Lily's Cat Mask by Julie Fortenberry (2017)

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Lily's Cat Mask by Julie Fortenberry (2017)

by Anna HK

Lily isn't really sure about the changes that are coming--mainly the fact that she's starting school soon. Her dad buys her a yellow cat mask, and Lily wears it everywhere. It becomes a bit of a problem when she starts school, and she's only allowed to wear it during recess--although Lily has a hard time adjusting to that restriction. One day the teacher announces that they are having a costume party and the children can wear whatever they want. Among the superheroes, monsters, and witches, Lily finds another cat and, hopefully, a lifelong friend.

Themes/Topics: costumes, masks, hiding, friendship

Sample text from two spreads:
"She like to hide her face when she felt mean and couldn't get nice. 

And she also made a very important wish wearing her mask. 

But when Lily started school, her teacher called the mask a distraction, and Lily was only allowed to wear it at recess."

 

Lucía the Luchadora by Cynthia Leonor Garza & Alyssa Bermudez

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Lucía the Luchadora by Cynthia Leonor Garza & Alyssa Bermudez (2017) #ownvoices

by Anna HK

Lucía's pretend superpowers on the playground are significant, but the boys she wants to play with ignore her and tell her that girls can't be superheroes. Lucía's Abuela introduces Lucía to a new kind of superhero--a masked luchadora who has moxie, bravery and heart, and is willing to fight for what is right without ever revealing her true identity. Lucía's new identity grabs lots of attention at the playground, and soon other kids are wearing lucha libre masks too. When a kid in a pink glittery lucha libre mask appears, the boys' start saying girls can't be superheroes again. Just as Lucía is about to intervene, there's an emergency on the slide; Lucía to the rescue! On behalf of the new girl, she reveals her identity to prove that girls CAN be superheroes. All the children unmask, and Lucía finds that many of the luchadores are actually lucadoras! This is a longer story, but it's themes will resonate for older children, making it a good choice for school visits or classroom read-alouds

Themes/topics: bullying, superheroes, luchadores, bravery, rescue, friendship

Sample text from three spreads: 

I zip through the playground in my red cape. I go POW. I go BAM. 
The boys zoom by with their own capes fluttering behind them. They go BOOM. They go CRASH

The boys try to jump off the monkey bars, but no one can do a high-flying leap from the top like I can. I dive. I spin. I nail my landing. Every! Single! Time! I dash up the dark, swirly slide that no one dares go near, but the boys pay no attention to me. 

They dart off when I try to play with them. Mighty Mick yells out to me, "Girls can't be superheroes!" Ninja Nick, his twin, adds, "Girls are just made of sugar and spice and everything nice!"
I don't feel very nice and sweet at that moment. I feel mad. Spice mad. KA-POW kind of mad!

Back Catalog Posts: Lenny Goes to Nursery School by Ken Wilson-Max

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Lenny Goes to Nursery School by Ken Wilson-Max #ownvoices (2013)

by Mary K.

In this British import Lenny goes to nursery school for the first time.  On the way, he sees another girl whose colorful dress he admires. She turns out to be a classmate, Lucy, and at school Lucy and Lenny sing songs, draw pictures, have juice, and enjoy tricycle races with their diverse classmates and teacher. Only a slight frown when mom leaves hints at Lenny's nervousness. The brightly-colored illustrations are just right for still-developing vision, and the simple plot will be relatable for most young children learning about what to expect when they begin school.

Themes/topics: school, preschool, separation, friends

Sample text from two spreads:

Mummy says, "Bye bye, Lenny. See you later." Lenny frowns and waves a little wave.

Lucy takes Lenny's hand. "Let's play," she says.

The Forever Garden by Laurel Snyder & Samantha Cotterill

 

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The Forever Garden by Laurel Snyder & Samantha Cotterill (2017)

by AHK

Laurel loves her next-door neighbor Honey, who is an avid gardener. Honey teaches Laurel about the joys of fresh-grown food, and the love of growing and tending plants and animals. One day there's a "For Sale" sign outside Honey's house--Honey needs to move in order to take care of a sick parent. Laurel tries to warn Honey about potential dangers of her new home, but Honey correctly interprets these warnings as Laurel's way of saying, "don't go" and "I'll miss you." Laurel wonders why Honey bothers planting strawberries, since they won't be ready until after she's gone, and Honey tells her that the garden belongs to everyone, really. Just as she ate grapes planted by someone else, the strawberries will be enjoyed by the next owners of the home. Together, they plant a tree in Honey's yard, and say goodbye. Eventually a new family moves in and Laurel teaches them about the garden. This one is probably too long for toddlers, but would work for preschool storytime or a special-event type storytime or farmer's market outreach.

