Minnesota Humanities Center

Books

Publications from the Minnesota Humanities Center

About Our Books

MHC has published numerous books in collaboration with community partners for all levels of readers. From anthologies to bilingual children’s books, we offer resources that celebrate and elevate Minnesota’s rich heritage.

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Eden Bart

Anthologies

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Edited by Alexs Pate with Coeditors Pamela Fletcher and J. Otis Powell‽
A surprising and compelling anthology that reveals complex realities as described by African American writers in Minnesota over the past century. Co-published with the Minnesota Historical Society Press.

Edited by Marian A. Hassan
“Crossroads: An Anthology of Resilience and Hope by Young Somali Writers” is an anthology of writing by youth and young adult Somali Minnesotans published and presented by the Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) and our Somali-community partners.

Published in 1991 by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Council of Teachers of English, Braided Lives is an anthology that brings together vivid stories and poems of Native American, Hispanic American, African American, and Asian American Writers.

Native American Lives Series

2022 American Library Association Youth Media Award American Indian Youth Literature Middle-Grade Honor Books!

The Minnesota Humanities Center is excited to announce an expansion of the Native American Lives Series. In addition to the three original books sharing the life stories of Ella Cara Deloria, Charles Albert Bender, and Peggy Flanagan, an additional nine new stories will be added to the series.

Reading Together Book Project

The Reading Together Book Project addresses the lack of children’s books that speak to the experience of being an Asian Pacific Islander (API) child and supports the development of English literacy skills.

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Written by Diane Tran
Illustrated by Alex Patrick Shimkus

The lunar new year is here, and Linh wants to help her mom prepare for the big celebration. There is much to do around the house before the family reunion dinner. Try as she might to help her mom with the traditional customs that bring good luck in the new year, Linh keeps making mistakes.

Written by Mai Kou Xiong
Illustrated by Vang Lee

Phengxue was always too busy with soccer and friends to take an interest in the ancient Hmong qeej (“keng”), until his two best friends encounter the instrument during a visit. Their curiosity brings them to Grandfather, whose wisdom teaches the three boys the importance of the qeej during Hmong funerals. Not only does this instrument play beautiful melodies, it also guides a loved one’s soul back to the land of the ancestors. Phengxue’s heart is pulled by its soft music, as if the qeej is speaking to him, nudging him to learn this special instrument.

Written by Stephen Wright
Illustrated by Ilhwa Gloria Kim

Ian loves to gaze at the night sky and longs to discover the mystery of his birth story and adoption from the Philippines. Who is his birth mother, and why did she leave him at an orphanage when Ian was a newborn?

Ian discovers that the stars may contain answers that will point him home so that he can take his place among the stars.

Written by Chay Douangphouxay
Illustrated by Alex Kuno

Before a Lao child is born, the child’s parents spend endless nights trying to think of the perfect name. Once the name is carefully and lovingly chosen, the child must strive to live up to that name. If the child is successful, it will bring great honor and joy to the family. But if the child fails, it can bring much sadness and misfortune.

Each of the characters in Tawan: The Sun Girl has been given a special and meaningful name. Their names were given as a guide to help them become better people. But when the true test of life comes knocking on their door, will Tawan, Din, Nom, and Prince Jaiboun choose to live up to their names?

By May Lee Yang
Illustrated by Anne Sawyer-Aitch

On the first day of summer break, twin brothers, Tou Bee and Tou Cher are bummed when their mom takes away their video games. She makes the crazy suggestion that they use their imaginations instead! Determined to find their video games, the boys go on a quest that includes ninjas, dungeons, wild dogs, and even a dragon!

By Ka Vang
Illustrated by Aimee Hagerty Johnson

2012 Midwest Book Award Finalist for Children’s Fiction
Quiet and shy Shoua is heart-broken when she is not allowed to go on a camping trip with her grandfather, father, and two brothers, simply because she is a girl. When Shoua’s mother has a special dream about a falling star in the forest her grandfather mysteriously allows Shoua to come along and camp in the north Minnesota woods. While camping a star falls and a wounded dragon is found. Shoua becomes determined to save the dragon in order to prove her place in the family. In the process, she discovers her own voice and magical power!

Somali Bilingual Book Project

The Somali Bilingual Book Project provides authentic resources that promote and preserve heritage languages and increase English literacy skills of refugee and immigrant families through four traditional Somali folktales in both English and Somali.

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Retold by Said Salah Ahmed
Illustrated by Kelly Dupre

This traditional Somali folktale tells an animal fable about working together toward a common good. The animals all work together to kill a camel, but then the lion comes and demands that they give him a share. Although he did none of the work, he ends up with most of the camel, prompting the other animals to say, “The lion’s share is not fair.”

Retold by Marian A. Hassan
Illustrated by Betsy Bowen

In this hair-raising cautionary tale from Somalia, the Hargega Valley is plagued by the monstrous Dhegdheer, a witch who gobbles up anyone unlucky enough to cross her path. A widow and her young son try to escape her. Will they be Dhegdheer’s next meal or will their virtue save them and help bring an end to Dhegdheer’s reign of terror?

Retold by Kathleen Moriarty
Illustrated by Amin Amir

When a wise Somali leader asks the men in his province to bring him the part of a sheep that best symbolizes what can divide men or unite them as one, most present him with prime cuts of meat. But one very poor man’s daughter has a different idea. In this clever folktale, a father reluctantly follows his daughter’s advice and has astonishing results.

Retold by Kelly Dupree
Illustrated by Amin Amir

When a wise Somali leader asks the men in his province to bring him the part of a sheep that best symbolizes what can divide men or unite them as one, most present him with prime cuts of meat. But one very poor man’s daughter has a different idea. In this clever folktale, a father reluctantly follows his daughter’s advice and has astonishing results.