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
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
The author of the popular Yasmin series introduces readers to Yasmin's friend, Ali, and his family. In this story, Ali's dada asks him to supervise his little brother, Fateh, on a trip to the market. While Ali is trying to keep Fateh away from the spicy chips, he loses track of his brother in the store! There are lots of opportunities for connection around a trip to the grocery store, as students can discuss their favorite foods or tie it to a situational math problem. Easy Reader Level 4 Religion | Muslim
The author of the popular Yasmin series introduces readers to Yasmin's friend, Ali, and his family. In this story, Ali's dada asks him to supervise his little brother, Fateh, on a trip to the market. While Ali is trying to keep Fateh away from the spicy chips, he loses track of his brother in the store! There are lots of opportunities for connection around a trip to the grocery store, as students can discuss their favorite foods or tie it to a situational math problem.
Easy Reader Level 4
Religion | Muslim
Growing out of your "baby name" is a big transition for many elementary school students! In addition to debating the pros and cons of various grown up names, Gigi also considers how it will affect her beloved Ojiji, who sometimes has trouble pronouncing sounds not spoken in his native Japanese. A great opportunity for students to reflect on what their own names mean to them and what nicknames they do--or don't--want to use with classmates. Easy Reader Level 3 Race & Ethnicity | Asian & Pacific Islander
Growing out of your "baby name" is a big transition for many elementary school students! In addition to debating the pros and cons of various grown up names, Gigi also considers how it will affect her beloved Ojiji, who sometimes has trouble pronouncing sounds not spoken in his native Japanese. A great opportunity for students to reflect on what their own names mean to them and what nicknames they do--or don't--want to use with classmates.
Easy Reader Level 3
Race & Ethnicity | Asian & Pacific Islander
Miles learns a great lesson about sportsmanship in this short chapter book, perfect for competitive and athletic kids. There aren't many sports-themed books for this age group. While other books in the series focus on the science fair and Valentine's Day, King of the Ice involves a showdown on a field trip to the local ice skating rink. Lyons is a great author to have on your radar for her Ty's Travels early readers and Jada Jones chapter books as well. Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4 Race & Ethnicity | Black
Miles learns a great lesson about sportsmanship in this short chapter book, perfect for competitive and athletic kids. There aren't many sports-themed books for this age group. While other books in the series focus on the science fair and Valentine's Day, King of the Ice involves a showdown on a field trip to the local ice skating rink. Lyons is a great author to have on your radar for her Ty's Travels early readers and Jada Jones chapter books as well.
Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4
Race & Ethnicity | Black
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
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.
Most kids are familiar with the challenging, frustrating, sometimes scary process of learning to ride a bike. Elena faces all of these challenges, including a setback after she thinks she's achieved mastery, making it a good fit for SEL lessons on resilience. A Spanish edition, Elene monte en bici, is available as well. Easy Reader Level 1 Language | Spanish
Most kids are familiar with the challenging, frustrating, sometimes scary process of learning to ride a bike. Elena faces all of these challenges, including a setback after she thinks she's achieved mastery, making it a good fit for SEL lessons on resilience. A Spanish edition, Elene monte en bici, is available as well.
Language | Spanish
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
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.
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. RauÃŒÂl 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
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. RauÃŒÂl 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
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
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.
Disability
Thanks to popular graphic novels like The Baby-Sitters Club and PAWS, kids are fascinated by the idea of running their own businesses. The Party Diaries series features budding party planner Priya, who throws events for family and friends to raise money for endangered animals (another popular cause with many young animal lovers). Written in a graphic novel hybrid style (a mix of traditional text and illustrations with speech bubbles) and clocking in at just under 100, the Scholastic Branches books are also a great tool for young readers who love graphic novels and need support building their capacity for reading narrative fiction. Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4 Race & Ethnicity | Asian & Pacific Islander
Thanks to popular graphic novels like The Baby-Sitters Club and PAWS, kids are fascinated by the idea of running their own businesses. The Party Diaries series features budding party planner Priya, who throws events for family and friends to raise money for endangered animals (another popular cause with many young animal lovers). Written in a graphic novel hybrid style (a mix of traditional text and illustrations with speech bubbles) and clocking in at just under 100, the Scholastic Branches books are also a great tool for young readers who love graphic novels and need support building their capacity for reading narrative fiction.
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
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.
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
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.
