The remaining section of this document provides a list of suggested read-aloud books based on many themes below as indicated.
SOCIAL AWARENESS: Connectedness, Community Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect, Friendship, Diversity, Kindness
SELF-MANAGEMENT: Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect, Identity & Self Esteem, Resilience, Fear, Feelings, Lying, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving, Risk Taking
SELF-AWARENESS: Fear, Feelings, Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect Identity & Self Esteem, Risk Taking
RELATIONSHIP SKILLS: Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect, Identity & Self Esteem, Friendship
RESPONSIBLE DECISION-MAKING: Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect Identity & Self Esteem, Connectedness, Community, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving
Adler, David A. and Robert Casilla. A Picture Book of Jesse Owens (2019). This is the story of Jesse Owens’ life. It is a story about defying odds, working hard to make dreams come true and overcoming obstacles. (Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving, Resiliency, Identity & Self Esteem, Diversity)
Anderson, Kirsten, Who HQ, et al. Who is Michael Jordan (2019). The story of his life and his love of basketball. (Resiliency, Identity & Self Esteem)
Arena, Jen. Illus. Dominguez, Angela. Marta Big and Small (2016). In this story that incorporates Spanish words, Marta explores the world of opposites and animals. Appealing illustrations, great for a quick read. (Connectedness, Community Diversity)
Ashburn, Boni. Illus. Denos, Julia. I Had a Favorite Dress (2015). A little girl’s favorite dress goes through several transformations. The girl’s creative mom recycles the fabric into beautiful new creations: a shirt, tank top, scarf, and more! This book also introduces readers to the seven days of the week as well as the seasons of the year. A really cute book that speaks to the themes of growing older and savoring special keepsakes. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity)
Averbeck, Jim. Illus. Ismail, Yasmeen. One Word from Sophia (2015). A story about a girl who only has one true desire for her birthday. She wants a giraffe. Sophia gives a compelling presentation to her family — complete with pie charts — to try and persuade them. (Identity & Self Esteem, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving, Diversity)
Bailey, Jenn and Mika Song. A Friend for Henry (2019). This heartfelt book follows Henry, a boy on the autism spectrum, as he navigates his way through finding the perfect friend. (Friendship, Identity & Self Esteem, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Beaty, Andrea. Illus. Roberts, David. Ada Twist, Scientist (2016). A wonderful STEM-themed book that teaches little readers about problem solving, perseverance, science, and working together as a family, and challenges them to have a sense of curiosity like Ada. (Resilience, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving, Identity & Self Esteem, Diversity)
Beaumont, Karen and David Catrow. I Like Myself (2016). Self-worth discussion with delightful illustrations. (Identity & Self Esteem, Fear, Feelings)
Berry, Julie. Happy Right Now (2019). A delightful book on the art of choosing happiness, no matter what the specific circumstances. It also discusses how to deal with real issues of sadness, and breathing techniques, remembering happier times. The ending actually made me laugh out loud: “Reaching for happiness until I can grab it. No dragons required. But I would like a rabbit.”
(Fear, Feelings, Resilience)
Blabey, Aaron. Thelma the Unicorn (2017). A book about a horse’s dream to become a unicorn and the surprising things she learns when it actually happens. She learns to love herself just the way she is.
(Identity & Self Esteem, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Black, Michael I. Illus. Ohi, Debbie R. I’m Worried (2019). A girl, a flamingo, and a worried potato star in the third book in New York Times bestselling author Michael Ian Black and illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi’s book series about feelings—and why they’re good, even when they feel bad. Potato is worried. About everything—because anything might happen. When he tells his friends, he expects them to comfort him by saying that everything will be okay. Except they don’t. Because it might not be, and that’s okay too.
(Fear, Feelings, Resilience, Kindness)
Blumenthal, Deborah. Illus. Freeman, Laura. Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe (2017). This is a beautiful picture book about Ann Cole Lowe, a little-known African- American fashion designer who battled personal and social adversity in order to pursue her passion of making beautiful gowns and went on to become one of society’s top designers. *(Identity & Self
Esteem, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving, Resilience, Diversity)*
Brantley-Newton, Vanessa. Grandma’s Purse (2018). When Grandma Mimi comes to visit, her granddaughter cannot wait to see what treasures she has hidden in her purse.
