Children's Books Sharing Different Cultures and Languages

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in order to provide honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

I love sharing books that teach us about different cultures and languages. Today I have four books to share with you and two of them are being released this week! The first book is about a Korean word that means so much and doesn't have an English equivalent. The book is Jeong Is Jeong by Jessica Yoon and illustrated by Michelle Lee. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. 

About the Book:

“What is Jeong?” a little girl asks her grandma, and so begins a lyrical journey of discovery, kindness, and understanding in this ode to Korean American language and culture.

How can one tiny word mean so much?

Luna loves spending time with her little brother Joey and their halmeoni after school—they share yummy treats, play at the park, and have a lot of fun speaking to each other in Korean and English. When Halmeoni notices Luna help Joey put on his shoes and says that she has “jeong,” they realize that some words aren’t quite translatable between their two languages.

As she, Halmeoni, and Joey go through the day, Luna uncovers the meaning of a small word that carries a lot of weight. Over time, she learns more about her family, herself, and the gorgeous culture that connects them.

From Me:

In this sweet book Luna explores what the Korean word jeong means. She asked her grandmother (Halmeoni) what it means and her response is let's show you. When Luna helps others--strangers and her little brother, Joey, Halmeoni tells her that is jeong. Jeong is also time spent at the family dinner table together and looking through her grandmother's old photos. By the end of the book Luna and the reader have an idea of what jeong means and realizes it does not translate directly to English. 

I love how magical jeong seems. It is a word that connects people. It is kindness and love as well as compassion and empathy. It is about sharing and helping. It is a word we hope our children learn and practice as well as our family. This one word gives us a glimpse at the Korean American culture as well as the Korean culture of her grandmother's past. It is such a sweet book with beautiful illustrations. What a wonderful way to learn about words that do not translate directly to other languages as well as about a culture. For more resources on the Korean culture check out these posts.

Our next book is also a picture book. This book is about visiting extended family in a different country. The book is Home Away from Home by Nazneen Akbari and illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh. It is recommended for ages 3 to 5.

About the Book:

Nuha is already worried about spending the summer in Oman. When she leaves behind her dearest doll, how will she possibly feel at home in Oman now?

“Oman is your home away from home,” Mama said softly. “Your Jadda hasn’t seen you in three years and she’s excited to spend the summer with you. You’ll have fun together.”

This summer, Nuha and Mama are traveling to Oman to visit her Jadda. Mama is excited to visit home, but Oman doesn’t feel like home to Nuha. The air is warm and sticky, people wear different clothes, and a language she barely understands swirls around her. At least she has her dearest doll, Mary, to keep her company.

When Nuha accidentally leaves Mary behind, the thought of staying in Oman all summer feels impossible. Until Jadda ushers her into the wonderful sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the souk (market) to look for a new doll. Little by little, Nuha begins to realize Oman is special in its own way, and even finds glimpses of home.

• A sweet story about reconnecting with faraway grandparents and rediscovering cultural identity.
• Based on the author’s own experience moving from India to Oman as a kid
• Endnotes provide further information about Oman and the souk in the story

From Me:

Nuha is worried about spending the summer away from her home. Her mother explains that Oman is her home away from home and how Jadda cannot wait to spend the summer with her. In the hassle of getting to the airplane on time, Nuha's doll, Mary, gets left behind. Mary cannot imagine the summer without her best friend. When they arrive in Oman, Jadda takes Nuha to the market to look for a new doll. Nuha does not like the dolls there since they do not look like Mary. Mary is blonde and wears a sparkly princess dress. However, Jadda finds different things for the two of them to do like trying some new food and getting henna. Nuha soon realizes that her time with Jadda is special and finds a doll that reminds her of Jadda. She names her Maryam which is the Arabic version of Mary. 

This is another sweet story with another special relationship between grandmother and granddaughter. Jadda shares her culture and country with Nuha in a loving way. Soon Nuha warms up to being in Oman and loves being with Jadda. She is able to embrace the culture and new environment. By the end of the story Nuha realizes that her two dolls together make up her and her life. There is one from each country and culture she is from. As the mother of a child who had a lovey I can relate to the urgency of finding a new doll. I also know for many children the new doll is not the same. I love how Nuha eventually wants a doll dressed like her grandmother and is accepting the different culture. It is a wonderful book about relationships with extended family and about visiting them in other countries. This book is perfect for learning a bit about Oman but also for kids who have grandparents or extended family in other countries and don't know how to visit them or what it might be like. At the end of the book are pages with information about Nuha's dolls as well as some of the traditions shared in the book and a glossary of the Arabic words used in the story.

