Book Title:My Granny Went to Mark: A Round-the-World Counting Rhyme Author: Stella Blackstone and Christopher Corr Topic: Counting Ages: 3-7 years Book Title: Great Migration: An American Story Author: Jacob Lawrence Topic: Population shifts (quantity) Ages: 4-8 years Book Title: One Grain of Rice Author: Demi Topic: Exponents, doubling, patterns Ages: 4-8 years Book Title: Two of Everything Author: Lily Toy Hong Topic: Doubling Grades: Preschool - 3rd Book Title: First Day in Grapes Author: L. King Perez Topic: Problems solving using math Grades: 3-5 Book Title: Hannah, Divided Author: Adele Griffin Topic: Enjoying math Grades: 3-5 Book Title: Number Stories of Long Ago Author: David Eugene Smith Topic: Number systems Grades: 3-7 Book Title: Slay Author: Brittany Norris Topic: Coding Grades: 6-9 Book Title: The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure Author: Hans Magnus Enzensberger Topic: Number sense, algebra, geometry, problem solving Grades: 7-10 Book Title: Math Girls Author: Hiroshi Yuki Topic: Intro to advanced mathematics Grades: 9-12 Book Title: Street-Fighting Mathematics: The Art of Educated Guessing and Opportunistic Author: Sanjoy Mahajan Topic: Problem Solving Grades: High School Book Title: Infinitesimal: How a Dangerous Mathematical Theory Shaped the Modern World Author: Amir Alexander Topic: Calculus Grades: High School

Picture books can be both fiction and non-fiction, and many of them will fit into other genres. Hot Day on Abbott Avenue by Karen English; Illustrator: Javaka Steptoe Age range (f1): 3-6 (AD580L) Synopsis (f2): It's the hottest, stickiest day of the summer. A fat-sun-in-the-sky day. An eating-ice-pops-on-the-porch day. And for Kishi and Renée, it's a best-friends-breakup day. Each girl sits on her own front porch, waiting for the other to apologize, even though they know they'll never speak to each other again, no matter how bored they get. But then the sounds of feet slapping the pavement and voices chanting double-dutch rhymes drift up the avenue, and neither one can resist going out in the street to play.This lyrical friendship story, the first collaboration of two outstanding artists, pairs a rhythmic text with distinctive collage illustrations. Its subtle message about sharing and forgiveness will resonate with anyone who has ever experienced the ups and downs of being, and having, a best friend. Key words (f3): Black American author (f4) Additional resources: Author interview Author interview Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns by Mehrdokht Amini; illustrated by Hena Khan Age range: 3-6 (660L) Synopsis: Magnificently capturing the colorful world of Islam for the youngest readers, this breathtaking and informative picture book celebrates Islam's beauty and traditions. From a red prayer rug to a blue hijab, everyday colors are given special meaning as young readers learn about clothing, food, and other important elements of Islamic culture, with a young Muslim girl as a guide. Sure to inspire questions and observations about world religions and cultures, Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns is equally at home in a classroom reading circle as it is being read to a child on a parent's lap. Key words: Muslim author and protagonist; Pakistani-American Author Alma and How She Got Her Nameby Juana Martinez-Neal Age range: 4-8 (490L) Synopsis: If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela has way too many names: six! How did such a small person wind up with such a large name? Alma turns to Daddy for an answer and learns of Sofia, the grandmother who loved books and flowers; Esperanza, the great-grandmother who longed to travel; José, the grandfather who was an artist; and other namesakes, too. As she hears the story of her name, Alma starts to think it might be a perfect fit after all — and realizes that she will one day have her own story to tell. In her author-illustrator debut, Juana Martinez-Neal opens a treasure box of discovery for children who may be curious about their own origin stories or names. Key words: Latinx American author/characters (f5); Peruvian-American; Family History Additional resources: Author Interview Author’s website Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o; Illustrator: Vashti Harrison Age range: 4-8 (AD580L) Synopsis: Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything. In this stunning debut picture book, actress Lupita Nyong’o creates a whimsical and heartwarming story to inspire children to see their own unique beauty. Key words: Body image (f6); Kenyan-Mexican author Additional resources: Author interview Illustrator website Just Ask: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor; Illustrator: Rafael López Age range: 4-8 Synopsis: Feeling different, especially as a kid, can be tough. But in the same way that different types of plants and flowers make a garden more beautiful and enjoyable, different types of people make our world more vibrant and wonderful. In Just Ask, United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor celebrates the different abilities kids (and people of all ages) have. Using her own experience as a child who was diagnosed with diabetes, Justice Sotomayor writes about children with all sorts of challenges–and looks at the special powers those kids have as well. As the kids work together to build a community garden, asking questions of each other along the way, this book encourages readers to do the same: When we come across someone who is different from us but we’re not sure why, all we have to do is Just Ask. Key words: Author and characters with disabilities (f7); Latinx American author/characters; Puerto Rican-American; Powerful Women Additional resources: Author interview Author biography Bowwow Powwow by Brenda J. Child; Illustrator: Jonathan Thunder; Translator: Gordan Jourdain Age range: 4-9 Synopsis: Windy Girl is blessed with a vivid imagination. From Uncle she gathers stories of long-ago traditions, about dances and sharing and gratitude. Windy can tell such stories herself—about her dog, Itchy Boy, and the way he dances to request a treat and how he wriggles with joy in response to, well, just about everything. When Uncle and Windy Girl and Itchy Boy attend a powwow, Windy watches the dancers and listens to the singers. She eats tasty food and joins family and friends around the campfire. Later, Windy falls asleep under the stars. Now Uncle’s stories inspire other visions in her head: a bowwow powwow, where all the dancers are dogs. In these magical scenes, Windy sees veterans in a Grand Entry, and a visiting drum group, and traditional dancers, grass dancers, and jingle-dress dancers—all with telltale ears and paws and tails. All celebrating in song and dance. All attesting to the wonder of the powwow. This playful story by Brenda Child is accompanied by a companion retelling in Ojibwe by Gordon Jourdain and brought to life by Jonathan Thunder’s vibrant dreamscapes. The result is a powwow tale for the ages. Key words: Indigenous author/characters (f8); Ojibew; Native Language Additional resources: Author video New York Times article by the author Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say Age range: 5-9 (650 L) Synopsis: A Japanese-American man recounts his father’s journey to America, which he later undertakes himself, and the feelings of being torn by a love for two different countries. Through compelling reminiscences of his grandfather’s life in America and Japan, Allen Say gives us a poignant account of a family’s unique cross-cultural experience. He warmly conveys his love for his two countries, and his strong and consistent desire to be in both places at once. Key words: Japan; Japanese-American author/characters (f9); Family History; Immigrant Experience Additional resources: Author video Author website When We Love Someone, We Sing To Them (Cuando Amamos Cantamos) by Ernesto Javier Martínez; Illustrator: Maya Gonzalez Age range: 7-10 Synopsis: A reclamation of the Mexican serenata tradition, follow the story of a young boy who asks his father if there is a song for a boy who loves a boy. Key words: LGBTQIAP+ author and characters; Latinx American author and characters (f10); Mexican-American author; social justice Additional resources: Author’s website Author interview The Red Bicycle by Jude Isabella; Illustrator: Simone Shin Age range: 8-10 (800L) Synopsis: In this unique nonfiction picture book, the main character is a bicycle that starts its life like so many bicycles in North America, being owned and ridden by a young boy. The boy, Leo, treasures his bicycle so much he gives it a name --- Big Red. But eventually Leo outgrows Big Red, and this is where the bicycle's story takes a turn from the everyday, because Leo decides to donate it to an organization that ships bicycles to Africa. Big Red is sent to Burkina Faso, in West Africa, where it finds a home with Alisetta, who uses it to gain quicker access to her family's sorghum field and to the market. Then, over time, it finds its way to a young woman named Haridata, who has a new purpose for the bicycle --- renamed Le Grand Rouge --- delivering medications and bringing sick people to the hospital. This book makes an excellent choice for cultural studies classes; author Jude Isabella has provided several terrific suggestions in the back of the book for projects large and small, while a map shows the distance the bicycle traveled across the Atlantic Ocean. Award-winning illustrator Simone Shin's digitally composed artwork includes evocative depictions of Alisetta's and Haridata's communities in rural Africa, creating vivid comparisons between Leo's life and their lives. Youngsters will learn how different the world is for those who rely on bicycles as a mode of transportation, and how one ordinary bicycle--and a child's desire to make a difference--can change lives across the world. This book also offers an excellent opportunity for expanding character education lessons on caring, compassion and empathy to include the wider world. Key words: Burkina Faso; African characters (f11) Additional resources: Author’s website The Memory Coat by Elvira Woodruff; Illustrator: Michael Dooling Age range: 8-11 (AD860L) Synopsis: This moving story of a Jewish family’s immigration to America from Russia may be jeopardized by a young cousin’s bond with a worn-out coat. At the turn-of-the century, a Jewish family must leave Russia when the Cossacks raid the country. Grandma Bubba tries to convince Grisha, her grandson, to leave behind an old coat that might prevent him from being accepted at Ellis Island upon the family’s arrival in America. Grisha refuses since the coat is lined with wool from the coat of his deceased mother. The family begins their transatlantic journey, but when they arrive at Ellis Island, Grisha is threatened with deportation until his cousin Rachel comes up with a plan to save him. Woodruff’s historical detail is based on research she discovered at the Ellis Island museum. Key words: Jewish characters (f12); Jewish-American author; Russia; Immigrant Experience Additional resources: Author’s website Additional children’s books Cicada by Shaun Tan Age range: 9-13 (330L) Synopsis: Cicada works in an office, dutifully toiling day after day for unappreciative bosses and being bullied by his coworkers. But one day, cicada goes to the roof of the building, and something truly extraordinary happens ... A story for anyone who has ever felt unappreciated, overlooked or overworked, from Australia's most acclaimed picture book creator. This is Shaun Tan's first author-illustrator book in five years, and his most important and moving fable since The Arrival. Key words: Australian author; social justice; bullying Additional resources: Author website Author commentary

