One Book, One San Diego

One Book for Kids

One Book for Kids is a companion program to One Book, One San Diego that is just for kids! In February, the community is asked to nominate titles the entire community should read together - for adults, teens, and kids. The Children's and Young Adult Selection Committee reviews these nominations and ultimately selects a title they believe fits our selection criteria best. In the fall, KPBS and our community partners host events inspired by the book for kids and families.

Past One Book for Kids Selections

2019 One Book for Kids Selection: "Dreamers" by Yuyi Morales

Winner of the 2019 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award, and New York Times / New York Public Library Best Illustrated Book of 2018.

In 1994, Yuyi Morales left her home in Xalapa, Mexico, and came to the United States with her infant son. She left behind nearly everything she owned, but she didn’t come empty-handed. She brought her strength, her work, her passion, her hopes, and dreams. . . and her stories. Caldecott Honor artist and six-time Pura Belpré winner Yuyi Morales’s gorgeous picture book “Dreamers” is about making a home in a new place. Yuyi and her son Kelly’s passage was not easy, and Yuyi spoke no English whatsoever at the time. But together, they found an unexpected, unbelievable place: the public library. There, book by book, they untangled the language of this strange new land and learned to make their home within it.

2018 One Book for Kids Selection: "Blue Sky, White Stars" by Sarvinder Naberhaus and Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Blue Sky, White Stars is a picture book written by Sarvinder Naberhaus and illustrated by New York Times bestselling and Caldecott-honor-winning artist Kadir Nelson. Deceptively simple verses pair with richly evocative images of American history, landscape, and people.

2017 One Book for Kids Selection: "My Beautiful Birds" by Suzanne Del Rizzo

A gentle yet moving story of refugees of the Syrian civil war, My Beautiful Birds by Suzanne Del Rizzo illuminates the ongoing crisis as it affects its children. It shows the reality of the refugee camps, where people attempt to pick up their lives and carry on. And it reveals the hope of generations of people as they struggle to redefine home.

“If you’ve been wondering how to present the refugee crisis to children without losing faith in humanity, take a look at this graceful, even uplifting book.”—The New York Times “Bookshelf: Friendships and Fables Soar in New Children’s Books”

2015 One Book For Kids Section: "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" by William Joyce

The book that inspired the Academy Award-winning animated short film, from New York Times bestselling author and beloved visionary, William Joyce, is also a picture book! It is an allegory about the curative power of stories and how books return the favor to those who care for them.

"Joyce’s magnificently illustrated book-about-books inspired—yet arrives after—his 2011 animated short film of the same name, which won an Oscar. The unusual sequence of film-to-book (there’s an app, too) suggests that while books are indeed glorious things, what really matters is the story. This one follows a dreamy bibliophile named Morris Lessmore, who loses his cherished book collection to a cataclysmic storm that’s half Katrina (Joyce is from Louisiana) and half Wizard of Oz. Underneath this book-about-books, there’s a deeper story of love, loss, and healing, one that will be appreciated as much (if not more) by adults as by children." -Publishers Weekly

2015 One Book For Littlest Kids Selection: "It's a Little Book" By Lane Smith

For the youngest of readers who still prefer to chew on a book rather than read it, “It's a Little Book” asks what a book is for--Is it for chewing? Is it for wearing?--and answers the question in a warm and charming way. As funny and captivating as the bestselling “It's a Book, It's a Little Book” promises to delight a new generation of readers.

“The pint-size companion to the best-selling ‘It’s a Book!,’ the board book version doesn’t merely shrink the proportions of the original; it also wisely contracts the whole wired world of its older brother into the smaller scope of a toddler’s landscape ― in a good way.” - New York Times "ArtsBeat" Blog

2014 One Book For Kids Selection: "Cora Cooks Pancit" By Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore

Cora loves being in the kitchen, but she always gets stuck doing the kid jobs like licking the spoon. One day, Cora finally gets the chance to be Mama's assistant chef. And of all the delicious Filipino dishes that dance through Cora's head, they decide to make pancit, her favorite. With Mama's help, Cora does the grown-up jobs like shredding the chicken and soaking the noodles. When dinner is finally served, her siblings find out that Cora did all their grown-up tasks, and Cora waits to see what everyone thinks of her cooking.

Dorina Lazo Gilmore's text delightfully captures the warmth between mother and daughter as they share a piece of their Filipino heritage. With bright and charming illustrations by Kristi Valiant, Cora's family comes alive as Cora herself becomes the family's newest little chef.

2013 One Book For Kids Selection: "Jingle Dancer" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Jenna, a contemporary Muscogee Creel girl in Oklahoma, loves the tradition of jingle dancing that has been shared by generations of women in her family, and she hopes to dance at the next powwow. But where will she find enough jingles for her dress?

