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Author: Andrée Poulin
Illustrator: Sonali Zohra

Publisher: Groundwood Books
Date: October 5, 2021
Number of Pages: 112 pages (chapter book)
Awards: N/A

Synopsis: This books looks into sanitation systems in third-world countries and how they negatively affect young girls and women.
Genre: Fiction, Poetry
Theme: Injustice for women, Exploring our bodies
Plot: This book follows Latika who lives in India. She grows observant of the fact that their village is unjust. Young women are having to give up their education in order to obtain privacy. Sanitation is non-existent and rules their land. Latika stands up to this unfairness when those in charge show up. She becomes an inspiration to all women there and makes a path to justice.
Curricular Connections: History and empathy
Personal Response: This was an amazing book that I feel is inspirational for young girls, especially those who experience poverty.

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Author and Illustrator: Christian Robinson
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Date: June 2, 2020
Number of Pages: 40
Awards: New York Public Library Best Books for Kids, Sunshine State Young Readers Award Jr.,  Picture This Recommendation List, and more.

Synopsis: You matter, regardless of your size, color, age, etc
Genre: Fiction
Theme: You will always matter
Curricular Connections: I believe this book can connect to social emotion learning and art.
Personal Response: I really enjoyed listening to this book. The author did an amazing job connecting the theme to the illustrations. He used colors that pop but aren't too overwhelming in order to keep the readers engaged.

Teaching Resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltOaIsWXpHA

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Author: Animorphs co-author Katherine Applegate
Illustrator: Patricia Castelao
Date:  January 17, 2012
Number of pages: 320
Awards: John Newbery Medal
Synopsis:  This story tells, from the gorilla's standpoint, of life in the circus mall, being gawked at by tourists, and how it all seems so normal. But the arrival of a baby elephant starts to trigger memories, and before long Ivan finds himself making promises he's not sure how he's going to keep.

Genre: Animals
Theme: friendship, compassion for animals, the promises we make, and the things we will do to help someone in need.
Curricular Connection: I believe this book connects to the important lesson of friendship, animal cruelty, and social emotion.
Personal Response: I really enjoyed this story. It was an emotional story with an amazing lesson.

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Author: E. B. White
Illustrator: Garth Williams
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Date: April 10, 2012
# of Pages: 184
Visual Elements: Chapter book, drawing, impressionist sketch
Grade Level: 2-4
Genre: realistic fiction
Literary Elements: A young girl named Fern who lives on a farm with her two parents and her brother. On that farm some pigs were born and Fern's father decided to try to kill the runt. Fern refused to let her father kill the pig and ended up bottle feeding the little pig, who she named Wilbur. Fern ended up selling Wilbur to her uncle. Uncle Homer's farm is where Wilbur met all of his farm friends including Charlotte the spider. In order to keep Wilbur from being slaughtered in the winter, Charlotte developed a plan to save his life. She wrote words in her web to make sure people knew just how special Wilbur is. Wilbur gets taken to the fair and wins a bronze medal; his life has been saved. Charlotte ends up having children and is never forgotten by Wilbur. The theme of this book is friendship- there is nothing more valuable. Omniscient narration used.
Response to book: I love this book because it emphasizes the importance of friendship. I feel that it embraces loyalty and kindness.

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Author: Cece Bell
Illustrator: Cece Bell & David Lasky
Publisher: ‎Harry N. Abrams
Date: September 2, 2014
Number of Pages: 233
Awards: John Newberry

Synopsis: El Deafo is about a deaf bunny named Cece who is self-conscious about wearing her Phonic Ear (a hearing aid strapped to the chest and connected to a microphone) at school, and creates a superhero persona, El Deafo, to gain confidence in making new friends.

Genre:  Graphic novel, Novel, Comics, Children's literature, Biography, Autobiography, Autobiographical comics

Theme: Gaining confidence to be different and embrace you disabilities rather than being embarassed or ashamed.
Curricular Connections: I believe this book can connect to social emotion learning, diversity, disabilities, and art.
Personal Response: I absolutely loved this story. The author did an amazing job illustrating her experience as a child who became deaf. I think her story is inspiring and shows the reality of being an elementary student as well as having a hearing impairment.

