Skip to main content
  • Tags: family
Fighting for yes! The story of disability rights activist Judith Heumann
Cocca-Leffler, Maryann
Judy Heumann always hears NO from a young age. She is not allowed to attend public school because she is in a wheelchair. Then after she goes to a special school with special education students, she attends college to become a teacher. But even the New York Board of Education says NO to her becoming a teacher after she earns her teaching degree. Judy joins several other disability rights activists to ensure Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 could be signed into federal law. Their work lays the foundation for the Americans with Disabilities Act. As a living advocate for herself and others, Judy tells her story of civil rights for which she fought tirelessly. By leading and working together with others to fix problems and make changes, disabled people now have less discrimination against them.

The legend of freedom hill
Altman, Linda Jacobs
A Jewish girl and an African American girl become friends during the Gold Rush in California when slavery was against the law. The two girls work together to save Miz Violet, a runaway slave, by searching for gold to buy her freedom from a slave catcher.


Voice of freedom Fannie Lou Hamer: Spirit of the civil rights movement
Weatherford, Carole Boston
No woman could be braver and have more courage than Fannie Lou Hamer. For the fearless fight that Fannie demonstrated as the "the country's number one freedom-fighting woman", we learn how her story written in themed prose serves as a chronicle of her life of civil rights. From being the last born of a large Mississippi family to being a speaker at the 1964 Democratic National Convention, Fannie went on to cofound the National Women's Political Caucus. By learning that she had a right to vote, Fannie used her voice to advocate for voting rights for others.

My name is sangoel
Williams, Karen Lynn//Mohammed, Khadra
Sangoel feels homesick after leaving his Sudanese homeland where his father died in the war. With his mother and sister, Sangoel arrives to the United States to start a new life where they learn so many things about technology, escalators, cooking stoves, and televisions. With a clever use of writing in his new school classroom, Sangoel helps his teacher and classmates learn how to pronounce his name. He will always be a Sangoel just like "his father and grandfather and his father" before him in Africa.

You can't be too careful
Mello, Roger
The white rose starts a series of continuous storylines with deeper and deeper meanings and more and more people and animals contributing to the creative adventure of white rose escaping from her pen.

Back of the bus
Reynolds, Aaron
From the back of a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, a young boy plays with his marble while sitting next to his mother. His mother tells the boy to stop the rolling marble and to tuck his marble inside and be quiet. This is the day that Rosa Parks sits in the front of the bus instead of the back of the bus with the boy and his mother. The boy knows his marble with its brown and golden shine in the sunlight is a symbol of change. No need to hide it no more.

Ruth and the green book
Ramsey, Calvin Alexander
Ruth and her parents drive from Chicago to Alabama to visit her grandma. Along the way, they saw signs that said "White Only" where they couldn't eat in the restaurants or use the bathroom inside. Ruth's mother had food packed for the trip, and they sang songs along the way to stay happy. They also visited a friend, Eddy, in Tennessee where Eddy and Ruth's daddy played music together. When the family drove into Georgia, a man explained "The Negro Motorist Green Book" which would list places in different states that would welcome black people who were traveling. Ruth and her family learns how to use the Green Book to find places to sleep, eat, shop, and get a haircut on their travels because Jim Crow laws were unfair and discriminatory against black people. When a 'tourist home' welcomes them for free, Ruth learns that it is important to help each other and treat others like a big family. After this lesson, she gives her Brown Bear to a little boy who was traveling away from home with his mother for the very first time. Ruth said that she no longer needed Brown Bear because she was too old now, then she told his mother about buying a Green Book for her travels.

Only passing through: The story of Sojourner Truth
Rockwell, Anne
A young woman named Isabella leads a strong and courageous life after being sold three times as a slave girl in the northeastern United States. After she is given a freedom day by a couple living nearby who knew of the 1827 New York law to set adults free, Isabella felt the "power of a nation" in court to win back her son who was unlawfully sold out of state. Isabella later heard God calling her to be a sojourner and spread her message about the value of freedom and what it had been like to be a slave. She would ask people "Is this any way to treat a human being"? Sojourner told her truth so well that she took the name Sojourner Truth and carried a white silk banner with the words "Proclaim Liberty" wherever she went.

