social justice – Mom Read It

Cute baby books for the Spring!

Posted on March 11, 2023March 10, 2023 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Adorable books for the littlest ones are coming your way! Board books, squishy books, books to inspire and inform: they’re here and they’re wonderful!

How Are You?, by Édoudard Manceau, (March 2023, Twirl Books), $12.99, ISBN: 9791036353246

Ages 0-3

A colorful, expressive round face goes through a series of feelings in this board book that begins with the question “How are you?” The figure responds, discussing how their mood changes throughout the day; the expression changes to illustrate a full range of feelings, from “Sometimes I’m very well” to “…I get angry”. Tears, smiles, and frowns help little ones create a frame of reference for the emotions described, and the ending question: “How are YOU?” lets little ones and caregivers share their own expressions. The purple face pops off a black background, with bold white text for easy reading. Print emoji expressions and have them ready for children to express their own feelings, or let them express themselves with crayons and paper. TeachersPayTeachers also has some great, free resources, including this feelings chart from The Reading Roundup and this emotions match from Simply Special Ed.

Get Up, Stand Up, Adapted by Cedella Marley/Illustrated by John Jay Cabuay, (March 2023, Chronicle Books), $7.99, ISBN: 9781797219424

Ages 2-4

Bob Marley’s beloved song reaches young readers and learners in this inspirational board book, adapted by Marley’s oldest child. A multicultural group of children play and go to school together, but when when bullies threaten, the children band together, standing up for their rights and teaching the bullies that there is a better way to live. The children come together with their community at a local park, where they display a Bob Marley “One Love” banner and celebrate their power in making a difference. Vibrant illustration and bold, colorful lettering deliver Bob Marley’s eternal message to a new audience. Marley’s songs have often been adapted to children’s books because of their messages of peace, community, and justice. Play a song or two during a quiet play period to introduce them to his message.

You Are New, by Lucy Knisley, (March 2023, Chronicle Books), $9.99, ISBN: 9781797219677

Ages 0-2

The board book adaptation of Lucy Knisley’s 2019 picture book is absolutely precious. The rhyming tale of being a new baby is charming and captures the excitement and amusement of having a new baby in the home: “You can open wide and yell. Sometimes you make funny smells. You get mad and scared and blue. It’s tough when everything is new”. Colorful illustrations show a diverse, cartoony group of babies and grownups cuddling, playing, sleeping, and discovering together. Bold black fonts with colorful emphasis make for easy reading. A great choice for lapsits and cuddle time.

Baby Basics: My Big Touch-and-Feel Colors, by Marion Billet, (Apr. 2023, Twirl Books), $22.99, ISBN: 9791036353109

Ages 0-3

Who wouldn’t love a cuddly book? My Big Touch-and-Feel Colors is an oversized soft cloth book with different textures so little hands can explore colors by using their senses. Yellow bees buzz around a satiny sun; blue dragonflies lazily fly around a nubby cloud. Discover a fuzzy gray owl’s belly against a black sky with white constellations, or rub a downy pink bird’s wing as they fly over purple and pink flowers. Vibrant colors and bold color names make things easy to identify, and the soft cloth of the book is soothing and can be carried around. This one probably isn’t the best choice for circulation, but it will fit nicely in with your learning toys: just keep a mesh bag handy to launder it.

Non-Fiction, picture books

Blog Tour: LOVE IS LOUD: How Diane Nash Led the Civil Rights Movement

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Diane Nash is a civil rights leader who was a Freedom Rider; a lunch counter protestor, and a 2022 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. Sandra Neil Wallace and four-time Caldecott Honor recipient Bryan Collier bring her story to vibrant life in Love is Loud.