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Author and Illustrator: James Marshall
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Date: September 29, 1989
Number of Pages: 32 pages
Awards: Caldecott Honor

Synopsis: This story is about three pigs who build their houses out of straw, sticks, and bricks. The pig with the brick house was able to outsmart the wolf and eventually eat him for dinner.
Genre: Fiction
Theme: Be aware of your surroundings and don't take the easy way out of things.
Plot: The book is about three pigs who each make their house out of different materials. It follows the wolf as he eats the first two pigs and then has a sort of battle with the third pig to end up losing in the end.
Curricular Connections: construction management and social adaptability.
Personal Response: This books is a classic children's story. Although it is fairly dark due death and trickery being such a huge aspect of the story.

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Author: Jon Scieszka
Illustrator: Lane Smith
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Date: 1989
Number of Pages: 32 pages
Awards: American Library Association: Notable Book

Synopsis: This book tells the classic fairytale 'The Three Little Pigs' from the wolf's point of view.
Genre: Fiction
Theme: Stereotypes and empathy
Plot: This story revolves around the wolf in their little pigs' story. The wolf needs a cup of sugar to finish making his grandmother a cake for her birthday. He asks two pigs at different homes and accidentally sneezes, blows their house down, and eats them in order to not be wasteful. He then goes to the pig living in the brick house and gets mad when the pig disrespects his grandmother and won't lend him a cup of sugar.
Curricular Connections: construction management and social adaptability
Personal Response: I really enjoyed reading this story. It adds a twist to the story I grew up hearing and is a good reminder to always be aware that there are different perspectives to a story/event.

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Author: Hannah Carmona
Illustrator: Anna Cunha
Publisher: Lantana Publishing
Date: March 2021
Pages: 32
Awards:
Synopsis: A beautifully story touching on the range of emotions immigrants may feel when leaving their home countries. Anita watches the dragons high above her as she hops from one cement roof to another in her village in the Dominican Republic.
Curricular connections: Emotional inteligence
Personal response: This is an adorable story that I think would be amazing to help children cope with moving to a new place.

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Author & Illustrator: James E. Ransome
Publisher: Holiday House
Date:  March 1, 2011
Number of Pages: 32 pages
Awards:  Children’s Literature Legacy Award

Synopsis: This book tells the classic fairytale 'The Three Little Pigs' from the wolf's point of view.
Genre: Children's entertainment and sports
Theme: Children's social
Plot: Tom is having a blast zooming all over the neighborhood on his new red bike. But when Tom stops by Sam's house to show off his wheels, he's in for an unhappy surprise. The new bike is sudenly...gone. Could his best friend, Sam, be the culprit? This deceptivly simple-seeming picture book offers a clever take on sharing.
Curricular Connections: bike safety, social skills, and friendships
Personal Response: I really enjoyed reading this story. It sounds like a great story to teach children about bike safety as well as friendsdhips.

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Author and Illustrator: Doug Salati
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Date: May 24, 2022
Number of Pages: 40 pages
Awards: Randolph Caldecott Medal

Synopsis: This book shows a dog that lives in the city take a day trip to the beach using little words and amazing illustrations.
Genre: Fiction
Theme: social, pets, adventures
Plot: This book follows a little wiener dog living in the city with his owner. When the day gets too hot and the people get too close he chooses to lie down and quit for the day. His owner picks him up and takes him for a day at the beach. There, he has so much room to run and so much fresh air to breathe! He then looks forward to a comfortable slumber at home in the city he loves.
Curricular Connections: self care
Personal Response: I absolutely loved this books. The author/illustrator did an amazing job providing images that spoke louder than the few words that were provided. It was a very sweet book that helps you to imagine what life is like as a house dog that lives in the city.

