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1) What Brings You Here Today? (Jot a quick note in the comments section)

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1) What Brings You Here Today? (Jot a quick note in the comments section)

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Windows and Mirrors and Sliding Glass Doors: Ensuring Students See Themselves and Others in Literature 

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Windows and Mirrors and Sliding Glass Doors: Ensuring Students See Themselves and Others in Literature 

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Institute for Human Education

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In 1990, Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop published an essay about the importance of providing young readers with diverse books that reflect the "multicultural nature of the world" in which we live.

In the essay, Dr. Bishop coined the phrase "Windows, Mirrors and Sliding Glass Doors" to explain how children see themselves in books and how they can also learn about the lives of others through literature.

Dr. Bishop makes the point that it's crucial for children from marginalized groups to view themselves in the books they read.

When books don't serve as mirrors to children, Bishop says, "They learn a powerful lesson about how they are devalued in society."

In addition to acting as mirrors, books can also serve as windows that give readers a glimpse into the lives and experiences of others.

Educators have the critical task of making sure our students have access to books in our classrooms and libraries that serve as both windows and mirrors.

Ensuring Library Books Reflect the World

As a school librarian in a predominantly white school district, I strive to make the library collection reflect the world outside of our small, suburban community.

Students in my school have access to books that feature characters from different cultures, races, and experiences. The books in the library expose readers to other points of view, perspectives, and issues they may not have faced.

It is important to include books about history in our collections; however, we need to make sure we are purchasing books from a variety of genres covering myriad issues and events - not just slavery or the Civil Rights Movement.

In addition to purchasing books featuring multicultural characters and settings, our classrooms and libraries should include books about socio-economic struggles, LGBTQ issues, and characters with disabilities and mental health issues.

Some of the most popular books in my middle school library right now describe immigrant experiences, examine issues of race and identity, depict transgender characters, and highlight issues of poverty and food insecurity.

Enticing Students to Read Diverse Books

In addition to purchasing diverse books for the library, I try make sure the books are checked out and read by my students.

I do this by prominently displaying books by diverse authors. I also include diverse titles in summer reading lists and recommended book lists.

Another way I generate excitement with our students is to booktalk new titles and include diverse titles in our March Madness book competition. Book trailers and videos of author interviews are also effective in generating buzz about books.

If you are looking for new titles to add your school or library, begin with awards lists. January is usually the time of year when organizations announce award winners for children's literature.

Most educators are familiar with the Caldecott and Newbery Medals, but there are many other awards for children's literature, including:

American Indian Youth Literature Award
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature
Coretta Scott King Book Awards
Pura Belpré Award
Schneider Family Book Award
Stonewall Book Award
The Walter Award

Literature is a powerful tool for building empathy, understanding, and compassion in our students.

As Dr. Bishop explains, "When there are enough books available that can act as both mirrors and windows for all our children, they will see we can celebrate both our differences and our similarities."

Resources for Educators

We Need Diverse Books is a nonprofit organization that promotes "literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people." WNDB provides books to classrooms, sponsors The Walter Award, recommends books, and mentors writers. Be sure to download the Booktalking Kit.

We Are Kidlit Collective publishes a summer reading list for children and teens each year that features indigenous people and people of color.

Lee and Low Books examines issues of race and diversity in children's books. Take the time to read through the blog archives; there are a lot of valuable posts on this site.

Project Lit is a "grassroots literacy movement" that you can follow on Twitter. The Project Lit Community encourages schools to form book clubs and have students read books from their lists.

The Institute for Humane Education has an online Resource Center with numerous recommended titles on diverse issues.

