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NOTE: For most part the books are grouped next to each other as each category of diverse representation. In addition, books are color coded by category as well (listed below). Please look in the title for a specification of which category the book fits into :)

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NOTE: For most part the books are grouped next to each other as each category of diverse representation. In addition, books are color coded by category as well (listed below). Please look in the title for a specification of which category the book fits into :)

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Red: African American

Yellow: Disability AND Latinx (there is overlap between some books)

Blue: Native Americans/Indigenous People

Green: Middle Eastern

Purple: AAPI

White: LGBTQ+

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Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry & Illustrated by Vashti Harrison (2020). Published by Kokila and Penguin Random House. Young readers picture book. Diverse Main Characters. Awards:

Irma Black Award Nominee

Georgia Children's Book Award Winner 2021

For reviews and additional information see: https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9780525553366

Hair Love is the story of Zuri and her father trying to get her hair ready for the day. Though her father struggles at first, he continues to try his best and ultimately works together with Zuri to be successful! It is lighthearted and a very heartwarming story. It also showcases a relationship that we do not often see: a father and a daughter. This is a great a way to include a book with a diverse family in your classroom library!

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PRAISE FOR HAIR LOVE

2020 Rise: A Feminist Book Project - Top Ten List
NAACP Image Award Nominee
Irma Black Award Nominee

"[A]n important moment for representation and encouraging positive paternal moments." - Refinery29

Hair Love is a dedication to black and brown boys and girls everywhere to learn to love their natural hair." - Blavity

"We're always here for a father and daughter beauty adventure..." - Essence.com

"Seeing such a positive representation of black men and their daughters is such a breath of fresh air...The world definitely needs more of this." - TeenVogue.com
"A wonderful slice-of-life tale about family support, black hair, and embracing individuality." -School Library Journal, starred review

"This delightful debut encourages self-affirmation and celebrates a loving, respectful relationship between a nurturing father and his cool, confident daughter." - Shelf Awareness, starred review
"This authentic depiction of a loving and whole black family broadens the scope of representation." -"Unforgettable." -"A bighearted ode to individuality and father-daughter collaboration." - Publishers Weekly

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Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry: 9780525553366 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

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PRAISE FOR HAIR LOVE 2020 Rise: A Feminist Book Project - Top Ten ListNAACP Image Award NomineeIrma Black Award Nominee "[A]n important moment for representation and encouraging positive paternal moments." - Refinery29 Hair Love is a dedication to black and brown boys and girls everywhere to learn to love their natural hair."

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Ruth and the Green Book (African American)

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Ruth and the Green Book (African American)

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Ruth and the Green Book. Written by Calvin Alexander Ramsey with Gwen Strauss and Illustrated by Floyd Cooper (2010). Carolrhoda Books. Historical Fiction. Diverse Main Character. Female Main Character. Awards:

Jane Addams Children's Book Awards: Honor, 2011

ALSC Notable Children's Books, Commended, 2011

For more information see https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9780761352556

Ruth and the Green Book is a historical fiction picture book that follows Ruth and her family as they try to take a roadtrip across segregated America. Due to segregation laws, they have a difficult time finding services they need. Ruth and her family meet someone who introduce them to the green book and they are able to utilize it to make their travels easier. This is an excellent historical fiction book to add to your library! The book is slightly above grade level, so it could also serve as a challenge for some students who are ready for a challenge!

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Reviewed by Deborah Menkart

Review Source: Rethinking Schools
Book Author: Calvin A. Ramsey

A historical fiction picture book for 7- to 11-year-olds about the challenges of traveling for African American families during the Jim Crow era. As Ruth travels with her family from Chicago to Alabama to visit her grandmother, she learns that the Green Book provides a vital record of the network of services and support for African Americans on the road. Ruth and the Green Book is touching, affirming, informative, and beautifully illustrated. For readers of all ages, it will generate interest in the Green Book, which was published annually for decades with listings throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Publisher's synopsis: Ruth and the Green Book is the story of one black family's trip from Chicago to Alabama by car in the late 1940s. Along the way they encounter prejudice, but they also discover The Green Book, a real guide to accommodations which was published for decades to aid African-American travelers as they faced prejudice on the roads across the country.

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Ruth and the Green Book - Social Justice Books

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Reviewed by Deborah Menkart Review Source: Rethinking Schools Book Author: A historical fiction picture book for 7- to 11-year-olds about the challenges of traveling for African American families during the Jim Crow era. As Ruth travels with her family from Chicago to Alabama to visit her grandmother, she learns that the Green Book provides a [...]

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There Was a Party for Langston (African American)

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There Was a Party for Langston (African American)

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There Was a Party for Langston written by Jason Reynolds and illustrated by Jerome and Jarrett Pumphrey (2023). Published by Simon & Schuster. Diverse Main Character. Historical Fiction. Awards:

A Caldecott Honor Book

A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book

For reviews and additional information: https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9781534439443

Based on a true moment in history There Was a Party for Langston is a joy-filled, rhythmic story. The gorgeous illustration gives the words movement, and help propel the story along. The book is a celebration and a tribute of Langston Hughes, and uses many of his own writing styles and techniques as a guide. This book would be great to diversify a classroom library! This historical fiction book would be great for young children, especially due to the fun and colorful illustrations. Many conversations about history could be sparked from this book!

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About The Book

A Caldecott Honor Book
A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds's debut picture book is a snappy, joyous ode to Word King, literary genius, and glass-ceiling smasher Langston Hughes and the luminaries he inspired.
Back in the day, there was a heckuva party, a jam, for a word-making man. The King of Letters. Langston Hughes. His ABCs became drums, bumping jumping thumping like a heart the size of the whole country. They sent some people yelling and others, his word-children, to write their own glory.

Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka, and more came be-bopping to recite poems at their hero's feet at that heckuva party at the Schomberg Library, dancing boom da boom, stepping and stomping, all in praise and love for Langston, world-mending word man. Oh, yeah, there was hoopla in Harlem, for its Renaissance man. A party for Langston.

