Children's Literature - Asia

 

1. Asia.  Jo Ellen Moore.  Evan-Moor.  Teaching and learning unit based on the five themes of geography.  Gives an overview of the geography of Asia and the countries that make up this continent.
2. Asia (The Seven Continents.   A.R. Schaefer.  Bridgestone Books.  2006.  Describes Asia (climate, landforms, plants, animals, countries, people).
3. Ayat Jamilah:  Beautiful Signs.  A Treasury of Islamic Wisdom for Children and Parents.  Collected and adapted by Sarah Conover and Freda Crane.  Eastern Washington University Press.  2004.  Includes traditional stories from the Muslim world.  Anthology includes explanatory notes.
4. Caravan to America:  Living Arts of the Silk Road.   John S. Major.  Cricket Books.  2002.  Cellist Yo-Yo Ma's travels inspired him to establish the Silk Road Project which included exhibits, festivals, and concerts that celebrated the arts, crafts, and music of the lands along the Silk Road.  The author presents eight artists and artisans from these lands along the Silk Road who now live in America.
5. Children from Australia to Zimbabwe: A Photographic Journey Around the World.  Maya Ajimera and Anna Rhesa Versola.  Charlesbridge.  1996.  Authors describe how children are growing up in places that are different from one another in many ways. 
6. Colors of Russia (Colors of the World)  Shannon Zemlicka.  Carolrhoda Books.  2002.  Describes different places using colors. For example, the color of Russia is blue like the cold water of Lake Baikal.
7. East Asia:  World Regions, Geography and Environments.  Minnie Ashcroft.  National Geographic School Publishing.  2003.  Includes geographical diversity of the physical landscape in East Asia.
8. East Asia:  World Regions, People and Places.  Minnie Ashcroft.  National Geographic School Publishing.  2003.  Includes geographical diversity of the cultural landscape in East Asia.
9. Explore Asia.  Bobbie Kalman & Rebecca Sjonger.  Crabtree Publishing Company.  2007.  Includes topics, such as:  regions of Asia, land, deserts, steppes, tundra, forests, rural and urban areas, and resources.
10. Greetings, Asia! (Our Amazing Continents).  April Pulley Syre. The Millbrook Press.  2003.  Describes how Asia's landscape has shaped the lives of its animals, plants, and people.
11. Harvest Festivals.  Gare Thompson.  National Geographic School Publishing.  2002.  Shows unique ways that people around the world celebrate when their crops are ready to be harvested.  Includes celebrations from India, Ghana, U.S., Vietnam, Indonesia, and Pakistan.
12. The Important Book.   Words by Margaret Wise Brown.  Pictures by Leonard Weisgard.  HarperCollins Publishers.  1949.  The important thing about ____ is ____.
13. The Legend of Hong Kil Dong: The Robin Hood of Korea.  Anne Sibley O'Brien.  Charlesbridge.  2006.  This is a graphic novel.  It is in comics form.  This classic tale is from the early seventeenth century Korea during the Chosun dynasty.  Hong Kil Dong is the son of a powerful minister who is not entitled to a birthright because his mother is a commoner.
14. Let's Eat!  What Children Eat Around the World.  Beatrice Hollyer.  Henry Holt and Company.  2003.  Includes food from Thailand and India.
15. A Life Like Mine.  Unicef United Nations Children's Fund.  D. K. Publishing.  2002.  Book records the "courage, energy, joy, and optimism of children from all over the world."  Topics cover survival, development, protection, ad participation.  Descriptions of children from Asia are interspersed with children from other continents.
16. The Lotus Seed.  Sherry Garland.  Harcourt Inc.  1993.  This is a story about the importance of the lotus seed...the flower of "life and hope."
17. Market.  Ted Lewin.  Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books.  1996.  Author describes the market from different parts of the world, including Nepal. 
18. P is for Pakistan. Shazia Razzak.  Frances Lincoln Children's Books.  2007.  Photographic alphabet book that introduces Pakistan.
19. Rice.  Marianne Morrison.  National Geographic School Publishing.  2002.
20. Rookie Read-About Geography Asia.  Allan Fowler.  Children's Press.  2001.  Introduces young readers to Siberian tundra, Saudi Arabian desert, Himalayan Mountains etc.
21. The Silk Route:  7,000 Miles of History.  John S. Major.  HarperCollins Publishers.  1995.  Follows the different places along the silk road.
22. Tales from Bangladesh.   Khojesta A. Price.  Trafford Publishing.  2006.  Includes two tales.
23. Tales Told in Tents, Stories from Central Asia.  Sally Pomme Clayton.  Illustrated by Sophie Herxheimer.  Frances Lincoln Children's Books.  2004.  Includes 12 retellings that are interwoven with stories of author's travels, folklore, proverbs and riddles from Central Asia.
24. A True Book Asia.  David Petersen.  Children's Press.  1998.  Includes topics on nature, people, modern Asia, etc.
25. Wake Up, World! A Day In The Life Of Children Around The World."
    Beatrice Hollyer.  Henry Holt and Company, LLC.  1999.  Includes descriptions of children from Russia, India, and Vietnam.
26. West Asia:  World Regions, Geography and Environments.  Robert Henderson.  National Geographic School Publishing.  2003.  Includes geographical diversity of the physical landscape in East Asia.
27. West Asia:  World Regions, People and Places.  Eden Force Eskin.  National Geographic School Publishing.  2003.  Includes geographical diversity of the cultural landscape in East Asia.
28. World Focus Bangladesh.  Amanda Barker.  Rigby Education.  1996.  Gives country profile and case studies of real people.  (May not be available)
29. World Focus India.  Amanda Barker.  Rigby Education.  1996.  Gives country profile and case studies of real people.  (May not be available)
30. World Focus Indonesia.  Susi Arnott.  Rigby Education.  1996.  Gives country profile and case studies of real people.  (May not be available)
31. World Focus Pakistan.  Elspeth Clayton.  Rigby Education.  1996.  Gives country profile and case studies of real people.  (May not be available)
32. World Focus Vietnam.  Pat Simmons. Rigby Education.  1995.  Gives country profile and case studies of real people.  (May not be available)