My Father's Shop by Satomi Ichikawa Age range: 5-6 (AD500L; f1) Synopsis (f2): Mustafa’s dad tries to teach him foreign language phrases that will help Mustafa learn to sell the beautiful patterned rugs piled everywhere in his father’s shop in a Moroccan marketplace. Mustafa is bored and finally steals out to spend the day cloaked in a pretty little carpet with a hole in it. He meets up with a rooster who shares the colors in the carpet, and they attract a whole crowd of tourists. Soon everyone is telling each other how roosters make their sounds in each country: “Kho-kho-hou-hoûûû” in Morocco, “Co-co-ri-co” in France, “Qui-qui-ri-qui” in Spain, “Cock-a-doodle-doo” in England and “Koké-ko-kôôô” in Japan. Mustafa is proud of his ability to learn foreign languages and to bring new customers to his father’s shop. The vibrant watercolors are full of action and fun as the artist captures the many expressions on the faces of vendors and tourists. A joyous story that brings people from different cultures together. Key words (f3): Morocco; Japanese author; African characters (f11) Additional resources: Librarian review Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys in Sudan by Mary Williams; Illustrator: R. Gregory Christie Age range: 7-9 (610L) Synopsis: Eight-year-old Garang is tending cattle far from his family's home in southern Sudan when war comes to his village. Frightened but unharmed, he returns to find everything has been destroyed. Soon Garang meets other boys whose villages have been attacked. Before long they become a moving band of thousands, walking hundreds of miles seeking safety — first in Ethiopia and then in Kenya. The boys face numerous hardships and dangers along the way, but their faith and mutual support help keep the hope of finding a new home alive in their hearts. Based on heartbreaking yet inspirational true events in the lives of the Lost Boys of Sudan, Brothers in Hope is a story of remarkable and enduring courage, and an amazing testament to the unyielding power of the human spirit. Key words: Sudan; Ethiopia; Kenya; African American author (f13) Additional resources: Discussion guide Illustrator interview Book Uncle and Me by Uma Krishnaswami Age range: 8-12 (580L) Synopsis: Every day, nine-year-old Yasmin borrows a book from Book Uncle, a retired teacher who has set up a free lending library next to her apartment building. But when the mayor tries to shut down the rickety bookstand, Yasmin has to take her nose out of her book and do something. But what can she do? The local elections are coming up but she’s just a kid. She can’t even vote! Still, Yasmin has friends — her best friend, Reeni, and Anil, who even has a black belt in karate. And she has grown up family and neighbors who, no matter how preoccupied they are, care about what goes on in their community. Then Yasmin remembers a story that Book Uncle selected for her. It’s an old folktale about a flock of doves trapped in a hunter’s net. The birds realize that if they all flap their wings at the same time, they can lift the net and fly to safety, where they seek the help of a friendly mole who chews a hole in the net and sets them free. And so the children get to work, launching a campaign to make sure the voices of the community are heard. An energetic, funny and quirky story that explores the themes of community activism, friendship, and the love of books. Key words: Indian author and characters; activism Additional resources: Author’s website National Book Festival talk Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender Age range: 8-12 (1010L) Synopsis: Being born during a hurricane is unlucky, and twelve-year-old Caroline has had her share of bad luck lately. She's hated and bullied by everyone in her small school on St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands, a spirit only she can see won't stop following her, and — worst of all — Caroline's mother left home one day and never came back. But when a new student named Kalinda arrives, Caroline's luck begins to turn around. Kalinda, a solemn girl from Barbados with a special smile for everyone, becomes Caroline's first and only friend, and the person for whom Caroline has begun to develop a crush. Now, Caroline must find the strength to confront her feelings for Kalinda, brave the spirit stalking her through the islands, and face the reason her mother abandoned her. Together, Caroline and Kalinda must set out in a hurricane to find Caroline's missing mother, before Caroline loses her forever. Key words: St. Thomas; U.S. Virgin Islands; Barbados; LGBTQIAP+ author and characters (f10); Black St. Thomian author Additional resources: Author website Interview with the author Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan Age range: 8-12 Synopsis: Amina has never been comfortable in the spotlight. She is happy just hanging out with her best friend, Soojin. Except, now that she's in middle school, everything feels different. Soojin is suddenly hanging out with Emily, one of the "cool" girls in the class, and even talking about changing her name to something more "American." Does Amina need to start changing too? Or hiding who she is to fit in? But even as Amina grapples with these questions, an act of hatred against her local mosque raises the stakes of being a proud Muslim girl in America. Amina's Voice brings to life the joys and challenges of a young Pakistani American and highlights the many ways in which one girl's voice can help bring a diverse community together to love and support each other. Key words: Pakistani American author and characters; Religion; Social injustice Additional resources: Author website Author interview M.C. Higgins, the Great by Virginia Hamilton Age range: 9-11 (560L) Synopsis: Written by celebrated author Virginia Hamilton, this is the story of M.C. Higgins, a young boy who lives with his family near Sarah's Mountain, who must come to terms with who he is and what he wants in life. When M.C.'s great-grandmother escaped from slavery long ago, she came to the mountain and made it her home. And now, it's M.C.'s home, but not for long. As Mayo Cornelius Higgins sits on his gleaming, forty-foot steel pole, towering over his home on Sarah's Mountain, he sees, stretched before him, rolling hills and shady valleys. But behind him lie the wounds of strip mining, including a mountain of rubble that may one day fall and bury his home. M.C. dreams of escape for himself and his family. And, one day, atop his pole, he thinks he sees it — two strangers are making their way toward Sarah's Mountain. One has the ability to make M.C.'s mother famous. And the other has the kind of freedom that M.C. has never even dreamed of. When the two mysterious strangers appear, M.C. finally learns how to save himself and his family. Key words: Black American author and characters (f4) Additional resources: Author website Author interview La Línea by Ann Jaramillo Age range: 10-14 (650L) Synopsis: Miguel has dreamed of joining his parents in California since the day they left him behind in Mexico six years, eleven months, and twelve days ago. On the morning of his fifteenth birthday, Miguel's wait is over. Or so he thinks. The trip north to the border—la línea—is fraught with dangers. Thieves. Border guards. And a grueling, two-day trek across the desert. It would be hard enough to survive alone. But it's almost impossible with his tagalong sister in tow. Their money gone and their hopes nearly dashed, Miguel and his sister have no choice but to hop the infamous mata gente as it races toward the border. As they cling to the roof of the speeding train, they hold onto each other, and to their dreams. But they quickly learn that you can't always count on dreams—even the ones that come true. Key words: Latinx American author/characters (f5); Immigrant experience; Social justice Additional resources: Social Justice Books reviews Book review A Step from Heaven by An Na Age range: 11 + (670L) Synopsis: From master storyteller An Na comes the Printz Award–winning novel about a Korean girl who tells her firsthand account of trying to find her place and identity in America from the day she leaves Korea as a child to her rocky journey through the teenage years. At age four, Young Ju moves with her parents from Korea to Southern California. She has always imagined America would be like heaven: easy, blissful, and full of riches. But when her family arrives, she finds it to be the opposite. With a stubborn language barrier and cultural dissimilarities, not only is it impossible to make friends, but even her family’s internal bonds are wavering. Her parents’ finances are strained, yet her father’s stomach is full of booze. As Young Ju’s once solid and reliable family starts tearing apart, her younger brother begins to gain more freedom and respect simply because of his gender. Young Ju begins to lose all hope in the dream she once held—the heaven she longs for. Even as she begins to finally fit in, a cataclysmic family event will change her idea of heaven forever. But it also helps her to recognize the strength she holds, and envision the future she desires, and deserves. Key words: Korean American author and characters (f9); Gender issues; Religion; Immigrant story Additional resources: Author’s website Interview with the author Everything, Everythingby Nicola Yoon Age range: 12 + Synopsis: Maddy is allergic to the world; stepping outside the sterile sanctuary of her home could kill her. But then Olly moves in next door. And just like that, Maddy realizes there's more to life than just being alive. You only get one chance at first love. And Maddy is ready to risk everything, everything to see where it leads.'Powerful, lovely, heart-wrenching, and so absorbing I devoured it in one sitting' – Jennifer Niven, author of All the Bright PlacesAnd don't miss Nicola Yoon's #1 New York Times bestseller The Sun Is Also a Star, in which two teens are brought together just when the universe is sending them in opposite directions. Key words: Jamaican American author; characters with disabilities; Black American characters; Japanese American Characters Additional resources: Author website Author recommendations The Tequila Worm by Viola Canales Age range: 12-15 (830L) Synopsis: Sofia comes from a family of storytellers. Here are her tales of growing up in the barrio, full of the magic and mystery of family traditions: making Easter cascarones, celebrating el Dia de los Muertos, preparing for quincea–era, rejoicing in the Christmas nacimiento, and curing homesickness by eating the tequila worm. When Sofia is singled out to receive a scholarship to an elite boarding school, she longs to explore life beyond the barrio, even though it means leaving her family to navigate a strange world of rich, privileged kids. It’s a different mundo, but one where Sofia’s traditions take on new meaning and illuminate her path. Key words: Latinx American author and characters; Immigrant experience; Class issues Additional resources: Author blog Author interview 45 Pounds (More or Less) by Kelly Barson Age range: 12+ Synopsis: Here are the numbers of Ann Galardi’s life: She is 16. And a size 17. Her perfect mother is a size 6. Her Aunt Jackie is getting married in 2 months, and wants Ann to be a bridesmaid. So Ann makes up her mind: Time to lose 45 pounds (more or less). Welcome to the world of informercial diet plans, wedding dance lessons, endless run-ins with the cutest guy Ann’s ever seen—and some surprises about her not-so-perfect mother. And there’s one more thing—it’s all about feeling comfortable in your own skin—no matter how you add it up! Key words: White author and characters; Body image (f6) Additional Resources: Author website Author interview