About The Author

Jason Reynolds is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, a Newbery Award Honoree, a Printz Award Honoree, a two-time National Book Award finalist, a Kirkus Award winner, a UK Carnegie Medal winner, a two-time Walter Dean Myers Award winner, an NAACP Image Award Winner, an Odyssey Award Winner and two-time honoree, and the recipient of multiple Coretta Scott King honors and the Margaret A. Edwards Award. He was also the 2020-2022 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. His many books include All American Boys (cowritten with Brendan Kiely); When I Was the Greatest; The Boy in the Black Suit; Stamped; As Brave as You; For Every One; the Track series ( Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu); Look Both Ways; Stuntboy, in the Meantime; Ain't Burned All the Bright (recipient of the Caldecott Honor) and My Name Is Jason. Mine Too. (both cowritten with Jason Griffin); and Long Way Down, which received a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, and a Coretta Scott King Honor. His debut picture book, There Was a Party for Langston, won a Caldecott Honor and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor. He lives in Washington, DC. You can find his ramblings at JasonWritesBooks.com.

About The Illustrators

Jerome Pumphrey is a designer, illustrator, and writer. His work includes It's a Sign!, Somewhere in the Bayou, The Old Boat, and The Old Truck, which received seven starred reviews, was named a Best Book of the Year by Publishers Weekly, and received the Ezra Jack Keats Writer Award Honor-all of which he created with his brother Jarrett. They also illustrated Jason Reynolds's There Was a Party for Langston, which received a Caldecott Honor and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor. Jerome works as a graphic designer at The Walt Disney Company. He lives in Texas.

Jarrett Pumphrey is an award-winning author-illustrator who makes books for kids with his brother, Jerome. Their books include It's a Sign!, Somewhere in the Bayou, The Old Boat, and The Old Truck, which received seven starred reviews, was named a Best Book of the Year by Publishers Weekly, and received the Ezra Jack Keats Writer Award Honor. They also illustrated Jason Reynolds's There Was a Party for Langston, which received a Caldecott Honor and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor. Jarrett lives near Austin, Texas.

Product Details

Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books (October 3, 2023)

Length: 56 pages

ISBN13: 9781534439443

Grades: P - 3

Ages: 4 - 8

Browse Related Books

Raves and Reviews

The creators' high-stepping testament to the enduring cultural influence of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes (1901-1967) begins with the promise of a party: "a jam in Harlem to celebrate the word-making man." Rhythmic lines from Newbery Honoree Reynolds, making his picture book debut, aptly describe Hughes as "the best word maker around./ Could make the word MOTHER feel/ like real warm arms wrapped around you." In illustrations rendered with handmade stamps, Ezra Jack Keats Award Honorees the Pumphrey brothers apply stylized typography throughout, as on a page in which mother makes up the figure of a parent embracing a child. Melding celebratory text and kinetic, graphical art, the creators underscore the power of the subject's poetry to move and to inspire.

- Publishers Weekly, *STARRED REVIEW*, 8/14/2023

*Inspired by a photo of Maya Angelou and Amiri Baraka boogeying down at a 1991 gathering at the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center, this high-stepping shoutout to the honoree of that historic "hoopla in Harlem" pays tribute to the "king of letters," celebrating the man "who wrote Maya and Amiri into the world" with his "wake-up stories / and rise-and-shine rhymes," who answered would-be "word breakers" and book burners with courage and laughter. In illustrations as rhythmic and exuberant as Reynolds' narrative, Langston and the other two luminaries may occupy center stage (their bodies ingeniously constructed from words and the brushed letters of their names), but the entire alphabetically arranged lineup of guests looking on from the bookshelves are familiar names-from Ashley Bryan to Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison to Octavia Butler, Countee Cullen to Nikki Giovanni to Gwendolyn Brooks. Evocative and celebratory words float around the dancers like strains of music, all the way to a culminating whirl of letters, laughter, and joy. Who knew these esteemed literary lions could cut the rug like that?

- Booklist, *STARRED REVIEW*, 08/01/2023

Inspired by a joyous photo of Angelou and Baraka snapped in 1991 at the opening of the Langston Hughes Auditorium at the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Reynolds sets a syncopated pace with his debut picture book, delivering not only a celebratory dance of a biography, but a primer in Hughes' own jazz poetry. Not missing a beat and laying down one all their own, the Pumphrey brothers' illustrations incorporate verses from Hughes' poems and other words he set into motion to create a thrumming visual landscape where meaning takes literal flight. This book demonstrates that Hughes' work is the epitome of what words can be. A bar set stratospherically high and cleared with room to spare.

- Kirkus Reviews, *STARRED REVIEW*, 08/01/2023

Reynolds and the Pumphreys sharpen all their tools for this one, throwing word art like clouds into the sky and regaling readers with scene after scene of the finest guests-Amiri Baraka, Maya Angelou, and so many more-who have come to Harlem's Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture for one reason: to celebrate the opening of the Langston Hughes Auditorium in February 1991. This book is an absolute textual and pictorial glory of people, places, word-making, song-singing, storytelling, history-making moments, and images that are unforgettable. A beguiling, bedazzling collaboration that will send children to the shelves to learn more about all the names within, especially Hughes.

- School Library Journal, *STARRED REVIEW*, July 2023

Awards and Honors

Horn Book Fanfare

Publishers Weekly Best Books

Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best

SLJ Best Book of the Year

ALA Caldecott Honor

New York Public Library Best Books for Kids

ALA Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book

Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids List

ALA/ALSC Notable Children's Book

Kirkus Best Picture Books of the Year

Resources and Downloads

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There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds - A Caldecott Honor Book A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book New York Times bestselling and award-wi...

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Big written and illustrated by Vashti Harrison (2023). Published by Little, Brown and Company. Picture book for early readers. Diverse main character. Awards

2024 Caldecott Medal Winner

2024 National Book Award Finalist

Coretta Scott King Award Author and Illustrator Honor

For reviews and additonal information see: https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9780316353229

Big is a touching and heart warming story about the power of self-confidence and acceptance. The book tells the story of a girl who begins by being praised for being "big". As she gets older, the praise turns to insults and small comments. The girl uses her words to stand up for herself and accept herself. While this is a great story to include in a library for the diverse main character, the moral of the story is very powerful and important for ALL children to be reminded of.