Recommended Titles:

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (realistic fiction)
Amina's Voice by Hena Khan (realistic fiction)
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton (fantasy)
The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden (realistic fiction)
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James (poetry/picture book)
A Different Pond by Bao Phi and Thi Bui (memoir/picture book)
Dreamers by Yuyi Morales (memoir/picture book)
Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry (realistic fiction/poetry)
Front Desk by Kelly Yang (realistic fiction)
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes (fantasy)
Give Me Some Truth by Eric Gansworth (historical fiction)
Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly (realistic fiction)
Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson (realistic fiction)
Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith (realistic fiction)
Hope in the Holler by Lisa Lewis Tyre (realistic fiction)
Ivy Aberdeen's Letter the the World by Ashley Herring Blake (realistic fiction)
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (realistic fiction/poetry)
Miles Morales by Jason Reynolds (fantasy/superhero)
The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson (mystery)
Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson (realistic fiction)
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (realistic fiction/poetry)
The Serpent's Secret by Sayantani DasGupta (fantasy)
Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh (horror)
Sunny by Jason Reynolds (sports fiction)
Rebound by Kwame Alexander (sports fiction/poetry)
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell (informational picture book)
Be sure to forward this to at least ONE person who would benefit from these resources. Guest blogger Cathy Potter is a school librarian at Falmouth Middle School in Falmouth, Maine.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

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Windows and Mirrors and Sliding Glass Doors: Ensuring Students See Themselves and Others in Literature - Institute for Humane Education

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by Cathy Potter In 1990, Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop published an essay about the importance of providing young readers with diverse books that reflect the "multicultural nature of the world" in which we live. In the essay, Dr. Bishop coined the phrase "Windows, Mirrors and Sliding Glass Doors" to explain how children see themselves in...

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Diversity Resources for Collection Development

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Diversity Resources for Collection Development

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Feel free to contribute to this live collaborative!

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Airtable is a low-code platform for building collaborative apps. Customize your workflow, collaborate, and achieve ambitious outcomes. Get started for free.

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Children's Fiction / Gender Identity / Stonewall Award Winner
Find it in the CA Catalog!

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Stonewall Award Winner 2019; Free Choice Selection Image: Justification: I chose this book as my free-choice selection for it's beautiful message of love, self-love, and acceptance. Julián is a Mermaid is the recipient of the prestigious Stonewall Award for 2019. It's also one of the few gender non-conforming books in children's literature today.

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Being Jazz: My Life As a (Transgender) Teen

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Being Jazz: My Life As a (Transgender) Teen

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YA Autobiography
Find it in the CA Catalog!

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Updated: Dec 1, 2020

Autobiography

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"I have a girl brain and a boy body. I think like a girl, but I just have a boy body. It's different from you." -5 year old Jazz

Justification: I selected this title because it was featured in a LGBTQ+ display at my library and I'm interested in learning more about transgender people. Before reading this book, I only had cursory knowledge about what transgender is in the most basic sense; I had not previously had the opportunity to read about someone's first hand experience. I was curious and wanting to learn more about a previously unexplored topic. I also thought that this text was a good choice for an autobiography/memoir so I could recommend it to young adults (which I will).

Response: I was really surprised a teenager could write as eloquently as Jazz does. I have never read a memoir written by a young adult and so I don't know what I was expecting--something a little more juvenile, perhaps? This is definitely a young woman who has found her voice and knows who she is. Her work demonstrates this well. Jazz was assigned male at birth but identifies as female. What does this mean? Basically, her internal gender identity does not match the sex she was born with. Jazz's preternaturally upbeat and positive spirit exudes from almost every page; she handles teasing, ignorance, and even bullying with aplomb. I was so impressed with how Jazz could readily set aside people who were afraid of her or wouldn't get to know her because of fear or ignorance. I connected with Jazz in unexpected ways: she's living her life as a teenage girl much as I did. She plays soccer, has sleepovers with friends, and spends a lot of time with her loving family. However, life isn't always easy for Jazz; she's had to take on the state soccer association of Florida in order to be able to play girl's soccer. It took two years for the United States Soccer Federation to lift the ban--even after she presented her new passport (with F as her gender), social security card, and letters from her doctors affirming her gender.

One of the more poignant moments of her story is when Jazz talks about what she believes is the reason for her lifelong obsession with mermaids. (She even makes and sells her own silicone mermaid tails for swimming!) Jazz says, "Someone once told my mom that it's really common for transgender kids to be into mermaids, because they don't have genitals. I guess the idea is that for trans children, having no genitals is better than the wrong genitals." (p.17).

