Today we are celebrating the release of two heart-stopping young adult titles—Black Was the Ink written by Michelle Coles with illustrations by Justin Johnson and Thirty Talks Weird Love by Alessandra Narváez Varela!
All posts by Jennifer Khawam
Watch the Webinar: Children’s Books About Joy
Thank you to all who joined us for our most recent webinar, “Children’s Books About Joy,” with authors Kelly J. Baptist (The Electric Slide and Kai), Samara Cole Doyon (Magic Like That), and David Anthony Durham (The Shadow Prince). If you missed it live (or just want to watch again), you can watch the webinar below, or here on YouTube. Keep reading for links to resources and booklists shared during the webinar.
New Release: Miosotis Flores Never Forgets
Happy release day to Miosotis Flores Never Forgets by Hilda Eunice Burgos! From the author of Ana Maria Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle, Hilda Eunice Burgos tackles tough topics in an approachable way, while also giving middle grade readers everyday experiences to relate to in her latest novel.
Diversifying Classic Literature in the Classroom: A Student’s Perspective
In this blog post by Kiana Low, our Lee & Low summer intern, she shares the need for educators to create space for more diverse, contemporary books and voices to balance the “classics.”
The classics. If you attended high school in the United States, your mind may immediately go to Shakespeare, Jane Eyre, or maybe even Nathaniel Hawthorne, whose The Scarlet Letter has been a Puritan warning against female sexuality for nearly two centuries. These are the old guard of high school English classics—literature included in reading lists for generations. There are also “modern classics”—you may think of J.D. Salinger, Harper Lee, and John Steinbeck.
New Releases: The Shadow Prince and The Witch Owl Parliament (Clockwork Curandera Vol. I)
It’s a double release day at Lee & Low Books! Today we are celebrating the release of The Shadow Prince by David Anthony Durham, as well as the English and Spanish versions of The Witch Owl Parliament (Clockwork Curandera #1) created by David Bowles and Raúl the Third, with coloring by Stacey Robinson and lettering by Damian Duffy.
New Release: Nibi’s Water Song
Today is the release day of Nibi’s Water Song written by Sunshine Tenasco and illustrated by Chief Lady Bird. A perfect read-aloud that addresses the important topic of clean water with lively illustrations, Nibi’s Water Song is a great start for those wishing to start a conversation about activism with young readers.
Teaching about United States Reconstruction with Black Was the Ink
Next month is the release of Black Was the Ink by New Visions Award winner Michelle Coles and illustrated by Justin Johnson. Motivated by Coles’ frustration with the pace of racial progress in America, she wrote this book for readers to discover the critical work of Black congressmen during Reconstruction, an often overlooked time period, and make critical connections to present day.
Black Was the Ink, an extraordinary work fueled by rigorous research and impactful history, is a critical text for high school students and educators looking for authentic, honest history about the United States.
Dual Language Learners Deserve Research-Backed Resources
With more districts and states requiring equity in quality of materials and many are making more funding available, educators serving Dual Language Learners and English Language Learners have incredible opportunities this school year to get students back on track or help students build on the progress they have made.
For a school year like no other, educators, librarians, and caregivers are looking to research findings to find the best strategies in meeting the needs of their incoming Dual Language Learners.
Upcoming Webinar: Children’s Books about Joy
How fun is your bookroom? Where does joy intersect with culturally responsive and diverse books?
A disproportionate number of books about BIPOC protagonists focus on their marginalization. Though it is important for children to understand the history and complexity of oppression, racism, and discrimination, children—especially Indigenous children, Black children and children of color—also deserve to see themselves thrive and to experience the joy of being part of a loving community.
Teaching Immigration and Migration in the Classroom: An Interview with Abeer Shinnawi of Re-Imagining Migration
In this blog post, we interviewed Abeer Shinnawi, Program Lead at Re-Imagining Migration, about exploring the topics of migration and immigration in the classroom, how children’s books can be used to guide these discussions, and how this new infographic offers guidance on curating text sets aligned to the Re-Imagining Migration Learning Arc framework. Let’s jump right in!