I Believe I Can

 I believe I can

By Grace Byers

Pictures by Keturah A. Bobo

The theme of the book is to teach all children they are worthy, they matter, and they should always believe in themselves. The book empowers children to be strong, brave, learn, win, lose, and to always keep trying. 

I believe this book would appeal to all children, boys and girls, because of the realistic illustrations of children with varying skin tones, hair types, sizes, and abilities. Children will resonate with the images in the book because they will be able to see children who mirror themselves. They will be able to see diverse children interacting together and participating in new experiences.They will see children who make mistakes but still keep trying.

I would recommend this book because of illustrations of diverse boys and girls, engaging with all types of children, participating in a variety of activities, encouraged to make mistakes and learn, empowered to be their authentic selves, reminded that they matter, and inspired to always keep trying at whatever they choose to do. 

I Believe I Can Read Aloud

Islandborn

 Islandborn

Written by: Junot Díaz

Illustrated by: Leo Espinosa

Islandborn is a beautiful book filled with striking patterns, texture, and color.  Young Lola is assigned a project at school to draw a picture of her first home.  She was so little when she left though that she doesn't remember her beloved island home.  She sets out on a quest to ask her family and friends to describe their favorite parts of the island so that she can make a picture in her mind.  She hears about many beautiful and terrible things from the island, and patches them all together into a colorful book to bring to her class.  

This book is great because it students of all ages can connect with it.  It is mostly geared toward elementary-aged students, but there are deeper messages of activism and political unrest in the pages that older students would be able to recognize and connect with as well.  When this book is read, it evokes images of home and encourages students to share their favorite parts of home (whether that's in America or somewhere else).  This book is a great resource for EL teachers who have students coming from many places in the world because it depicts a class of diverse students coming together and sharing about their original home.  This is something that EL students would easily connect with.

  

Book introduction, by Junot Díaz: https://youtu.be/DzU5_TIVijA

Thank you, Omu!

 Thank you Omu!

Written and Illustrated by: Oge Mora

        Thank you Omu!Is a heartwarming story of a little boy and his Omu (which is the Nigerian for “Queen,” but it’s also the name the author always called her Grandma).  Omu is making her famous stew for dinner, and it smells so good that a whole crew of people, from a police officer to a hot dog vendor, come sniffing their way into her apartment.  In the end, Omu learns that when you are generous and give out of the kindness of your heart, others love to return the favor.  This book is a blending together of many different kinds of people into one fun event, and it shows how a community can come together in unity.

        This book is especially good for young elementary students because it keeps introducing new, unique people as the book goes along, keeping them entertained.  The book also offers a few good places for making predictions of the plot and thinking critically about the message.  It is a sweet story that showcases kindness and generosity, and young students can connect to a time when they or someone they know was kind or generous. 

Book Trailer:

https://youtu.be/nUz2siIeoPU

     Red A Crayon’s Story

Author & Illustrator Michael Hall

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Red A Crayon’s Story, is written and illustrated by Michael Hall. The children’s book is about a red crayon who tries to draw the color red, but every time he attempts to, he draws the color blue. His grandparents, parents, teachers, and friends all try to “fix” him, but no matter how hard he tries, he can only draw the color blue. One day, someone recognizes how beautifully he draws the color blue and empowers him to be his true self, the color blue. 

The theme of the novel focuses on gender identity and challenges socially constructed roles. The crayon is labeled red and appears to be red on the outside, but no matter how hard he tries to be what everyone else expects him to be, on the inside he is truly the color blue. The theme of the novel empowers children to challenge and transform socially constructed gender identities and roles. 

I would recommend this book to primary and elementary students because it provides alternative and uncommon perspectives of gender identities and roles, and it empowers learners to be critically aware, challenge, and transform socially constructed, as well as limited, gender identities and roles. Lastly, it inspires childrens to be authentically themselves!

Red A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall

 

                             WHAT DO YOU DO WITH AN IDEA?

By Kobi Yamada

Illustrated by Mae Besom

"One day, I had an idea.

'Where did it come from? Why is it here?' I wondered, 'What do you do with an idea?'