Title:Stripes of All Types: Rayas de todas las tallas Author: Susan Stockdale Topic: Striped animals Ages: 2-6 years Title:Counting the Stars: The Story of Katerine Johnson, NASA Mathematician Author: Lesa Cline-Ransome Topic: Space exploration Grades: Preschool- 3rd Title: CeCe Loves Science Author: Vashti Harrison Topic: Inquiry; scientific method Grades: Preschool-3rd Title: Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom Author: Teresa Robeson Topic: Physics Grades: Kindergarten - 2nd Title: Song for a Whale Author: Lynne Kelly Topic: Deafness; Sound Waves; Marine Biology Grades: 3rd - 7th Title: Project Mulberry Author: Linda Sue Park Topic: Silkworms Grades: 5th - 7th Title: Wonderful Life with the Elements: The Periodic Table Personified Author: Bunpei Yorifuji Topic: The Periodic Table Grades: 5th and up Title: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Author: William Kamkwamba Topic: Electricity; inquiry Grades: 5th - 9th Title: Carver: A Life in Poems Author: Marilyn Nelson Topic: Agriculture Grades: 5th - 9th Title: Laughing At My Nightmare Author: Shane Burcaw Topic: Muscular Dystrophy Grades: 9th-12th Title: Girl Decoded: A Scientist's Quest to Reclaim Our Humanity by Brining Emotional Intelligence to Technology Author: Rana el Kaliouby Topic: Humanizing Technology Grades: Late high school Title: The Autobiography of a Transgender Scientist Author: Ben Barres Topic: Neuroscience Grades: 12th/AP

Book Title: More Than Anything Else Author: Marie Bradby Topic: Post-Emancipation Ages: Preschool - 3rd grade Book Title: Sylvia & Aki Author: Winifred Conkling Topic: Japanese Internment; Mexican Segregation Ages: 3rd - 5th grade Book Title: Bud, Not Buddy Author: Christopher Paul Curtis Topic: The Great Depression Ages: 3rd - 6th grade Book Title: The Parker Inheritance Author: Varian Johnson Topic: Civil Rights Ages: 4th - 6th grade Book Title: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Author: Mildred D. Taylor Topic: Great Depression; Racism Ages: 5th - 8th grade Book Title: A Spy in the House Author: Y. S. Lee Topic: Victorian London Ages: 7th - 9th grade Book Title: Code Talker: A Novel about the Navajo Marines of WWII Author: Joseph Bruchac Topic: World War II; Code Talkers Ages: 7th - 9th grade Book Title: The Weight of our Sky Author: Hanna Alkaf Topic: Race Riots in Kuala Lumpur (1969) Ages: 7th - 9th grade Book Title: Jazz Owls Author: Margarita Engle Topic: World War II; Jazz Age Ages: 9th - 12th grade Book Title: Flygirl Author: Sherri L. Smith Topic: World War II Ages: 8th - 12th grade Book Title: House of Purple Cider Author: Tim Tingle Topic: Native American (Choctaw) removal Ages: 9th grade and up

