Becoming Critically Literate

  Description from the publisher: " Discover both the past   and  present day's fight to vote with Quetta Little as she learns the power of casting your vote in this ideal picture book from acclaimed author Leah Henderson and illustrator Keisha Morris. The perfect companion for any young reader during election year! It’s Election Day, and Quetta, her mother, and her grandmother embark on their journey to cast their vote. Trekking through their vibrant neighborhood, they meet obstacle after obstacle before—and after—reaching their voting station. Unwilling to give up, Quetta’s mother and grandmother teach her about the importance of voting and those who fought for their right—and Quetta comes to discover the power of raising her voice. With warm illustrations, engaging text, and insightful timeline,  Your Voice, Your Vote  will inspire readers to embrace this civic duty in the face of today’s continued fight for voting rights." Text Features:  Realistic fict...

  Description from the publisher: " The first ever picture book addressing how a disabled child might want to be spoken to. What happened to you?  Was it a shark? A burglar? A lion? Did it fall off? Every time Joe goes out the questions are the same . . . what happened to his leg? But is this even a question Joe has to answer? A ground-breaking, funny story that helps children understand what it might feel like to be seen as different." Text Features:  Picture book Letter to adults from the author on how to speak to children about disabilities and other differences Critical Literacy Suggestions: Read & Discuss:   BEFORE reading: read the title, explore the cover illustration, and discuss predictions for what the book might be about; then read the blurb and expand predictions; maybe ask children if they have seen someone with a visible disability before and if/how they responded DURING reading: pay attention to the main character's responses, discuss why he might ...

  Description from the publisher (Reycraft Books):  " An orange horse is desperate to find his long-lost brother, but the only clue he has is one half of an old photo. The horse decides to advertise, but the answers he gets leave him feeling hopeless. Then, one day, the orange horse meets a brown horse and they immediately become good friends. Coincidentally, the brown horse also has one half of an old photo. Could he be the long-lost brother the orange horse has been searching for?" Text Features:  Fictional picture book Some bolded keywords (salient nouns and emotional vocabulary) Explores an expansive concept of family (and is great for introducing the concept of "chosen/found" family and what it means to really belong) Critical Literacy Suggestions: Read & Discuss:   BEFORE reading discussion ideas: What do you think the Orange Horse's family might look like? Why do you think that? Do you look like the people in your family? Why or why not? Why might som...

  Description from the publisher: " A bold and colorful exploration of all the ways that people navigate through the spaces around them and a celebration of the relationships we build along the way. We Move Together follows a mixed-ability group of kids as they creatively negotiate everyday barriers and find joy and connection in disability culture and community. A perfect tool for families, schools, and libraries to facilitate conversations about disability, accessibility, social justice and community building. Includes a kid-friendly glossary (for ages 3–10). This fully accessible ebook includes alt-text for image descriptions, a read aloud function, and a zoom-in function that allows readers to magnify the illustrations and be able to move around the page in zoom-in mode." Text Features:  Picture book featuring ways to "move together" through various means of physical inclusion (accessibility, communication) Extensive back matter focusing on the following: How We...

  From the publisher: "Why are our skin colors different? What makes skin brown? Why are grown-ups mean to each other?  Five-year-olds have a lot of questions about skin color. And they're not always easy to answer.    With Different Differenter, Jyoti Gupta uses simple, age-appropriate explanations and 14 fun activities to help elementary schoolers discover answers to questions that often originate with skin color and lead up to cultural, ethnic, racial, and class- or caste-based differences. “Dismantling colorism is central to dismantling racism,” says Jyoti. “So why doesn’t every child know a key word like melanin?”    Drawing on her experience as a racial-literacy educator, mediamaker, and activist, Jyoti helps her readers understand the factual information about skin color and its related concepts that is missing from everyday conversations. She also gives her readers creative, play-based tools to challenge colorist narratives and cultivate healthy rel...

From the Publisher: "My Shadow is Pink is a beautifully written rhyming story that touches on the subjects of gender identity, self acceptance, equality and diversity. Inspired by the author's own little boy, 'Shadow's' main character likes princesses, fairies and things 'not for boys'... he soon learns (through the support of his dad) that everyone has a shadow that they sometimes feel they need to hide. This is an important book for a new generation of children (and adults alike) which exemplifies the concepts of unconditional love, respect and positive parenting. Creates opportunity for open discussion and learning. Highlights current themes of gender identity." Text Features:  Rhyming verse Print features (interesting use of font to emphasize key words and phrase Metaphor (shadow as "inner-most you") Critical Literacy Suggestions: Read & Discuss:   Before reading, discuss the book's title and cover. What do you think this book wil...

  From The Publisher: "When a boy who stutters feels isolated, alone, and incapable of communicating in the way he'd like, it takes a kindly father and a walk by the river to help him find his voice. Compassionate parents everywhere will instantly recognize a father's ability to reconnect a child with the world around him. Poet Jordan Scott writes movingly in this powerful and ultimately uplifting book, based on his own experience, and masterfully illustrated by Greenaway Medalist Sydney Smith. A book for any child who feels lost, lonely, or unable to fit in." Text Features:  Figurative Language ("the P in pinetree grows roots inside my mouth and tangles my tongue", "the M in moon dusts my lips with a magic that makes me only mumble", "I feel a storm in my belly; my eyes fill with rain"...and of course "I talk like a river") Author's Note (great for exploring the author's inspiration for writing this book and his hopes f...