Welcome to Bobville: City of and Bobs (Jonah Winter and Bob Staake)

 

This is super cute - and kind of edgy for adults to enjoy too. No more walls!

Goodreads says:

Here's a timely, hilarious picture book, with Seussian appeal! In Bobville, everyone is named...yup, Bob...and everything is exactly the same--until one Bob decides he'd like to be a Bruce.

Welcome to Bobville, home to people only named Bob! In Bobville, the Bobs eat the same food, wear the same clothes, watch the same movies, and have the same hobbies. They agree on everything-- ESPECIALLY that they don't like anyone who isn't named Bob. The Bobs go about their Bob ways, until one day, to the surprise of the entire city, one resident decides he wants to do things a little differently, and live as Bruce. In response, the Bobs build a wall to keep Bruce, and anyone else who dares to be different, out of the city. But Bruce doesn't mind-- it turns out the diverse world outside of Bobville is actually very beautiful. In this timely picture book, bestselling author Jonah Winter and acclaimed illustrator Bob Staake explore how exclusion and walls breed intolerance, and how being different and open-minded enriches our lives and the world.

We Are All Equal (P. Crumble)

 

Quick read. Super simple....as equality should be. 

No one is better than another because of their appearance, advantages, social standings, financial background, or education. 

This is something I would use to show how everyone in the classroom is different in their own way. Even though we all have differences, does not mean they should be treated different. Everyone should treat everyone the way they want to be treated, no matter how similar or different they are.

Goodreads says:

No matter who you are, where you come from, where you live, what you look like, who you love, whether you are small or tall, whether you walk or run, this book celebrates the richness in our differences and the joy that we are all equal.

First Day Around the World (Ibi Zoboi)

 

This book is beautiful! There is a ton of information. It isn't so much about the first day of school, but about school and children around the world. 

Topics/activities that could emerge:

• non-fiction texts don't have a beginning, middle and end. You could jump around and read stories from countries that the children were interested in
• We could do a writing assignment about their first day of school or maybe even what their parents remember from school when they were growing up, especially if many of the children are from another country.
• Mapping activity - break the story apart and make a big map that shows all their experiences on an annotated map

Goodreads says:

From award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Ibi Zoboi and artist Juanita Londoño, this lyrical celebration of the first day of school across every continent explores what going back to school looks like for children in countries around the world!

How do children around the world spend their first day of school?

Some eat warm akara for breakfast in Nigeria, while others unwrap lunches of kluski in Poland. In China, they practice intricate characters in special notebooks, and in Argentina, they learn each other's names in a sing-song memory game. No matter where in the world, every student has something new to look forward to on their first day!

From Ethiopia to Germany to India to Brazil, this lyrical text introduces young listeners to the breakfast-to-bedtime routines, cultures, and landscapes that connect people across all continents.

What Happened To you (James Catchpole)

 

Great book for teaching kids about thinking about questions they ask...how do you think that person feels when you ask that question. Getting to know a person and appreciating things they love before asking too many personal questions is a good start to positive personal relationships.

Goodreads says:

The first ever picture book addressing how a disabled child might want to be spoken to.

What happened to you? Was it a shark? A burglar? A lion? Did it fall off?

Every time Joe goes out the questions are the same . . . what happened to his leg? But is this even a question Joe has to answer?

A ground-breaking, funny story that helps children understand what it might feel like to be seen as different.

A Family is a Family (Sara O'Leary)

 

This book could make for a great classroom project....to write about our families and how they're unique. 

I used to shy away from books that include LGBTQ people - but talking about this is part of the curriculum now and this is a great way to do it. This books has different races, a foster family, two families with LGBTQ representation, an interracial family and many more. Seeing yourself in books matters.

Goodreads says:

When a teacher asks the children in her class to think about what makes their families special, the answers are all different in many ways — but the same in the one way that matters most of all.

One child is worried that her family is just too different to explain, but listens as her classmates talk about what makes their families special. One is raised by a grandmother, and another has two dads. One is full of stepsiblings, and another has a new baby.

