Hope by Isabell Monk

This is a bit of an oldie, but an absolute goodie. Written in 1998, this narrative follows the eponymous character, Hope, as she is suddenly catapulted into the exploration of her biracial identity and heritage. While visiting her Aunt Poogee, who is black, the two venture out to an open-air market, where Hope encounters some of her aunt's friends, one of whom refers to Hope as "mixed". Being confronted for the first time with this term, Hope is confused and asks her aunt after a quiet drive home why the woman said it. While sitting with Hope in the rocking chair that night, Aunt Poogee tells the story of how Hope got her name and how the ancestries of her mother and father came together to create such a remarkable human. Not only does this story have a wonderful message of taking pride in one's identity, it's illustrations by Janice Lee Porter are stunning and captivating. The use of yellow throughout the book provokes a feeling of joy and the expressions on Hope's face allow the reader to feel her emotions right along with her. I highly recommend using this book in primary grade levels as students are exploring their identities and beginning to understand the significance of heritage.