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Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story

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Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story

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Author: Kevin Noble Milliard
Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Date:  October 22, 2019
Number of Pages: 48 pages
Awards:  Robert F. Sibert Award - Medal, Amazon.com Best Books of the Year, Kirkus Reviews Editor's Choice, NPR Best Book of the Year, and Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year

Synopsis:  The book tells the story of a post-colonial food, a shared tradition across the North American continent. This is about more than food, referencing cultural issues such as the history of displacement, starvation, and the struggle to survive, albeit in subtle ways appropriate for you
Genre: Native-American, Nonfiction, food, culture
Theme: Native American Culture
Plot: The process and different aspects of fry bread and ow it relates to the diversity within Native American Culture
Curricular Connections: Cultures and diversity
Personal Response: I really enjoyed reading this story. It sounds like a great story to educate students on diversity and Native American history

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Author: Rafe Martin & David Shannon
Illustrator: David Shannon
Publisher: Puffin Books
Date:  April 13, 1998
Number of Pages: 31 pages
Awards: N/A

Synopsis:  This moving adaptation of the classic children's story Cinderella tells how a disfigured Algonquin girl wins the heart of a mysterious being who lives by the lake near her village.
Genre: children's, Folklore, Fairytale, Native-American
Theme: Beauty is found within
Plot: The powerful Invisible Being is looking for a wife, and all the girls in the village vie for his affections. But only the girl who proves she can see him will be his bride. The two beautiful but spoiled daughters of a poor village man try their best to be chosen, but it is their Rough-Face-Girl sister, scarred on her face and arms from tending fires, who sees the Invisible Being in the wonder of the natural world.
Curricular Connections: Social Skills, history, culture, and geography
Personal Response: I really loved this story. It put an amazing twist on the fairytale, Cinderella. It teaches the amazing lesson that true beauty lies within and about the Algonquin culture.

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Author & Illustrator: John Steptoe
Publisher: Lothrop Lee & Shepard
Date:  December 31, 2018
Number of Pages: 32 pages
Awards: Caldecott Medal Nominee (1988), Coretta Scott King Book Award for Illustrator (1988)

Synopsis:  Inspired by a traditional African folktale, this is the story of Mufaro, who is proud of his two beautiful daughters. Nyasha is kind and considerate, but everyone—except Mufaro—knows that Manyara is selfish and bad-tempered.
Genre: children's, Folklore, Africa, Fairytale
Theme: Treat all things with equal kindness.
Plot: When the Great King decides to take a wife and invites the most worthy and beautiful daughters in the land to appear before him, Mufaro brings both of his daughters—but only one can be queen. Who will the king choose?
Curricular Connections: Social Skills, history, culture, and geography
Personal Response: This was an amazing story that helped integrate the culture and geography of Africa. I also love how it was its own version of Cinderella.

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Author: Sara Greenwood
Illustrator: Luisa Uribe
Publisher: Random House Studio
Date:  October 11, 2022
Number of Pages: 40 pages
Awards:  NCTE Charlotte Huck Award and NPR Best Book of the Year

Synopsis: With her older brother in prison, a young girl copes with the confusing feelings his absence creates. At times she remembers the way her brother would carry her on his shoulders or how he would make up stories to tell her at bedtime. Other times she feels angry and wants to fly so far away that she can forget what happened.
Genre: Children's, Contemporary
Theme: spare, gentle, and reassuring
Plot: a young girl reflects on the emotions and challenges of growing up with a brother who is incarcerated. This touching story is filled with vivid illustrations and is based on the author's childhood experiences.
Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book. This book will help kids who have loved ones in prison and can help other children and adults to be more aware and empathetic about what some people are going through.

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Author: Laurel Goodluck
Illustrator: Jonathan Nelson
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Date: September 20, 2022
Number of Pages: 32 pages
Awards:

Synopsis: Kara and Amanda hate not being together. Then it's time for the family reunion on the Rez. Each girl worries that the other hasn't missed her. But once they reconnect, they realize that they are still forever cousins. This story highlights the ongoing impact of the 1950s Indian Relocation Act on Native families, even today.
Genre: Children's, history, fiction
Theme: friendship, Native-American
Plot: This tender story about navigating change reminds readers that the power of friendship and family can bridge any distance.
Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book. It would be great to read in my future classroom to teach students about friendship, family, and community.