(Connectedness, Community Identity & Self Esteem, Diversity)
Brown, Karamo , Jason “Rachel” Brown, et al. I am Perfectly Designed (2019). A picture book written as a conversation between a young boy and his father.
They reminisce about the fun times they have had together and empowering others to love who they are, just the way they are.
(Identity & Self Esteem, Diversity)
Byers, Grace. Illus. Bobo, Keturah A. I Am Enough (2018). This gorgeous, lyrical ode to loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another.
(Identity & Self Esteem, Diversity)
Byers, Grace and Keturah A. BoboI. Believe I Can (2020). A sweet story encouraging boys and girls of every background that anything is possible when
you believe in yourself. Great illustrations and simple sentences.
(Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem)
Cannon, Janell. Pinduli (2018). A young hyena is made fun of for her looks by others in the desert. (Identity & Self Esteem, Kindness)
Cherry, Matthew A. Illus. Harrison, Vashti. Hair Love (2019). Zuri’s hair has a mind of its own. It kinks, coils, and curls every which way. Zuri knows it’s beautiful. When Daddy steps in to style it for an extra special occasion, he has a lot to learn. But he LOVES his Zuri, and he’ll do anything to make her — and her hair — happy. (Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem, Kindness)
Chien Chow Chine, Aurélie. Little Unicorn Is ANGRY (2019). Little Unicorn is the main character and we learn about his magic mane which turns different colors depending on how he feels. Today, he is ANGRY! Text uses synonyms for ANGRY throughout the story and illustrations document his tantrums. He learns breathing exercises to blow away the anger cloud and feels better. (Fear, Feelings, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Chien Chow Chine, Aurélie. Little Unicorn is SCARED (2019). Little Unicorn uses his breathing exercises to “put on his golden armor” to tame his fear.
(Fear, Feelings, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Chung, Arree. Mixed: A Colorful Story (2018). An argument about which color is best leads to a resolution that provides a message of acceptance, unity, and embracing differences.
(Diversity, Kindness, Overcome challenge, Problem Solving)
Coleman, Delanda, Coleman, Terrence. Illus. Mello, Beatriz. More Than A Princess (2019). Follow Kiana’s magical journey as she’ll explore all the things a girl can achieve. Guided by her fairy godmother, Kiana will discover that life is more than pretty things and fancy castles. This charming tale aims to show girls around the world all they can achieve in the areas of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). (Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Cornwall, Gaia. Jabari Jumps (2017). Little Jabari is ready to jump off the diving board, at least he thinks he is. He passed his swim test and completed his swimming lessons. So jumping off the diving board should be easy, right? With a little encouragement and a pep talk from his dad, Jabari overcomes his fear and works up the courage to make a big splash. (Diversity, Fear, Feelings)
Cummings, Becky. Illus. Svobodova, Zuzana. My Magical Choices, The Magic of Me Series (2019). Boys and girls will be instantly drawn to the beautiful illustrations and fun rhymes that empower them to be responsible for their own happiness. Parents and teachers love the social-emotional message that greatness comes by making the choice to take positive actions towards a goal. These actions create feelings of happiness inside and help develop life-long healthy habits. (Connectedness, Community, Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect, Diversity, Friendship, Identity & Self Esteem, Kindness)
Curcio, Anthony. LeBron James: The Children’s Book: The Boy Who Became King (2016). The inspiring true story of NBA superstar LeBron James. This picture book biography tells the story of a young boy and his loving, single mother and their struggle to make it on their own. With the help of a coach and his family, LeBron is introduced to the game of basketball. Against all odds, Lebron not only makes it into the NBA but becomes a basketball legend who now helps others who are struggling. (Connectedness, Community, Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect, Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem, Kindness, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Curcio, Anthony. Stephen Curry: The Children’s Book: The Boy Who Never Gave Up (2016). The inspiring true story of NBA superstar Stephen Curry. This picture book biography tells the story of a young boy who many said was too short to play in high school, too weak to play in college and not good enough to play in the NBA. Against all odds, this small boy who follows his dream, not only makes it to the NBA, but becomes one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball. (Connectedness, Community, Identity & Self Esteem, Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect, Diversity, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Curry, Parker. Illus. Jackson, Brittany. Parker Looks Up. (2019). When Parker Curry came face-to-face with Amy Sherald’s transcendent portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama at the National Portrait Gallery, she didn’t just see the First Lady of the United States. She saw a queen. When a nearby museumgoer snapped a photo of a mesmerized Parker, it became an internet sensation. Inspired by this visit, Parker, and her mother, Jessica Curry, tell the story of a young girl whose trip to a museum becomes an extraordinary moment. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem)
De la Pena, Matt. Illus. Robinson, Christian. Carmela Full of Wishes (2018). When Carmela wakes up on her birthday, she’s excited to finally be old enough to run the family errands with her big brother. And when she finds a dandelion right outside the laundromat, her brother reminds her she’ll have to make a wish before blowing it out. But how will she decide what to wish for? This poignant picture book takes a look at life in a young girl’s Hispanic community. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem)
DePaola, Tomie. Quiet (2018) reminds readers that in a busy, hurried world, mindfulness— described as “being quiet, still, and present with one another”—is a special and important thing.
