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Jimmy's rhythm & blues: The extraordinary life of James Baldwin
Meadows, Michelle
James Baldwin, or "Jimmy" as his friends and family would call him, grows up in Harlem New York and graduates from a high school in the Bronx. He writes songs, poems, plays, and stories because writing flows freely out of him, just like the dreams he imagines for his future. Jimmy loves to read and goes to church, museums, movies, and plays --- and he enjoys the encouragement of many mentors. Through the power of his words and his stories, Jimmy moves to Paris, France, but he eventually returns to America to interview southerners about the changing times known as the civil rights movement. His book, The Fire Next Time, deepens American's understanding of racism, and then Jimmy moves back to France to serve as a haven for those of all backgrounds and experiences.

Monster hands
Kane, Karen//McMillan. Jonas
When Milo reads book after book before bed, he does not expect to find a book on monsters. Milo should not have read that book because now he is afraid! Through the window, he uses a flashlight to summon his neighbor who is also his best friend, Mel. In a series of exchanges, the two discuss how to scare the monster by words and gestures. When they both make monster hands, the monster is gone! Now Milo feels braver, and the two gesture a hug from window to window.

Those shoes
Boelts, Maribeth
Jeremy 'wants' a new pair of shoes similar to the kids at school. His grandma takes him shopping but the costs are too high. Jeremy suggests that they could buy shoes at the thrift store. The shoes he buys are too small but he still wears them. One day, he gives the shoes to his classmate, Antonio, by leaving them on the front porch of his apartment. The next day Antonio is very proud of his new shoes. When it starts snowing, their teacher announces to the class "to get their boots on" so they can play outside. Now Jeremy is super happy because he puts on the new boots that his grandma bought him for winter - a pair of boots that he needs.

Kindergarten diary
Portis, Antoinette
It is September and time for Annalina to start school. On September 1, Annalina says she doesn't want to got to kindergarten. On September 2nd, Annalina has to look nice on her first day of school. On September, she meets her teacher Ms. Duffy. For each day of the month, Annalina experiences many new things in kindergarten. By September 30, the entry in Annalina's diary says "We are room 2K. We are fine!" --and too busy to write any more!

My mei mei
Young, Ed
Antonia practices being a big sister before the family flies to China to get Jiang Hai, a younger sister. Antonia drew pictures of her sister while they waited for her to appear. When she did, Antonia noticed she was not walking, talking, playing, or interested in her. With time, the girls get real cats, watch movies, play board games, and music together. Within a couple years, they ask their parents for another Mei Mei.

Doctor White
Goodall, Jane
A little white dog is removed from the hospital where young children were healing from diseases and conditions. The nurse tried to explain to the health inspector why Doctor White should be allowed to stay on the hospital ward, but the health inspector wouldn't listen. One day, the inspector shows up to the hospital feeling quite sad because his daughter is ill and needs to stay at the hospital. The nurse lets Doctor White come into the hospital to help heal the little girl the way he always has with the sick children. In the end, the health inspector thanks Doctor White for helping his daughter, and from that day forward, Doctor White is welcomed at the hospital.

My daddy is a cowboy
Seales, Stephanie
Daddy gets his daughter up early to ride horses because there aren't any cars or trucks to interfere with their together time. While riding horses together, Daddy tells cowboys stories as the sun starts to rise and the town begins to wake up. They ride their horses, Clover and Power, back to the ranch and then head home on the motorcycle. The favorite part of the morning was the "just us time!".

Chooch helped
Rogers, Andrea L.
In this Cherokee family, Chooch is Sissy's younger brother who is only two years old. The family speaks Cherokee words when painting, cooking, biking, playing music, fishing, and gardening. Sissy's parents yell at her for not understanding that Chooch is just trying to help. When Sissy learns that she is one of Chooch's most important teachers, she helps him learn how to make a pot out of clay.

Nothing: John Cage and 4'33"
Day, Nicholas
An extraordinary new piano composition is released by John Cage. An extraordinary pianist, David Tudor, enters the stage to play the composition. He sits at the piano for four minutes and thirty-three seconds. Even though some people in the audience are angry, the composition becomes a classic and is performed often. And everyone basically does nothing.

Also an octopus or a little bit of nothing
Tokuda-Hall, Maggie
To write an interesting story, an octopus is made the character of this book with a creative twist. The octopus plays the ukulele and helps to build a spaceship. Did you know that every story starts with "just a little bit of nothing"?