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When I was a kid and there was a problem with something I watched or read, half the time I ignored it and the other half I probably didn't even notice it. And when I look at kids today, one of the reasons I'm so delighted by this new generation is that they are unafraid to call out problematic content when they see it. Still, it is also interesting to see what does and does not get their attention in our books and movies. I was discussing with my kids the other day, talking about the original version and the instances where content had been expunged. I explained that in the original Fantasia there had been some incredibly racist content in the centaur sequence. "What about the mushrooms?" my daughter was quick to ask. She meant the Asian-stereotyped mushrooms in the Nutcracker section and I realized that she was absolutely right. Somehow that racism had been deemed okay and remained intact, but the other racism wasn't. I was grateful to her for noticing that, but later it occurred to me what none of us had also pointed out: the fat hippo sequence a little later. The weight of the large hippos is played entirely for laughs, the idea of them dancing in tutus seen as inherently amusing, particularly when they crush the crocodiles with their weight. My daughter, kid though she is, hadn't remembered that sequence as also typifying certain people as a certain way and that says something to me. We've got kids going around with an increasing awareness on a lot of things, but when it comes to weight, that's one issue that almost never comes up for them. They'll sit through entire curriculums in school about the history of racism in America, but no one talks about anti-fat bias. Literally no one. And when it shows up in our children's books, where does it end up? In the middle grade fiction for 9-12 year-olds, of course. Mind you, by that point they've been so inculcated in anti-fat bias that you might begin to wonder why we've never had a really excellent picture book address this issue before. There are plenty of paltry picture books filled to the brim with didacticism, sure, but until I read Big by Vashti Harrison I really had never seen one that tackled the issue head on with style, skill, and creativity. More of this please!

"Once there was a girl with a big laugh and a big heart and very big dreams." She was happy with herself, but around second grade we see this begin to change. One day, she and the other kids are playing on the swings for younger children and she gets stuck. After suffering through all kinds of insults and getting yelled at by adults, things change. "She began to feel not herself, out of place, exposed, judged, yet invisible." It all culminates in a sequence where she grows larger on the pages, filling them entirely. Eventually, she's able to cry out the awful words and then separate the good from bad. The good, she keeps. The bad, she hands off. And when folks offer to help her change, she politely declines. "...she was just a girl. And she was good."

Daunting. That's the first word that comes to mind when I think about trying to deal with how fat people have typically been portrayed in the world of children's picture books. I'm not even talking about the novels at this point (Roald Dahl and J.K. Rowling would earn themselves an entire thesis on the subject, after all). Let's just stop a second and try to think about fat adults in picture books. Who comes immediately to mind? Anyone? And if you can think of anyone, are they nice or mean? Now think of the most positive fat character in the whole of children's literature who's a kid. If you're struggling then you see the issue. Children's books were created at the start as a way of inculcating morality in kids. For the most part, and for many of them, including this book, that hasn't changed. The problem is that sometimes we don't realize that on our way to teaching one lesson we've inadvertently taught a terrible one as well. A book of anti-racism or economic disparity can throw in a couple fat jokes or insults and few will blink. So imagine being one of the few books to face that head on. Like I say. Daunting.

Before I get any more into this, though, can we stop for a moment and take into account what Big doesn't do? First off, it doesn't make the insult of the main character the book's title (you'd be amazed how often that happens in picture books). Second, it doesn't start the main character off by feeling bad about herself. Many is the book where the protagonist begins the story by feeling awful from page one onward. Here, our heroine has had a loving and supportive family and feels great about herself until a veritable mosquito swarm of microaggressions start to bring her down. Finally, what else doesn't it do? I call this the RRNR situation (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer). In a lot of picture books the main character is an outsider until the moment whatever it is that makes them different saves the day for the mean people. Then, out of some perverted sense of obligation (I guess?) they decide to accept that person. Here, there is a climactic moment but it's internal and entirely for the main character herself.

I also appreciated how real the ending was on this book. As I've mentioned before, loads of picture books don't deal realistically with how people act when someone is unlike them. Scads of them end with everyone having had their hearts and minds changed by the final page. It sort of sets up a false set of expectations for child readers. Here, our heroine stands up for herself and when she confronts the people who hurt her, a lot of them make excuses for their actions ("It's just a joke," "It's not that serious," "You're too sensitive") or offer some not-apology ("I didn't mean to hurt you..."). But even more insidious is the person seen only has a hand who reaches out in a friendly way and says, "I can help you change if you want ...?" Notice that Ms. Harrison has systematically made sure that only her hero is visible on that last two-page spread. At the moment, there's no one else there. Hopefully someday someone will join her, but for now she needs that separation. It's a little psychological break from the rest of the book, and indicative of a lot of how the author/artist uses visual design to back up her story.

When you think of a book character pressing against the confines of a space, what immediately comes to mind? If you're like me, that would have to be Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. At once point Alice bites into a mushroom and grows huge in the White Rabbit's home. John Tenniel would depict Alice grumpy, propped on one elbow, pressed against the walls. Alice's confines are uncomfortable and unpleasant, all the more so because they're accidental and self-inflicted. When Vashti Harrison has her heroine grow and grow in this book, there are echoes of Alice, but for almost opposite reasons. Alice grew because of her own actions. Here, our heroine takes up several two-page spreads because of how others have made her feel. Harrison takes the chance of making several of these sequences wordless, which was a smart move on her part (and a smarter move on the part of her publisher, since too often publishing companies get nervous when words disappear in books for kids). The answer to her situation comes in the form of crying out the painful words that have earlier been imprinted on her, and again we get an echo of Alice, filling a room with her tears. But instead of drowning in her own misery ala Alice, this girl is able to look down at the words and make out good ones as well. Then she literally pushes the gatefolds of the book wide, turning the image into a four-page spread, which again I've never really seen a character in a picture book do before (and if you think publishers get nervous about wordless sequences, how do you think they feel about gatefolds?). Consistently this book's design works in service to the story, rendering what could have been didactic instead expansive and creative.

