Grade Level: K-2

Awards Received: Caldecott Medal, Coretta Scott King Award Honor Book, and National Book Award Finalist

Summary: At the beginning of the book, the young girl is told she is big in a positive way. As we see her grow up, she starts to be called big in a negative way. The girl eventually accepts and appreciates the way she is. She starts to see herself in a positive way. The illustrations in this book are very detailed and colorful. Many of the pages do not have words and require the reader to use the illustrations to understand the story.

Rationale: This book would add diversity to the classroom library.

For reviews and additional information see: https://andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780316353229 and https://www.vashtiharrison.com/about-2

Grade Level: K-3

Awards Received: NCTE Orbus Pictus Honor Book and ALA's Rise Feminine List for Early Readers

Summary: This biography tells the story of Ketanji Brown Jackson's life and career. The author describes the struggles Ketanji Brown Jackson had and how she overcame them to become the first Black female on the Supreme Court. The pictures are very realistic and help tell the story.

Rationale: Most of the nonfiction and information texts in the library were about animals. This title is a biography, so it would add more types of nonfiction to the library.

For reviews and additional information see: https://andersonsbookshop.com/book/9781665935265 and https://tamiwrites.com/books

Grade Level: 1-5

Awards Received: NCTE Notable Books in Poetry and positive reviews on Kirkus Reviews and Booklist

Summary: This book contains poems about 17 heroes in the LGBTQ+ community. Each poem explains how that person contributed to the queer community. Poems are written about many people, including, Pete Buttigieg, Marsha P. Johnson, Richard Blanco, and many more. The pictures are realistic and depict each person accurately.

Rationale: The library has no LGBTQ+ books, so this would be a great addition.

For reviews and additional information see: https://andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780593523698 and https://www.robsanderswrites.com/queer-and-fearless

Note: This book is also nonfiction.

Grade Level: K-3

Awards Received: Caldecott Honor Book and NEIBA Book Finalist

Summary: This book tells the story of the phases of the moon. Little Star and her mother bake a mooncake. Each night, Little Star sneaks a bite from the mooncake until there is nothing left. Little Star and her mom make another mooncake to replace the one she ate. The pictures are mostly black, yellow, and white to show the sky. Little Star is wearing black and yellow star pajamas throughout the story.

Rationale: The classroom library needed more sci-fi books, so this would be an excellent addition. This book also has an Asian protagonist.

For reviews and additional information see:

https://andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780316404488 and https://gracelin.com/a-big-mooncake-for-little-star/

Grade Level: 1-4

Awards Received: The Eleanor Cameron Notable Middle Grade Book List and a positive review on Kirkus Reviews

Summary: Trouble figures out that they are a shapeshifter. The Star League (the government) shows up and tries to find Trouble. Trouble hides on a ship called the Hindsight. They learn to shape shift into a human boy. Trouble goes on a journey throughout the galaxy and learns a lot about themselves along the way.

Rationale: The classroom did not have any sci-fi chapter books. This book also has a character who is gender nonconforming, which is not represented in the library.

For reviews and additional information see:

https://andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780593204313 and https://sarah-prineas.com/

Grade Level: 1-5

Awards Received: The Eleanor Cameron Notable Middle Grade Book List and Publishers Weekly starred review

Summary: This book tells the story of a mythical Ethiopian empire. Yared lives in Addis Prime. Yared's uncle always told him stories of kingdoms in the sky. Eventually, these stories start to become a reality when Yared accidentally initiates an attack on his city. During all of this, his uncle goes missing. Yared has to work with his video game rival to save their city. This is the first in a series of books.

Rationale: The library needed more sci-fi books with diversity and by diverse authors.

For reviews and additional information see: https://andersonsbookshop.com/book/9781338665901 and https://www.kwamembalia.com/last-gate-of-the-emperor/

Grade Level: K-3

Awards Received: NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books Selection, Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award Recipient, and USBBY Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities Award List Selection

Summary: Dr. Temple Grandin was diagnosed with autism as a child. She did not talk for a very long time. She was able to connect with animals in a special and unique way. This led her to inventing improvements for farms. The illustrations accurately depict what it is like to have autism.

Rationale: This book is a great addition to the library since there are not many disability books represented.

For reviews and additional information see:

https://andersonsbookshop.com/book/9781943147618 and https://www.theinnovationpress.com/thegirlwhothoughtinpictures

Grade Level: K-2

Awards Received: Pura Belpré Award Nominee and Cyblis Fiction Picture Book Finalist

Summary: Mia's abuela recently moved into her house. Mia finds out that her abuela does not know how to read in English. She helps her abuela read while her abuela teaches her Spanish. Mia finds a parrot at a pet shop and buys it. The parrot, Mango, helps them both learn a new language.

Rationale: The library needed more books with Latinx characters.

For reviews and additional information see:

https://andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780763695132 and https://megmedina.com/books/mango-abuela-and-me/

Grade Level: K-2

Awards Received: Stonewall Book Award and NCTE Charlotte Huck Honor Book

Summary: Violet is a young girl who has a crush on Mira. She is very nervous about telling Mira she likes her and she dreams of the day she'll be brave enough to say it. This book includes LGBTQ+ themes.

Rationale: The classroom library needed LGBTQ+ books, so this would be a great addition.

For reviews and additional information see:

https://andersonsbookshop.com/search?q=love%252C%2Bviolet and https://charlotteswild.com/books/love-violet/

Grade Level: K-3

Awards Received: NCTE Orbus Pictus Award Honor Book and positive Kirkus Review

Summary: This biography tells the story of Disability Rights Activist, Judith Heumann. Growing up, Judith constantly was told "No" when she wanted to do things. Judith worked hard to pass Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which led to the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. There is a reflection written by Judith Heumann at the end of the book.

Rationale: The library needed more books about people with disabilities and more biographies.

For reviews and additional information see:

https://andersonsbookshop.com/book/9781419755606 and https://www.maryanncoccaleffler.com/brine-pickles

Grade Level: K-2

Awards Received: NCTE Children’s Poetry Award Notable Book and Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award

Summary: A young girl reflects on how hair wrapping connects her to the past. The illustrations include lots of color and details. The illustrator uses different colors and patterns to show how the past and present are connected.

Rationale: This is a diverse poetry book, which was needed in the library. This book is also written by a diverse author.

For reviews and additional information see:

https://andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780063093911 and https://www.shauntaygrant.com/

Grade Level: K-3

Awards Received: Caldecott Medal and Booklist starred review

Summary: The lighthouse keeper takes care of the lighthouse. He writes about everything he experiences in a logbook. Eventually, the keepers wife comes to join him. They live at the lighthouse together and have a child. As technology progresses, the lighthouse keeper is no longer needed, so the family moves away. The illustrations are colorful and detailed. The lighthouse looks the same throughout the story, even as the keeper changes.

Rationale: The classroom library needed additional historical fiction books.

For reviews and additional information see:

https://andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780316362382 and https://www.sophieblackall.com/books/hello-lighthouse

Grade Level: K-3

Awards Received: Coretta Scott King Award and Monarch Award Nominee

Summary: This book tells the story of thousands of children who marched against segregation after hearing Martin Luther King Jr. speak. It takes place in 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. The pictures are very colorful, realistic, and show how the people are feeling about the situation.

Rationale: This is a diverse historical fiction book, which is needed in the library.

For reviews and additional information see: https://andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780544704527 and https://monicaclark-robinson.com/let-the-children-march/