Biographies should be non-fiction, otherwise they generally fit into the historical fiction genre. However, when certain details are unknown, authors may embelish or invent them. This is called creative nonfiction. The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq by Jeanette Winter Age range: 4-7 (AD460L; f1) Synopsis (f2): Alia Muhammad Baker is the real-life librarian of Basra. As the war in Iraq approaches her city, she wonders what will happen to the library's thirty thousand books. Will they be destroyed, or can she find a way to save them? Key words (f3): Iraqi characters; Religion; White American author (f14) Additional resources: Author biography Author interview How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourvilee; Illustrator: Giselle Potter Age range: 4-8 (AD770L) Synopsis: As a young girl, Temple Grandin loved folding paper kites, making obstacle courses, and building lean-tos. But she really didn’t like hugs. Temple wanted to be held—but to her, hugs felt like being stuffed inside the scratchiest sock in the world; like a tidal wave of dentist drills, sandpaper, and awful cologne, coming at her all at once. Would she ever get to enjoy the comfort of a hug? Then one day, Temple had an idea. If she couldn’t receive a hug, she would make one…she would build a hug machine! Key words: Characters with disabilities (f7); White American author and characters Additional resources: Author biography Temple Grandin TED talk Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille by Jen Bryant; Illustrated by Boris Kulikov Age range: 4-8 (590L) Synopsis: Louis Braille was just five years old when he lost his sight. He was a clever boy, determined to live like everyone else, and what he wanted more than anything was to be able to read. Even at the school for the blind in Paris, there were no books for him. And so he invented his own alphabet—a whole new system for writing that could be read by touch. A system so ingenious that it is still used by the blind community today. Award-winning writer Jen Bryant tells Braille’s inspiring story with a lively and accessible text, filled with the sounds, the smells, and the touch of Louis’s world. Boris Kulikov’s inspired paintings help readers to understand what Louis lost, and what he was determined to gain back through books. Key words: Characters with disabilities; White American author; French characters Additional resources: Author website Louis Braille information Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly Age range: 5-8 (980L) Synopsis: Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden were good at math…really good. They participated in some of NASA's greatest successes, like providing the calculations for America's first journeys into space. And they did so during a time when being black and a woman limited what they could do. But they worked hard. They persisted. And they used their genius minds to change the world. In this beautifully illustrated picture book edition, we explore the story of four female African American mathematicians at NASA, known as "colored computers," and how they overcame gender and racial barriers to succeed in a highly challenging STEM-based career. Key words: Black American author and characters (f4); Social injustice; Powerful women Additional resources: Author website Information about human computers Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan Tonatiuh Age range: 6-10 Synopsis: Funny Bones tells the story of how calaveras came to be. The amusing figures are the creation of Mexican artist José Guadalupe (Lupe) Posada (1852–1913). Lupe learned the art of printing at a young age and soon had his own shop. In a country that was not known for freedom of speech, he drew political cartoons, much to the amusement of the local population but not that of the politicians. He continued to draw cartoons, but he is best known today for his calavera drawings. They have become synonymous with Mexico’s Día de Muertos festival. Calaveras are skeletons performing all sorts of activities, both everyday and festive: dancing in the streets, playing instruments in a band, pedaling bicycles, promenading in the park, and even sweeping the sidewalks. They are not intended to be frightening, but rather to celebrate the joy of living as well as provide humorous observations about people. Key words: Latinx American author (f5); Mexican characters Additional resources: Author website José Guadalupe (Lupe) Posada information Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges (autobiography) Age range: 7-12 (860L) Synopsis: On November 14, 1960, a tiny six-year-old black child, surrounded by federal marshals, walked through a mob of screaming segregationists and into her school. From where she sat in the office, Ruby Bridges could see parents marching through the halls and taking their children out of classrooms. The next day, Ruby walked through the angry mob once again and into a school where she saw no other students. The white children did not go to school that day, and they wouldn't go to school for many days to come. Surrounded by racial turmoil, Ruby, the only student in a classroom with one wonderful teacher, learned to read and add. This is the story of a pivotal event in history as Ruby Bridges saw it unfold around her. Ruby's poignant words, quotations from writers and from other adults who observed her, and dramatic photographs recreate an amazing story of innocence, courage, and forgiveness. Ruby Bridges' story is an inspiration to us all. Key words: Black American authors and characters; Social injustice; Activism; Powerful women Additional resources: Author biography Author interview Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiatby Javaka Steptoe Age range: 8-10 (1050L) Synopsis: Jean-Michel Basquiat and his unique, collage-style paintings rocketed to fame in the 1980s as a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the art world had ever seen. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words that we speak, and in the pulsing energy of New York City. Now, award-winning illustrator Javaka Steptoe’s vivid text and bold artwork echoing Basquiat’s own introduce young readers to the powerful message that art doesn’t always have to be neat or clean–and definitely not inside the lines–to be beautiful. Key words: Black American author; Hatian and Latinx American characters Additional resources: Author website Jean Michele Basquiat’s website Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor’s Story by Caren Stelson Age range: 10-18 (850L) Synopsis: This striking work of narrative nonfiction tells the true story of six-year-old Sachiko Yasui’s survival of the Nagasaki atomic bomb on August 9, 1945, and the heartbreaking and lifelong aftermath. Having conducted extensive interviews with Sachiko Yasui, Caren Stelson chronicles Sachiko’s long journey toward peace. This special book offers readers a remarkable new perspective on the final moments of World War II, the fifty years that followed, and the courage it took for one woman to tell her story of nuclear war and peace. Key words: Japanese characters; White American author; Social injustice Additional resources: Author website Sachiko Yasui’s telling of the story Fred Korematsu Speaks Up by Laura Atkins and Stan Yogi Age range: 11-13 (930L) Synopsis: Fred Korematsu liked listening to music on the radio, playing tennis, and hanging around with his friends—just like lots of other Americans. But everything changed when the United States went to war with Japan in 1941 and the government forced all people of Japanese ancestry to leave their homes on the West Coast and move to distant prison camps. This included Fred, whose parents had immigrated to the United States from Japan many years before. But Fred refused to go. He knew that what the government was doing was unfair. And when he got put in jail for resisting, he knew he couldn’t give up. Inspired by the award-winning book for adults Wherever There’s a Fight, the Fighting for Justice series introduces young readers to real-life heroes and heroines of social progress. The story of Fred Korematsu’s fight against discrimination explores the life of one courageous person who made the United States a fairer place for all Americans, and it encourages all of us to speak up for justice. Key words: Japanese American author and characters (f9); Social injustice Additional resources: Interview with the author Fred Korematsu biography Undocumented by Dan-El Padilla-Peralta Age range: 14-17 (930L) Synopsis: Dan-el Padilla Peralta has lived the American dream. As a boy, he arrived in the United States legally with his family. Together they had traveled from Santo Domingo to seek medical care for his mother. Soon the family’s visas lapsed, and Dan-el’s father eventually returned home. But Dan-el’s courageous mother decided to stay and make a better life for her bright sons in New York City. Without papers, she faced tremendous obstacles. While Dan-el was only in grade school, the family joined the ranks of the city’s homeless. Dan-el, his mother, and brother lived in a downtown shelter where Dan-el’s only refuge was the meager library. At another shelter he met Jeff, a young volunteer from a wealthy family. Jeff was immediately struck by Dan-el’s passion for books and learning. With Jeff’s help, Dan-el was accepted on scholarship to Collegiate, the oldest private school in the country. There, Dan-el thrived. Throughout his youth, Dan-el navigated two worlds: the rough streets of East Harlem, where he lived with his brother and his mother and tried to make friends, and the ultra-elite halls of a Manhattan private school, where he immersed himself in a world of books and rose to the top of his class. Key words: Latinx American author and characters; Immigrant experience Additional resources: Author website Author interview Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi (autobiography) Age range: 14-18 (GN380L) Synopsis: In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country. Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane’s child’s-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love. Key words: Iranian author and characters; Religion; Social injustice Additional resources: Author biography Author interview While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement by Carolyn McKinstry and Denise George Age range: Young Adult Synopsis: On September 15, 1963, a Klan-planted bomb went off in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Fourteen-year-old Carolyn Maull was just a few feet away when the bomb exploded, killing four of her friends in the girl’s restroom she had just exited. It was one of the seminal moments in the Civil Rights movement, a sad day in American history . . . and the turning point in a young girl’s life. While the World Watched is a poignant and gripping eyewitness account of life in the Jim Crow South: from the bombings, riots, and assassinations to the historic marches and triumphs that characterized the Civil Rights movement. A uniquely moving exploration of how racial relations have evolved over the past 5 decades, While the World Watched is an incredible testament to how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go. Key words: Black American author and characters; Social injustice Additional resources: Author biography Author interview

Book Title: Drum Dream Girl Author: Margarita Engle Topic: Drumming Ages: Preschool - 3rd grade Book Title: Trombone Shorty Author: Troy Andrews Topic: Jazz; trombone Ages: Preschool - 3rd grade Book Title: Strange Fruit: Billie Holliday and the Power of a Protest Song Author: Gary Golio Topic: Jazz; Protest songs Ages: 3rd - 6th grade Book Title: Hip Hop Speak to Children Author: Nikki Giovanni Topic: Hip hop Ages: Grades 3 and up Book Title: Garvey's Choice Author: Nikki Giovanni Topic: Chorus Ages: Grades 3 - 7 Book Title: Blackbird Fly Author: Erin Entrada Kelly Topic: Guitar Ages: Grades 3 - 7 Book Title: The First Rule of Punk Author: Celia Perez Topic: Punk music Ages: Grades 4 - 7 Book Title: Guitar Notes Author: Mary Amato Topic: Guitar Ages: Grades 7 - 12 Book Title: The Poet X Author: Elizabeth Acevedo Topic: Slam Poetry Ages: Grade 7 and up Book Title: DJ Rising Author: Love Maia Topic: DJ Ages: Grades 7 and up Book Title: The Carnival at Bray Author: Jessie Ann Foley Topic: Grunge music Ages: Grades 10 - 12 Book Title: Watercolor Women, Opaque Men Author: Anna Castillo Topic: Rhythm and lyricism Ages: Late high school