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Author: Sarah Stewart
Illustrator: David Small
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Date: August 30, 1997
Number of Pages: 34 pages
Awards:  Children's Book of the Year and a 1998 Caldecott Honor Book.

Synopsis: Set in the 1930's Depression era, we meet a young girl, Lydia Grace Finch, who lives with her Mother, Father & Grandmother in a rural town. Lydia loves gardening - the beauty of her garden is her escape and way of dealing with the difficulties of life around her. With both of her parents being out of work, she goes to stay with her Uncle Jim and work for him in his bakery. Nervous, and unsure of what she may face in the city, she finds comfort in the seeds that her Grandmother sends with her and hopes for a place to have a small garden. As she adjusts to her new city life she looks for ways to bring joy to her Uncle Jim, who has his own set of things to worry about. She hopes to bring a smile to his face by creating a lovely garden in a "secret place", and in the end, bring joy to everyone around her.
Genre: Children's. historical-fiction
Theme: Hope and family
Plot: Colored by a Depression-era setting, The Gardener introduces readers to a winsome young heroine, whose generosity will reward all who meet her.
Personal Response: I absolutely loved this story. I particularly enjoyed how it had a core theme of hope, regardless of what was going on in the world and in the main character's life. This would be a great book to introduce the Depression era to students and help them see what life was like for people. It also teaches students about the importance of having hope and family.

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Author & Illustrator: Pamela Zagarenski
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Date: October 4, 2016
Number of Pages: 32 pages
Awards: Caldecott Honor

Synopsis: This a sweet and tenderly evocative tale about a stuffed toy lion who is not only a young boy's constant companion, but is to the boy a living and breathing entity, and whose love for and belief in his toy lion actually make said lion become real and animated
Genre: Fantasy, Children's books, Magical Realism, And Adventure
Theme: Friendship and Imagination
Plot:  Henry is gifted Leo, a stuffed lion, on his second birthday. The two become inseparable and Henry starts to treat Leo as though he is real and can have feelings. His family tries to tell him this but he won't believe it. One night, after going on a walk with his family, Henry gets in bed only to realize that Leo is missing. Though the family searches every nook and cranny of the house, Leo is nowhere to be found. The next morning, though, Leo appears in a spot that everyone is convinced they had checked the night before.
Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book. It is such a good story that I feel children would love to hear.

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Author: Melissa Marr
Illustrator: Lena Podesta
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Date: March 26, 2019
Number of Pages: 32 pages
Awards:

Synopsis: A fearless little girl and an eager dragon form a friendship as they go on exciting adventures
Genre: Fantasy, Children's Books, Dragons.
Theme: Adventure and Friendship
Plot: A young dragon swoops through the castle, upsetting everyone. So a young girl leaves her chores and spends the day on an adventure with the dragon. Toward the end, she shows the dragon how to stay calm so they can eat dinner in the castle.
Personal Response: I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a fun read and can also help children to see the importance of calming down rather than being crazy all the time.

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Author: Haruo Yamashita
Illustrator: Kazuo Iwamura
Publisher: NorthSouth Books
Date: July 1, 2011
Number of Pages: 32 pages
Awards: N/A

Synopsis: A set of septuplets are reluctant to go to school until their mother finds a solution.
Genre: picture book, school, animals
Theme:  School, family, facing fears.
Plot:  A mother mouse faces the task of getting her seven young mice to school in spite of dangers along the way. The night before school she rolls out two balls of blue yarn as a track of sorts to lead her children to school so they won't get lost. She walks with them to school the next day, along the yarn track she laid.
Personal Response: I really enjoyed reading this book. I believe it would be great to read to preschool/kindergarten-aged children in order to help ease any anxieties they may have regarding school starting.