I especially learned a lot about the processing of transitioning from this book. Jazz explains that as a toddler "what made me comfortable was wearing a dress" (p.5). First Jazz transitioned socially, at the age of five. She adopted the pronouns and style of dress of her authentic gender. She also changed her name from Jaron, her birth name, to Jazz. At the age of eleven, as Jazz began approaching adolescence, she obtained puberty-blocking drugs in the form of an implant in her arm. These drugs prevented her from developing an adams apple, facial hair and arrested her voice deepening. As she entered her teen years, Jazz started taking estrogen to aid her in developing secondary sex characteristics in line with her gender identity.

Conclusion: The book is heartwarming in so many ways. Jazz's parents and siblings affirm her every step of the way in her journey to transition. Many parents, as well as clinicians, still deny the possibility that transgender kids and teens exist. In vast swaths of the United States, kids coming out as trans are much more likely to be met with hostility and ignorance rather than recognition, and their parents are more likely to lack the willingness or the resources to find them the care they need. Jazz is extremely fortunate that her parents have the resources, including health care coverage to support Jazz in her endeavor to transition. This book really opened my eyes to the realities of being a transgender teenager.I learned so much from this memoir--not just about gender, gender identity, and gender dysphoria, but about loving acceptance and tolerance. I will recommend it to any young adult reader.

APA Reference: Jennings, J. (2016). Being Jazz: My life as a (transgender) teen. New York, NY: Penguin Random House, LLC.

Autobiography

Image:

"I have a girl brain and a boy body. I think like a girl, but I just have a boy body. It's different from you." -5 year old Jazz

Justification: I selected this title because it was featured in a LGBTQ+ display at my library and I'm interested in learning more about transgender people. Before reading this book, I only had cursory knowledge about what transgender is in the most basic sense; I had not previously had the opportunity to read about someone's first hand experience. I was curious and wanting to learn more about a previously unexplored topic. I also thought that this text was a good choice for an autobiography/memoir so I could recommend it to young adults (which I will).

Response: I was really surprised a teenager could write as eloquently as Jazz does. I have never read a memoir written by a young adult and so I don't know what I was expecting--something a little more juvenile, perhaps? This is definitely a young woman who has found her voice and knows who she is. Her work demonstrates this well. Jazz was assigned male at birth but identifies as female. What does this mean? Basically, her internal gender identity does not match the sex she was born with. Jazz's preternaturally upbeat and positive spirit exudes from almost every page; she handles teasing, ignorance, and even bullying with aplomb. I was so impressed with how Jazz could readily set aside people who were afraid of her or wouldn't get to know her because of fear or ignorance. I connected with Jazz in unexpected ways: she's living her life as a teenage girl much as I did. She plays soccer, has sleepovers with friends, and spends a lot of time with her loving family. However, life isn't always easy for Jazz; she's had to take on the state soccer association of Florida in order to be able to play girl's soccer. It took two years for the United States Soccer Federation to lift the ban--even after she presented her new passport (with F as her gender), social security card, and letters from her doctors affirming her gender.

One of the more poignant moments of her story is when Jazz talks about what she believes is the reason for her lifelong obsession with mermaids. (She even makes and sells her own silicone mermaid tails for swimming!) Jazz says, "Someone once told my mom that it's really common for transgender kids to be into mermaids, because they don't have genitals. I guess the idea is that for trans children, having no genitals is better than the wrong genitals." (p.17).

I especially learned a lot about the processing of transitioning from this book. Jazz explains that as a toddler "what made me comfortable was wearing a dress" (p.5). First Jazz transitioned socially, at the age of five. She adopted the pronouns and style of dress of her authentic gender. She also changed her name from Jaron, her birth name, to Jazz. At the age of eleven, as Jazz began approaching adolescence, she obtained puberty-blocking drugs in the form of an implant in her arm. These drugs prevented her from developing an adams apple, facial hair and arrested her voice deepening. As she entered her teen years, Jazz started taking estrogen to aid her in developing secondary sex characteristics in line with her gender identity.

Conclusion: The book is heartwarming in so many ways. Jazz's parents and siblings affirm her every step of the way in her journey to transition. Many parents, as well as clinicians, still deny the possibility that transgender kids and teens exist. In vast swaths of the United States, kids coming out as trans are much more likely to be met with hostility and ignorance rather than recognition, and their parents are more likely to lack the willingness or the resources to find them the care they need. Jazz is extremely fortunate that her parents have the resources, including health care coverage to support Jazz in her endeavor to transition. This book really opened my eyes to the realities of being a transgender teenager.I learned so much from this memoir--not just about gender, gender identity, and gender dysphoria, but about loving acceptance and tolerance. I will recommend it to any young adult reader.

APA Reference: Jennings, J. (2016). Being Jazz: My life as a (transgender) teen. New York, NY: Penguin Random House, LLC.

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Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen

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Autobiography Image: "I have a girl brain and a boy body. I think like a girl, but I just have a boy body. It's different from you." -5 year old Jazz Justification: I selected this title because it was featured in a LGBTQ+ display at my library and I'm interested in learning more about transgender people.

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We Need Diverse Books™ is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and a grassroots organization of children’s book lovers that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.

A blog working for racial diversity and inclusion in books for children and teens.

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Illustration by Vanessa Brantley-Newton Who We Are We Need Diverse Books™ is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature tha…

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YA Contemporary Fiction
Find it in the CA Catalog!

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National Book Award Winner Image: Justification: This book is brand new YA fiction in my library and it's a National Book Award Winner. I was happy to snatch it up. I was also intrigued because much of the book takes place in the Philippines.

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Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors

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Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors

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Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop uses "Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors" as an analogy to discuss the importance of diversity in books and the authors who write them. We need books in which children can see reflections of themselves – but also look through and see other worlds.

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Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors

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Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors

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Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors

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Bishop, R.S. (1990). Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Perspectives, 1(3), ix–xi.

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Children's Fiction / Pura Bupré Award Winner
Find it in the CA Catalog!

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Pura Bupré Winner Image: Justification: As one of my favorite picture books in the collection, Dreamers is a loving tribute to reading and libraries depicted in full, vibrant acrylic color. Yuyi Morales tells her own immigration story from Mexico to California in this stunning book about hope, dreams, and most importantly, reading.

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A blog working for racial diversity and inclusion in books for children and teens.

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Have you ever used the phrase "Mirrors and Windows" when discussing the need for more diverse children's books? If so - or even if you've only heard someone else speak these words in this context - give a tip of your cap to Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop.

On Monday at the Youth Media Awards in Atlanta, Dr. Bishop received a standing ovation after winning the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. How many of us were thinking, "It's about damn time!" Dr. Bishop, Professor Emerita at Ohio State University, has done enough to push children's literature forward for two or three lifetimes. Check the Reading Rockets site for several video interviews and a handful of links (one of which connects to her seminal essay, Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors) .

The idea behind Dr. Bishop's work is simple: all young readers need more books with characters of all ethnicities and backgrounds, having a diverse range of experiences. This doesn't mean that African American children only need to see more books with characters like themselves (although obviously they do), or that Ojibwe children need to see more books with characters like themselves (might I add, only ), and so on; but that African American children need to in the present tense see those Ojibwe characters, and vice versa. And also, children from non-marginalized groups (read: White kids) to see these aforementioned books too. When White kids see White characters all the time, they get a distorted view of reality. White kids are overwhelmingly seeing "mirrors" but not "windows," and that's a huge problem. also need

(By the way, earlier I mentioned the need to tip one's hat to Dr. Bishop when talking about windows and mirrors. Let me take that a step further: we must give credit where credit is due by citing Rudine when we use this phrase, no matter the situation. This is really a good guideline to follow in general, but especially since many White people tend to take credit for ideas and things created by people of color or First/Native Nations, I implore readers to attribute this phrase to Dr. Bishop.)

This may all be old news to some, but one of the reasons Dr. Bishop is so impactful is her years of service, of pushing and prodding the children's literature world to think more broadly about what diverse books can do. And she has done so for all these years with characteristic grace and understated authority, leading by example.

I had the great fortune of serving on the Coretta Scott King Book Award Jury these last two years with Dr. Bishop as my chair. When you're on a book award committee, you get to know the other people in the room extremely well, and it isn't always rainbows and ponies, as they say; things can get heated at times. Discussions hit brick walls, and committee members get feelings hurt - we have such personal attachments to the books we have read and loved! There were a few times I wanted Dr. Bishop to tell us what to do in these hard situations: "Come on," I'd think. "You're RUDINE SIMS BISHOP!! You have more knowledge than the rest of us combined! DRAW US A MAP!!!" But that isn't the way Dr. Bishop works. She is not someone who is going to tell you what to do, or what to think; Rudine Sims Bishop does not direct. When Rudine speaks, the whole room leans forward, and not just because she has such a quiet voice. Dr. Bishop exudes authority, but not the kind that demands one snap to attention. Her authority lies in her knowledge, yes, but above all in the graceful and dignified way she carries herself.

All of this is to say: thank you, Dr. Bishop. Thank you for your tireless and continued work. Thank you for being a shining example of true leadership.

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Have you ever used the phrase "Mirrors and Windows" when discussing the need for more diverse children's books? If so - or even if you've only heard someone else speak these words in this context - give a tip of your cap to Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop.

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

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YA Contemporary Fiction / Stonewall Award Winner
Find it in the CA Catalog!

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

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LGBTQ Image: Justification: I selected this book because it won numerous prestigious awards, including the Lambda Literary Award and Stonewall Book Award for LGBT fiction, an Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award honor, Pura Belpré Narrative Medal for Latino fiction, and Michael L. Printz Award honor for Yo…

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Graphic Novels
Find it in the CA Catalog!

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Printz Honor Book Image: Justification: I was intrigued by this young adult and lesbian teen novel because of it’s graphic format and I’ve only begun to recently investigate graphic novels. To be honest, it was the cover that really grabbed me (see image above), so I definitely judged a book by it’s…

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Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

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What does the analogy of "Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors" in children's lit mean to you?

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What does the analogy of "Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors" in children's lit mean to you?

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2) What do you know about this topic/what experience do you have?

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2) What do you know about this topic/what experience do you have?

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Inclusion Cannot Be Optional: Using LGBTQ Books in All Classrooms

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Inclusion Cannot Be Optional: Using LGBTQ Books in All Classrooms

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Heinemann

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Children's Non-Fiction / Coretta Scott King Award Winner
Find it in the CA Catalog!

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Coretta Scott King Award Winner Image: Justification: I chose this book for it's brilliantly rendered illustrations and wonderful message to children that you're never too young to try something new. If you dedicate yourself to your craft, you can master it. I'm also somewhat obsessed with brass jazz musicians is this blog series.

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Front Desk: Example of a Community Reading Project

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Front Desk: Example of a Community Reading Project

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Find it in the CA Catalog!

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As part of the ongoing community collaboration sponsoring , Kobe Public Library is hosting an online session on How to Use Social Media for Activism for Teens. Using social media platforms as a tool for education and empowerment, KPL social media maven and librarian Jen Jones will lead this session. Some examples of social media platforms for will include Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Social networking has easily and quickly become a big part of social learning and it can be used to foster both connection and community. Teen activism online is trending and KPL wants to get behind these efforts in order to support the young adult community.

The session will last 45 minutes and will be broadcasted live and recorded for future viewing and stored on KPL's website and YouTube channel. The only equipment both the participants and leader will need is a computer with access to the Internet. Kobe Public High School will be open after school for students to use the computer lab (and internet) if they need access. The event is free and does not require a KPL library card for registration. Only one librarian will lead the session and it does not require an allowance.

Teens are naturally inclined to question authority. More importantly, using social media as a tool to safely identify and freely share lays the groundwork for a beginning understanding of . The facilitator, Jen Jones can play the embedded link as a way to introduce intersectionality to teens. Intersectionality addresses the social, economic, and political ways identity-based systems of oppression and privilege connect, overlap and influence each other. There are four ways in which teens can break this down: identification, diversity, justice and action.

This activity will encourage participants to approach a range of anti-bias, multicultural, and social justice issues. Young people will need to ask questions in order to examine the issues themselves.

One exercise can be for students to investigate, interview and profile a person working for equity and social change. The person can work on the local, national or international level, with an organization or as an individual. The compiled profiles can be posted on a blog and will form a resource for other students in the future.

A brief online survey can be pushed to the participants to collect data on the effectiveness of the session. Here is an example of an online survey for this .

Linked recommended reading on the topic of Immigration for young adults:

Undocumented: A Dominican Boy's Odyssey from a Homeless Shelter to the Ivy League

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Community Reading Project: Front Desk (online)

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Front Desk: Online Project As part of the ongoing community collaboration sponsoring #ownvoices, Kobe Public Library is hosting an online session on How to Use Social Media for Activism for Teens. Using social media platforms as a tool for education and empowerment, KPL social media maven and librarian Jen Jones will lead this session.

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YA Fantasy Fiction
Find it in the CA Catalog!

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Fantasy Image: Justification: I selected this book because it dovetails perfectly with my interest of focusing on #ownvoices in YA novels. The #Ownvoices movement contends that an author from a marginalized group should write about their own experiences---or their own authentic voice.

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Graphic Novels --Non-Fiction
Find it in the CA Catalog!

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Updated: Nov 30, 2020

Printz Winner 2017

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"If there's one thing I've believed my entire life, it's taking a stand when it's time to take a stand." -John Lewis

I was excited to see a graphic novel on the list of Printz award winners. Not only was Justification: March: Book Three awarded the Printz in 2017, it won the Coretta Scott King Book award recognizing an African-American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults; the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for the most distinguished informational book for children; and the YALSA Award for excellence in nonfiction for young adults. March: Book Three also won the National Book Award. I was also drawn to this text because of the recent passing of the late great statesman, Congressman John Lewis, whose story March: Book Three showcases.

Reader's Response: In this graphic memoir, Congressman John Lewis takes us on a pictorial journey progressively through the Civil Rights Movement. The graphic renderings are oftentimes bleak, conveying violence, intimidation, death and social unrest. In fact, every panel is emotionally charged: Powell's stark imagery is portrayed only in sketches of black and white underscoring the divisiveness between Whites and Blacks in America. It is through these images, and the poignant text, that r eaders really begin to understand the tumultuous time that was the 1960's in America.

The novel shows us that Lewis possessed fortitude, strength of character, and an innate ability to lead others. He was also unassuming and assiduous in his work. He suffered from brutal beatings and over forty imprisonments during his activism to end racial segregation. In fact, this book reads like the classic superhero graphic novel, and it's apropos: John Lewis was a modern-day real life superhero. His activism and tireless dedication to the Civil Rights Movement to end racial discrimination was his mission. His voice, leadership, and commitment to non-violence were his powers.

One of the larger features of this novel is the emotional March 7, 1965 march on Selma, Alabama. The book's title itself is a play on words: March is the action they took and the month in which it occurred. When Lewis was asked why he was marching, he replied: "We are marching today to dramatize to the nation, and to the world, that hundreds and thousands of negro citizens of Alabama, but particularly here in the Black Belt area, are denied the right to vote. We intend to march to Montgomery to present certain grievances to Governor George C. Wallace." (p.194) At the end of the bridge, marchers were forcibly stopped by Alabama State Troopers who ordered them to disperse. When marchers stopped to pray, the police discharged tear gas and mounted troopers charged the demonstrators, beating them with nightsticks. Lewis's skull was fractured in this horrific, violent skirmish. This day in Selma, Alabama became famously known in history as "Bloody Sunday".

