The Proudest Blue

Written by: Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali Illustrated by: Hatem Aly For ages: 4-8 years Language: English Topics Covered: Muslim Identity, Islamophobia, Family, Growing Up, Siblings, Own Voices, Lived Experiences, POC-Centric Narratives, Resilience, Strength.  Summary: The Proudest Blue is a story about Asiya’s first day hijab, which she has chosen because it’s the color of the sky.  Faizah, Asiya’s younger sister, is our narrator…

Brownstone’s Mythical Collection: Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx

Written & Illustrated by: Joe Todd-Stanton For ages: 5-9 years Language: English Topics Covered: Adventure, Girls Outdoors, Family, Strength, Fear, Social-Emotional Growth.   Summary: This is the tale of Marcy, daughter of Arthur from the first Brownstone’s book. Marcy is very afraid of the dark, and also very skeptical that her father ever had a wild life of adventure (after all,…

The Escape of Robert Smalls: A Daring Voyage Out of Slavery

Written by: Jehan Jones-Radgowski Illustrated by: Poppy Kang For ages: 9-13 years Language: English Topics Covered: Enslavement, Historical Figure, Historical Events, Abolition, POC-Centric Narratives, Resilience, Strength, Own Voices. Summary: This book is phenomenal.  Robert Smalls was an enslaved man that was able to hold a job away from the person that enslaved him.  Because of this, he worked on a ship…

Granddaddy’s Gift

Written by: Margaree King Mitchell Illustrated by: Larry Johnson For ages: 5 years and up Language: English Topics Covered: POC-Centric Narratives, Modern Back Freedom Struggle, Voting Rights, Family, Activism, Racism, Strength, Resilience, Education, Own Voices, Historical Fiction.  Summary: This story is told from the perspective of a young girl, who everyone calls Little Joe on account of the fact that she follows…

Ona Judge Outwits the Washingtons: An Enslaved Woman Fights for Freedom

Written by: Gwendolyn Hooks Illustrated by: Simone Agoussoye  For ages: 9-12 years old Language: English Topics Covered: Enslavement, Historical Figures, Historical Events, POC-Centric Narratives, Black Culture & Identity, American History.  Summary: Ona Judge is a woman enslaved by George Washington.  Yes, that George Washington.  Ona is very intelligent, and in moving around with the Washingtons to various cities, she becomes aware that she could…

Miep and the Most Famous Diary

Written by: Meeg Pincus Illustrated by: Jordi Solano For ages: 6-12 years Language: English & very little German Topics Covered: Historical Figures, Historical Events, Holocaust, Judaism, Global Community, WWII, Activism, Strength, Resilience.  Summary: This book opens with Miep hearing the footsteps of Nazi soldiers, coming to arrest the 8 Jewish people that she’s been helping to hide in attic storage rooms for the…

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…

The Love-Alphabet Rockers

Featured Artists and Guest Artists: Over 60 guest artists join the Alphabet Rockers co-founders, Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Soulati Shepherd. Voices from our next generation — Lillian Ellis, Maya Fleming, Kali de Jesus and Tommy “T3PO” Shepherd III, as well as 123 Andrés, Angel & Koja Adeyoha, Aris Wong, Ashanti Branch, Billy Dean Thomas, Celestina Pearl and…