Themes/Topics: Gardens, friendship, moving, moving away, nature, food, vegetables

Sample text from the wordiest spread:

We walk to the porch for a cool glass of water. "When will the berries be ready?" I ask.
"Next summer," says Honey. 
"But then...you won't be here to eat them." Honey takes off her gloves. 
"Nope," she says. "But someone will."
"That's not fair," I say. "It's your garden."
"This garden isn't really mine,' says Honey. "It belongs to everyone."
"But you did all the work," I say. 
Honey shakes her head. "I didn't plant the grapes. I only ate them."
"Then who did?"
Honey shrugs. "No way to know. But that's just fine. The new folks will enjoy these strawberries, the way I enjoyed the grapes. And if they add something, the garden will keep going...maybe forever." 

Twindergarten by Nikki Ehrlich illustrated by Zoey Abbott

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Twindergarten by Nikki Ehrlich illustrated by Zoey Abbott (2017)

by AHK

Twins Zoe and Dax go together like peanut butter and jelly. But for kindergarten they get assigned to separate classrooms. Before the big day, Zoe feels excited and takes the lead comforting Dax as he worries. However, when they arrive at school their roles reverse and suddenly it's Zoe who is not so sure about this whole kindergarten thing. They each make a new friend, but Zoe continues to miss Dax. They are reunited for recess, and Dax slips Zoe a special note which reminds her that no matter what, they have each other, which allows Zoe to settle in and enjoy her own experience. This is a good lesson on separation anxiety as well as a good introduction to the kinds of things kids do in kindergarten. Add it to your first-day rotation!

Themes/Topics: twins, separation anxiety, first day of school, kindergarten, worry, friendship

Sample text from the wordiest spread: 

On the night before school, the twins had the jitters. The just-about-to-start-school jitters. Tomorrow, they'd be in different classrooms. And they ABSOLUTELY couldn't imagine what that would feel like. The twins took out the pins and name tags their teachers had sent them. Zoe would be with the Awesome Alligators. Dax would be with the Cool Cats. But what they ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY wanted was to be together. 

I Got a New Friend by Karl Newsom Edwards

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I Got a New Friend by Karl Newsom Edwards

by AHK

Another pet book! If you want to do an inclusive theme, pets is your best bet for the most options. This one is terribly sweet. There's not really a plot, just a sweet portrayal of what it's like to have a new friend--the twist at the end is that it's the puppy narrating and the girl is the new friend. For each line of text, both puppy and child mirror each other actions and emotions. Readers assume the girl is speaking until the end. Although it's slight, it's successful and would work perfectly for toddler storytime. I would even use this with babies after shortening it a tad.

Themes/Topics: pets, friendship

Sample text from three spreads: 

At first, [my new friend] was sort of scared. But she got used to me. 

My friend likes to play outside. 

She messes up the house and sleeps on the furniture. 

The Fox Wish by Kimiko Aman illustrated by Komako Sakai

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The Fox Wish by Kimiko Aman illustrated by Komako Sakai #ownvoices (2017 US)

by AHK
Sweet and atmospheric, I love this intimate little story about sharing, kindness, and looking out for others. Roxie has forgotten her jump rope, so she and her brother Lukie head back out to find it. They discover a group of foxes playing with the jump rope and join in, playing together until dusk. As Roxie is about to grab her jump rope and head home, a little fox also named Roxie says that the jump rope belongs to her--she found it because of a wish. Instead of reclaiming her property, human Roxie lets the little fox keep the rope and her belief in her wish, simply saying that they should play together again soon. This title doesn't scream "storytime" but it has a straightforward first-person narration that older readers can follow without a lot guidance, and would be great for discussion with smaller PreK groups and classes. Definitely worth adding to your collection.

Themes/topics: foxes, sharing, giving, selflessness, toys, friendship, kindness

Sample text from two spreads: 

The foxes were not very good at jump rope. They were good jumpers, but their tails kept getting caught in the rope. It didn't seem polite to laugh at them, even though they looked so funny. But Lukie couldn't help it. 

At that, the foxes dropped the rope. "What was that?" asked the smallest one. It didn't seem polite to spy on them either, so we tiptoed out from the tree's shadow. "Hi," I said. "Oh, thank heavens!" said a fox. "by any chance might you be able to teach us how to jump rope without tripping?"

