A Country Far Away by Nigel Gray, illustrated by Philippe Dupasquier. Orchard. Fascinating details of everyday life of two boys on opposite sides of the globe are presented in parallel pictures, with one common narration. Children will enjoy finding both the differences and the similarities between African and Western cultures.

A Rainbow All Around Me by Sandra L. Pinkney, photographs by Myles C. Pinkney. Cartwheel/Scholastic. A joyous celebration of color—in people as well as things. With stunning photos and spare, poetic text.

Abuela by Arthur Dorros, illustrated by Elisa Kleven. Dutton. During a bus ride with her Abuela, a little girl imagines she and her grandmother are flying over New York City. What an adventure!

Ali of the Desert by Jonathan London, illustrated by Ted Lewin. Lothrop. Fabulous watercolors illuminate Ali’s trip across the Sahara Desert where, during a sudden sandstorm, he is separated from his father.

All the Colors of the Earth by Sheila Hamanaka. Morrow. Whatever the outward differences, children are children and all are lovable.

Apple Pie 4th of July by Janet S. Wong, illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine. Harcourt. Worried that her parents do not understand how things work in apple-pie-eating America, a young Chinese-American girl tries to point out the error of their ways and learns a lesson herself. A lively, lighthearted celebration of America’s melting pot.

Arnie and the New Kid by Nancy Carlson. Viking. When Arnie breaks his leg, he has a better appreciation for his new classmate, Philip, who is confined to a wheelchair.

Baloney (Henry P.) by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith. Viking. Henry has some great reasons for being late to szkola, but will his teacher believe him? Intergalactic diversity and zany humor.

Bein’ With You This Way by W. Nikola-Lisa, illustrated by Michael Bryant. Lee and Low. A playground rap that celebrates what makes us different and what makes us all the same. Jubilant!

Brave As a Mountain Lion by Ann Herbert Scott, illustrated by Glo Coalson. Clarion. Spider is apprehensive about standing in front of an audience at a spelling bee. A Shoshone Indian Reservation provides the backdrop for this story about bravery and overcoming fears.

The Colors of Us by Karen Katz. The Colors of Us. Holt. A mother and daughter take a walk through their neighborhood observing the different shades of brown skin—cinnamon, butterscotch, toast, ginger, peach, chocolate. The artwork is yummy! A celebration of diversity.

Crow Boy by Taro Yashima. Viking. The children of this Japanese village make fun of the shy boy they call Crow Boy, until a teacher opens their eyes. A beloved classic.

Dear Juno by Soyung Pak. Illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung. Viking. Even though Juno can’t read the Korean words on the letter from his Grandmother in Seoul, he can read the photograph and other things she’s enclosed. And he can write back, as well. Winner of the Ezra Jack Keats Award.

Dia’s Story Cloth by Dia Cha. Lee & Low. The true story of the Hmong people and their journey to freedom is told through a story quilt created by the author's aunt and uncle while in a Thai refugee camp. Simply beautiful!

Dreamcatcher by Audrey Osofsky, illustrated by Ed Young. Orchard. While sister weaves baby a dreamcatcher (a special net to capture bad dreams and keep baby safe), baby watches its Ojibway Indian family work and play.

Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley, illustrated by Peter J. Thornton. Carolrhoda. Sent to find her younger brother, who is late for dinner, Carrie searches the neighborhood. Along the way she gets to sample new tastes from each neighbor’s cooking and learns that everybody cooks rice in this ethnically diverse community. Recipes included.

Gregory Cool by Caroline Binch. Dial. While visiting his grandparents in Tobago, Gregory learns to appreciate what island life has to offer and that being cool is about more than being a know-it-all.

Halmoni’s Day by Edna Coe Bercaw. Dial. Jennifer is worried that her grandmother, who is visiting from Korea and doesn’t speak English, won’t be able to understand her. This moving story of intergenerational and cross-cultural love speaks a universal language.

How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina R. Friedman, illustrated by Allen Say. Houghton. A little girl tells how her Japanese mother and American Sailor father met and married.

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman. Knopf. Since the market is closed, a young girl sets off on a trip around the world to gather the ingredients to make an apple pie (recipe included). A whimsical geography lesson.

I Hate English by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Steve Bjorkman. Scholastic. When her family moves from Hong King, Mei Mei misses her old home and she doesn’t want to learn English.

If the World Were A Village by David J. Smith, illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong. Kids Can Press. By reducing the world to a village of only 100 people, this clever book tells us where most people would live, what languages they would speak and what religions they would practice. For all ages.

