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Hello, I am Abi Brend. I am from Thompson, North Dakota and currently living in Fort Collins, Colorado. I am an education major and I am currently working full time as a preschool teacher. I teach toddlers(age1-2) and I love my littles. A book I am currently reading is A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. My Favorite children books as a kid where I Love You Forever, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

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I choose my theme as books that represent diversity and inclusion. As the semester has gone on I have appreciated how much we have learned about this topic and it inspired me to be a better teacher. I choose this topic, because it is something that I am very passionate about. I think we all have had an instance in our lives where we didn't feel like we belonged. As a future teacher it is my goal to make sure that each and everyone of my students come into my classroom feeling respected, welcome and represented. This was something that I was made a point to include when I was picking my books for the reading challenge and I really wanted to do more research into it.

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Although, I wanted this website to be a great resource for everyone, as this is a great topic for everyone to get better informed on. I think that this would be a great resource for educators to fill their classroom with diverse reading material.

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I choose this book to recommend, because I loved the message that it had. It serves as an important reminder that we all could use that we are enough. This book is a reminder that we are enough regardless whether we succeed or fail in what we are doing. I also choose this book, because I liked how inclusive it was and the different range of children that it showed.

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This was an amazing book that showcases racism through the lens of a child. It is about two little boys one black and one white who are best friends. In this book the little boys cannot do many activities together and go places together because the black little boy is not allowed the same places as his white friend. This book is a great introduction to children to the history of racism and how racism still continues to be a problem. I choose this book, because I liked how it displays emotion and I think it is a great way to spark conversation in a classroom.

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We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

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We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

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This book tells the story of an Ojibwe or Chippewa girl and her peoples cultures and customs as they take on the black snake(an oil pipeline going through their land. This book I especially appreciate, because it has strong ties to North Dakota, my home state. I choose this book to include, because it tells a wonderful story, about a group of people who do not get enough representation. I think adding this book to your classroom collection or recommending to students helps create a more well rounded classroom that celebrates diversity and inclusion!!

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This book celebrates two sisters and celebrates the blue hijab that one of the sisters where regardless of the stares and misunderstanding that they face. I choose this book, because it celebrates identity, courage and family. I think having books that represents all different cultures and life styles in your classroom is essential and this book does a great job of doing that.

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This book celebrates all different families and exposes the many different possibilities that one can consider a family. This book is great, because it covers many different diverse spectrums of family, which makes it extra diverse and inclusive. I chose this book, because as a teacher you will have many students that come from all different backgrounds and this book does a great job of celebrating those different backgrounds!! As someone who didn't have the nuclear family I really appreciate books like this as we all enjoy celebrating the ones we love :)

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This book is about a welcoming environment and talks about how all are welcome in that environment regardless of their background. I choose this book, because as educators we value a welcoming environment within our classrooms. This book emphasizes that and reassures that all our welcome and respected in our classrooms. I personally would have this book display all year round in my classroom to display the welcoming environment that I seek to create and to remind my student of the importance of doing the same.

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The World Needs More Purple People by Kristen Bell and Benjamin Hart 

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The World Needs More Purple People by Kristen Bell and Benjamin Hart 

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This book is all about being a purple person. A purple person is some one who asks great questions, help people, listen, love to laugh, and bring their communities together. I recommend this book, because it is great for having students embrace themselves as well as finding common ground with the others around them. This book is great for character development and positive thinking in the classroom. Even as an adult reading this it made me wonder what kind of person I want to be and the values I want to teach in my classroom. This is a great tool for sparking conversation about change and our commonalities and differences.

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The Circles All Around Us By Brad Montague

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The Circles All Around Us By Brad Montague

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This book talks about the circles we create around us in our community. The circle starts out very small, but as we let more people in our circle we learn that it is full of love and uniqueness. I recommend this book, because it has a strong sense of community and inclusiveness. It also deals with the fact that letting different people can be scary, but as we allow more people in we can grow great relationships. I really enjoyed this story because it deals with what embracing differences can add to our lives in a really cool way.

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Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayer

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Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayer

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This book explains that just like all things are different so are all people. On every page there is a person explaining their different disability. I choose this book, because it is a great example of being intersectional in the diversity that is being taught. I think it is important to have a wide range of diverse books not just a few that cover a few different topics. The more diverse books you have in your classroom the more topics you can cover and the more people that are represented the better!!

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We are a Garden: A Story of How Diversity Took Root in America by Lisa Peters Westburg

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We are a Garden: A Story of How Diversity Took Root in America by Lisa Peters Westburg

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This book tells the story of how America became so diverse and relates it to a beautiful garden full of my different types of people. What I partially enjoyed about this book is that it does a good job of not sugarcoating how this came to be in a way that is appropriate for children. I picked this book, because not only does it give a good history lesson it also points out the beauty of our differences and how we all fit together like a beautiful garden.

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I have included all the read alouds for the picture books!! This is a resource that I personally love to use and find very helpful for finding new books:

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Grace Byers Reads "I Am Enough" | Bookmarks | Netflix Jr

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We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom READ ALOUD ~RING AROUND RONINA~

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All Are Welcome – 🏫 Read aloud kids book about diversity and going to school!