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Author: Angela Shante
Illustrator: Keisha Morris
Publisher: West Margin Press
Date: May 4, 2021
Number of Pages: 32 pages
Awards: Best Books for Kids 2021

Synopsis: A fun, lively story of a Black family and cousin culture that celebrates individuality and embraces differences.
Genre: picture book, family, African-American, Realistic fiction.
Theme:  Family, being unique.
Plot:  Every summer, a young girl's cousins come to town and they all have something special about them that wins them a nickname. One cooks well and is nicknamed "Spicy", and one cracks jokes and is nicknamed "Giggles." Whenever the narrator tries to imitate and do the same as her cousins, she always comes up short. But this is the year that she will get her own nickname...hopefully.
Personal Response: I think this book is very cute and would be amazing to read to my future students. It teaches children about the joy of being unique.

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Author: Randy Ribay
Publisher:  Kokila
Date: June 18, 2019
Number of Pages: 323 pages
Awards: Anthony Award Nominee for Best Young Adult (2020), Edgar Award Nominee for Best Young Adult (2020), Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee (2021), Lincoln Award Nominee (2021), National Book Award Finalist Nominee for Young People's Literature (2019), Carnegie Medal Nominee (2020), Gateway Readers Award Nominee (2022)

Synopsis: This a coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin's murder.
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Realistic Fiction, coming of age.
Theme:  Mystery, Coming of Age
Plot:  Frustrated with his family's reticence on the subject, and the utter lack of information online, Jay elects to spend his Easter vacation in the Philippines, living with his extended family as he tries to gather clues on why his cousin died. Jay runs into wall after wall, until he gets help from an unlikely source, but as he learns more about his cousin, Jun, and what he did after he ran away from home, Jay starts to realize that people can be quite a bit different from how you remember them in your mind.
Personal Response: This was a great book that would help students struggling with identity.

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Author & Illustrator: Deborah Ellis
Publisher:  Groundwood Books

Date: October 25, 2001
Number of Pages: 171 pages
Awards: Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award (2002), Hackmatack Children's Choice Award for English Fiction (2003), Rocky Mountain Book Award (2003)

Synopsis: an eleven years old girl named Parvana who leads a very miserable life in Afghanistan because of the Taliban. Each day comes with new hardship for her and her family. Girls there cannot go to school, women must not come out of their homes, men are bound to grow a beard! Parvana’s father, who actually is quite a scholar person, has to sit on the street to sell things or read people their letters!
Genre: Historical Fiction, young adult, and war
Theme:  family struggles and coming of age
Plot:  Parvana's family is very well educated, and thus are considered to be a threat to the Taliban. Parvana's father can read and has a little place in the marketplace where he reads and writes for different people in Kabul. Parvana is young enough that she is allowed to go with him into the marketplace. Women, as we know, are not allowed to leave the house without both a burka and a male escort. Parvanas father is arrested by the Taliban, and the family starts to suffer from his absence. Parvana's family decides that the only way they are going to survive without the father is if Parvana disguises herself as a boy and goes out and works in the marketplace. This story is so full of hope and heart, and Parvana is a great heroine! She is scared at first that she will be found out, but after time she learns to be brave, and she feels like she can do anything to save her Afghanistan
Personal Response: This was an amazing book to read. The author did a fantastic job giving the readers the raw and authentic experiences that women and families in Afghanistan may have experienced in the 1990s when the Taliban took over. It brings awareness to what many people experienced during these times. I believe that every classroom should have this book on its shelves.

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The Science of Light: Things that Shine, Flash, and Glow

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The Science of Light: Things that Shine, Flash, and Glow

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Author & Illustrator:  Margaret Peot
Publisher:  Holiday House

Date: December 6, 2022
Number of Pages: 40 page
Awards: Orbis Pictus Honor

Synopsis: Simple text with intriguing illustrations focusing mostly on sources of light in the natural world - includes explainers in the back about the natural phenomena.

Genre: Picture book, nonfiction, science
Theme:  Light
Plot:  There is no plot it is simply images of different sources of light with a few words on each page.
Personal Response: I think this is a great book for toddlers. It is an introduction to science and has beautiful illustrations to keep the readers engaged.

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Author: Allen Wolf
Illustrator: Brianne Farley
Publisher:  Candlewick Press

Date: February 9, 202
Number of Pages: 32 pages
Awards: N/A

Synopsis: This adorable book shares a number of facts and things that you can learn from reading books.