Fuddles
Vischer, Frans
Fuddles is not an ordinary house cat. His family pampers and spoils him but he lacks adventure. Even though he is not allowed to go outside, he finds a way to get laughed at, chased, and put in my difficult situations before he realizes that he really misses his family. In the deep darkness of the night, he hears his family calling him. What a relief!

No one else like you
Goeminne, Siska
There are seven billion people living in this world. Each person is different and uniquely original. See all the ways that people can move, act, do and be. People come in different colors, shapes, and sizes, and they wear a variety of clothing and feel a variety of emotions. People believe in different things. Not one of them is just like you.

Big dreams, small fish
Cohen, Paula
In this New York neighborhood, a store sells gefilte fish but no one wants to buy it. Shirley's family thinks she is too young to help market the gefilte fish. In a timely moment, Shirley gives a surprise to each customer who buys something from the store. The customers come back eager for gefilte fish - much to her parents' surprise.

Hello muddah, hello faddah! A letter from camp
Davis, Jack E.
On a rainy first day at Camp Granada, a young camper writes home to "Muddah" and "Faddah" to ask them to let him leave the difficult place. The lyrics of this camp song is a letter from camp with all the jokes aside.

My parents won't stop talking
Hunsinger, Emma & Walden, Tillie
Waiting is hard, and every kid knows it's not fun. Molly wants to go the park but her parents have started talking with the neighbors for a very long time.

All-of-a-kind family hanukkah
Jenkins, Emily
Gertie, the youngest of five children, wants to help her mother cook for their family dinner on the first night of Hanukkah in New York City’s Lower East Side. After many attempts of trying to help in the busy kitchen, Gertie is sent to her room by her mother and is eventually called down for dinner by her dad. In order to get her to come downstairs, Gertie’s father asks for her helping to light the candles of the menorah for the first time and Gertie happily accepts the offer.

Fry bread: A Native American family story
Maillard, Kevin Noble
Children help a Native American grandmother make fry bread while learning about the history, social ways, food, art, and politics of America's 573 recognized Indian tribes.

Nana, Nenek, & Nina
Ferneyhough, Liza
Nina enjoys her visits to her two grandmothers in Malaysia and in England. Nina compares the similarities and differences between the two and enjoys the special time with Nenek and Nana.

I am every good thing
Barnes, Derrick
Illustrations and easy-to-read text pay homage to the strength, character, and worth of a child.

Lola loves stories
McQuinn, Anna
Lola and her dad go to the library on Saturdays to pick out books to read during the week. Every time Lola reads a book, she acts it out the next day. If she reads about building, she becomes a builder. If Lola reads a book about fairies, she becomes a fairy. What will Lola be next?

Quinnie blue
Johnson, Dinah
Hattie wonders about the activities of her grandmother Quinnie Blue when she was little. Trips to Carolina, singing, eating, reciting poems, and braiding hair with her family come to mind.

Hello lighthouse
Blackall, Sophie
A lighthouse keeper fills the lamp, trims the wick, and keeps a logbook while living in the lighthouse. The tender regularly brings him food and supplies from the mainland, even bringing the keeper's wife to join him. One day, the keeper is asked to leave the newly automated lighthouse because his work is no longer needed, but his family will always cherish their time there.

Farmhouse
Blackall, Sophie
A farmhouse where twelve children grow up holds evidence of their stories long after they are gone.

Going down home with daddy
Lyons, Kelly Starling
Alan looks forward to the annual family reunion at the farm where Daddy grew up, but everyone is suppose to share something special and Alan worries about arriving with empty hands.

Overground railroad
Cline-Ransome, Lesa
One day, Ruth Ellen and her family leave North Carolina to travel North to New York City, looking for a better life and a brighter future in a society without segregation. During their travels, Ruth Ellen read a book about Frederick Douglass's journey and how his experiences compared to hers. Despite these differences, both traveled in pursuit of a common goal.

What happens next
Hughes, Susan
Bully B. makes a student feel uncomfortable at school by making fun of him and calling him mean names. This student goes home and acts like he is fine, but his mother is able to tell that this is not true and she suggests that her son talks to the bully. With this advice, he talks to Bully B. and expresses how her behavior makes him feel and explains how similar they actually are, ending their negative relationship.