The warm, evocative watercolors of Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu complement author Cynthia Leitich Smith's lyrical text as she tells the affirming story of how a contemporary Native American girl turns to her family and community to help her dance find a voice.

2012 One Book For Kids Selection: "Armando and the Blue Tarp School" by Edith Hope Fine and Judith Pinkerton Josephson

A truck horn sounds through Armando’s Colonia, his neighborhood, near the city dump. Señor David is back, setting up the school on a blue tarp spread on the ground. Oh, how Armando longs to go to this school, but he knows he must help his father pick through trash in the dump for things his family can use, recycle, or sell.

When Armando’s parents, at last, decide to let him spend afternoons at Señor David’s school, Armando is overjoyed. He’ll learn to read and write. He’ll learn numbers. Best of all, he’ll draw pictures. And one momentous day Armando’s love of drawing helps bring an almost unimaginable treasure to the children of the Colonia.

Told with honesty and hope, “Armando and the Blue Tarp School” is a testament to the pursuit of dreams and the power of one person to make a difference in the lives of others.

2012 One Book For Kids Selection: "The Secret Message" by Mina Javaherbin

“All day the bird sang of longing. But the merchant would not let him go…”

Alone, imprisoned in a golden cage, and far from the jungles of home, a parrot longs for freedom. Will he ever escape? Thanks to a secret message passed along by his friends in India, the parrot outwits his wealthy owner and soars to freedom.

Based on an ancient Persian poem, this is a story of surprising cleverness, powerful solidarity, exotic travels, and a simple wish fulfilled. This enchanting tale told with subtle humor and vibrant images is a perfect introduction to the culture, literature, and history of the Middle East.

One Book for Teens

One Book for Teens is a companion program to One Book, One San Diego, that is just for tweens and teens. In February, the community is asked to nominate titles the entire community should read together - for adults, teens, and kids. The Children's and Young Adult Selection Committee reviews these nominations and ultimately selects a title they believe fits our selection criteria best. In the fall, KPBS and our community partners host events inspired by the book for teens, tweens, and their families.

Past One Book for Teens Selections

2019 One Book for Teens Selection: "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander

This coming-of-age novel is written in a mix of dynamic free verse and hip hop poetry. It tells the story of two basketball-playing brothers and their family. As their winning season unfolds, things begin to change. When Jordan meets a girl, the twins’ bond unravels. A great read for middle-grade students novel, especially reluctant readers, that bounces with rhythm and bursts with heart.

New York Times bestseller, Newbery Medal Winner, Coretta Scott King Honor Award 2015, YALSA 2015 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2015 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, Publishers Weekly Best Book, School Library Journal Best Book, Kirkus Best Book

2018 One Book for Teens Selection: "March: Book One" by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell

"March: Book One," a graphic memoir by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell. The first in a series of three, March: Book One, is a vivid first-hand account of the early life of the Civil Rights icon, John Lewis, including meeting Martin Luther King, Jr. and the birth of the Nashville Student Movement.

John Lewis and other student activists drew inspiration from the 1958 comic book “Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story.” Now, his own comics bring those days to life for a new audience, testifying to a movement whose echoes will be heard for generations.

2017 One Book for Teens Selection: "I Remember Beirut" by Zeina Abirached

Lerner Publishing

Zeina Abirached, author of the award-winning graphic novel “A Game for Swallows,” returns with a powerful collection of wartime memories.

Abirached was born in Lebanon in 1981. She grew up in Beirut as fighting between Christians and Muslims divided the city streets. Follow her past cars riddled with bullet holes, into taxi cabs that travel where buses refuse to go, and on outings to collect shrapnel from the sidewalk.

With striking black-and-white artwork, Abirached recalls the details of ordinary life inside a war zone.

2015 One Book For Teens Selection: "The Dumbest Idea Ever!" By Jimmy Gownley

Jimmy Gownley's graphic novel memoir about the "dumb" idea that changed his life forever!

What if the dumbest idea ever turned your life upside down? At thirteen, Jimmy was popular, at the top of his class, and the leading scorer on his basketball team. But all that changed when chicken pox forced him to miss the championship game. Things went from bad to worse when he got pneumonia and missed even more school. Before Jimmy knew it, his grades were sinking and nothing seemed to be going right. How did Jimmy turn things around, get back on top at school, and land a date with the cutest girl in class?

Renowned comics creator Jimmy Gownley shares his adventures as he grows from an eager-to-please boy into a teenage comic book artist. This is the real-life story of how the DUMBEST idea ever became the BEST thing that ever happened to him.