As one by one, her classmates describe who they live with and who loves them — family of every shape, size and every kind of relation — the child realizes that as long as her family is full of caring people, her family is special.

A warm and whimsical look at many types of families written by award-winning author Sara O’Leary, A Family is a Family is a Family springs to life with quirky and sweet illustrations by Qin Leng.

More Than Words (Roz Maclean)

 This author is Canadian and her bio says she is passionate about education, inclusion and the arts. I'd like to know her! She has many more books on her website that are perfect for learning about inclusion.

"You might think talking is the only way to say something. Well, it is one way."

I love the list of suggestions at the back to help everyone have communication access:

- Have an open and accepting attitude to all ways of communications

- Instead of ignoring someone with a communication disability, show an interest in getting to know them.

- Make sure you are directing your attention to the person you are communicating with, not their communication partner.

- Ask questions and learn about how someone communicates

- Remember that just because someone doesn't speak doesn't make they don't understand

- Presume competence: believe someone can understand you and express themselves if they have the right tools and they learn to use those tools

- Understand that learning to use a communication system takes time, practice and support.

- Using a communication system can take longer. Allow extra time and be patient with yourself and others.

- Learn some (or a lot of ) sign language.

- Be aware of your surroundings. Noise, distractions, stress or feeling overwhelmed may impact ability to communicate.

We can all work together to help everyone have communication access!

Goodreads says:

A CBC Kids Reads Competition Finalist

In the tradition of All Are Welcome and The Day You Begin comes a touching picture book about the many unique ways we communicate, and how we can better listen to and respect these different modes of expression.

Nathan doesn't say much.
He sure has a lot on his mind, though.

At school, Nathan quietly observes the ways his peers communicate. Even when they’re not talking, they’re expressing themselves in all sorts of ways!

By witnessing the beauty of communication diversity, Nathan learns and shows his classmates the essential Not only does everyone have something to say, but seeking to understand one another can be the greatest bridge to friendship and belonging.

This tender, stunningly illustrated picture book explores and celebrates the many forms of expression—signing, speaking, singing, smiling, among others—and culminates in a poignant story about connection and understanding.

Includes additional material at the end of the book with vocabulary, an introduction to various forms of communication, and information about communication access, perfect for back-to-school and classroom discussions.

Dogtown (Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko)

I loved this story. It is told from a dog named Chance's perspective. It's funny (lots of poop jokes) and lots of matter of fact things that I believe dogs really do think! In particular there is this one moment that Chance writes in kibble…

“I nid to b petd.”

The heartache of dogs in a shelter!

It would be a good opportunity to teach about responsible pet care, have a reading to pets program or something like that. 

I was taken back by Chance's story of how he lost his leg and how irresponsible his dog-sitters were.

It is also a great story representing inclusion:  autistic child, abandoned and disabled dog, multi-lingual mouse....all without being didactic or preachy about it all. It is just the way the story is. 

I thought the robot dog was kind of weird but maybe it was a good way to address the them versus us problems in our world and also to bring in the idea of AI

I should read this aloud to my class...or perhaps get some kids to read it and see what they think. 

Best of all, it has a happy ending.

Goodreads says:

Dogtown is a shelter for stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and discarded robot dogs, whose owners have outgrown them.

Chance, a real dog, has been in Dogtown since her owners unwittingly left her with irresponsible dog-sitters who skipped town.

Metal Head is a robot dog who dreams of being back in a real home.

And Mouse is a mouse who has the run of Dogtown, pilfering kibble, and performing clever feats to protect the dogs he loves.

When Chance and Metal Head embark on an adventure to find their forever homes, there is danger, cheese sandwiches, a charging station, and some unexpected kindnesses along the way.

My Mother's Tongues (Uma Menon)

 

Great book for International Mother Tongue Day.

Goodreads says:

In a sparkling debut authored by a sixteen-year-old daughter of immigrants, this ode to the power of multilingualism gives voice to the lasting benefits of speaking with more than one tongue.

Sumi’s mother can speak two languages, Malayalam and English. And she can switch between them at the speed of sound: one language when talking to Sumi’s grandmother, another when she addresses the cashier. Sometimes with Sumi she speaks a combination of both. Could it be she possesses a superpower? With awe and curiosity, young Sumi recounts the story of her mother’s migration from India and how she came to acquire two tongues, now woven together like fine cloth. Rahele Jomepour Bell’s inviting illustrations make playful use of visual metaphors, while Uma Menon’s lyrical text, told astutely from a child’s perspective, touches lightly on such subjects as linguistic diversity and accent discrimination (“no matter how they speak, every person’s voice is unique and important”). This welcome debut, penned when the author was still a teenager, is an unabashed celebration of the gift of multilingualism—a gift that can transport people across borders and around the world.

Lunch From Home (Joshua David Stein)

 

This is a big topic and it comes up at school all the time. 

Goodreads says:

What happens when a child's favorite packed lunch is met with disparaging comments at the school lunch table?

In a classroom of sandwiches, four students stand out with their homemade, culturally-specific lunches. But before they can dig in and enjoy their favorite foods, their lunches are spoiled by scrunched noses and disgusted reactions from their sandwich-eating classmates.

Follow each of the four students as they learn to cope with their first "lunch box moments" in this picture book that encourages empathy and inspires all readers to stand up for their food! Inspired by the "lunch box moments" of four acclaimed chefs, Ray Garcia, Preeti Mistry, Mina Park, and Niki Russ Federman, this heartwarming story reminds us all that one's food is a reflection of self and an authentic celebration of culture.

54 Things Wrong With Gwendolyn Rogers (Caela Carter)

 

I read this book with my Children's Lit book club. It seemed like a great read for all the time we have spent thinking and talking and working on inclusion. We weren't disappointed. I think this would be a great book for every teacher to read! The author did a great job creating a character (maybe because she was like herself!) who could explain how it feels to struggle with school and life. 

Goodreads says:

An own voices story that shines a light on how one girl's learning differences are neither right nor wrong...just perfectly individual.

No one can figure out what Gwendolyn Rogers's problem is--not her mom, or her teachers, or any of the many therapists she's seen. But Gwendolyn knows she doesn't have just one thing wrong with her: she has fifty-four.

At least, according to a confidential school report (that she read because she is #16. Sneaky, not to mention #13. Impulsive). So Gwendolyn needs a plan, because if she doesn't get these fifty-four things under control, she's not going to be able to go to horse camp this summer with her half-brother, Tyler.

But Tyler can't help her because there's only one thing "wrong" with him: ADHD.

And her best friend Hettie can't help her because there's nothing wrong with Hettie. She's perfect.

So Gwendolyn is hopeless until she remembers the one thing that helped her mother when her own life was out of control. Or actually, the twelve things. Can these Twelve Steps that cured her mother somehow cure Gwendolyn too?

Boy (Phil Cummings)

 

This is a fabulous story. My students loved telling me about signs they know in sign language and they laughed at the silliness of all the fighting with the king, the knights and the dragon attempt to justify their actions. Sometimes not listening to people has its advantages.

"He showed them how their days could be without fighting and fear."

Goodreads says:

The kings battles with the dragon were always mighty and loud... CLING CLANG CLONG! ROAR!

Boy lived in a silent world and couldn't hear the fighting. But Boy could see the fear around him... and how everyone would be much happier.

All Of Us (Kathryn Erskine and Alexandra Boiger)

This book has a beautiful feel to it. The words are simple and the message is beautiful. We make up by a unique and diverse group. Could be a great discussion starter at the start of the school year. We are going to read The Best Part of Me and use it as a mentor text. This could be a great prelude to that activity or it could even be great to read after as a reminder that we're all unique and important in our class.

Goodreads says:

A beautiful book about community and love by National Book Award winner Kathryn Erskine and #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Alexandra Boiger.