Rosie and Crayon

Rosie & Crayon by Deborah Marcero (2017)

Rosie and her pup Crayon are best friends. The short, poetic text tells readers how Crayon fills Rosie's world with color and happiness, and each spread beautifully highlights a different color. Of course, pets don't last forever, and Rosie is plunged into a sad gray world. One day a neighbor shows her a missing pet poster--he's lost his cat Inky. Rosie half-heartedly searches for the missing cat, and when she finds it she allows herself to remember Crayon and feel happy alongside her sadness. Instead of breaking, she finds her heart has grown. A grief/losing a pet story that isn't too intense for storytime fills a valuable gap, and this one fits the bill nicely.

Themes/Topics: pets, grief, loss of a pet, colors, friendship, dogs, cats

Sample text from three spreads:

Until one day, after a long and colorful life, Crayon was gone. 

The sky filled with clouds that pinched out the sun. 

Black became suitable. White worked like an eraser. And gray could mask almost anything. Rosie's heart zipped itself up, and the world became a cold, colorless place.  

 

Shawn Loves Sharks by Curtis Manley pictures by Tracy Subisak

Shawn Loves Sharks by Curtis Manley pictures by Tracy Subisak (2017)

Shawn loves sharks. No, he really loves sharks. But when the predator project at school is announced, Shawn gets...Leopard Seal. And Stacy, his favorite person to torment when pretending to be a shark at recess, gets Great White Shark. Sharks eat Seals. But Shawn learns to appreciate seals, and enjoys running from the Shark, er, Stacy during recess. Shawn goes from being a great shark, to a great seal, to a great friend. A sweet story about predators, open-mindedness, friendship and sharing, this would be a good fit for school visits, classroom read-alouds, and older storytimes.


Themes/Topics: sharks, friendship, sea, ocean, school visits, school stories

Sample text from two spreads:
At home, Shawn looked through his shark books hoping that what he remembered about sharks and seals was wrong. It wasn't wrong.
He hoped Stacy wouldn't find out. She found out.

Tuesday on the playground, Stacy leaned close and said, "Did you know that sharks eat seals?" Shawn nodded. "But not if they can't catch them!"
Stacy opened her mouth very wide and ran as fast as she could, but she couldn't catch Shawn. 

Round by Joyce Sidman illustrated by Taeeun Yoo

Round by Joyce Sidman illustrated by Taeeun Yoo (2017) #ownvoices

Look around—what round things do you see? For a little girl who loves round things, this book explores the many places she sees her favorite shape, and the sensory delight she finds in roundness. This book doesn’t rhyme, but Sidman’s chops as a poet are on full display in the first-person narrative. The words, as smooth and rich as a ripe berry, burst in your mouth and beg to be read out loud. Yoo’s illustrations are soft and lovely, inviting readers to spend time looking. Just lovely!

Themes/topics: Shapes, outdoors, nature, friendship, the moon

Sample text from final three spreads:
I can be round, too…in a circle of friends with no one left out.
Or, I can curl by myself in a warm, round ball.
I love round things. 

Cat Knit by Jacob Grant

Cat Knit by Jacob Grant (2016)

An adorably expressive cat forms a complicated friendship with a ball of yarn. When Cat’s transforms Yarn by knitting it into a cat sweater, Cat feels betrayed by his friend. Since snow/cold features predominately in this title, it will work with those themes as well. With large, clear illustrations and just a few words on a page, this title should fit well into most storytimes. Note: Jacob Grant is also the author of Scaredy Kate, another Everyday Diversity favorite of mine.

Themes/topics: cats, clothing, yarn/knitting, friendship, funny, mix-ups, snow

Sample text from first two spreads:

Cat and Girl had always been good friends.

One day, Girl brought home a colorfull new guest. His name was Yarn. 

July Round Up: New Racially Diverse Picture Books for Storytime

 

[You can find a full list of all titles at the bottom of this post]

I Won a What? by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Robert Neubecker

I Won a What? by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Robert Neubecker

Desperate for a pet, a young child tries to win a goldfish at the fair. But instead of a goldfish the prize is Nuncio--a whale! This is a slightly surreal take on the "inconvenient pet becomes useful and beloved" storyline, but one that could certainly work in preschool storytime or early elementary classrooms.

 Themes/Topics: Friendship, Pets, Circus, Whales, Love

Here's a sample of the text. This is the most text that appears on any page:
"We fill our enormous swimming pool with salt water until it's just right for Nuncio. I've always wanted something I could take care of.  Something that loves me back. Maybe that was a lot to ask of a goldfish. But a whale! A whale seems capable of almost anything!"