(Connectedness, Community, Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect)
DiOrio, Rana and Stephane Jorisch. What Does It Mean to be Kind (2020). A girl in a red hat finds the courage to be kind to the new student in class and her Kindness spreads, act by act, to her whole community. (Fear, Feelings, Kindness, Friendship)
Eland, Eva. When Sadness is at your Door (2019). An interesting book giving lifelike qualities to sadness. It explores ways for young children to cope with the feeling and encourages children to treat sadness as a visitor. (Fear, Feelings, Identity & Self Esteem, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Ely, Susan M. Illus. Martinez-Neal, Juana. La Princesa and the Pea (2017). A Peruvian reimagining of The Princess and the Pea, this one is sure to become a read-aloud favorite. El príncipe (the Prince) knows this girl is the one for him, but, as usual, his mother doesn’t agree. The queen has a secret test in mind to see if this girl is really a princesa (princess), but the prince might have a sneaky plan too! (Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Fogliano, Julie. My Best Friend (2020). An adorable book about two little girls being best friends even though they are different. It is a book that depicts the magic of friendship in little girl’s lives. (Friendship)
Garcia, Gabi. Illus. Tan, Ying Hui. Listening with My Heart: A story of Kindness and self- compassion (2017). Kindness matters! Especially to ourselves… We talk to kids a lot about how to be friends to others but not very much about how to be friends to themselves. Yet, positive self-talk and self-acceptance help build emotional resilience, happiness, and well-being. (Diversity, Kindness, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving, Identity & Self Esteem)
Gilmore, Rachna and Alice Priestley. Lights for Gita (2016). A story about a young girl from New Delhi and her first Divali in her new country. The lesson is about looking beyond the disappointments and ceremonies to the deeper meaning and finding joy in what you have. (Connectedness, Community, Fear, Feelings)
Guglielmo, Amy and Jacqueline Tourville, et al. How to Build a Hug-Temple Grandin and her Amazing Hug Machine (2018). True story of how Dr. Temple Grandin, as an autistic child, analyzed her inability to be hugged, her desire to experience it, and her invention of a “hug machine”. She was able to eventually experience hugs and her hug machine concept is still utilized in programs for autism. (Fear, Feelings, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving, Resilience)
Harrison, Vashti. Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History (2018) Based on her popular Instagram posts, debut author/illustrator Vashti Harrison shares the stories of 40 bold African American women who shaped history. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving Resilience)
Harrison, Vashti. Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History (2019) Profiles thirty-five prominent men in African American history, including James Armistead Lafayette, Thurgood Marshall, Alvin Ailey, and Leland Melvin. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving, Resilience)
Heide, Florence P. and Gilliland, Judith H. The Day of Ahmed’s Secret (1995) A day in the life of a young boy from Cairo, Egypt and the excitement he has as he carries a special secret to share with his family later that day. This story provides children a window into another culture and what life is like for children in other parts of the globe. (Fear, Feelings, Diversity)
Henn, Sophy. Pass It On! (2017). When something happens that’s terrific, you should share it with others to make the world a little bit nicer and bring joy into the lives of everyone you meet. (Fear, Feelings, Friendship, Kindness)
Janni Rebecca and Lynne Avril. Every Cowgirl Goes to School (2016). Nellie Sue is a cowgirl and she is looking forward to a great school year. But when new girl Maya sits next to her best friend, Anna, and she finds her new desk is sandwiched between the rough and wild J-Twins, Nellie Sue realizes that this day is NOT going her way. Can this trusty cowgirl turn the day around and make
a brand-new friend? (Fear, Feelings, Friendship)
