your child BEHAVIOR
Around the World
One Story at a Time
BY BARRIE GILLIES
Best for Babies
Baby Says
by John Steptoe
The love between two
African-American siblings is
told in a series of simple,
repeated baby words (“uh-oh,”
“no, no”). The book is great
fun to read aloud.
Before You Were
Here, Mi Amor
by Samantha R. Vamos
Members of a Latino family
await the arrival of the new
baby. Mami says to her: “Tu
papi recited poesia cantada
while strumming su guitarra,
and tu abuela felt you kick.”
Check for translations in
the glossary at the end.
More More More
Said the Baby
by Vera B. Williams
Written in musical prose, these
three culturally diverse stories
featuring white, black, and
Asian-American babies will
delight your own little doodle.
We all want to raise kids who respect people of
di erent races, cultures, and religions. But what
if your child doesn’t live or go to school in an
environment where she can learn firsthand about other
ethnicities? That’s where stories that celebrate the world’s
diversity come in. “Sharing common human experiences
through reading is one of the most e ective ways to build
understanding and respect,” says Kathleen T. Horning,
director of the Cooperative Children’s Book Center of the
School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A great story will let your child step into someone else’s shoes.
“Kids need to get caught up in a tale that involves characters
they can relate to—regardless of differences in race or
economic class,” says Vivian Gussin Paley, author of 12 books
about life in the classroom. “That way, cultural learning
happens intuitively and intimately.” There are so many
wonderful children’s books that open a window into diverse
experiences. We’ve picked out a few of our favorites.
Global Babies
by the Global Fund for Children
Your little one will love looking
at the gorgeous faces in this
peek-around-the-world book.
Ten Little Fingers
and Ten Little Toes
by Mem Fox
You can count your little one’s
fingers and piggies as you read
this sweet picture book about
babies from all over the world.
¡Pío Peep!: Traditional
Spanish Nursery Rhymes
selected by Alma Flor Ada
and F. Isabel Campoy
Introduce your bebesita to
these well-loved American
Southwest and Latin-American
rhymes, lullabies, and songs.
English translations included.
NGOC MINH NGO. S T YLING B Y KRIS TEN PE TLISKI. GROOMING BY NOELLE MARINELLI FOR AR TIS TS BY NEX T. WALLPAPER, JOHN MAHONE Y FROM S TUDIOPRIN T WORKS.
