Category Archives: Diversity

2022 Black History Month Book and Resource Roundup

For Black History Month, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite resources and books for readers and educators alike. Though this month is dedicated to uplifting Black history, culture, movements, and game changers, we must remember that Black history IS American history and should be celebrated all year round.

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Diversifying Classic Literature in the Classroom: A Student’s Perspective

Diversifying Classic Literature in the Classroom

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.

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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.

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Books About Joy: A Diverse Reading List

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our much-anticipated Books About Joy: A Diverse Reading List, a list inspired by our blog post, “10 Picture Books That Are Not About Oppression,” which continues to be one of our most-read and shared articles to this day.

This updated and more in-depth list of diverse books reflects the daily lives of children and the joy of play, family and friends, and being themselves.

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 children of color—also deserve to see themselves thrive and to experience the joy of being
part of a loving community.

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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!

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Live Webinar with Jennifer Serravallo: Diversity in Books for Independent and Instructional Reading and Writing in Kindergarten and First Grade

As schools prepare for a critical academic year like no other, educators are looking to engage with students in essential literacy skills while providing high-quality literature that students can relate to, enjoy and learn from.

Join Jennifer Serravallo, renowned literacy consultant, expert, and New York Times bestselling author, and Adjoa Burrowes, educator, artist, and award-winning Lee & Low author and illustrator for an upcoming Live-Only Webinaras they discuss:

  • how diversity and identity fits into reading instruction
  • how to incorporate race and social justice into your literacy block
  • explicit tips for supporting comprehension, phonics instruction, and writing techniques with incredible texts

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Lee & Low Books 2021 Title Showcase (with a peek at our 2022 books!)

Thank you to everyone who joined us last week for the Lee & Low Books 2021 Showcase. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, librarian, or bookseller, this webinar will help you discover great new books to diversify your shelves (with an additional sneak peek of our 2022 titles):

Browse or download a printable PDF of our 2021 Titles. Find our Lee & Low catalogs here.

Have additional questions or comments? Please leave them below!

Free Upcoming Webinar: Lee & Low Books 2021 Showcase

Lee & Low Books 2021 Showcase with book covers against a mahogany background

Join Lee & Low Books editors for a showcase of our 2021 books! Whether you’re a parent, teacher, librarian, or bookseller, this webinar will help you discover great new books to diversify your shelves. Find newly released titles that you won’t want to miss, and get a sneak peek at our 2022 releases. This one-hour webinar will include picture books, middle grade, and young adult titles.

Date: Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Time: 4:00 PM ET/1:00 PM PT
How to Join: You can register here.

Registration is free, but space is limited so register today! Even if you can’t attend live, you can still register and we will send a recording of the webinar to all registrants after the webinar takes place.

We hope to see you there! If you have any questions or particular topics you would like to see covered, feel free to leave them in the comments.

An Interview with A.M. Dassu, author of Boy, Everywhere

Today is the release day for Boy, Everywhere by debut author A. M. Dassu! In this powerful middle-grade debut, Sami and his family embark on a harrowing journey to save themselves from the Syrian civil war.

Watch author A. M. Dassu talk about why she wrote Boy, Everywhere. And read on to learn more about what moved Dassu to write this story, her experience and work with refugees, and the feedback she’s received from Syrian readers.

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