This is a board book with photographs of children around the world feeling...happy! Pharrell Williams takes his Grammy hit song "Happy" to the pages of this book to show what makes kids everywhere around the world feel joy.
This book is published in English and in Spanish! This book celebrates a little girl and her love of visiting the library on her weekly trips with her mom.
Taye Diggs and Shane Evans collaborated on this book to celebrate their appearance and heritage in an effort to model for kids everywhere what it looks like to love yourself. They were inspired by the difficulty of raising their own children to love themselves.
You're really not supposed to bring your dragon to a library...this book explores the etiquette of the library and the hilarious mishaps that might happen when a dragon shows up. The diverse characters are part of a beautiful set of illustrations.
Messy Bessy is a series of books for early readers to explore as they begin reading independently. Each book in the series explores different aspects of language while providing a simple content that allows young readers to feel confident.
Inspire our students with the true story of Dr. Patricia Bath, a woman who defied racism, sexism, and poverty to emerge a brilliant scientist with a treatment for blindness. This book could tie easily in with other nonfiction texts, or even with the fictional show of Doc McStuffins!
Let the picture book version of Hidden Figures inspire our younger students as four brilliant scientists help launch shuttles into space. These women worked in an era that did not recognize their accomplishments because of their race and gender, but their contribution to math, science, and computer engineering cannot be forgotten!
The Critter Club Series follows Ellie, a precocious and adventurous girl who always seems to find a little hint of trouble, a ton fun, and plenty of friendship. This is a feel good series that touches on kid interests while also providing deeper lessons in the small experiences of life.
A great series of books that follows Miami Jackson, a kid who is in the girls-have-cooties phase of life, but who is always running into...girls! In particular, his nemesis, Destinee Tate, keeps showing up. This time around she's trying to make the all-boys baseball team, and Miami isn't about to let that happen! This is a fun story about the strange turns your relationships can take, and it's great for our second graders, who aren't always ready for those times when friendships seem to find them.
It might look like a picture book, but this book packs more than just nice illustrations. Ron is a boy who just wants a library card, but the segregated South of the 1950s prevents him from getting access to the books he craves. Based on the true story of astronaut Ron McNair, this book opens up a world of conversation around race, science, exploration, peaceful protests, and fighting for what you believe in.
The first in a series of books about friends who find mysteries and trouble together, The Buried Bones Mystery starts when the group finds a box of bones in their own backyard. This is the first of many adventures the friends experience together. Well-known author Sharon Draper has created a series to entice just about every kind of reader!
A simple way to incorporate nonfiction in the classroom, this book is a beautifully illustrated celebration of black history. It pinpoints 28 specific moments in history where black figures like Madame CJ Walker changed not only her own life, but the lives of generations of people who came after her.
This book is...awesome. It's about a fourth grader named Barkari who is trying to stand up to the class bully, Tariq. While he fights one battle, Barkari discovers a magical object, but the people from the other side of the magical world want to get it back. Will Barkari overcome all of his challenges?
For the kiddos who claim they hate reading, and only want to watch superhero movies, this is a great option! Black Panther celebrates the brilliance of Wakanda, an African kingdom that has surpassed the world in technological advancement. This is an action-packed book that teaches young readers the power of tradition, community, and friendship.
What an incredible book to use as a jumping off point for a research project! This beautifully illustrated book shows off black women who excelled in their chosen fields and professions. Not only does it touch on the nonfiction standards we teach in our classes, but it also inspires the next generation of brilliant children who are already dreaming big about their own career paths.
Two fifth grade students are facing a class project with each other but they aren't so sure they want to work with each other. This book explores issues of race in a relatable way for nearly all ages!
A book to celebrate the arts
As they travel back in time, Lonnie and his uncle meet writers, musicians, and artists that created and shaped the Harlem Renaissance. Great in music, art, or regular classrooms!
PE class just got more complicated
A crossover between gym and music, this story follows the story of Trevor and his gym teacher who turns his class into zombies by controlling them with music. Trevor has to fight his way through several obstacles in order to save himself and his classmates from the ultimate zombie explosion!
The power of music
This is an autobiographical book by Troy Andrews, who got his nickname "Trombone Shorty" when he was just a kid. He wanted to play the trombone even though it was bigger than he was! This is his powerful story of going from a six year old interested in music to a Grammy nomination and a career in the arts. Awesome to inspire our students with his true story!
Read the World: Rethinking Literacy for Empathy and Action in a Digital Age by Kristin Ziemke and Katie Muhtaris serves students in grades K-6. This book provides research, lesson plans, and teaching strategies that support curricula around empathy. It challenges teachers and students to use the tools around us to connect deeply with the cultures of the world.
Elevating Equity and Justice: 10 US Supreme Court Cases Every Teacher Should Know by Robert Kim explores ten cases that have shaped American education as we know it. The cases were chosen because they continue to impact the educational landscape today, covering everything from civil rights and liberties to policy shifts. This book helps us contextualize the legal and historical factors that shape our students' educational experience.
Reading to Make a Difference: Using Literature to Help Students Speak Freely, Think Deeply, and Take Action by Lester Laminack and Katie Kelly helps teachers inspire students to take action for social justice causes. As one reviewer wrote, "Each chapter highlights different classrooms in action and concludes with a wealth of suggested resources, both picture books and chapter books, along with helpful guidelines on how to choose text sets that reflect the needs, interests, and backgrounds of your students."