About TTA

The Tiny Activist offers tools and resources for teachers, librarians, parents and caregivers interested in discovering and implementing diverse literature and social justice ethics and approaches into classrooms, libraries, and homes.

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Educational Materials

TTA offers a range of Anti-Bias and Anti-Racist (ABAR) curriculum and teaching guides, created by Corrie Locke-Hardy, TTA’s founder and a former classroom teacher with an extensive background in ABAR pedagogy.

Educational materials

Consultations

Corrie offers a range of consultations and trainings, including gender consults, professional development for educators, ABAR trainings, and more.

consult with Corrie

Curated Book Lists

Corrie also creates curated book lists for both children and adults, and is available to audit & curate library collections.

Customize your book list

Manuscript Editing

For published and aspiring writers, Corrie offers a range of editorial packages to help your manuscript the most inclusive and accurate as possible.

Select an editing package

Resources

Corrie is thirsty for new knowledge, and loves to share her findings on TTA, so stay tuned!

Podcast

thetinyactivists

Social Justice Education Consultant
Certified LGBTBE
Redefine Your Read Alouds
#SweetsAndSocialJustice
📍Pocumtuc/Nipmuc/Wabanaki Confederacy Land

AND NOW, WE REST. After voting for the COMMUNITY

AND NOW, WE REST.

After voting for the COMMUNITY FAVORITES AWARD ✨

Check my stories for the voting link, and tell me YOUR favorites in the comments!

The Community Favorites Award will release NEXT WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 6 ❄️

#bookstagang_bestof2023 #kidlit #picturebooks #BestOf2023 #childrensbooks

TOMORROW. #kidsbookstagram #childrensbooks #book

TOMORROW.

#kidsbookstagram #childrensbooks #bookstagang_bestof2023 #picturebookswelove

This is the sweetest story about a boy named Benja

This is the sweetest story about a boy named Benjamin who loves to dance in the rain. He uses these moments to connect with nature and let the sounds of thunder wash over him like the drumbeats he also loves to dance to.

The artwork is beautiful, I love the bright colors and swoopy lines. There are also some Cree words sprinkled throughout, and a glossary in the back.

Sent as a submission for the #Bookstagang_BestOf2023 Awards List, but all opinions are my own. I love the mindfulness Benjamin shows when out in nature and listening to the storm, and the way he connects culturally.

Creators | @KidsCanPress | Melanie Florence (@mflowrites) Hawlii Pichette (@urban.iskwew)

#KidsBookshelf #KidsBookstagram #KidsBooks #LearnRealHistory #Education #IndigenousCreators #RedefineYourReadAlouds

Image ID:
1: The book is laying in the grass with fallen leaves. The cover shows Benjamin wearing a blue raincoat, blue pants, and yellow boots splashing through a puddle with a long braid down his back.
2: A double spread of a thunderstorm
3: Benjamin is drawing a storm inside, the glossary is on the other page.
4: The BOL judges slide

A Special Goodbye follows Mei as she finds out tha

A Special Goodbye follows Mei as she finds out that her family is closing their floral shop. She invites her friends to come and help them pack up and have a special farewell moment with her beloved shop.

I really appreciate that the story didn’t turn into saving the flower shop. Because sometimes, you just can’t make enough money. The story gave a realistic look at how friends can make a tough situation a little easier, even if it’s inevitable like a shop closing or a big move.

I love these early reader books from Lee and Low, especially because they have activities in the back after the story. Mei and her friends are shown thinking about others’ happiness when distributing the leftover flowers to their community, a beautiful way to model social-emotional learning.

Sent by @LeeandLow as a submission for the #Bookstagang_BestOf2023 Awards List, out on DECEMBER 1ST ✨
Creators: @ladygriot @shirleysillos

#KidsBookshelf #KidsBookstagram #Education #RedefineYourReadAlouds #SocialEmotionalLearning #EarlyReaders

Image ID:
1: The book is laying on a light colored background. The cover shows the flower shop being packed up, but Mei is smiling and holding flowers.
2: The book is open to show Mei’s friends coming through the door to help clean up.
3: Mei is collecting armfuls of flowers to give to neighbors
4: The BOL judges slide with usernames and icons

Oh dear, Jane Mount wrote a book about me. I defin

Oh dear, Jane Mount wrote a book about me. I definitely haven’t misinterpreted the situation, thanks for asking. Books Make Good Friends is an extremely meta look at literature today and a lovely story about how hard it is to make friends. WITH A COOKIE RECIPE. Jane, thank you.