John, Jory and Pete Oswald. The Cool Bean (2019). Using humor, wit, and charm a group of beans teaches the important lesson that it is cooler to be kind. Each page has large print and engaging illustrations of the day in the life of a bean. (Kindness)
Johnson, Angela. A Girl Like Me (2020). Empower young readers to embrace their individuality, reject societal limitations, and follow their dreams. This inspiring picture book brings together a poem by acclaimed author Angela Johnson and Nina Crews’ distinctive photo-collage illustrations to celebrate girls of color. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving, Resilience)
Karst, Patricia & Joanne Vriethoff-Lew. The Invisible String (2000). Delivers a compelling message in today’s uncertain times that though we may be separated, love is the unending connection that binds us all. A joyful story to comfort and heal readers by easing loneliness and loss. (Connectedness, Community, Resilience)
Klassen, Jon. We Found a Hat (2016). Two turtles have found a hat. The hat looks good on both. But there are two turtles. And there is only one hat… Evoking hilarity and sympathy, the shifting eyes tell the tale in this brilliantly paced story in three parts, highlighting Jon Klassen’s visual comedy and deceptive simplicity. The delicious buildup takes an unexpected turn that is sure to please loyal fans and newcomers alike.
(Friendship, Kindness, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Kleber, Dori. Illus.Karas, G. Brian. More-igami (2016). Joey loves things that fold: maps, accordions…he even sleeps in a foldaway bed. One day, his classmate Sarah Takimoto’s mother comes to school and folds a plain piece of paper into a crane right before Joey’s eyes. Joey is amazed! He decides he wants to become an origami master. Follow little Joey on his quest to master the art of folding paper (origami). (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Friendship)
Lamothe, Matt. This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from Around the World (2017). The story depicts how children from various places may play different games or eat different food, but all have a similar rhythm to their days. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity)
Lester, Helen. All For Me and None For All (2016). Animals struggle to learn how to be good at sharing when they go hog-wild and keep all of the toys, balls, and clues to a treasure hunt for themselves. (Friendship, Kindness)
Loomis, Illma. Illus. Pak, Kendard. Ohana Means Family (2020). The story follows an extended Hawaiian family as they prepare for a luau, beginning on “the land that’s never been sold, where work the hands, so wise and old,” as together they farm taro to make the poi, a tradition that goes back for generations. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving, Resilience, Identity & Self Esteem)
Ludwig, Trudy & Barton, Patrice. Quiet Please, Owen McPhee! (2018). The creators of The Invisible Boy introduce a boy who won’t stop talking, until he gets laryngitis and can finally hear what other people have to say. (Kindness, Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect)
Mantchev, Lisa and Taeeun Yoo. Strictly No Elephants (2015). This sweet story captures the magic of friendship and the joys of having a pet. (Connectedness, Community, Friendship)
Martinez-Neal, Juana. Alma and How She Got Her Name (2018). Young Alma is learning to write her name, and what a name it is! Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela – try fitting that on a single line. When Alma asks her father why she has so many names, he responds by bringing to life the stories of Alma’s ancestors, like her grandmother Sofia, who loved books, and her grandfather José, who made beautiful art. Alma learns her cultural roots through her namesakes, and comes to love every part of her name. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem)
McCloud, Carol and David Messing. Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids (2015). A wonderful analogy on how to be happy… you do good things for others, you “fill” both your buckets and both are happy. You do bad things, and you are a “bucket dipper” and neither of you are happy. (Fear, Feelings, Friendship, Kindness)