2014 One Book For Teens Selection: "American Born Chinese" by Gene Luen Yang

Gene Luen Yang is the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. “American Born Chinese” is a 2006 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature, the winner of the 2007 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New, an Eisner Award nominee for Best Coloring, a 2007 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, and a New York Times bestseller

Jin Wang starts at a new school where he's the only Chinese-American student. When a boy from Taiwan joins his class, Jin doesn't want to be associated with an FOB like him. Jin just wants to be an all-American boy, because he's in love with an all-American girl. Danny is an all-American boy: great at basketball, popular with the girls. But his obnoxious Chinese cousin Chin-Kee's annual visit is such a disaster that it ruins Danny's reputation at school.

The Monkey King has lived for thousands of years and mastered the arts of kung fu and the heavenly disciplines. He's ready to join the ranks of the immortal gods in heaven. But there's no place in heaven for a monkey. Each of these characters cannot help himself alone, but how can they possibly help each other? They're going to have to find a way―if they want to fix the disasters their lives have become.

One Book Sin Fronteras

One Book Sin Fronteras is a cross-cultural collaboration designed to create stronger literary connections between the neighboring cities of San Diego and Tijuana. The program transcends border and language by creating a community-wide reading program for English and Spanish speakers alike, including those who live south of the border. As a companion program to One Book, One San Diego, each year the program features a Spanish-language book that is a direct translation of, or explores the same themes found within, the main One Book selection.

Selecciones de libros anteriores para sin fronteras

Selección 2019: "Éramos unos niños / Just Kids" by Patti Smith

National Book Award de ensayo 2010.

La hermosa relación de Patti Smith con el gran fotógrafo Robert Mapplethorpe. Un homenaje a la amistad sin trabas. Sus páginas cargadas de vitalidad y humor nos devuelven el sabor de esa gran ciudad donde casi todo era posible.

Corría el mes de julio de 1967 y eran unos niños, pero a partir de entonces Patti Smith y Robert Mapplethorpe sellaron una amistad que solo acabaría con la muerte del gran fotógrafo, en 1989. De eso habla este espléndido libro de memorias, de la vida en común de estos artistas, los dos entusiastas y apasionados, que cruzaron a grandes pasos la periferia de Nueva York para llegar hasta el centro neurálgico del nuevo arte. Fue así que acabaron instalándose en el hotel Chelsea y se convirtieron en los protagonistas de un mundo hoy ya perdido donde reinaban Allen Ginsberg, Andy Warhol y sus chicos, y se creaban las grandes bandas de música que marcaron los años finales del siglo XX, mientras el sida hacía estragos.

National Book Award Winner 2010

In "Just Kids," Patti Smith’s first book of prose, the legendary American artist offers a never-before-seen glimpse of her remarkable relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the epochal days of New York City and the Chelsea Hotel in the late sixties and seventies. An honest and moving story of youth and friendship, Smith brings the same unique, lyrical quality to "Just Kids" as she has to the rest of her formidable body of work—from her influential 1975 album Horses to her visual art and poetry.

Selección 2018: March. Una Crónica De La Lucha Por Los Derechos Civiles De Los Afroamericanos

de Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin y Nate Powell

El congresista John Lewis es una de las figuras más importantes del movimiento por los derechos civiles del pueblo afroamericano de EE. UU.

Su compromiso con la justicia y la no violencia le llevó de una granja de Alabama al Congreso de los Estados Unidos de América, de una escuela segregada a la Marcha de Washington de 1963, y de recibir duras palizas de la policía estatal a ser reconocido con la Medalla de la Libertad por el primer presidente afroamericano de EE. UU.

Ahora, con la intención de compartir su historia con las nuevas generaciones, Lewis presenta March, una premiada novela gráfica creada en colaboración con Andrew Aydin y el artista Nate Powell.

Hace muchos años, John Lewis y otros estudiantes activistas se inspiraron en un cómic de los años 1950 sobre Martin Luther King Jr. Hoy, su propio cómic rememora esa época para nuevos lectores, dejando constancia de un movimiento cuyos ecos seguirán oyéndose durante muchas generaciones.

Selección 2017: La Bastarda de Estambul

Pengiun Random House

De la mano de una de las autoras turcas más aclamadas internacionalmente llega esta novela sobre la historia de dos familias. Para Armanoush, recién llegada de Arizona en busca de sus raíces, Estambul es como un gran barco de ruta incierta. Acogida por la familia de su padrastro, esta joven armenia-norteamericana irá desgranando los secretos de dos familias unidas por la tragedia que separó a turcos y armenios a principios del siglo XX. Una apasionante saga familiar sobre uno de los episodios más turbios de la historia de occidente: el tantas veces negado genocidio armenio.

