WNDB – Heise Reads & Recommends

READ ACROSS the Regions of AMERICA

Jillian Heise — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Two years ago NEA changed the focus of Read Across America away from Dr. Seuss and to “Celebrating a Nation of Diverse Readers” – moving away from a singular focus on, and raising up of, one white male author who has a history of racist imagery* and toward a year-long celebration of the diversity that makes our country what it is. Yet many schools still cling to the tradition without using a critical lens to consider what message the year after year celebration of just one author sends to students. Dr. Seuss can be both a beloved author AND ALSO problematic. So it’s time to move away from a day and week celebrating Seuss and into a focus on inclusive choices that more kids can relate to.

Because we cannot let nostalgia guide our decisions. Because we cannot allow racist or stereotyped imagery to be part of what we promote through our read aloud choices. Because we cannot refuse to move on from the past and bypass our responsibility to represent the entirety of what America is about today.

To help in efforts to have a more diverse & inclusive focus for students,

last year I shared a list of 50 inclusive picture book read aloud alternatives.

This year, I selected 5 titles for each of the 5 regions of the United States

(Northeast, Southeast, South, West, Midwest) you could use next week to

truly represent and Read Across the Regions of America.

READ ACROSS the Regions of AMERICA
*You can shop this list, through my Bookshop affiliate link supporting independent bookstores + my work.

You can also access the Google slideshow using this link. You can then save as a shortcut to your Drive.
It is not open for making a copy to protect the integrity of the work & ensure you will see any changes.
If you trying to share with students and getting blocked by enterprise Google settings, use this published to the web version for sharing.

If you are looking for alternatives to traditional purposes for Dr. Seuss books, this post from Teach for the Change on Instagram is a good starting point.

*If you’re unaware of the issues with Dr. Seuss, these links will be helpful:
The Cat is Out of the Bag: Orientalism, Anti-Blackness, and White Supremacy in Dr. Seuss’s Children’s Books

Is the Cat in the Hat Racist? Read Across America Shifts Away From Dr. Seuss and Toward Diverse Books (School Library Journal)

Thread from The Conscious Kid in the #DisruptTexts slow chat

New Study Published on Racism and Dr. Seuss (School Library Journal)

100 Picture Books Including Black People and Communities & Why You Need Them

Jillian Heise — Fri, 29 May 2020 22:11:00 +0000

*Update 6/5/2020: After seeing tweets from several Black educators/ authors/ scholars about the need to promote Black voices first and foremost in any work right now, it made me reconsider this list. Upon reflecting on my initial process for adding titles I recognize that it was a mistake to put together a list like this at this time for this purpose without consideration of who created the book. Although I considered positive representation of the characters and families, I should also have considered the representation of the creators. I have removed the 21 books from the original list that were from non-Black authors/illustrators. I have replaced those titles with new selections from Black authors and/or illustrators with the same focus on joyful everyday experiences instead of oppression. I did leave books that have Black illustrators even if a non-Black author or a Black author with a non-Black illustrator. The additions begin after Hey, Black Child.

*Edited 6/4/2020 to include links to additional recommendation lists from Black librarians and other BIPOC created recommendation lists I saw after publishing mine. Though my original purpose in this list was to speak more directly to non-Black educators, I want to be sure to also amplify Black and BIPOC voices for you to follow. They appear before the start of my list.

When the news comes out about things in this country that shatters hearts, & we see Black people bleeding their pain onto the screen in the hope that it will get through to white folx, it shows that we white folx have so much more work yet to do. It is work that doesn’t ever stop, but if you haven’t even started yet… what the hell are you waiting for? Lives are at stake. And it’s going to take all of us to do this work.

Because Black Lives Matter.

We have to stand next to our Black colleagues and those we learn from and bear witness to what they share. And then we have to act. We have to do the work, the internal work, to do and be better. Because standing by should not be an option. As Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi make clear in STAMPED: RACSIM, ANTI-RACISM, AND YOU, if you’re not being anti-racist, by definition you are being racist. Read the book as your starting point and then share and discuss with the kids in your life.

Because Black Lives Matter.

White women especially, we have work to do. When we know that calling the police on a Black man can lead to his death, and when we hear stories like those that come out over and over and over and over and over and over and over again about the fear Black people in this country live with, sometimes it’s hard to feel like you know what to do. But there is one thing we can always do – and that is consider how, in our role as educators, we can impact belief systems that start when kids are young.

