Estefania “Stef” Soto has been trying to get her Papi to stop bringing her family’s taco truck, Tía Perla, to Saint Scholastica School for months. Doesn’t he understand that hardly anyone gets picked up from school by their parents anymore? Stef just wants to be like all the other kids. When Julia, her once-upon-a-time friend, calls… Read more »
Beyond Boundaries
MISSING NIMAMA – when a child grieves for a parent
This picture book by Melanie Florence and illustrated by Francois Thisdale tells the story of Kateri, a young Cree girl who is motherless and being raised by her grandmother, Nohkom. Kateri’s story is based on the stories of the missing indigenous women of the U.S. and Canada. Told in alternating voices, the absent mother follows… Read more »
Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph
Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph by Roxane Orgill, illustrated by Francis Vallejo (Candlewick, 2016) From the flap: “In 1958, Esquire magazine was planning a special issue focused on American jazz. Art Kane, a graphic designer in New York City, pitched a crazy idea: gather as many jazz musicians as were willing and… Read more »
Steamboat School
“… sometimes courage is just an ordinary boy… doing a small thing, as small as picking up a pencil.” Reverend John Berry Meachum was no ordinary boy. Born a slave, Reverend John later purchased his freedom and began offering “religious and secular education to free and enslaved black St. Louisan’s.” STEAMBOAT SCHOOL by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by… Read more »
THE SOUND OF ALL THINGS
Your parents are deaf but you can hear. In this picture book, THE SOUND OF ALL THINGS by Myron Ulberg, a hearing son describes to his father through sign language all the noise and music that surround them as they enjoy the sights of the amusement park, Coney Island. But how do you explain the… Read more »
TALKING LEAVES by Joseph Bruchac
In the mid-1800’s a Cherokee man known as Sequoyah, invented an entire writing system for his people. The Cherokee still to this day use his system. Sequoyah realized the power and importance of keeping one’s tribal language alive. He observed that when a language cannot be written and shared, an alternative language is forced onto… Read more »
Books that can change the world – #MGGetsReal
TODAY ReaderKidZ welcomes Shannon Wiersbitzky in a guest post about #MGGetsReal: “…there’s always a kid, sitting on a log, dealing with something tough …write for the kid on the log.” Show up. Sit down on the log too and maybe, just maybe, you’ll change the world…” Gary Schmidt, two-time Newbery winner. As children, we all read books that talked… Read more »