In God’s Name by Sand Eisenberg Sasso, illustrated by Phoebe Stone. Jewish Lights. All the people of the world think their name for God is the right one. But what does God think? A non-denominational and nonsectarian celebration of diversity just right for sharing with all ages.

It Takes a Village by Jane Cowen-Fletcher. Scholastic. When younger brother Kokou wanders off, Yemi learns about the communal responsibility toward children at the heart of the African proverb: It takes a village to raise a child.

Jalapeno Bagels by Natasha Wing, illustrated by Robert Casilla. Atheneum. For International Day at his school, Pablo decides to make something that represents both his Mexican mother and Jewish father. It's a winner with the perfect illustrations by Westchester's Robert Casilla.

Mama Provi and the Pot of Rice by Sylvia Rosa-Casanova, illustrated by Robert Roth. Atheneum. Grandma is bringing Lucy (who is in bed with the chicken pox) some delicious arroz con pollo. But first, Grandma has to climb the eight flights of stairs and talk with neighbors along the way. By the time she gets to Lucy, she has accrued an ethnically diverse feast to tempt the child’s appetite.

Madlenka by Peter Sis. Farrar. A walk around a New York City block becomes a trip around the world as Madlenka greets her neighbors—the French baker, Italian ice-cream man, Asian shopkeeper, Latino grocer and other friends who live and work in her neighborhood.

Mama, Across the Sea by Alex Godard. Holt. Even though she loves her grandparents and their sunny island home in the West Indies, Cecille still misses her mama, who has gone over to the Mainland to work. A long-awaited letter brings happy news.

Marianthe’s Story: Painted Words & Spoken Memories by Aliki. Morrow. Mari's life starts over when she leaves her country to come to America—where everything is different—including the language. She wants to make friends and fit in, but she doesn't want to forget her life from before.

Not So Fast Songologo by Niki Daly. Atheneum. A warm appealing story of a small black South African boy and his grandmother on a shopping trip to the city. The foreign setting adds a unique dimension to the universal message of mutual love between the generations.

People by Peter Spier. Doubleday. How dull it would be, suggests the author, if everyone were the same. How much more fun it is that we are all different.

Sitti’s Secrets by Naoimi Shihab Nye, illustrated by Nancy Carprenter. Four Winds. A young girl remembers her visit to a small Palestinian village to see her Sitti (grandmother). A loving relationship that bridges cultures and languages.

Snapshots from the Wedding by Gary Soto, illustrated by Stephanie Garcia. Putnam. With a sprinkling of Spanish words, Maya, the young flower girl, relates the exciting details of Isabel’s wedding. Eye-catching art.

Susan Laughs by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Tony Ross. Holt. Little red-headed Susan paints, swims, rides a horse and rows a boat. She also uses a wheelchair. Cheerful and unsentimental story with a lively heroine.

The Day Gogo Went to Vote by Elinor Batezat Sisulu, illustrated by Sharon Wilson. Little, Brown. When South Africa held its first democratic election in 1994,100 year-old Gogo was determined to vote no matter what the obstacles.

The Day of Ahmed’s Secret by Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland, illustrated by Ted Lewin. Morrow. Ahmed, who contributes to the family’s income by carrying bottled gas to customers, has a secret. Before he shares it, he takes us with him on his journeys through Cairo. Handsomely illustrated to capture the feel of this vibrant culture.

The Journey by Sarah Stewart, illustrated by David Small Farrar. A young Amish country girl’s first visit to the big city brings a little homesickness and a lot of excitement!

The Tangerine Tree by Regina Hanson, illustrated by Harvey Stevenson. Clarion. Ida is heartbroken that her father must leave their island home of Jamaica to work in New York City. The secret of the tangerine tree helps her heart to mend while she awaits her father’s return.

We All Sing with the Same Voice by J. Philip Miller and Sheppard M. Greene, illustrated by Paul Meisel. HarperCollins. The Sesame Street song that celebrates differences and that we are all the same where it really matters—at heart!

When This World Was New by D. H. Figueredo, illustrated by Enrique O. Sanchez. Lee and Low. Danilto, who has moved to New York City from the Caribbean, is scared that he won’t make friends and that people will tease him because he doesn’t speak English. A magical walk through the snow with his father helps to put things into perspective.

Yoko’s Paper Cranes by Rosemary Wells. Hyperion. A kitten sends origami presents back to her grandparents in Japan in this endearing story of intergenerational love. Stunning illustrations by Westchester award-winning artist.