Good multicultural books for a preschool

[UnSerpentQuiCourt]

Hi. Can anyone recommend a really good 'multicultural' book to buy for our preschool? Ideally one that lends itself to lots of 'props' for acting out. I know about Handa's Suprise. I wondered about Amazing Grace, but is that maybe too old for a preschool? Not quite as good for props as Handa, either. Any other ideas?

What about something that is set in the UK (I assume that is where you are) - ie an "ordinary" story which just happens to have black (or other) characters. Handa's Surprise is nice but set in a Kenyan village. Will have a think - there's Feast For 10 (which is actually American).

My Two Grannies / My Two Grandads?

How about:
And me,
Busy toes,
In a minute,
One world, one day.

Have you looked at Letterbox library. They are fantastic.

Thank you!

Handa's Hen

We bought this from the library book sale. Both DCs have loved it.
It really just talks about the ways children are different and alike.

I'm adding the link to amazon.com (it's out of stock in the UK) so that you can 'Look Inside' here goes.

I agree with Iskra. It actually gets on my nerves when Handa's surprise is used as a multicultural book.

Jump at the Sun do a range of fairy stories.

Grace Lin has written a few books.

Where's Gran

Cleversticks

hello I am a teaching assistant with some knowledge on books. My son is 4 and at age 2-3 I introduced Kipper books that have muti -cutural characters and story which flows with children playing to together - families becoming friends - yu can obtain these from waterstone's book shop and wH Smith also On ebay under Key stage 1 books.. Hope this is of any help

At pre-school age these can be introduced through picture story

goodluck -

Lots to look at; off to follow your links. Agree that Handa's Suprise is not what OfSTED is looking for (although lovely).

Hello again, I just remembered Nick Sharratt's Goldilocks here.

What a great book! Will get it for my y3 class!

We have My World, Your World. It's a very simple book with just a short sentence on each page, the illustrations are bold but detailed enough to get my dc's asking questions about children in different countries.

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes is also gorgeous. Babies born on the ice, in the desert, in towns, on farms etc (But it makes me cry as I'm a soppy thing).

Afrotina and the three bears - a take from goldilocks.

Also have a black version of 'Rapunzel' by Fred Crump. Both very good!

There is a bookshop in London that does masses of books that could be suitable for you. They have a website and they do mail order. If you type in Willesden Book Shop you'll be able to see what they have to offer. There is also a publishing company called Tamarind that also has some fantastic books. I hope this is helpful for you.

Ds liked Silver Shoes.

The Allan Ahlberg Happy Families series has families of all sorts too

Am going to look out the alternative versions of fairy tales for my class; I think they are maybe a bit complex for three-year olds, but they look fantastic.
I am just off to google the Willesdon Book Shop and Silver Shoes. Thank you for all your help!

This publisher is terrific:
www.tamarindbooks.co.uk/

Hullabazoo is a great book, as is "so much" and "something special".
Why not make your own stories using pictures of local people? A book made of just pictures could have a different story every time!
"Giraffes can't dance" and the elmer series celebrate difference.

This isn't specifically multicultural but is good for talking about people being different in all sorts of ways.

Todd Parr