Books by Geographical Region or
Country
Afghanistan:
The Breadwinner by Ellis. Parvana has to grow up in Taliban
controlled Afghanistan. You will learn about life in Afghanistan and
how women and girls were treated.
Parvana’s Journey by Ellis. Book Level 4.6 This is the sequel to the
Breadwinner. Parvana leaves Kabul to search for her family.
Africa:
The Magic Drum: Tales from Central Africa. Includes the stories;
The Bachelors and the Python ,The Rabbit Steals the Elephant's Dinner ,The Rabbit
Grows a Crop of Money ,The Friendship of the Tortoise and the Eagle
Asia
The tales from Central Asia are taken from The Kaha Bird: Tales from the Steppes of
Central Asia, Translated and edited by Mirra Ginsburg, with drawings by Richard
Cuffari. New York: Crown Publishers, 1971. It includes these stories:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Living Water
The Silken Tassel
The Kaha Bird
The Shepherd, the Tiger and the Fox
Europe
British Columbia:
Everything on a Waffle
by Polly Horvath (Farrar Straus Giroux)
When 11-year-old Primrose Squarp's parents disappear at sea, her faith in their return
defies all adult logic. Set in British Columbia, Everything On A Waffle combines quirky
characters, recipes, and amazing twists of plot in a striking combination of the barely
credible and profoundly true.
Denmark:
Number the Stars by Lowry. Annemarie is a young girl growing up in
Copenhagen during World War 2. Her family must hide their best
friend Ellen who is Jewish.
Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction (Sandpiper) (Paperback)
by David Macaulay (Author) The Gothic cathedral is one of humanity's greatest
masterpieces--an architectural feast that couldn't help but attract the attention of
renowned author-illustrator David Macaulay. Once an architectural student at the
Rhode Island School of Design, Macaulay glories in the intricacies and beauty of
structure, as evidenced in his masterful pen-and-ink drawings in critically acclaimed
children's books such as Castle, Pyramid, and Rome Antics.
Ireland:
Nory Ryan’s Song by Giff.
Life is hard for poor Irish potato farmers, but 12-year-old Nory Ryan and her family
have always scraped by... until one morning, Nory wakes to the foul, rotting smell of
diseased potatoes dying in the fields. And just like that, all their hopes for the
harvest--for this year and next--are dashed. Hunger sets in quickly. The beaches are
stripped of edible seaweed, the shore is emptied of fish, desperate souls even chew
on grass for the nourishment. As her community falls apart, Nory scrambles to find
food for her family. Meanwhile, the specter of America lurks, where, the word is, no
one is ever hungry, and horses carry milk in huge cans down cobblestone streets.
PolandThe Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen (Viking, 1988). In this compelling novel, a young
girl is mystically transported from present-day New York to Poland during World War II, where
she goes into a gas chamber to save the life of another.
Israel/Palestine:
Three Wishes Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak by Ellis. Grade
7-9–This collection of accounts from young people between the ages
of 8 and 18 portrays the sapping toll of war on their lives. Instead of
looking toward their futures, these kids are watching their backs.
Instead of playing games of pick-up ball in the street, they're lobbing
rocks at soldier's and dodging tear gas and bullets. Israeli students
are pressed into military service. ( Taken from School Library Journal)
Korea/Japan
So Far from the Bamboo Grove Book Level 4.9
This is the story of a family that must leave Korea during
WW2 because of the war. Students seem to love it!
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin).
Linda Sue Park takes readers to 12th century Korea to tell a timeless story of dedication
to one's dreams and art. Tree-ear, an orphan who lives under a bridge with his wise friend
Crane-man, becomes fascinated with a nearby community of potters. Drawn by their
exquisite craftsmanship, the adolescent boy begins to assist the master potter Min.
There are tales from nine different regions at
www.darsie.net/talesofwonder.