Week 4

Tea with Milk is an excellent picture book to teach about multiculturalism and feeling accepted in a culture different from your own. This picture book is about a Japanese girl, May, who first lives in America and then her family relocates to Japan. In both countries, May never felt like she fits in. She struggled with this for many years and tried to find her place by searching for the right career. May is challenged with many cultural restrictions. But, she eventually becomes comfortable with herself when she meets a man who also never felt comfortable in Japan and likes his tea with milk (an American way of drinking tea in a country where they don't use milk). Teachers could use Tea with Milk to discuss children's experiences about feeling different, whether it is because of culture, race, religion, health reasons, bullying, etc. This realistic fiction is a fantastic resource to use in classrooms. :)