Because Black Lives Matter.

What can we do as white educators? What can we do as educators to lean in to anti-racist practices? It starts with doing the internal work necessary to acknowledge & break down biases and stereotypes & catch ourselves heading into the kind of thinking that leads to Black people being killed. And Black children being killed. Consider how your actions in the school building might be perpetuating racism. Consider what Christina Torres reminds us of: we need to check our own biases or we are perpetuating systems of oppression.

We look at the systemic racism and oppression that leads to white people walking up to steps carrying weapons and allowed to peacefully protest having to stay at home while Black communities get tear gas and riot gear. If you’re more concerned about Colin Kaepernick’s knee than that police officer’s, you have serious work to do on gaining a deeper understanding of systemic oppression. We can grow in our anti-racist practices and understanding of these systems through books & resources that educate us. This link intended for white parents, that also applies to white educators (shared by Brittany Packnett Cunningham on twitter), could be a good starting point. And this site, Opportunities for White People in the Fight for Racial Justice supports a deeper understanding of how to move from actor through ally to accomplice.

Because Black Lives Matter.

But what about in an elementary school? First, we have to understand that it starts young! And we need to reflect on how we act toward Black boys, in particular, as Dr. Kim Parker shared in this open letter, and the impact that has on developing beliefs about self and toward others. This is the time when kids are learning about others & growing opinions and developing their stances. We can’t avoid it just because they are young – we have to start here.

Because Black Lives Matter.

And it starts with humanizing Black people. Edith Campbell shares scholarship around the history of depicting Black people as simians and what that does to perpetuate stereotypes. Something that embedded doesn’t just stay in historical times. We have to read that research and listen to it and reflect on it and sharpen our own critical lenses and understand how it plays out in the books we share with kids at an impressionable age. We have to know it so we can see it and work to find stories that humanize Black people instead of perpetuating a view of them being less than human.

Because Black Lives Matter.

We have to know that if we only share stories about oppression & struggle, that is the singular story that kids begin to internalize about Black people (if you don’t already know Chimamanda Adichie’s TED Talk about the “Danger of a Single Story” you should). In 1990 Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop coined the theory of mirrors, windows, & sliding glass doors which you likely know. But have you really considered all of what she was saying?

“Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created or recreated by the author. When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror. Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection we can see our own lives and experiences as part of the larger human experience. Reading, then, becomes a means of self- affirmation, and readers often seek their mirrors in books.”

It matters desperately for Black kids to see mirrors of themselves in books in positive, joyful ways. Bishop further points out, “When children cannot find themselves reflected in the books they read, or when the images they see are distorted, negative, or laughable, they learn a powerful lesson about how they are devalued in the society of which they are a part.” But do you also know and acknowledge this part of her piece?

“Children from dominant social groups have always found their mirrors in books, but they, too, have suffered from the lack of availability of books about others. They need the books as windows onto reality, not just on imaginary worlds. They need books that will help them understand the multicultural nature of the world they live in… In this country, where racism is still one of the major unresolved social problems… If they see only reflections of themselves, they will grow up with an exaggerated sense of their own importance and value in the world”

Because it’s equally vital that white kids see windows into the lives, communities, & humanity of Black people.

Because Black Lives Matter.

So we are obligated to do more. We have to show Black Girl Magic & Black Boy Joy. We have to celebrate Black people (and not just in February). We have to show everyday stories of Black people. We have to show pride in Black peoples’ stories. We have to show the joyfulness and strength in Black communities. We have to honor Black people and communities. We have to do this in our curriculum and through the books we choose to share.

Because Black Lives Matter.

Over the past days, my mind kept returning to how educators have the ability to use books in response to current events. To pull picture books off the shelf right now to read with kids to show love for Black students & for other students to see that love. Because as children’s book author/illustrator Christian Robinson points out, “When children see themselves and their experiences reflected in books, they are being sent a message that their story matters and that they matter.” And they need to be seen in all of wholeness of all of their humanity. So we need to reach for those books that will remind Black kids in our classrooms the beauty within their skin. Those books that will remind other kids of the wholeness of their humanity. Those books that can impact hearts & minds. It’s one thing I know I can do. It’s one thing you can do, too.

Because Black Lives Matter.

And they have to matter to all of us.

*Before getting to my list, I want to give a shoutout to two Black librarians who I greatly admire who have shared their own lists of books (for all levels, not just picture books)!