Puddle by Hyewon Yum

Puddle by Hyewon Yum

A rainy day creates a disgruntled child determined not to be appeased by any activity mom suggests. When her suggestion to spend time drawing is rejected, she cheerfully announces that she'll just draw by herself. Of course, the child becomes intrigued and they draw themselves into a rainy day scene, creating a narrative as they draw. Mom gets upset when the child "splashes" in the puddle they drew by scribbling, and mom looks quite concerned when they go outside and a giant puddle appears ahead. Happily, though unsurprisingly, she throws caution to the wind and they jump and splash together.
Part of the book is told through dialogue, with the mother's words in red and the child's in black, so larger groups might get lost unless you're comfortable reading with voices, but it should definitely be part of your collection anyway. Yum's skilled and delightful illustrations are wonderful as always.

Themes/Topics: Rain, Drawing, Imagination, Mothers, Dogs, Weather

Red Yellow Blue (And a Dash of White Too!)  by C. G. Esperanza

Red Yellow Blue (And a Dash of White Too!)  by C. G. Esperanza

This one is a welcome addition to the color theory shelf. In a riot of color, wordplay, and imagination, a young child wrangles a paintbrush mixing colors and bringing different animals to life until things get a little out of control with a "Grayish--Brownish Mud monster," but ultimately the mud monster just wants to get in on the action too, and paints portraits of all the other animals.

Text sample--full of opportunities for wordplay and movement, here's the first spread:
"Splish Splash Sploosh! I painted an elephant BLUE 
with a splash of RED and YELLOW and a dash of WHITE, too.

Swoosh Swash Swish! She mixed BLUE and YELLOW 
BLUE and YELLOW made GREEN!
Like a GREEN frog fellow.  

Themes/Topics: Color, Art, Imagination

Salad Pie written by Wendy BooydeGraaff illustrated by Bryan Langdo

Salad Pie written by Wendy BooydeGraaff illustrated by Bryan Langdo

An empty playground is the perfect setting for Maggie to make "Salad Pie" (a cleaner version of mud pie), but then Herbert shows up and--even worse--he wants to help. Maggie bossily rejects his attempts to help until she accidentally slips down the slide, dropping the salad into the air. Herbert saves the day by catching both her and the pie, and their friendship is solidified as they make plans to make "Sandwich Stew" tomorrow.

This one includes lots of places to add a little singing refrain, and isn't too wordy, making it a good storytime selection:
"Into the oven," said Maggie, and she closed the imaginary oven door with panache. Gently, ever so gently, Maggie danced her jig. Softly, ever so softly, she sang, "Salad Pie, oh Salad Pie! Soon you'll be ready, Salad Pie!

Themes/Topics: Friendship, Imagination, Playgrounds, Food

How to Find Gold by Viviane Schwarz

How to Find Gold by Viviane Schwarz

Anna and her best friend, Crocodile, decide to find gold even though it will be dangerous and difficult.

Several very wordy pages are followed by several wordless pages, which means this one is a better fit for very dialogic storytime groups who have practice reading and interpreting the pictures in a story.

One spread reads:
"Gold is always hidden. We need a map with an X where the gold is," said Crocodile. 
"That's easy, said Anna. "Draw a map of the whole world, to be sure." 
"It doesn't have an X," Said Crocodile when the map was finished. 
Anna drew one on. 
"The gold is in France!" said Anna. "How do we get to France?" 
"Hm," said Crocodile. "I don't know that bit."

Themes/Topics: Treasure, Ships/Sailing, Crocodiles, Pirates (not specifically, but it definitely works), Imagination, Bravery, Friendship, Travel

Emma and Julia Love Ballet by Barbara McClintock

Emma and Julia Love Ballet by Barbara McClintock

A day in the lives of two girls who love ballet are compared and contrasted. Emma, a young white girl, and Julia, an older black teen, both wake up early, both eat breakfast and both get dressed for a ballet lesson. But while Emma is excited to go the the city and watch a ballet later that night, Julia is in the performance. Most children reading this book will be able to relate to Emma as a beginning dancer, and will share her admiration and be inspired by Julia, who is an advanced dancer participating in live performances on stage.

Here's a sample of the text--the parallel stories and repetition make it a good fit for storytime:
"Some of Emma's friends take tap lessons. Some of Julia's friends take tap too. Some of Emma's friends take jazz lessons. Some of Julia's friends take jazz too. Some of Emma's friends dream of dancing on Broadway. Some of Julia's friends are dancing on Broadway. But Emma and Julia love ballet."

Themes/Topics: Dance, Ballet, Careers/Jobs people do, Practice

I Won a What? by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Robert Neubecker
Puddle by Hyewon Yum
Red Yellow Blue (And a Dash of White Too!)  by C. G. Esperanza
Salad Pie written by Wendy BooydeGraaff illustrated by Bryan Langdo
How to Find Gold by Viviane Schwarz
Emma and Julia Love Ballet by Barbara McClintock