Lotti is shy, and doesn’t like how boisterous a lot of the other kids are. She would much rather sit quietly and read a book (grrl, same)! Lotti pushes herself outside of her comfort zone and tries new things, but always with a perfectly chosen book for the occasion accompanying her.

Worked into the book are tons of real book titles, with special recommendations and shout-outs of some as well. It’s almost like a scavenger hunt, or trying to pick friends out of a crowd.

And with the recipe for Lotti’s trusty Friend-Making Cookies in the back, maybe there is some hope for all of us tortured introverts out there after all. (They’re extremely delicious, btw. As if you were worried.)

Kindly sent by @chroniclekidsbooks & created by @Jane_Mount

#PictureBooks #KidsBookshelf #KidsBookstagram #Education #RedefineYourReadAlouds #RaisingReaders

Image ID:
1: The book is laying flat on a wooden table. Around it are cookies in different stages of being ready to make friends with. There is dough, on a plate, in a tupperware, and on a cookie sheet. The book cover shows Lotti, a young white girl with short blond hair and red glasses peeking over several stacks of books.
2: Lotti is going on a hike with her family, seeing a deer. There is a stack of books about nature.
3: Lotti is over at her friend’s house and they are baking cookies together and reading books.
4: The stack of book recommendations from Jane that accompanies her author’s note.

I’m here on the #DayOfMourning to remind you tha

I’m here on the #DayOfMourning to remind you that we’re never very far away from an active genoc*de. I implore you to demand a permanent ceasefire on behalf of Palestine.

For reference: What is commonly known as the Irish Potato Famine was an orchestrated genoc*de attempt by the British. Within three years of contact with colonizers, 75-95% of the Wampanoag people had passed in what’s called The Great Dying [1619-1621].

Inspired by @theimu’s original post

#ImNotPalestinianBut #CeasefireNow #LearnRealHistory #Education #RedefineYourReadAlouds #Identity #Liberation #ActiveAllyship #Activism

Image ID: A short clip of a river running with typewriter text overlaid that says “#ImNotPalestinianBut I am Irish and live on colonized land near the site of the Turtle Island apocalypse, Pl*mouth Rock.

My ancestors fled genocide to land cleared & ruled by genoc*de, where I live today. I cannot remain silent as history repeats itself, and I will continue to call for a PERMANENT ceasefire and a free Palestine”

Beyond February is one of the rare books I actuall

Beyond February is one of the rare books I actually get it together for and preorder. Uhh I DO work at a bookstore. Stop digressing, this is about DAWNAVYN!

I, like many of you probably, found Dawnavyn on TikTok at the beginning of the ol’ Panorama, watching compilations of her chatting with K students over Zoom. She’s a brilliant, empowering, funny educator. Now, she’s a PhD candidate and absolutely crushing it with curriculum manuals for early educators. You probably didn’t expect a resume in a book review, but I can’t express how much I believe in Dawnavyn’s teaching style and ability to impact early childhood education pedagogy.

She provides historical & pedagogical context, as well as example lessons and enough resources to propel even the most tired educators forward to the much-anticipated winter break. We are, after all, teaching BEYOND FEBRUARY.

Dawnavyn also shouts out some badass accounts such as my fellow #Bookstagang_BestOf2023 Judges @kidlitismagic & @ihaveabook4that which was a joyful surprise ✨

I WAS INCLUDED TOO and legit, it made my entire month. Here I was just happily skimming and wanting to know who she was recommending to learn from, and it WAS ME included in two different places with other industry badasses. It’s really, really cool to know that people you admire and learn from also learn from you.

Even without this gushy context (besties, chime in below how NOT sentimental I am), I would be screaming from my lil corner of the woods about this book.

I was kindly sent a review copy of this from @stenhouse_publishers but all opinions are my own.

