EDUC X460 Books for Reading Instruction

Every winter, a young girl flies to Haiti to visit her Auntie Luce, a painter. Through Haiti's colors, the girl comes to understand this place her family calls home.

Carter's father could not read or write, but he believed in being an informed citizen. So Carter read the newspaper to him every day, and from this practice, he learned about the world and how to find out what he didn't know. Many years later, when he was a student at Harvard University (the second African-American and the only child of enslaved parents to do so), one of his professors said that black people had no history. Carter knew that wasn't true--and he set out to make sure the rest of us knew as well.

Set during World War II, Ada Ruth and her grandma keep up their daily routine, missing Mama all the time. They find strength in each other, and a stray kitten even arrives one day to keep them company, but nothing can fill the hole Mama left. Every day they wait, watching for the letter that says Mama will be coming on home soon.

The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty.

In this story told in a series of rhyming poems, Zuri faces her fears about starting a new school year with the help of free-spirited best friend, Danitra.

David and his family travel back in time to attend the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, where they make friends in an immigrant neighborhood, his historian mother gives a lecture about the future, and his grandmother meets her father as a boy.

A joyous celebration of family, community, and the unifying power of music, perfect for fans of Last Stop on Market Street. Nic is an aspiring musician whose life spans two different worlds--his suburban school where he wows his friends in orchestra, and the busy city streets of his home where he's jostled by the crowd. Nic makes his way home from a busy day at school with a double bass on his back, the symphony of his surroundings in his heart, and a sweet surprise for the reader at the end of his journey. This is a sweet, melodious picture book about how dedication, music, and family can overcome any obstacle.

Ellen has always known that the broom hanging on her family's cabin wall is a special symbol of her parents' wedding during slave days, so she proudly carries it to the courthouse when the marriage becomes legal.

Every year, Haitians all over the world ring in the new year by eating a special soup, a tradition dating back to the Haitian Revolution. This year, Ti Gran is teaching Belle how to make the soup -- Freedom Soup -- just like she was taught when she was a little girl.

There's a place in this 1950s southern town where all are welcome, no matter what their skin color and Tricia Ann knows exactly how to get there. To her, it's someplace special and she's bursting to go by herself.

Against the backdrop of a young boy's annual family reunion, this is a story in celebration of Black history, culture, and the power of family traditions.

A little girl's daddy steps in to help her arrange her curly, coiling, wild hair into styles that allow her to be her natural, beautiful self.

No matter how gently Mama pulls as she combs Keyana's hair, it still hurts.Keyana doesn't feel lucky to have such a head of hair, but Mama tells her she is because she can wear it any way she chooses.

Sophie lives with Mama and Daddy and Grandpa, who spends his days by the window. Every day after school, it's Grandpa whom Sophie runs to. "Here I am, Grandpa!" "Ah, Sophie, how was your day?" As Sophie and her grandpa talk, he asks her to find items he's "lost" throughout the day, guiding Sophie on a tour through his daily life and connecting their generations.

A sweet tale of overcoming your fears, the author captures a moment between a patient and encouraging father and a determined little boy.

Anything is possible when Lily paints, and she discovers how exciting and varied the world can look to different people.

Sent to buy special butter for Mama Pearl's candied sweet potatoes and told to get back lickety-split, Little Cliff is delayed by all his neighbors when they want to contribute their own ingredients.

Little John is proud of his mother's work as a stonecutter for a cathedral called "Big John," but struggles to understand the importance of spending so much time on one stone that no one will know Momma cut.

When a child wakes up feeling sick, she is treated to a good dose of Mommy Medicine.

When is an old truck something more? On a small, bustling farm, a resilient and steadfast pickup works tirelessly alongside the family that lives there, and becomes a part of the dreams and ambitions of the family's young daughter.After long days and years of hard work leave the old truck rusting in the weeds, it's time for the girl to roll up her sleeves. Soon she is running her own busy farm, and in the midst of all the repairing and restoring, it may be time to bring her faithful childhood companion back to life.With an eye-catching retro design and cleverly nuanced illustrations, The Old Truck celebrates the rewards of determination and the value of imagination.

Two toddlers meet their match and go through the adventures of trying to take care of a very naughty puppy.

When Precious is left home alone with a stomachache, she's got nothing but a warning from Mama -- "Don't let nothing or nobody into this house" -- to keep her company. You see, "nothing or nobody" could turn out to be something awful: the Boo Hag!

Inspired by this song's enduring significance, Kelly Starling Lyons and Keith Mallett tell a story about the generations of families who gained hope and strength from the song's inspiring words.

A Tale of Two Mommies lets us look inside one non-traditional family, a same sex couple and their son. As the children talk, it's clear this boy lives in a nurturing environment where the biggest issues are the everyday challenges of growing up.

The story of one family's journey north during the Great Migration starts with a little girl in South Carolina who finds a rope under a tree one summer. She has no idea the rope will become part of her family's history.

Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson has written a poignant picture book about a little girl who waits hopefully for her father's release from prison. Here is a story of strong families who understand the meaning of unconditional love.

A young girl describes her various relatives and the foods they bring to the annual family picnic.