New Kid by Jerry Craft Age range: 8-12 (grade 3-7) Synopsis: Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?Universal Pictures has acquired film rights to New Kid, with LeBron James’ The Spring Hill Company on board to develop and produce. Craft will be an Executive Producer. Additional resources: Author website Author interview El Deafoby CeCe Bell Age range: 8-12 (grades 3-7) Synopsis: In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful and very awkward hearing aid. The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear (including some things she wasn't intended to hear), but it also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is.After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become "El Deafo, Listener for All." More importantly, Cece declares a place for herself in the world and finds the friend she's longed for. Additional reasources: Author website Author interview Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham Age range: 8-12 (grades 4-6) Synopsis: When best friends are not forever . . .Shannon and Adrienne have been best friends ever since they were little. But one day, Adrienne starts hanging out with Jen, the most popular girl in class and the leader of a circle of friends called The Group. Everyone in The Group wants to be Jen's #1, and some girls would do anything to stay on top . . . even if it means bullying others.Now every day is like a roller coaster for Shannon. Will she and Adrienne stay friends? Can she stand up for herself? And is she in The Group―or out? Additional resources: Author website Author interview A Girl Called Echo by Katherina Vermette Age range: 11-15 (grades 8-12) Synopsis: Echo Desjardins, a 13 year-old Métis girl, is struggling with her feelings of loneliness while attending a new school and living with a new family. Then an ordinary day in Mr. Bee's history class turns extraordinary and Echo's life will never be the same. During Mr. Bee's lecture, Echo finds herself transported to another time and place–a bison hunt on the Saskatchewan prairie and back again to the present. In the following weeks, Echo slips back and forth in time. She visits a Métis camp, travels the old fur trade routes, and experiences the perilous and bygone era of the Pemmican wars. Author resources: Author website Author interview Honor Girlby Maggie Thrash Age range: 14-17 (grade 9-12) Synopsis: Maggie Thrash has spent basically every summer of her fifteen-year-old life at the one-hundred-year-old Camp Bellflower for Girls, set deep in the heart of Appalachia.A split-second of innocent physical contact pulls Maggie into a gut-twisting love for an older, wiser, and most surprising of all (at least to Maggie), female counselor named Erin. But Camp Bellflower is an impossible place for a girl to fall in love with another girl, and Maggie’s savant-like proficiency at the camp’s rifle range is the only thing keeping her heart from exploding. When it seems as if Erin maybe feels the same way about Maggie, it’s too much for both Maggie and Camp Bellflower to handle, let alone to understand. Additional Resources Author website Author interview Tomboy by Liz Prince Age range: 13-18 (grade 8-12) Synopsis: Growing up, Liz Prince wasn’t a girly girl, but she wasn’t exactly one of the guys either (as she learned when her little league baseball coach exiled her to the distant outfield). She was somewhere in between. But with the forces of middle school, high school, parents, friendship, and romance pulling her this way and that, the middle wasn't an easy place to be. Tomboy follows award-winning author and artist Liz Prince through her early years and explores―with humor, honesty, and poignancy―what it means to "be a girl." From staunchly refuting "girliness" to the point of misogyny, to discovering through the punk community that your identity is whatever you make of it, Tomboy offers a sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking account of self-discovery in modern America. Additional Resources Author website Author interview Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi (autobiography) Age range: 14-18 (GN380L) Synopsis: In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country. Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane’s child’s-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love. Additional resources: Author biography Author interview​​​​​​​

Traditional literature includes stories that are passed down within a culture such as myths, legends, folktales, and fairytales. These may be considered fiction or nonfiction, depending on who is telling the story. Mommy Eats Fried Grasshoppers by Vilayvanh Bender; Illustrator: Nor Sanavongsay Age range (f1): 4-7 Synopsis (f2): Mahlee loves doing things with her mother. When Mommy suggests that she try fried grasshoppers, something she ate as a child growing up in Laos, Mahlee is not so sure. Mommy knows it’s time to tell her daughter how different her life was in Laos. She drank water from a coconut, wore shoes made from banana tree trunks, made dolls out of rags, did homework on a small blackboard, swam in a pond, and had a beetle and a fighting fish as pets. Not only that—she ate fried grasshoppers! “They taste just like potato chips,” Mommy tells her, but Mahlee changes the subject. She lives in California, and Americans don’t eat fried grasshoppers. Her mother suggests again that they have fried grasshoppers while they watch a movie. Mahlee thinks about it. She and Mommy always do things together, she realizes. Why should this be any different? In Mommy Eats Fried Grasshoppers and through the closeness of a mother-daughter relationship, Vilayvanh Bender shows children that cultural differences are just that—differences. Key words (f3): Laotian American author and characters (f9); Immigrant experience Additional Resources: Book review Author website Lon Po Po by Ed Young Age range: 4-8 (670 L) Synopsis: On their grandmother's birthday, three children are left at home when their mother goes to visit her. Little do they know that a hungry wolf is waiting for her to leave. He disguises himself as an old woman and knocks on the door. Won't they let their grandmother in? The eldest granddaughter, Shang, is fooled. She opens the door. The little ones are so happy to see their Po Po. And Po Po is happy to see them; they're so sweet and plump. One thing is the same throughout the world: A big bad wolf is a big bad wolf. But he's never a match for a clever girl with a plan, and Po Po won't know what hit her in this exciting Red Riding Hood story. Key words: China; Chinese-American author and characters Additional resources: Audiobook Author’s website Hansel and Gretel: A Fairy Tale with a Down Syndrome Twist by Jewel Kats; Illustrator: Claudia Marie Lenart Age range: 5-7 (610L) Synopsis: Hansel & Gretel: A Fairy Tale with a Down Syndrome Twist is an enchanting tale about how kindness overcomes callousness and leads to a wondrous reward. This adaptation of the classic Grimms’ tale includes the wicked witch and the poor siblings in search of food, but in this case, five-year-old Hansel is a mischievous, yet courageous, boy with Down syndrome. Young readers will learn that: Children with Down syndrome are capable and can achieve extraordinary success with determination. An act of kindness can transform people and the world. Treating people like family can create a miracle. People cannot be judged by appearance; a princess or a hero can be hidden within. Facing a challenge can lead to unimagined rewards. Key words: Author and characters with disabilities (f7) Additional Resources: Author’s website Author interview Brothers of the Knight by Debbie Allen; Illustrator: Kadir Nelson Age range: 5-8 (720L) Synopsis: Debbie Allen’s contemporary retelling of the classic tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses with illustrations from Kadir Nelson! Reverend Knight can’t understand why his twelve sons’ sneakers are torn to threads each and every morning, and the boys aren’t talking. They know their all-night dancing wouldn’t fit with their father’s image in the community. Maybe Sunday, a pretty new nanny with a knack for getting to the bottom of household mysteries, can crack the case. This modern, hip retelling of the classic tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses bursts with vibrant artwork and text that’s as energetic as the twelve toe-tapping Knight brothers themselves. Key words: Black American author and characters (f4) Additional Resources: Author website Original story Peach Boy and Other Japanese Children’s Favorite Stories by Florence Sakade; Illustrator: Yoshisuke Kurosaki Age range: 4-9 Synopsis: This colorfully illustrated multicultural children's book presents several Japanese fairy tales and other folk stories—providing insight into a rich oral culture. Welcome to a fantastic world populated by magical teakettles, long-nosed goblins, brave warriors, and a host of other beloved characters who have lived on for centuries in the traditional tales of Japan. Drawn from Japanese folklore that has been passed down from generation to generation, the nine enchanting stories collected in this volume have been lovingly retold just for today's readers. They make perfect new additions for story time or bedtime reading. Vibrantly illustrated and full of thrilling adventures, funny discoveries and important lessons, they're sure to become story time favorites. Key words: Japanese author and characters Additional resources: Illustrator biography Momotaro original story Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema; Illustrators: Leo and Diane Dillon Age range: 5-8 (770L) Synopsis: In this West African folk tale, retold by Verna Aardema, a mosquito brags to an iguana that he spied a farmer digging yams as big as mosquitoes. The iguana scoffs at such a notion and refuses to listen to any more nonsense. Grumbling, he puts sticks in his ears and scuttles off through the reeds and sets off a chain reaction among myriad animals inhabiting the same landscape. The iguana offends a friendly python, who shoots down a rabbit hole and terrifies a rabbit. Seeing the rabbit scares a crow overhead, who spreads an alarm that danger is near. When a monkey reacts to the alarm, an owlet is killed, which sets off a wave of grieving in the mother owl so profound that she is unable to wake the sun each day with her hooting. The nights grow longer, and when the King Lion calls a meeting to get to the bottom of the situation, the chain of events is traced back to the source of all the trouble, the pesky mosquito. Finding the culprit satisfies the mother owl, who calls the sun back again. But, alas, the mosquito is forever plagued with a guilty conscience, compelling him forever to be a pest. Key words: White American author (f14); West African characters Additional resources: Author biography Book review Maya’s Children: The Story of La Llorona by Rudolfo Anaya; Illustrator: Maria Baca Age range: 6+ Synopsis: Anaya's adaptation of the legend of La Llorona into a children's book. La Llorona, or the crying woman, is a legend known in many forms and versions across Latin America. Key words: Latinx American author (f5); Mexican characters Additional resources: Author biography Original story The Talking Eggs by Robert D. San Souci; Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney Age range: 5-14 (AD870L) Synopsis: Rose, the oldest sister, is rude, cruel, and demands to have her way all the time. She refuses to do housework or care for her mother. But gentle Blanche gladly does what she is told and tries her best to be kind to others. When Blanche meets an old woman with supernatural abilities, her life changes, and the discovery of a chicken house of talking eggs filled with treasures of gold, jewels, silver, and fine dresses changes it even more. But what will become of the greedy Rose? Pinkney's rich watercolor illustrations depict a Louisiana landscape in the 19th century, a perfect setting for the magical wonders of Blanche's new world. This story is an appealing choice for children just learning to read. Key words: Creole characters; White American author Additional resources: Illustrator website Author biography Jouanah: A Hmong Cinderella by Jewel Reinhard Coburn and Tzexa Cherta Lee; Illustrator: Anne Sibley O’Brien Age range: 8-12 Synopsis: Jouanah: A Hmong Cinderella takes readers to the remote mountains of Southeast Asia, to the traditional home of the Laotian Hmong. All essential Cinderella elements are here—startling transformation, a kind-hearted but mistreated central character, and an evil stepfamily. However, let us not forget the fairy godmother, a handsome Elder’s son who comes to the rescue, the dainty shoe, and the most important element of all—love! Gorgeous artwork remains faithful in the depiction of the Hmong lifestyle and the high mountain villages. Readers will make a place in their hearts for this newest and loveliest addition to children’s literature. Key words: Laotian author and characters; Hmong author and characters Additional resources: Illustrator website Book review The Singing Bones by Shaun Tan Age range: 12-17 (910L) Synopsis (written by the author): This book is a collection of 75 clay figurines inspired by Grimm's fairy tales, theatrically photographed and accompanied by short excerpts from each story. The Singing Bones takes its title from a Grimm's fairy tale about the bone of a slain boy that, once carved into a flute, sings of fate and injustice. It's a theme that runs through many European fairy tales, and reflects the generational memory of oral story-telling – as dark as it is playful – leading to Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's 1812 collection Children's and Household Tales. Interestingly this work was not intended for children, yet became a source of persistent fascination for readers of any age and the inspiration for many artists and illustrators over subsequent centuries. My own book features 75 sculptural works that I constructed and photographed between 2012 and 2015. Key words: Chinese Australian author; German story Additional resources: Author website Original story

