Kids Recommendations
Browse our lists of staff picks, popular topics, and school reading lists.
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Native American Heritage Month
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I Can Make This Promise
In her debut middle grade novel--inspired by her family's history--Christine Day tells the story of a girl who uncovers her family's secrets--and finds her own Native American identity.
All her life, Edie has known that her mom was adopted by a white couple. So, no matter how curious she might be about her Native American heritage, Edie is sure her family doesn't have any answers.
Until the day when she and her friends discover a box hidden in the attic--a box full of letters signed "Love, Edith," and photos of a woman who looks just like her.
Suddenly, Edie has a flurry of new questions about this woman who shares her name. Could she belong to the Native family that Edie never knew about? But if her mom and dad have kept this secret from her all her life, how can she trust them to tell her the truth now?
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The Giant Bear
One of the most terrifying creatures to be found in traditional Inuit stories is the nanurluk, a massive bear the size of an iceberg that lives under the sea ice. Its monstrous size and ice-covered fur make it an almost impenetrable foe. But when a lone hunter spots the breathing hole of the nanurluk on the sea ice near his iglu, he uses his quick thinking and excellent hunting skills to hatch a plan to outsmart the deadly bear.
Jose Angutinngurniq, a gifted storyteller and respected elder from Kugaaruk, Nunavut, brings to life a story of the great nanurluk that has been told in the Kugaaruk region for generations.
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Powwow
★ "Clearly organized and educational--an incredibly useful tool for both school and public libraries." --School Library Journal, starred review
Powwow is a celebration of Indigenous song and dance. Journey through the history of powwow culture in North America, from its origins to the thriving powwow culture of today. As a lifelong competitive powwow dancer, Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane is a guide to the protocols, regalia, songs, dances and even food you can find at powwows from coast to coast, as well as the important role they play in Indigenous culture and reconciliation.
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Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids
Edited by award-winning and bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith, this collection of intersecting stories by both new and veteran Native writers bursts with hope, joy, resilience, the strength of community, and Native pride.
Native families from Nations across the continent gather at the Dance for Mother Earth Powwow in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
In a high school gym full of color and song, people dance, sell beadwork and books, and celebrate friendship and heritage. Young protagonists will meet relatives from faraway, mysterious strangers, and sometimes one another (plus one scrappy rez dog).
They are the heroes of their own stories.
Featuring stories and poems by:
Joseph Bruchac
Art Coulson
Christine Day
Eric Gansworth
Carole Lindstrom
Dawn Quigley
Rebecca Roanhorse
David A. Robertson
Andrea L. Rogers
Kim Rogers
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Monique Gray Smith
Traci Sorell,
Tim Tingle
Erika T. Wurth
Brian YoungIn partnership with We Need Diverse Books
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We Are Water Protectors
Winner of the 2021 Caldecott Medal
#1 New York Times Bestseller
Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption—a bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade.
Water is the first medicine.
It affects and connects us all . . .
When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth
And poison her people’s water, one young water protector
Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource. -
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga
2019 Sibert Honor Book
2019 Orbis Pictus Honor Book
NPR's Guide To 2018’s Great Reads
2018 Book Launch Award (SCBWI)
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2018
School Library Journal Best Books of 2018
2018 JLG selection
2019 Reading the West Picture Book Award
The Cherokee community is grateful for blessings and challenges that each season brings. This is modern Native American life as told by an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation.
The word otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. Beginning in the fall with the new year and ending in summer, follow a full Cherokee year of celebrations and experiences. Written by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, this look at one group of Native Americans is appended with a glossary and the complete Cherokee syllabary, originally created by Sequoyah.