So what does this book hope to do? Whenever you have a marginalized community, the earliest picture books that come out are usually going to be about the problems that they face, either in a contemporary setting or a historical one. Finding a main character who is fat in a picture book and the book isn't about their size happens from time to time, but is still relatively rare. It's possible that we need books like Big to come out first, and then pave the way for a more inclusive set of characters. In the meantime, the reader is very much placed in the main character's shoes. That moment when she gets caught in the swings for little kids? That rang so true that it was painful. In her Author's Note at the end, Vashti mentions that something similar happened to her when she was a kid. She also notes, and I thought that this was key, that because she was a larger child, adults thought that she was older than she was and treated her like a big kid that should know better. That happens a lot to our kids as well. Hopefully when read to kids, a book like Big can encourage a bit of empathy in its readers. It cannot exist in a vacuum, however, so we're going to need more books with fat protagonists to help.

I've gotten this far into the review with no mention of race, so that's not great. The main character of this book is Black, and historically anti-fat bias and anti-Blackness have been tightly interlinked. White people who would go out of their way to avoid discussing a child's race often have no difficulty discussing the size of their bodies instead. In Big, our heroine faces white authority figures that continually puncture her self-image with small, needling little comments (Santa saying, "You're a big girl, aren't you?" really got to me). Also, the title of this book is "Big". It is not "Fat". That didn't strike me as a problem. Like a lot of marginalized communities, there's not always a consensus on terminology. So some people are very comfortable with the word "fat" while others shy away from it. Big is a picture book. It's not here to end that discussion. It's here to give kids a shot in the arm of empathy.

This isn't a book where the world changes itself for our heroine. It's not a book where everything is magically okay at the end. That's not its point. It's not pretending that she won't be facing more of these problems in her future. All it can do is say that if she's happy with herself and who she is, that's going to go a long way. There's an honesty here that I really admired. Now add in the fact that the art isn't just lovely, but also evocative and creative (that gatefold is really a delight) and that the writing itself is great and you have yourself one of the best books of the year. Most excellent! One little book isn't going to change everyone's mind about something, but one little book is where you have to start. A superb idea, wrought large.

On shelves now.

Source: Galley sent from publisher for review.
Videos:

I don't like to read reviews or watch videos before I write my reviews. As such, I didn't watch this video with Vashti Harrison until just now. After doing so, I feel like she did a great job of addressing "adultification bias" in the book, since I picked up on that prior to watching this.

If you do nothing else today, watch this. Skip my review, and watch this.

Filed under: Best Books, Best Books of 2023, Reviews, Reviews 2023

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Review of the Day: Big by Vashti Harrison

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Today we look at one of the latest National Book Award nominees, and the only picture book in the batch.

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The Artivist by Nikkolas Smith (2023). Kokila Publishing. Younger Readers Picture Book. Diverse main character. Awards:

2024 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Honor

A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2023

For reviews and additional information see:https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9780593619650

The Artivist is a story about a boy combining his two passions: art and activism. The main character helps his community through problem solving skills and art! The beautiful illustrations tell a story on their own and capture the readers attention! Excellent addition to add to your library for a more diverse main character while also empowering your students!

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PRAISE FOR THE ARTIVIST by Nikkolas Smith:
Three starred reviews!

★ "A powerful read-aloud to share and discuss."- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "A meaningful portrait of artistic advocacy."- Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Evocative language...dynamic, emotional art."-Shelf Awareness, starred review

"Illuminates the heart of an artistic Black boy desperate to make the world a better place. The text reflects on the concept of "artivism" and what it can achieve."- The Horn Book

A 2023 Common Sense Selection for Familes

"This stunning picture book offers young children and adults a special opportunity to engage in a meaningful reading experience around important social justice issues...The painted illustrations gently push gentrification, environmental negligence, and social injustice to the fore, in a way young readers can understand." -Common Sense Media

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The Artivist by Nikkolas Smith: 9780593619650 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

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An inspiring picture book about how children can combine art and activism in their daily lives. "They say I'm an artist. They say I'm an activist." When a young boy realizes the scope of inequities in...

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Berry Song written by Michaela Goade (2022). Published by Little, Brown Books. Diverse Main Characters. Indigenous Peoples. Picture books for young reader. Poetry. Awards:

2023 Caldecott Honor Book

2024 American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award

For reviews and additional information see: https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9780316494175

Berry Song tells the story of about a girl and her grandmother, and their relationship with the earth around them. The traditions of the Tlingit Nation are described throughout the book with gorgeous prose that emphasizes our ties to the land and the sea-- and of course: berries! There is a certain timelessness that is captured throughout the book. The book is full of rich illustrations that are sure to capture the attention of young readers. This is a great book to include in your library to increase the amount of Native American representation you have. In addition, it would also open up many conversations from students.

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Formats and Prices

This item is a preorder. Your payment method will be charged immediately, and the product is expected to ship on or around July 19, 2022. This date is subject to change due to shipping delays beyond our control.

Description

A Caldecott Honor Book!

An Indie Bestseller!

Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade's first self-authored picture book is a gorgeous celebration of the land she knows well and the powerful wisdom of elders.

On an island at the edge of a wide, wild sea, a girl and her grandmother gather gifts from the earth. Salmon from the stream, herring eggs from the ocean, and in the forest, a world of berries.
Salmonberry, Cloudberry, Blueberry, Nagoonberry. Huckleberry, Snowberry, Strawberry, Crowberry.
Through the seasons, they sing to the land as the land sings to them. Brimming with joy and gratitude, in every step of their journey, they forge a deeper kinship with both the earth and the generations that came before, joining in the song that connects us all. Michaela Goade's luminous rendering of water and forest, berries and jams glows with her love of the land and offers an invitation to readers to deepen their own relationship with the earth.