I learned a tremendous amount about the Civil Rights Movement from this graphic novel. Although I was aware of the significance of the Civil Rights Act (1964)--mainly because of the banning of racial discrimination in public places--I learned that this Act neglected the rights of African Americans to vote. Bogus "literacy tests" and other voting restrictions were still in place until the 1965 Voting Rights Act was signed into law---a law which was propelled into action by persistent non-violent demonstration.

Conclusion: March: Book Three is text-heavy and laden with historical information. When studying the Civil Rights Movement in school, students would be well-served if teachers offered them an educational graphic novel of this ilk. March: Book Three is a great example of using trade paperbacks in the classroom to supplement textbooks, which can be dry and uninspiring. We see John Lewis interacting with seminal figures like President Lyndon Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcom X. It's hard not to be inspired by Lewis's memoir. This graphic memoir could be required reading for students learning about the Civil Rights Movement in America. I would recommend the book for grades 8 and up.

APA Reference: Lewis, J., Aydin A. (2016). March: Book Three. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf Productions.

Printz Winner 2017

Image:

"If there's one thing I've believed my entire life, it's taking a stand when it's time to take a stand." -John Lewis

I was excited to see a graphic novel on the list of Printz award winners. Not only was Justification: March: Book Three awarded the Printz in 2017, it won the Coretta Scott King Book award recognizing an African-American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults; the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for the most distinguished informational book for children; and the YALSA Award for excellence in nonfiction for young adults. March: Book Three also won the National Book Award. I was also drawn to this text because of the recent passing of the late great statesman, Congressman John Lewis, whose story March: Book Three showcases.

Reader's Response: In this graphic memoir, Congressman John Lewis takes us on a pictorial journey progressively through the Civil Rights Movement. The graphic renderings are oftentimes bleak, conveying violence, intimidation, death and social unrest. In fact, every panel is emotionally charged: Powell's stark imagery is portrayed only in sketches of black and white underscoring the divisiveness between Whites and Blacks in America. It is through these images, and the poignant text, that r eaders really begin to understand the tumultuous time that was the 1960's in America.

The novel shows us that Lewis possessed fortitude, strength of character, and an innate ability to lead others. He was also unassuming and assiduous in his work. He suffered from brutal beatings and over forty imprisonments during his activism to end racial segregation. In fact, this book reads like the classic superhero graphic novel, and it's apropos: John Lewis was a modern-day real life superhero. His activism and tireless dedication to the Civil Rights Movement to end racial discrimination was his mission. His voice, leadership, and commitment to non-violence were his powers.

One of the larger features of this novel is the emotional March 7, 1965 march on Selma, Alabama. The book's title itself is a play on words: March is the action they took and the month in which it occurred. When Lewis was asked why he was marching, he replied: "We are marching today to dramatize to the nation, and to the world, that hundreds and thousands of negro citizens of Alabama, but particularly here in the Black Belt area, are denied the right to vote. We intend to march to Montgomery to present certain grievances to Governor George C. Wallace." (p.194) At the end of the bridge, marchers were forcibly stopped by Alabama State Troopers who ordered them to disperse. When marchers stopped to pray, the police discharged tear gas and mounted troopers charged the demonstrators, beating them with nightsticks. Lewis's skull was fractured in this horrific, violent skirmish. This day in Selma, Alabama became famously known in history as "Bloody Sunday".

I learned a tremendous amount about the Civil Rights Movement from this graphic novel. Although I was aware of the significance of the Civil Rights Act (1964)--mainly because of the banning of racial discrimination in public places--I learned that this Act neglected the rights of African Americans to vote. Bogus "literacy tests" and other voting restrictions were still in place until the 1965 Voting Rights Act was signed into law---a law which was propelled into action by persistent non-violent demonstration.

Conclusion: March: Book Three is text-heavy and laden with historical information. When studying the Civil Rights Movement in school, students would be well-served if teachers offered them an educational graphic novel of this ilk. March: Book Three is a great example of using trade paperbacks in the classroom to supplement textbooks, which can be dry and uninspiring. We see John Lewis interacting with seminal figures like President Lyndon Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcom X. It's hard not to be inspired by Lewis's memoir. This graphic memoir could be required reading for students learning about the Civil Rights Movement in America. I would recommend the book for grades 8 and up.

