Multicultural Literature

Multicultural Literature
Information for students
Author: Krishnaswami, Uma Title: Monsoon
Book Genre: Multicultural Literature Publishing Info: Farrar Straus Giroux; 32 pp.

Summary: A child describes waiting for the monsoon rains to arrive and the worry that they will not come. The monsoon rains are essential to the livelihood of those who live in Southeast Asia. Through the observations of a young girl, we can imagine the scents, the sounds, the colors, and the exciting anticipation of the monsoon rains. The rhythmic prose and vivid illustrations give a glimpse of diverse urban India.

Personal rating: ****

Rationale: poetic rhythm; attractive pictures; authentic cultural details using a modern perspective; helps children value their own heritage and understand people with other backgrounds

Information for teachers
Reading level: 3.4 Interest level: K-2nd

Thematic Areas: Southeast Asia; monsoons; anticipation; diversity

Content Areas: language arts; science; social studies

Potential Problems or Difficulties: none foreseen

Possible use in classroom: use in a science unit about weather; make rain sticks in art; journal or draw about waiting for something important to you; do a Venn diagram detailing items on your street and the items on the street in Monsoon; chart differences in the clouds throughout the book; go for a walk to observe the clouds; have each child pick a town in the world, go to www.worldweather.org and record the temperature/weather of each, include your own town, then discuss the differences