Medina, Meg and Angela Dominguez. Mango, Abuela and Me (2017). A little girl wants to communicate with her grandmother who speaks Spanish. Through love and patience, the little girl is able to close the communication gap. (Diversity, Kindness, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Mora, Oge. Thank you, Omu! (2018). Everyone in the neighborhood dreams of a taste of Omu’s delicious stew! One by one, they follow their noses toward the scrumptious scent. And one by one, Omu offers a portion of her meal. Soon the pot is empty. Has she been so generous that she has nothing left for herself? (Connectedness, Community, Diversity)
Morales, Yuri. Dreamers (2017). This is a celebration of making your home with the things you always carry: your resilience, your dreams, your hopes and history. It’s the story of finding your way in a new place, of navigating an unfamiliar world and finding the best parts of it. In dark times, it’s a promise that you can make better tomorrows. (Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving, Risk Taking)
Munsch, Robert. The Paperbag Princess (2018). A fairytale with a princess, a dragon and a kidnapped prince. The princess is brave and overcomes the dragon, only to realize that the prince is shallow and only cares about her looks and not her character and strength. (Identity & Self Esteem)
Newman, Lelea. Sparkle Boy (2017). Read about Casey who loves sparkley things like skirts, shirts and nails, just like other family members. This story helps readers see that Casey can like what he wants and to be himself! (Identity & Self Esteem, Diversity, Fear, Feelings)
Pearson, Emily and Fumi Kosaka. Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed (2017). A story of Kindness and the full circle of impact it can have even if it seems “ordinary.” (Connectedness, Community, Friendship)
Penfold, Alexandra and Kaufman, Suzanne. All Are Welcome (2018). A book about a school who accepts any child no matter where they are from or their family at home. Diversity is celebrated throughout this school. (Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem, Connectedness, Community)
Percival, Tom. Ravi’s Roar (2020). Tired of missing out on good things because he is the smallest and youngest in his family, Ravi turns into a tiger and gets what he wants with a great roar. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Fear, Feelings, Friendship)
Pirrone, Francesca. Bruno Has One Hundred Friends (2018). Bruno, Renzo, and Rico are good friends heading on a fishing trip. Bruno is very happy when he finds a cell phone. Suddenly, he has so many friends all over the world. He spends so much time with his “magic box” that he soon forgets about Renzo and Rico! A sweetly illustrated story about what makes a real friendship. (Connectedness, Community, Friendship)
Ortner, Nick, Alison Taylor, et al. My Magic Breath (2018). How to use breathing techniques to calm your mind. (Fear, Feelings, Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect, Resilience)
Quinterno, Isabel. Illus. Pena, Zeke. My Papi Has a Motorcycle (2019). Daisy Ramona loves her daily motorcycle rides with her papi around their Southern California town. There are so many familiar faces and sights in their community, from their librarian shopping for groceries to the lively murals around town that celebrate their Mexican American history. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity)
Redd, Nancy. illus. Myers, Nneka. Bedtime Bonne*t (2020). In this family, bedtime hair care is an important ritual. From durags to wraps, each member of the family puts their hair up when they put on their pajamas- except for the little girl who lost her bedtime bonnet. This touching story celebrates black hair traditions and warm family love. *(Connectedness, Community, Diversity)
Reid, Aimee and Matt Phelan. You Are My Friend (2019). A story about Freddie Rogers, also known as Mr. Rogers. Often sick as a child, Freddie had a difficult time making friends. However, with the encouragement from his mother and grandfather, Freddie set out to find the helpers in the world. Freddie dealt with his anxiety by helping others and looking for others that were helping.