ME can be WE. YOU can come, too. In a lyrical text that travels the globe, National Book Award winner Kathryn Erskine shows young readers how the whole world is a community made up of people who are more similar than we are different. With stunning, cinematic art by Alexandra Boiger, the illustrator of the She Persisted series, this is the perfect read-aloud at bedtime or for story time. Perfect for fans of All Are Welcome and Be Kind.

Praise for All of Us

* [In this] book about global inclusivity . . . the breathtaking art carries the message throughout. --Booklist, starred review

A lyrical celebration of unity and diversity . . . Purely sweet. --Kirkus Reviews
 

The Woman Who Changed Her Brain (Barbara Arrowsmith-Young)

This book made me think about all the times I've sat down with someone who has done a learning assessment where they've told me all the areas where the child has a deficit. There were so many times when I thought of various people I've known over the years. If there are exercises someone can do to work on specific areas of the brain and change people's lives, I need to know the exercises! Unfortunately, they're not in this book.

Goodreads says:

Born with severe learning disabilities that caused teachers to label her slow, stubborn, or worse, Barbara Arrowsmith-Young read and wrote everything backwards, struggled to process concepts in language, continually got lost, and could make no sense of an analog clock. But through her formidable memory and determination, she made her way to graduate school, where she chanced upon research that inspired her to invent cognitive exercises to "fix" her brain. Now the Director of Arrowsmith School, the author interweaves her personal tale with riveting case histories from her more than 30 years of working with both children and adults to restructure their own brains.

The Woman Who Changed Her Brain powerfully and poignantly illustrates how the lives of children and adults struggling with learning disorders can be dramatically transformed. This remarkable book by a brilliant pathbreaker deepens our understanding of how the brain works and of the brain’s profound impact on how we participate in the world. Our brains shape us, but this book offers clear and hopeful evidence of the corollary: we can shape our brains.

Trumpet of the Swan (EB White)

I read Trumpet of the Swan years ago and loved it. I can't remember exactly when it was: university? when I was younger? I always have wanted to read it with my students and always encourage them to read it. However, I don't think I had re-read it until now. Now that I've re-read it, it may be one that I don't recommend. The father swan (cob) says weird things about having a son with a disability. They may be things that were more acceptable "back in the day" but now, it is kind of shocking. However, I do love Louis' stick-to-itness and problem solving. 

Re-read June 2022: One of my students had read this book aloud with his brother and mom and really wanted to have it as a read-aloud in class and he persuaded the others to vote for it. I would have never chosen it, but it was a good experience. I skipped through some of the long descriptive and repetitive language (oh EB, you can go on and on!)  and changed some words (First Nation's boy instead of indian, happy instead of gay, strange instead of queer, etc.). Since we were doing animal life cycles right now and our Open Court unit, City Wildlife, it fit in quite well!

We also watched the movie and it wasn't a big hit. The kids said it's old-style animation (sheesh!)


Goodreads says:

Like the rest of his family, Louis is a trumpeter swan. But unlike his four brothers and sisters, Louis can't trumpet joyfully. In fact, he can't even make a sound. And since he can't trumpet his love, the beautiful swan Serena pays absolutely no attention to him.

Louis tries everything he can think of to win Serena's affection—he even goes to school to learn to read and write. But nothing seems to work. Then his father steals him a real brass trumpet. Is a musical instrument the key to winning Louis his love? 

It Began With a Page (Kyo Maclear)

We learned about segregation when we read the story of Jackie Robinson. My students were stunned to learn about Japanese internment camps from this story.  She also wanted to write and illustrate books that had babies with all colors of skin. This was not popular in her time, but eventually, people started to see it her way.

It teaches a great lesson: even if everyone seems to accept something as just the way it is, one person can make a difference by standing up for what they know to be right.

We were stumped by the genre of this book. It is a true story but it was in the fiction section. I even asked the librarian at the public library and she was stumped too. We went an email to the author to ask her if she knows why. The information on the inside cover from the Library of Congress doesn't seem to say to me that it should be fiction or non-fiction.

Goodreads says:

Gyo Fujikawa's iconic children's books are beloved all over the world. Now it's time for Gyo's story to be told -- a story of artistic talent that refused to be constrained by rules or expectations.

Growing up quiet and lonely at the beginning of the twentieth century, Gyo learned from her relatives the ways in which both women and Japanese people lacked opportunity. Her teachers and family believed in her and sent her to art school and later Japan, where her talent flourished. But while Gyo's career grew and led her to work for Walt Disney Studios, World War II began, and with it, her family's internment. But Gyo never stopped fighting -- for herself, her vision, her family and her readers -- and later wrote and illustrated the first children's book to feature children of different races interacting together.

This luminous new book beautifully and openly touches on Gyo's difficult experiences and growth. Through Julie Morstad's exquisite illustrations, alternating between striking black-and-white linework and lush colour, and Kyo Maclear's artful and accessible writing, the story of this cherished figure is told at last. 

Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts (Susan Cain)

Every teacher and parent should read this book. I can't tell you how often I've had conversations with people about what we should do about a kid who is a loner recess. Embarrassingly, I've also talked to parents and their children about how their child doesn't participate in classroom discussions. This book gives great ideas for ways to include and honor kids who are introverts. Kids would do well to read this book too. She has a lot of ideas for ways to do things that are hard for kids that lead towards the introvert life.

Goodreads says:

The monumental bestseller Quiet has been recast in a new edition that empowers introverted kids and teens 

Susan Cain sparked a worldwide conversation when she published Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. With her inspiring book, she permanently changed the way we see introverts and the way introverts see themselves.

The original book focused on the workplace, and Susan realized that a version for and about kids was also badly needed. This book is all about kids' world—school, extracurriculars, family life, and friendship. You’ll read about actual kids who have tackled the challenges of not being extroverted and who have made a mark in their own quiet way. You’ll hear Susan Cain’s own story, and you’ll be able to make use of the tips at the end of each chapter. There’s even a guide at the end of the book for parents and teachers.

This insightful, accessible, and empowering book, illustrated with amusing comic-style art, will be eye-opening to extroverts and introverts alike.

I'm Not Invited? (Diana Cain Bluthenthal)

This book broke my heart!!  This one at least has a fun ending - but in real life, that isn't always the case. It's a hard thing for kids to go through. It's hard for adults too.

I wondered if the author made Minnie's hair like he did for a reason. It's super duper white and an unusual style. Her mother's hair is really white too so she apparently came by it naturally - but it is quite unusual. Only Minnie and her mother have super white hair.

Goodreads says:

Minnie's good friend Charles names his mealworm Minnie. So why doesn't he invite her to the party at his house this coming Saturday?

Hopeful at first, Minnie, by week's end, is a wreck. "No invitation, no party, no nothing," she moans, feeling as everyone feels at one time or another: unhappily left out.

Diana Cain Bluthenthal knows how to be a comfort -- to Minnie or anybody -- with a story and pictures that are funny as well as true to life.

Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter (Kate Clifford Larson)

I'll admit I'm a bit of a fan girl when it comes to royal families - and the Kennedy's are one of those famous families that fascinate me. This story made me sad though. Rosemary's parents inability to accept her was disturbing. They continually looked for ways to "fix" the problem rather than accept who she was. It's difficult to be imperfect when you're so worried about what everyone around you thinks. Although, I hope the family would argue that they weren't worried about what others were thinking and rather, more interested in helping her to be all she could be. The author's opinion definitely seemed to be that it was the former.

