who lives in South Sudan with her mother, father and sister. Amira believes there is
much more to her life than just following the traditional ways of Sudan women. Amira
has dreams of Gad (a school that welcomes girls), reading, and drawing. She often
drew pictures in the sand with her favorite stick to keep busy. Then the Janjaweed
arrive. The Janjaweed are bad people who terrorize villages and kill people to push their
agenda. Sadly her father does not survive, but with the help of her father’s the rest of
her family is able to escape to a refugee camp named Kalma. There Amira loses hope,
she stops speaking, and doesn’t have the same passion for learning she once did. That
all changed when Amira got her Red Pencil and was able to draw again. With the help
of her father's friend she learns how to read/write and learns the power of words. She
also begins to dream of attending Gad again. How far is she willing to risk to make
something out of her life? Is she willing to run away from home and leave her family
behind? These are things she must ask herself and decide.
Strengths:
The story does a great job of giving great detail to Amira’s life. Talking about the
things she eats, the setting around her, her interests/interactions, and much more.
While reading the story I felt immersed in the community and could picture what life was
like there. I also really liked how the story was written. Each page contained a different
heading giving the reader an idea of what that page would entail. For this reason, every
page felt like a new story which gave the book freshness and excitement while also
tying in the different pages together to create one large story of Amira’s life that the
reader could follow.
Weaknesses:
One critique I will say about this story is that I wish the author would have talked
more in detail about Sudan culture and the way women were portrayed in that society.
The mother in the story discusses it a little when discouraging Amira from her hopes
and dreams but I just think there could have been more substance there to explain
societal issues and ideologies.

This Day in June:

Pitman, G.E. (2013). This Day in June. Washington, DC. Magination Press
Summary:
This Day in June is about a LGBT parade that takes place in the city during June.
The story highlights all of the different types of people that participate in the parade as
well as shows everything that goes into a parade of this stature. At the end the story it
explains that everyone is invited to this parade and how participants are united!
Strengths:
This book as two sentences per page while also giving rhyming words making it
an easy read for any student. This book can be seen as a simple book but what I really
like about it is that at the end of the book there is a “reading guide” section where
paragraphs of information are given to explain why each sentence was chosen in the
book. This is important because it gives stronger readers a deeper level of
understanding about the LGBT community. Another really special thing that this book
does is includes a “note to parents and caregivers” section at the end of the book giving
adults positive ways to discuss the LGBT community with their children and how to
answer any questions children may have.
Weaknesses:
After analyzing the book and thinking hard about weaknesses for the book it is
tough for me to find any weaknesses! The illustrations are amazing and do a great job
of showing the diverse culture and community present in the LGBT community. The
words are simplistic but deeper information is given about each sentence at the back of
the book. The story has a positive message and shows how happy people are to be
who they are and apart of the community. The book even contains a section for parents
so that they can answer any questions children may have or answers any questions for
parents. Overall this book was incredible and had so much depth to it! Great read!

Deep in the Sahara:

Cunnane, K. (2013). Deep in the Sahara. New York, NY. Schwartz & Wade Books.
Summary:
This is the story about a young muslim girl named Lalla who lives in the West
African Sahara. The story is centered around a piece of clothing Muslim women wear
called a malafa. Lalla desperately wants a malafa so she can grow up and be just like
all the other women in her village. But everyone sees that Lalla wants a malafa for all
the wrong reasons. Finally towards the end of the story Lalla’s mother gives her a
malafa when she feel she finally understands the meaning of a malafa and its
significance.
Strengths:
This book does a good job of shedding light on the Muslim culture and the
purpose of a malafa (head dress). A lot of malafa’s are seen in the United States and
most people don’t know what the purpose of the headdress and for that reason could
have xenophobia towards people with that attire. The story also contains many beautiful
illustrations throughout the book of the setting in that area and of the people in that
area.
Weaknesses:
The only critique I’d give about this story is that besides the minor details of the
Muslim culture the story does not talk about the customs practiced in that culture and
only sticks to what people are wearing, eating, and doing. I wish the story would have
given resources to visit if someone wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the
Muslim culture/community as a whole.