(Friendship, Kindness, Resilience, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Reynold, Peter and Susan Verde. I Am Peace – A Book of Mindfulness (2017). A book about centering your mind in the midst of turmoil, gaining personal peace and then sharing that peace and hope with others. (Connectedness, Community, Fear, Feelings, Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect, Resilience)
Reynolds, Peter H. Be You! (2020). Discover a joyful reminder of the ways that every child is unique and special, from the beloved creator of The Dot , Happy Dreamer, and New York Times bestseller, The Word Collector. Here, Reynolds reminds readers to “be your own work of art.” To be patient, persistent, and true. Because there is one, and only one, YOU. (Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem)
Rille, Lauren & Sicuro, Aimee. I Feel Teal (2018). Encourages the reader to enjoy all of the colors, representing feelings, that may be experienced in the course of a day. (Fear, Feelings, Identity & Self Esteem)
Roe, Mechal Renee. Cool Cuts (2020). Boys with many different types of hair styles offer words of encouragement. There are great illustrations with a focus on being awesome, regardless of the way you look. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem)
Roe, Mechal Renee. Happy Hair (2019). Girls and their beautiful, natural hair are celebrated in this bright, joyful read-together picture book that will have kids everywhere chanting the book’s chorus: “I love being me!” (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem)
Rylant, Cynthia. Life (2017). Celebrates the wonder of life and the beauty of nature in a way that focuses on resiliency around us. (Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect, Resilience)
Saltzberg, Barney. One of These is Not Like the Other (2020). It’s ok to be different and everyone has something to offer. Simple text and illustrations encouraging inclusion. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem)
Sherman, Charlotte W. illus. Akem. Brown Sugar Babe (2020). When a little girl has doubts about the color of her skin, her mother shows her all the wonderful, beautiful things brown can be! This message of self-love and acceptance uses rich, dreamy illustrations to celebrate the color using all the senses: sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing.
(Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem)
Shields, Leah. Billie and the Brilliant Bubble (2020). The idea was born when social distancing orders began in early 2020. Shields wanted a fun and simple way to explain the new guidelines to her young daughters. One day, while on a walk, it dawned on her daughters loved bubbles. It would be fun pretending they were inside an imaginary bubble that protects them from germs and keeps their family and friends healthy. (Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving, Identity & Self Esteem, Kindness, Resilience)
Sotomayor, Sonia. Illus. Lopez. Just Ask! (2019). As the children work together to build a community garden, they get to know each other — and how they are different — by asking questions. Sotomayor encourages readers to do the same, and to embrace the things that make us wonderfully unique. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Identity & Self Esteem)
Spencer, Sophie & McNamara. Illus. Kerascoet. The Bug Girl: A True Story (2020). Seven-year-old Sophie has loved bugs since she was a toddler, but other kids don’t understand her fascination. Bullies push her to stop sharing her interest – until hundreds of female scientists reach out to encourage her to follow her passion. This uplifting story encourages children to embrace their curiosities. (Identity & Self Esteem, Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect, Resilience)
Storad, Conrad J., Tim S. Vaques, et al. The Taco Stand (2019). A true story of a Phoenix, Arizona family and their Nana Isabel’s famous tacos. One day they are approached by a man with big business plans for the tacos and Isabel and her family must decide if they want to follow the man’s ideas or go back to their peaceful lives. A brightly illustrated story about hard work and family values. (Connectedness, Community, Diversity, Risk Taking, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Tillman, Nancy. I Knew You Could Do It (2019). The easy, rhyming book about overcoming everyday challenges and celebrating accomplishments in a child’s life. Making a big deal out of cheering kids on.
(Fear, Feelings, Risk Taking, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Wheeler, Lisa and Chris Van Dusen. Even Monsters Go To School (2019). The title says it all. Everyone needs school. (Identity & Self Esteem, Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect)
Willis, Jeanne and Briony May Smith. Stardust (2019). A girl is feeling “less than” because her older sister is always outdoing her and being told that she is a star. The younger sister is told by her grandfather that she shines in her own way. She learns to accept herself as she is. (Fear, Feelings, Identity & Self Esteem)
Winter, Jeanette. Wangari’s Trees of Peace (2018). This is a true story about 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maatha and the Green Belt Movement she started in 1977 in Kenya. Wangari is a young girl who grows to win a scholarship to study in America but when she returns, she finds that her beautiful land is changed and barren. Wangari works to plant trees and to teach women villagers to do the same and to become able to support themselves. (Connectedness, Community, Overcome Challenge, Problem Solving)
Woodson, Jacqueline. Illus. Lopez, Rafael. The Day You Begin (2018). A lyrical text and Rafael López’s dazzling art reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes-and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. And that sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway. (Identity & Self Esteem, Resilience, Self-Control, Responsibility, Respect)
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