At first, I didn't think much of it. It seemed kind of strange and fragile. I didn't know what to do with it. So I just walked away from it. I acted like it didn't belong to me.

But it followed me."

What Do You Do With An Idea? is about an innocent boy who has an idea. This idea is depicted as a golden crown-topped egg. He is unsure and uncomfortable about what to do with this idea so he ignores it and tries to hide it. This idea continues to grow and stays persistent in staying around until the child finally embraces this idea. He not only feels happy and alive, but he ultimately learns “you can change the world” when you nourish your ideas. 

This story is suitable for anyone and any age since we’ve all experienced having big ideas. It’s the simple narration and illustrations that uncover this powerful and inspiring message- change can begin with you and your ideas. This book explains that it’s not easy to share your ideas and overlook people’s judgment and other distractions. But if you think big and accept your ideas, you can reach new limits. Furthermore, although this seems to be a young boy, Kobi Yamada doesn’t use any gender identifying pronouns so males and females can easily relate and draw connections to the child. The pencil and watercolor illustrations beautifully become more colorful as the boy decides to “protect it, and care for it”. He begins to feel comfortable sharing it despite all the insecurities that he had. It’s the silliness in the appearance of the egg that supports that no matter how silly you or others think your idea may be, it’s truly golden and can make a difference. 

This book would be an excellent springboard for many social-emotional lessons and conversations. There are so many relatable messages with every day relationships and feelings. Having grit, being confident about your differences, doing what you think is right, having the power to make a difference, being real, mindfulness, and how your perspective changes everything are just a few. Read this book if you want your students to feel empowered and inspired to embrace their ideas, let them develop and grow, and see where they can take them.

Book Trailer

 

Alma and How She Got Her Name

Written and Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

    Alma and How She Got Her Name is a story of a little girl who feels too small for her long name.  She goes to her father and complains, hoping for some sympathy.  He pulls her in close and tells her about each part of her name and why it is so special.  Alma soon realizes that her name was carefully chosen to connect her to special family members whose lives are marked by inspiring character qualities that Alma, joyfully, begins to see in herself.  

    This is a short, sweet story that offers an opportunity to get to know someone better by hearing the story of their name.  It's a perfect way to start the year with students.  This book provides comfort to students who may not have a common, popular name because it shows how beauty can be found in the meaning of a name, rather than the name itself.  Younger students will love the beautiful illustrations and the opportunity to connect with the special people in the book as they reflect on the special people in their lives.  Older students will love having an opportunity to reflect on how their own name connects them with others and how their lives can reflect the meaning found in their name.  

    I would recommend this book to EL teachers or just teachers with a diverse student population because this book provides an opportunity for students to have a window into someone else's life and culture by learning about their name.  Really though, it can be used in any classroom setting to facilitate community building through learning about each other.

Book trailer

A Different Pond

Title: A Different Pond

Author: Bao Phi

Illustrator: Thi Bui

Youtube-Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lUTB35ggks

A Different Pond is a story about a special bond between a father and son. Early in the morning the father wakes to go fishing. The boy wants to join to help provide the food for the family. He follows his father’s morning routines to the bait shop and to the pond. The boy helps with making the fire, taking the fish off the line, and listens as his father shares stories of when he was a child fishing in Vietnam. They return home where both the boy’s father and mother have to leave for work while the boy stays home with his older siblings. This story shares the importance of family and ends as they sit around the table together for dinner.

Although this book’s main character is a young boy, I think all children would appreciate the tenderness of the father and son connection. I feel many of my students could relate to the boy because most of my parents work more than one job to help make ends meet. The illustrations are similar to a graphic novel in design, which I think many students would appreciate.

This book would be great as a read aloud for an elementary class. Prior to reading the class could share things they do together as a family. I would use a Venn Diagram to show the similarities and differences with interests of families. The lesson could focus on support, trust, and family traditions. I think a writing connection would be a great extension for students to share in more depth what is important to them and their family.

*Also Bao Phi's family moved to South Minneapolis, Minnesota as refugees. Bao Phi has a new book coming out about his daughter called, Footprints. Check it out!