Images of Community in Books
for Children and Young Adults

Compiled by Kathleen T. Horning and Ginny Moore Kruse
© 1997 Cooperative Children's Book Center

This bibliography was originally compiled in August 1997 to accompany a presentation at the Children's Literature New England Institute in Cambridge, Massachussets. It is reproduced here for the use of teachers and others with an interest in finding recommended books on the theme of community for children and young teenagers.

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Click on underlined book titles to see the CCBC review of the book, and/or the cover image.

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The Community of Family and Friends: Younger Readers

Bang, Molly. Goose. Scholastic, 1996. Ages 2 - 5

Bunting, Eve. Going Home. Illustrated by David Diaz. HarperCollins, 1996. Ages 5 - 9

Chinn, Karen. Sam and the Lucky Money. Illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. Lee & Low, 1995. Ages 4 - 7

Chocolate, Debbi. On the Day I Was Born. Illustrated by Melodye Rosales. Scholastic, 1995. Ages 3 - 5

Grimes, Nikki. C Is For City. Illustrated by Pat Cummings. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1995. Ages 3 - 6

Henkes, Kevin. Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. Greenwillow, 1996. 32 pages. Ages 4 - 8

Heo, Yumi. One Afternoon. Orchard, 1994. Ages 2 - 4

Kasza, Keiko. Grandpa Toad's Secrets. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1995. Ages 2 - 4

Kasza, Keiko. The Wolf's Chicken Stew. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1987. Ages 4 - 8

Kasza, Keiko. Don't Laugh, Joe!. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1997. Ages 3 - 7

Kleven, Elisa. Hooray, a Pinata!. Dutton, 1996. Ages 4 - 7

Mitchell, Margaree King. Uncle Jed's Barbershop. Illustrated by James Ransome. Simon & Schuster, 1993. Ages 5 - 9

Nikola-Lisa, W.. Bein' with You This Way. Illustrated by Michael Bryant. Lee & Low, 1994. Ages 3 - 6

Nye, Naomi Shihab. Benito's Dream Bottle. Illustrated by Yu Cha Pak. Simon & Schuster, 1995. Ages 4 - 8

Nye, Naomi Shihab. Sitti's Secrets. Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. Four Winds Press, 1994. Ages 6 - 10

The Community of Family and Friends: Older Readers

Gauthier, Gail. My Life Among the Aliens. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1996. Ages 8 - 11

Kim, Helen. The Long Season of Rain. Edge/Henry Holt, 1996. Ages 12 and older

Konigsburg, E.L.. The View from Saturday. Jean Karl/Atheneum, 1996. Ages 9 - 12

Martinez, Victor. Parrot in the Oven: mi vida. Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins, 1996. Ages 16 - adult

Myers, Walter Dean. Slam!. Scholastic, 1996. Ages 14 and older

Pearson, Kit. Awake and Dreaming. U.S. edition: Viking, 1997. 228 pages. Ages 11 - 13

Spinelli, Jerry. Crash. Knopf, 1996. Ages 10 - 13

Williams, Vera B. . Scooter. Greenwillow, 1993. Ages 4 - 11

Yumoto, Kazumi. The Friends. Translated by Cathy Hirano. U.S. edition: Farrar Strous Giroux, 1996. Ages 10 - 13

Finding Community: Younger Readers

De Veaux, Alexiz. An Enchanted Hair Tale. Illustrated by Cheryl Hanna. Harper & Row, 1987. Ages 5 - 10

Haseley, Dennis. Crosby. Illustrated by Jonathan Green. Harcourt, Brace, 1996. Ages 7 - 11

Herrera, Juan Felipe. Calling the Doves/El canto de las palomas. Illustrated by Elly Simons. Children's Book Press, 1995. Ages 4 - 8

Raschka, Chris. The Blushful Hippopotamus. Orchard, 1996. Ages 2 - 5

Scott, Ann Herbert. Hi. Illustrated by Glo Coalson. Philomel, 1994. Ages 2 - 4

Finding Community: Older Readers

Bauer, Marion Dane. Am I Blue? Coming Out from the Silence. HarperCollins, 1994. Ages 16 and older

Cofer, Judith Ortiz. An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio. Melanie Kroupa/Orchard, 1995. Ages 12 - 16

Coman, Carolyn. What Jamie Saw. Front Street, 1995. Ages 11 - 13

Crew, Gary. Angel's Gate. U.S. edition: Simon & Schuster, 1995. Ages 9 - 14

Cushman, Karen. The Midwife's Apprentice. Clarion, 1995. Ages 9 - 14

Farmer, Nancy. The Ear, the Eye and the Arm. A Richard Jackson Book/Orchard, 1994. Ages 10 - 14