Selección 2016: La Selección Para el 2016 One Book Sin Fronteras

"Nieve en la Habana" es un bello libro de Carlos Eire, lleno de memorias nostálgicas de su infancia en Cuba, el país al cual dejo en 1962 a los 11 años. Usando humor, realismo mágico y lenguaje lírico, Eire pinta un retrato de una infancia destrozada para siempre por la Revolución Cubana.

Selección 2015: "La Sombra del Viento" de Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

Programa de Lectura de la Comunidad que presentara "La Sombra del Viento" de Carlos Ruiz Zafón se extenderá a Tijuana.

2018 Video Interview:

Focus on Civil Rights and American History
One Book, One San Diego announced the selections for the 2018 region-wide read: "March: Book One," a graphic memoir by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell; and "Blue Sky, White Stars," a picture book written by Sarvinder Naberhaus and illustrated by New York Times bestselling and Caldecott-honor winning artist Kadir Nelson.

2017 Selections

KPBS announced the 2017 One Book, One San Diego book selection "The Sandcastle Girls" by Chris Bohjalian, the critically acclaimed novelist whose books frequently make The New York Times best-seller list. Bohjalian will be in San Diego for two public events on September 12 and 13.

2016 Selection

Have mercy on me, Lord, I am Cuban.” In 1962, Carlos Eire was one of 14,000 children airlifted out of Havana—exiled from his family, his country and his own childhood by Fidel Castro’s revolution. Winner of the National Book Award, this stunning memoir is a vibrant and evocative look at Latin America from a child’s unforgettable experience.

• Explore the San Diego Public Library’s online discussion guide.
• Author interview on KPBS Radio
• Author Website
• Find the book at your local library, or purchase it online from your local independent bookstore, Warwick’s.

One Book, Sin Fronteras Selection:
The One Book, Sin Fronteras companion book for "Waiting for Snow in Havana” was the original Spanish version of the book, ”Nieve en La Habana” by Carlos Eire.

2015 Selections:

1 of 5

"The Shadow of the Wind" By Carlos Ruiz Zafón Book Cover

2 of 5

"La Sombra del Viento" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon book cover

3 of 5

"The Dumbest Idea Ever!" by Jimmy Gownley Book Cover

4 of 5

"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" by William Joyce Book Cover

5 of 5

"It'a a Little Book" by Lane Smith Book Cover

Set in Barcelona, 1945, "The Shadow of the Wind," by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, tells the story of a city in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son who mourns the loss of his mother, as he finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wine, by Julián Carax. When he sets out to find the author’s other works, he makes a shocking discovery: somone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. Soon Daniel’s seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona’s darket secrets- an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love.

• Explore a helpful online discussion guide.
• Author interview on KPBS Radio
• Author Website
• Find the book at your local library, or purchase it online from your local independent bookstore, Warwick’s.

One Book, Sin Fronteras Selection:
The One Book, Sin Fronteras companion book for “The Shadow of the Wind” is the original Spanish version of the book,”La Sombra del Viento”by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

One Book for Teens Selection:
The teen companion book for "The Shadow of the Wind" is”The Dumbest Idea Ever”by Jimmy Gownley.

One Book for Kids Selection:
The children's companion book for "The Shadow of the Wind" is ”The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” by William Joyce.

• One Book for Kids Early Literacy Workshop PDF: This workshop is based around our 2015 One Book for Kids selection, "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" by William Joyce. This fun and engaging workshop helps build early literacy skills for children ages seven and under.

One Book for Littlest Kids Selection:
The toddler’s companion book for “The Shadow of the Wind” is ”It’s a Little Book” by Lane Smith.

2014 Selections

"Monstress," by Lysley Tenorio, is a book of quirky short stories set amongst Filipino-American communities in California and the Philippines.

• Explore the San Diego County Library’s online discussion guide.
• Author interview on KPBS Radio
• Author Website
• Find the book at your local library, or purchase it online from your local independent bookstore, Warwick’s.

One Book for Kids Selection:
The children's companion book for "Monstress" is "Cora Cooks Pancit" by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore.

One Book for Teens Selection:
The teen companion book for "Monstress" is "American Born Chinese" by Gene Luen Yang.

2013 Selections

Inspired by a true story, "Caleb’s Crossing," by Geraldine Brooks, is narrated by a young woman named Bethia Mayfield, growing up in Martha’s Vineyard in the 1660s amid a small band of pioneering English Puritans. At age twelve, she meets Caleb, the son of a chieftain, and the two forge a secret bond. Bethia’s father is a Calvinist minister who seeks to convert the native Wampanoag, and Caleb becomes a prize in the contest between old ways and new, eventually becoming the first Native American graduate of Harvard College.