Edith Campbell – Books for Black Children – Edi “selected titles that Black parents, caregivers and teachers can use to help Black children to feel safe, to embrace their blackness and become better able to talk about and confront racism.”

Alia Jones – Black Joy Booklist for Children and Young Adults – Alia ” highlighted some books in our Library collection that affirm Black childhood and encourage Black youth to dream, speak up, and get started on the path towards liberation. “

*And also share more BIPOC-created recommendation lists:

Sujei Lugo Vázquez & Alia Jones partnered to create this incredible Black Lives Matter Reading List for Children

Brittany, a Black educator, shared a thread of Children’s Books that Discuss Race & Racism

Karina Yan Glaser, Chinese-American author, shared a thread of 100 Must-Read Children’s Books by African-American Creators.

100 Picture Books Including Black People & Communities
Shop this list at Bookshop to support independent bookstores!

I Am Every Good Thing

by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James

M is for Melanin: A Celebration of the Black Child

written and illustrated by Tiffany Rose

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut

by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James

Hair Love

by Matthew A. Cherry, illustrated by Vashti Harrison

Sulwe

by Lupita Nyong’o, illustrated by Vashti Harrison

Bedtime Bonnet

by Nancy Amanda Redd, illustrated by Nneka Myers

Black is a Rainbow Color

by Angela Joy, illustrated by Ekua Holmes

Early Sunday Morning

by Denene Millner, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

The King of Kindergarten

by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Grandma’s Purse

written and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Freedom Soup

by Tami Charles, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara

Not Quite Snow White

by Ashley Franklin, illustrated by Ebony Glenn

I Can Write the World

by Joshunda Sanders, illustrated by Charly Palmer

Saturday

written and illustrated by Oge Mora

I Am Enough

by Grace Byers, illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo

I Believe I Can

by Grace Byers, illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo

Looking for Bongo

written and illustrated by Eric Velasquez

The Day You Begin

by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López

Honeysmoke

by Monique Fields, illustrated by Yesenia Moises

Hands Up!

by Breanna J. McDaniel, illustrated by Shane W. Evans

What is Given from the Heart

by Patricia C. McKissack, illustrated by April Harrison

Double Bass Blues

by Andrea J. Loney, illustrated by Rudy Gurierrez

Trombone Shorty

by Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, illustrated by Bryan Collier

Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat

written and illustrated by Javaka Steptoe

When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc & the Creation of Hip Hop

by Laban Carrick Hill, illustrated by Theodore Taylor III

The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop

by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison

I Got the Rhythm

by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by Frank Morrison

I Got the Christmas Spirit

by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by Frank Morrison

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville

by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Frank Morrison

Mae Among the Stars

by Roda Ahmed, illustrated by Stasia Burrington

The Undefeated

by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change

by Michelle Cook, illustrated by 14 Black Artists

Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions

by Chris Barton, illustrated by Don Tate

Firebird

by Misty Copeland, illustrated by Christopher Myers

Astro Girl

written and illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max

The Patchwork Bike

by Maxine Beneba Clarke, illustrated by Van Thanh Rudd

Don’t Touch My Hair!

written and illustrated by Sharee Miller

I Can Be Anything! Don’t Tell Me I Can’t

written and illustrated by Diane Dillon

Thank You, Omu!

written and illustrated by Oge Mora

Happy Hair

written and illustrated by Mechal Renee Roe

Cool Cuts

written and illustrated by Mechal Renee Roe

That Is My Dream!

by Langston Hughes, illustrated by Daniel Miyares

The Field

by Baptiste Paul, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara

Nighttime Symphony

by Timbaland, illustrated by Christopher Myers

Another

written and illustrated by Christian Robinson

Rocket Says Look Up

by Nathan Bryon, illustrated by Dapo Adeloa

Calling the Water Drum

by Latisha Redding, illustrated by Aaron Boyd

How to Find a Fox

written and illustrated by Nilah Magruder

Baby Goes to Market

by Atinuke, illustrated by Angela Brooksbank

The Ring Bearer

written and illustrated by Floyd Cooper

My Daddy Rules the World

written and illustrated by Hope Anita Smith

Being You

by Alexs Pate, illustrated by Soud

My Hair is a Garden

written and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera

Sleep Well, Siba & Saba

by Nansubuga Isdahl, illustrated by Sandra Van Doorn

Cece Loves Science

by Kimberly Derting & Shelli R. Johannes, illustrated by Vashti Harrison

Princess Hair

written and illustrated by Sharee Miller

Be a King: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream and You

by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by James E. Ransome

Loretta’s Gift

by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Alea Marley

When Aidan Became a Brother

by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita

Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration

by Samara Cole Doyon, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita

Going Down Home with Daddy

by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Daniel Minter

I Got Next

written and illustrated by Daria Peoples-Riley

Sing a Song: How “Lift Every Voice and Sing” Inspired Generations

by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Keith Mallett

The Night Is Yours

by Zachariah Abdul-Razak, illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo

Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams

by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James E. Ransome

Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins

by Michelle Meadows, illustrated by Ebony Glenn

Dance Like Starlight: One Ballerina’s Dream

by Kristy Dempsey, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Bedtime for Sweet Creatures

by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

Who Will You Be?

written and illustrated by Andrea Pippins

Nana Akua Goes to School

by Tricia Elam Walker, illustrated by April Harrison

Brown Sugar Babe

by Charlotte Watson Sherman, illustrated by Akem Akem

Just Like a Mama

by Alice Faye Duncan, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow

Dream Big, Little One

written and illustrated by Vashti Harrison

A Girl Like Me

by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Nina Crews

You Matter

written and illustrated by Christian Robinson

Blue Sky White Stars

by Sarvinder Naberhaus, illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Boy

by Tony Medina, illustrated by 13 Artists

Dear Black Boy: It’s OK to Cry.

written by Ebony Lewis, illustrated by Jasmine Grant

Hey Black Child

by Useni Eugene Perkins, illustrated by Bryan Collier

*The newly added titles to replace ones that were from non-Black authors/illustrators start here.

The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen

by Thelma Lynne Godin, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

A Night Out with Mama

by Quvenzhane Wallis, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Homemade Love

by bell hooks, illustrated by Shane W. Evans

Title

by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

My People

by Langston Hughes, illustrated by Charles R. Smith Jr.

Parker Looks Up

by Parker & Jessica Curry, illustrated by Brittany Jackson

Please note this critique of the Native representation in this particular book. It should not be shared uncritically.

The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family

by Ibtihaj Muhammad & S.K. Ali, illustrated by Hatem Aly

Max and the Tag-Along Moon

written and illustrated by Floyd Cooper

My Mommy Medicine

by Edwidge Danticat, illustrated by Shannon Wright

B is for Baby

by Atinuke, illustrated by Angela Brooksbank

Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles

by Michelle Meadows, illustrated by Ebony Glenn

Mommy’s Khimar

by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Ebony Glenn

My Story, My Dance: Robert Battle’s Journey to Alvin Ailey

by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James E. Ransome

Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me

by Daniel Beaty, illustrated by Bryan Collier

City Shapes

by Diana Murray, illustrated by Bryan Collier

The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore

by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

Visiting Day

by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by James E. Ransome

Real Sisters Pretend

by Megan Dowd Lambert, illustrated by Nicole Tadgell

Dancing in the Wings

by Debbie Allen, illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children

by Sandra L. Pinkney, illustrated by Myles C. Pinkney

Woke Baby

by Theodore Taylor III, illustrated by Mahogany L. Browne

And a few bonus books to deepen understanding about why this list is necessary…

Anti-Racist Baby

by Ibram X. Kendi, illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky

Skin Again

by bell hooks, illustrated by Chris Raschka

Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness

written and illustrated by Anastasia Higginbotham

Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship

by Irene Latham & Charles Waters, illustrated by Sean Qualls & Selina Alko

This Book is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work

written by Tiffany Jewell, illustrated by Aurélia Durand

STAMPED: Racism, Antiracism, and You
A REMIX of the National Book Award winning STAMPED FROM THE BEGINNING

written by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi

Because Black Lives Matter.

*The books that were originally on the list that show positive, joyful representation of Black people, but removed during the edit to focus on Black creators, are listed below:

Swashby and the Sea

Must Love Books

Marvelous Cornelius

Little Humans

What is Hip Hop?

Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet

Jabari Jumps

Say Something

The Word Collector

Harriet Got Carried Away

What If…

My Kicks

Ada Twist Scientist

Out

Windows

Allie All Along

Alfie

Charlie Takes His Shot

Happy Right Now

The Camping Trip

22 Asian American #ownvoices Picture Books for #classroombookaday

Jillian Heise — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 22:25:00 +0000

With everything happening and changing quickly with the concerns around Covid-19 and most schools being closed, I wanted to do some posts recommending picture books that you could record to share as virtual read alouds for your students (sharing in password-protected/closed groups or unlisted on YouTube preferably) to keep your #classroombookaday community going…if you are in an area where all families have access and the school supported providing devices if necessary. If not, then these recommendations would be good for you to read and add to your list for when we are back in school again.

Most publishers have provided temporary open permissions during this time, but please see their sites for the complete detailed requirements before you record. Kate Messner is keeping an updated list of them here.& SLJ has an updated list here.

*Starred titles are from publishers who I have not yet seen a permissions statement from for video read alouds.

As I was contemplating how to focus this recommendation list, I saw this tweet from Kate, which clarified it for me. *Edited 3/19 4:45pm: I was called in on the fact that using Asian instead of Asian American is not the best way to word this as it “others” and erases the American identity that Asian Americans have. I have corrected each of my uses of the term & share to make my learning transparent and to help others learn also.

One of the ways I use my #classroombookaday choices intentionally is to help combat racism, bias, and stereotypes. What better chance than now to make this impact by featuring books from Asian American creators?

I also highly recommend this more extensive book list from the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association that was shared by Dr. Sarah Park Dahlen, who is a scholar in the area of Asian representation in children’s literature, for further recommendations for all levels.

22 Asian American #ownvoices Picture Books for #classroombookaday

Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao

by Kat Zhang, illustrated by Charlene Chua

(Chinese)

Auntie Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic

by Ginnie Lo, illustrated by Beth Lo

(Chinese)

Bee-bim Bop!

by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Ho Baek Lee

(Korean)

A Big Bed for Little Snow

by Grace Lin

(Chinese)

A Big Mooncake for Little Star

by Grace Lin

(Chinese)

Dumpling Dreams: How Joyce Chen Brought the Dumpling from Beijing to Cambridge

by Carrie Clickard, illustrated by Katy Wu

(Chinese)

Drawn Together

by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat

(Vietnamese & Thai)

Grand Canyon

by Jason Chin

(Chinese)

Grandmother’s Visit*

by Betty Quan, illustrated by Carmen Mok

(Chinese)

Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando*

by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Kana Urbanowicz

(Japanese)

A Map Into the World

by Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Seo Kim

(Hmong)

A Morning with Grandpa

by Sylvia Liu, illustrated by Christina Forshay

(Chinese)

My Footprints*

by Bao Phi, illustrated by Basia Tran

(Vietnamese)

The Name Jar

by Yangsook Choi

(Korean)

The Nian Monster*

by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Alina Chau

(Chinese)

Ojiichans Gift*

by Chieri Uegaki, illustrated by Genevieve Simms

(Japanese)

One Hug

by Katrina Moore, illustrated by Julia Woolf

(Chinese)

Sam & Eva

by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

(Japanese)

Suki’s Kimono*

by Chieri Uegaki, illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch

(Japanese)

Sumo Joe

by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Nat Iwata

(Japanese)

Tiny Feet Between the Mountains

by Hanna Cha

(Korean)

The Turtle Ship*

by Helena Ku Rhee, illustrated by Colleen Kong-Savage

(Korean)

Please support your independent bookstores during this time!!
You can support my work & indies by shopping this list at my bookshop.org affiliate link.

Sharing the Heart to Offset the Hate in the Headlines: Books From Muslim Authors

Jillian Heise — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 00:48:00 +0000

With the news about the terrorist attack on mosques in New Zealand, my mind went to books I could share with students. The books that would help them better understand the wearing of a hijab. The books that would help them better understand what it means when they hear the word Muslim or Islam. The books that would help them better understand that there are Muslim authors in this country writing books for them to read. The books that would help them better understand that our library is an inclusive space. The books that would help them better understand the heart of the people instead of the hate from the headlines. The books that would help them better understand that we are not talking about an “other” but a “someone”. Because that is the power of books. They grow understanding and empathy, and if we are critical about representation and are intentional about what and when we share and promote them, they can grow a better society. So I’m sharing some recommendations of kidlit books by Muslim authors and illustrators. I hope you find titles to read and share on these lists.