George:
Gino, A. (2015). George. New York, NY. Scholastic Press.
Summary:
George is the story of a 10 year old girl named George who was born as a boy.
George is in the fourth grade and has always known that she feels like a girl in a boy's
body but has never told anyone. As the fourth grade class, they are supposed to
perform a play on Charlotte’s Web. More than anything in the world George wants to
play the part of Charlotte but that is a part only played by girls. Still she tries out for the
part which her teacher does not agree with, explaining that there are too many girls
trying out for the part and if the audience saw her performing as Charlotte they would be
confused. Not only did George not get the part of Charlotte, but her best friend got the
part which made her more sad than anything. She would have to listen to her friend
(Kelly) talk about the part that she was born to play. After telling Kelly how she was
feeling deep down inside and that she is a girl in a boy’s body Kelly and George come
up with a plan so that she can play the part of Charlotte and show everyone who she
really is on the inside.
Strengths:
This is a very encouraging book that shows that everyone should be themselves
no matter what that might entail. The book also does a good job of showing what life
would be like for a transgender person, highlighting the struggles that they go through
during their everyday life. The story also shows how difficult it is for a transgender
person to explain to people what they are going through and shows that even after
explaining something like this to someone you love they might not understand or agree
with the decisions you are making. Overall the book does a good job of giving the
reader an idea of what transgender people go through, how they are feeling in various
situations, and what they do to overcome living in a body they don’t feel like represents
who they are on the inside.
Weaknesses:
Overall, the book does not contain many (if any) weaknesses. If a I could pick
one weakness for the book is that it did not provide an outlet for the transgender
community or a place to go to research the community as a whole. I feel like this book is
a very important read for anyone in a position like this and for that reason many people
in the LGBT community would read it. For this reason, it would be encouraging to see a
resource given so that readers would have an outlet to go to.

Criteria for the Notable Books for a Global Society

 Part I (Must 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;
This criteria means that the book shows a specific culture in a realistic way. A
book would not meet this criteria if, for example, the author was portraying an Asian
culture and failed to demonstrate the accurate physical characteristics of that culture or
only showed stereotypical representations of that culture.
• Be rich in cultural details;
Meaning, a book needs to have an abundance of details that support the culture
and explain further about the values and beliefs in that culture. This criteria is meaning
that a book cannot be vague, it must go into detail about a specific culture.
• Honor and celebrate diversity as well as common bonds in humanity;
This one is showing that a book not only talks about a specific culture, but also
the diversity among them through other cultures and how they interact with each other
in the world.
• Provide in-depth treatment of cultural issues;
Again, this one shows that a book should not be vague when discussing cultural
issues. A book provides many details about the issue, but also many details about how
it was resolved or how people are going about to change this issue.
• Include characters within a cultural group or between two or more cultural groups who
interact substantively and authentically;
This criteria means that a book shows people within one or more cultural groups
and provides many details about how they interact with each other in the world, but it
must be authentic and realistic.
• Include members of a “minority” group for a purpose other than filling a “quota.”
This criteria is meaning that a book provides a minority group to further explain a
situation, or show a specific culture in a specific way. The author of a book should not
include a minority group just because they need to for a requirement.
Part II (Must meet all criteria from this section.)
• Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response;
A book must be open for readers to have insights, reflection, and conversations
about the book. A book must be able to demonstrate those three points in order to allow
readers to get a full understating of a culture.
• Demonstrate unique language or style;
A book must include figurative language or a unique way of telling a story.
Something that sets this book aside from others.
• Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written; and
 Whether a book is fiction, or nonfiction, or any of the subcategories in between,
the book should still follow the same criteria for that genre. That is how the book is
identified.
• Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.
This criteria makes sure a book is made well and is appealing to a reader. Which,
could be argued as very important, considering readers are the target audiences.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (Winner)