Special education is an extremely broad field, and it crosses all content areas. The titles included below focus on people with exceptionalities as authors, protagonists, or both. Book Title: Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You Author: Sonia Sotomayor Topic: Diabetes (and other disabilities) Age level: Pre-k - 3rd grade Book Title: My Brother Charlie Author: Holly Robinson Peete Topic: Autism Ages: 1st - 5th grade Book Title: This Kid Can Fly Author: Aaron Philip Topic: Cerebral Palsy Ages: 3rd - 7th grade Book Title: El Deafo Author: Cece Bell Topic: Deafness Ages: 3rd - 7th grade Book Title: Each Tiny Spark Author: Pablo Cartaya Topic: ADHD; PTSD Ages: 5th - 6th grade Book Title: The Wild Book Author: Margarita Engle Topic: Dyslexia Ages: 5th - 7th grade Book Title: The Place Between Breaths Author: An Na Topic: Schizophrenia Ages: 7th - 9th grade Book Title: Pinned Author: Sharon G. flake Topic: Learning disability; physical disability Ages: 8th - 9th grade Book Title: On the Edge of Gone Author: Corinne Duyvis Topic: Autism Ages: 8th grade and up Book Title: The Bite of the Mango Author: Mariatu Kamara Topic: Amputation Ages: 9th - 12th grade

Baby Bear by Kadir Nelson Age range (f1): 4-8 Synopsis (f2): The acclaimed tale of a lost little bear searching for home from Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award winner Kadir Nelson. Baby Bear is lost and afraid. All the other animals try to help: Trust yourself. Sing a song. Retrace your steps. As Baby Bear gains courage with every step, he realizes he was never far from home after all. With poetic text and stunning illustrations, Baby Bear is an impressive addition to the canon of timeless picture book classics. Key words (f3): Black American author (f4) Additional resources: Author website Author interview Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life by Jerdine Nolen Age range: 5-8 (AD980L) Synopsis: Young Hewitt Anderson is his parents' pride and joy, and they love him so. Hewitt is sweet, smart, polite — everything a boy could be — except Hewitt is small...very small...teeny-weeny, in fact. Descended from a long line of giants, the J. Carver Worthington Andersons take their height very seriously indeed. You see, without exception all of the many J. Carver Worthington Andersons have been giants until now. And poor Hewitt — hidden in the floorboards, trapped in the flour vat, lost in the bedsheets — has his struggles being tiny. Oh, his parents worry: How will their son manage to live in a world of big things? Leave it to Hewitt to prove the power of being small. Inspired by the tale of "Jack and the Beanstalk," the inimitable Jerdine Nolen tells an original story of bravery and the power of the individual. Kadir Nelson's imaginative and loving illustrations create a world where smallness rules — a world that children will want to return to again and again. Key words: Black American author and characters Additional resources: Author website Author interview Bunnybear by Andrea J. Loney; Illustrator: Carmen Saldaña Age range: 5-9 (550L) Synopsis: Although Bunnybear was born a bear, he feels more like a bunny. He prefers bouncing in the thicket to tramping in the forest, and in his heart he’s fluffy and tiny, like a rabbit, instead of burly and loud, like a bear. The other bears don’t understand him, and neither do the bunnies. Will Bunnybear ever find a friend who likes him just the way he is? Key words: LGBTQIA+ characters (f10); Black American and Latinx American author (f5) Additional resources: Author website Author interview Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott Age range: 8-12 (740L) Synopsis: When Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a mean old lady his mother calls Ma, he finds out she’s not his grandmother–but she is a witch! She needs his help delivering baby dragons to a magical world where they’ll be safe. There are two rules when it comes to the dragons: don’t let them out of the bag and don’t feed them anything sweet. Before he knows it, Jax and his friends Vikram and Kavita have broken both rules! Will Jax get the baby dragons delivered safe and sound? Or will they be lost in Brooklyn forever? Key words: Black American author and characters; Canadian American author Additional resources: Author website Author interview Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin Age range: 8-12 (810L) Synopsis: In the valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer. This is a wonderous novel with an epic journey and memorable characters in the tradition of The Wizard of Oz.. From the beautiful design and the breathtaking full-color illustrations throughout, to the gentle humor and touching prose, this book is truly a gem. Key words: Taiwanese American author (f9); Chinese characters Additional resources: Author website Author interview Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia Age range: 8-12 (680L) Synopsis: Seventh grader Tristan Strong feels anything but strong ever since he failed to save his best friend when they were in a bus accident together. All he has left of Eddie is the journal his friend wrote stories in. Tristan is dreading the month he’s going to spend on his grandparents’ farm in Alabama, where he’s being sent to heal from the tragedy. But on his first night there, a sticky creature shows up in his bedroom and steals Eddie’s journal. Tristan chases after it–is that a doll?–and a tug-of-war ensues between them underneath a Bottle Tree. In a last attempt to wrestle the journal out of the creature’s hands, Tristan punches the tree, accidentally ripping open a chasm into the MidPass, a volatile place with a burning sea, haunted bone ships, and iron monsters that are hunting the inhabitants of this world. Tristan finds himself in the middle of a battle that has left black American gods John Henry and Brer Rabbit exhausted. In order to get back home, Tristan and these new allies will need to entice the god Anansi, the Weaver, to come out of hiding and seal the hole in the sky. But bartering with the trickster Anansi always comes at a price. Can Tristan save this world before he loses more of the things he loves? Key words: Black American author and characters Additional resources: Author website Author interview Not Your Sidekick by CB Lee Age range: 12-15 Synopsis: SIDEKICK SQUAD, BOOK ONE—Welcome to Andover, where superpowers are common, but internships are complicated. Just ask high school nobody, Jessica Tran. Despite her heroic lineage, Jess Tran is resigned to a life without superpowers and is merely looking to beef up her college applications when she stumbles upon the perfect (paid!) internship—only it turns out to be for the town’s most heinous supervillain. On the upside, she gets to work with her longtime secret crush, Abby, whom Jess thinks may have a secret of her own. Then there’s the budding attraction to her fellow intern, the mysterious “M,” who never seems to be in the same place as Abby. But what starts as a fun way to spite her superhero parents takes a sudden and dangerous turn when she uncovers a plot larger than heroes and villains altogether. Key words: Chinese and Vietnamese American author and characters; LGBTQIAP+ author and characters Additional resources: Author website Author interview Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older Age range: 12-17 Synopsis: Paint a mural. Start a battle. Change the world. Sierra Santiago planned an easy summer of making art and hanging out with her friends. But then a corpse crashes the first party of the season. Her stroke-ridden grandfather starts apologizing over and over. And when the murals in her neighborhood begin to weep real tears... Well, something more sinister than the usual Brooklyn ruckus is going on. With the help of a fellow artist named Robbie, Sierra discovers shadowshaping, a thrilling magic that infuses ancestral spirits into paintings, music, and stories. But someone is killing the shadowshapers one by one — and the killer believes Sierra is hiding their greatest secret. Now she must unravel her family's past, take down the killer in the present, and save the future of shadowshaping for generations to come. Key words: Latinx American author and characters; Black American characters; Characters with disabilities Additional resources: Author website Author interview Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron Age range: 13-17 Synopsis: It's 200 years since Cinderella found her prince, but the fairytale is over. Sophia knows the story though, off by heart. Because every girl has to recite it daily, from when she's tiny until the night she's sent to the royal ball for choosing. And every girl knows that she has only one chance. For the lives of those not chosen by a man at the ball … are forfeit. But Sophia doesn't want to be chosen – she's in love with her best friend, Erin, and hates the idea of being traded like cattle. And when Sophia's night at the ball goes horribly wrong, she must run for her life. Alone and terrified, she finds herself hiding in Cinderella's tomb. And there she meets someone who will show her that she has the power to remake her world … An electrifying twist on the classic fairytale that will inspire girls to break out of limiting stereotypes and follow their dreams! Key words: Black American author and characters; LGBTQIAP+ characters Additional resources: Author website Author interview War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi Age range: 14-17 (HL790L) Synopsis: Two sisters are torn apart by war and must fight their way back to each other in a futuristic, Black Panther-inspired Nigeria. The year is 2172. Climate change and nuclear disasters have rendered much of earth unlivable. Only the lucky ones have escaped to space colonies in the sky. In a war-torn Nigeria, battles are fought using flying, deadly mechs and soldiers are outfitted with bionic limbs and artificial organs meant to protect them from the harsh, radiation-heavy climate. Across the nation, as the years-long civil war wages on, survival becomes the only way of life. Two sisters, Onyii and Ify, dream of more. Their lives have been marked by violence and political unrest. Still, they dream of peace, of hope, of a future together. And they’re willing to fight an entire war to get there. Key words: Black American author; Nigerian characers Additional resources: Author website Author interview

Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard; Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal Age range (f1): 3-6 Synopsis (f2): Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal. Fry bread is food. It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate. Fry bread is time. It brings families together for meals and new memories. Fry bread is nation. It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond. Fry bread is us. It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference. Key words (f3): Indigenous author and characters (f8); Seminole; Family History Additional resources: Author website Interview with the author and illustrator Life Doesn’t Frighten Me by Maya Angelou and Jean Michele Basquiat Age range: 4+ Synopsis: Shadows on the wall Noises down the hall Life doesn't frighten me at all Maya Angelou's brave, defiant poem celebrates the courage within each of us, young and old. From the scary thought of panthers in the park to the unsettling scene of a new classroom, fearsome images are summoned and dispelled by the power of faith in ourselves. Angelou's strong words are matched by the daring vision of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose childlike style reveals the powerful emotions and fanciful imaginings of childhood. Together, Angelou's words and Basquiat's paintings create a place where every child, indeed every person, may experience his or her own fearlessness. Key words: Black American author (f4); Hatian and Latinx American illustrator (f5) Additional resources: Author website Illustrator website Salsa by Jorge Argueta Age range: 4-7 Synopsis: In this new cooking poem, Jorge Argueta brings us a fun and easy recipe for a yummy salsa. A young boy and his sister gather the ingredients and grind them up in a molcajete, just like their ancestors used to do, singing and dancing all the while. The children imagine that their ingredients are different parts of an orchestra — the tomatoes are bongos and kettledrums, the onion, a maraca, the cloves of garlic, trumpets and the cilantro, the conductor. They chop and then grind these ingredients in the molcajete, along with red chili peppers for the “hotness” that is so delicious, finally adding a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of salt. When they are finished, their mother warms tortillas and their father lays out plates, as the whole family, including the cat and dog, dance salsa in mouth-watering anticipation. Key words: Salvadoran author; Latinx American author Additional resources: Author website Author interview I am Enough by Grace Byers Age range: 4-8 Synopsis: This gorgeous, lyrical ode to loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another comes from Empire actor and activist Grace Byers and talented newcomer artist Keturah A. Bobo. We are all here for a purpose. We are more than enough. We just need to believe it. Key words: Body image (f6); Black American author and characters Additional resources: Author interview Illustrator website Hip Hop Speaks to Children by Nikki Giovanni Age range: 7+ Synopsis: Hip Hop Speaks to Children is a celebration of poetry with a beat. Poetry can have both a rhyme and a rhythm. Sometimes it is obvious; sometimes it is hidden. But either way, make no mistake, poetry is as vibrant and exciting as it gets. And when you find yourself clapping your hands or tapping your feet, you know you've found poetry with a beat! READ more than 50 remarkable poems and songs! HEAR poetry's rhymes and rhythms from Queen Latifah to Gwendolyn Brooks, Langston Hughes to A Tribe Called Quest and more! This is a collection of rhymes and rhythms unlike any other poetry book! Celebrate with remarkable poets, including: Eloise Greenfield Mos Def Lucille Clifton Oscar Brown Jr. Tupac Shakur Maya Angelou Queen Latifah Nikki Grimes Walter Dean Myers Common and, of course, Nikki Giovanni Key words: Black American author and illustrator Additional resources: Author website Author interview Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai Age range: 8-10 (800L) Synopsis: Inspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugee—fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama—this coming-of-age debut novel told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child's-eye view of family and immigration. This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 6, especially during homeschooling. It’s a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom. For all the ten years of her life, Hà has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, Hà discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food . . . and the strength of her very own family. Key words: Vietnamese American author and characters (f9); Social injustice Additional resources: Author website Author interview I am the Elwha by Robert Elofson and Lori Peelen; Illustrator: Laura Timmermans Age range: 8-13 Synopsis: The Elwha River flows 72 kilometres (45 miles) from its source in the Olympic Mountains to the Strait of Juan de Fuca in the Pacific Northwest. Uniquely, it hosts all six salmon species (Pink, Chinook, Coho, Sockeye, Steelhead, and Chum) as well as several species of trout. In 1911 two dams were built on the river. The dams blocked the migration routes of the salmon and dramatically altered the entire river ecosystem for 100 years. In 2012 the dams were decommissioned and the world’s largest dam removal and habitat restoration project began. In this lyrical and beautifully illustrated book, the author chronicles the history of the Elwha. Narrated by the powerful voices of plants and animals that inhabit the river ecosystem, the dam builder, a worker, and the river itself, this story celebrates the ongoing rewilding of this special environment and offers a welcome to all of the creatures who are coming home. Key words: Indigenous author and characters (f8); Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe; Canadian Additional resources: Article about the author: http://apps.knkx.org/SalishSea/fisherman/ Article about the nation: https://www.elwha.org/ Poetry for Young People: Maya Angelou by Edwin Graves Wilson Age range: 8 + Synopsis: An acclaimed anthology receives a new design and cover! Award-winning writer, historian, and civil rights activist Dr. Maya Angelou is a true American icon. Twenty-five of her finest poems capture a range of emotions and experiences, from the playful “Harlem Hopscotch” to the prideful “Me and My Work” to the soul-stirring “Still I Rise.” Award-winning artist Jerome Lagarrigue masterfully illustrates each verse, and renowned academic Dr. Edwin Graves Wilson, a longtime colleague of Dr. Angelou, has written the book's introduction, introductions to the poems, and annotations. Key words: Black American author Additional resources: Author website Illustrator website Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson Age range: 10-14 Synopsis: When Lonnie was seven years old, his parents died in a fire. Now he's eleven, and he still misses them terribly. And he misses his little sister, Lili, who was put into a different foster home because "not a lot of people want boys — not foster boys that ain't babies." But Lonnie hasn't given up. His foster mother, Miss Edna, is growing on him. She's already raised two sons and she seems to know what makes them tick. And his teacher, Ms. Marcus, is showing him ways to put his jumbled feelings on paper. Told entirely through Lonnie's poetry, we see his heartbreak over his lost family, his thoughtful perspective on the world around him, and most of all his love for Lili and his determination to one day put at least half of their family back together. Key words: Black American author and characters; LGBTQIAP+ author (f10) Additional resources: Author biography Author TED talk The Poet Slave of Cuba by Margarita Engle (also a biography) Age range: 12-18 Synopsis: Born into the household of a wealthy slave owner in Cuba in 1797, Juan Francisco Manzano spent his early years by the side of a woman who made him call her Mama, even though he had a mama of his own. Denied an education, young Juan still showed an exceptional talent for poetry. His verses reflect the beauty of his world, but they also expose its hideous cruelty. Powerful, haunting poems and breathtaking illustrations create a portrait of a life in which even the pain of slavery could not extinguish the capacity for hope. Key words: Latinx American author; Cuban characters; Social injustice Additional resources: Author website Illustrator website

