Last week was the release of Rebel Seoul, the New Visions Award-winning science fiction debut by Axie Oh! If you’ve read Rebel Seoul (and if you haven’t what are you waiting for?), then there’s no denying the influence of Korean action dramas in Oh’s novel. So for those of you who want to know more about Korean dramas and films (or for those of you who can’t get enough), Axie Oh created this amazing list of Korean dramas and films for everyone to watch.
Our 10 Favorite Multicultural Books for Fourth Grade
Reading books with children at the elementary age not only helps them better prepare for school, but it also opens their minds to new cultures and experiences. Exposing children early to both “mirror” and “window” books – that is, books in which they can see themselves, and books in which they can learn about others- is the best way to create engaged readers and support social and emotional growth.
Lee & Low Books offers hundreds of great books for fourth graders. Our books include English, Spanish, and bilingual titles; books about many different cultures; books that span a wide range of subjects and themes; and both fiction and nonfiction. Browse our 3-6 classroom collections to see what we offer, and check out our other book lists by grade:
- Our 10 Favorite Multicultural Books for Preschool
- Our 8 Favorite Multicultural Books for Kindergarten
- Our 10 Favorite Multicultural Books for First Grade
- Our 10 Favorite Multicultural Books for Second Grade
- Our 10 Favorite Multicultural Books for Third Grade
While we have hundreds of titles to choose from, here are 10 of our absolute favorite diverse books for fourth grade!
Interview: Axie Oh, author of Rebel Seoul (Out Today!)
Today is the release day of Rebel Seoul, the New Visions Award-winning science fiction debut by Axie Oh! When Lee Jaewon is assigned to partner with supersoldier Tera in Neo Seoul’s top weapons development division, he must decide where he stands: with the people his rebel father protected or with the totalitarian government that claims it will end all war.
To celebrate today’s release, we asked author Axie Oh about her writing process, the inspiration behind Rebel Seoul, and her advice to aspiring authors.
Book List: 10 Books About Flooding, Refugees, and Displacement
Within the past couple of weeks, people have watched as Harvey and Irma, both powerful hurricanes that caused extensive damage, swept through Texas, the Caribbean, and Florida. Hurricane Jose is now being watched closely. Last Friday, one of the most powerful earthquakes to hit Mexico in a century caused hundreds of people to become displaced. More powerful natural disasters are likely to become the norm now, meaning that more people, both domestically and internationally, are likely to become displaced and unable to move back to their home. In this book list, we’ve rounded up 10 of our titles that are about different refugee experiences, whether they’ve been displaced by war, natural disasters, or the government. Continue reading
Upcoming Events: SLJ Day of Dialog and the Brooklyn Book Festival
Lee & Low Books will be at the School Library Journal Day of Dialog and the Brooklyn Book Festival this weekend and we’d love to see you!
We’ll have a table at the Day of Dialog on Friday, September 15 and at the Brooklyn Book Festival (booth #20) on Saturday, September 16. If you’ll be at either, please stop by and say hello! And catch our authors Tony Medina and Emma Otheguy at some great events:
Where Are They Now?: New Voices Award Authors and Artists Discuss Their Experience and Creative Process
September is here and with the close of summer comes the close of our New Voices Award submissions window on September 30, 2017. It’s also a time when those who have submitted manuscripts—and those still in the process of doing so—may be grappling with some personal questions:
Should I submit my story if I’ve never written for children before?
I’ve always been an artist, but can I be a writer?
What happens to the winner and honor after the award?
Where can I find good advice from someone with experience?
These questions and others like them are not easily addressed in a FAQ page. So to provide this year’s participants with some insight to the contest and creative process, we reached out to former New Voices Award winners, honors, and artists who faced some of these same questions not too long ago. These three accomplished storytellers have forged successful careers as children’s book authors, illustrators, and even author/illustrators. In the following interview, author Paula Yoo (Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds), illustrator Shadra Strickland (Bird and Sunday Shopping) and author/illustrator Don Tate (It Jes’ Happened) share how participating in the New Voices Award helped shape their success.
Culturally Responsive Teaching in First Grade: Intentional Selection of Texts for Reading Instruction
In this ongoing series, we explore what culturally responsive teaching looks like at different grade levels and offer concrete examples and resources. Last month we explored ideas for read alouds that build relationships in Kindergarten. This month, educator Lindsay Barrett offers guidance on culturally responsive teaching in grade 1 through the intentional selection of texts for reading instruction. Continue reading
Interview: Translating Martí’s Song for Freedom/Martí y sus versos por la libertad
Released last month, Martí’s Song for Freedom/Martí y sus versos por la libertad is a picture book biography of José Martí, a renowned political figure and revolutionary who dedicated his life to the promotion of liberty. Known for his leadership in the fight for Cuban independence, Martí is celebrated throughout Latin America. To many Latinos, particularly Cuban Americans, he represents the bridge between the cultures of Latin America and the United States. Martí’s Song for Freedom/Martí y sus versos por la libertad received five starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Shelf Awareness, Booklist, and Kirkus Reviews.
For this post, we asked author Emma Otheguy, editor Jessica Echeverria, and translator Adriana Dominguez to take us through the translation process for Martí’s Song for Freedom/Martí y sus versos por la libertad:
Back-to-School Book Lists for Grades PreK-8
It’s that time of the year again! September is around the corner and the summer season is winding down. Help kick the year off to a great start with our Back-to-School Reading Lists for Grades PreK-8 and suggestions from Lee & Low Books. Curated by our in-house literacy specialists, these book lists have something for everyone and will make sure that all students feel at home in their new classrooms.
The Back-To-School Reading Lists are available for Grades PreK-2, Grades 3-5, and Grades 6-8, and they are free to download and share!
Webinar Recording: A Conversation With Lee & Low’s Editors
A few weeks ago we hosted our first webinar, “Shaping Up Your Manuscript: A Conversation With Our Editors,” sharing writing advice for those who are interested in submitting to our New Voices Award, our New Visions Award, or just our general submissions. You can now watch (or rewatch) it online here: Continue reading