"A gracious, warm, and loving celebration of community and gratitude"—Kirkus Reviews STARRED REVIEW
"The book underscores the importance of traditions and carrying on a Cherokee way of life"—Horn Book STARRED REVIEW
"This informative and authentic introduction to a thriving ancestral and ceremonial way of life is perfect for holiday and family sharing"—School Library Journal STARRED REVIEW
"An elegant representation"—Shelf Awareness STARRED REVIEW -
We All Play
From Julie Flett, the beloved author and illustrator of Birdsong, comes a joyous new book about playtime. A sweet gift for babies, toddlers, and kids up to age 7 to cozy up with this winter!
Animals and kids love to play! This wonderful book celebrates playtime and the connection between children and the natural world. Beautiful illustrations show:
- birds who chase and chirp!
- bears who wiggle and wobble!
- whales who swim and squirt!
- owls who peek and peep!
- and a diverse group of kids who love to do the same, shouting:
We play too! / kimêtawânaw mîna
At the end of the book, animals and children gently fall asleep after a fun day of playing outside, making this book a great bedtime story. A beautiful ode to the animals and humans we share our world with, We All Play belongs on every bookshelf.
This book also includes:
- A glossary of Cree words for wild animals in the book
- A pronunciation guide and link to audio pronunciation recordings
Praise for Julie Flett's previous book, Birdsong:
An American Indian Youth Literature Honor Title
A 2020 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Title
A Best Book of 2019 in Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and Horn Book.
"Cree-Métis author/illustrator Julie Flett's smooth and lyrical words and gorgeous... images truly capture the warmth and solidarity of the female protagonists in this tender intergenerational friendship story."--The Horn Book
"Emotionally stunning."--Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
"Simple and profound, this tender story is a reminder that finding a new friend can make a new place feel like home. Highly recommended for purchase."--School Library Journal (Starred Review)
"Flett's subtle, sensitive story delicately traces filaments of growth and loss through intergenerational friendship, art making, and changing moons and seasons."--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
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Rez Dogs
****Four starred reviews!****
From the U.S.'s foremost Indigenous children's author comes a middle grade verse novel set during the COVID-19 pandemic, about a Wabanaki girl's quarantine on her grandparents' reservation and the local dog that becomes her best friend
Malian loves spending time with her grandparents at their home on a Wabanaki reservation. She's there for a visit when, suddenly, all travel shuts down. There's a new virus making people sick, and Malian will have to stay with her grandparents for the duration.
Everyone is worried about the pandemic, but Malian knows how to keep her family and community safe: She protects her grandparents, and they protect her. She doesn't go outside to play with friends, she helps her grandparents use video chat, and she listens to and learns from their stories. And when Malsum, one of the dogs living on the rez, shows up at their door, Malian's family knows that he'll protect them too.
Told in verse inspired by oral storytelling, this novel about the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the ways Malian's community has cared for one another through plagues of the past, and how they keep caring for one another today. -
Fry Bread
Winner of the 2020 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
A 2020 American Indian Youth Literature Picture Book Honor Winner
“A wonderful and sweet book . . . Lovely stuff.” —The New York Times Book Review
Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal.
Fry bread is food.
It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate.
Fry bread is time.
It brings families together for meals and new memories.
Fry bread is nation.
It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond.
Fry bread is us.
It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference.
A 2020 Charlotte Huck Recommended Book
A Publishers Weekly Best Picture Book of 2019
A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2019
A School Library Journal Best Picture Book of 2019
A Booklist 2019 Editor's Choice
A Shelf Awareness Best Children's Book of 2019
A Goodreads Choice Award 2019 Semifinalist
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of 2019
A National Public Radio (NPR) Best Book of 2019
An NCTE Notable Poetry Book
A 2020 NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
A 2020 ALA Notable Children's Book
A 2020 ILA Notable Book for a Global Society
2020 Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year List
One of NPR's 100 Favorite Books for Young Readers
Nominee, Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Award 2022-2022
Nominee, Illinois Monarch Award 2022
Beating Boredom
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Unbored
The most original, entertaining, and instructive all-in-one book for kids ever published-jam-packed with information, ideas, and activities for children and their parents to share together
Unbored is the guide and activity book every modern kid needs. Vibrantly designed, lavishly illustrated, brilliantly walking the line between cool and constructive, it's crammed with activities that are not only fun and doable but also designed to get kids engaged with the wider world.
