Book Finder

Anna May Wong grew up in San Francisco in the 1920s, working diligently in her family’s laundromat but secretly daydreaming of becoming a movie star. When she set out to realize her dream, she soon discovered the lack of opportunity in Hollywood for Asian American actors. After traveling in Europe and China, Anna May ultimately decided to portray only roles she felt presented a positive image of Asians, leading the way for the many actors who followed in her footsteps.

Walter Anderson “may be the most famous American artist you’ve never heard of.” But he and his passion for nature on the U.S. Gulf coast are introduced through an evocative text and luminous illustrations. An extensive author’s note provides additional information and several reproductions of Anderson’s work.

When Dorothy and Henry see a notice that the city of Boston cannot afford to buy three trained elephants, they begin city-wide campaign to raise the needed $6,000. Working together, the children are successful and present the pachyderms to the mayor for the zoo. Inspired by actual events in 1914, this can-do tale will empower, engage and perhaps inspire.

This fictionalized story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana, who changes his world with a small loan and one hen, is based on a real person. Kwabena Darko lives in West Africa and started a system of micro-loans in villages that would not otherwise have access. Additional resources and sources for further information allow readers to find out more.

Even though Leonardo da Vinci lived a long time ago (born in 15th century Florence), his ideas have intrigued inventors and scientists ever since. In cartoon-like illustrations and brief text, old “Leo” ideas are juxtaposed to newer “Neo” ideas. This playful book is informative and engaging and may inspire further investigation of man and inventions.

Augusta Savage was a born artist, making clay figures even as a child. She pursued her passion, actually earning money for her family until she was old enough to travel from her rural Florida home to New York City where she studied at Cooper Union and became part of what is now known as the Harlem Renaissance.

As a child, “Josef Albers saw art in the simplest things…” His interest in color and the way colors changed forever altered the way color theory was taught. The author was Albers’ neighbor as a child and provides an assessible, engaging glimpse of how one man’s vision can change the way things are viewed.

Edna Lewis grew up on a Virginia farm where she developed a deep appreciation for the rhythm of nature, the beauty in growing things, and the warmth in sharing a home cooked meal. Edna’s early life and passion led to a career as a professional chef known for preserving cooking traditions. Several recipes are included in this handsome, lively book.

A Newbery Honor book that accounts the life and musical career of the great African American vocalist, Marion Anderson, in the context of the history of civil rights in the United States.

Written in verse, this is a Pura Belpré Award-winning portrait of Juan Francisco Manzano, the poet who was born a slave in Cuba in 1797. Margarita Engle explores Manzano’s poetic interpretations of his world and what freedom really means in a slave society.

Rhymes, games, and more are presented with richly colored illustrations evoke the traditions of Puerto Rico and the universality of a child’s activities and interests. Spanish verses are woven throughout the text.

When Carmen Teresa receives a blank journal on New Year’s Day, she begins filling it with tales and memories from her loved ones. Finding that food is the common thread, the journal becomes a cookbook of stories, infused with Latin American flavor. Gentle lessons are conveyed along the way in this lovely book. Available in Spanish and English versions.

This lush collection of twelve traditional Latin American tales brings the history and culture of thirteen countries into a vivid new perspective. Readers will have a unique glimpse of the early indigenous cultures, and of the literature that later blossomed with the blending of the Spanish and Native cultures.

The narrator is terrified of a pair of green pants he chances upon. What could they be? Well, those pants might just have their own concerns! Told and illustrated (with a glowing new touch) in characteristic Seussian fashion, this tale of misunderstanding first appeared in the The Sneetches and Other Stories (1961).

On a dark night a pumpkin may become a scary face, a boy may dress up as a skeleton and a girl as a cat, and they just knock at a door and get some treats. The changes on a Halloween evening are shown as readers guess what’s hidden beneath the flaps in this sturdy book.

This rhyming take-off on a well-known folksong is sure to delight listeners and readers of all ages. Lively rhymes use wonderful words and combine with eye-popping illustrations to present a catchy tale. Don’t know the tune? Don’t worry — the song is available to download from the publisher’s website.

When the good Italian witch, Strega Nona carefully adds a touch of magic to her well-tended garden it grows beautifully. Her bumbling assistant, Big Anthony, is not as careful with near-disastrous results. A creative solution to the overabundance winds up helping many — but will Big Anthony ever learn?

Scaredy Squirrel is afraid of the dark; for in it lives a host of creepy creatures that may invade his dreams. His list of things to do fail, of course, as does thriving without sleep — but our hero’s tale is amusingly told in words and boldly lined, comic illustrations.

Before Malcolm Daniel can help three moaning ghosts, he needs to know why they make such spooky noises. Told with rich language and evocative nighttime colors, this upbeat, not-too-scary, and satisfying tale is sure to become a favorite year round.

In this latest installment of the ever-popular Magic Tree House series, Jack and Annie go to New Orleans on All Saint’s Day in 1915 to find a young musician named Louis Armstrong. Music, mystery, and ghosts combine for another riveting quest for the sibling adventurers.