Love is Loud, by Sandra Neil Wallace/Illustrated by Bryan Collier,
(Jan. 2023, Simon & Schuster), $18.99, ISBN: 9781534451032
Ages 4-8

Born in 1938 in Chicago’s South Side, Diane Nash was a child of the diaspora; her parents refusing to raise a family in the segregated South. Enveloped in love and surrounded by diversity, she experienced Jim Crow laws once she moved to Tennessee to attend college. Angry and humiliated, she refused friends’ attempts to tell her “it’s always been this way” and “go along to get along”, and took action, enduring abuse at Nashville’s lunch counters and joining the Freedom Riders to protest segregated bus terminals. Wallace writes a tribute to Nash’s accomplishments, with key words and phrases bolded and capitalized to invoke strength and power in readers: “ELATION, INVIGORATION”; “NO HIDING. NO FIGHTING BACK”; “LEADING, PROCEEDING”. Bryan Collier’s watercolor and collage illustrations bring texture and realism to spreads, creating both warm and dramatic moments in Nash’s life. Back matter includes notes from the author and illustrator, a timeline of Nash’s life, and resources for further reading.

An inspiring picture book biography that shouldn’t be missed, Love is Loud is an essential addition to picture book biography collections. Put this one front and center in your Black History Month displays and booklists.

Love is Loud has starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and The Horn Book.

Sandra Neil Wallace writes about people who break barriers and change the world. She is the author of several award-winning books for children, including Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery, illustrated by Bryan Collier, which received the Orbis Pictus Book Award and was an ALA Notable Book. A former ESPN reporter and the first woman to host an NHL broadcast, she is the recipient of the Outstanding Women of New Hampshire Award and creates change as cofounder of The Daily Good, a nonprofit bringing twenty thousand free, culturally diverse foods to college students each year through its Global Foods Pantries. Visit Sandra at SandraNeilWallace.com.

Bryan Collier is a beloved illustrator known for his unique style combining watercolor and detailed collage. He is a four-time Caldecott Honor recipient for Trombone Shorty, Dave the Potter, Martin’s Big Words, and Rosa. His books have won many other awards as well, including six Coretta Scott King Illustrator Awards. His recent books include By and By,Thurgood, The Five O’Clock Band, and Between the Lines. He lives in New York with his family.

*”A poignant and powerful portrayal of the life and work of an unsung civil rights activist….Wallace’s text lends buoyancy to the narrative, making it a memorable read-aloud.”

— Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

*”Wallace’s emotive second-person text condenses Nash’s extensive activism into an inspiring meditation on love as the heart of justice, while Collier’s watercolor and collage illustrations bring artful dimension to Nash’s nonviolent resistance.”
— Pubishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

*“During the 1960s, Diane Nash was one of the most influential and effective leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, yet most people don’t know who she is.” Wallace’s latest picture-book collaboration with Collier seeks to correct that ….the book opens with images of Nash’s parents cradling her as a baby and then of Nash, as a small child, being hugged by her grandmother, highlighting the love that encouraged her activism.
— The Horn Book — STARRED REVIEW

picture books

Sarah Rising is a child’s-eye view of protest and social activism

Posted on July 19, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Sarah Rising, by Ty Chapman/Illustrated by Deann Wiley, (May 2022, Beaming Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781506478357

Ages 5-8

Sarah is a young girl about to start her day as usual: breakfast, then caring for her pet bugs. But her father tells her they’re going to a protest, because police “had killed another Black person”. While at the protest, Sarah tries to save a butterfly when an officer swipes at it, and ends up separated from her father. The crowd protects Sarah, eventually helping reunite her and her father. The butterfly emerges as a symbol of hope, damaged but resilient – the butterfly, like Sarah, like her community, rises. The relationship between Sarah and her father is a positive one: he is a man teaching his daughter to call out injustice where she sees it and to take action. A strong theme of community runs through the book, illustrating the importance of relying on one another for support and protection. Inspired by the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Sarah Rising is an important book when talking to children about social justice and change.

Back matter includes an author’s note from Ty Chapman on growing up in Minnesota, where George Floyd was murdered, and the problematic history between police and the Black community. There are also tips for children and families on creating change, and a discussion guide for parents and educators.

Librarianing

Pride Displays and the Children’s Room

Posted on June 24, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

By now, many of you may know that earlier this week, a library in Smithtown, New York pulled a Pride Display in the children’s room. For a library to be the point of removing a children’s book display – a violation of the American Library Association’s policy on intellectual freedom – is a travesty. The Board of Trustees was also out of line when involving themselves in displays and collections. The library board should be concerned with financial budget and policy; let us trained professionals do our work when it comes to collections.