A 2022 KIRKUS BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK
A 2022 SLJ BEST BOOK
A 2022 BOOKLIST EDITORS' CHOICE
A HORN BOOK FANFARE
A 2022 PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK
A 2022 BOOKPAGE BEST BOOK
AN NPR BEST BOOK OF 2022
A 2022 WASHINGTON POST BEST BOOK
A 2022 CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF
MULTICULTURAL CHILDREN'S LITERATURE BEST BOOK
2023 ALSC NOTABLE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
2023 CCBC CHILDREN'S CHOICES LIST
2023 BANK ST COLLEGE BEST BOOKS
2024 AMERICAN INDIAN YOUTH LITERARY AWARD HONOR

* "Goade's lush, brightly colored art vividly portrays the landscape."

Horn Book, starred review

* "A magical intergenerational story of gifts and cultural rituals shared between a grandmother and her granddaughter."

Kirkus, starred review

* "Told in rhythm, song, and narrative, the language is rich and evocative-perfect for early elementary readers."

School Library Journal, starred review

* "The glowing pictures and supportive text encourage our stewardship of Mother Earth as Caldecott Medal winner Goade presents another important contribution to both environmental and cultural literature."

Booklist, starred review

* "Tapping into themes of people's connection to nature-and nature's to people-the volume crucially invites readers to recognize this intersection. An author's note contextualizes core Tlingit tenets discussed."

Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Berry Song may strike young readers as not quite like any picture book they've seen before."

Shelf Awareness

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A Caldecott Honor Book! An Indie Bestseller! Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade's first self-authored picture book is a gorgeous celebration of the land ...

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A Day With No Words written by Tiffany Hammond and illustrated by Kate Cosgrove (2024). Published by Wheat Penny Press. Young readers picture book. Disability Representation. Awards (Since this book is so recently published, I anticipate there will be more to come in the next few months!):

Vermont's Picture Book Awards: Red Clover Winners

Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award Winners

For reviews and additional information see: https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9781736949795

The book is written from the perspective of a non-verbal boy going through his day. There is a focus on his relationship with his mother, as well as how they use a tablet to communicate. The illustrations are absolutely crucial to this book. Due to the first person perspective, we are transported to our main characters mind; where we see everything he sees. Through various color tones, metaphoric imagery and multiple angles, the reader is able to understand what the boy is thinking without using many words. Thus accurately conveying the fact that nonverbal people have as many complex thoughts and intelligence as anyone else. This is a phenomenal book to include a classroom library as a way to help neurotypical students understand what their non-verbal friends might be thinking!

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About The Book

An instant #1 New York Times bestselling picture book and national bestseller!! A Day With No Words invites readers into the life of an Autism Family who communicates just as the child does, without spoken language.
The American Library Association Booklist starred review boasts, "The story is written from the boy's first-person perspective, however-a clever choice in that it gives readers a direct look into his mind and reinforces the book's crucial statement that nonverbal people have as many words and as much intelligence as anyone else. Cosgrove's art, throughout, does an amazing job of transporting readers into his perspective, employing various color tones, metaphoric imagery, and 'camera' angles to reflect the deep expressiveness contained in every page [...] through this book, neurotypicals' eyes will be opened, and everyone in Autistic Families will feel seen-and heard."

A Day With No Words is a colorful and engaging picture book for young readers shares what life can look like for families who use nonverbal communication, utilizing tools to embrace their unique method of "speaking."

The story highlights the bond between mother and child and follows them on a day where they use a tablet to communicate with others.

Written by an autistic mother of two autistic sons and the creator behind the popular @Fidgets.and.Fries social media platform and illustrated by Kate Cosgrove (IG @k8cosgrove), A Day With No Words successfully normalizes communication methods outside of verbal speech and provides representation of neurodiversity and autism in a way that affirms and celebrates.

The experts are raving!

"How lucky are we to finally get Tiffany's poignant words and message into children's hands through this impactful story. Children and families can now be touched by her brilliance and learn about the often-overlooked autistics who communicate differently. The importance of A Day With No Words cannot be overstated in its potential to expose readers, young and old alike, to the beauties and barriers of living the autistic experience." - Ali Cunningham Abbott, PhD, LMHC, author of Counseling Adults with Autism: A Comprehensive Toolkit

"Through A Day with No Words, Tiffany Hammond provides us a rare window to the non-speaking world of autism. She has done so with love, compassion, and, I believe, deep understanding. And Kate Cosgrove's illustrations make it a beautiful world indeed. Bravo and thank you to both Hammond and Cosgrove for this window!" - Samantha S. Supernaw, LCSW-S, Licensed Therapist & Clinical Supervisor

"In my past 20 years as a developmental pediatrician, I have never read anything quite like A Day With No Words, a book that so eloquently, lyrically, and vividly captures the essence and beauty of an autistic mind. This book is a gift to all who read it." - Wendy J. Ross, MD, Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Developmental Pediatrician, Associate Professor Jefferson University, Director Jefferson Health Center for Autism and Neurodiversity

About the Author: Tiffany Hammond (she/her) is the voice behind the Fidgets and Fries platform. She is an Autistic mother, advocate, and storyteller who uses her personal experiences with Autism and parenting two Autistic boys to guide others on their journey.

Tiffany has a Masters in Developmental Psychology and spends her time teaching, coaching, and mentoring others in Disability Justice issues.

Her activism is rooted in challenging the current perception of Autism as a lifelong burden, cultivating a community that explores the concept of Intersectionality and inspiring thought leaders through storytelling, education, and critical discourse.

About The Author

Tiffany Hammond (she/her) is the voice behind the Fidgets and Fries platform. She is an Autistic mother, advocate, and storyteller who uses her personal experiences with Autism and parenting two Autistic boys to guide others on their journey. Tiffany has a Masters in Developmental Psychology and spends her time teaching, coaching, and mentoring others in Disability Justice issues. Her activism is rooted in challenging the current perception of Autism as a lifelong burden, cultivating a community that explores the concept of Intersectionality and inspiring thought leaders through storytelling, education, and critical discourse. Tiffany was born and raised in Texas and grew up on deep dish pie and stories from her grandmother. She is a dreamer by day and a cereal killer at night. You can usually find Tiffany writing in the light of the moon or thinking about what to write in the light of the day. When she isn't writing, she is building epic pillow forts with her two sons or going on long road trips with her family.

About The Illustrator

Kate Cosgrove is an award-winning children's book/KidLit illustrator with rainbow hair and pencil-smudged fingers. Her favorite things are drawing, reading, and hanging out with tiny creatures like worms and toads in her probably haunted and very old house. Her debut picture book, And the Bullfrogs Sing: A Life Cycle, was a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, and a Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Award Honors book. Kate's second picture book, The Dirt Book: Poems About Animals That Live Beneath Our Feet, was juried into The Original Art 41st Annual Exhibition in NYC by the Society of Illustrators. It was also a New York Public Library Best Book of the Year.

Raves and Reviews

"It was so wonderful to see families like mine represented in A Day With No Words. As an Autistic self advocate and as the parent of an Autistic child it's rare to find a book that both speaks to the experience of Autistic children in a way that is respectful and understanding of their humanity."

- Celeste Peña, Autistic Families of Color WA

"A Day With No Words is the book that all kindergarten classes need. It is a love letter from a mother to a child which let's us all in on the beauty of their relationship. The story celebrates that individual worth is not based upon the ability to speak and that the spoken word is only one way to communicate. The sooner we realize that kindness and understanding trump all the better we will be as a society."

- Lucy Aveling, Kindergarten Teacher, Toronto, ON, Canada

" A Day With No Words welcomes us into the world of Aidan, who has Autism and is nonverbal. Aidan delights in the world around him- from the comfort found in his mother's 'dancing' voice to the tactile joy of spinning barefoot in wet grass - and shares his experiences through the words he types on his tablet. With its vivid illustrations and storytelling that invites us to delight in simple sensory pleasures, A Day With No Words is a must for every young reader's shelf. Author Tiffany Hammond has written a beautiful, intimate book that invites us into Aidan's tender observations of the world around him."

- Dr. Kate Slater, Ph.D,

" A Day With No Words gives readers a glimpse into the daily life of a young, autistic boy who uses an assistive device to express his words and thoughts. Readers learn more about the boy's interactions with people and his reactions to the world around him. His caring, protective mother is with him throughout the day, fostering a better understanding of how the world can be more inclusive of people like her son. The text is simple and accessible to all ages. The illustrations are calm and colorful surrounding the characters with the bright possibilities each day brings. It is truly a beautiful book that shines a light on an often misunderstood community. As a librarian who works diligently to foster community and a sense of belonging for all students, I believe this book should be part of every library collection and shared with people of all ages."

- Jennifer Schlosberg, Lead Librarian, Pennsbury School District

"I want to tell her thank you for writing about and depicting Black characters in the non speaking world. Our representation in so low in books, TV, and everywhere! I want to thank her for showing people we have a place in this world. I love this book! It captures her powerful words and advocacy for her son."

- William Warren, 13-year-old nonspeaker who types to communicate

"Such a beautiful book. I'm a teacher always looking to expand my class and school library to represent our students and families more fully, and I've never seen a book like this. I wish I'd had it my entire career to share with students, families, and colleagues. I don't have a big social media presence or following but do have a lot of contacts in education and will most definitely share with them it should be required reading."

- Jessie Lee, Special Education Teacher M.Ed in Special Education

" A Day With No Words is so well done. Beautiful. I mostly smiled but also shed a little happy tear for how big this is for our kids and those that need this. Hundreds of thousands of people need to hear this and eventually, over the years, they will! Thank you."

- Giorgena Tziavaras, parent

"In my past 20 years as a developmental pediatrician, I have never read anything quite like A Day With No Words, a book that so eloquently, lyrically, and vividly captures the essence and beauty of an autistic mind. This book is a gift to all who read it."

- Wendy J. Ross, MD, Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Developmental Pediatrician, Associate Professor Jefferson University, Director Jefferson Health Center for Autism and Neurodiversity

Resources and Downloads

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A Day With No Words by Tiffany Hammond - An instant #1 New York Times bestselling picture book and national bestseller!! A Day With No Words invites readers ...

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My Hearing, My Way written by Dr. Stacey Armas and illustrated by Maham Ali (2023). Published by Little Listeners Publishing. Diverse Main Character. Physical Disability. Latinx Main Character.

Awards

No awards to date. Keep an eye out for upcoming awards throughout 2024

For reviews and additional information see: https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9781961620001

My Hearing, My Way is a powerful story about bodily autonomy and self-confidence about children with hearing devices that use them as a way to show their individuality and personality! Great to have in a library to help kids understand why some of their friends may have a device they need to keep with them!

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Read reviews from the world’s largest community for readers. Written by Dr. Stacey Armas, a pediatric audiologist and passionate advocate for children with…

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Alma and How She Got Her Name written and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal (2019). Published by Candlewick Press. Diverse Main Character. Latinx Main Character. Bilingual book. Picture book for young readers. Awards:

2019 Caldecott Medal Nominee

2019 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award

2020 Monarch Award Winners

For reviews and additional information see: https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9780763693558

Alma and How She Got Her Name is about a young girl name Alma who complains to her father that her name is too long. Her father then explains the significance of each name and the reason why she has them. The book ends with Alma realizing that her name is very unique and special, as it has a story behind it. This book is available in both English and Spanish, so it can be a great option for ELL students in the classroom. Beyond that, the book is an excellent choice for a representation of a Latinx character/Latinx culture.

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Also available in Spanish: Alma y cómo obtuvo su nombre

Reviewed by Sierra Kling

Review Source: Reading Is Resistance PDX
Book Author: Juana Martinez-Neal

Born in Lima, Perú, Juana Martinez-Neal incorporates her Latinx culture into her debut author/ illustrator book, Alma and How She Got Her Name, published in both Spanish and English! This is a pleasant read because it is fresh and lighthearted but still packed with important messages. It focuses on a young girl and her curiosity over her very long name.

The main character Alma is concerned about her name, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela, "not fitting" on a piece of paper. She approaches her dad about her concern, and in response he ensures her that her name does fit. He goes on to explain each part of her name and their connections to her family members and history. After each name is explained, Alma identifies with a part of it. In the end, she questions her own first name, "Alma". Her dad explains to her that "Alma" is her own and belongs to only her. Continue reading.

