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Virtual Party Participants’ Diverse Book Recommendations #ReadYourWorld

As a result of the incredible participation we received during our virtual party, we are making the questions we asked during the giveaway into a five-part series.  The participants were really engaged with these questions and gave us some great recommendations that we’ve compiled here for you.  Today’s post is in response to the first question.  Enjoy!

How has the past year been for you and your kids? What issues did you face and what books helped?

• Q1: A year of transition! We moved out of our house and are living in a rental while we wait to find our next place 🙂
• Q1: Way less parental involvement.
• Q1: I spent the year writing my debut novel, PEDRO & DANIEL!
• Q#1: The past year was better in the sense that things opened up regarding the pandemic, but the effects remain with anxiety and stress. We noticed a lot more mindfulness books out there for kids that have helped.
• Q1: It’s been a year where my kids are learning how to be students again—they’re practicing audience etiquette, learning how to do some of their work independently, and dealing with some big emotions. Books that helped include Hattie Hates Hugs and anything by Peter Reynolds.
• Q1-overwhelmed by logistics! Everyone has a busy schedule and is overcommitted. Many moving parts. They all read different books, but everyone is interested in decolonization (they are older).
• Q#1: This past year has been wonderful for my fifth-grade class and me! We have worked hard to grow and learn together. We have loved books such as One Time by Sharon Creech and Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt to begin our year together.
• Q#1: I am a teacher and not a parent. This school year has been great. We’re currently reading Llama Llama Red Pajama.
• Q1: This year has been fast for us. The district wants everything to go back to normal, but the kids don’t move that fast, yet.
• A1: Going back to *normal* has been challenging. We all still need to heal, but we are fast-forwarding as if nothing happened.
• Q#1: Yes brain, Whole Brainchild, outdoor kids in an inside world
• Q#1:  It was hard going back to in-person classes.
• Q#1: It’s been relieving especially because getting back from COVID. My daughter liked Aru Shah, especially bcoz it was fantasy genre, she had been reading the series since Covid
• Q#1: Tough year, filled with painful losses and grief.
• Q#1: This past year I’ve focused on being a first-time mom to my nine-month-old boy. I haven’t been in the classroom since March. I made reading a daily practice and I had to do research on finding books to hold his attention.
• Q#1: We’ve found that students needed a lot of social-emotional support and help with regulating emotions. We read Big Feelings by Alexandra Penfold to help with this.
• Q#1: Trying to get library time restarted. I did get some negative feedback when I suggested an LGBTIQ book.
• Q#1: Alone Together on Dan Street, by Erica Lyons
• Q#1: I was going to mention It’s Okay as well – great book
• Q1: people say that diversity isn’t a hot topic for our school. Hats of Faith.
• Q1 -It’s been stressful, so many books help when kids can see themselves. Arely is a Dreamer helped one girl, in particular, seek out reading more because of it.
• Q#1: At my library, I had requests to make a Healing Library kit to help kids who are coping with anxiety.
• Q#1: It has been a mixed bag. My kids have started new schools this year just as they were becoming comfortable with their last school. Books to inspire have been our greatest connection and I would like to find a family book once again, which I haven’t read with them since 2021.
• Q#1: We moved this year, so a book called “Un Nuevo Hogar” (A New Home in English) helped so much with those feelings.
• Q #1 Big year of changes for our family (new home, new schools, etc…) The oldest started kindergarten and has been able to receive high-impact tutoring/literacy support from Reading Partners. He loves his newest book from today’s session – Ada Twist Scientist!
• Q#1: I teach older kids now, but we absolutely loved I Want to Be a Vase which is inclusive and promotes conversations about being ourselves and also about gender topics
• Q1 I was happy to share multicultural books in our libraries displays, I purchase world language books and worked on getting bilingual books in Ukrainian.
• Q#1: The book the Magical Yet
• Q#1: Busy year of trying to establish a new normal.
• Q#1: A1: Reading has been really hard for a lot of us. I know I read less this year. Donalyn Miller’s Blog post from 2020 is always helpful https://www.slj.com/story/reading-joy-time-of-coronavirus-distraction-donalyn-miller
• Q1 we’ve gone through back to real life, back to full activities in school, daycare changes, job changes, lots of big transitions, and a dyslexia diagnosis for my eldest. We used lots of books, many for emotions, lots of books to help us laugh like the book with no pictures, piranha don’t eat bananas. And a good match for MCBD, about a dyslexic kid my daughter related to!
• Q#1. This year has solidified our goal to homeschool our children, especially after the Florida governor decided to keep banning books from the public school system. As a response, my husband and I have gone to our indie bookstore and bought as many books as possible that celebrate diversity. We have loved books by Vivian Kirkfield, as well as Black authors and Indigenous voices.
• Q#1: One book my students absolutely loved was Sulwe. We read it this week. Such a great message. We had great conversations about it and how to treat people no matter what they look like, especially their skin color.
• Q1 Some kids are having trouble fitting in with others.  Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World and The Prince and the Dressmaker are two books that help.
• Q#1: I am so so grateful for all the books to help my kiddo with SO many things going on.
• Q#1: This past year has been difficult in my library because students are having trouble regulating themselves and need to play more. Books that have helped are books like Tap the Magic Tree and Press Here which are fun and get them up and moving.
• Q#1: The talk conversations about race, love & truth
• Q#1:  A1 Going back to normal and planning in-person events in 2023.
• Q#1: All kinds of emotions. A book called Karate Countdown by Jake Maddox helped our 8yo understand how martial arts could help him regulate feelings of anger.
• Q#1: With my almost 3 y/o we have had a great time visiting the local library and checking out books about the seasons and holidays subjects she was learning in school.
• Q#1: We’ve used All Are Welcome, too! Another popular title in our library.
• Q#1:  As a writer, I’ve found Brainstorm and rhyming PB is a lively antidote to writer’s block.
• Q1: We’ve been feeling lazy and slightly unmotivated. We’ve been using Yoga Pretzels to help stabilize moods.
• Q#1: Blue Bunny Books
• Q1: It was tough for the past year for my kindergartener boy who attended preschool for the very first time just several months before entering kindergarten. The book All are Welcome helped him to be comfortable with kids who were from different races.
• Q#1: It was a hectic year that I experienced. Books that were inspiring for me were Ways to Grow Love by Renee Watson and Too Small Tola by Atinuke.
• Q#1: I think books in general are very helpful…especially when parents or teachers read with kids…it’s helpful because it creates a bond – unlike electronic stuff.
• Q#1: I love Peter Reynold’s books! I also love the book What’s in Your Pocket.
• Q#1:  Get Up, Stand Up is a great book to bring music into the classroom.
• Q#1: We just enjoyed the book The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi.  Amazing book about loving who you are.
• Q#1: The Power of One has been helpful in bringing zoom groups together.
• Q#1: Lump Lump and the blanket of dreams is an awesome title (haven’t read it…just love the title!)
• Q#1:  For teachers who are here, educational resources for my books (one of them, Brave in the Water, just flashed on the screen) are available on the Lawley Publishing Website and on my own site: stephaniewildman.com