We Need Diverse Books

Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day by Tameka Fryer Brown — Book Recommendation

Title: Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day Author: Tameka Fryer Brown Illustrator: Charlotte Riley-Webb Publisher: New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2010 Genre: Picture book, fiction Audience Age: 4 to 8 Themes/Topics: Neighbors, diversity, sharing food, friendship Opening Sentences: Blue sky, no clouds, Summer heat, side street, Whirling, whizzing feet. Everyone is out to play …

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A Strong Right Arm by Michelle Y. Green — Book Recommendation

I’ve been impatiently waiting until my planned alphabetical posts were complete so that I could share this book with you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Title: A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson Author: Michelle Y. Green Publisher: New York: Scholastic, 2002. Genre: Middle Grade biography Audience …

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Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay — Book Recommendation

Title: Sarah’s Key Author: Tatiana de Rosnay Publisher: New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2007 Genre: Adult fiction Audience Age: 16 and up Themes/Topics: Holocaust, France’s role in deportation of Jews during World War II, Vélodrome d’Hiver roundup, truth, fear, justice Opening Sentences: The girl was the first to hear the loud pounding on the door. …

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Mentors, Mentees, and Mentorship — The We Need Diverse Books Mentorship Program

Most, if not all, of us have had mentors in our lives — people who have influenced us, caused us to see our life in a different way, challenged us to grow. I have posted about a few of my mentors on this blog. Something I said in one of those posts resonates for this …

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I’ve Seen the Promised Land by Walter Dean Myers — book recommendation

Title: I’ve Seen the Promised Land: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Author: Walter Dean Myers Illustrator: Leonard Jenkins Publisher: New York: HarperCollins/Amistad, 2004 Genre: Picture book biography Audience Age: 5 to 10 Themes, topics: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights, equality, inspiration Opening Sentences: March 1968. The country was torn by turmoil. …

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Two Kids’ Books That Bring Home the Harsh Reality of Residential Schools in Canada

Reading to learn, reading to seek justice — in the spirit of #WeNeedDiverseBooks, I’m exploring two books today about Residential Schools in Canada. First Nations children were still being taken from their homes and forced to attend residential schools when I was in school. I am grateful that these schools are no longer in existence. …

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I Lived on Butterfly Hill by Marjorie Agosin — Book Recommendation

Title: I Lived on Butterfly Hill Author: Marjorie Agosín Publisher: New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2014. Genre: Historical fiction Audience Age: 11 to 15 years Themes, topics: Home, exile, Chile, refugees Opening Sentences: The blue cloud finally opens—just when the bell rings to let the Juana Ross School out for the weekend. I’d …

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George by Alex Gino — #WeNeedDiverseBooks

Title: George Author: Alex Gino Publisher: New York: Scholastic, 2015 Genre: Middle Grade fiction Audience Age: 9 to 12 years Themes/topics: Transgender middle schoolers, being true to who you are, bullying Opening Sentences: George pulled a silver house key out of the smallest pocket of a large red backpack. Mom had sewn the key in …

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