Last night, the Smithtown Board of Trustees held an emergency public meeting to discuss the backlash. The Zoom meeting room capped out at about 1000 attendees; luckily, a colleague was able to get in and let my colleagues here at Corona listen in via a Facebook call. As expected, there was a lot of “I have LGBTQ friends in my personal life, I have no prejudices against LGBTQ or – to quote one trustee – “a transgender” – people, BUT…” mealymouthed foolishness that we’ve come to expect when these kinds of people are exposed to the light. Marie Gergenti, the trustee who was behind the move to remove the display, said this was not a politically motivated decision but done out of a need to “protect the children” and that the material was “over the top”. Ms. Gergenti is also a parent who has attempted to have the learning tool BrainPop, feeling it was “biased against conservative viewpoints”.

The decision was ultimately overturned, and the Pride displays will be restored to the libraries. One member of the board reversed his decision; one abstained; two firmly stuck to their “I’m not a bigot, but…” defenses. My friends, we have so much work to do.

I’ll say it again: if you do not like books you see at your library, you are free to walk by them. You are free to counsel your young children that you do not like those books. You do NOT have license to tell other parents and other children, not yours, what they can read. Objectionable? Inappropriate for children? These are children’s books written by children’s authors for children. Your children aren’t the only children using the library. What may not apply to you may apply to many, many other children and families using the library. Why would you deny other families the chance to see themselves in books and materials? Why would you believe yours is the only point of view that matters?

A few months ago, a tween approached me and asked for any “LGBTQAI books I can read”. She took such time and care to make sure she communicated this; it clearly meant a lot to her. I told her I would go through some of our collection with her and talk to her about books I was familiar with, and walked through the middle grade collection, booktalking and pointing out authors as I went. She took a few books and went over to a table to look them over, absolutely delighted. Two weeks later, she returned and asked, “Do you have any more books like the ones you showed me?” Did I! We discussed the books that she liked, what else she was interested in reading, and we walked through the fiction section again, finding more to read.

Yesterday, a middle schooler admired the Pride display that our general librarian created, comprised of YA fiction and nonfiction, adult fiction and nonfiction, movies and documentaries, and asked if she could borrow a book on the display. How wonderful is it that our display spoke to a middle schooler and that they felt comfortable enough to talk to us about our collection.

THAT is the importance of Pride Month. THAT is the importance of libraries. THAT is the importance of Pride displays.

Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Tween Reads

Pauli Murray: An activist’s life in verse

Posted on May 28, 2022May 27, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Pauli Murray: The Life of a Pioneering Feminist & Civil Rights Activist, by Rosita Stevens-Holsey & Terry Catasús Jennings, (Feb. 2022, little bee books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781499812510

Ages 8-12

Haven’t heard of Pauli Murray before? Remedy that and pick up this biography in verse, written by one of the civil rights activist’s nieces and Terry Catasús Jennings, author of the Definitely Dominguita chapter book series. Born in 1910, Pauli Murray chafed under the Jim Crow South and what she called “Jane Crow”: further prejudice against women. She would become a friend to Eleanor Roosevelt and a voice for the oppressed; she created arguments that would eventually form the Brown vs. Board of Education Topeka backbone (with no credit) and the 1964 decision that won workplace equality for women (credited, thanks to Ruth Bader Ginsburg).

Pauli Murray is told in verse, giving poetic gravitas to her life from her early childhood; the early death of her mother and separation of the siblings, which saw Pauli Murray move to Baltimore to live with her aunt, who eventually adopted her; her life in the Jim Crow South, which awakened the activist in her, and her work to dismantle the white male patriarchy that sought to “other” her and hold her, and other women and people of color, down. Queer and Black, she was a force for positive change. She went to jail for refusing to sit in a broken seat in the back of a bus long before Rosa Parks, and, like Martin Luther King Jr., was inspired by Ghandhi’s promotion of protest through nonviolence.

Back matter includes author’s notes, a timeline of Murray’s life, endnotes, and a bibliography. An eloquent, powerful biography for upper middle graders and middle schoolers.

