Multicultural Literature 

Summary of the book 

The Big Umbrella tells the story that no matter what a person looks like, they are accepted under the umbrella. There is room for people and animals of any cultural background, regardless of appearance. There were people and animals under the umbrella who were hairy, big with big orange feet, and had difficulties walking, so they needed the assistance of a wheelchair; there was room for so much diversity under the umbrella (Bates & Bates, 2023). Everyone was accepted!

Evaluate Genre/ Illustrations

The Illustrations in the book were watercolor pictures, very colorful, and blended well with the pencil illustration (Simon & Schuster,2023). The illustration represented the words in the book well, displaying everyone in different sizes, shapes, appearances, etc. The Big Umbrella avoids stenotypes; everyone, including different able people, is accepted under the umbrella regardless of appearance. The book sends a positive message to children that regardless of how someone appears, theirs always room to accept people for who and how they are. 

Motivational Activities 

After reading this book, including an activity where the children draw or create their big umbrella would be great. It is an excellent way for the children to show everyone welcome under their umbrella. Questions that could be asked at the start of the book are "Do you think there is going to be enough room for all these different people and animals under the umbrella?", Also, after reading the book, the children could be asked, "Was the umbrella happy or sad while helping everyone?", "Did everyone under the umbrella look the same?". Use the book and have the children describe all the different people they see under the umbrella. 

Personal comments/ Author background information

I enjoyed this book a lot. Under the umbrella is a book that should be read in the classroom to educate children that there is always room to accept everyone regardless of how someone appears (or they appear). I liked that the author included someone with different hair colors and even differently-abled people. June Bates wrote Under the Umbrella with her daughter Juniper Bates who was in the sixth grade (Simon & Schuster, 2023). Under the umbrella is one of the author's first books that they published. June Bates is a well-known Illustrator and has Illustrated several books such as the Sam the Man series, Sweet Dreams, and of course, Under the Umbrella, along with many more (Simon & Schuster, 2023). 

 

References

Bates, A. J., & Bates, J. (2023). The Big Umbrella. Paula Wiseman Books.

(2023). The Big Umbrella | Book by Amy June Bates, Juniper Bates | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster. Simonandschuster. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Big-Umbrella/Amy-June-Bates/9781534406582