Part I
● 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;
○ The Boy in the Striped Pajamas portrays cultural accuracy and
authenticity of characters right off the bat. Bruno and his family were
German, and his father was a commandment for the Nazi’s (Boyne 2006,
p. 7). They are obviously wealthy due to the details about their house in
Berlin that “was enormous” and when they moved to Poland Bruno was
upset because “the new house had only three floors” (pp. 11-12). Next,
when the camp is introduced Boyne makes it clear of their appearance.
He mentions how when the children (Bruno and Gretel) see the camp from
the window “they look filthy. Those children look like they’ve never had a
bath in their lives” (p. 37) which shows just how the people in the camp
were living. Later on, when Bruno finally meets Schmuel “his skin was
almost the color of grey, he had very large eyes, and when the boy looked
up at him all Bruno could see was an enormous pair of sad eyes staring
back at him” (pp. 106-107). From that point you can see the difference the
two boys have from each other. After the boys meet they begin to talk
about their home lives which only shows the differences between the boys
even more. For example, Schmuel tells bruno that before he came to the
camp he lived with his “mother and father and my brother Josef in a small
flat above the store where papa makes watches” (p. 126). We already
knew that Bruno’s family is a part of the Nazi party and his father works
closely with “the Fury” (p. 120). From learning about the boy’s
backgrounds we see that they come from different social and economic
status but, they don’t see that they are all that different. The further along
the boys are friends, Bruno notices that Schmuel is getting skinnier and
more grey (p. 161). The physical characteristics of Schmuel, perfectly
 represent what a boy living in Auschwitz would look like. Bruno, who has
no idea what the camp is, notices these physical characteristics and does
not understand why. The book does a great job comparing the two boy’s
lives and characteristics to show just how bad these camps were.
● Be rich in cultural details
○ The Boy in the Striped Pajamas has many cultural details sprinkled
throughout the story. Considering the book takes place at Auschwitz there
are many opportunities to bring to light these details. For example, Bruno
is a nine year old German boy who has no idea what Jews are or why his
father made them move away from Berlin and he cannot even pronounce
Auschwitz correctly (p. 181). You, as the reader, can tell how clueless he
was even though his father was the one in charge of the camp. Another
cultural detail that is stated throughout the book is the way the soldiers talk
to and treat the people who are in the camp, which include the servants
Bruno has in his home. You see a little bit of it in the beginning with the
cook Pavel, lieutenant Kotler was addressing Pavel by screaming at him
and in the words of Bruno “adding a word he did not understand,
something about the harsh sound of it made Bruno look away and feel
ashamed to be part of this at all” (p. 75). The soldier’s talk down to the
people who are less than them and Bruno does not understand why.
Later, you see the way that lieutenant Kotler talks to his friend Schumel
when he is there polishing glasses. Lieutenant Kotler was harsh and loud
when talking to Schumel and later you see how Schumel’s face is black
and blue and it is inferred that lieutenant Kotler had done it (pp. 171-173).
Bruno does not understand why they get treated so differently. He is of
upper class, and also German, therefore he does not have to go through
the same discrimination as the Jewish people who work for him and live in
the camps.
● Honor and celebrate diversity as well as common bonds in humanity
○ This entire book is about the friendship of two unlikely friends. Bruno and
Schumel come from totally different backgrounds, one is German, the
other Jewish and they are from different parts of the world. However when
they meet they first establish that they have the same birthday, “I don’t
mean I don’t believe you. I mean I’m surprised, that’s all. Because my
birthday is April the fifteenth too. And I was born in nineteen thirty-four. We
were born on the same day. We’re like twins.” (pp. 109-110). From that
moment on the boys were to become best friends and tell each other
about their lives. When Bruno tells leiutenat Kotler that he does not know
Schumel in the kitchen he regrets it because he feels like he let his friend
down. He was just as scared as Schumel was (p. 173). He made a
 promise to Schumel that he would never let him down again. Later on in
the story Schumel asks Bruno if he could come help him look for his
father, it would be Bruno’s last day in Auschwitz and Bruno agrees. The
boys look around the camp and find no clues, when they are pushed into a
marching mob and led to the smoke stacks. Bruno doesn’t know what is
going on, and neither does Schumel until they are led inside. Bruno grabs
Schumels hand and the lights go out, and they die together (p. 210-212).
These boy’s were unlikely friends, but they are an example that young
children do not see the differences that adults do. They see another child
to play with and they could care less about their background, their race, or
their religion.
Part II
● Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response
○ The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is open to many perspectives and invites
readers to reflect on the issues at hand. For example, Bruno asks the
maid, Maria, about Pavel. He had told Bruno that he was a doctor but he
didn’t understand why he was waiting on the tables and not being a
doctor. Maria mentions that he was in fact a doctor but he does not
practice it anymore and then she goes on to say “if I tell you what I know
about his life you mustn’t tell anyone, this is what I know” (p.137). The
reader is then able to infer that Pavel was one of the men in the camp,
and he was no longer able to practice medicine because he was taken
away and at the time Nazi’s wouldn’t allow anyone who was Jewish to
practice medicine. Next, the reader is able to reflect on the fact that Bruno
was clueless as to what was going on around him. The reader can ask
questions like why did the father not mention to the family the reasons for
their move, it was only stated that it was for fathers work and the Fury had
big plans for him (p. 8). Or why did no one talk to Bruno about the work