Ain't nobody a stranger to me
Grifalconi, Ann
As a girl and her grandfather walk to the family’s apple orchard, grandfather shares his experiences as a slave to explain how the apple orchard came to be. Her grandfather traveled north in pursuit of freedom and encountered members of the Underground Railroad who helped their family by providing food, shelter, and transportation. This allowed her grandfather, grandmother, and mother to cross the Ohio River and gain freedom, working until they had enough money to buy land and start their own apple orchard.

March on! The day my brother Martin changed the world
Farris, Christine
Christine King Farris, the sister of Martin Luther King Jr., watched her brother during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. She describes her brother’s journey from writing his “I Have a Dream” speech to joining the crowds in their demand for freedom. She was moved by her brother’s persistence and success in persuading millions to believe in and fight for a better tomorrow in which all men are created equal.

Toothful tales
Courtad, Jeanette
Incisa tells the story of how she and her friends, Cuspi, Mola, and Tongo, are attacked by a "sticky sweet" given to them by Grandma. After being covered in sugar, germs begin to attack as they make acid and dissolve holes in Incisa and her tooth friends. Then, Incisa, Cuspi, Mola, and Tongo get a pleasant surprise when Grandma brings other things to make the teeth happy; an electric toothbrush and floss! Finally, after a good cleaning, Incisa, and her friends, Cuspi, Mola, and Tongo, are once again, all shiny and bright just in time for lunch!

The Berenstain bears visit the dentist
Berenstain, Stan & Berenstain, Jan
Sister Bear wakes up to find that she has a loose tooth, and she tries to wiggle it out all day, but it won't budge! That afternoon, Brother Bear goes to see Dr. Bearson, the family dentist. After watching his checkup, Dr. Bearson gently pulls Sister Bear's tooth out, and she is no longer scared of the dentist.

Ready, set, brush! A pop-up book
American Dental Association
Elmo and his gang teach you how to brush your teeth. First, Elmo teaches you about how much toothpaste to use, and Marvin Monster helps you learn about where you should brush. Then Zoe reminds you to brush your tongue, and you learn about rinsing from the Cookie Monster. Next, Martha Monster visits the dentist for a checkup, and he tells her that she, and all of her friends, do a great job of taking care of their mouth by brushing and rinsing twice a day!

My wiggly smile
Woodruff, Amira
Olive wakes up one day and finds that she has a loose tooth! She runs downstairs to tell her parents and keeps wiggling it all day, but it won't come out! At school, Olive talks to a girl named Jordan who tells her about the "My Wiggly Smile" which says to keep track of the teeth she's lost. When Olive gets home, her dad surprises her with a "My Wiggly Smile" book of her own, and they leave for the dentist where Olive's tooth is finally pulled by the dentist. That night, while she is fast asleep, the Tooth Fairy comes to visit Olive, and she wakes up with a gift under her pillow!

Loose tooth
Schaefer, Lola
A young boy wakes up and realizes he has a loose tooth. He wiggles the tooth and shows his mom, dad, sister, brother, and dog, but it won't fall out. He tries to eat hard food or have his brother yank it out with a wrench, but the tooth finally comes out all on its own!

Dentist
Unknown Author
Children go in and out of this dentist's office for checkups! First, a little boy gets his teeth examined by the dentist, and he finds out that they are a little dirty. Then, the dentist teaches the boy about how teeth develop over time and what he should do to take care of his teeth properly. Next, a little girl visits the dentist, and they find out that she has a hole in her tooth or a cavity. Finally, the little girl gets a filling, and her mouth is good as new!

A trip to the dentist
Smith, Penny
Sarah and Josh go to see Dr. Richards, their local dentist, for routine checkups. Josh is examined first and, after the dentist checks his mouth for evidence of cavities, Dr. Richards shows Josh how he can do a better job of brushing teeth in the back of his mouth in order to prevent the buildup of plaque. Next, Dr. Richards examines Sarah's mouth and finds a cavity which he fixes by adding a filling to her infected tooth. After explaining how to maintain a healthy smile by avoiding sugary foods and beverages, Sarah and Josh are done with their appointments and ready to keep taking good care of their teeth!

The hard-times jar
Smothers, Ethel Footman
Emma is a book-loving girl whose parents are poor migrant workers. She decides to pick apples to add money to the hard-times jar. But this year, she attends school which happens to have a whole library of books. Emma's mom reminds her of something important when she eventually follows the rules.