Yo Soy Muslim, Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets, Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Saffron Ice Cream, Mommy’s Khimar, Under My Hijab, Malala’s Magic Pencil, Stepping Stones, Salam Alaikum, The Proudest Blue, Bilal Cooks Daal, Leila in Saffron

Early Chapter Books: Meet Yasmin (series), Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream (trilogy).
Middle Grade Novels: Amina’s Voice, The Gauntlet, Amal Unbound, Other Words for Home

Love From A To Z, Saints & Misfits, Internment, Love Hate & Other Filters, Shatter Me (series), Written in the Stars, A Land of Permanent Goodbyes, The Secret Sky, An Ember in the Ashes (series), A Very Large Expanse of Sea,
& on my TBR: Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali, The Candle and the Flame

ANOTHER – Wordless Picture Book(s)

Jillian Heise — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 02:10:00 +0000

I love wordless picture books! When I heard Christian Robinson was debuting his first book as author & illustrator, I was excited to see what it would be about. When I heard it was a wordless picture book, I was even more intrigued.

And ANOTHER does not disappoint. Evoking a sense of wonder with its playfulness and creativity, there is much for kids to imagine in conjunction with each page. And I especially love that the idea for this story came from him thinking about diverse representation and wondering “what if you saw yourself in a book…literally”

interior spreads

Reading wordless picture books with students never fails to help me discover more than I could on my own. When kids get time to explore what they notice in the illustrations, they often point out things I missed or overlooked, and their enthusiasm in pouring over the pictures to find clues to the story is a joy to see. I can’t wait to see what they discover in the world of ANOTHER!

Some more of my favorite wordless picture books to share with students during #classroombookaday read alouds.

Positive Representation Matters

Jillian Heise — Sun, 06 May 2018 20:15:00 +0000

I’ve been using the phrase #representationmatters in a lot of my postings about books lately. (sidenote: where did that phrase originate? If anyone knows, please share!) Because it does. Because kids need to see themselves represented in the books they read. Their lives need to be validated. All of the different variations of lives and families and types of people there are need to be represented in books we share with all kids. But…it has to be a positive representation.

And that’s where frustration sometimes comes in. How disappointing is it when a book has such potential to be a wonderful representation for our kids who need it, but it somehow goes wrong in the execution. I’m not claiming to know it all, but I am pushing myself to be a more critical reader in considering how representations in the books we share with kids can affect those kids views of themselves and others. Below are a couple of recent books that I had high hopes for that were a big let down.

I don’t share this post to slam these books, but to urge caution. Because sometimes we can get drawn in by the concept or the cover with our high hopes, yet we need to make sure not to miss the negatives that the images or text might portray, explicitly or implicitly. I urge caution to not just put a diversity of representations in your classrooms or libraries or read them aloud to kids without a critical reading and realization of the hurt some representations could cause, or the underlying messages that could be sent.

NOT RECOMMENDED: A couple of books that have been disappointing recently…

Natalie’s Hair Was Wild
I was really sure what to think about this after I finished. It was not at all what I was expecting, but I was left feeling unsettled by it. The implication that natural hair is dirty and in need of taming was alarming.
Sidenote: This post from a reviewer who was asked to tone down her critique “Why Every Book Made for Our Black Girls Ain’t a Good Book”, that emphasizes the damaging representation this book presents.

Pink is for Boys
Though I like the message this book sends about gender perception and not gendering neutral things like color, and enjoyed the simplicity of how it cheerfully presents it to kids, there is an issue. In the illustrations of the diverse children throughout the book, there are some that have eyes that look noticeably different in shape from the roundness of all the rest. They have angled lines for eyes, seemingly referencing them being Asian children. It bothered me enough to look back at it wondering if I really saw that, which means it’s subtle enough to not send an obvious message, but obvious enough to send a subtle message. And that stereotypical representation is not one I would want to present to kids.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: But here are some new picture books that I have loved and would highly recommend for their encouraging, positive representations…

Happy Hair by Mechal Renee Roe

A beautiful, self-affirming, positive representation to have available for my students in the library. I had a 3rd grade boy read it to me, and he recognized both of his sisters and several of his classmates from our school community within the pages of this book

Don’t Touch My Hair by Sharee Miller (not out until Nov. 6th)
I read this F&G with two of my kinders who saw themselves represented in the pages and cover of this book, and they LOVED it! Empowers young girls to feel the beauty of their natural hair & to feel ok standing up for themselves if something makes them uncomfortable. A definite must-purchase for a school library.

