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Read-A-Thon DEI Book List Recommendations

1/14/2023 7:46 am

All Are Neighbors, by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman (picture book)
Why Not You? by Ciara and Russell Wilson (picture book)
The Me I Choose to Be by Natasha Tarpley (picture book)
We Laugh Alike/Juntos nos reimos by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
More Than Peach by Bellen Woodard (picture book)
Brown Is Beautiful by Supriya Kelkar (picture book)
Little Black Girl: Oh the Things You Can Do!  by Kirby Howell-Baptiste (picture book)
Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o (picture book)
Isabel and Her Colors Go to School by Alexandra Alessandri (picture book)
Bodies are Cool by Tyler Feder (picture book)
Mother Goose Goes to India by Kabir Sehgal (picture book)
I Hope by Monique Gray Smith (picture book) (We also have My Heart Fills with Happiness and You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith, who is an author of Cree and Lakotah descent)
Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard (picture book)
Eyes That Kiss in the Corners and Eyes that Speak to the Stars by Joanna Ho (picture book)

-A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara

-Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña

-Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry

-The Day You Begin, Written by Jacquline Woodson and Illustrated by Rafael López

-Let the Children March,Written by Monica Clark-Robinson and Illustrated by Frank Morrison

 
MLK Day:
As Good As Anybody: Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel's Amazing March Toward Freedom by Richard Michelson (picture book)
Coretta Scott by Ntozake Shange (picture book)
I Have A Dream illustrated by Kadir Nelson
 
Lunar New Year 
Playing with Lanterns by Wang Yage (picture book)
The Runaway Wok by Ying Chang Compestine (picture book)
 
Additional resources can be found at the Pelham Public Library website:
 
Each list contains board books and books for older elementary students. 
 
Another good list can be found at the Coretta Scott King Book Award List.  On this list you can search by year of interest. 
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They Aren't Too Young To Talk To About Race

9/16/2022 6:02 am

 

image_url preview imageImage taken from childrenscommunityschool.org

 

Discussion

 

While it may be uncomfortable to talk about race with your child, it is incredibly important.  By the time children are in elementary school they have already formed an opinion on race and where they stand within the continuum. There are many ways to help your child reduce their bias. You can make playdates with children from different backgrounds, bring them to playgrounds in a different neighborhood, make sure they are reading books with a diverse set of characters and make sure the content they are watching have characters of varying backgrounds.  By exposing them to different cultures you are broadening their horizons and teaching them that all people have value regardless of their background. 

 

Resources

 

They Are Not Too Young to Talk About Race

Why All Parents Should Talk With Their Kids About Social Identity 3 mins

Talking About Race for Parents and Caregivers from the National Museum of African American History and Culture  

Talking to Young Children About Race and Racism: A Discussion Guide PBS Kids

Talking to Young Children About Race and Racism PBS Kids 30 mins

Read in Color recommended reading 

National Museum of African American History and Culture Talking About Race




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So What Would Be Helpful?

9/16/2022 5:44 am

 

image_url preview image

Image from What'd I Miss Daze of our Lives by R Alan Brooke & Cori Redford

 

 

Discussion

 

“So what would be helpful then?”  That is the question that is top of mind for many people.  It would be helpful to educate yourself on various social topics and issues.  With a better understanding of social issues we can affect real change within our community and make it a better place for everyone to live in. Please see our glossary for a list of topics that it would be helpful to learn about.

 

 

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