It’s Juneteenth! This year I have a roundup of some books for younger readers less familiar with Juneteenth and a cookbook that will provide everything you need for a Juneteenth cookout, and at any gathering all year. If you’re looking for more information about Juneteenth and the historical context around June 19, 1865, check out…
Category: BIPOC Narratives
Top 5 Books I Read in May
If you’re looking for a quick monthly roundup, check out the best 5 books I read in May! Ordinary Equality: You know, it would be really nice to go one day without feeling like my bodily autonomy wasn’t under attack. By now you’ve probably seen all sorts of coverage about the document leak regarding overturning…
The Art of Protest: Creating, Discovering, and Activating Art for Your Revolution
English 10 & Up Activism Social Movements Historical Figures Protest Art History De Nichols, Diana Dagadita, Molly Mendoza, Olivia Twist, & Diego Becas summary Ok, this book is the COOLEST. Art of Protest mixes together knowledge and empowerment as well as the mixed media illustrations delight the readers’ senses. A bit of history, a lot…
The Insiders
English & Spanish MG LGBTQ Friendship Bullying Queer Friendships Latinx Family Moving New School Fantasy/Magic Mark Oshiro summary Ahh middle school. Hormones, moving to new schools, wanting to look cool…secret rooms that respond to your needs? Maybe not for all of us, but for Héctor and his new middle school this seems to be the…
The Proudest Color
English 4-8 Social-Emotional Learning New school BIPOC Narratives Self-Esteem Confidence Sheila Modir, Jeff Kashou, & Monica Mikai summary Zahra experiences her emotions as colors, and is about to start school. Something that Zahra understands is that while emotions are fleeting and sometimes unseen by those around her, her glowing brown skin is perceivable immediately. When…
Over and Under the Canyon
English 4-8 BIPOC Characters Nature Canyons Desert Wildlife Pint-Sized Professor Interracial Families Kate Messner & Christopher Silas Neal summary People! Of! Color! Enjoying! Nature! This not an unbelievable concept, and I REALLY LOVE how the family within this lovely and educational story is portrayed. The family is interracial, and the mom is the head adventurer,…
The Wild Ones & a Love of Dessert
English YA Feminism Sci-Fi Fantasy BIPOC Narratives Anger Chosen Family Magic Love CW: Mentions of assault Nafiza Azad summary This. Book. Is. Everything. When a publicist got in touch and told me about The Wild Ones, I was instantly hooked. A roving band of girls that weaponize their screams in retaliation for the times they’ve…
Paletas for All!
English & Spanish All Ages Paletas STEM Cooking Kindness LA Food Scene summary Popsicle season is year-round, and that’s something I’m prepared to fight about. Today I have two fantastic books that celebrate the paleta in all forms, a picture book and a cookbook! If you haven’t checked out Ericka Sanchez’s website Nibbles & Feasts…
Starting Over in Sunset Park
English & Spanish 4-8 years Immigration Single-Parent Family New Beginnings NYC Animals Cat-sitting José Pelaez, Lynn McGee, & Bianca Diaz summary Our story opens with a young girl and her mother arriving to NYC from the Dominican Republic, ready to begin a new life for themselves. Initially staying with relatives, the pair is looking forward…
Hot Pot Night!
English 2+ years Community Cooking Friendship Vincent Chen summary If you don’t like hot pot, I just don’t know if I can trust your tastebuds and #SorryNotSorry about that. In this simple story, an apartment building comes together (think old-school Stone Soup style) to make a communal meal. It is in a similar vein of…