When We Were Alone (2016)
by David A. Robertson; illustrated by Julie Flett About the Book A young girl notices things about her grandmother that make her curious. Why does her grandmother have long, braided hair and beautifully coloured clothing? Why does she speak Cree and spend so much time with her family? As the girl asks questions, her grandmother […]
When I Found Grandma (2019)
by Saumiya Balasubramaniam; illustrated by Qin Leng About the Book When Maya’s grandma makes a surprise visit from thousands of miles away, Maya is delighted. But her excitement doesn’t last long. When Grandma picks her up from school, she wears fancy clothes and talks too loudly. Grandma’s morning prayer bells wake Maya up, and she […]
Watercress (2021)
by Andrea Wang; illustrated by Jason Chin About the Book Driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl’s parents stop suddenly when they spot something growing in a ditch by the side of the road…watercress! With an old paper bag and some rusty scissors, the whole family wades into the muck to collect […]
Mascot (2023)
by Charles Waters and Traci Sorell About the Book In Rye, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC, people work hard, kids go to school, and football is big on Friday nights. An eighth-grade English teacher creates an assignment for her class to debate whether Rye’s mascot should stay or change. Now six middle-schoolers—all with different backgrounds […]
I Can be All Three (2023)
by Salima Alikhan; illustrated by Noor Sofi About the Book Our Favorite Day of the Year meets Alma and How She Got Her Name in this warm, lyrical picture book about a child who learns to celebrate her multicultural identity and finds pride in all the stories and worlds that live inside of her. When […]
Front Desk (2019)
by Kelly Yang; illustrated by Maike Plenzke About the Book Mia Tang has a lot of secrets: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests. Her parents hide immigrants. And […]
Alma and How She Got Her Name (2018)
by Juana Martinez-Neal About the Book If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela has way too many names: six! How did such a small person wind up with such a large name? Alma turns to Daddy for an answer and learns of Sofia, the grandmother who loved books and flowers; Esperanza, the […]
All Around Us (2017)
by Xelena González; illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia About the Book Grandpa says circles are all around us. He points to the rainbow that rises high in the sky after a thundercloud has come. “Can you see? That’s only half of the circle. That rest of it is down below, in the earth.” He and […]
A Duet for Home (2022)
by Karina Yan Glaser; illustrated by Felicia Chen About the Book A triumphant tale of friendship, healing, and the power of believing in ourselves, told from the perspectives of two biracial sixth graders living in a homeless shelter. Type of text: Realistic Fiction; Narrative; Middle-Grade Novel About the Creators Karina Yan Glaser (she/her) is a […]
Walking Together (2023)
by Albert D. Marshall and Louise Zimanyi; illustrated by Emily Kewageshig About the Book A poetic, joyful celebration of the Lands and Waters as spring unfolds: we watch for Robin’s return, listen for Frog’s croaking, and wonder at maple tree’s gift of sap. Grounded in Etuaptmumk, also known as Two-Eyed Seeing—which braids together the strengths […]
Inside Out and Back Again (2011)
by Thanhhà Lai; illustrated by Zdenko Baši and Manuel Šumberac (cover art) About the Book Hà has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to […]
Borders (2021)
by Thomas King; illustrated by Natasha Donovan About the Book Borders is a masterfully told story of a boy and his mother whose road trip is thwarted at the border when they identify their citizenship as Blackfoot. Refusing to identify as either American or Canadian first bars their entry into the US, and then their […]
The Day You Begin (2018)
by Jacqueline Woodson; illustrated by Rafael López About the Book Jacqueline Woodson’s lyrical text and Rafael López’s dazzling art reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes-and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. And that sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to […]
Be a Good Ancestor (2022)
by Leona Prince & Gabrielle Prince; illustrated by Carla Joseph About the Book Addressing environmental issues, animal welfare, self-esteem and self-respect, and the importance of community, the authors deliver a poignant and universal message in an accessible way: Be a good ancestor to the world around you. Thought-provoking stanzas offer a call to action for […]