that his father does? Bruno found out about the camp and how the people
were different through his sister (p. 179). There are many questions that
can be examined throughout the story, which allows great talking points
and reflection throughout.
● Demonstrate unique language or style;
○ The Boy in the Striped Pajamas has a unique style. The book is told in a
third person point of view with dialogue in first person. For example, the
chapter will begin with an observation about what is happening “When
Bruno first approached the boy he was sitting cross-legged” but later on
dialogue will come into the picture and it will be in first person “I’ve been
exploring” (p. 107). Because of this unique style, the reader is able to
follow along and read it as though looking through a movie screen. The
 language used in the book is also engaging. Because it is being told, in a
way through the eyes of a nine year old, the reader is reading things like
“Out-With” instead of “Auschwitz” because Bruno does not know how to
pronounce it. Or when Lieutenant Kotler is speaking to Pavel and calls him
a word that Bruno does not know, the reader sees that Bruno is naive and
may not have been exposed to discriminating words like Kotler was using
(p. 75). Overall, the book is well written and is engaging throughout the
entire story.
● Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written;
○ I would categorize this book as Historical Fiction. This is due to the fact
that it is written about a historical topic, the Holocaust, and it is something
that could have happened but it is hard to say. In Children’s Literature
Briefly it identifies Historical Fiction as “must be set in the past and the
characters are generally fictional” (Tunnel & Jacobs 2016, p. 155). In this
particular book, Bruno is the protagonist and he is set in a famous
historical event. The next part of the criteria that this book meets is
character development (Tunnel & Jacobs p. 155). For example, Bruno
starts off as a young boy who just wants to be an explorer and is sad
about moving away from Berlin. Later on in the story he decides he is
going to explore again, when he meets Schumel. This friendship blossoms
his curiosity about the reasons for the camp and why they are there and
Bruno’s character develops from there. While the ending is not what
everyone would wish for, in a way it represented how innocent people died
for no reason (Boyne p. 212). Next on the list is creditability to the plot
(Tunnel & Jacobs p. 155). The plot is based around a concentration camp
in Auschwitz, if you have prior knowledge on the subject the reader is able
to relate that to the plot of the story to make sure that it is realistic. For
example, when Bruno first sees the camp he sees hundreds of people “all
moving around. Some stood perfectly still, some were formed in some sort
of chain gang, pushing wheelbarrows. Others were on crutches and had
bandages around their heads” (p. 36). Just in that small quote anyone with
background knowledge on the subject can see that the plot is reliable and
formed to what is best known about the camps. The next criteria of
Historical Fiction that the book follows is the quality of writing style (Tunnel
& Jacobs p. 155). This book shows this through it’s unique style and
language that is used throughout the story. As mentioned above, the style
of writing is unique because it gives the reader an image as though they
are looking through a movie screen or a window into what is happening in
the story. I believe that this best represents the topic at hand because not
only does Bruno only see some parts of what is happening in his life, like
 not knowing what happens in the camp, or what the soldiers are really
doing, the reader is also able to experience that with Bruno. This book
defines the setting right off the bat, which is the next criteria of Historical
Fiction. Bruno mentions how lonley this new house is, he even mentions
how he doesn’t think anyone laughs here (Boyne p. 13). That alone shows
how depressing and sad this new place is to just Bruno, not even to the
people in the camp. Later, Schumel talks about the camp, and how bad it
is in there. Schumel says,” Mama was taken away from us, and Papa and
Josef and I were put into huts over there and that’s where we’ve been
ever sense” (p. 130). And other things like “if they catch me I will be in
trouble” (Boyne p. 132). As the reader you are able to feel the fear and
sorrow that is in the air. And lastly, handling of theme (Tunnel & Jacobs p.
155). This book has about five main themes throughout: Friendship,
loneliness, genocide, childhood innocence, and discrimination. The book
touches on each and every one of these themes throughout the book.
While these may not be typical “fiction” themes, they are representative of
the historical part. Discrimination and genocide are shown in the camps,
servants, and the death at the end. They are looked at as less than
everyone else, they are treated badly, and they are killed because they
are not German. Childhood Innocence is shown through Bruno and his
curiosity into the world. He doesn’t have a clue about what is going on
around him and even when his sister tells him (p. 179) he still doesn’t fully
understand. Friendship and loneliness can be seen in the unlikely
friendship between Bruno and Schumel, and you can feel the loneliness
because they are alone in the house and all Bruno has is his friend on the
other side of the fence. This book does a wonderful job touching on
everything that there needs to be in a Historical Fiction book and as
Tunnel and Jacobs states “ It should not be sugarcoated, and the
historical period should come to life” (pp. 157-159).
● Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.
○ Right off the bat, a reader is interested in the book just by the title and the
cover illustration. It is interesting enough to allow a reader to pick it up and
begin reading. The first chapter is about how Bruno thinks he is being sent
away when in reality they are all being sent away and he doesn’t know
why (pp. 3-5). The chapters are not too long, but they are all related in
some way. For example, one day Bruno asks Schumel a question but at
the time he did not have an answer (p. 115) and then it goes to how his
family was having dinner with “The Fury” (p. 116). But, it comes back to
that question the next chapter, the next day, and so the reader is never left
 feeling like something will not be answered (p. 126). The book was
amazing, and eye-opening all at the same time.

