English 3 years & up Family Black Culture & Identity Love Black Joy Cozbi A. Cabrera summary This story is beautiful, and I’m enamored by author illustrator Cozbi Cabrera’s ability to showcase such a tender and emotional relationship between mother and daughter. Also, her website is ridiculously gorgeous, and you should definitely check it out….
Category: BIPOC
sunday rain: review & giveaway!
Elliot has buried himself in a book on a rainy Sunday afternoon (I can relate to this) and is enthralled in the princess fighting the dragon. Eventually, his mother suggests that he go outside and play in the puddles while she unpacks boxes from their recent move. Elliot is a little nervous to try and make friends, but he goes outside hoping for a big adventure.
5 world-changing women to read about!
Learn about The Supremes, Headstrong Hallie, The Lady with the Books, Mary Seacole, and Frieda Caplan!
the old truck
English 4-8 years BIPOC Protagonists Girls Outdoors Farming Generational Agriculture Automobile Restoration Jarrett & Jerome Pumphrey Summary: This book is gorgeous, and the illustrations were made by the brotherly creator duo Jarrett and Jerome with over 250 handmade stamps! The book tells the story of an old truck. It doesn’t really move after awhile, but…
sylvia and marsha start a revolution!
For #sweetsandsocialjustice this week I experimented with tahini again, this time adding it to chocolate chip cookies! There might not be a clear connection between the cookies and the book, except that my love for Sylvia, Marsha, and cookies knows no bounds.
Early Literacy & Empowerment
English 4 and up Literacy Letter Identification Emergent Readers Diverse Bookshelves Phonemic Awareness Cards: Diveation Book: Colette Hiller & Tor Freeman Summary: It’s no secret that kids learn better when they feel happy, seen, and empowered. When I was a classroom teacher, we had a literacy curriculum we followed to help students learn and sound…
Red, White, and Whole
English MG & Up Bicultural Kids Indian Culture Parents Cancer CW: Parent Death Rajani LaRocca Summary: This beautiful novel in verse set in 1983 is narrated by Reha, whose parents moved from Bangalore. Reha is sometimes frustrated that she can’t do the “typical American” teen thing, and feels like her mother in particular doesn’t understand…
If Dominican Were a Color
English & 4-8 years Afro-Dominican Identity Own Voices Dominican Republic Poetry Self-Love Sili Recio & Brianna McCarthy Summary: If Dominican Were a Color is a beautiful book that describes aspects of life in the DR as well as pays homage to their strong roots in Africa, as it is “estimated that 73% of the population…
Antiracism: An Introduction
English YA & Up Politics History White Supremacy Antiracism Alex Zamalin Summary: I bought this book a few months ago, for a very specific reason. You see, last summer, when all the protests were taking place, I was thrilled. Beyond elated that people seemed to finally care what I had devoted my academic career to….
Oona
English 4-8 years Perseverance Friendship Whimsy STEM Kelly DiPucchio & Raissa Figueroa Summary: I was really excited to read this, and was of course instantly drawn in by the ridiculously gorgeous illustrations. Oona is a mermaid that loves to explore and hunt for treasure with her friend Otto. The pair swim around and lounge with…