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Books for the Young Activist and 10 Book GIVEAWAY! // #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2024

Read Your World Celebrates Multicultural Children’s Book Day is thrilled to present our #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2024 series in conjunction with The Children’s Book Council.

Please welcome Dr. Nina Jablonski, Dr. Holly Y. McGee, and Karen Vermeulen with their list of books for the young activist.

We are giving away 10 copies of their picture book, It’s Just Skin, Silly! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom.

 

Books for the Young Activist

Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, A Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion by Shannon Stocker, illustrated by Devon Holzwarth

An inspiring true story about defying expectations and pursuing your dreams against all odds, Listen is also a great anti-ableism title to add to your school, library, or personal shelf. As a young, promising musician, Evelyn begins to lose her hearing and fears she may never be able to play her instruments again—until her teacher helps her feel the music. A little slice of magic. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Viva’s Voice by Raquel Donoso, illustrated by Carlos Vélez Auiglera

When little Viva attends her father’s union rally, her voice becomes an inspiration to all. Underneath this stunning, sweet story is a reminder that teaching little girls to be quiet hurts us all. We’ve got big voices for a reason—now, like Viva, we’ve got to learn when to use them as a force for good! [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Someone Just Like You by Helen Docherty, illustrated by David Roberts

This book shows kids that we can have so much in common with people of a different race, culture, or ability than us. And that above all, kindness is our greatest gift, and it is never out of reach, no matter who or how old you are. It’s an important message delivered in a delightful way, and we love the unusual color palette and design. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Just One Little Light by Kat Yeh, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

A beautifully poetic book by one of our favorite illustrators. And what we love about it is that because of its poetic nature, the meaning is open to interpretation and can work for different reading levels. It’s a wonderful, life-affirming book about putting hope to action. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

The Last Tree by María Quintana Silva, illustrated by Silvia Álvarez

A young boy tries to save his town’s last tree in this whimsical and lovely book. One day, all of the trees in Goran’s town decide to uproot and move away, because they are afraid of being cut down by humans. The tree at Goran’s home is the last to leave, and because he loves it so much, he decides to replant the forest to convince it to stay. True to its message, the whole book is printed on stone paper—no trees harmed! [picture book, ages 4 and up]

It’s Just Skin, Silly! by Dr. Nina Jablonski and Dr. Holly Y McGee, illustrated by Karen Vermeulen

Race is a heavy topic, but it doesn’t have to be. That’s why we decided to take something serious and write a fun book about it. Our goal was to make Epi Dermis, our main character, emotive and relatable to help guide kids through some complex ideas in a simple, fun way—giving parents an opportunity to delve into the deeper meanings at their own pace. [picture book, ages 5 and up]

What’s the Big Idea by Tracey Turner, illustrated by Tequitia Andrews

We love the big, bold design of this new book and the simple explanations of big ideas like activism, feminism, democracy, and many more. I think this is a must-have for kids and maybe some grown ups, too! It’s a great way for young readers to develop a basic knowledge about a wide range of activist issues. [middle grade, ages 6 and up]

City Streets Are for People by Andrea Curtis, illustrated by Emma FitzGerald

Each book in House of Anansi’s ThinkCities series is great, but this one is our top choice. Informative and clever, City Streets Are for People takes a look at the different types of green and sustainable transportation and the potential they have to make our homes healthier, safer, and more enjoyable for all. [picture book, ages 8 and up]

10 Book Giveaway of It’s Just Skin, Silly!

We are giving away 10 copies of their picture book, It’s Just Skin, Silly! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter below. We can only mail to U.S. and A.F.O. addresses.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dr. Nina Jablonski is an anthropologist and paleobiologist whose research on the evolution of skin color has been published in many scholarly journals including the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Nature, and American Psychologist. She is the author of several books, including Living Color: The Biological and Social Meaning of Skin Color and Skin: A Natural History. She has also been a featured TED Talk speaker, and has appeared as a guest on shows such as The Colbert Report and Bill Nye’s Science Rules! podcast. Dr. Jablonski has extensive experience in the development of science-related youth curricula from grades K-12.

Dr. Holly Y. McGee is a historian at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. McGee’s research, teaching, and publishing in the fields of African-American History, comparative black politics, and South African history provide critical insight into historical narratives regarding the social creation of “race” and the subsequent proliferation of racism in modern society. She is the author of “One Day We Are Going Home”: The Long Exile of Elizabeth Mafeking, and founder of the nonprofit National Black Teachers Association.

Karen Vermeulen is an artist, illustrator, and teacher living in Cape Town, South Africa. Her work is happy, uplifting, and quirky. When she is not busy with some creative project, she is probably playing with her cat, Sir Henry. You can find more of her work at www.karenvermeulen.com or on Instagram @karen_vermeulen_illustration.

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