With contributions from a diverse crowd of experts, the book provides kids with information to round out their world view and inspire them to learn more. From how-tos on using the library or writing your representative to a graphic history of video games, the book isn't shy about teaching. Yet the bulk of the 350-page mega-resource presents hands-on activities that further the mission in a fun way, featuring the best of the old as well as the best of the new: classic science experiments, crafts and upcycling, board game hacking, code-cracking, geocaching, skateboard repair, yarn-bombing, stop-action movie-making-plus tons of sidebars and extras, including trivia, best-of lists, and Q&As with leading thinkers whose culture-changing ideas are made accessible to kids for the first time.
Just as kids begin to disappear into their screens, here is a book (along with its sequels, Unbored Adventure and Unbored Games) that encourages them to use those tech skills to be creative, try new things, and change the world. And it encourages parents to participate. Unbored is exciting to read, easy to use, and appealing to young and old, girl and boy. Parents will be comforted by its anti-perfectionist spirit and humor. Kids will just think it's awesome.
Contributors include Mark Frauenfelder of MAKE magazine; Colin Beavan, the No Impact Man; Douglas Rushkoff, renowned media theorist; Geoff Manaugh, author of BLDGBLOG; John Edgar Park, a CG supervisor at DisneyToon Studios; and Jean Railla, founder of GetCrafty.com and Etsy consultant. -
There's Nothing to Do!
A Bank Street College of Education 2018 Best Children's Book of the Year
In another hilarious book from the I Don’t Want to be a Frog series, young Frog learns an unexpected lesson about how NOT to be bored. Perfect for fans of Mo Willems’s Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back!
Frog is bored. He can’t find ANYTHING to do—even when his animal friends make good suggestions, like sleeping all day, licking between his toes, or hopping around and then staring off into space. Will he find a fun and exciting way to spend his day? Featuring the beloved characters from I Don’t Want to Be a Frog and I Don’t Want to Be Big, this new story is sure to bring a smile to every kid who’s ever said “There’s nothing to do!”
And look for the other books starring Frog: I Don't Want to Be a Frog, I Don't Want to Be Big and I Don't Want to Go to Sleep.
★ "Snappy, spot-on dialogue pairs ideally with the outsize drama of Boldt’s artwork; reading this book belongs on families’ to-do lists."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"In a structured, overstimulated world, downtime needs to be appreciated, and this small amphibian shows the way."—Kirkus -
Bored No More!
Inspired by her own animated short film The ABCs of What to Do When There's Nothing to Do--an official selection of several film festivals--Julie Reiters's Bored No More is the ultimate picture book of boredom busters from A to Z--perfect for any time you're stuck at home or in need of a little inspiration!
Act out a play
Bounce a ball
Call a friend
Dance down the hall
Whether you're home with the flu or stuck inside on a snowy day, this lively picture book offers fun suggestions for families looking to step away from their screens. Julie Reiters's bold and graphic art style is sure to appeal to readers of all ages, and the poetic text makes for a smooth read-aloud. With options from A to Z, Bored No More! is sure to provide inspiration for what to do when there's nothing to do! -
The Highlights Book of Things to Do Indoors
Awaken kids’ imaginations—there’s so much to do inside! The possibilities are endless for indoor fun. Companion to the best-selling Highlights Book of Things to Do, Highlights Book of Things to Do Indoors, features dozens of exciting indoor activities to enjoy at home, in the classroom and anywhere else kids may find themselves indoors! Throughout 160 activity-packed pages kids can discover a variety of fun rainy-day activities that will have the hours flying by as they play the day away inside.
