On February 1, I attended the webinar hosted by AASL Partner organization, ADL Education, titled “Books Matter: Using Children’s Literature to Invite Conversations about Identity, Bias and Social Justice.” Attending this webinar, emphasized to me that during this time, when… Read More ›
diverse books
DC Virgo Preparatory Academy Hopes to Spark Joy in Reading While Building Literacy Skills through Inspire Special Event Grant
At D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy (DCVPA), we focus on four pillars that drive school decision-making: Social and Emotional Learning, School and Community Resiliency, Literacy, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support/Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support. A needs assessment of the school community… Read More ›
Novels to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
I have always been drawn to Hispanic culture. For my Master’s of Library Science thesis, I wrote a 100-page study examining the portrayal of Hispanic characters in contemporary young adult books. Though I’ve never traveled to Latin America, I keep… Read More ›
MISelf in Books: A Diverse Book List for All
Recently, the Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME) released the 2020 MISelf in Books List. MAME is an affiliate of AASL and works with librarians across the state of Michigan. The MISelf in Books List is an annual list… Read More ›
5 Teen Titles to Read This Summer
Summer break is a great time to catch up on new and popular titles in your patrons’ age range. Below is a list of the top 5 books I have been able to read so far this summer. As you… Read More ›
Diversifying Reading Lists
Promoting diversity in literature is one of the core building blocks of the librarian profession. It is second nature for most of us to seek out books that feature characters from other countries, races, religions, backgrounds, and identities. But teachers… Read More ›
Supporting Students during This Period of Unrest
In the wake of tragedy, followed by continuing protests around the country, I imagine many of you, like me, are wondering how to best support your students during this time. I have gathered a few ideas from colleagues and social… Read More ›
American Dirt: To Read or Not to Read?
Is That the Question? Last month, I was scrolling through Twitter and found Oprah promoting American Dirt. A thriller about immigration that hooked her on the first page? I’m in. I immediately ordered it on Amazon and went back to… Read More ›
Books of Our Roots: Part Two
A few months ago, I wrote about Books of Our Roots, an idea I came up with to celebrate diversity in my high school library and facilitate conversations among students. The goal was to survey students about their families’ backgrounds,… Read More ›
Word on Words, Books, and Reading
“Choose words carefully.” Two of the keynote at AASL 2019 National Conference Ellen Oh and Dr. Adolph Brown III give inspiring words of wisdom. These inspirational speeches are not only from research and best practice but also from their father… Read More ›