Freeman, Suzanne. The Cuckoo's Child. Greenwillow, 1996. Ages 10 - 14

Giff, Patricia Reilly. Lily's Crossing. Delacorte, 1997. Ages 9 - 14

Hahn, Mary Downing. Following My Own Footsteps. Clarion, 1996. Ages 10 - 13

Henkes, Kevin. Words of Stone. Greenwillow, 1992. Ages 9 - 12

Jenkins, Lyll Becerra de. Celebrating the Hero. Lodestar/Dutton, 1995. Ages 12 and older

Lynch, Chris. Slot Machine. HarperCollins, 1995. Ages 13 - 16

Naidoo, Beverley. No Turning Back: A Novel of South Africa. U.S. edition: HarperCollins, 1997. Ages 11 - 14

Nye, Naomi Shihab. This Same Sky: A Collection of Poems from Around the World. Four Winds Press, 1992. Ages 11 and older

Orlev, Uri. The Man from the Other Side. Translated by Hillel Halkin, from the Hebrew. U.S. edition: Houghton Mifflin, 1991. Ages 13 and older

Paterson, Katherine. Jip: His Story. Lodestar/Dutton, 1996. Ages 9 - 14

Rappaport, Doreen. The Flight of Red Bird: The Life of Zitkala-Sa. Dial, 1997. Ages 11 - adult

Schur, Maxine Rose. When I Left My Village. Illustrated by Brian Pinkney. Dial, 1996. Ages 8 - 10

Vail, Rachel. Daring to be Abigail. Richard Jackson/Orchard, 1996. Ages 8 - 12

Wolff, Virginia Euwer. Make Lemonade. Henry Holt, 1993. Ages 12 - 16

Woodson, Jacqueline. The House You Pass on the Way. Delacorte, 1997.

Woodson, Jacqueline. I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This. Delacorte, 1994. Ages 11 - 14

Creating and Recreating Community: Younger Readers

Angelou, Maya. Kofi and His Magic. Photographed by Margeret Courtney-Clarke. Clarkson Potter, 1996. Ages 6 - 8

Hughes, Shirley. Tales of Trotter Street. U.S. edition: Candlewick Press, 1997. Ages 4 - 8

Hughes, Shirley. Wheels. U.S. edition: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1989.

McCully, Emily Arnold. The Bobbin Girl. Dial, 1996. Ages 8 - 11

McKissack, Patricia C.. Mirandy and Brother Wind. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Knopf, 1988. Ages 4 - 8

McLerran, Alice. Roxaboxen. Illustrated by Barbara Cooney. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1991.

Myers, Walter Dean. Brown Angels: An Album of Pictures and Verse. HarperCollins, 1993. Ages 4 - 12

Myers, Walter Dean. Glorious Angels: A Celebration of Children. HarperCollins, 1995. Ages 3 and older

Williams, Vera B.. A Chair for My Mother. Greenwillow, 1982. Ages 4 - 9

Williams, Vera B.. Music, Music for Everyone. Greenwillow, 1984. Ages 3 - 9

Williams, Vera B.. Something Special For Me. Greenwillow, 1983. Ages 4 - 9

Creating and Recreating Community: Older Readers

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Growing Up in Coal Country. Houghton Mifflin, 1996. Ages 9 - 16

Bruchac, Joseph. Children of the Longhouse. Dial, 1996. Ages 9 - 12

Conrad, Pam. Our House: The Stories of Levittown. Illustrated by Brian Selznick. Scholastic, 1995. Ages 9 - 12

Creech, Sharon. Absolutely Normal Chaos. HarperCollins, 1995. Ages 9 - 14

Creech, Sharon. Chasing Redbird. Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins, 1997. Ages 10 - 14

Creech, Sharon. Walk Two Moons. HarperCollins, 1994. Ages 10 - 14

Curry, Barbara K. and James Michael Brodie . Sweet Words So Brave: The Story of African American Literature. Illustrated by Jerry Butler. Zino, 1996. Ages 9 - 16

Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963. Delacorte, 1995. Ages 10 - 14

Hamilton, Virginia . The Bells of Christmas. Illustrated by Lambert Davis. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989. Ages 5 - 11

Hamilton, Virginia . The Magical Adventures of Pretty Pearl. Charlotte Zolotow/Harper & Row, 1983. Ages 12 and older

Maguire, Gregory. Missing Sisters. Margaret K. McElderry, 1994. Ages 9 - 12

McKissack, Patricia and Fredrick. Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters. Illustrated by Jon Thompson. Scholastic, 1994. Ages 8 - 13

Myers, Walter Dean. Harlem: A Poem. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. Scholastic, 1997. Ages 12 and older

Paterson, Katherine. Lyddie. Lodestar Books, 1991. Age 12 and older

Taylor, Mildred D. . Mississippi Bridge. Illustrated by Max Ginsberg. Dial, 1990. Ages 9 - 13

Taylor, Mildred D.. The Road to Memphis. Dial, 1990. Age 12 and older

Taylor, Mildred D.. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.. Dial, 1976.