Additional Books:

1.  Grandfather's Dream.  Holly Keller.  Greenwillow Books.  1994.  A small village in Vietnam helped to save the beautiful Sarus crane.

2.  The Great Wall.  Elizabeth Mann.  Mikaya Press.  1997.  Describes the building of the Great Wall.

3.  Hush!  A Thai Lullaby.  Minfong Ho.  Illustrated by Holly Meade.  Orchard Books.  1996.  Author wove in the familiar sounds that she heard in the countryside while growing up in Thailand to write this lullaby.

4.  Japan, Cultures and Celebrations.  Greg Banks.  National Geographic School Publishing.   This is part of the Cultures and Celebrations Theme set.

5.  Journey Home.  Lawrence McKay, Jr.  Illustrated by Dom and Keunhee Lee.  Lee and Low Books, Inc.  1998.  Book tells the story of Mai and her mother's journey to Vietnam in search of her mothers' birth family.

6.  Silent Lotus.  Jeanne M. Lee.  Farrar, Straus and Giroux.  1991.  Inspired by the decorations at Angkor Wat, the author brings to life the tradition of the Cambodian court ballet.

7.  Toad Is the Uncle of Heaven, A Vietnamese Folk Tale.  Retold and illustrated by Jeanne M. Lee.  Henry Holt and Company.1985. 

8.  The Three Princes, A Tale from the Middle East.  Retold by Eric A. Kimmel.  Illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher.  Hampton-Brown.  1994.  This is a well known story throughout the Middle East.  There are different versions.  In later editions of stories, it is known as The Arabian Nights.

9.  A Weave of Words.  Rober D. San Souci.  Illustrated by Raul Colon.  Hampton-Brown.  1998.  Author used primary sources from different tales (Armenia, Caucasus).

 

Cinderella Books:

        1.  Abadeha, The Philippine Cinderella.  Adapted by Myrna J. de la Paz.  Illustrated by Youshan Tang.  Shen's Books.  2001.

        2.  Angkat, The Cambodian Cinderella.  Jewell Reinhart Coburn.  Illustrated by Eddie Flotte.  Shen's Books.  1998. 

        3.  Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave.  (Russian Tale).  Marianna Mayer. Illustrated by K.Y. Craft.  Morrow Junior Books.  1994.

        4.  The Golden Sandal, A Middle Eastern Cinderella Story.  Rebecca Hickox.  Illustrated by Will Hillenbrand.  Holiday House.  1998.

        5.  Jouannah, A Hmong Cinderella.  Adapted by Jewell Reinhart Coburn with Tzexa Cherta Lee.  Illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien.  Shen's Books.l  1996.

        6.  The Korean Cinderella.  Shirley Climo.  Illustrated by Ruth Heller.  HarperCollins Publishers.  1993.

        7.  The Persian Cinderella.  Shirley Climo.  Art by Robert Florczak.  HarperCollins Publishers.  1999.

        8.  Yeh-Shen, A Cinderella Story from China.  Retold by Ai-Ling Louie.  Illustrated by Ed Young.  Puffin Books.  1982.