Title: Jingle Dancer

Author: Cynthia Leitich Smith

Illustrator: Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu
ISBN: 31389012560867
Copyright: 2000
Summary: Jenna, a girl of Muscogee and Ojibway
decent, dreams of dancing the jingle dance in the next
powwow. By watching several videos of her grandmother,
Jenna learns the dance only to realize that she does not
have the traditional jingles for her dress. With the
approval of her grandmother, Jenna visits neighbors and
relatives to ask each to lend her a jingle from their dress. Grandma and Jenna sew
the jingles on her dress, and Jenna is able to perform in the traditional powwow.
Question

Yes N
o

Does the story positively represent HUGS?

Black/African American

Hispanic/Latino/a

Native American/American Indian

Asian American/Pacific Islander

LGBTQIAA

Women

Elderly

Characters with visible disabilities, etc.

Is there a clear effort made to avoid tokenism?

X

tokenism- all characters look the same

with only slight variations.

ex: women have bows and men have a tie

Is the author qualified to write on the topic?

have they done research on the topic?

do they identify as the race/ethnicity

represented in the book?

Does the book use multilingual/bilingual text?

Was the book published within the last 8 years?

Is this book void of racial stereotypes?

Black/African American

Hispanic/Latino/a

Native American/American Indian

Asian American/Pacific Islander

LGBTQIAA

N/
A

Comment
s

Is this book void of gender stereotypes?

Females in more than caretaker roles,

males in more than tough roles

Are females as well as males depicted in

leadership roles?

Does this book use inclusive language?

Are various family units depicted?

1
0

Is the setting credible?

11 Are races represented across all settings?

Ex: Native American/American Indians

outside of Thanksgiving

1
2

Does this book encourage a positive self-image

for children?

1
3

Is this book void of class stereotypes?

1
4

Is this book void of sexual orientation

stereotypes?

1
5

Is this book void of religion stereotypes?

1
6

Are cultural settings realistically represented?

Comments: This book does an excellent job of explaining traditions to students,

while also portraying the importance of each tradition. Our author teaches about hard
work and dedication and is a good source for teaching about the Native
American/American Indian culture. I would use this book in my classroom.

Title: How Raven Stole the Sun

Author: Maria Williams
Illustrator: Felix Vigil
ISBN: 0-7892-0162-8
Copyright: 2001
Summary: This story is a traditional one of the
Tlinglit tribe that is brought to life with illustrations that display the traditional lifestyle.
The Raven, often an important character, is pure white who wanted nothing more
than light from a guarded box. By disguising himself as the Chiefs grandson, the
Raven tricks him into opening the boxes- exposing the moonlight. Eventually the
Chief catches him, sending him to stay in a small room as punishment. The Raven
manages to escape through a small smoke hold- explaining why Ravens are black
as smoke instead of white like they once were.
Question

Yes N
o

Does the story positively represent HUGS?

Black/African American

Hispanic/Latino/a

Native American/American Indian

Asian American/Pacific Islander

LGBTQIAA

Women

Elderly

Characters with visible disabilities,

etc.

Is there a clear effort made to avoid

tokenism?

tokenism- all characters look the

same with only slight variations.

ex: women have bows and men

have a tie

Is the author qualified to write on the topic?

N/
A

Comments


have they done research on the
topic?

do they identify as the race/ethnicity

represented in the book?
4

Does the book use multilingual/bilingual

text?

Was the book published within the last 8

years?

Is this book void of racial stereotypes?

Black/African American

Hispanic/Latino/a

Native American/American Indian

Asian American/Pacific Islander

LGBTQIAA

Characters are
animals.

Is this book void of gender stereotypes?

Females in more than caretaker

roles, males in more than tough roles

Are females as well as males

depicted in leadership roles?

Characters are
animals

Does this book use inclusive language?

Are various family units depicted?

1
0

Is the setting credible?

X
X
X

11 Are races represented across all settings?

Ex: Native American/American

Indians outside of Thanksgiving

1
2

Does this book encourage a positive selfimage for children?

1
3

Is this book void of class stereotypes?

1
4

Is this book void of sexual orientation

stereotypes?

1
5

Is this book void of religion stereotypes?

1
6

Are cultural settings realistically

represented?