#KidsBookshelf #KidsBookstagram #BlackEducators #Education #RedefineYourReadAlouds #Teaching #EarlyReaders #BlackHistory #Nonfiction

Image ID:
1: The book is laying flat on a woven tan background. The cover is purple, showing an illustration of Dawnavyn reading to students, pieces of Black history floating around. Dawnavyn is a Black woman with glasses and short hair. Around the book are yarn pom poms and part of a granny square blanket.
2: One of the shoutout pages with IG accounts to follow
3: Three strategies to go beyond the book when teaching Black history

We heard your feedback that staying silent was not

We heard your feedback that staying silent was not enough, which is why we're pivoting to Empty Promises! Let’s do everything we can to not do anything. Learn more: elizabethwarren.us

@SenWarren, demand a #CeasefireNOW

“COME OVER TO MY HOUSE!!” is a familiar phrase

It’s not the size of the audience, it’s the me

It’s not the size of the audience, it’s the message. 🍉

#CeasefireNow

This is a beautiful nonfiction book, one that I’

This is a beautiful nonfiction book, one that I’ve been looking forward to reading for quite some time. I’m truly privileged to have a diverse group of friends, and I count myself lucky to be able to learn directly from Palestinians in addition to reading this book.

You know where I stand, and it’s always with the marginalized.

This isn’t a book with a narrative arc, which allows the reader to flip around and look up specific information. I have lots of interest in watermelon, and so luckily I could read about the epic history of watermelon dishes in Palestine (although it did make me a bit cranky that I couldn’t have any).

I love that the title truly says what’s between the covers-it’s a celebration. I learned a lot too! I didn’t know that Edward Said (author of Orientalism, an excellent book) was Palestinian.

Sent by @Crocodile_Books as a submission for the #Bookstagang_BestOf2023 Awards List, out on DECEMBER 1ST ✨

Creators | @InterlinkBooks @Reem.Kassis Noha Eilouti

A note: I WILL be blocking and deleting any hate speech or antagonistic comments; they have no place here.

#KidsBookshelf #KidsBookstagram #Education #RedefineYourReadAlouds #SocialEmotionalLearning #EarlyReaders #Palestine #Nonfiction #CeasefireNow

Image ID:
1: The book is laying flat on a light colored woven background. The cover is green and shows lines of Palestinians dancing joyfully.
2: The book is open to show information about native plants in Palestine.
3: Cultural symbols and an illustration of a couple dancing outdoors.
4: The BOL judges slide with usernames and icons

Have you ever met a kid who is keenly aware of the

Have you ever met a kid who is keenly aware of the universe and wracked with existential dread? Or on the flipside, a child who floats through life and has absolutely no idea what’s happening or why they’re there in the first place. As a formerly spooky child and current spooky grownup, you know where I fall on that binary.

These big ideas and topics are intangible. Philosophical questions, self-esteem, the concept of ‘nothing’ actually being something-it’s enough to make a grownup’s brain spin and they have a properly developed prefrontal cortex!

This collection of books is what you can reach for when a particularly tricky question arises about our place in the universe.

*The Shape of You | @kidscanpress |
What Are Words Really? | @candlewickpress |
To Make | @writesinla @harperkids |
Will It Be Ok? | @cameron_kids |
*Invisible Things | @chroniclekidsbooks |
You Are Here | @chroniclekidsbooks |
*All About Nothing | @charlesbridgepublishing |
My Self Your Self | @Tundrabooks |
A Person Can Be… | @kidscanpress |

Image ID: A black bookshelf with the books in rainbow order. One by one, the books mentioned above are shown popping into the frame on the left by Corrie’s white arm

Books kindly sent by publishers, opinions my own! Titles with an asterisk [*] denote submissions for the #Bookstagang_BestOf2023 List, out on DECEMBER 1ST ✨

#PictureBooks #KidsBookshelf #KidsBookstagram #KidsBooks #Philosophy #ReadMoreBooks

Carrie here, ready to tell you about the importanc

Waking Ben Doldrums is a beautiful and sensitive p

Weather can be both exciting and a bit scary! Gro

Weather can be both exciting and a bit scary!

Growing up, I lived all over the country. I’ve experienced tornados, earthquakes, hurricanes, and the other less intense meteorological events that we’re all used to. Have I slept through all of them? Yes. I’m a legendary heavy sleeper.