Uses in the Classroom:

I would most definitely introduce this book to a classroom of 6-7th graders. It has
some difficulty to it, but around that time is when they begin to learn about the
Holocaust. I believe that this book would be a great asset to the unit because, the
students are getting a viewpoint other than just a history textbook. While Bruno is nine
years old, I do not believe that this book would be suitable for students of that age, due
to the content of the book and the level of difficulty. Middle schoolers are reading
textbooks and usually have a higher reading level than those of nine year olds, which is
why I believe it would be better suited for that age group. Student’s would be engaged
in this book through the exploration and curiosity that is being portrayed throughout.
Especially if students are just learning about the Holocaust for the first time, they are
just as clueless and curious as Bruno. Bruno is the youngest in his family and is
uprooted from his home to somewhere he doesn’t know. Many students might be able
to relate to Bruno, or Schumel, which only makes the book that much more engaging.
Another good reason that they will be more engaged is because when students are
interacting with global literature, they are naturally going to be curious and have “natural
interest” with the story (Corapi & Short, 2015 p. 3). Incorporating this book in history, or
even literacy, gives the students that much more information about the Holocaust, while
making it new and engaging. Many students will not be engaged during a discussion or
textbook chapter so it is very important to have these other ways of getting a point
across. Yes, the ending of this book is very sad, but the Holocaust was sad and that
was their reality. Schumel didn’t know where his father went, he just vanished one day,
and for Bruno’s family, so did Bruno. It is important for students to realize that history is
not sugarcoated and this is the reality of what happened. Tunnel and Jacobs mention
that History textbooks cover too much information therefore lacking giving important
dates, people, events the proper details (Tunnel & Jacobs p. 154).
We chose this book as the winner because this book is outstanding, and
deserves to be introduced to young readers. It has so much information and just overall
content that can really help to solidify what students are learning in those history
classes. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas goes above and beyond on hitting the required
criteria for a Notable Book for Global Society, and it has ample examples for each part.
Out of all the books that we read this one was the most fitting to be the winner. It is
heart-felt, eye-opening, and overall fantastic. We would use this in middle school
classrooms, and it fits with both history and literacy which makes it that much better.
You learn a lot about innocence, and friendship while reading this book, and we believe
that everyone could always use a little more of that. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a
great multicultural literature piece, strictly for the fact that it has both sides of the
Holocaust, they become friends, and you are learning about some of the things that
happened during that time in Auschwitz. The reader is eye-opened to the way that the
people in the camp are treated, they are heart-broken with Schumel and Bruno’s
friendship. There are so many reasons why this one stood out to us more than the
others and deserves to be included on our list.

Literary Elements:
Every good book has a great plot, theme(s), voice, characterization, and of course
writing style. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas shows all six of these elements, which
brings the story to life.
● Plot:
○ The plot starts off when Bruno comes home and sees his maid, Maria,
packing up all his things. Bruno’s mother lets him know that they have to
move because of his father’s work (Boyne pp.1-3). It then goes to when
they are moving into their new house and Bruno absolutely hate it there
(p. 55). Bruno feels lonely and that’s when he decides to go exploring
down to the camp that he has seen from his window in the distance (p.
95). The plot kind of stalls there for a few chapters because Bruno is
accepting the fact that they are staying there, and it has been a year
already since their move. The next thing that happens is Bruno’s father
informs him and his sister that they will be going back to Berlin with their
mother and he will stay there until his work is done (p. 192). This is kind of
like the climax in the story because this is when Bruno then decides to
enter the camp with Schumel in search for his father, but then it takes a
terrible turn (p. 212). The last few pages talk about how his family never
knew what happened to him, he just vanished one day. His father did find
his clothes and decided that he had entered the camp at the end but it
never tells if the family figured out he had died (p. 215).

● Theme(s):
○ The themes that are shown throughout this story is friendship, genocide,
discrimination, loneliness, and childhood innocence. These are the big
things that are talked about most throughout the entire story. You are able
to see loneliness with many of the characters in the story. For example,
the reader can see how lonely the mother is because Bruno keep
observing her with her “medicinal Sherry” quite often and he notices that
she takes many naps during the day (p. 188). The reader can see that the
mother is obviously not happy there. The reader can also see loneliness
with Gretel and Bruno. They do not have anyone else here, and they do
not get along with each other. This caused a lot of bored days and sorrow
 between the both of them (p. 152-153). And lastly, you see loneliness with
the people in the camp. There is a very powerful quote that talks about the
camp that allows the reader to visually imagine how the people in the
camp are feeling. “Everywhere they looked they could see people, tall,
short, old, young, all moving around. Some stood perfectly still in groups,
their hands by their sides, trying to keep their heads up, as soldiers
marched in front of them, Some were formed into a sort of chain gang and
pushing wheelbarrows from one side of the camp to the other, A few stood
near the hurts in quiet groups staring at the ground as if it was the sort of
game where they didn’t want to be spotted” (p. 36). And later Schumel
talks about how his mother was taken from him (p. 126) and then his
father was nowhere to be found (p. 194). There are many examples
throughout the story that show the loneliness that these characters are
feeling. The next theme is friendship, which is shown through the unlikely
friendship of Bruno and Schumel. Schumel is the only friend let alone
person Bruno has there. It becomes very important because Bruno begins
to accept his fate of being there and doesn’t always want to go home to
Berlin anymore. Genocide is indirectly shown when Bruno is observing the
camp and the men go behind a hut and then disappear (p. 36). But it is
directly shown at the end when the boys are led into an airtight room, the
lights shut off and neither one of them are to be seen again (p. 212).
Discrimination is throughout the story, from when Kotler is talking to Pavel
in an aggressive tone (p. 75), to the way that Schumel is treated when he
is working for the family (p. 173). Everyone who is Jewish, part of the
camp, or the servants in the house are treated poorly and it is a main point
throughout the story. Lastly, childhood innocence. Bruno is very Naive and
he does not understand a lot of what is going on around him. When talking
to Schumel he always thinks that he knows what is “right”. Schumel was
talking about his trip over to the camp and how the wagon had no doors
but Bruno kept saying that there were at the end he just needed to go to
the end (p. 130). Or Bruno would tell Schumel to come over for dinner,
even though Schumel knew he never could (p. 132). Bruno then finds out
a lot about the reasons they are here in Auschwitz by his sister (p. 181).
You can really see Bruno’s innocence by the fact that he called Auschwitz
“Out-With” and cannot pronounce it correctly. That alone shows how
innocent Bruno is. These themes are present throughout the whole story,
making more of an appearance in some places over others but they stand
out just as well. The reader is able to reflect on these themes and they
create wonderful talking points.
● Voice
 ○ The author uses his voice to explain what is happening throughout the
story. It is written in third person and gives the reader a view as though
they are looking through a window into the story. The dialogue is what
brings the story to life because you are able to see how the characters are
thinking and reflect on it.