Our final two books are story books with folktales from different cultures. Both books are bilingual. The first is Arabic Folktales for Children: Timeless Stories to Share in English and Arabic retold by Hadil Ghoneim and illustrated by Ayah Khamis. It is recommended for ages 5 to 13. 

About the Book:

Timeless stories to share in English and Arabic, engagingly retold for young readers.

This exciting collection of eight folktales presented in parallel English and Arabic text brings together favorites from a storytelling tradition rich in humor, warmth, and gentle life lessons. Drawing on oral and written sources from across the Arabic-speaking world, award-winning author Hadil Ghoneim has crafted a fun and unique anthology for heritage language learners as well as anyone seeking to introduce young readers to diverse cultures. With free online audio you can read-aloud and listen along to each story in both languages!

The stories include:

• Goha and His Son: The beloved folk character Goha teaches his son that it's impossible to please everyone
• A Tale About Friendship, Part One and Two: A turtle, a crow, and their animal friends show that when we help each other out, we can overcome any challenge
• The Woodcutter and the Lion: A woodcutter uses his quick wit to outsmart a lion
• And four more great stories!

Illustrator Ayah Khamis brings the tales to life with expressive characters, glowing color combinations, and detailed depictions of buildings and other local details. The book is a valuable addition to the library of any family or teacher who wants to build cultural connections through the magic of stories.

From Me:

Dive into Arabic culture with these short folktales. They are told in both English and Arabic with colorful and fun illustrations. The book does a lovely job of introducing some of them including the common Arabic folktale character Goha. The book begins with a letter to families and educators. Then the stories begin. Sometimes there is one side in English and the other side in Arabic and sometimes both languages are on the same page. The illustrations are throughout the stories. Most of the stories are just a few pages and easy reads for bedtime or perhaps to fill ten minutes in class.

As with many folktales these stories teach lessons. Lessons like no one can make everyone happy and how a good friendship is more important than just about anything. Each story shares a bit of the Arabic culture as well as the animals that are common to the region. The stories are about people and animals. Some are smart and some are not. The stories are perfect for learning about another culture and seeing another language that does not use the same letters. For more resources on the Arabic language and culture check out these posts.

Our final book is Filipino Folktales for Children: Stories of Wisdom and Wonder in English and Tagalog retold by Zaarah C. Gagatiga and illustrated by Corazon Dandan-Albano. It is also recommended for ages 5 to 13. 

About the Book:

A beautifully illustrated collection of Filipino folktales to share in Tagalog and English!

Drawn from the rich folklore of the Philippines, these seven exciting tales are filled with magical creatures, captivating gods and goddesses, and the remarkable acts of ordinary people. Free online resources accompany the book including lessons, a glossary, and read-aloud recordings of each story in both languages!

Children, parents and teachers alike will love these stories and their whimsical watercolor illustrations. The collection includes:

• The Monkey and The Turtle: Kindhearted Turtle outsmarts the cunning Monkey thief
• The First Fisherman: Talented Pandaguan invents fishing and swims with sharks, but is undone by his anger at the gods
• Why Chickens Scratch the Ground: Chicken loses her friendship with Hawk when she fails to keep an important promise
• Plus four other popular stories!

Carefully crafted by an award-winning author to match the literacy level and interests of young readers, these stories touch on universal themes of accountability and the need to balance freedom with good choices. For those of Filipino descent, they offer a connection to their heritage culture and language, while for other readers they introduce a dazzlingly diverse country and people.

From Me:

This book shares seven stories including an origin story. The book begins with a letter to families and teachers as well. The stories are fun. Some are humorous and others teach things like why a chicken scratches the ground. Each shares a bit of the Filipino culture and beliefs. These stories are a bit longer than the ones in the previous book. They have both the English and Tagalog on the same page with beautiful illustrations to also help provide a bit about the culture and add to the story.

This book is perfect for bedtime stories as well as learning about Filipino culture. It is also great for studying types of stories: folktales, fables, etc. It has a wide range of stories involving animals and people and will be well loved by kids! For some more resources about Filipino culture check out these posts.