Recommended Reads from the Children's Collection @ the Education Library

Meet Zubi: a joyful Bangladeshi girl excited about her first day of school. But when Zubi sees her mother frowning in the mirror and talking about being "too big," she starts to worry about her own body and how she looks. As her day goes on, she hears more and more people being critical of each other's and their own bodies, until her outburst over dinner leads her family to see what they've been doing wrong--and to help Zubi see that we can all make the world a more beautiful place by being beautifully ourselves.

This story about a multiracial child navigating identity and belonging draws from author Tasha Spillett-Sumner's own experience growing up as an Afro-Indigenous girl. Lyrical text and warm, lively illustrations show Izzy's journey as she learns to celebrate the differences that make her uniquely beautiful, and the connection to her mother that transcends physical traits.

On a hike with her grandparents, a young Indian-American girl makes note of all the things in nature that are brown, too. From a nurturing mother bear, to the steadiness of deep twisting roots, to the beauty of a wild mustang, brown is everywhere! On her way, the girl collects the beautiful brown things she encounters as mementos for a scrapbook to share with a very special new addition to her family--a baby brother! Brown is you. Brown is me.

I am a butterfly. I spin and swirl, twist and twirl, flutter and flap, and when I open my wings, I fly! A young child loves the spots and patterns found on butterflies, and fashions bold orange wings to become a butterfly child. But when other kids shun the child for the clothes they don't understand, it takes a father's encouragement for the kid to stay true to what they love and find joy in the butterfly wings once more.

A celebration of love in all its forms, I Am Love asks readers to look inward when they feel afraid. Love allows us to act with compassion and kindness, to live with gratitude, and to take care of ourselves by practicing self-love.

What will you choose to be?  A free spirit?  A weaver of words?  A star dancing across the night sky?  A limitless galaxy?  The possibilities are endless in this uplifting ode to the power of potential.

A young narrator describes herself- a girl, a granddaughter, Indian, and American. Soon, we see the young girl as a plethora of things- selfish and generous, mean and kind, brave and mischievous. While many of these qualities oppose each other, the context and illustrations make it abundantly clear that she speaks the truth. She is a walking contradiction, and that is precisely what makes her both a unique individual and an essential piece of the greater world around her.

You are . . .You are . . .You are . . . Every child is full to bursting with amazing things! This joyful poem celebrates the wonderful and complex identity of children of immigrants and refugees, embracing all that they are--a dancer, a shining light, a K-pop song--and promising what they will never be: invisible.

A determined Owl builds strength and confidence in this medieval picture book about the real mettle of a hero: wits, humor, and heart.

Timmy loves to perform, but only when there isn't an audience! When Timmy feels most nervous, their shy inner lion roars all their confidence away.

This book details all the big and small reasons why we love the people we do within a call-and-response picture book that features families across the spectrum. Meant to be read aloud by one or even two people, this affirming prose demonstrates that love is a dialogue. Love is complex. Love is utterly simple. This is what love looks like.

This engaging and beautiful picture book follows a young biracial girl named Simone as she searches for her own place in the world.

A timely story of two teenagers who discover the power of friendship, feminism, and standing up for what you believe in, no matter where you come from. Malena Rosario is starting to believe that catastrophes come in threes. First, Hurricane María destroyed her home, taking her unbreakable spirit with it. Second, she and her mother are now stuck in Florida, which is nothing like her beloved Puerto Rico. And third, when she goes to school bra-less after a bad sunburn and is humiliated by the school administration into covering up, she feels like she has no choice but to comply.   Ruby McAllister has a reputation as her school's outspoken feminist rebel. So when Ruby notices the new girl is being forced to cover up her chest, she is not willing to keep quiet about it. The girls will have to face their own insecurities, biases, and privileges, and the ups and downs in their newfound friendship, if they want to stand up for their ideals and--ultimately--for themselves.  

An inspiring story of identity and self-esteem from celebrated athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick. When Colin Kaepernick was five years old, he was given a simple school assignment: draw a picture of yourself and your family. What young Colin does next with his brown crayon changes his whole world and worldview, providing a valuable lesson on embracing and celebrating his Black identity through the power of radical self-love and knowing your inherent worth. I Color Myself Different is a joyful ode to Black and Brown lives based on real events in young Colin's life that is perfect for every reader's bookshelf. It's a story of self-discovery, staying true to one's self, and advocating for change... even when you're very little!