This highly visual, hands-on activity book will banish boredom, foster imagination and unlock new interests. Your child can try out engaging activities like designing an epic obstacle course, creative projects like putting on their very own play, prompts and drawing activities that invite kids to doodle responses directly on the book’s pages and so much more. Organized by subject and covering a wide range of interests, topics covered include: Indoor Adventures, Space and Technology, Helping Others and more.
Great for curious and inquisitive kids, this illustrated, flexi-bound book is jam-packed with dozens of ways for kids to explore, create, problem solve and boost their brainpower as they enjoy hours of screen-free things to do indoors, whether they choose to play solo or alongside friends. -
The Boring Book
A New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2019
Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
The Boring Book is a humorous picture book that follows the story of one particularly bored boy.
As the story progresses, our protagonist discovers there's actually more to boredom than what meets the eye—more questions, more theories, and heaps of humor.
This exploration of boredom from acclaimed author-illustrator Shinsuke Yoshitake playfully—and hilariously—unpacks the ways in which a seemingly stagnant state is actually a portal into a dynamic, life-enriching experience.
• Embraces the topic of boredom—an ever-so-popular kid complaint—and runs with it
• The unique comic format, fast pace, smart humor, and narrative approach makes it ideal for reluctant readers
• A universally hilarious book that will amuse children ages 5 to 8, as well as adults
In addition to banishing boredom, Yoshitake's distinctive illustrations promote visual literacy and show young readers what the process of creative thinking looks like.
This smart, laugh-out-loud picture book just might change your child's perspective on the state of boredom forever.
• A wonderful gift for parents, teachers, educators, librarians, caregivers, and anyone who has to answer to the statement "I'm bored!"
• Perfect for readers of early chapter books
• Great for fans of the Fox & Chick series by Sergio Ruzzier, Waiting Is Not Easy! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems, and I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black -
I Am So Bored!
A little bear is bored and has no idea what to do with himself. He tries to find a friend to play with him, but no one is around or available yet. Dejected, the little bear lays down on the ground with nothing to do but to stare at the sky or the grass. How boring!
Slowly, though, as he sits still, the world begins to come alive around him and his senses are awakened. The grass and the forest around him and the sky above him seem like a very different place and the bear finds himself full of curiosity. He sees things he hasn’t seen before like the shapes in the clouds and feels things he hasn’t felt before like the vibration of a bird’s wings.
I Am So Bored! is a book about imagination, slowing down the pace of life, and the power of all five senses. Take a journey with the little bear as he realizes the beauty of life that exists in the world around him. The perfect story to help little ones wind down and to take a break from screen time. Remember: boredom can sometimes be the best way to have fun.
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A Little SPOT of Boredom
Are you tired of hearing "I'm bored" or "this is boring"? A Little SPOT of Boredom is here to help your child get to the root of their Boredom and have them learn how to creative think and persevere.
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Unplug
Step away from your tablet and take a screen break! With 365 projects, crafts, games, and experiments, there’s off-screen fun for every single day of the year.
With straightforward step-by-step instructions and colorful illustrations, these entertaining, budget-friendly projects will keep kids learning all day long, every day of the year.
Using easy-to-find-at-home materials -
MAKE slime, marble paint, piñatas, and papier-mâché
GROW strawberries, bottle gardens, and herb pots
BAKE cake pops, twist pizzas, and muffins in a mug
EXPERIMENT with vinegar rockets, lava lamps, and parachutes
INVENT secret messages, spooky stories, and board games
PLAY jump rope, balloon volley, ball games, and eye-spy
RECYCLE trash into treasure and T-shirts into bags
PERFORM magic tricks, shadow plays, and puppet shows -
Doodle Cat Is Bored
Doodle Cat is back and he is very bored.
Until he finds a thing!
But what is this thing and what does it do?Following on from Doodle Cat Wears A Cape, writer Kat Patrick and illustrator Lauren Farell have created another hilarious tale featuring the irreverent bright red squiggle who loves just about everything.