It was interesting to read the ideas they had about special needs education back then. Moving her from school to school was kind of sad. It made me want to make sure I'm more inclusive as a teacher. Joe Kennedy's take on Hitler and the war with Hitler and the Nazi's was also fascinating to follow. Clearly, he got it wrong. We sure have gone down some crazy roads when it comes to health and science.
 The story of her lobotomy was sad. The author called it the beginning of the Kennedy tragedies. I'd agree.  I had to wonder if keeping Rosemary hidden was the beginning of bad karma for the family. It was disturbing to hear about how her mother, Rose, didn't admit to knowing anything about the surgery and was complicit in keeping her hidden away for years after. The author says that perhaps she is the Kennedy that made the biggest difference. She is the reason the special Olympics were started, which was interesting considering of all the Kennedys, she was least interested in sports. It was something they made her do for her own good.




Goodreads says:

They were the most prominent American family of the twentieth century. The daughter they secreted away made all the difference.

Joe and Rose Kennedy’s strikingly beautiful daughter Rosemary attended exclusive schools, was presented as a debutante to the Queen of England, and traveled the world with her high-spirited sisters. And yet, Rosemary was intellectually disabled — a secret fiercely guarded by her powerful and glamorous family.  Major new sources — Rose Kennedy’s diaries and correspondence, school and doctors' letters, and exclusive family interviews — bring Rosemary alive as a girl adored but left far behind by her competitive siblings. Kate Larson reveals both the sensitive care Rose and Joe gave to Rosemary and then — as the family’s standing reached an apex — the often desperate and duplicitous arrangements the Kennedys made to keep her away from home as she became increasingly intractable in her early twenties. Finally, Larson illuminates Joe’s decision to have Rosemary lobotomized at age twenty-three, and the family's complicity in keeping the secret.  
Rosemary delivers a profoundly moving coda: JFK visited Rosemary for the first time while campaigning in the Midwest; she had been living isolated in a Wisconsin institution for nearly twenty years. Only then did the siblings understand what had happened to Rosemary and bring her home for loving family visits. It was a reckoning that inspired them to direct attention to the plight of the disabled, transforming the lives of millions.

I Will Never Get a Star on Mrs. Benson's Blackboard (Jennifer K. Mann)

I should have read this one ahead of time. It made me sad. I didn't like that this kid is working so hard for public recognition and feels like she will just measure up. In the end, she does get recognized for her talents. I wondered what my students thought about it. It has potential for a great discussion.

Goodreads summary:

Rose’s teacher gives stars for spelling and neatness and giving the right answer, but Rose can’t manage to do any of those things right. Will she ever get a star from Mrs. Benson?

Rose is a distracted and creative soul. She does her best at school, but sometimes her mind wanders, and she answers the wrong question. Her reading voice is quiet, not strong and loud. And her desk—well, keeping her desk neat is a challenge. When it’s time to make thank-you cards for a class visitor, Rose’s art supplies turn her workspace—and her—into a colorful mess. But her artistic skills shine through in the gorgeous oversize card she creates. Could she possibly get a star after all? A cheerful and empowering picture book for the child whose talents lie in unconventional areas, and those still searching for their strengths.

A Quiet Place (Douglas Wood)

I love this book. Sometimes kids get so caught up in the rush and noise and business of kid life they forget the beauty of finding a quiet place.

It reminded me a lot of the Quiet Revolution. We need to remember this idea!

Life doesn't always have to be noise and business and rushing.

Goodreads summary:

"Sometimes a person needs a quiet place." 
A place that's far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life -- a place that isn't ringing or talking or roaring or blaring or playing. But sometimes that place isn't easy to find. 
You could look under a bush in your own backyard, where the world seems far away...and you could be a pirate on a desert island. 
Or you could sit on an old stump in the woods amidst the glittering sunlight and mossy shadows and be a timber wolf. 
You could look by the sea or in the desert or in a cool dark cave, but if none of these places are right, you could come home and discover another quiet place. 
Perhaps the very best quiet place of all -- the one that's inside of you. 

In poetic and gently philosophical prose, acclaimed author Douglas Wood explores what it's like to find that special place where we all can think our own thoughts and feel our own feelings. Dan Andreasen brings exquisite imagination and thoughtful wonder to words that will inspire readers of all ages to seek out their very own quiet place.