Genre: picture book, animals, children's book
Theme:  Learning from books
Plot:  There is no plot in this story
Personal Response: I think this is an amazing book to encourage children to read more books.

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Author: Linda Stanek
Illustrator: Shennen Bersani
Publisher: Arbordale Publishing

Date: February 10, 2016
Number of Pages: 32 pages
Awards: Children's Choice Book Awards Winner
Grade Level: Kindergarten - 3rd grade

Genre: Non-fiction
Theme: Mighty heroes
Plot: This book follows a young girl as she learns about elephants and their impact on the environment. Exploring the role of the elephants in the ecosystem ad the importance of conservation.
Curricular Connections: Earth Science
Personal Response: I really enjoyed reading this story. It would be a great book for children who are interested in animals and nature.

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Author: Elizabeth Enright
Illustrator: Joe and Beth Krush
Publisher: Clarion Books

Date: March 6, 2000
Number of Pages: 272 pages
Awards: Newbery Honor Book
Grade Level: 3rd grade - 7th grade

Genre: Fiction
Theme: Secrets are exciting
Plot: Two cousins discover an abandoned community of summer homes near a swamp. The story follows them as they explore the area and the people they meet along the way.
Artistic Media: Markers and colored pencils
Curricular Connections: Social-Emotional Learning
Personal Response: I loved this book. It is heartwarming, adventurous and embraces the power of imagination.

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The Girl Who Buried Her Dreams in a Can: A True Story

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The Girl Who Buried Her Dreams in a Can: A True Story

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Author: Tererai Trent & Jan Spivey Gilchrist
Page Numbers: 40 pages
Publisher: Viking books for young readers
Date: October 16th, 2015
Themes: inspirational, girls, dreams are achievable, giving back, come true
Grade Level: 1st-3rd
Plot: True story of a young girl in Zimbabwe who dreams of getting an education, despite the obstacles she faces. She writes her dreams on paper and places them in a can to bury, with hopes of them coming true.
Personal Response: This book is a powerful reminder pf the importance of education and perseverance. I will definitely have this book in my future classroom.

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Author: Grace Byers
Illustrator: Keturah A. Bobo
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Date: March 6, 2018
Pages: 32
Genre: Fiction
Awards: Goodreads
Plot: This book encourages young readers to love and accept themselves just as they are. It features a series of poetic affirmations and illustrations that celebrate diversity and self-worth.
Personal Response: I absolutely loved this book. It has such a powerful message of positivity and self-love that every child should learn and practice from a young age.

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Author: Naomi Shihab Nye
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Date: March 15, 2022
Pages: 366
Grade Level: 2nd-6th grade
Plot: This book is about a young boy that is on a journey to see his dad in Michigan, where he will be starting school for the first time in the United States
Personal Response: I really enjoyed reading this book. It touches upon such a real topic that I believe will be important to incorporate into my future classroom.

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Author: RJ Palacio
Page count: 310
grade level: 5-7
Publisher: Alfred A Knopf
Published: February 14, 2012
Summary: This book follows a little boy named Auggie as he navigates the challenges of fitting in, making friends, and dealing with bullies.
Personal Response: This is one of my favorite books. It has such a powerful message of empathy and inclusivity. I will definitely have this book in my future classroom.

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Author: Scott O'Dell
Page Numbers: 192 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Date: 1960
Themes: Nature, resilience, isolation, and identity
Grade Level: 5-8
Plot: This book follows the story of a young Native American girl who is left alone on an island after her tribe departs. She learns to survive on her own and befriends animals that inhabit the island.
Personal Response: This book looks deeply into powerful themes such as isolation resilience and the importance of nature. I really love this story.

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Author: Yangsook Choi
Page Numbers: 40 pages
Publisher: Dragonfly Books
Date: 2003
Themes: Diversity, courage, acceptance, friendship, identity
Grade Level: K-3
Plot: This book tells the story of a young Korean girl who moves to the United States and struggles to fit in.
Personal Response: I think this is an adorable and inspiring story that brings awareness to what it's like to move to a new country.