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The Unplugged Family Activity Book
Get ready for kid-approved ideas that celebrate the great outdoors year round! Whether you're building forts or making fresh cider, there's something for every kid and every season.
Each season is full of excitement waiting to be found and Rachel highlights the best of each one with sections for recipes, nature exploration and play, and natural history:- In spring, make candied violets, spruce tip ice cream, or paper from wildflower seeds. Craft a kite, weave flower crowns, and make a DIY fairy garden!
- When summer comes, whip up herb-infused balms, rosewater, and zuchinni boats. Host a backyard camp-out, build a nature exploration pack, cast shadow drawings, sail a leaf-boat, and master giant bubbles.
- As the days cool for autumn, brew mulled cider, make spiced honey, and discover the deliciousness of homemade apple sauce. Plant bulbs for next year’s flowers, create an autumn rainbow, or craft a felted acorn necklace.
- Cozy up in winter with homemade maple candy, an herbal tea blend, and learn how to set out pine cone bird feeders. Build a snow fort or try some winter stargazing followed by making paper stars. (Or for those in warmer climates, make an ice lantern!)
Unique celebrations throughout give the entire family a reason to gather, from winter bonfires and Solstice celebrations to maple tappings and beeswax candle dippings!
Disability Pride
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I Am Not a Label
In this stylishly illustrated biography anthology, meet 30 artists, thinkers, athletes, and activists with disabilities, from past and present. From Frida Kahlo to Stephen Hawking, find out how these iconic figures have overcome obstacles, owned their differences, and paved the way for others by making their bodies and minds work for them.
These short biographies tell the stories of people who have faced unique challenges that have not stopped them from becoming trailblazers, innovators, advocates, and makers. Each person is a leading figure in their field, be it sports, science, math, art, breakdancing, or the world of pop.
Challenge your preconceptions of disability and mental health with the eye-opening stories of these remarkable people:
Ludwig van Beethoven, Gustav Kirchoff, Henri Matisse, Eliza Suggs, Helen Keller,
Frida Kahlo, John Nash, Stephen Hawking, Temple Grandin, Stevie Wonder, Nabil Shaban, Terry Fox,
Peter Dinklage, Wanda Diaz Merced, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, Dr Victor Pineda, Farida Bedwei, Stella Young, Lady Gaga, Arunima Sinha, Naoki Higashida, Isabella Spingmuhl Tejada, Aaron Philip, Catalina Devandas Aguilar, Redouan Ait Chitt, Jonas Jacobsson, Trischa Zorn, Ade Adepitan, and Nick Jonas. -
Rolling Warrior
As featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary Crip Camp, and for readers of I Am Malala, one of the most influential disability rights activists in US history tells her story of fighting to belong.
“If I didn’t fight, who would?”
Judy Heumann was only 5 years old when she was first denied her right to attend school. Paralyzed from polio and raised by her Holocaust-surviving parents in New York City, Judy had a drive for equality that was instilled early in life.
In this young readers’ edition of her acclaimed memoir, Being Heumann, Judy shares her journey of battling for equal access in an unequal world—from fighting to attend grade school after being described as a “fire hazard” because of her wheelchair, to suing the New York City school system for denying her a teacher’s license because of her disability. Judy went on to lead 150 disabled people in the longest sit-in protest in US history at the San Francisco Federal Building. Cut off from the outside world, the group slept on office floors, faced down bomb threats, and risked their lives to win the world’s attention and the first civil rights legislation for disabled people.
Judy’s bravery, persistence, and signature rebellious streak will speak to every person fighting to belong and fighting for social justice. -
Not So Different
Not So Different offers a humorous, relatable, and refreshingly honest glimpse into Shane Burcaw’s life. Shane tackles many of the mundane and quirky questions that he’s often asked about living with a disability, and shows readers that he’s just as approachable, friendly, and funny as anyone else.