Intermediate, Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Non-Fiction

Celebrate Poetry Month with Imagine!

Posted on March 23, 2022March 23, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Imagine! Rhymes of Hope to Shout Together, by Bruno Tognolini/Illustrated by Giulia Orecchia, Translated by Denise Muir, (March 2022, Red Comet Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781636550145

Ages 5-8

One of Italy’s most beloved children’s poets, Bruno Tognolini, brings a collection of “rhymes of hope to shout together” to U.S. shores. Originally published in Italy in 2021, Imagine! can be read as a series of short poems or as one continuous story. The rhythmic verse covers a wide range of imagination and wish, from wishing that one could share a meal with fictional characters to heartbreaking thoughts about war and the hope for peace and compassion, to the desire to draw a parent out of a depression caused by unemployment. The collage artwork instantly evokes Eric Carle’s colorful illustration play, and each brief poems ends in a colorful cry, “Imagine!”, which you can encourage your readers to join in and invoke with each reading. It’s poetry with a desire for social change and a cry for understanding and empathy.

You can stream the song and the instrumental for Imagine! on Red Comet Press’s SoundCloud site. Red Comet’s website also offers a downloadable educator’s and discussion guide to use when working with kids and reading the book.

Intermediate, Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Non-Fiction

Spotlight on Women’s History: Kip Tiernan and Rosie’s Place

Posted on March 15, 2022March 15, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Sanctuary: Kip Tiernan and Rosie’s Place, the Nation’s First Shelter for Women, by Christine McDonnell/Illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov, (March 2022, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536211290

Ages 7-10

Inspired by her grandmother, who fed hungry men from her door during the Great Depression, Kip Tiernan went on to work with and feed the homeless as an adult. She noticed women dressing as men to get on the food lines, and began noticing more and more homeless women on the street; when she worked to bring public notice and aid, however, she was initially told that homelessness was not a “women’s problem”. Determined to make a safe place for women, she pushed until the city of Boston rented her an empty supermarket for $1 a year: Rosen’s Market because Rosie’s Place, opening in 1974; they served hot meals and provided free clothes, beds, and a safe place for women to come together. Sanctuary is Kip Tiernan’s story, told in straighforward prose and accompanied by evocative watercolor and digital illustration set against a white page, giving readers the feel of peeking into moments from Kip Tiernan’s life. The focus is on community, with multicultural women coming together to talk and support one another; there are embraces, hand-holding, and active listening, all there to emphasize the importance of connection and compassion. Display and booktalk with Dangerous Jane, the picture book biography of Jane Addams, founder of Chicago’s Hull House.

Sanctuary: Kip Tiernan and Rosie’s Place, the Nation’s First Shelter for Women, has starred reviews from The Horn Book and Book Page. Visit the Rosie’s Place webpage to learn more about the sanctuary. The Harvard Radcliffe Institute houses Kip Tiernan’s papers.

Intermediate, Non-Fiction, picture books

The Faith of Elijah Cummings pays tribute to a giant

Posted on January 15, 2022January 13, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Faith of Eljah Cummings: The North Star of Equal Justice, by Carole Boston Weatherford/Illustrated by Laura Freeman, (Jan. 2022, Random House Studio), $17.99, ISBN: 9780593306505

Ages 6-10

Congressman and civil rights advocate Elijah Cummings left an extraordinary legacy when he passed in 2019. Carole Boston Weatherford, whose numerous awards include a Newbery Medal and two NAACP Image Awards, along with NAACP Image Award winning illustrator Laura Freeman, to create a picture book biography that makes this giant of a man accessible to all ages. Beginning with the Congressman’s impoverished childhood and moving through his civil rights journey, focus on inner-city youth, and government work, we also see how Elijah Cummings’s faith and family was his anchor. Photorealistic illustrations are bold and eye-catching, and quotes from Elijah Cummings inspire readers as Carole Boston Weatherford’s narration concentrates on his humanity, choosing moments in his life like being tutored by librarians when his teachers said he would never be able to read or write well; his mother’s preaching, which inspired him to care for others in need, and the civil rights lawyer from his youth that inspired him to defend kids who needed defending. As a “Washington power broker”, he continued living in his Baltimore inner-city neighborhood and hung a campaign sign in his window so others could find him. Back matter includes an excerpt from the statement from the Congressional Black Caucus made upon the Congressman’s passing; a timeline of Elijah Cummings’s life; a bibliography, and the quote sources. Endpapers show Elijah Cummings, in profile, set against the American flag.