● Characterization
○ Boyne does a great job showing the characters development. Bruno is
obviously very stubborn, that is seen right off the bat when he is told they
are moving (p. 3). But, later you get clues that Bruno is curious and while it
directly says he wants to be an explorer (p. 99) the author indirectly shows
his curiosities. For example, Pavel tells Bruno that he was a doctor (p. 82),
well that question never leaves Bruno’s mind. He continues to think about
it until he asks Maria about why Pavel isn’t a doctor any longer (p. 136).
Bruno made his way down to the camp and is curious about why it is
there, and what it means (p. 100). Bruno’s character continues to develop
throughout the story, however when Bruno dies, so does the curiosity and
innocence that was being portrayed in the story. Boyne did a great job
having those things revolve around Bruno and when he died so did those
things.
● Writing Style
○ The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a narrative. While it is something that
could have happened, it is still a fictional story. The author uses many
details that reflect a historical setting, such as the Auschwitz camp, and
the difference between Berlin which was shown to be happy and “the new
home” to be depressing and sad (p. 11). The book follows all the criteria of
a good historical fiction book, it is engaging and uses great descriptive
language to get feelings across to the reader. The writing style of this book
is what makes it so amazing. The reader feels as though they are
watching the story and they are able to feel what is happening with all the
characters and feel the settings taking place.

George (Honor)

Part I
● 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;
○ (d) social and economic status: throughout the book there were examples
given that talked about how George was portrayed by her peers and how
 she felt in social settings. When Ms. Udell (George’s third grade teacher)
finished reading Charlotte’s Web George began to cry. She was different
from the other boys in her class and one of her characteristics was that
she was very emotional. When the student’s heard her crying in the class
they said “some girl is crying over a dead spider.” “That ain’t no girl. It’s
George.” “Close enough” (p.12). This shows just how much transgender
people feel isolated from their peers, they have no sense of belonging and
don’t act in the way that they “should” and for that reason get ridiculed and
made fun of.
● Honor and celebrate diversity as well as common bonds in humanity;
○ The book does a great job of celebrating diversity and showing that people
who are different from others can still be loved in the same way. An
instance of this can be seen when George opens up to her friend Kelly
about being transgender and Kelly excepts her for who she is. This can be
seen when Kelly confronts George and says “I’m sorry I ignored you last
week, and you know what, if you think you’re a girl… then I think you’re a
girl too!” (p. 104). Kelly does not shy away from George because she is
different, to her, she is still her best friend and nothing can change that.
● Provide in-depth treatment of cultural issues;
○ The story gives plenty examples of obstacles George has to face in her
everyday life because of who she is. When trying out for the part of
Charlotte in the school play that George so desperately wanted to be in
her teacher said “Was that supposed to be some kind of a joke”, “you
know I can’t very well cast you as Charlotte, I have too many girls who
want the part. Besides, imagine how confused people would be” (p.70).
This shows the treatment George received just because she was different
and wanted to reverse typical cultural roles and play Charlotte. She felt as
if she couldn’t reach her potential and be herself without scrutiny from
others.