Shane Burcaw was born with a rare disease called spinal muscular atrophy, which hinders his muscles’ growth. As a result, his body hasn’t grown bigger and stronger as he’s gotten older—it’s gotten smaller and weaker instead. This hasn’t stopped him from doing the things he enjoys (like eating pizza and playing sports and video games) with the people he loves, but it does mean that he routinely relies on his friends and family for help with everything from brushing his teeth to rolling over in bed.
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2017 -
I Will Dance
This poetic and uplifting picture book illustrated by the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of We Are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines follows a young girl born with cerebral palsy as she pursues her dream of becoming a dancer.
Like many young girls, Eva longs to dance. But unlike many would-be dancers, Eva has cerebral palsy. She doesn’t know what dance looks like for someone who uses a wheelchair.
Then Eva learns of a place that has created a class for dancers of all abilities. Her first movements in the studio are tentative, but with the encouragement of her instructor and fellow students, Eva becomes more confident. Eva knows she’s found a place where she belongs. At last her dream of dancing has come true. -
Hello Goodbye Dog
For Zara’s dog, Moose, nothing is more important than being with his favorite girl. So when Zara has to go to school, WHOOSH, Moose escapes and rushes to her side.
Hello, Moose!
Unfortunately, dogs aren’t allowed at school and Moose has to go back home.
Goodbye, Moose.
But Moose can’t be held back for long. Through a series of escalating escapes, this loyal dog always finds her way back to Zara, and with a little bit of training and one great idea, the two friends find a way to be together all day long. -
A Sporting Chance
Telling the inspiring human story behind the creation of the Paralympics, this young readers biography artfully combines archival photos, full-color illustrations, and a riveting narrative to honor the life of Ludwig Guttmann, whose work profoundly changed so many lives.
Dedicating his life to helping patients labeled "incurables," Ludwig Guttmann fought for the rights of paraplegics to live a full life. The young doctor believed--and eventually proved--that physical movement is key to healing, a discovery that led him to create the first Paralympic Games.
Told with moving text and lively illustrations, and featuring the life stories of athletes from the Paralympic Games Ludwig helped create, this story of the man who saved lives through sports will inspire readers of all backgrounds. -
We Want to Go to School!
A Junior Library Guild Selection February 2022
There was a time in the United States when millions of children with disabilities weren't allowed to go to public school. But in 1971, seven kids and their families wanted to do something about it. They knew that every child had a right to an equal education, so they went to court to fight for that right. The case Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia led to laws ensuring children with disabilities would receive a free, appropriate public education. Told in the voice of Janine Leffler, one of the millions of kids who went to school because of these laws, this book shares the true story of this landmark case. -
Rescue & Jessica
A 2019 Schneider Family Book Award Winner
Based on a real-life partnership, the heartening story of the love and teamwork between a girl and her service dog will illuminate and inspire.
Rescue thought he'd grow up to be a Seeing Eye dog -- it's the family business, after all. When he gets the news that he's better suited to being a service dog, he's worried that he's not up to the task. Then he meets Jessica, a girl whose life is turning out differently than the way she'd imagined it, too. Now Jessica needs Rescue by her side to help her accomplish everyday tasks. And it turns out that Rescue can help Jessica see after all: a way forward, together, one step at a time. An endnote from the authors tells more about the training and extraordinary abilities of service dogs, particularly their real-life best friend and black lab, Rescue.
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A Boy And A Jaguar
2015 Schneider Family Book Award Winner
* "A candid and deeply resonant account of a hard-fought battle against societal stigma, and an embrace of one's true talent and calling." —Publisher's Weekly, starred review
Speaking for the animals he loves gives one boy’s life hope, purpose, and truth in this gorgeous picture book autobiography.
Alan loves animals, but the great cat house at the Bronx Zoo makes him sad. Why are they all alone in empty cages? Are they being punished? More than anything, he wants to be their champion—their voice—but he stutters uncontrollably.