APA Reference: Lewis, J., Aydin A. (2016). March: Book Three. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf Productions.

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Printz Winner 2017 Image: "If there's one thing I've believed my entire life, it's taking a stand when it's time to take a stand." -John Lewis Justification: I was excited to see a graphic novel on the list of Printz award winners.

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A student-friendly video suitable for in-class viewing.

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3) How do I incorporate belonging through the books that I use in the classroom?

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3) How do I incorporate belonging through the books that I use in the classroom?

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Storytime Programs as Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors? Addressing Children's Needs through Diverse Book Selection

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Storytime Programs as Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors? Addressing Children's Needs through Diverse Book Selection

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The Library quarterly (Chicago), 07/2021, Volume 91, Issue 3

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Children's Fiction / Newbery Award Winner
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Newbery Award Winner, 2016 Image: Justification: I chose this book for its appealing message of service, silver linings and the diversity of life. It's deserving of the Newbery Award and this book is rich in color and in substance.

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YA Fiction; Novels in Free Verse / Newbery Award Winner
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Poetry Image: "I know you're young, gotta get it out, but just remember, when you're walking in the nighttime, make sure the nighttime ain't walking into you." (p.40) Justification: I primarily selected this book for its numerous accolades. Long Way Down won both the Newbery medal and the Coretta Scott King awards in 2018 as well as a Printz Honor award.

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Graphic Novel / Newbery Award Winner

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A graphic novel and Newbery Medal award-winner, New Kid explores themes of friendship, race, class and bullying. New Kid is an honest, oftentimes humorous depiction of what it is like for seventh-grader Jordan Banks as a person of color attending school in a predominately white private school. Jerry…

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Children's Picture book
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A young African American girl starts school and feels unlike the other children. The theme of this book is about fitting in, even when you feel different. There are other children who feel different, too, a young boy from Venezuela, a boy not picked on to play at recess, and a young girl teased about her lunch.

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Children's Storybook (Spanish) / Caldecott Honor
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Tejas Star Award Winner; Caldecott Honor 2019 Image: Justification: I selected Alma y cómo obtuvo su nombre by Juana Martinez-Neal as my Tejas Star award winner for it’s beautiful message about the importance of family, familial history, and what goes into a name. I appreciate that Juana Martinez-Ne…

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Children's Historical Fiction / Coretta Scott King Honor Book / Scott O'Dell Award Winner
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Historical Fiction Image: Justification: A Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book and Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, Finding Langston is a highly acclaimed elementary aged book. This novel has easily become one of my favorite books in children's literature and I'm so glad I selected it for the Historical Fiction genre choice.

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Children's Easy Reader Chapter Book

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A touching story about a young Japanese-American girl who wants to participate in an age old New year’s family tradition of mochi-making. Mochi is a traditional Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice and sweetened. However, Jasmine is only eight and she’s too young to make mochi with the women of…

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Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things

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Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things

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Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things

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A hilarious story of a Chinese-American boy, Alvin, and his adventures in anxiety. A normally talkative kid outside of school, Alvin clams up in the classroom (he's headed into second grade) and struggles to participate. This book deals with themes of self-esteem, fitting-in, and social anxiety in a humorous way that fosters connection with the reader.

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Children's Fiction - Easy Reader Chapter Book
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This book was selected for elementary early readers featuring a creative young second grader named Yasmin. Yasmin is spunky and very imaginative and she gets in lots of adventures and even gets lost in a market. This book deals with themes of self-esteem, confidence and diversity as our Pakistani-American protagonist navigates the life of second grade and bonds with her family.

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Children's Fiction - Chapter Book
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Stella Diaz Has Something to Say is about a young Mexican-American girl who loves spending time with her older brother and mother and her betta fish. However, Stella is a shy kid outside of her home (much like Alvin Ho) and is having trouble making friends.