Lovely by Jess Hong
This book is absolutely LOVELY! Positive self-image & acceptance abounds in the simple messaging of the single word text representative of the widely diverse representations in the illustrations on each page that are far from typical stereotyping.

Teddy’s Favorite Toy by Christian Trimmer, illustrated by Madeline Valentine
I kinda want to gift this to every mom I know. It’s a sweet story of a toy getting lost, but beyond that it’s a story about how a mom will do everything she can to help her child, and a story showing that boys liking dolls is no big deal. And it’s just cute fun. Definitely one I’ll add to my school library and recommend others read.

Three YA Books You Need to Read

Jillian Heise — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 22:59:00 +0000

There are some books that strike harder than others. Some that leave a lasting impact that has you thinking about them days, weeks, months, years beyond when you finish reading them. Books that just won’t let go. They haunt you, make you see things differently, affect your actions, push you to look around you and recognize the truth of what’s happening. These three young adult books have done that for me. I keep talking about them because I want all teachers to read them. Though one is already available to buy, the other two don’t publish until October, but they should definitely be on your radar. (And all three authors will be at ALA next week, so if you’re going, you might want to make getting a copy of these books a priority.)

I had already read two of these books when I wrote my blog post in March, A Text Set to See Themselves In – Providing the Mirror or Window to get to the Sliding Door. At the time I said “I could too easily see my students in the pages of these stories, which makes them all the more impactful. These are the kinds of books our teens need to see in their classrooms, read, and discuss.” Well, I can now say for certain, all three of these are powerful books that need to be in teens’ hands as quickly and as often as we can get them there. I feel a sense of urgency about telling teachers to buy and share these books because I know exactly which former students of mine would have been changed for the better by reading these stories. Lives would have been affected by seeing themselves and their lives and their neighborhoods in these books. That’s a powerful thing to hand to an adolescent.

Please, buy/get The Hate U Give, Long Way Down, and Dear Martin. Read them. And then make sure the teens in your life do also. I promise you will not be sorry, and you will not walk away from any of these books the same you walked into them. They represent the power of story to change, validate, and affect the lives of the children in our society to make a better future for themselves, their neighborhoods, and all of us. My thoughts on each are below.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

240 pages
67 seconds
7 floors
6 visitors
Each with a piece
of the story
not known
until now.
Will grieving
his brother
with a
gun
and a
target
thinking he knows
what he has to do
following
The Rules
wondering
what
to do
who
to be
and what
comes next.

Jason Reynolds is masterful in the way he can use such sparse language in these free verse poems for such a powerful and emotional impact. I’m going to be talking about and sharing this book for a very long time.

Jason’s skill at putting words together that grab your heart and head, bringing you into the lives of his characters, kids just trying their best to do what’s right and live the way they’ve been taught, astounds me. Long Way Down is no different. This book is going to have an impact. The type of impact that makes you question what you thought you knew and how life can be. This is a must-read and must-share in classrooms (7th & up), especially in those rooms where you have teens who are living Will’s life with the rules he’s been taught to life by.

I can’t wait to get my hands on a finished copy, to reread, sit with his words and turns of phrase, and find the spots that bear repeating to kids in our classrooms. I can picture the faces in my head of the former students I wish were still in my classroom so I could put this book right into their hands.

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

A powerful debut that grabs the reader from the start and doesn’t let go. You will ache from the injustice Justyce faces as he navigates a world that sees him primarily for the color of his skin, and secondarily for everything else beneath it.

Another teen having to navigate a complicated world more messed up than he deserves. His story will strike a chord with the teens you know who look like Justyce and will seem themselves in his story, those who have friends who look like Justyce and want to better understand their stories, and, perhaps most importantly, those who judge and avoid teens who look like Justyce because just maybe it will give them a reason to think again.

An important book to add to the conversation about police brutality and race relations in America and how it impacts the lives of black teen boys. Pair this with All American Boys & The Hate U Give, and open up conversations with teens, and adults, in your life.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Powerful. Important. Impactful. When people talk about window & mirror books, this is what they’re talking about, with the potential to be that sliding door for many.

Starr’s voice is fantastic, and feels oh so real. For a debut book, this is a standout. It is written so well, and draws you into the story and makes you want to be a part of it. We care about these characters and their lives and the outcome.

This book, and Starr’s insights made me feel like I could know my students’ lives better. A must-read for 8th & up, and a book that needs to be shared with students. Pair with All American Boys for an effective pairing to start conversation.