Comments: This book could be instrumental in teaching students the stories and
folk tales that each tribe holds dear are different. It does an excellent job at
describing different Native American cultures, and also the reasoning behind the
ravens color. I would use this book in my classroom.

Title: Buffalo Woman

Author: Paul Goble
Illustrator: Paul Goble
ISBN: 0-6897-1109-3
Copyright: 1987
Summary: The story of a young hunter who marries a
woman from the Buffalo Nation. His relatives do not
approve, so they send her away. Because her husband
loves her so much, he follows and undergoes the Buffalo
Chiefs tests to become part of their tribe so he can be
with the one he loves. His commitment to the Buffalo
woman, the two peoples relationship is strengthened.
Question

Yes N
o

Does the story positively represent HUGS?

Black/African American

Hispanic/Latino/a

Native American/American Indian

Asian American/Pacific Islander

LGBTQIAA

Women

Elderly

Characters with visible disabilities, etc.

Is there a clear effort made to avoid tokenism?

tokenism- all characters look the same

with only slight variations.

ex: women have bows and men have a tie

Is the author qualified to write on the topic?

have they done research on the topic?

do they identify as the race/ethnicity

represented in the book?

Does the book use multilingual/bilingual text?

N/
A

Comment
s

Was the book published within the last 8 years?

Is this book void of racial stereotypes?

Black/African American

Hispanic/Latino/a

Native American/American Indian

Asian American/Pacific Islander

LGBTQIAA

Is this book void of gender stereotypes?

Females in more than caretaker roles,

males in more than tough roles

Are females as well as males depicted in

leadership roles?

Does this book use inclusive language?

Are various family units depicted?

1
0

Is the setting credible?

X
X
X

11 Are races represented across all settings?

Ex: Native American/American Indians

outside of Thanksgiving

1
2

Does this book encourage a positive self-image

for children?

1
3

Is this book void of class stereotypes?

1
4

Is this book void of sexual orientation

stereotypes?

1
5

Is this book void of religion stereotypes?

1
6

Are cultural settings realistically represented?

Comments: This Native American tale is full of gender and race stereotypes and
has no problem sharing all of the problems in the Native American community.
Pictures are also full of tokenism, as each character looks the exact same. I would
not use this book in my classroom.

Title: All Colors of the Earth

Author: Sheila Hamanaka
Illustrator: Sheila Hamanaka
ISBN: 978-0688-17062-2
Copyright: 1999
Summary: This simple book portrays each culture
in how they relate to the earth. People of each
culture are no less important than anyone else
and all play a valuable part in the world. This book
provides beautiful descriptions of all the colors of
the earth and the people on it.
Question

Yes N
o

Does the story positively represent HUGS?

Black/African American

Hispanic/Latino/a

Native American/American Indian

Asian American/Pacific Islander

LGBTQIAA

Women

Elderly

Characters with visible disabilities, etc.

Is there a clear effort made to avoid tokenism?

tokenism- all characters look the same

N/
A

Comment
s

with only slight variations.

ex: women have bows and men have a tie

3

Is the author qualified to write on the topic?

have they done research on the topic?

do they identify as the race/ethnicity

represented in the book?

Does the book use multilingual/bilingual text?

Was the book published within the last 8 years?

Is this book void of racial stereotypes?

Black/African American

Hispanic/Latino/a

Native American/American Indian

Asian American/Pacific Islander

LGBTQIAA

Is this book void of gender stereotypes?

Females in more than caretaker roles,

males in more than tough roles

Are females as well as males depicted in

leadership roles?

Does this book use inclusive language?

Are various family units depicted?

1
0

Is the setting credible?

X
X

11 Are races represented across all settings?

Ex: Native American/American Indians

outside of Thanksgiving

1
2

Does this book encourage a positive self-image

for children?

1
3

Is this book void of class stereotypes?

1
4

Is this book void of sexual orientation

stereotypes?

1
5

Is this book void of religion stereotypes?

1
6

Are cultural settings realistically represented?

Comments: This is a great story to teach children about the world around them and
the people in it. People are created to resemble the colors of the earth- therefore
everybody will not look the same because the earth is made up of different tones,
colors, shapes, etc. This book does an excellent job of displaying that we are all part
of the earth and love the earth just like we should love one another. I would definitely
read this book in my class