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Author: Matt de la Peña
Illustrator: Christian Robinson
Page Numbers: 32 pages
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young
Date: 2015
Themes: community, gratitude, social justice
Grade Level: preschool-3rd
Plot: This book follows a young boy and his grandmother as they ride the bus through the city.
Personal Response: I really enjoyed reading this book. It is such a cute story that touches on an important topic.

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Author: Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah and Kelly DiPucchio
Illustrator: Tricia Tusa
Page Numbers: 40 pages
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Date: 2010
Themes: Friendship, diversity, cultural differences, tolerance, food, and conflict resolution
Grade Level:
Plot: This book tells the story of two friends from different cultural backgrounds who learn to appreciate each other's differences and celebrate diversity.
Personal Response:  I really loved this story. It is a great book to have my students read in order to bring awareness to celebrating diversity.

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Author & Illustrator: Karen Kratz
Page Numbers: 32 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Date: 1999
Themes: Diversity, friendship, self-acceptance, and family
Grade Level: preschool-3rd grade
Plot: This book celebrates diversity by exploring many different shades of skin color that exist in the world
Personal Response:  This is a great book to teach my students about diversity.

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Author: Bao Phi
Illustrator: Thi Bui
Page Numbers: 32 pages
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Date: 2017
Themes: family, immigration, and cultural identity
Grade Level: Kindergarten- 3rd grade
Plot: This book tells the story of a young Vietnamese boy and his father as they go fishing early in the morning.
Personal Response: This is a great book to educate students on the experience of immigrants and cultural identity.

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Author:  Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete
Illustrator: Shane W Evans
Page Numbers: 40
Publisher: Scholastic press
Date: 2010
Themes: siblings, relationships, autism, and acceptance
Grade Level: 1-3
Plot: This book is about the relationship between a brother and sister, and how they navigate the world when one of them has autism
Personal Response: I think this book is adorable and heartwarming. It will definitely be a staple in my future classroom

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Author: Sharon M Draper
Page Numbers: 320 pages
Publisher: Antheneum Books for Young Readers
Date: 2010
Themes: disability, perseverance, and the power of communication
Grade Level: 4-7
Plot: This book is about a young girl named Melody who has cerebral palsy and is unable to speak. Despite her disability, Melody is very intelligent and wants to be heard.
Personal Response: This is a great and inspirational book for children to read. It is great for introducing disabilities to students.

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Author: Patricia Polacco
Page Numbers: 48 pages
Publisher: Philomel books
Date: 2010
Themes: Creativity, teamwork, and the power of the imagination
Grade Level: 1-4
Plot: This book is about a girl named Trisha who moves to a new school and is placed in a class of misfit outcasts. The class is taught by a teacher who encourages creativity and innovation, and the students work together to build amazing inventions out of junk.
Personal Response: This is such a fun and cute book that can inspire students to use their imaginations.

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Author: Jamie Sumner
Page Numbers: 288 pages
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Date: 2019
Themes: disability, family, and friendship
Grade Level: 4-7
Plot: This book is about a young girl named Ellie who has cerebral palsy and loves to bake. When her family moves to a new town she has to navigate school and make new friends
Personal Response: This was an amazing book that truly shows the ups and downs of being the new girl.

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Author: Wendelin Van Draanen
Page Numbers: 336
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Date: 2011
Themes: disability, perseverance, and the power of friendship
Grade Level: 7-9
Plot: This book is about a high school track star named Jessica who loses her leg in a bus accident. Despite her injury, Jessica is determined to run again, and she works hard to overcome the obstacles in her way.
Personal Response: This book is for an older audience so I would not have it in my future classroom. Although I wanted to include it in my library because it is an amazing and inspiring story.