• Explore the San Diego County Library’s online discussion guide.
• Author interview on KPBS Radio
• Author Website
• Find the book at your local library, or purchase it online from your local independent bookstore, Warwick’s.

One Book for Kids Selection:
The children's companion book for "Caleb’s Crossing" is"Jingle Dancer” by Cynthia Leitich Smith.

2012 Selections:

1 of 3

"The Beautiful North" by Luis Alberto Urrea Book Cover

2 of 3

"Into the Beautiful North," by Luis Alberto Urrea

3 of 3

Sky of Red Poppies by Zohreh Ghahremani Book Cover

Into the Beautiful North
"Into the Beautiful North," by Luis Alberto Urrea, tells the story of Nayeli, a young taco shop worker living in the Mexican village of Tres Camarones. Upon realizing that nearly all the men from her town have moved North, Nayeli and three of her friends travel to the San Diego area in hopes of finding men to bring back to Mexico. The central characters encounter surprises along the way, in this funny yet powerful tale of their journey.

• Explore our online discussion guide.
• Author interview on KPBS Radio
• Author Website
• Find the book at your local library or bookstore, or purchase it online from your local independent bookstore, Mysterious Galaxy.

One Book for Kids Selection:
The children's companion book for "Into the Beautiful North" is "Armando and the Blue Tarp School" by Edith Fine and Judith Josephson.

Moloka’i
Rachel Kalama, a spirited seven-year-old Hawaiian girl, dreams of visiting far-off lands like her father, a merchant seaman. Then one day a rose-colored mark appears on her skin, and those dreams are stolen from her. Taken from her home and family, Rachel is sent to Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka'i. Here her life is supposed to end—but instead, she discovers it is only just beginning.

• Explore our online discussion guide.
• Author Website
• Book Review
• Find the book at your local library, or purchase it online from your local independent bookstore, Warwick’s.

Sky of Red Poppies
Set against the backdrop of a politically divided 1960's Iran under the rule of the Shah, "Sky of Red Poppies" is a novel about culture, politics, and the redeeming power of friendships. Roya, the daughter of a prominent family, is envious of the fierce independence of her religious classmate Shireen. But Shireen has secrets of her own. Together, Roya and Shireen contend with becoming the women they want to be and, in doing so, make decisions that will cause their tragic undoing.

• Explore our online discussion guide.
• Author Interview
• Author Website
• Find the book at your local library, or purchase it online from your local independent bookstore, Warwick’s.

One Book for Kids Selection:
The children's companion book for "Sky of Red Poppies" is"The Secret Message” by Mina Javaherbin.

2011 Selection

The Gangster We Are All Looking For," written by lê thi diem thúy, is a true-life novel about a Vietnamese refugee family in San Diego, told from the perspective of the family’s daughter, who is just six years old when they arrive. The narrator and her parents struggle to adapt to life in an unfamiliar land, while simultaneously dealing with a troubled marriage, a father’s mysterious past, and the loss of a brother, in this painful, magical, and poetic novel.

• Purchase "The Gangster We Are All Looking For" from Warwick's bookstore.
• Read an interview with the author, lê thi diem thúy
• Hear an interview with the author on These Days
• Explore the online discussion guide for "The Gangster We Are All Looking For"

2010 Selection

"Outcasts United" was the 2009-2010 One Book One San Diego selection! An online vote was conducted during the month of October. "Outcasts United" received 61 percent of 1,500 votes. The other two choices were "Dreamers of the Day" and "Song Yet Sung."

• Purchase "Outcasts United" from Amazon.com
• "Outcasts United" Web site
• Author Interview (NPR)

2009 Selection

2009 Selection

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman is the remarkable true story of Jan and Antonina Zabinski, the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, who, with extraordinary courage, compassion, and calm under pressure, managed to save hundreds of people from Nazi hands. With her inimitable blend of lyricism and insight into the natural world, Ackerman reveals in this book how empathy for nature can, occasionally, allow us to triumph over the worst in human nature.

• Watch video of author Diane Ackerman

2008 Selection

In Three Cups of Tea, author Greg Mortenson and acclaimed journalist David Oliver Relin, recount the unlikely journey that led Mortenson from a failed attempt to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, to successfully building schools in some of the most remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

2007 Selection

Enrique's Journey, by Sonia Nazario, is an astonishing true story that recounts the unforgettable odyssey of a Honduran boy who braves unimaginable hardship and peril to reach his mother in the United States.