Part II
● Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response;
○ The story does a good job of allowing the reader to reflect about certain
aspects of the story and pushes the issue further so that readers can
analyze it in a way to respond with their own opinions and thoughts on the
book. A moment in the book where I stopped and reflected for a moment
is towards the end where Melissa (George’s girl alter ego that she dresses
up as to go to the zoo) thinks “she wishes she could be like this forever”
(p.190). This made me think, at what age is it okay for a transgender to
decide they want to make that change and be who they really want feel
 like they are? As a parent when would you tell your kid it is okay to dress
as the opposite sex? There are moments throughout the book where
George’s mom pushes her away from being who she really wants to be
and doesn’t believe George. What is the right plan of action for a situation
like this? As you can see there are many moments throughout the story
that causes the reader to stop and think about and analyze what they
would do in a situation like that.
● Demonstrate unique language or style;
○ This story had unique language and style because it was written in 3rd
person omniscient meaning it was told through the eyes of the author but
the reader was still able to understand how certain characters were feeling
throughout the story. This was especially important for a book like this
because it was crucial that the readers knew exactly how George was
feeling in each situation because it allowed the reader to gain an
understanding of what transgender people experience on a day to day
basis and how those experiences affect their self-esteem and emotional
health.
● Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written;
○ The story of George falls under the genre of contemporary realistic fiction
in that it is a non-true story but the idea of a young transgender boy who
feels like he is a girl could actually happen and probably actually has in a
lot of cases. This book is set at a school where most kids could relate to
and have experienced different situations that George has experienced
like bullies, homework, school plays, and many more things. In Children’s
Literature Briefly the authors describe contemporary realistic fiction as a
genre that “tells a story that never happened but could have happened”
and “is possible on planet earth” (p.137). All of these examples apply to
this book and that is why it meets the criteria for the genre.
● Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.
○ The story contains an appealing format because it is a contemporary
realistic fiction book where students can relate to the main character and
see similarities between their life and the main character's life in many
ways. The story also is of good quality because it gives accurate
descriptions of the life of a transgender child and how they struggle in their
daily lives as well as deal with certain obstacles that are in their way.

Uses in the Classroom

When thinking about the story of George, I think that this would be the perfect
book to introduce to a 4th grade classroom. There are many reasons why I think this.
George is a 4th grade student at her school. From Children’s Literature Briefly when
discussing contemporary realistic fiction the authors state “The rule of thumb is that
children will read about characters who are slightly older than they are but are hesitant
about reading books with characters who are younger” (p. 139). By giving students a
book about a 4th grade classroom they will become more immersed in the story and
may become more interested in the book. Another reason why I would begin sharing
this book in 4th grade because the content of a book and the meaning of the book is
something a 4th grader could grasp and would encourage the students to self-reflect
and analyze. In 4th grade it is important for students to learn that it is okay to be
yourself and not okay to bully others for being different. Also, social norms start to arise
around this age where everyone is expected to be a certain way based on who they are
and it is important to push past this stereotyping and encourage people to be different.
Overall this would be a great read to introduce to a 4th grade classroom.

Literary Elements
Like any book, George contains literary elements that set as a backdrop for the
book and gives it meaning. The literary elements are displayed through the plot, theme,
voice, characterization, and writing style.
Plot: The plot of the story all starts when George’s 4th grade teacher announces
that their class will be acting out Charlotte’s web for the whole school and parents.
George desperately wants to play the part of Charlotte but that part is reserved for girls.
George acts, feels, and wants to be a girl but unfortunately he is not in everybody else's
eyes. George must find a way to everyone that she is a girl, because if she is perceived
as a girl on stage maybe people will see her for who she really is offstage.
Theme: The central theme of this story is that it is okay to be yourself no matter
what that might entail. It also holds the theme that transgender people often times feel
lost and have to go through hurdles to become who they really are inside.
Voice: The author does a good job of using their voice to tell the story in 3rd
person about a transgender student named Alex. The author tells the story in a way
where the reader knows exactly how every character is feeling and makes sure to put
the characters voice throughout the story by giving them their own personality and
carrying on that personality throughout the story for each character.
Characterization: This story uses the characterization method of indirect
characterization because the personality of each character isn’t told right off the bat to
the reader rather the readers learn different characteristics and personality traits
through different events that take place and occur. An example of this can be seen
when George cries at the end of Charlotte’s Web. From this event we can concur that
George is more emotional than boys her age and is different in more ways than one.
Writing Style: The author uses the writing style of narrative writing in that they
use descriptive language to tell their story so that the reader can imagine a world where
a story like this could actually occur in real life. The book almost feels like a movie that
you are watching and discovering new things about.

Deep in the Sahara

Part I
● 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;
○ (a) This is a story about a Muslim village in West Africa therefore all of
characters were displayed in the way that they would actually look in their
culture having a darker skin complexion and wearing clothes that one
would typically where in that society. The illustrator did a wonderful job of
applying physical characteristics and representing them in this story.
● Be rich in cultural details;
○ The story was filled with many minor cultural details of the Sahara and
Muslim community that young readers could see and gain an accurate
understanding of what people living in that society experience every day.
Some examples of this were the different malafa’s the women were
wearing around the village, how the village homes looked in the
illustrations, and people riding donkeys, wearing flip-flops, hot weather.
Basically any descriptive things displayed throughout the story can be
seen as giving readers cultural details about the society in that area.

