By Ann-Marie Stillion

I cannot present children's books without the reminder to read with your children. When I look at children's books, I always think of my mother and the many hours she spent reading with us. It made lifelong readers out of all her children — people with a genuine curiosity for life and the ability to maintain an open mind.

Ghosts for Breakfast, by Stanley Todd Terasaki, illustrated by Shelly Shinjo, published by Lee and Low Books, 2002. Something strange has been discovered in Farmer Tanaka's field, and a young boy goes with his father to discover the truth. There is a lot of room to explore and talk about the twists and turns of this humorous story. Dealing with everything from vegetables to history, Ghosts is a satisfying experience on a number of levels.

I enjoyed looking at the book as a child might, seeing the characters react to an unfolding ghost story. As most children's books are, the story is a short one, but it still manages to be genuine.

Ghosts is an ideal purchase for any child's library. The illustrator has a well-controlled color palette and a strong sense of character throughout.

This book comes from one of the few minority-owned publishing houses in the country. Based out of New York, Lee and Low Books is dedicated to its multicultural mission.


Gift for Gita, by Rachna Gilmore, illustrated by Alice Priestly, published by Tilbury House Publishers, 1998. The story centers on a visit from Gita's grandmother, who has come from India and brought the young girl a unique doll, which Gita treasures. But change is on the way. The reader is thrust into the complicated issues that many children face today: Where is home? Is it where we put down our roots? Where did we "come" from? How do we maintain connection with people and places that are so far away? Originally published in Canada, this book could be written in many different languages, with many cultural icons standing in, and still make the same intended impact.

Gift for Gita is part of a series that includes Lights for Gita and Roses for Gita. The Indian author now lives in Canada. The illustrator, also Canadian, has a light touch. She portrays the warmth of an Indian family with uncomplicated ease. At times you get the feeling that you are peering through a window, rather than looking at a book.


The Squiggle, by Carole Lexa Schaefer, illustrated by Pierr Morgan, published by Crown Publishers, 1999. Squiggle is something of a phenomenon, as the concept is used in schools as an interactive learning tool for children ages 3 to 6. Exercises found in the back of the book encourage adults and children to play together using the story as a starting point.

The language in Squiggle is as smart and interactive as the playful line drawings: "Then, off we go to the park in our slither slish, push-a-pat, snap, tah-dah, crack crickle hiss, tug KA-BOOM! rippleshhh, ah-whoosh, squiggle of a line."

There is a "Great Wall" and wonderful colorful dragons. The little girl has straight black hair and wears a green quilted jacket with red slippers. Her imaginative adventures in the park transport the reader to a childhood that is Asia-centered and full of symbolism and oblique references to China, making it a suitable reading experience for any multicultural setting.

I can easily see a long winter afternoon spent with a child, some paint, paper and string, and your "big" imaginations!