This paper presents an overview of three countries, China, Japan, and Korea, in the northeastern Asia region and provides a bibliography of children's literature from the area in the appendix. The document advocates that the global interdependence of societies necessitates an understanding of the cultures with which people must interrelate. Ramirez and Ramirez's (1994) suggestions for selection of classroom literature includes consideration of the following factors: (1) the general accuracy of the story line; (2) lack of stereotypes; (3) use of appropriate language rather than derogatory slang; (4) accurate perspective of the author; and (5) story line and illustrations that are current in fact and interpretation of children's literature. (EH)