The Hero Next Door

Written by: Each short story is written by someone different!  Edited by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich. Covert Art by: Michelle Cunningham For ages: YA middle grades Language: English. Some Spanish, some Arabic. Topics Covered: Growing Up, Neurodiversity, Domestic Violence, POC-Centric Narratives, Own Voices, Sports, Supernatural, Adoption, Friendship, Family, Love. Summary: This book is awesome!  Each story takes a unique viewpoint and has a hero in it,…

Bedtime for Sweet Creatures [Released on January 14th!]

Written by: Nikki Grimes Illustrated by: Elizabeth Zunon For ages: 4-8 years  Language: English Topics Covered: POC-Centric Narratives, Family, Natural World, Own Voices. Summary: This book will resonate with anyone who has 1) tried to avoid going to bed or 2) tried to put a little critter that doesn’t want to go to bed, to bed. In the story, our main…

Celestina the Astronaut Ballerina

Written by: Donald Jacobson Illustrated by: Graham Evans For ages: 3 years and up Language: English Topics Covered: STEM, Bullying, POC-Centric Narratives, Space, Growing Up, Independent Thought, Self-Esteem, Social-Emotional Learning.  Summary: This rhyming story follows a young girl named Celestina, who dreams of being an astronaut despite everyone telling her to be a ballerina instead.  Celestina is teased by her classmates and…

Peace, Love, Action!

Written & Illustrated by: Tanya Zabinski Foreward by: Ani DiFranco For ages: Middle Grades to read, ages 4 and up to listen. Language: English Topics Covered: Social Justice, Activism, Historic Figures, Historic Narratives, POC-Centric Narratives, Global Community, Call to Action, Kindness, Peaceful Activism, Gratitude, Resilience, Social Change. Summary: For our last day in our Week of Intention we have Peaceful…

The Boy Who Grew A Forest

Written by: Sophia Gholz Illustrated by: Kayla Harren For ages: 4 years and up Language: English Topics Covered: Environmental Activism, Nature, Historical Figure, Trailblazer, POC-Centric Narratives, Global Community, India, Natural World, Growing Up, Hard Work, Community Involvement, Independent Thought.  Summary: The next intention we are taking into 2020 is Environmental Conscientiousness.  We’re always looking for ways to reduce our single-use plastics, recycle…

Family is a Superpower

Written by: Michael Dahl Illustrated by: Omar Lozano For ages: 4 years and up Language: English  Topics Covered: Family, Superhero, Love, Kindness, Compassion, Education, Strength, Global Community, LGBTQ Families. Summary: This book embodies the third characteristic we wish to take into 2020: Family (Chosen and/or Biological)! This book pairs superhero traits with traits families and individuals can take into their daily…

Barely Missing Everything

Written by: Matt Mendez Cover Art by: Dana Ledl For ages: Young Adults Language: English Topics Covered: Growing Up, Latinx Identities, Racism, Sports, Alcohol & Marijuana Use, Family, Incarceration, Filmmaking, Friendship, Police Brutality, Pregnancy.  Summary: This book was one of those stories that everything I anticipated to happen did not happen, I was constantly surprised at the deft storytelling of Mendez’s…

Patina

Written by: Jason Reynolds Cover Art by: Vanessa Brantley-Newton For ages: YA Middle Grades Language: English Topics Covered: POC-Centric Narratives, Family, Grief, Death, Social-Emotional Growth, Sports, Women in Sports, Growing Up, Coping, Friendship, Black Culture & Identity. Summary: Patina is just trying to do her best at a new school and on a new elite track team that she is now a part…

Bird Count

Written by: Susan Edwards Richmond Illustrated by: Stephanie Fizer Coleman For ages: 3 years and up Language: English Topics Covered: Nature, STEM, Birds, Girls Outdoors, POC-Centric Narratives, Environmental Activism, Culture & Traditions, Friendship, Community Involvement. Summary: We love this book for so many reasons!  The plot follows a real-life bird counting event that takes place all over the USA on Christmas Day….

Shubh Raatri Dost (Good Night Friend)

Written & Illustrated by: Nidhi Chanani For ages: Infant & up, it’s a board book! Language: Hindi, Romanized Hindi, English Topics Covered: Animals, Family, Language, Bilingual Books, Global Community, POC-Centric Narratives.  Summary:  This trilingual book is a super cute take on a “Goodnight Moon”-esque night ritual of two siblings, as they say goodnight to different critters on their farm.  We…