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By: Duncan Tonatiuh

This text tells the story of two cousins writing letters back and forth to each other. One of the cousins, Carlitos lives in Mexico, while the other cousin Charlie lives in a city in America. In their letters we learn about the different ways that they both do the same thing. For example; Charlie takes the subway to school, while Carlitos rides his bike to school. They are both amazed to hear about how the other does each task. In the end we see a parallel where both cousins are having the same thought at the same time.

This book is transformative because it explains the topic of cultural diversity. Dear Primo lets the reader into the lives of two cousins in the same family living very different yet similar lives. This text shows the contrast between the way these two boys live in different countries. It incorporates some words in Spanish into the pages too, which I think adds an extra element that just makes the books that much better. In the end we get to see Carlitos and Charlie having the same thought at the same time of how they would like the other cousin to come and visit them. This tops off the story with the message that even though they may be very different, they are still very similar.

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By: Innosanto Nagara

This is an ABC book. It goes through the alphabet but not how typical ABC books would. It goes through the alphabet and talks about social issues such as equality for race, gender, sexuality, etc. It brings up how we need to stand together and accept one another. This books touches on many of the biggest things going on in the world right now. It is not necessarily a story, but I thought it was a book I needed to include in this text set.

This book is transformative because goes out of the comfort zones of children's books and brings up issues that many people don't want to talk about with their children or students. It is so crucial that we do bring these issues up into conversation because that is the only way that we can educate students. They may be difficult topics, but they are definitely topics that need to be brought up and discussed.

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By: Jacqueline Woodson

This is a story of a girl named Clover. There was just a fence put up in Clover's neighborhood. Her mother has told her that she is to stay on their side of the fence. Throughout the summer  Clover notices a girl about her age who has been sitting on the fence watching her and her siblings play. These two end up becoming friends after they find out that both of their mothers told them not to cross onto the other side of the fence. Neither of their mothers said that they could not sit on the fence though. These two girls spend a lot of time sitting together on the fence getting to know each other.

This text is transformative because it fights racism. It looks into the lives of two girls who live in a segregated community. Throughout this book, despite their race, these two girls end up being best friends. This is an example of how anyone and everyone can be friends.

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By: Karen Beaumont

This text is about a girl who explains in the story that she likes herself. Even when she looks a mess, there is no one else she'd rather be. She explains all of the things she likes about herself and how she would not change for anyone. She also explained how she would not care what others think, she will always be true to herself.

This is an example of a transformative text because it challenges the norm that we can't like ourselves. In society there is this pressure to be modest and insecure. If you are confident and open about liking who you are often people get offended because they think that you are being rude or that you think you are perfect. I think it is important that we teach our students to be confident and sure of themselves. It should not be seen as a bad thing to like who you are. This book explains just that.

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By: Matt de la Peña

This follows the story of a boy named CJ. CJ and his grandma are walking to the bus in the rain after they get out of church. CJ is troubled and asking his grandma many questions such as why they don't have a car and why he can't get an iPod. His grandma uses these questions and turns them around to show the strength in these things. She explains why they don't need a car since they get the opportunity to ride the bus. She also points out the nice people they have met from riding the bus. At the end of the story CJ and his Grandma arrive at the soup kitchen and CJ begins to see things from his Grandma's perspective. He begins to see the light in every situation.

This is a transformative text because it models to children how to take things in their life that they may perceive as bad and find the beauty in it. Just because a situation isn't exactly how you may want it to be it can still be a positive thing. This text is a good way to show another example of someones lifestyle. We all live differently, and no way is more correct or better than the other.

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By: Sarah S. Brannen

This is a story about a guinea pig named Chloe. Chloe loves her family very much, but she has one uncle in particular who she is very close to. That would be Uncle Bobby. Uncle Bobby and Chloe hang out all the time. One day Uncle Bobby tells Chloe that he is going to get married. This scares Chloe because she is worried that he won't have any time for her after he gets married. Chloe agrees to be the flower girl at their wedding after spending time with her uncle and his boyfriend Jamie and realizing that its even more fun to have two uncles.

I think this is a really great example of a transformative text. In this book it simply tells the story of the relationship between a little girl and her uncle while mentioning that her uncle is gay very subtly. It never explicitly talks about the uncle being homosexual, it is just a detail in the story, which I think makes this book so much better. I think this is a great way to show students that being gay does not make you different, it is just how you are. Everyone is different and we should accept everyone for who they are.

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By: Maribeth Boelts

Jeremy is a boy who lives with his grandma. Everyone at Jeremy's school has these black high top shoes with white stripes on them. Jeremy really wants these shoes to fit in, but his grandma tells him that they don't have the budget for new tennis shoes because she is already saving up for new snow boots for him.  Jeremy goes to the thrift store and finds the shoes for two dollars. Even though they aren't his size, he buys them anyway. After wearing them for a day he decides it is not worth it to squeeze his feet into these shoes. Jeremy sees one of his classmates, Antonio's shoes at recess. Antonio's shoes are taped up and falling apart. Jeremy thinks that Antonio's feet look smaller than his and that he might just fit into the shoes he got from the thrift store. In the end, Jeremy decides that it is best to give Antonio his new shoes.

This book is transformative because it talks about the different economic classes that there are in the classroom. It brings up that fact that someone may have something that is different from yours but that does not give you a reason to make fun of them. This books shows that no one person is any more important than the next. We are all equal.

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By: Lesléa Newman

This is a story about Heather. She is a normal girl who lives in a small house, has a dog and a cat, her favorite number is two, and has two mommies. Heather goes to he first day of school and while listening to a read-a-loud one of the boys in her class asks her what her dad does. Heather tells the class that she doesn't have a dad, just two moms. Her teacher, Ms. Molly comes up with the idea that all students draw a picture of their families. After this activity, the class realizes that they all have different families. Some have brothers, others have sisters. Some have two moms, others have one mom. Some have step-fathers and others have step-mothers. Ms. Molly points out that all families are special no matter who the family is made up of.

This text is transformative because it brings to attention to the subject of sexuality. Heather Has Two Mommies presents all of the possible types of families you can have. It doesn't matter if you have two moms, two dads, a mom and a dad, only a mom, a grandma, etc. Every family is unique and important. I think this would be a great way to teach students about compassion for all families.

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By: Claudia Harrington

This book is about a boy, Lenny, who is learning about the student of the week in their class at school. Skye. Lenny goes home with Skye to learn more about her. Shortly after arriving to her Dad's house, Lenny finds out that Skye has two homes and three parents. Curiously, Lenny proceeds to ask many questions about what it is like to have two homes. Lenny learns that Skye's life is not much different from his own. Skye's parents teach her how to play sports, cook her meals, and help her with her homework just like Lenny's.

I chose this book as a transformative text because it shows the normalcy of having divorced parents. I think this is an important text because so many families consist of divorced parents and it is important to show those students that they are not alone, as well as showing students who's parents are married about the lives of those who's aren't. This brings awareness to the very common topic of divorce.

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By: Perez Hilton

This book is about a boy who was born with pink hair. The boy with the pink hair loves his treehouse and cooking. In this books he starts school and his parents warn him that people may make fun of him for having pink hair. They tell him to not pay any attention to them. When he gets to school that day one boy in his class makes fun of him for having pink hair. A girl in his class stands up for him and tells him not to listen to the boy with the bad attitude. The boy with pink hair and the girl with ponytails become friends and one day at school the girl reveals the boy with pink hair's love for cooking which only makes the boy with the bad attitude make fun of the boy with pink hair more. The boy with pink hair ends up selling his food in a restaurant in town and many people become very fond of his creations. By the end of the book he realizes that his difference made a difference, but his difference was not his pink hair, it was his perseverance in following his dreams.

This is a transformative text because the boy with pink hair is deemed as different from the beginning of the text because the color pink is for girls. He ends up realizing that the truth of it all is that the color of his hair does not change his worth. He makes the world a happier place simply because of his love for cooking. This teaches children to be unapologetically themselves.