Speaking “Mexican” and the use of “Mock Spanish” in Children’s Books (or Do Not Read Skippyjon Jones) by Dr. Dolores Inés Casillas

It’s Time to Talk About Dr. Suess by Gabriel Smith The Cat is Out of the Bag: Orientalism, AntiBlackness, and White Supremacy in Dr. Seuss’s Children's Books by Katie Ishizuka and Ramón Stephens Dr. Seuss Books Can Be Racist, But Students Keep Reading Them by Tiara Jenkins and Jessica Yarmosky

The Problem with Mr. Dahl by Dr. Meg Roughley

Blog post by Debbie Reese with additional links Getting the "Indian" Out of the Cupboard: Using Information Literacy To Promote Critical Thinking (this is not publicly available, but I can send it to you) by Rhonda Harris Taylor and Lotsee Patterson

Source: The Free Library

A high school math teacher put together a list of books he has used for book clubs in his math class.

Lists created by the National Science Teaching Association

From Colorful Book Reviews

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These Books Can Help You Explain Racism and Protest to Your Kids

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Rainbow Book List- GLBTQ Books for Children and Teens

Captivating Kids Stories To Recognize Privilege

Selection of Multicultural and Social Justice Books for Children, YA, and Educators

Decolonizing Thanksgiving Is An Oxymoron – Kids Books Dismantling The Myth of a ‘First Thanksgiving’

Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers Strike of 1909 Book Uncle and Me Through My Eyes

Bitterroot

Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys

Baby Bear Brothers of Knight Brown Girl Dreaming Bud, Not Buddy Bunnybear Cinderella is Dead Dragons in a Bag Ellington Was Not A Street Freedom on the Menu Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life Hidden Figures Hip Hop Speak to Children Hot Day on Abbott Avenue Hurricane Child (U.S. Virgin Islands) I Am Enough Life Doesn’t Frighten Me Locomotion Lucky Beans M.C. Higgins the Great Molly, by Golly! The Legend of Molly Williams More Than Anything Else My Brother Martin Poetry for Young People Shadowshaper The Parker Inheritance The Watsons Go To Birmingham Through My Eyes Tristan Strong Radiant Child Resist Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry War Girls

45 Pounds (More or Less) I Am Enough Sulwe

Being Jazz Cicada Paperboy The Parker Inheritance

Dragons in a Bag

Hurricane Child (Barbados)

The Red Bicycle

The Tequila Worm

Lon Po Po Not Your Sidekick Ruby’s Wish

Africa: Burkina Faso: The Red Bicycle Ethiopia: Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys Kenya: Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys; Sulwe Morocco: My Father’s Shop Nigeria: War Girls Sudan: Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys; A Long Walk to Water West Africa: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears Asia: China: Lon PoPo; Ruby’s Wish; Where the Mountain Meet the Moon India: Book Uncle and Me Iraq: The Librarian of Basra Japan: Grandfather’s Journey; My Father’s Shop; Sachiko Korea: A Step from Heaven Laos: Mommy Eats Fried Grasshoppers Pakistan: I Am Malala Vietnam: Inside Out and Back Again Australia: Cicada; Singing Bones Central America: Cuba: Poet Slave of Cuba Domincan Republic: Undocumented El Salvador: Salsa Mexico: Funny Bones; Maya’s Children Europe France: Six Dots Germany: Singing Bones Poland: The Cats in Krasinski Square; The Boy on the Wooden Box Russia: Memory Coat Ukraine: Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers Strike of 1909 North America Canada: I Am the Elwha U.S.- Creole: The Talking Eggs U.S. Virgin Islands: Hurricane Child (St. Thomas)

Call Me Ahab Hansel & Gretel How to Build a Hug Just Ask: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You Paperboy Shadowshaper Six Dots

Alma and How She Got Her Name Fiona’s Lace Grandfather’s Journey Lucky Beans

A Step from Heaven I Am Malala

Life Doesn’t Frighten Me Radiant Child

A Step from Heaven Almost American Girl Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers Strike of 1909 Fiona’s Lace Grandfather’s Journey La Linea Memory Coat Mommy Eats Fried Grasshoppers My Family Divided Someone Like Me The Tequila Worm Undocumented

Book Uncle and Me Girls Who Code

Inuit: When I Was Eight Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe (Canada): I Am the Elwaha Native Language: Bowwow Powwow Ojibwe: Bowwow Powwow Salish: Bitterroot Suquamish: Ruby’s Wish

Fiona’s Lace

A Place Where Sunflowers Grow Fred Korematsu Speaks Up Grandfather’s Journey Sylvia & Aki

Being Jazz Memory Coat The Cats in Krasinski Square

A Long Walk to Water A Step from Heaven Almost American Girl

Mommy Eats Fried Grasshoppers

Columbian American: My Family Divided Cuban American: Jazz Owls; Poet Slave of Cuba; Shadowshaper Dominacan American: Undocumented El Salvador: Salsa Mexican American: Funny Bones; La Linea; Maya’s Children; Someone Like Me; Sylvia & Aki; When We Love Someone We Sing to Them Panamanian American: Bunnybear; Resist Peruvian American: Alma and How She Got Her Name Puerto Rican American: Just Ask: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You; Life Doesn’t Frighten Me; Radiant Child

Being Jazz Brown Girl Dreaming Bunnybear Cinderella is Dead Hurricane Child Locomotion Lucky Beans Not Your Sidekick Pride The Parker Inheritance When We Love Someone We Sing to Them

Amina’s Voice

The Boy on the Wooden Box

Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers Strike of 1909 Girls Who Code Hidden Figures I Am Malala Just Ask: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You Molly, by Golly! The Legend of Molly Williams Players in Pigtails Resist Someone Like Me Through My Eyes When I Was Eight

A Step from Heaven Amina’s Voice The Librarian of Basra

A Long Walk to Water A Place Where Sunflowers Grow Amina’s Voice Being Jazz Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers Strike of 1909 Brown Girl Dreaming Bud, Not Buddy Cicada Ellington Was Not A Street Fred Korematsu Speaks Up Freedom on the Menu Hidden Figures I Am Malala Inside Out and Back Again Jazz Owls La Linea More Than Anything Else My Brother Martin Paperboy Poet Slave of Cuba Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Sachiko Sylvia & Aki The Boy on the Wooden Box The Cats in Krasinski Square The Parker Inheritance The Watsons Go To Birmingham Through My Eyes When I Was Eight When We Love Someone We Sing to Them

Where the Mountain Meet the Moon

Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers Strike of 1909

Inside Out and Back Again Not Your Sidekick

45 Pounds (More or Less) How to Build a Hug Librarian of Basra Players in Pigtails Sachiko Six Dots Sylvia & Aki The Talking Eggs Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears