Discover the joy of reading with Book Clubs and Book Fairs
Discover the joy of reading with Book Clubs and Book Fairs
This February, we are excited to celebrate Black voices with books that centres around Black lives, Black joy, and Black stories that are sure to resonate far beyond a single month of the year. Join us as we #ShareBlackStories with readers and reaffirm our Scholastic commitment to publish books that demonstrate the Power of Story.
Based on the New York Times bestselling book and the Academy Award–nominated movie, author Margot Lee Shetterly and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award winner Laura Freeman bring the incredibly inspiring true story of four black women who helped NASA launch men into space to picture book readers!
Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden were good at math…really good.
They participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes, like providing the calculations for America’s first journeys into space. And they did so during a time when being black and a woman limited what they could do. But they worked hard. They persisted. And they used their genius minds to change the world.
In this beautifully illustrated picture book edition, we explore the story of four female African American mathematicians at NASA, known as “coloured computers,” and how they overcame gender and racial barriers to succeed in a highly challenging STEM-based career.
“Finally, the extraordinary lives of four African American women who helped NASA put the first men in space is available for picture book readers,” proclaims Brightly in their article “18 Must-Read Picture Books of 2018.” “Will inspire girls and boys alike to love math, believe in themselves, and reach for the stars.”
An inspiring picture book about how children can combine art and activism in their daily lives.
“They say I’m an artist. They say I’m an activist.”
When a young boy realizes the scope of inequities in the wider world, he’s seized with the urge to do more. He decides to bring together the different parts of himself ― the artist and the activist ― to become…an Artivist. After his mural goes viral, he sets out to change the world one painting at a time.
With inspiring text and stunning illustrations by Nikkolas Smith, L’Artiviste is a call to action for young readers to point out injustice in their lives and try to heal the broken bones of the world through their art.
Ruby Bridges tells her story as never before and shares the events of the momentous day in 1960 when Ruby became the first Black child to integrate the all-white William Franz Elementary as a six year old little girl — a personal and intimate look through a child’s lens at a landmark moment in our Civil Rights history.
My work will be precious.
I will bridge the “gap” between Black & white…
…and hopefully all people!
I suppose some things in life are just meant to be.
When Ruby Bridges was six years old, she became the first Black child to integrate the all-white William Frantz Elementary in Louisiana. Based on the pivotal events that happened in 1960 and told from her point of view, this is a poetic reflection on her experience that changed the face of history and the trajectory of the Civil Rights movement.
I Am Ruby Bridges offers hope and confidence to all children. It is the perfect learning tool for schools and libraries to teach the story of Ruby Bridges and introduce this landmark story to young readers in a powerful new way. This story of innocence and courage is brought to life by NAACP-nominated artist, Nikkolas Smith through stunning and breath-taking illustrations. Embracing the meaning of her name, Bridges reflects with poignancy and heart on the way one brave little girl stood proud to help build a bridge between all people and pave the path for future generations.
My name is Kikelomo and I am cherished!
It’s Kikelomo’s first day of school and she is excited! But when it’s time to share in her classroom circle, Kikelomo is surprised and saddened when other children make fun of her name. When Kikelomo comes home that night, her mother and father remind her how carefully they chose her name and that it means “a child who is cherished” in Yoruba, the language of her mother’s family. It prompts her to think about all the times she feels cherished and who she is, held inside her loving family.
When Kikelomo returns to school the next day, she can’t wait to share why calling her by her name is important, and how everyone can pronounce it if they try. With this simple act, her classmates ― and teacher! ― are all inspired to learn and share the stories of their names too.
Joyful, powerful and infused with love, this proudly affirming story will resonate with every child who needs to stand up for their big, beautiful name, and encourage kids and grownups from all backgrounds to think about their own unique connection to their name.
Read our interview with the author and illustrator here!
Make way for Martin Luther King, Jr.!
It’s Martin Luther King, Jr., like you’ve never seen him before!
Using a unique mix of first-person narrative, hilarious comic panels, and essential facts, Dean Robbins introduces young readers to a trailblazer of the civil rights movement. The fourth book in an exciting nonfiction series, You Are a Star, Martin Luther King Jr. focuses on Martin’s lifelong mission to ensure that African Americans gained their constitutional rights.
Anastasia Magloire Williams spot-on comic illustrations bring this icon to life, and engaging back matter instructs readers on how to be more like Martin!
An inspiring story of identity and self-esteem from celebrated athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick.
When Colin Kaepernick was five years old, he was given a simple school assignment: draw a picture of yourself and your family. What young Colin does next with his brown crayon changes his whole world and worldview, providing a valuable lesson on embracing and celebrating his Black identity through the power of radical self-love and knowing your inherent worth.
I Color Myself Different is a joyful ode to Black and Brown lives based on real events in young Colin’s life that is perfect for every reader’s bookshelf. It’s a story of self-discovery, staying true to one’s self, and advocating for change… even when you’re very little!
A joyful, intergenerational celebration of Black hair, family love, and cultural pride in the spirit of Hair Love and Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut.
It’s wash day―Tasha’s least favorite day of the week!
Wash day means stinging eyes, aching back, and water everywhere, even in Tasha’s ears!
But with big sis comforting her, Mama humming to the music, and Granny telling stories of wash days past, the weekly ritual soon becomes more than a weekend chore―it’s a special bonding time for three generations of beautiful Black women.
Wash Day Love will affirm, empower, and reflect the lived experiences of Black children and resonate with families everywhere.
In the middle of the ice, a young Black hockey player finds joy in his talent and confidence in the cheers of his family, his coach, and the other players. Their support gives him the power to face down those who see him as a threat and to focus on the thrill of the game.
Young people of colour who have experienced racism on and off the ice will see themselves in these pages. The beauty of hockey is celebrated here, as is the excellence of the young Black boy who continues to play the sport he loves despite the danger that the racism of others can put him in. As well as his family and coach, he looks to Black hockey legends like P.K. Subban and Joel Ward for inspiration.
A powerful novel that challenges the limitations and pressures placed on boys today.
London feels stuck. His school friends think he’s this confident kid who likes video games and will kick your butt if you get on his bad side. His high-achieving parents think he’s a genius coder and are pushing him to pursue that as a future career. None of this is true. London feels anxiety in crowds, and what he really wants to do is be by himself and read books. Not knowing what else to do, London starts an anonymous online comic called “Is There A Boy Like Me,” where he expresses his true feelings and explores what his life would be like if he could just be who he wanted to be. When the comic goes viral, it starts a global conversation about what being a boy really means, with London directly in the middle of it all.
Read our interview with the author here!
An empowering follow-up to New York Times bestselling picture book All Because You Matter that celebrates the rich history of Black and brown men and women throughout history with soaring language and stunning illustration.
Lyrical, affirmational, and bursting with love, We Are Here is a poignant story about Black and brown heritage and community. Full of assurance, tenderness, and triumph, this much-anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestselling picture book All Because You Matter offers an equally inspirational and arresting ode to all of the Black women and men throughout history who have made momentous contributions from the beginning of time.
Tami Charles shares the beauty and excellence in the history of the Black community, assuring Black and brown children of the extraordinary legacy from which they come. Charles’s powerful and empowering text is accompanied with illustrations by renowned artist Bryan Collier, a four-time Caldecott Honor recipient and a nine-time Coretta Scott King Award winner or honoree. We Are Here celebrates readers with pride, joy, and love, reminding them of their roots, inviting readers to imagine a future that shines ever bright, and strengthening them for their triumphant days to come!
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