Finding Diverse Books 2024 | Easy Readers & Bridging Fiction

Updated December 13, 2023
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Who will win?
David, Arihhonni
Paper Book
Bear has fast legs. Turtle has a fast mind. Who will win the race? A fun Native American tale that kindergarteners and first graders can read on their own. Ready, set, go! Bear will go over the ice. Turtle will go under the ice. ...

A Haudenosaunee storyteller shares a traditional story about a race between Bear and Turtle that highlights the importance of working together. This could pair nicely with Aesop's The Tortoise and the Hare as students discuss how a similar concept (a race between a fast creature and a slow creature) can be told in different ways to convey different meanings, or write their own stories about animal races. Includes a pronunciation guide and translations for Mohawk words used in the story. The entire I Like to Read series contains simple yet engaging stories, perfect for beginning readers.

Easy Reader Level 1

Race & Ethnicity | Indigenous

Maxie Wiz and her dragon
Meadows, Michelle
Paper Book
A rollicking, rhyming, magical adventure in this Step 1 Reader featuring a young wizard in training! Maxie Wiz wants a pal. HOCUS-POCUS-a dragon egg appears! Soon, he almost grows too large for the castle! What spells will Maxie come up with to help with her new pet? ...

From Dragon Masters to Wings of Fire, dragons are increasingly popular with elementary school students. With fewer than 10 words per page, this story of a young witch bonding with her new baby dragon is accessible for beginning readers. The series continues to grow with a second book, Maxie Wiz and the Magic Charms, which hit the shelves in December 2023.

Easy Reader Level 1

Race & Ethnicity | Black

Snow day
Quigley, Dawn
Paper Book
Oh, snow day, snow day, what a very fun no-school day! Jo Jo Makoons is back in the third book in this favorite chapter book series, and she's planning the very best version of the winter Olympics that her Ojibwe community has ever seen... Jo Jo Makoons has noticed that the...

Perfect for fans of Junie B. Jones and Ramona Quimby, Jo Jo Makoons takes readers on another adventure as she helps her neighbors stay healthy during a snow day on her Ojibwe reservation. While this book can be read on its own, it's better when paired with series opener The Used-to-Be Best Friend and follow-up Fancy Pants.

Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4

Race & Ethnicity | Indigenous

Tacos today
Raúl the Third
Paper Book
An Eisner Award Nominee! An NPR Books We Love Selection An ALA Best Graphic Novels for Children Selection A Children's Book Council Children's Favorite A Children's Book Council Librarian Favorite A Children's Book Council Teacher Favorite ...

El Toro and his fellow luchadores can't afford their lunchtime tacos, so they team up for an amazing street show to earn some extra cash. Raúl the Third's iconic illustration style, the widespread appeal of Mexican wrestling, and the mix of English and Spanish words crafts a colorful, action-packed story for beginning readers.

Easy Reader Level 2

Race & Ethnicity | Latine

The writing contest
Reid, C. L.
Paper Book
Emma enters a writing contest. She loves writing and is confident that she will win. But when that doesn't happen, will Emma want to keep writing? Emma is Deaf and often uses sign language to communicate, and this early chapter book includes an ASL fingerspelling chart and a sign language guide.

Interspersed with finger-spelled vocabulary words and a guide to ASL signs at the back, this series featuring a Deaf girl who signs and uses a cochlear implant is super popular with our readers at the library! Many hearing kids are curious about learning ASL, which can also support communication with D/deaf or nonverbal peers.

Easy Reader Level 4

Disability

The secret of the jade bangle
Trinh, Linda
Paper Book
"Engaging and empowering." --STARRED review, Nonstop Reader A charming early chapter book series that explores Vietnamese culture and identity through the eyes of the Nguyen siblings, with elements of the supernatural, spirituality, and social justice woven in.  Organized and...

A gift from her departed grandmother helps a young Vietnamese girl find her voice in this series opener from Linda Trinh. Part realistic fiction, part fantasy story (as the jade bangle also helps Anne communicate with Grandma Ná»™i). The last couple of years have given us engaging books by Vietnamese authors, providing much-needed mirrors for the Vietnamese students in our community.

Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4

Race & Ethnicity | Asian & Pacific Islander

Everyone here is lying
Lapena, Shari
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Another thrilling domestic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door "The most addictive book I've read in ages--so slick and disquieting and clever. Just brilliant." -...

Disability in KidLit founder and author Kayla Whaley launches this spinoff series inspired by Ron Roy's A to Z Mysteries. In the first book, Abbi--who, like the author, uses a power wheelchair--teams up with her friends to solve a mystery at the Maine State Fair. While representations of disability in children's books have been increasing in the last several years, many of those books are written by non-disabled authors or authors who became disabled as adults. Whaley draws on her own experiences as a disabled kid to provide a much-needed mirror for young readers in similar circumstances.

Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4

Disability


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