PICTURE BOOKS
INDEPENDENT DAMES by Laurie Halse Anderson - Lively picture book jam-packed with heroic women on the American Revolution. (Nonfiction)
WE ARE STILL HERE by Traci Sorell
”Twelve Native American kids present historical and contemporary laws, policies, struggles, and victories in Native life, each with a powerful refrain: We are still here!”
LOVE TWELVE MILES LONG by Glenda Armand - Beautiful picture book about the love —and distance—between an enslaved woman and her child. Highlights humanity and family love. (Fiction)
JINGLE DANCER by Cynthia Leitich Smith - Delightful contemporary picture book about the aspirations of a young Native American dancer and her connection to family and community. (Fiction)
THE UNDEFEATED by Kwame Alexander - Powerful picture book celebrating black history. (Nonfiction)
Honoring Black Lives Virtual Library
Virtual library of picture books about Black lives by Black creators. Created by Jillian Heise. Links to copyright compliant read-alouds.
chapter books
CHAINS by Laurie Halse Anderson - Powerful American Revolution historical fiction middle grade, a classic classroom read aloud. Includes Teacher’s’ Guide. First book in series. (Historical fiction)
HISTORY SMASHERS: THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION by Kate Messner
An engaging look at the Revolutionary War, separating fact from myth.
STAMPED by Jason Reynolds & Dr. Ibram X. Kendi - Groundbreaking, energizing narrative for teens on the history of racist ideas. Publisher’s educator guide by Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul and curriculum connections by teacher & librarian Julia Torres.
AN INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Debbie Reese, Jean Mendoza - For teens, an eye-opening and important shift in perspective. Sidebars offer topics for discussion. Definitions and context help explain important concepts. All teachers should read. Teachers guide and lesson plan available. (Nonfiction)
EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT INDIANS BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK by Anton Treuer - The title says it all!
CURRICULUM RESOURCES
LEARNING FOR JUSTICE
(Formerly “Teaching Tolerance”)
K-12 resources to help teachers and schools educate children and youth to be active participants in a diverse democracy. Using social justice standards, topics include slavery, Native Americans, women. And brief videos of historians discussing impact of slavery and black history. A project of the Southern Poverty Law Center.
THE 1619 PROJECT- Pulitzer Center project reframing U.S. history to include the consequences of slavery and contributions of black Americans. Includes standards-aligned activities.
FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES- Since 1976, this global organization uses lessons of history to challenge teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate.
Native Nonfiction
Assembled by Dr. Debbie Reese of Nambé Pueblo, American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL)
ZINN EDUCATION PROJECT - Promotes and supports the teaching of people’s history in middle and high school classrooms across the country. Based on the lens of history highlighted in A People’s History of the United States, the website offers free, downloadable lessons and articles.
TEACHING FOR CHANGE - Includes anti-bias resources, Central America topics, parent engagement…a wealth of social justice resources.
THE INVASION OF AMERICA -Interactive map detailing U.S. seizure of 1.5 billion acres from North America’s native peoples. Time lapse video & essay.
NATIVE AMERICAN CHILDREN’S & YA BOOKS
Resources compiled by author Cynthia Leitich Smith
DISCUSSION
“A LETTER TO FIVE PRESIDENTS”
(3:30 min) By Clint Smith III and article by Zinn Education Project. Powerful discussion of presidents’ history of slavery & oppression.
AMERICAN INDIANS IN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE by Dr. Debbie Reese - Critical perspectives and analysis of indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society.
CRAZY QUILT EDI By Edith Campbell - Academic librarian working to improve the representation of People of Color and Native/First Nations people. Includes diversity resources and booklist.
READING WHILE WHITE- White librarians organizing to confront racism in the field of children’s and young adult literature. Resources.
BEING WHITE: A RAW, HONEST CONVERSATION - by Allie Jane Bruce. © American Library Association.
RACE HISTORY (PBS)- Interviews with historians about slavery, the origins of race, ancient views of difference, 19th century race science, and more.
THE 1619 PROJECT - Groundbreaking project of the New York Times: essays that discuss U.S. history and include the consequences of slavery and contributions of black Americans.
diversity in children’s books
SOURCE: Huyck, David and Sarah Park Dahlen. (2019 June 19). Diversity in Children’s Books 2018. sarahpark.com blog. Created in consultation with Edith Campbell, Molly Beth Griffin, K. T. Horning, Debbie Reese, Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, and Madeline Tyner, with statistics compiled by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Retrieved from https://readingspark.wordpress.com/2019/06/19/picture-this-diversity-in-childrens-books-2018-infographic/.