The Grandmaster’s Daughter

English & Korean 4+ Tae Kwon Do Martial Arts Korean Creators Perseverance Respect Dan-ah Kim summary The Grandmaster’s Daughter is a sweet and simple story that shows incidental representation of girls with black belts and tells the reader a bit more about the martial arts practice. Every morning, Sunny can be seen outside of the…

When Langston Dances

English Any Age! Black Boy Joy Ballet Dance Perseverance Following Dreams Kaija Langley & Keith Mallett summary Full disclosure: Kaija is a close friend of mine. However, even if we had never met (which is honestly very distressing to think about) I would be just as obsessed with this book. Black boy joy? Check. Following…

Bella’s Recipe for Success

English & Spanish 4-8 years Latinx Families Perseverance Cooking Intergenerational Stories Hobbies Social-Emotional Learning Ana Siqueira & Geraldine Rodríguez summary Have I cried because a cake overflowed in my oven while baking? Sure have. And then I went to the grocery store at 11pm for more eggs so I could make it again. The point…

I Am Darn Tough

Written By: Licia Morelli Illustrated by: Maine Diaz For Ages: 4-8 years Language: English Topics Covered: Perseverance, Sports, Girls Outdoors, Running, Friendship, Self-Esteem. Summary: This book tells the story of a young girl running a race, dipping into her reserves of strength and resilience to finish when it gets to be almost unbearable. With sparse…

Imani’s Moon

Written by: JaNay Brown-Wood Illustrated by: Hazel Mitchell For ages: 6-9 years Language: English & Maa (Maasai) Topics Covered: POC-Centric Narratives, African Culture & Traditions, Maasai People, Self-Esteem, Community, Bravery, Perseverance.   Summary: Imani is the smallest in her village, and gets teased relentlessly for it.  To make Imani feel better, her mother tells her stories.  One night in particular, Imani learns about…