An incredible book for an incredible figure, and a must-add to your picture book biographies. The Faith of Elijah Cummings: The North Star of Equal Justice has starred reviews from Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly.

Carole Boston Weatherford’s author webpage is a treasure trove of information, with resources and links to media related to her books. See more of Laura Freeman’s illustration work at her website. Find a biography, bibliography, and committee assignments for Elijah Cummings at the House of Representative’s website; visit Congress’s website to learn more about the legislation sponsored or co-sponsored by him, along with his remarks in the Congressional Record.

Middle School, Non-Fiction, Teen, Tween Reads

Threads of Peace and how two nonviolent activists changed the world

Posted on November 10, 2021 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Threads of Peace: How Mohandas Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Changed the World, by Uma Krishnaswami, (Aug. 2021, Atheneum/Caitylyn Dlouhy Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9781481416788

Ages 9-14

Two activists who chose peace and nonviolence; two activists whose lives were cut short by violence. As we forge ahead in this time of social unrest and protest, Threads of Peace: How Mohandas Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Changed the World emerges as a book for tweens and young teens to turn to as they try to make sense of what they see on the news. Award-winning author Uma Krishnaswami profiles Gandhi and Dr. King, their paths to resistance and social justice, and their continuing influence on the world stage and nonviolence movements. Uma Krishnaswami writes about the threads that join Gandhi and Dr. King – and through them, all of us – together in a desire for social justice and freedom for all, even as their experiences – like ours – may travel different paths. Ms. Krishnaswami’s writing infuses her factual writing with emotion and empathy, investing readers in her subjects and in their mission. Black and white and color photos and colorful callout quotes and fact boxes throughout reach all interest levels. Back matter includes an author’s note, timeline of events in both Gandhi’s and Dr. King’s lives, and a glossary of terms. A bibliography, sources, and index make this an excellent research resource.

Threads of Peace: How Mohandas Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Changed the World has starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist. Display and booktalk to your middle school/early high schoolers along with Todd Hasak-Lowy’s We Are Power: How Nonviolent Activism Changes the World and Protest! : How People Have Come Together to Change the World by Emily Haworth-Booth and Alice Haworth-Booth. Unleashing Readers has some suggested questions for discussion.

picture books

Louder, for the people in the back: When We Say Black Lives Matter

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Rosemary Kiladitis

When We Say Black Lives Matter, by Maxine Beneba Clarke, (Sept. 2021, Candlewick Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9781536222388

Ages 5-9

There’s been a lot of histrionics over the Black Lives Matter movement and meaning. Some folx will counter with the dreaded “all lives matter” response, and some will panic and try to accuse BLM of being terrorists. Certain school districts have gone so far as to attempting banning books that show positive portrayals of people of color. Award-winning writer and slam poet champion Maxine Beneba Clarke takes up the charge with her picture book in verse, When We Say Black Lives Matter; it’s a quiet, inspirational, powerful talk between caregiver and child, explaining the need for understanding and recognition. Loving words, like “little one”, “little love”, and “darling” lead into the many ways we can share the message: calling out Black Lives Matter; singing, screaming, sobbing, even laughing the words, and what they communicate: “When we whisper / Black Lives Matter, / we’re remembering the past. / All the terrible things / that were said and done, / we’re saying they trouble our hearts”. Each verse examines the Black Lives Matter message and what it means, throughout history, to this moment. Watercolor pencil and collage artwork inspires introspection and joy; colorful endpapers show demonstrators holding signs calling for “Love” and “Black Lives Matter”. The book celebrates Black Lives and encourages you to celebrate them, too. An essential book for all library shelves, whether they’re in your library, your classroom, or your home.

When We Say Black Lives Matter has starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal.