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Storybooks Canada is a free open educational resource that promotes literacy and language learning in homes, schools, and communities. It makes 40 stories from the African Storybook available with text and audio in English, French, and the most widely spoken immigrant and refugee languages of Canada.

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"To be literally cultured means you actively seek to cultivate your understanding and knowledge of diverse perspectives and people through the vessel of written words."

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Featured

The following titles offer a glimpse of the perspectives of the people that are often overlooked in the historical narrative of American History, especially those of the indigenous peoples affected by the advent of colonization in the "New World." Thanksgiving offers an opportunity to clear up some historical misconceptions surrounding the Thanksgiving story, and is also a chance to link the topic of colonial expansion to other historical events, changes, conflicts, and migration patterns. These texts can be used to explore your current knowledge and understanding, as well as provide context for the modern-day issues that indigenous people face, and a window into their experiences.

Elementary

from Amazon.com

Told in the rhythms of traditional oral narrative, this powerful telling of the history of the Native/Indigenous peoples of North America recounts their story from Creation to the invasion and usurpation of Native lands. As more and more people arrived, The People saw that the new men did not respect the land. The People witnessed the destruction of their Nations and the enslavement of their people. The People fought hard, but eventually agreed to stop fighting and signed treaties.

Many things changed and became more difficult, but The People continued to farm and create crafts. They remembered and told their children, "You are Shawnee. You are Lakota. You are Pima. You Acoma. . . . You are all these Nations of the People." The People held onto their beliefs and customs and found solidarity with other oppressed people. And despite struggles against greed, destruction of their lands, and oppression, The People persisted.
Click here for an educator's guide!

from Amazon.com

The word otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. Beginning in the fall with the new year and ending in summer, follow a full Cherokee year of celebrations and experiences. Written by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, this look at one group of Native Americans is appended with a glossary and the complete Cherokee syllabary, originally created by Sequoyah

from Goodreads.com

Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner Juana Martinez-Neal.

Fry bread is food.
It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate.
Fry bread is time.
It brings families together for meals and new memories.
Fry bread is nation.
It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond.
Fry bread is us.
It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference.

from Amazon.com

When a young girl helps tend to her grandmother's garden, she begins to notice things that make her curious. Why does her grandmother have long, braided hair and beautifully coloured clothing? Why does she speak another language and spend so much time with her family? As she asks her grandmother about these things, she is told about life in a residential school a long time ago, where all of these things were taken away. When We Were Alone is a story about a difficult time in history, and, ultimately, one of empowerment and strength.
Click here for an educator's guide!

from Amazon.com

In his own words and paintings, acclaimed Native American artist George Littlechild takes young readers back in time to the first meeting between his Plains Cree ancestors and the first European settlers in North America. Through inspiring autobiographical stories accompanied by vivid, dramatic paintings, he recounts the history of his people and their relationship to the land, relating their struggles and triumphs with sensitivity, irony, and humor. Littlechild expresses his wish to use his art to portray the wonders of his heritage and to heal the pain of his people's history and offers hope and guidance from the Native American perspective.
Click here for an educator's guide!

Middle Grades

from Goodreads.com

Regina Petit's family has always been Umpqua, and living on the Grand Ronde reservation is all ten-year-old Regina has ever known. Her biggest worry is that Sasquatch may actually exist out in the forest. But when the federal government signs a bill into law that says Regina's tribe no longer exists, Regina becomes "Indian no more" overnight-even though she was given a number by the Bureau of Indian Affairs that counted her as Indian, even though she lives with her tribe and practices tribal customs, and even though her ancestors were Indian for countless generations.

With no good jobs available in Oregon, Regina's father signs the family up for the Indian Relocation program and moves them to Los Angeles. Regina finds a whole new world in her neighborhood on 58th Place. She's never met kids of other races, and they've never met a real Indian. For the first time in her life, Regina comes face to face with the viciousness of racism, personally and toward her new friends.

High School

from Goodreads. com

In a futuristic world ravaged by global warming, people have lost the ability to dream, and the dreamlessness has led to widespread madness. The only people still able to dream are North America's Indigenous people, and it is their marrow that holds the cure for the rest of the world. But getting the marrow, and dreams, means death for the unwilling donors. Driven to flight, a fifteen-year-old and his companions struggle for survival, attempt to reunite with loved ones and take refuge from the "recruiters" who seek them out to bring them to the marrow-stealing "factories.

from Goodreads.com

Today in the United States, there are more than five hundred federally recognized Indigenous nations comprising nearly three million people, descendants of the fifteen million Native people who once inhabited this land. The centuries-long genocidal program of the US settler-colonial regimen has largely been omitted from history. Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz offers a history of the United States told from the perspective of Indigenous peoples and reveals how Native Americans, for centuries, actively resisted expansion of the US empire.

Spanning more than four hundred years, this classic bottom-up peoples' history radically reframes US history and explodes the silences that have haunted our national narrative.

from Amazon.com

My name is not easy. My name is hard like ocean ice grinding the shore...Luke knows his Iñupiaq name is full of sounds white people can't say. So he leaves it behind when he and his brothers are sent to boarding school hundreds of miles away from their Arctic village. At Sacred Heart School, students-Eskimo, Indian, White-line up on different sides of the cafeteria like there's some kind of war going on. Here, speaking Iñupiaq-or any native language-is forbidden. And Father Mullen, whose fury is like a force of nature, is ready to slap down those who disobey. Luke struggles to survive at Sacred Heart. But he's not the only one. There's smart-aleck Amiq, a daring leader- if he doesn't self-destruct; Chickie, blond and freckled, a different kind of outsider; and small, quiet Junior, noticing everything and writing it all down. They each have their own story to tell. But once their separate stories come together, things at Sacred Heart School-and the wider world-will never be the same.
Click here for an educator's guide!

Further Reading

from Amazon.com

Atlas of Indian Nations is a comprehensive resource for those interested in Native American history and culture. Told through maps, photos, art, and archival cartography, this is the story of American Indians that only National Geographic can tell.

from Goodreads.com

Why rethink Christopher Columbus? Because the Columbus myth is a foundation of children's beliefs about society. Columbus is often a child's first lesson about encounters between different cultures and races. The murky legend of a brave adventurer tells children whose version of history to accept, and whose to ignore. It says nothing about the brutality of the European invasion of North America.

We need to listen to a wider range of voices. We need to hear from those whose lands and rights were taken away by those who "discovered" them. Their stories, too often suppressed, tell of 500 years of courageous struggle, and the lasting wisdom of native peoples. Understanding what really happened to them in 1492 is key to understanding why people suffer the same injustices today.

More than 80 essays, poems, interviews, historical vignettes, and lesson plans reevaluate the myth of Columbus and issues of indigenous rights. Rethinking Columbus is packed with useful teaching ideas for kindergarten through college.

from Amazon.com

What started out as a survey of the twelve leading American history textbooks has ended up being what the San Francisco Chronicle calls "an extremely convincing plea for truth in education." In Lies My Teacher Told Me, James W. Loewen brings history alive in all its complexity and ambiguity. Beginning with pre-Columbian history and ranging over characters and events as diverse as Reconstruction, Helen Keller, the first Thanksgiving, the My Lai massacre, 9/11, and the Iraq War, Loewen offers an eye-opening critique of existing textbooks, and a wonderful retelling of American history as it should-and could-be taught to American students.

Literally Cultured is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Out of all the experience and knowledge gained this last weekend at #ncte19, this might be the takeaway that is closest to my heart. First of all, I love Zetta Elliott (that's a given)...but this book, and these words, are everything. As some of you already know, I have been writing poems for about a year now, trying to find a way to not put the weight and responsibility of my worries and anxiety on my husband-but to put my inner struggle, my mental burden...my fear...into verse on paper. With every single headline, or story of injustice, blatant ignorance, and gross incompetence...the pain grows, almost unbearable. So in an attempt to quell the fear I carry with me for my husband, our three sons, my family members, my countless friends...I too, turned to poetry.

Thank you Zetta for these words, your protest on a page.

Check out these must-haves from this month's newly released children's titles!

Many teachers, including myself, have a go-to list of books we like to use at the beginning of a new school year. The only problem with this- most likely they have already had a teacher (or two) read it to them in previous years. This summer I made it my personal mission to discover new and exciting books that give a peek into the diverse perspectives and experiences of students from all over the world, showing us that no "first day" is exactly alike. Let me know what you think in the comments!
Elementary

I'm New Here and Someone New by Anne Sibley O'Brien

Are you new here? Do you know someone new? In I'm New Here and Someone New, young readers explore the immigrant experience through both "windows" and "mirrors." In I'm New Here, readers meet three recent immigrants trying to adjust to a new country and school. In Someone New, the same story is told from the perspective of the students who welcome the newcomers. An honest and heartwarming look at diversity, inclusion, and friendship.

Purchase Someone New, Purchase I'm New Here

A Letter to my Teacher by Deborah Hopkinson

Dear Teacher, Whenever I had something to tell you, I tugged on your shirt and whispered in your ear. This time I'm writing a letter. So begins this heartfelt picture book about a girl who prefers running and jumping to listening and learning-and the teacher who gently inspires her. From stomping through creeks on a field trip to pretending to choke when called upon to read aloud, this book's young heroine would be a challenge to any teacher. But this teacher isn't just any teacher. By listening carefully and knowing just the right thing to say, she quickly learns that the girl's unruly behavior is due to her struggles with reading. And at the very end, we learn what this former student is now: a teacher herself.
Purchase Here

I Walk with Vanessa: A Story about a Simple Act of Kindness by Kerascoët

This simple yet powerful picture book-from a New York Times bestselling husband-and-wife team-tells the story of one girl who inspires a community to stand up to bullying. Inspired by real events, I Walk with Vanessa explores the feelings of helplessness and anger that arise in the wake of seeing a classmate treated badly, and shows how a single act of kindness can lead to an entire community joining in to help. By choosing only pictures to tell their story, the creators underscore the idea that someone can be an ally without having to say a word.
Purchase Here

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
There will be times when you walk into a room
Purchase Here and no one there is quite like you.
There are many reasons to feel different. Maybe it's how you look or talk, or where you're from; maybe it's what you eat, or something just as random. It's not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet, but somehow you do it. Jacqueline Woodson's lyrical text and Rafael López's dazzling art reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes-and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. And that sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway.

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

Follow a group of children through a day in their school, where everyone is welcomed with open arms. A school where kids in patkas, hijabs, and yarmulkes play side-by-side with friends in baseball caps. A school where students grow and learn from each other's traditions and the whole community gathers to celebrate the Lunar New Year. All Are Welcome lets young children know that no matter what, they have a place, they have a space, they are welcome in their school.
Purchase Here

Rain School by James Rumford

It is the first day of school in Chad, Africa. Children are filling the road. "Will they give us a notebook?" Thomas asks. "Will they give us a pencil?" "Will I learn to read?" But when he and the other children arrive at the schoolyard, they find no classroom, no desks. Just a teacher. "We will build our school," she says. "This is our first lesson."

James Rumford, who lived in Chad as a Peace Corps volunteer, fills these pages with vibrant ink-and-pastel colors of Africa and the spare words of a poet to show how important learning is in a country where only a few children are able to go to school.
Purchase Here

Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller

When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate wants to make her feel better, wondering: What does it mean to be kind? From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving story explores what kindness is, and how any act, big or small, can make a difference―or at least help a friend.
Purchase Here

Rulers of the Playground by Joseph Kuefler

One morning, Jonah decided to become ruler of the playground. Everyone agreed to obey his rules to play in King Jonah's kingdom . . . Everyone except for Lennox . . . because she wanted to rule the playground, too.

A gloriously rendered, hilariously deadpan tale of playground politics.
Purchase Here

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Featured The following titles offer a glimpse of the perspectives of the people that are often overlooked in the historical narrative of American History, especially those of the indigenous peoples affected by the advent of colonization in the "New World."

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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. I...

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More than 100 carefully selected lists of multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators. When you find a book at this site, please purchase it here. Our titles are linked to Bookshop. A portion of your book purchase helps sustain our work. New Releases Activism and Organizing Africa Afro-Latinx American Indians Arabs […]

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19 Inspiring Books About Immigration for Kids | Brightly

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19 Inspiring Books About Immigration for Kids | Brightly

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"This was the secret of America: a nation of people with the fresh memory of old traditions who dared to explore new frontiers, people eager to build lives for themselves in a spacious society that did not restrict their freedom of choice and action."

-John F. Kennedy, A Nation of Immigrants

Just as true when JFK wrote it as it is today: We live in a nation of immigrants. But what does that mean to a 3-, 6-, or 12-year-old? Maybe they've heard about the wall that the president wants to build between the U.S. and Mexico. Or the proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States. Maybe they know someone who recently immigrated to the U.S. - and who is struggling to fit in. Maybe immigration is part of their family's story - or their own.

In my family, almost every single person on my mother's side is a U.S. immigrant. They came in waves from Seoul, South Korea, the first one in 1951 and the rest following in the '70s, '80s, and '90s. More recently, my older great aunts, distant uncles, and second cousins are moving back to Korea - a boomerang-like twist on the age-old immigrant tale.

I asked my 9-year-old daughter what she knew about immigration. To her, it's about different-sounding names, different-tasting food, different-looking clothes - and her life is the richer for it. Here are some books to inspire us all to think deeper about our fellow Americans, their stories, and experiences.

Picture Books

Editor's Note: This article was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2020.

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15 Books for Kids About the Immigrant Experience in America

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"This was the secret of America: a nation of people with the fresh memory of old traditions who dared to explore new frontiers, people eager to build lives for themselves in a spacious society that did not restrict their freedom of choice and action." -John F.

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National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and two-time Pura Belpre Illustrator Award winner Rafael Lopez have teamed up to create a poignant, yet heartening book about finding courage to connect, even when you feel scared and alone

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Read 1,711 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and two-time Pura Belpre Illustrator Award...

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Spectacularly Beautiful: A Refugee's Story by Lisa Lucas

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Spectacularly Beautiful: A Refugee's Story by Lisa Lucas

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"A young refugee living in America learns to see herself as beautiful, in spite of physical and emotional scars from her troubled homeland, thanks to a gifted teacher."

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Spectacularly Beautiful has 0 ratings and 0 reviews. A young refugee living in America learns to see herself as beautiful, in spite of physical and emoti...

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La Frontera: El Viaje Con Papa / My Journey with Papa by Deborah Mills

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La Frontera: El Viaje Con Papa / My Journey with Papa by Deborah Mills

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"Join a young boy and his father on a daring journey from Mexico to Texas to find a new life."

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Join a young boy and his father on a daring journey from Mexico to Texas to find a new life. They'll need all the resilience and courage ...

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The Dress and the Girl by Camille Andros

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The Dress and the Girl by Camille Andros

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"An item of clothing becomes a connection between old and new. Lovingly made by a Greek mother, the dress is worn by her daughter on a voluntary migration...Welcomed by the Statue of Liberty, the family disembarks in early-20th-century New York, and the dress is misplaced. After years traveling the world, the garment reunites with its original owner, now perfect for her daughter. "

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The Dress and the Girl has 68 ratings and 22 reviews. Sarah said: Although immigration is part of the story in this fabulously illustrated picture book, ...

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"This beautiful, heartfelt story gives a human face to the plight of refugees all over the world. Marwan’s journey is everyone’s journey."

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Marwan's Journey has 105 ratings and 22 reviews. Keeley said: This book was absolutely stunning! I love the artistic style and warm colors of this book. ...

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"A moving, poetic narrative and child-friendly illustrations follow the heartbreaking, ultimately hopeful journey of a little girl who is forced to become a refugee."

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The Day War Came has 75 ratings and 28 reviews. Whispering said: Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.comAfter finishing this book I sat an...

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"A heartwarming tale of perseverance ...that offers a view of life in the southeast African nation of Malawi, one of the world's least-developed nations."

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Galimoto has 230 ratings and 29 reviews. Kathryn said: A young boy in an East African village opens his treasure box and takes out some wire, deciding to...

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Through the Lens | Great Books About Photography | School Library Journal

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Through the Lens | Great Books About Photography | School Library Journal

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Whether documenting historical events and their human impact, showcasing the wonders of the natural world, or pushing their art form in new and thought-provoking directions, photographers use their cameras to tell stories and elicit a response in viewers. The books included here introduce a variety of visual artists and their work, highlight myriad photographic styles and genres, and encourage kids to think about the many different ways that we see our world.

Antsy Ansel: Ansel Adams, A Life in Nature. by Cindy Jenson-Elliott. illus. by Christy Hale. Holt. 2016. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781627790826.

Gr 1-4- Action-packed language and lovely collage artwork draw readers into the story of young Ansel, a boy whose restless nature drove him to explore the outdoors near his San Francisco home, from the "gusting gales" and cheek-stinging "salt spray" of Golden Gate beach to the shimmering serenity of Lobos Creek. Given a camera at age 14 by his parents during a trip to Yosemite Valley, Adams would go on to make images that revealed the breathtaking beauty found in the nation's "parks,/crystal caverns,/craggy peaks/canyons carved by time,/silver rivers swirling/through wide-open land...." An author's note and photo reproductions conclude this engaging look at a trailblazing visual artist, dedicated environmentalist, and American icon (1902-1984).

Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression. by Carole Boston Weatherford. iIlus. by Sarah Green. Albert Whitman. 2017. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780807516997.

K-Gr 2-Eloquent text and descriptive illustrations offer a streamlined introduction to the renowned 20th-century documentary photographer (1895-1965). After touching upon the development of Lange's deep-seated empathy, creative drive, and keen eye, the book focuses on her determination to document the "untold despair" caused by the Great Depression. Traveling the country, she turned her lens on "hunger and poverty" to preserve what "others neglected or ignored." The account culminates with the story behind Lange's iconic Migrant Mother photo ("And the nation could not look the other way"). Additional info and photo reproductions are appended.

Dorothea's Eyes. by Barb Rosenstock. illus. by Gérard DuBois. Calkins Creek. 2016. $16.95. ISBN 9781629792088.
Gr 2-5-Pairing lyrical text with atmospheric illustrations, this picture book biography zooms in on Dorothea Lange's (1895-1965) ability to use both her eyes and her heart to "see what others miss." Childhood experiences that shaped the artist's point of view are effectively outlined, as is her desire, later on, to leave behind her successful portrait studio and photograph individuals impacted by the Great Depression, treating her subjects with compassion and empathy. Her pictures, published in newspapers and magazines, captivated the nation and helped bring relief. A spread displaying six of Lange's photos, including Migrant Mother, proves to readers that even today, "Dorothea's eyes help us see with our hearts."

Dream Big Dreams: Photographs from Barack Obama's Inspiring and Historic Presidency. by Pete Souza. photos by author. Little, Brown, 2017. $21.99. ISBN 9780316514118.
Gr 3-6- Depicting moments both big and small, historic events and intimate family interludes, instances of both heartfelt compassion and playful humor, this elegant volume presents more than 75 striking images taken during President Barack Obama's two terms in office. Former chief White House photographer Souza includes brief personal anecdotes and descriptive captions to offer readers a behind-the-scenes look at a man who led by example, treated every individual with kindness and respect, and always made time to interact with kids, emboldening them to "dream big dreams, and work hard to achieve them."

Eyes of the World: Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, and the Invention of Modern Photojournalism. by Marc Aronson & Marina Budhos. Holt. 2017. Tr $22.99. ISBN 9780805098358.
Gr 7 Up- Multifaceted and methodically researched, this well-written volume introduces Robert Capa (1913-1954) and Gerda Taro (1910-1937), two pioneering photojournalists who defined themselves and their fledgling profession against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War and other cataclysmic global events. Packed with contemporary black-and-white photos, this insightful book digs deep into its subjects' personal stories and complex relationship (both collaborative and romantic), clearly explains historical happenings and period politics, explores fascinating themes (including the juncture between reporting and propaganda), and shows readers how this cutting-edge generation of war photojournalists changed the way we view the world.

Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America. by Carole Boston Weatherford. illus. by Jamey Christoph. Albert Whitman. 2015. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780807530177.
Gr 1-3-This reader-grabbing picture book biography provides a poignant and powerful introduction to a world-renowned artist, photojournalist, and social documentarian (1912-2006). Staccato, present-tense text and gorgeously composed paintings offer glimpses at formative moments in Gordon's childhood; how he purchases and teaches himself to use a second-hand camera at age 25; the instances of segregation, economic disparity, and inequality that inspire him to "lay bare racism with his lens;" and the story behind his most famous photograph, American Gothic. Readers will be inspired to learn more about this groundbreaking photographer and "Renaissance man," also well-known for his work as a writer, film director, and humanitarian.

Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph. by Roxane Orgill. illus. by Francis Vallejo. Candlewick. 2016. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780763669546.
Gr 4 Up-On a sizzling Tuesday in August, 1958, 57 jazz musicians (and a handful of neighborhood boys) gathered together in front of a New York City brownstone at the invitation of magazine man Art Kane, who snapped a now iconic photo-Harlem 1958. Orgill's vivacious, rhythm-filled poems and Vallejo's vibrant, stylishly detailed paintings vividly recount the event, depicting the day's exuberant hubbub and genial disorder along with the personalities of these jazz greats. The poems culminate with a "click" and a fold-out reproduction of the photo (back matter includes a who's-who chart and brief biographies of the musicians featured in the verses). This unique book provides a dynamic snapshot of a moment in time-and music, made alluringly relatable through the intersection of imagination and carefully researched history.

Meet Cindy Sherman: Artist, Photographer, Chameleon. by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan. Roaring Brook. 2017. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781626725201.
Gr 4-8- Greenberg and Jordan provide an absorbing and thought-provoking look at a contemporary American artist (1954- ) who has turned the lens of her camera on herself and her society. Filled with primary quotes and full-color photos, the text begins with Sherman's childhood in Long Island, NY, where she "loved playing dress-up and pretending to be someone else," and then traces the evolution of an artist who designs and develops characters, puts on makeup and costumes, and stars in her own photos, creating unique images that challenge ideas about society's view of women, beauty and ugliness, identity and self-image, and much more. The engaging text informs readers about Sherman's methods and impact while also encouraging them to look closely at the artworks reproduced here and formulate their own opinions.

The Photo Ark: Ones Man's Quest to Document the World's Animals. by Joel Sartore. photos by author. National Geographic. 2017. Tr $35. ISBN 9781426217777.

All ages- From an array of colorful katydids to a closeup of a gracefully horned African buffalo, this handsome volume showcases more than 400 elegant animal portraits. Set studio-style against a black or white background, the handsomely composed images rivet attention on each creature, allowing viewers to discover the majesty and vitality of diverse animals. Selected from the archives of Sartore's ongoing National Geographic Photo Ark project, which seeks to document the world's 12,000 species held in captivity (particularly those that are endangered), these spectacular images will dazzle the eye, while also informing readers about the importance of conservation.

Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide. by Isabel Quintero. Illus. by Zeke Peña. Getty Publications. 2018. Tr $19.95. ISBN 9781947440005.

Gr 7 Up- A work of art in its own right, this mesmerizing graphic novel biography deftly blends lyrical first-person text, evocative fine-lined illustrations, and reproductions of Iturbide's stunning images to introduce the life and work of this critically acclaimed Mexican photographer (1942- ). Time is fluid and nonlinear, as life events, critical influences, and personal discoveries are insightfully maneuvered to underscore Graciela's artistic journey, whether photographing indigenous communities in Mexico, Mexican Americans in East Los Angeles, the wide expanses of "El Norte," or an ethnobotanical garden in Oaxaca. "What the eye sees is the synthesis of what you are or what you've learned to do. This is the language of photography. This is the language Graciela has become fluent in."

Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee! by Andrea J. Loney. Illus. by Keith Mallett. Lee & Low. 2017. Tr $18.95. ISBN 9781620142608.

Gr 1-3- James VanDerZee (1886-1983) was a portrait photographer who "saw what was special in everyone and captured each person's story on film." Accessible text and glowing acrylic-on-canvas paintings take readers from VanDerZee's boyhood in Lenox, MA, where he was the second person to own a camera, to his successful portrait studio opened on Lenox Avenue during the Harlem Renaissance, where the images he shot of celebrities and ordinary citizens alike delighted his subjects and were later used to chronicle 40 years of Harlem history. An informative afterword with black-and-white reproductions completes this compelling look at the struggles and triumphs of a talented visual artist and the man who "captured the pride, beauty, and joy of Harlem."

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Through the Lens | Great Books About Photography

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Whether documenting historical events and their human impact, showcasing the wonders of the natural world, or pushing their art form in new and thought-provoking directions, photographers use their cameras to tell stories and elicit a response in viewers.

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Lovely illustrations accompany this tale of travel; few words, big ideas

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A boy must leave his home and find another. He brings with him a teacup full of earth from the place where he grew up, and sets off to se...

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Beautiful book about a journey of escape

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The Journey has 1,467 ratings and 387 reviews. Amy | shoutame said: An extremely beautiful tale told through the eyes of a family who need to uproot from...

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Stormy Seas: Stories of Young Boat Refugees by Mary Beth Leatherdale

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Stormy Seas: Stories of Young Boat Refugees by Mary Beth Leatherdale

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Powerful 2-3 page true stories of those who risked their lives to reach the USA. For older readers.

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Stormy Seas has 153 ratings and 54 reviews. Mischenko said: Stormy Seas is a book about immigration. It tells multiple individual stories about children ...

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A true story of a determined woman. On the morning of August 6, 1926, Gertrude Ederle stood in her bathing suit on the beach at Cape Gris-Nez, France, and faced the churning waves of the English Channel...

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On the morning of August 6, 1926, Gertrude Ederle stood in her bathing suit on the beach at Cape Gris-Nez, France, and faced the churning...

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Who is playing that beautiful music in the subway? And why is nobody listening? This gorgeous picture book is based on the true story of Joshua Bell, the renowned American violinist who famously took his instrument down into the Washington D.C. subway for a free concert.

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The Man with the Violin has 561 ratings and 176 reviews. Cheryl said: Both important and engaging. The art isn't 'pretty' but it's a wonderful fit for th...

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Not for younger readers. An unforgettable look into the story of millions of refugees.

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Where Will I Live? has 99 ratings and 54 reviews. Montzalee said: Where Will I Live? by Rosemary McCarney is a heart wrenching book that had me choking s...

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Nubs: Th True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle

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Nubs: Th True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle

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Nubs, an Iraqi dog of war, never had a home or a person of his own. He was the leader of a pack of wild dogs living off the land and barely surviving. But Nubs's life changed when he met Marine Major Brian Dennis.

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Nubs, an Iraqi dog of war, never had a home or a person of his own. He was the leader of a pack of wild dogs living off the land and bare...

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An incredible story of the power of kindness that will break your heart

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Each Kindness has 4,172 ratings and 966 reviews. Susan said: My husband read this to my daughter's fourth grade class recently, and they were disappointe...

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Based on his own childhood, beloved and award-winning artist Raúl Colón's wordless book is about the limitless nature of creativity and imagination.

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Draw! has 1,204 ratings and 265 reviews. Jill said: The prize-winning author and illustrator recalls his childhood in this wordless tour of his early ima...

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One day that changed everything. Through the eyes of one little girl, All Different Now tells the story of the first Juneteenth, the day freedom finally came to the last of the slaves in the South.

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All Different Now has 468 ratings and 116 reviews. Jill said: If you don't already know the story of Juneteenth Day, this book won't enlighten you until ...

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A story of music and color and Latino influence from Matt dela Pena, inspired by the film Coco.

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Miguel and the Grand Harmony has 49 ratings and 9 reviews. Riana said: Miguel and the Grand Harmony is such a vibrant story! Not only is it the bright co...

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Powerful wordless book about the Underground Railroad

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A young girl's courage is tested in this haunting, wordless story. When a farm girl discovers a runaway slave hiding in the barn, she is ...

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Marian Anderson is best known for her historic concert at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939, which drew an integrated crowd of 75,000 people in pre-Civil Rights America.

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When Marian Sang has 3,403 ratings and 334 reviews. Kathryn said: I was so excited to find this book after falling in love with Ryan and Selznick's other...

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When fourteen-year-old William Kamkwamba's Malawi village was hit by a drought, everyone's crops began to fail. Without enough money for food, let alone school, William spent his days in the library . . . and figured out how to bring electricity to his village.

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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind has 1,336 ratings and 336 reviews. Richard said: This review has been revised and can now be found at Expendable Mudge Mus...

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A different perspective of Rosa Parks, beautftold from the view of a young boy

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Back of the Bus has 778 ratings and 504 reviews. Elizabeth said: Has anyone noticed the major historical inaccuracy in this book? Rosa Parks did not sit ...

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A wordless, epic sea adventure

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The Whale has 200 ratings and 58 reviews. David said: I like this wordless or silent picturebook a lot, for the art, for the fact that it is wordless, an...

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"Momma, where are you from?" a little girl asks. Her mother's reply is filled with rich details as she recounts memories from her childhood.

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Momma, Where Are You From? has 129 ratings and 62 reviews. Delicia said: Genre: fiction, picture bookTopic: life as a young, African-American girl in ru...

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Fun rhyming book with jazzy artwork

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Bring on that Beat has 39 ratings and 17 reviews. Michael said: This one gave a nice flavor of jazz in 1930's Harlem, but it lacked the musical oomph tha...

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Gorgeous wordless book retelling fable of the Mouse who saved a Lion

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In award-winning artist Jerry Pinkney's wordless adaptation of one of Aesop's most beloved fables, an unlikely pair learn that no act of ...

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In a small weaving town in France, a young boy named Henri-Emile Matisse drew pictures everywhere, and when he grew up, he moved to Paris and became a famous artist who created paintings that were adored around the world. But late in life a serious illness confined him to a wheelchair...

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Henri's Scissors has 522 ratings and 100 reviews. Barbara said: Some young readers will be familiar with the paintings of Henri Matisse who was born in F...

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In this beautiful story, poignant prose and lush paintings tell the story of a girl's bond with her grandfather through their shared love of music.

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The Piano Man has 23 ratings and 7 reviews. Dione said: It's quite surprising that this is the first picture book art release for Eric Velasquez. The art...

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Jane Goodall's Life with the Chimps

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The Watcher has 1,752 ratings and 261 reviews. Mischenko said: I love Jane Goodall and her entire story and it's one that needs to be heard. This book st...

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Like a tiny bird in a big city, Frida Kahlo feels lost and lonely when she arrives in San Francisco with her husband, the famous artist Diego Rivera. It is the first time she has left her home in Mexico. And Frida wants to be a painter too.

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Lisa (not getting friends updates) Vegan

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Me, Frida book. Read 125 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Like a tiny bird in a big city, Frida Kahlo feels lost and lonely when s...

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The Printer has 58 ratings and 24 reviews. - Author's Note provides historical context for newspapers, deaf workers in the early 1900s, and communicating...

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by Margarita Engle
A colorful book of poetry, celebrating Latinos from many different countries and backgrounds.

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Bravo! has 153 ratings and 53 reviews. Musician, botanist, baseball player, pilot-the Latinos featured in this collection come from many different countr...

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The niece of Martin Luther King, Jr. reveals six timeless and universal principles that encompass the civil rights leader's greatest legacy: Love will see you through.

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Love Will See You Through has 64 ratings and 22 reviews. Courtney said: This could work as a school age read aloud, but is a little long. The Six Guiding...

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Gorgeous artwork, and even more beautiful true story. In 2002, a tribe of Maasai peoples give an American diplomat a gift to comfort the grief of the 9/11 attacks.

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14 Cows for America has 2,739 ratings and 536 reviews. Kayla said: This a beautiful story about the incredible generosity of a village towards a country ...

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First grader Hassan has only recently arrived in the United States after he and his family were forced to flee Somalia, and he deeply misses the colorful landscape of his former home in Africa.

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The Color of Home has 277 ratings and 97 reviews. Jean said: What a great inspiring story!The Colour of Home is a picture book which is not funny, not ...

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Wishing a better life for her family, Ary, a poor Cambodian girl, longs to buy a bird from the bird lady and set it free.

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The Caged Birds of Phnom Penh has 38 ratings and 13 reviews. Wishing a better life for her family, Ary, a poor Cambodian girl, longs to buy a bird from t...

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This picture book biography tells the true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, who bicycled across Ghana--nearly 400 miles--with only one leg.

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Emmanuel's Dream has 1,350 ratings and 324 reviews. Edward said: Inspiring story about a boy in Ghana considered cursed for being born with a deformed le...

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by Sherman Alexie
Thunder Boy Jr. is named after his dad, but he wants a name that's all his own.

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Thunder Boy Jr. has 2,982 ratings and 638 reviews. Elyse said: Sherman Alexie is one of the authors here at the Bay Area Book Festival.Today is second d...

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Maria is from Guatemala, Jin is from Korea, and Fatima is from Somalia. All three are new to their American elementary school, and each has trouble speaking, writing, and sharing ideas in English.

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I'm New Here has 444 ratings and 124 reviews. Rebecca said: It's hard to describe how well-done this is. In simple sentences and visuals, it depicts the ...

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by Eve Bunting
Francisco, a young Mexican-American boy, helps his grandfather find work as a gardener, even though the old man cannot speak English and knows nothing about gardening.

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A Day's Work has 477 ratings and 104 reviews. Heather said: Oh dear. So this book arrived by mistake from Amazon. I forget what I had ordered instead. De...

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by Katie Yamasaki
Beautifully illustrated book based on a true story about a boy who sneaked out of an internment camp to catch fish for his ailing brother

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Fish for Jimmy has 120 ratings and 28 reviews. Vanessa said: "Fish for Jimmy" was written by a Japanese woman whose family endured a Japanese internment ...

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by Larry Dane Brimner
“The real story of a 12 year old boy and his family who lived in the underbrush in southern CA while father worked as itinerant day laborer picking crops…”

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We all know what a supermarket is, but what is a farmer's market? It's a place where people gather together to sell products -- such as f...

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by Yoshiko Uchida
A story about Japanese Internment in USA, 1940s

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The Bracelet has 328 ratings and 73 reviews. Canadian said: Emi, a young Japanese girl in second grade, receives a gold bracelet from her friend just bef...

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Shorty and his family, along with thousands of Japanese Americans, are sent to an internment camp after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Fight...

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Deidre says: a celebration of the American flag celebrating the country and our diversity.  It is all a play on words. ie: Sew together, won nation (with a picture of the flag being sewn together)

and beside it: So together, one nation (with picture of civil rights marching). Sea waves; See waves

Pretty fun with amazing visuals.

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Blue Sky White Stars has 529 ratings and 175 reviews. Pamela said: Oh my goodness​. . . WOW!!! If you only budgeted your money for a few high-quality chi...

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Cartwheel has moved to a place that is so strange to her, she no longer feels like herself. This is a story about new ways of speaking, n...

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How you say my name, matters. Great read alongside The Name Jar or My Name is Yoon

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My Name Is Sangoel has 259 ratings and 82 reviews. Krista the Krazy Kataloguer said: This book reminds me of another one I read, My Name Is Maria Isabel ...

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Discover and share books you love on Goodreads.

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My Name Is Yoon has 2,159 ratings and 412 reviews. Kristen said: My Name is Yoon by Helen Ricorvits is a story about a little girl named Yoon who moves h...

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Wordless books will still inspire great emotion and prompt lots of talk!

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Chalk has 4,976 ratings and 781 reviews. Mischenko said: For Wednesday's Wordless Picture Books please visit www.readrantrockandroll.comChalk by Bill T...

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Beautiful story about two girls from different faiths, who share in peace.

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Yaffa and Fatima has 76 ratings and 21 reviews. Edward said: Two neighbors, one Jewish and one Muslim, are best friends and find ways to help one another...

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Jason says this Turkish tale is one of his favorite stories.
Which is more important, the coat or the man?

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Once upon a time in Turkey there lived a funny, little wise man named Nasrettin Hoca. He wore a huge, white turban and a worn-out coat ma...

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No words in this book... but the story is powerful for any age, and may leave you speechless.

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Bluebird has 2,437 ratings and 417 reviews. Carmen said: This book is depressing as hell. I am not understanding why it is so praised and lauded.The pi...

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A story doesn't have to feature international characters to be a multi-cultural experience... every culture can connect around an excellent shared story.

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When the local Pet Club won't admit a boy's tiny pet elephant, he finds a solution-one that involves all kinds of unusual animals in this...

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Incredible true story of a man who shipped himself to freedom.

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Henry's Freedom Box has 11,553 ratings and 1,260 reviews. Manybooks said: Ellen Levine's Henry's Freedom Box is a book that tugs at all of one's emotions...

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Think that numbers are simple and universal to all languages?  Experience something different in this simple, deep, clever book!

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Zero has 1,357 ratings and 225 reviews. Zero is a big round number. When she looks at herself, she just sees a hole right in her center. Every day she wa...

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by Jeff Newman
Wordless books can inspire so much language!

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The Boys has 212 ratings and 46 reviews. Betsy said: See this purple foot-shaped bruise on the back of my left leg? Wanna know how I got it? Of course yo...

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Wordlessly, a father and child walk in the woods at night, for when you go owling you don't need words. You don't need anything but hope.

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Owl Moon has 34,279 ratings and 1,767 reviews. Ronyell said: I have actually read this book when I was a child, but now I have finally got the chance t...

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A field trip to an orchard is the beginning of a new world for Farah.

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One Green Apple has 921 ratings and 266 reviews. Leslie said: One green apple is a childrens book about a young girl who ia new to a country and goes to ...

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Nancy Harrison -says: Opened amazing conversation about travel to space, old vs new, relationships, and more...

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The Moon Over Star has 453 ratings and 133 reviews. Kathryn said: Loved it!!! I've been mulling around a review for a week or so now and just don't think...

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Toni Bonnacci says: Great to connect with zones of regulation... (and funny too)

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Interrupting Chicken has 13,032 ratings and 1,132 reviews. Colby said: Loved this book. I thought it would be fun to try and do something funny (it never...

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Kerry Hurd says: My "big" kids enjoyed this and it was good for helping them understand the concept of empathy

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Those Shoes has 1,868 ratings and 558 reviews. Manybooks said: Although the concepts of needs versus wants and the importance of being a good friend are ...

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Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh 

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Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh 

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Recommended by Nancy Harrison!

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Separate Is Never Equal has 3,323 ratings and 928 reviews. Betsy said: If I blame my childhood education for anything I suppose it would be for instillin...

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20 Books About Refugee & Immigrant Experiences | All The Wonders

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20 Books About Refugee & Immigrant Experiences | All The Wonders

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This month, All the Wonders is exploring refugee and immigrant experiences as part of February's #booksforbetter initiative. We believe compassion, empathy, and social responsibility should be instilled at an early age, and there is no better way to teach these traits than with powerful stories. Stories give our children a lens through which they can begin to see and comprehend challenges facing today's global community, opening an age-appropriate dialogue between adults and children about these issues.

Below is a list of books that shine a light on refugee and immigrant experiences. We hope you use these #booksforbetter in your homes and in your schools, and we are looking forward to having you join our #booksforbetter Twitter chat on Monday, February 13th, at 8 pm EST.

A boy leaves his home to find another, bringing a teacup full of earth from the place where he grew up and setting off to sea.

Be sure to check out February's #booksforbetter post and learn how powerful stories can help even the smallest of children comprehend pressing global challenges. Click here for more.

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20 Books About Refugee & Immigrant Experiences

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This month, All the Wonders is exploring refugee and immigrant experiences as part of February's #booksforbetter initiative. We believe compassion, empathy, and social responsibility should be instilled at an early age, and there is no better way to teach these traits than with powerful stories.

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By Andrea García, Ph.D. Literacy Consultant, Pädi, Queretaro, Mexico
This week, we take a closer look at the work of Nostra Ediciones, an independent Mexican publishing company founded in 2000. Nostra identifies its mission as publishing books with an emphasis on promoting high-quality literary works with innovative visual layouts that generate "curiosity and enthusiasm in all readers, regardless of their age and whether they are novice or experienced readers." Their main line of publication is geared towards children's and young adult literature, but they also have books geared for the public in general.

Continue reading

Andrea García, Nostra Ediciones

Continuing our look at award winning-books, this week Mary Fahrenbruck and Tracy Smiles share their take on Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, awarded a John Newbery Honor, a Caldecott honor and Corretta Scott-King Honor in 2018. The story by Derrick Barnes and illustrations by Gordon C. James presents readers with, as the Huffington Post said when naming it among 2017's best picturebooks, "a celebration of self-esteem and a thoughtful nod to the importance of stepping into the world with a touch of swagger."

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Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, Derrick Barnes, Gordon C. James, Mary Fahrenbruck, Tracy Smiles

By Andrea García, Ph.D. Literacy Consultant, Pädi, Queretaro, Mexico
The second stop in our journey into the world of publishing houses in Mexico takes us to the work of Ediciones Tecolote. And this week, my writing for WOW Currents could not have arrived at a better time, as the world of children's and young adult literature in Mexico is celebrating. Ediciones Tecolote was just named the recipient of the 6th Bologna Prize for the Best Children's Publishers of the Year (BOP Prize) for Central and South America. This prestigious award is presented at the 2018 Bologna Children's Book Fair, celebrated this year from March 26 to 29, 2018 in Bologna, Italy.

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Andrea García, Ediciones Tecolote

This month's My Take/Your Take discussions focus on the 2018 American Library Association (ALA) award winners. Mary Fahrenbruck and Tracy Smiles begin with a discussion of All Around Us, winner of the 2018 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book. The story by Xelena Gonzalez and illustrations by Adriana M. Garcia pair perfectly to give readers a sensual literary experience.

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Adriana M. Garcia, All Around Us, Mary Fahrenbruck, Tracy Smiles, Xelena Gonzalez

By Andrea García, Ph.D. Literacy Consultant, Pädi, Queretaro, Mexico.

This April, WOW Currents features publishing houses in Mexico whose work is actively transforming the landscape of children's and young adult literature in Spanish. WOW Director Dr. Kathy Short, University of Arizona professor Dr. Carol Brochin, and I visited these publishing houses when we attended the 37 Feria Internacional del Libro Infantil y Juvenil (FILIJ) in Mexico City, Mexico, in November 2017. The FILIJ, the International Book Fair for Children and Young Adults, is the largest annual gathering of publishers specifically focused on children's and young adult literature in Spanish. This 10-day cultural celebration surrounding books and literature hosted more than 442,000 people.

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Andrea García, CIDCLI

Writing in free verse and illustrating in stark black-and-white watercolors for Mary's Monster, Lita Judge tells the story of Mary Shelley, the pregnant teen runaway who authored the first Gothic horror story, Frankenstein. Lord Byron's challenge to write a horror story may be the often-cited reason Shelley wrote her book, but Mary's Monster demonstrates the way the author drew on elements of her own difficult life to create the story of an experiment gone awry. Judge tells the story through Mary's voice. Her sparse verse weaves the story of Mary's own rejection with her creation of a monster rejected by society. Continue reading

Lita Judge, Mary's Monster, Susan Corapi

By Teri Davis, Jessica Baipho, Lori Deese, Kristel Gooding and Hope Robinson, Kershaw County School District, and Julia López-Robertson, University of South Carolina
A teacher must work to fill the gaps in their own knowledge in order to more effectively teach their students. These gaps extend to language similarities and differences between the student's first language and English; cultural nuances that may be missing for a lesson; and religious considerations that may come up as part of teaching the whole child. Continue reading

Hope Robinson, Jessica Baipho, Julia López-Robertson, Kristel Gooding, Lori Deese, Teri Davis, The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano

By Lauren Hunt, Lori Deese, & Lisa Stockdale, Kershaw County School District, Camden, SC, Julia López-Robertson, University of South Carolina
In The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, Manzano captures the struggles that are often part of mother-daughter relationships. Yet, in the end, the three females (Evelyn, her mother, and her grandmother), all gain better perspectives of themselves and each other. This story would most likely resonate with many teenagers because of the struggles teens face as they move from adolescence to adulthood. This book could be potentially more powerful for English Learners (ELs) who struggle not only with this rite of passage, but also having to face it in a country that is not their first home. I especially think of the Dreamers whose parents came to America searching for better lives for their families. I wonder if these students have difficulty understanding their parents desires to hold tightly to the ways of their country while they are fervently seeking to become a part of American culture. As a teacher, I wonder how I can best meet these students' unique needs. Continue reading

Julia López-Robertson, Lauren Hunt, Lisa Stockdale, Lori Deese, Sonia Manzano, The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and their variations influence K-12 curriculum, particularly in the teaching of literacy, across the U.S. and internationally. With funds from the Center for Educational Resources in Culture Language and Literacy (CERCLL), Worlds of Words (WOW) in the University of Arizona College of Education offers an alternative to the CCSS text exemplar list to assist educators searching for ways to globalize their classrooms and libraries.

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CCSS, CERCLL, Kathy Short, Rebecca Ballenger

By Teri Davis, Robin Sowell and Lisa Stockdale, Kershaw County School District, and Julia López-Robertson, University of South Carolina Girl Young Lords!! Yes, for the first time, there were girl Young Lords.
This quote is the most relative to my classroom today. In The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano by Sonia Manzano, Evelyn is almost set on fire for the revolution's cause after seeing girls like her who were Young Lords. It gives her something greater to connect to other than the needs of her people. It gives her a "hero", someone she relates to and admires. One general strategy for ELLs is to ensure our classrooms are welcoming places that represent all cultures. Having texts in my classroom to support ELLs is a positive and necessary part of my instruction. Continue reading

Julia López-Robertson, Sonia Manzano, The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano

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By Andrea García, Ph.D. Literacy Consultant, Pädi, Queretaro, Mexico This week, we take a closer look at the work of Nostra Ediciones, an independent Mexican publishing company founded in 2000. Nostra identifies its mission as publishing books with an emphasis on promoting high-quality literary works with innovative visual layouts that generate "curiosity and enthusiasm in all readers, regardless of their age and whether they are novice or experienced readers."

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We March has 674 ratings and 167 reviews. Mariah said: This was a good story with great illustrations. The only problem was the lack of language in this ...

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Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer by Carole Boston Weatherford 

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Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer by Carole Boston Weatherford 

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Voice of Freedom has 1,687 ratings and 364 reviews. Robert said: **** Caldecott Honor (2016) ****I suspect that despite all the numerous and well deser...

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Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey by Margriet Ruurs 

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Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey by Margriet Ruurs 

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Stepping Stones has 477 ratings and 150 reviews. Edward said: Stunning stone artwork of Syrian artist Nizar Ali Badr is the inspiration for this story ab...

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For higher level readers

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Anna Hibiscus lives in amazing Africa with her mother, her father, her baby twin brothers, and lots and lots of her family. Join her as s...

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One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul 

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One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul 

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One Plastic Bag has 887 ratings and 218 reviews. Laura said: I just read an advance copy (in the form of an F&G) of this book, and it is amazing. This is...

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Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw 

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Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw 

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Same, Same But Different has 974 ratings and 253 reviews. Sarah said: I justI hate books like this. So often they position western, urban cities with e...

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Nelson Mandela has 2,615 ratings and 423 reviews. Kate said: I just happened to have this out from the library on the day Nelson Mandela died. It was the...

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Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull 

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Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull 

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Harvesting Hope has 1,648 ratings and 307 reviews. Manybooks said: Truly, this is one of the most informative and moving non-fiction picture books I have...

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A Sweet Smell of Roses by Angela Johnson 

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A Sweet Smell of Roses by Angela Johnson 

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There's a sweet, sweet smell in the air as two young girls sneak out of their house, down the street, and across town to where men and wo...

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Simple text, powerful connections to children around the world

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One World, One Day has 348 ratings and 94 reviews. Manybooks said: I absolutely adore and appreciate the wonderful photographs. They are both realistic a...

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An immigrant's story...

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The Matchbox Diary has 2,115 ratings and 654 reviews. Cheryl said: Historical fiction for those youngsters who prefer picture-books. The pictures add a l...

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A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story by Linda Sue Park

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A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story by Linda Sue Park

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(for grades 5-12)

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A Long Walk to Water has 29,256 ratings and 4,804 reviews. Aj the Ravenous Reader said: "I need only to get through the rest of this day. This day and ...

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Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill

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Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill

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Dave the Potter has 4,548 ratings and 524 reviews. Melki said: Bill O'Reilly, professional blowhard and wannabe historian, tells us that the slaves who b...

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Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Doreen Rappaport 

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Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Doreen Rappaport 

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Martin's Big Words has 9,473 ratings and 1,069 reviews. David said: Sooner or later, all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live tog...

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Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena 

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Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena 

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Last Stop on Market Street has 8,267 ratings and 1,941 reviews. Annie said: So--I should be honest and say that this review isn't really about this book ...