Also reviewed by De Colores: The Raza Experience in Books for Children: In Alma's search for her identity, Martinez-Neal tells a gentle story of family culture and history and fills it with illustrative detail that will encourage the youngest readers to embark on their own journeys of self- and family discovery. Continue reading.

What's in a name? For one little girl, her very long name tells the vibrant story of where she came from -- and who she may one day be. Spanish language edition!
If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza Jos� Pura Candela has way too many names: six! Just think of how hard it is to fit them all on the back of a little photo. 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; Jos�, 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 or name story.

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Alma and How She Got Her Name - Social Justice Books

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Also available in Spanish: Alma y cómo obtuvo su nombre Reviewed by Sierra Kling Review Source: Reading Is Resistance PDX Book Author: Born in Lima, Perú, Juana Martinez-Neal incorporates her Latinx culture into her debut author/ illustrator book, Alma and How She Got Her Name, published in both Spanish and English!

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We Are Water Protectors (Native American)

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We Are Water Protectors (Native American)

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We Are Water Protectors written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade (2021). Published by Roaring Brook Press. Native American main character. Poetry. Young readers picture book. Awards:

2021 Caldecott Medal

2021 Golden Kite for Picture Book Text

For reviews and additional information see: https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9781250203557

Gorgeous picture book for younger readers. Written in lyrical prose and accompanied with rich, stunning illustrations. We Are Water Protectors is about indigenous people who care deeply about the water. They discuss issues such as oil pipe lines by referring to them as the black snakes. Throughout the book the indigenous characters show bravery and courage as they stand up against the oil pipelines and share about the dangers they pose. This book is great to add to a classroom library to increase the amount of Indigenous Peoples representation in a classroom library.

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We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

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This bold and lyrical picture book issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption.

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The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali and illustrations by Hatem Aly (2019). Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Middle Eastern Main Character. Diverse Main Character. Picture Book for Young Readers. Awards

2019 Goodreads Choice Award

2020 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Nominee

2022 Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award Winners

The Proudest Blue tells the story of two sisters', Faizah and Asiya, first day of school. Asiya wear a blue hijab, which to Faizah, is the most stunning and sweeping blue. Unfortunately, not everyone agrees with Faizah. We see the sisters find self-confidence, strength and bravery in themselves as they persevere through the negative comments and find happiness in their culture, in their religion, and in Asiya's hijab. The book is full of literary devices and tells a powerful story. An excellent addition to a classroom library to increase the representation of middle eastern people. In addition, the book explains to students why some people they know choose to wear a hijab, thus creating an understanding and appreciation in students who may have otherwise not understood.

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THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! A powerful, vibrantly illustrated story about the first day of school--and two sisters on one's first day of hijab--by...

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Luli and the Language of Tea written by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Hyewon Yum (2022). Published by Neal Porter books. AAPI main character. English as a second language. Picture books for young readers. Awards:

Vermont's Picture Book Awards: Red Clover Nominee (2024)

California Young Readers Medal Nominee for Primary (2025)

For reviews and additional information see: https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9780823446148

Luli and the Language of Tea tells the story of Luli, a five year old who has joined an English as a Second Language class. Unfortunately, no one in her class speaks the same home language, and no one speaks English either. Luli comes up with the idea to have a tea party. Luli and her classmates are able to bond over the tea, without speaking the same language. This book is enjoyable and lighthearted. In addition, it reinforces the idea that not all language is verbal, while also representing both AAPI people, and those who are new to learning English.

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Illustrated by Hyewon Yum

Published by Neal Porter Books/Holiday House

ISBN-13: 978-08234-4614-8

May 24, 2022

Though they may speak different languages, kids from all over the world come together to enjoy the shared pastime of tea in this delicious book for young readers.

When five-year-old Luli joins her new English as a Second Language class, the playroom is quiet. Luli can't speak English, neither can anyone else. That's when she has a brilliant idea to host a tea party and bring them all together.

Luli removes her teapot, thermos, and teacups from her bag and calls out " Chá! " in her native Chinese. One by one, her classmates pipe up in recognition: in Russian, Hindi, Turkish, Persian, Arabic, and Spanish, Portuguese, and Swahili. Tea is a tasty language they all know well, and it gives them a chance to share and enjoy each other's company. When all the tea is gone and it's time for dessert, Luli gets to use her favorite English word, cookie! After that, the playroom isn't so quiet.

Informed by her own experience as the child of Chinese immigrant parents, Andrea Wang makes the point that when you're looking to communicate with people, you look for a common bond. The word for "tea" is similar in many languages, and tea becomes the unifying metaphor that brings a diverse group of children together. Additional material at the back of the book explores the rich and ancient history of tea drinking across cultures all around the world and contains maps, statistics, and fascinating details that will delight young readers.
⭐️ Booklist Starred Review ⭐️ Shelf Awareness Starred Review New York Times Book Review 2022 Booklist Editor's Choice 2022 Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Book 2023 American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2023 Floyd's Pick Book Award by the Choose to Read Ohio Advisory Council 2023 Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Summer Reading List, Birth to Pre-K 2023-2024 Red Clover Book Award Nominee, Vermont Dept. of Libraries
APALA Best of the Best Book List 2023 by the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association
2024-2025 California Young Reader Medal nominee in the Primary category
Jason Reynolds' best children's books of the year 2022

"[A] gladdening picture book. . . . Yum demonstrates her facility with colored pencils in Luli 's classroom scenes and endpapers, in which a glorious spread captures an assortment of teacups, each decorated in a style suited to the country it represents."

~ Shelf Awareness, starred review

"Tea drinking everywhere celebrates community and togetherness; Wang ( Watercress, rev. 3/21) has cleverly re-created (and diversified) that ritual in a microcosm. Yum's ( Saturday Is Swimming Day, rev. 7/18) overhead view of the table shows smiling faces and varied skin tones, and her illustrations make clear that the Asian teacups with no handles are perfect for small hands-and safe."

"A charming, affirming, quietly triumphant story of reaching across barriers and creating a community."

"A simple, profound story about how children already know many of our universal languages - in this case, it happens to be tea."