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Author: Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Page Numbers: 288 pages
Publisher: Puffin Books
Date: 2015
Themes: Learning differences, dyslexia, friendship, self-acceptance, and perseverance
Grade Level: 4th-7th
Plot: a 6th grader named Ally Nickerson has always struggled in school and has been able to hide her dyslexia by acting out in class. But a new teacher sees through her behavior and helps her to see that she has a gift, Ally begins to embrace her differences and overcomes her struggles.
Personal Response: This is a beautiful book that helps bring awareness to dyslexia. I will definitely include this book in my future classroom.

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Author & Illustrator: Tomie De Paola
Page Numbers: 32 pages
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Date: 1988
Themes: Creativity, perseverance, and the beauty of nature
Grade Level: K-3
Plot: A young Native American boy named Little Gopher dreams of becoming an artist. We see his journey as he follows his dream
Personal Response: This is a beautiful inspiring story that helps the reader to really acknowledge the beauty of nature.

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Author: Cynthia Leitich
Illustrator: Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu
Page Numbers:  32 pages
Publisher: Morrow Junior Books
Date: 2000
Themes: Family, tradition, and determination
Grade Level: K-3
Plot: A Muscogee girl named Jenna wants to dance in the upcoming powwow and wants to jingle dance. But she doesn't have enough jingles for her dress and has to find a way to dance.
Personal Response: This is such a cute story that can help children learn determination and what is possible if you don't give up on your dreams.

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Author & Illustrator: S.D. Nelson
Page Numbers: 48
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Date: 2012
Themes: Native American Culture, family, and tradition
Grade Level: 1-4
Plot: The book tells the story of a young Hidatsa girl name Buffalo Bird Girl who lived in what is now North Dakota in the 1800's.
Personal Response: This is an amazing story to teach students about the history of the Hidatsa Natives.

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Author/illustrator: Julie Morstad
Publisher: Tundra Books
Published date: September 21, 2021
Page count: 56
Plot: This book takes the reader through what time means in our world.  Each stanza is written in poetic terms. It relates to some readers because it uses metaphors/ similes that describe how they might have felt. It also uses phrases like school taking so long to end or the vacation you were just on went by so fast.
Personal Response: This is a great book to teach children about the concept of time.
Genre: Children's literature picture book
Theme: The essence of time is an understanding we each have to take.

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Author and Illustrator: Dolores Costello

Published: March 13, 2017

Publisher:  Xist Publishing

Pages: 31

Genre: Children’s Literature

Synopsis: A sad monster attends school. He is sad beacuse he doesn't have any friends. He wonders if anyone has the ability to bring him joy.

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Author: & Illustrator: Antoinette Portis

Publisher: Neal Porter Books

Date: December 28, 2021

Number of Pages: 42
Grade Level: K-3

Genre: Fiction

Theme: water vocabulary

Plot: This is the story of a girl exploring the many forms of water in the world.

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Author: Naaz Khan
Illustrator: Merce Lopez

Publisher: Groundwood Books
Date: November 9, 2021
Number of Pages: 40 pages
Awards: Award for Excellence in Poetry

Synopsis: A young boy on a crowded bus discovers that, after some wiggles and giggles, there’s room for everyone in this lighthearted rhyming picture book set in Zanzibar. The dala dala rumbles and roars as Musa and Dada drive off to the shore—but the bus stops for multiple detours: “Do you need a ride? ...
Genre: Children's literature, fiction, humor
Theme: Making room for everyone.

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Author: Amyra Leon
Illustrator: Molly Mendoza
Publisher: Flying High Books
Date: July 7, 2020
Pages: 40 pages
Grades: Preschool - Second Grade
Summary: I wonder, then, what freedom is. Is it a place? Is it a thought? Can it be stolen? Can it be bought?

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Author: Meena Harris

Illustrator: Marissa Valdez

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Date Published: 1/19/2021

Page count: 40

Awards: Recent Book Award Winner and Honorees Selection 2022, Jane Addams Children's Book Awards Finalist 2022

Synopsis: This book is about an ambitious girl who is learning that no one can tell her she is "too that" or "too this". She is not going to let anyone tell her who she can be.   She is trying to spread a message to all girls to be ambitious and get stuff done. She wants to use her voice and be heard by everyone.

Theme: Self-worth, Girl Power