Not only is it important to keep children’s minds engaged to avoid any summer learning loss, but it is also essential to keep them active and healthy as well. Here are a few ideas on how you can do both at the same time, while also incorporating some multicultural learning!
Guest post by Afsaneh Moradian
About two years ago, my child informed us that they are nonbinary. That they don’t identify as either boy or girl and that their pronouns are now they/them. Of course, this was fine with me. But, it did take a lot of work to stop using she/her in reference to my child. I’d been doing that for so many years, I was on autopilot. I tried and made a lot of mistakes in the beginning. Then I saw my child’s face when someone called them she. My child cringed and felt so uncomfortable.
Guest post by Andrew Maraniss
Last week, Tennessee school librarians held their annual breakfast reception at the state legislature, setting up tables piled with cinnamon rolls, scones, and coffee.
Only a few legislators dropped by. Instead, they sent over assistants to load up paper plates to bring back to their offices.
That wasn’t surprising. If I were a member of Tennessee’s Republican supermajority, I’d be embarrassed to show my face around school librarians, too.
Drunk on power and buzzed on culture-war adrenaline in a mid-term election year, Tennessee Republicans have introduced bills to ban books in K-12 schools that “address” or “normalize” LGBTQ people or issues, to criminalize school librarians for carrying supposedly “obscene” books, and to ban the discussion of “divisive” concepts such as race even at state universities.
Guest post by Adriana White
As an autistic librarian, I’m often asked if I can recommend any good books about autism. And I certainly can! I really enjoy sharing book recommendations, because one, I love supporting my favorite authors and their amazing books. And two, I believe that we have to provide kids with a wide variety of books that can serve (as Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop wrote) as windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors into the diverse world in which we live.
Women’s History Month is celebrated throughout the whole month and we are thrilled to share with you this guest post by author Vivian Kirkfield.
I had a lucky childhood.
I didn’t have to worry about food or shelter or safety. And growing up on the Lower East Side of New York City, I learned early on that people came in all shapes, sizes, and colors. I didn’t need books to introduce me to different cultures – I just played with the neighborhood kids – their family backgrounds spanned the globe.