"Uplifting, heart-filling, and beautifully illustrated, Luli and the Language of Tea reminds us that the language of kindness is universal."

"Like a sip of delicious hot tea, this book will warm your heart and feed your soul. A wonderful reminder that taking a risk and pouring yourself into new friendships can lead to connections that are deeper than words."

"With charm and lightness of touch, Andrea Wang and Hyewon Yum brew up a universal instance in the lives of all recent immigrants-the welcome realization that despite our different languages and the color of our skin, we are blended more by our similarities than our differences."

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Luli and the Language of Tea - Andrea Wang, Author

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Though they may speak different languages, kids from all over the world come together to enjoy the shared pastime of tea in this delicious book for young readers. When five-year-old Luli joins her new English as a Second Language class, the playroom is quiet. Luli can't speak English, neither can anyone else.

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The Truth About Dragons written by Julie Leung and illustrated by Hanna Cha (2023). Published by Henry Holt and Co. AAPI/biracial main character. Lyrical prose (poetry). Picture book for younger readers. Awards:

2024 Caldecott Honor Winner

2024 Asian Pacific American Award for Literature

For reviews and additional information see: https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9781250820587

The Truth About Dragons is a beautiful, poetic story about a boy exploring his biracial identity through dragons. The story discusses the roles that dragons play in Eastern and Western societies, and how even though they are conflicting, they can both be right. Beautiful prose accompanied with colorful and elaborate illustrations! This book would be a great way to expand a classroom library, add a poetry book, while also representing biracial students and the pull they may feel between their two cultures.

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*2024 Caldecott Honoree!*
An unforgettable lyrical picture book that celebrates biracial identity from the award-winning author ofPaper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist.
Lean in close,
my darling bao bei,
and I will whisper
a most precious secret
about a powerful magic
that lives inside you.

Brought to life with lavish and ornate illustrations, The Truth About Dragons follows a young child on a journey guided by his mother's bedtime storytelling. He quests into two very different forests, as his two grandmothers help him discover two different, but equally enchanting, truths about dragons. Eastern and Western mythologies coexist and enrich each other in this warm celebration of mixed cultural identity.

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2024 Caldecott Honoree!* An unforgettable lyrical picture book that celebrates biracial identity from the award-winning author of Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist. Lean in close,my darling bao bei,and I will whispera most precious secretabout a powerful magicthat lives inside you.Brou

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Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story (Middle Eastern)

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Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story (Middle Eastern)

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Lailah's Lunchbox written by Reem Faruqi and illustration by Lea Lyon (2015). Published by Tilbury House Publishers. Middle Eastern Main Character. Ramadan. Young readers picture book. Awards:

2019 Daybreak Children's Picture Book Award

American Library Association Notable Book for Children 2016

International Literacy Association Choices Reading List

For more reviews and additional information see: https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9780884484318

What a great story! Lailah's Lunchbox tells the story of Lailah (in her perspective), who has just moved from Abu Dhabi to Peachtree, Georgia. She is excited to feel grown up and celebrate Ramadan for the first time, but she is worried her classmates and her teachers will not understand. With help from the Librarian, Lailah meets friends who understand and respect her beliefs. This book is great to add to a library for multiple reasons. One, it explains the concept of Ramadan to children who may be unfamiliar. Two, it helps affirm those who are fasting and observing Ramadan.

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2019 Daybreak Children's Picture Book Award -- Recognizing Muslim Women's Contributions to Literature**Notable Social Studies Trade Book For Young People 2016, a cooperative Project of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and the Children's Book Council* *Featured Book of the Month, Anti-Defamation Leagu

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Fry Bread written by Kevin Noble Maillard and Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal (2019). Published by Roaring Brook Press. Native American. Culture. Young readers picture book. Awards:

2020 American Indian Youth Literature Award for Best Picture Book

2020 Sibert Medal

2020 Charlotte Huck Award Nominee

For reviews and additional information see: https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9781626727465

Fry Bread tells the story of a family making a traditional Native American food: fry bread. The book discusses how fry bread is more than just a food. It is a culture, a story, a family, a representation of symbol nations. The book ends with an ingredient list and recipe to make fry bread, so all readers can join in and experience a piece of this culture. younger students would successfully be able to engage with this book as you can help them make many connections to their own life and cultures, and their own traditions in their families. In addition, the book can serve as a starting point for young students learning about Native Americans, and be used as a way to highlight the cultural traditions that exist.

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Review: Fry Bread By Maillard & Martinez-Neal

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A “Native American Family Story,” a powerful and poetic book about fry bread – a food full of shape, flavor, art, family, diversity, history and tradition. Take a look at Fry Bread by K…

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Not He or She, I'm Me written by A.M. Wild and illustrated by Kah Yangni (2023). Published by Henry Holt and Co. LGBTQ+ (nonbinary) main character. Picture book for young readers. Awards:

2024 Stonewall Book Award Honor Book

2024 ALA Children's Literature Honor Book

For reviews and additional information see: https://shop.barbarasbookstore.com/book/9781250818607

Not He or She, I'm Me is a lovely story about a non-binary child enjoying their day. Readers are reminder of gender neutral pronouns. The story is very simple, so it is great for young readers. The illustrations add a great deal to the book, connecting with the main characters thoughts and emotions. This book is excellent to add to your classroom library for young children as a way to open up conversation and make the classroom a safe space for all students.

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A celebratory and joyous picture book about a day in the life of a young gender nonbinary child.

A child gets ready for a wonderful day. They gleefully get dressed, hug their parents, go to school, and play with friends. All the while, unapologetically reminding themselves that they are and can only be themselves.

The nonbinary experience is brightly illustrated as we follow our main character through their typical day. The story's bouncy and fun refrain reminds all readers of gender-neutral pronouns and affirms the identities of nonbinary children-encouraging readers to practice empathy for themselves and others.

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Signed Copies, While Supplies Last!* A celebratory and joyous picture book about a day in the life of a young gender nonbinary child. A child gets ready for a wonderful day. They gleefully get dressed, hug their parents, go to school, and play with friends.