Rainy Days | Windy Days
This weather series is absolutely adorable, and I’m always in love with Miki’s papercut work. The stories show what wind and rain look like during different seasons and in different locations, and nonfic backmatter.
Both by @PajamaPressbooks @deborahkerbel.books @mikisatoillustration @pubspotlight

*Welcome, Rain! | @greystonekidsbooks |
This story does a great job of explaining the SEL side of weather & how it affects our emotions. Rain can be exciting and also disappointing, depending on whose viewpoint is being shared!

When the Wind Came | @kidscanpress |
This took me back to living in Kansas’ Tornado Alley. While we didn’t sustain the damage that the MC and her family did, it gives a real look at the weather concerns of folks in the Midwest. For example, when I moved from Kansas to Ohio, I was shocked to find out that we didn’t do monthly tornado drills in school like I was used to.

*What to Bring | @owlkidspublishing |
This preparational story follows a family that is being evacuated from their home because of a forest fire. It covers the emotional toll that choosing what to pack brings on every member of the family & the ever important lesson that tangible items will never replace the intangible.

They Hold the Line | @chroniclekidsbooks |
A great followup to What to Bring, as it covers the firefighters that run towards the fire after telling everyone else to run the other way. It is beautifully written and illustrated, and shows a diverse group of people taking on this important role and responsibility for their community.

Image ID: A black bookshelf with the books in rainbow order. One by one, the books are shown popping into the frame on the left by Corrie’s white arm

Books kindly sent by publishers, opinions my own! Titles with an asterisk [*] denote submissions for the #Bookstagang_BestOf2023 List

It’s been so long since I shared a nonfiction an

It’s been so long since I shared a nonfiction anthology, you must have thought I was buried in an avalanche of fall releases.

Born Reading is a book that if I had had it as a child, I would have disappeared into my weird little closet hidey hole (where I sat on a shelf reading instead of stacking clothes on it) and not come out until I closed the back cover.

Aimed at middle grade readers, this awesome collection of women who love reading spans generations and continents. Many of these figures are easily recognizable like Wu Zetian and Shirley Chisholm, with some newbies (to me) popping up like E. Pauline Johnson.

I’m a fan of the feminist fun facts in the back, as well as the list of other rad women to whet your appetite to learn more about them!

Kindly sent by @Simonkids but all opinions are my own
Creators: @vlohhagan @AuraLewis

#KidsBookshelf #KidsBookstagram #KidsBooks #LearnRealHistory #Education #RedefineYourReadAlouds #MGReads #MiddleGradeBooks #Nonfiction #Feminism

Image ID:
1: The book is laying flat on a loosely crocheted blue net blanket. The cover is a pink to beige gradient with small illustrations of some women profiled inside sitting and hanging out on a giant stack of books.
2: The book is open to show a full page illustration of Sally Ride, a white woman with short brown hair and a NASA jumpsuit.
3: The book is open to show a full page illustration of Audre Lorde. She is a Black woman with short Black hair, brown skin, and black glasses. She’s wearing a green cardigan and sitting writing.

As soon as I read the dedication to this book, I k

As soon as I read the dedication to this book, I knew I would love it. While I wouldn’t describe myself as an avid birder, I’m outside a lot. I’m usually looking at the ground for cool rocks though, sorry birds.

This step-by-step guide on how to search for birds wherever you are focuses on REAL photos of kids actively birding. The collage style illustrations create an inclusive and engaging read for everyone. However, the intentional design to feature only kids of the global majority outdoors & birding is a phenomenal touch. The backmatter is excellent as well, I really can’t say enough good about this book!

For more learning, there’s an awesome episode of the Ologies podcast with the founder of #BirdingWhileBlack that I highly recommend.

Sent by the publisher as a submission for the #Bookstagang_BestOf2023 Awards List, out on DECEMBER 1ST ✨

#PictureBooks #KidsBookshelf #KidsBookstagram #KidsBooks #LearnRealHistory #Education #RedefineYourReadAlouds #BlackAuthors #Birding

Image ID:
1: The book is in front of some trees that may or may not have some birds in it. The cover is mostly bright blue but shows a young Black child with short hair and binoculars looking upwards, and a photo of an owl peeking down from the upper left corner.
2: The book is open on a rock, showing three kids sitting & one standing outdoors looking for birds in a park with brownstone buildings on either side.
3: A Black child with short hair is looking upwards at a flock of birds. There are city buildings around, and a streetlight.
4: The BOL judges slide with panel icons

Walking Together & mî Osâwâpikones Dear Dandel

Walking Together & mî Osâwâpikones Dear Dandelion

As we wind down from summer into fall, with the winter hibernation approaching, I took some time with these two very gentle books. They share some qualities-both are about nature and have Indigenous creators at the helm. But they’re each unique in their own way while pairing beautifully together.