Part II
● Invite reflection, critical analysis, and response;
○ Towards the end of the book Lalla realizes what the malafa is really for
saying “a malafa is for faith” (p. 29). This allows the reader to reflect and
analyze on any special customs that they have in their society that relates
to faith. As well as, they can analyze the malafa
● Demonstrate unique language or style;
○ This book is very unique in how the author adds different Hassaniya words
throughout the story but right after saying that foreign word adds it’s
english meaning so that the reader does not get confused. This is a very
cool way of writing because it allows the reader to learn different cultural
words from that community while reading the story.
● Meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written;
○ This story meets the generally accepted criteria for a picture book in many
ways. For one the illustrations directly relate to what is being said
 throughout the text on each page. This helps the reader create a visual
representation of what is being said without confusing them. Another
important aspect of a picture book that this story follows is that the
illustrations are very colorful and attracting to the reader. Also the
illustrations themselves told a story to the reader and could easily be a
way to tell the story to an emerging reader.
● Have an appealing format and be of enduring quality.
○ This book was very appealing in the way that it told it’s story and shared
different cultural aspects of the Muslim community. First of all it was a
picture book, so it did not feel like the reader was overwhelmed with
information about a certain topic rather they were reading an interesting
story that they just happened to learn a lot from. Another appealing thing
about the book were the colorful illustrations that were on each page.
These illustrations gave the reader a deeper understanding of what the
culture is and gave specific evidence of the setting, outfits, and day-to-day
activities of the people in the Muslim community. The book really did feel
like a great story first and informational outlet second. It is important that
the author captured the reader with a great story while including different
things to be learned from the book so that the student did not feel like it
was only an informational book.

Uses in the Classroom

For this book I would most likely use it in a younger classroom (1st or 2nd grade).
This grade seems like the perfect time to share a book like this because it is a fairly
simple read with lots of colorful illustrations that students can easily get through in one
sitting. If a I had a muslim girl in my class who wore a malafa I feel like this would be an
important book to share. Often times people fear things or stay away from people who
are noticeably different from them. If I were to show this book to my students it would
give them an understanding of what a malafa really is, why people in that culture wear it
and give them better understanding of the culture as a whole so that they do not feel
hesitant around students who are different from them.

Literary Elements
The story contained a variety of literary elements throughout the book that gives
the book meaning and interests the reader in ways such as the plot, theme, voice,
characterization, and writing style.
Plot: The plot is centered around a young girl named Lalla who desperately
wants to be like everyone else and where a malafa. However, her mother does not give
her the malafa until she wants it for all the right reasons and discovers what a malafa is
truly for.
 Theme: The theme is that sometimes we want things but are not ready to receive
them. Also that things such as malafa’s have much more meaning to them other than
what meets the eye.
Voice: This story is really unique in that it is told in 2nd person meaning you (the
reader) are playing the part as Lalla and experiencing the world through her. We see
this in the way the author writes saying “When you tell Mama, she smiles” (p. 5).
Characterization: The reader founds out about different personalities and
thoughts from Lalla through different experiences she has and the author does not tell
the reader what her personality is right away. So this is told in the characterization
method of indirect characterization.
Writing Style: The author uses a narrative writing style really telling a story and
capturing the audience through her descriptive words, adjectives, and interactions. This
allows the reader to really visualize what is going on throughout the story and how
characters feel during certain events.

Conclusion:
By completing this assignment, we learned a lot about many different cultures.
We learned about Ghana, the Holocaust, the Muslim religion, transgender, and gay
pride. While these were all just starting points to get our minds open, they opened the
door for us to go and explore more books on those topics. “Intercultural understanding
is not a destination point, but a continual process of growth” (Capari & Short, 2015, p.
4). We have a better understanding of what multicultural literature is and what it means
to us. That definition is ever changing so that too is just the beginning to what we have
left to learn. If I, Rachel, were to do this assignment over again I would pick books that
were all on one culture or religion so that I could see multiple perspectives on topic. I,
Simon, would read more chapter books because, they gave me more of an
understanding on that topic, rather than just a simplified overview like the picture books
did. This assignment brought together everything that we have learned thus far in our
courses. We discussed the criteria of specific genres, we talked about literary elements,
we learned about book awards and the reasons they came about. We tied in the
textbook we have been using all semester and we used our research skills to identify an
article to help our case on why we chose specific books. We used almost everything we
learned in this course, in this project, to show our understanding and learning.
 References:

Baskin, N., R. (2015). Ruby on the Outside. New York, NY. Simon & Schuster Books for
Young Readers.
Boyne, J. (2006). The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. New York, NY. Random House
Children’s Books.
Corapi, S., & Short, C., K. (2015). Exploring International and Intercultural
Understanding through Global Literature. Longview Foundation: Worlds of Words.
Cunnane, K. (2013). Deep in the Sahara. New York, NY. Schwartz & Wade Books.
Fox, M., (2008). Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes. New York, NY. Houghton Mifflin.
Gino, A. (2015). George. New York, NY. Scholastic Press.
Milway, K., S., Fernandes, E. (2008). One Hen: How One Small Loan Made A Big
Difference. Tonawanda, NY. Kids Can Press Ltd.
Pinkey, A.D. (2014). The Red Pencil. New York, NY. Little Brown and Company.
Pitman, G.E. (2013). This Day in June. Washington, DC. Magination Press
Tunnel, O., M., Jacobs, S, J., Young, A., T., Bryan, G. (2016). Children’s Literature,
Briefly. NJ. Pearson Education Inc.