Taylor, Mildred D. . The Well: David's Story. Dial, 1995. Ages 9 - 14

Temple, Frances . The Beduins' Gazelle. Orchard, 1996. Ages 11 - 14

Temple, Frances. The Ramsay Scallop. Orchard, 1994. Ages 11 - 15

Voigt, Cynthia. Dicey's Song. Atheneum, 1982. Ages 9 - 13

Voigt, Cynthia. The Runner. Atheneum, 1985. Ages 14 and older

Voigt, Cynthia. A Solitary Blue. Atheneum, 1983. Ages 11 and older

The School of Values: Younger Readers

Atkins, Jeannine. Aani and the Tree Huggers. Illustrated by Venantius J. Pinto. Lee & Low, 1995. Ages 4 - 9

Bash, Barbara. In the Heart of the Village: the World of the Indian Banyan Tree. Sierra Club, 1996. Ages 8 - 11

Gershator, David and Phillis. Bread Is for Eating. Illustrated by Emma Shaw Smith. Henry Holt, 1995. Ages 4 - 8

Giovanni, Nikki. The Genie in the Jar. Illustrated by Chris Raschka. Henry Holt, 1996. Ages 5 - 10

Greenfield, Eloise. Night on Neighborhood Street. Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. Dial, 1991. Ages 3 - 9

Heo, Yumi. Father's Rubber Shoes. Orchard, 1995. Ages 4 - 8

Rael, Elsa Okon. What Zeesie Saw on Delancy Street. Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman. Simon & Schuster, 1996. Ages 5 - 8

Woodtor, Dee Parmer. Big Meeting. Illustrated by Dolores Johnson. Atheneum, 1996. Ages 3 - 8

The School of Values: Older Readers

Adedjouma, Davida. The Palm of My Heart: Poetry by African American Children. Illustrated by Gregory Christie. Lee & Low, 1996. Ages 7 - 12

Begay, Shonto. Navajo: Visions and Voices Across the Mesa. Scholastic, 1995. Ages 13 and older

Cha, Dia and Chue and Nhia Thao Cha . Dia's Story Cloth: The Hmong People's Journey to Freedom. Denver Museum of Natural History/Lee & Low, 1996. Ages 8 - 11

Fleischman, Paul. Seedfolks. Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins, 1997. Ages 9 - 13

Jenkins, Lyll Becerra de. So Loud a Silence. Lodestar/Dutton, 1996. Ages 14 and older

King, Casey and Linda Barrett Osborne . Oh, Freedom! Kids Talk About the Civil Rights Movement with the People Who Made It Happen. Knopf, 1997. Ages 8 - 14

Kuklin, Susan. Kodomo: Children of Japan. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1995. Ages 5 - 11

Kuklin, Susan. Irrepressible Spirit: Conversations with Human Rights Activists. Putnam, 1996. Age 12 and older

Kuklin, Susan. Speaking Out: Teenagers Take on Race, Sex and Identity. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1993. Ages 12 and older

Mosher, Richard. The Taxi Navigator. Philomel, 1996. Ages 8 - 11

Nelson, Theresa. Earthshine. A Richard Jackson Book/Orchard, 1994. Ages 11 - 14

Nye, Naomi Shihab, editor. The Tree Is Older Than You Are: A Bilingual Gathering of Poems & Stories from Mexico with Paintings from Mexican Artists. Simon & Schuster, 1995. Age 8 and older

Presilla, Maricel E. and Gloria Soto . Life Around the Lake: Embroideries by the Women of Lake Patzcuaro. Henry Holt, 1996. Ages 9 - 12

Provensen, Alice. My Fellow Americans: A Family Album. Browndeer Press/Harcourt Brace, 1995. Ages 5 - 14

Stanley, Jerry. Big Annie of Calumet: A True Story of the Industrial Revolution. Crown, 1996. Ages 10 - 15

Temple, Frances. Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti. A Richard Jackson Book/Orchard, 1992. Age 12 and older

Temple, Frances. Tonight, By Sea. Richard Jackson/Orchard, 1995. Ages 10 - 14

Tunnell, Michael O. and George W. Chilcoat . The Children of Topaz: The Story of a Japanese-American Internement Camp, Based on a Classroom Diary. Holiday House, 1996. Ages 8 - 14

Williams-Garcia, Rita. Like Sisters on the Homefront. Lodestar/Dutton, 1995. Ages 13 - 16

This list may be reproduced and distributed by educational and/or nonprofit organizations so long as credit is given to the Cooperative Children's Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.