Except when he talks to animals…then he is fluent.
Follow the life of the man Time Magazine calls, "the Indiana Jones of wildlife conservation" as he searches for his voice and fulfills a promise to speak for animals, and people, who cannot speak for themselves. This real-life story with tender illustrations by Catia Chien explores truths not defined by the spoken word.
Publishers Weekly Best Book
Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2015
Winner of the 2015 Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Award
2015 Green Earth Book Honor book -
El Deafo
A 2015 Newbery Honor Book & New York Times bestseller!
Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful—and very awkward—hearing aid.
The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear—sometimes things she shouldn’t—but also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is. After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become “El Deafo, Listener for All.” And more importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and find the friend she’s longed for. -
Meeting Mimi
Book Features:
• 24 pages, 7 3⁄4 inches x 7 3⁄4 inches
• Ages 4-8, PreK-Grade 2 leveled readers
• Simple, easy-to-read pages with illustrations
• Features vocabulary and post-reading activities
• Includes reading and teaching tipsIntroduce your child to the magic of reading, friendship, and inclusion with Meeting Mimi: A Story About Different Abilities. The 24-page book features pictures and simple language to practice early reading comprehension skills.
Hands-On Reading Adventure: Mimi is new at school, and everyone is excited to get to know her! Join Mimi’s classmates as they learn about her different abilities, appreciate diversity, and most of all—make a new friend.
Features: More than just an engaging story about friendship and inclusion, this kids book also includes a vocabulary list, reading and teaching tips for mid-story interaction and engagement, and fun, end-of-reading activities.
Leveled Books: Vibrant illustrations and leveled text work together to engage readers and promote reading comprehension skills. This leveled book engages PreK—second graders with new vocabulary and high-interest topics like making friends at school.
Why Rourke Educational Media: Since 1980, Rourke Publishing Company has specialized in publishing engaging and diverse non-fiction and fiction books for children in a wide range of subjects that support reading success on a level that has no limits.
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Lucas at the Paralympics
Introduce your child to the Paralympics--where physically disabled world-class athletes exemplify strength, determination, and courage.
Lucas and Eddie, two physically disabled friends, visit the Paralympics and cheer on blind and physically challenged athletes as they compete in running, swimming, sitting volleyball, para archery, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair basketball, and more.
Readers learn about some of the rules that expedite play and that even the playing field. For example, blind runners wear blindfolds so none of the competitors (some totally blind and some with limited sight) have an unfair advantage. Also, all of the blind competitors are tethered to guides.
Author Igor Plohl, who lost the use of his legs after a spinal injury, is a teacher and passionate advocate for raising awareness of physical disability. As a teacher, he knows the questions children ask and how to answer them.
A CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book -
Emmanuel's Dream
Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah's inspiring true story--which was turned into a film, Emmanuel's Gift, narrated by Oprah Winfrey--is nothing short of remarkable.
Born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg, he was dismissed by most people--but not by his mother, who taught him to reach for his dreams. As a boy, Emmanuel hopped to school more than two miles each way, learned to play soccer, left home at age thirteen to provide for his family, and, eventually, became a cyclist. He rode an astonishing four hundred miles across Ghana in 2001, spreading his powerful message: disability is not inability. Today, Emmanuel continues to work on behalf of the disabled.
Thompson's lyrical prose and Qualls's bold collage illustrations offer a powerful celebration of triumphing over adversity.
Includes an author's note with more information about Emmanuel's charity. -
All the Way to the Top
2021 Schneider Family Book Award Young Children's Honor Book (American Library Association)
Experience the true story of lifelong activist Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins and her participation in the Capitol Crawl in this inspiring autobiographical picture book. This beautifully illustrated story includes a foreword from Jennifer and backmatter detailing her life and the history of the disability rights movement.
