If there’s ever a question about how culturally diverse Federal Way is, one need look no further than the selection of books recently donated by the city’s Diversity Commission to local elementary schools.

The books tell stories centering on the cultures of Afghanistan, Russia, Ethiopia and Vietnam, among others. One book, “At the Zoo in Samoan and English,” teaches about exotic animals in two languages.

The Diversity Commission acts as a cultural advisor to the Federal Way City Council. Since 2002, the commission has donated books to local libraries and elementary schools about the cultures represented in the community. This year, Green Gables, Sherwood Forest, Rainier View and Nautilus elementary schools were gifted such books.

“Someone came up with a concept that there are a lot of kids in our community and it’s becoming more diversified,” said Diversity Commission member Ron Walker about how the donations got started. “We said, what are some ways we can make an impact?”

Each year, the commission sends out letters to librarians at elementary schools asking what types of books would highlight the ethnic and cultural groups at each school, Walker said. The librarians are given a budget of $300; the commission then takes the selections to the Border’s store at The Commons Mall, which orders the books (Walker noted that the store gives the commission a “nice size discount”).  

Some of the books bought this year include “Little Leap Forward: A Boy in Beijing,” “Fiesta Dress: A Quinceanera Tale,” “Spider’s Gift: A Ukrainian Christmas Story,” and “I Come From Afghanistan.”

This year, a total of 88 books were donated. The commission buys books using its own budget and usually spends around $1,200.

The culmination of the donation is a series of readings at elementary schools by local community leaders. This year’s readings revolve 

around an important date in children’s literature: Dr. Seuss’ birthday is on March 2. The children’s author and cartoonist would be 104.

The readings will take place between Feb. 28 and March 9. The first, on Feb. 28 at Rainier View, will feature readings by Superintendent Rob Neu, Deputy Mayor Dini Duclos and Councilwoman Jeanne Burbidge. On March 1 at Nautilus, Councilman Mike Park, Police Chief Brian Wilson and School Board President Tony Moore will read and Mayor Skip Priest will read at Sherwood Forest. On March 3, South King Fire and Rescue Chief Al Church and School Board member Suzanne Smith will read at Sherwood Forest.

On March 9, Neu, Walker, School Board Vice President Amye Bronson-Doherty and Municipal Court Judge Dave Larson will read at Green Gables.  

Federal Way’s Diversity Commission was created in 1993 to advise the city council on issues of diversity. Walker said the commission, in addition to the book donation, might advise the council on issues like increasing diversity in city hiring practices and improving cultural diversity in city affairs.

The Federal Way School District counts at least 120 different languages spoken by children in the schools. English and Spanish are the top languages spoken, but hundreds of students speak languages like Korean, Ukrainian, Tagalog and Punjabi. Walker said the commission’s book donation seeks to highlight those cultures.

“What we have concentrated on in the last year is cultural diversity — the reason we chose that is because everyone fits into some culture of diversity, whether it’s Native American, Korean, Caucasian, African-American,” Walker said.

“One of the things (we ask ourselves) is, how is it that we can help more children be able to see themselves?”