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The World Needs More Purple People Read Aloud 

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The World Needs More Purple People Read Aloud 

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The World Needs More Purple People by Kristen Bell and Benjamin Hart /  Story Time Read Aloud

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The Circles All Around Us by Brad Montague  and Illustrated by Brad and Kristi Montague

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One Crazy Summer By Rita Williams Garcia 

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One Crazy Summer By Rita Williams Garcia 

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This book was one that I really enjoyed!! This book is set in 1968 and follows three young black sisters who spend the summertheir mother who had abandoned them years earlier. The story is told from the oldest sister Delphines perspective and although they are excited to spend the summer with her they are quickly dissapointed. Oakland is full of racial injustice at this time and the girls learn about oppression first hand through the Black Panthers. I recommend this book, because it has an interesting storyline with a diverse background and plot.

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This book tells the story of eleven year old Melody a brilliant girl with cerebral palsy. Even though melody cannot walk, talk, or do some things she shows that she is not so different from anyone else by defying all odds and proving those who doubted her wrong. I chose this story, because I liked that it was told from Melodies point of view, which gives an insight of how it is to live with a disability in which your mind is completely capable, but people doubt you because of your physical body. This book changed my life and is one of my most recommended books that deals with inclusive diversity.

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The Parker Inheritance By Varian Johnson 

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The Parker Inheritance By Varian Johnson 

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This book tells the story of Candice who moves to Lambert, South Carolina and with her new friend Brandon tries to find a prize by solving a puzzle that her grandmother had first tried to find. The key to the puzzle is heavily based on the Washington who were forced out due to racial tensions in the 1950's. I recommend this book, not only, because it is well written, but it dives into so many diverse topics such as racism, sexism, and LGBTQ issues. This book really covers a spectrum of topics in a way that is great to introduce to students. I bought this on my moms kindle account and liked it so much I highly recommended it to her.

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Amina is a young Pakistani American who explores themes of friendship, culture, and community. In this book Amina discovers how her voice can bring together a diverse community. I recommend this book, because it explores a new culture that many students may see themselves represented or students may have the chance to learn about a new culture they have never learned about. I liked this book, because it is a great book to create a discussion on how to be a good friend and how important your community is.

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Inside Out and Back Again By Thanhha Lai 

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Inside Out and Back Again By Thanhha Lai 

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This book is about a young girl named Ha whose family tries to escape the Vietnam War by moving to United States for a safer life. This story captures her story through a series of poems and the struggle she faces as immigrant. I recommend this book, because it explores a new culture and puts in prospective how it feels to immigrate to a new country.

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An Article about Building a Culturally Inclusive Classroom

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An Article about Building a Culturally Inclusive Classroom

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How to Build a Culturally Inclusive Classroom Library to Embrace Student Diversity - The All-Access Classroom

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If you're searching for resources as you build a more culturally inclusive class library, look no further! I've gathered a good-looking bunch of helpful websites and book lists to make it an easy process! Looking back, as a gen. ed.

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When inclusion is done well, everyone in the class benefits. It strengthens the ability of all kids to work together, understand and value different points of view, think critically, and be successful learners.

Inclusive classrooms also reduce stigma. Imagine this kind of learning community:

Understanding inclusion

Is it inclusion?

This chart, developed by inclusion expert Nicole Eredics, can help you understand what inclusion is and isn't.

Child spends the majority of the day in the general education classroom.

Child spends the majority of the day in a special education classroom and goes to a general education classroom for one or two periods.

Child's desk is included with the other groups of desks in the classroom.

Child's desk is away from the other desks in the classroom.

Child has access to and is included in classroom lessons and activities that are adapted or modified to meet his/her special needs.

Child works on his/her own curriculum.

Child attends outside activities with the class including assemblies, field trips, enrichment classes, and recess.

Child is given alternate activities and options with other special education students.

Child is an independent, valued, and respected classroom member.

Child is looked upon as helpless, needy, and dependent.

The child's paraprofessional facilitates access to the curriculum and classroom activities.

The child's paraprofessional determines access to the curriculum and classroom activities.

The paraprofessional encourages child to complete work as independently as possible, while providing support when needed.

The paraprofessional does not provide many opportunities for the child to complete work independently and "hovers."

Child receives specialist support (therapy, speech, and language) with minimal disruption to the class routine and program.

Child is pulled from the classroom lessons and activities for specialist suport without consideration for what the child will miss.

The teacher can identify your child's strengths and areas for improvement.

The teacher refers to the specialists and paraprofessionals to identify child's development.

Child can name classmates and has many common classroom experiences.

Child does not know classmates and does not have many common classroom experiences.

The trend toward inclusive general education classrooms

Can special education students thrive in general education classrooms? Watch Carl Cohn, a former superintendent, talk about the trend toward inclusive classrooms (also called inclusion classrooms). Hear his tips on what to ask if a school suggests your child should be in a separate, self-contained classroom. Learn more at Understood, 4 Benefits of Inclusion Classrooms.

Read about a New York City public school program called ASD Nest in this article from The Atlantic: What School Could Be If It Were Designed for Kids With Autism.

Inclusive Learning: Everyone's In

This video, "Meeting the Needs of the Whole Child," overview is part of the Edmonton Public Schools' Inclusive Learning: Everyone's In initiative. The District was selected as a change agent for Alberta's Action on Inclusion initiative - to share information about best practices to welcome, include and support students' needs in the classroom and community. (Edmonton Public Schools, Alberta, CA) View all of the "Inclusive Learning: Everyone's In" video >

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Inclusive Classrooms: A Primer for Teachers

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When inclusion is done well, everyone in the class benefits. It strengthens the ability of all kids to work together, understand and value different points of view, think critically, and be successful learners. Inclusive classrooms also reduce stigma. Imagine this kind of learning community: "Inclusive classrooms are filled with diverse learners.