This is the story of a little girl who just wanted to go, even when others tried to stop her.
Jennifer Keelan was determined to make a change--even if she was just a kid. She never thought her wheelchair could slow her down, but the way the world around her was built made it hard to do even simple things. Like going to school, or eating lunch in the cafeteria.
Jennifer knew that everyone deserves a voice! Then the Americans with Disabilities Act, a law that would make public spaces much more accessible to people with disabilities, was proposed to Congress. And to make sure it passed, Jennifer went to the steps of the Capitol building in Washington DC to convince them.
And, without her wheelchair, she climbed.
ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP!
A Rise: A Feminist Book Project Nominee
A Junior Library Guild SelectionAll the Way to the Top is perfect for:
- Elementary school teachers looking for books to supplement disability rights curriculum and the history of the ADA (find a free Common-Core Aligned Educator Guide at www.sourcebooks.com)
- Parents looking for social justice picture books, books on activism and for young activists, and inspiring books for girls
- Parents, teachers, librarians, and guardians looking for beautifully illustrated, inspirational and educational books for young readers in their life
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Roll with It
“A big-hearted story that’s as sweet as it is awesome.” —R.J. Palacio, author of Wonder
“An honest, emotionally rich take on disability, family, and growing up.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
In the tradition of Wonder and Out of My Mind, this big-hearted middle grade debut tells the story of an irrepressible girl with cerebral palsy whose life takes an unexpected turn when she moves to a new town.
Ellie’s a girl who tells it like it is. That surprises some people, who see a kid in a wheelchair and think she’s going to be all sunshine and cuddles. The thing is, Ellie has big dreams: She might be eating Stouffer’s for dinner, but one day she’s going to be a professional baker. If she’s not writing fan letters to her favorite celebrity chefs, she’s practicing recipes on her well-meaning, if overworked, mother.
But when Ellie and her mom move so they can help take care of her ailing grandpa, Ellie has to start all over again in a new town at a new school. Except she’s not just the new kid—she’s the new kid in the wheelchair who lives in the trailer park on the wrong side of town. It all feels like one challenge too many, until Ellie starts to make her first-ever friends. Now she just has to convince her mom that this town might just be the best thing that ever happened to them! -
Fish in a Tree
"Fans of R.J. Palacio's Wonder will appreciate this feel-good story of friendship and unconventional smarts." --Kirkus Reviews
Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there's a lot more to her--and to everyone--than a label, and that great minds don't always think alike.
The author of the beloved One for the Murphys gives readers an emotionally-charged, uplifting novel that will speak to anyone who's ever thought there was something wrong with them because they didn't fit in. This paperback edition includes The Sketchbook of Impossible Things and discussion questions.
A New York Times Bestseller
* "Unforgettable and uplifting."--School Library Connection, starred review
* "Offering hope to those who struggle academically and demonstrating that a disability does not equal stupidity, this is as unique as its heroine."--Booklist, starred review
* "Mullaly Hunt again paints a nuanced portrayal of a sensitive, smart girl struggling with circumstances beyond her control." --School Library Journal, starred review
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This Kid Can Fly: It's About Ability (NOT Disability)
"At once beautiful and heartbreaking, Aaron Philip found a way to make me laugh even as I choked up, found a way to bring on my empathy without ever allowing me to feel sorry for him. An eye-opening debut." —Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award winner and Newbery Honor author of Brown Girl Dreaming
In this heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting memoir, Aaron Philip, a fourteen-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, shows how he isn't defined so much by his disability as he is by his abilities.
Written with award-winning author Tonya Bolden, This Kid Can Fly chronicles Aaron's extraordinary journey from happy baby in Antigua to confident teen artist in New York City. His honest, often funny stories of triumph—despite physical difficulties, poverty, and other challenges—are as inspiring as they are eye-opening.
Includes photos and original illustrations from Aaron's personal collection.
Wondering What to Read Next?
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