Walking Together: A gentle, poetic journey through nature, space, and time. Characters always give thanks and love to the earth for what she provides, and celebrate the seasonal foraging possibilities.

Creator: @walkingtogetherbook

mî Osâwâpikones Dear Dandelion: A second poetic ode to a small resilient plant that also has significance in the life of the narrator-the dandelion! The illustrations are beautiful and whimsical, paying homage to that sweet little flower that pops up everywhere.

Creator: @vernacularstudios

Have you read either of these? What season do you like the best?

Both books were sent as a submission for the #Bookstagang_BestOf2023 Awards List from the publisher, @Annick_Press, but all opinions are my own.

#KidsBookshelf #KidsBookstagram #KidsBooks #LearnRealHistory #Education #IndigenousCreators #RedefineYourReadAlouds

Image ID:
1: Both books are laying on some gravel with fallen leaves. WT shows an orange and yellow sky and a large Turtle with silhouettes of people on top of the shell. AODD is mostly white but shows a mother and child sitting together lovingly in a soft fluffy yellow dandelion while some bees buzz around them.
2: Both books are open. WT shows a community tapping some trees and giving their thanks. AODD shows a cozy night time scene with some raccoons looking out from their den to a field of dandelions underneath a full moon.
3: WT: Some deer are standing in shallow water drinking; AODD: a young child is laying on the ground looking at the dandelion sprouting while signs of spring like robins and melting snow are all around.
4: The BOL judges slide

Let’s talk about LIBERATION ✨ He/She/They: H

Let’s talk about LIBERATION ✨

He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It Matters is the latest book from Schuyler Bailar, who wrote one of my favorite MG books Obie is Man Enough.

We all have a gender and we all need to be liberated from the stereotypes associated with that gender, leaving us free to be authentically ourselves. I chose the Liberation category to highlight the ways that we can all work for a more inclusive society. It’s about trans equality now, on the way to liberation for all.

This book is a great step in between the activism stages of “I’m not quite sure I understand XYZ ThingTM but I wholeheartedly support you” and “Wow, this XYZ ThingTM I didn’t think affected me actually does and now I need to learn how to change my behavior”. Schuyler has a brilliant writing style of casual knowledge dropping. The book is unequivocally nonfiction, but includes his own anecdotes, experiences and musings along with it.

I particularly loved chapter 20 on internalized transphobia and the antidote of radical trans joy.

This book was kindly sent by the publisher, all opinions are my own!

@HachetteBooks @HachetteUS @pinkmantaray @HachetteGo

Image ID: The book is laying flat on a red and blue flannel quilt. The cover is light blue with a small photo of Schuyler sitting with his hands on his knees and looking at the reader. The title text is large in a darker shade of blue above the photo.

#ReadWithPride #ReadWithPride365 #ProtectTransLives #ProtectTransKids #Pride #HeSheThey #SchuylerBailar #Nonfiction

✨Witchy Roundup✨ The veil is thin and our pow

✨Witchy Roundup✨

The veil is thin and our power grows stronger…

Magicka: Finding Spiritual Guidance Through Plants, Herbs, Crystals, and More
| @WorkmanPub
What Witches Wear | @MoondustPress
*The Tarot Deck Mess | @MoondustPress
Merlina and the Magical Mishap | @FlorisBooks @pubspotlight
Witch Hazel | @littlebrownyoungreaders
Once Upon A Witches Broom | @quartokids

Kindly sent by publishers tagged, all opinions my own. An asterisk [*] denotes a title purchased myself.

#PictureBooks #KidsBookshelf #KidsBookstagram #KidsBooks #Halloween #Witches #Witch #WitchesAreReal #Magic

Image ID: The books are in a stack on an old trunk with a cauldron candle burning, some crystals, and a spiderweb fabric. Corrie’s white left hand removes each book from the stack one by one.

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