Easy as pie
Best, Carl
Chef Jacob is known for his happy peach pie. Read the ingredients of his pie recipe and the baking rules that he learns from Chef Monty on television. Lots of sounds comes out of Chef Jacob's kitchen. By the end, Chef Jacob says: "P is for Pie and P is for Peach, and, of course, P is for Parents! Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad". Have fun celebrating this event with the whole family.

Our Gracie aunt
Woodson, Jaqueline
A brother and sister are taken into foster care with their Aunt Gracie. Aunt Gracie welcomes the kids with delicious treats and teaches them how to cook. The kids go to visit their mother and then they return to their Aunt Gracie.

Vegetable dreams
Jeffers, Dawn
Erin dreams about having a garden. Her parents allow her to share a garden with her neighbor, Mr. Martinez. Erin cares for her garden everyday and enjoys eating and canning the fresh food with her family. She learns that she loves learning and the friendship developed with Mr. Martinez more than the vegetables themselves.

Anna's corn
Santucci, Barbara
Anna visits Grandpa's cornfield. She can hear the corn making beautiful music as the wind blows. Grandpa gets Anna corn kernels to plant next autumn, and the two agree that Anna will grow corn on her own. That winter, Grandpa dies. Anna wants to hold onto the seeds to remember Grandpa. She decides to plant them instead so she can hear the corn make music again. By next fall, the corn grows, Anna hears the music, and she collects kernels to plant corn for next year.

Mama Panya's pancakes: A village tale from Kenya
Chamberlin, Mary and Rich
A young child from Kenya makes pancakes with her mother. The two gather supplies from local resources to make the pancakes together. Then they invite others over to enjoy the feast.

Different: Just like me
Mitchell, Lori
The visit to Grammie's house is a week away, and April can't wait! She comes across different people who look differently, sense differences, and move differently. Regardless of their differences, April can find ways she is like these other people. Finally, it is time to visit Grammie. Grammie's flowers from her garden are all different, and April is not allowed to pick her favorite flower. April realizes this is like all things and people. She learns to appreciate the differences in all things and people.

Sweet tooth
Palatini, Margie
Stewart has a sweet tooth that repeatedly gets him into trouble. Stewart tells his sweet tooth that it is time for him to be healthy. Stewart eats healthy and practices oral hygiene. Stewart then pulls out the "sweet tooth" and the tooth fairy visits.

What will you be, Sara Mee?
Avraham, Kate Aver
Cho, a young boy, wonders what his little sister Sara Mee will be? They celebrate Sara Mee's first birthday with a feast and music from Korea. Cho continues to try to figure out what his sister will be when she grows up.

Oliver's fruit salad
French, Vivian
Oliver wants to make fruit salad. He gets canned fruit from his grandpas and also from a market. Oliver helps his grandpa cut the fruit to make great food to enjoy!

My great big mama
Ka, Olivier
A little boy adores his mother for being large. After speculation from others, the mother decides to go on a diet. The son does the same. The two come to a conclusion to no longer diet and to enjoy food once again.

Happy like soccer
Boelts, Maribeth
Nothing makes Sierra happier than soccer does. Sierra eats meals with her aunt after soccer games. Sierra's big game is cancelled one day. Sierra plans a makeup soccer game so that her aunt can see her play. What a great day to play at home in her own neighborhood!

You and me and home sweet home
Lyon, George Ella
A young girl helps her family build a new home. The family celebrates the new milestone by sharing a meal together. The family then adjusts to the new house together.

The ugly vegetables
Lin, Grace
A young Chinese girl helps her mom plant Chinese vegetables. She initially compares her mom's "ugly" garden to those of her neighbor's garden. The two use lots of gardening tools to plant the seeds for vegetables. Her mom then cooks the vegetables and invites the other neighbors in to share the nutritious meal.

Pastry school in Paris: An adventure in capacity
Neuschwander, Cindy
A family and their children travel to Paris and visit a pastry academy. The kids work with others to practice baking. When a situation arises, the kids are called to save the day by making brownies for the competition.

Saturday Sancocho
Torres, Leyla
Chicken Sancocho is a traditional family meal for Maria Lili and her grandmother. When there is a shortage of ingredients, Maria Lili is determined to complete the meal.