Most people
Leannah, Michael
When we think about the ways that most people want to live, there are examples of people helping others and being good. Sometimes people do bad things by bullying or lying or stealing. But that is not true for most people. Most people do good things, say good things, and want good things for other people.

Rosa
Giovanni, Nikki
Seamstress Rosa Parks displays her quiet strength by turning her NO into a YES for change by not getting up from the neutral section of the city bus where she sat. She recited in her mind that separate sections on the bus are "unequal" for Blacks who were supposed to ride the bus in the back. Jo Ann Robinson, a professor at Alabama State, told 25 women to meet on campus after dinner to pray then print posters to boycott the buses the next day in support of Mrs. Parks. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. became the public spokesperson for the mass meeting of the Women's Political Council, the NAACP, and churches. Black people kept walking and not riding the city buses until on November 13, 1956, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that segregation was WRONG. One year after Mrs. Rose Parks had been arrested, blacks were no longer second-class citizens and were made equal under the law.

Yatandou
Whelan, Gloria
A young Mali girl, Yatandou, is eight years old and sits with women in her village for three hours to pound sticks against the millet kernels to make one day's food. Yatandou takes her goat to graze. Her brother, Madou, goes into the thickets to bring back another goat lost from the village. He gets thorns on his clothes which Yatandou pulls off. Madou and their father work the onion fields in the scorching heat and blowing red sand. Mother makes two journeys to the well each day -- morning and night. On the eve of getting a machine to grind millet in the village, a woman comes from the city to teach the girls and the women. Father complains that the women will become idle. But Madou climbs the rocks and brings home a bag of bats from the caves. Mother makes bat stew for dinner, and Father is happy.

Child of the civil rights movement
Shelton, Paula Young
As a child of the civil rights movement, a little girl recounts the story of her parents growing up with Jim Crow laws which said that black people had to sit in the back of the bus, the last car of the train, and the balcony of the movie theatre. From New York to Georgia, the girl and her family moves back home to find that restaurants would not let them come in to eat. Families gather at friends houses to eat while organizing a peaceful protest to march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. The people start at Brown Chapel AME Church with thousands of others - which included Jewish rabbis, Catholic priests, and Baptist ministers. It took four days to march the fifty miles as people watched them on TV. On the sixth of August, President Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into the history books. The children march on to other causes.

The yellow bus
Long, Loren
A yellow bus drives day after day, year after year, while getting a new driver, a new route, and new passengers. Yellow bus is filled with joy while carrying people from one place to another and when being a safe space to the homeless. Yellow bus is towed into the country side to become a shelter for goats and then fish at the bottom of the river. Yellow bus lives a good life where ever she finds herself.

What do you do with a problem?
Yamada, Kobi
A boy realizes he has a problem that he didn't ask for or want to have. He worries about the problem. He ignores the problem. And tries to understand why the problem keeps getting bigger. He uses a new perspective by turning his worry into an opportunity. His change of thinking makes his problem go away!

What do you do with an idea?
Yamada, Kobi
An idea shows up in a child's life. The child wonders how it came to be and why it stays around. Sometimes the idea makes the child think, and sometimes it wants a lot of attention. The child worries about the idea and sometimes it needs food. The child lets the idea grow into the size of a dream. The child gains the ability to see things differently by walking on his hands. Eventually, the idea becomes part of everything, and it changes the world.

Do you remember?
Smith, Sydney
A boy and his mother trade memories while lying together on the bed. In the darkness of the night, they remember things of their past. The move from their house to an apartment with their belongings is part of their memory making. The boy asks his mother if the moments of remembering could also be a memory.

How do you spell unfair? MacNolia Cox and the national spelling bee
Weatherford, Carole Boston
In 1936, an eighth grader becomes the first African American to win the spelling bee in Akron, Ohio. MacNolia gets a military band send off to the National Spelling Bee in Washington DC with her mother. MacNolia learns about racism and discrimination when she crosses into Maryland and arrives in Washington. She and another black girl are seated away from the other spellers and their families. MacNolia spells word after word with a calm and focused performance. The judges throw a curveball to stump her and MacNolia is determined out. Her triumph is that folks now learn that African American students are as smart as anyone.

The smart cookie
John, Jory//Oswald, Pete
Learn how to become a smart cookie when given a chance to be creative and make something unique just like you. When the day came to share something original at school, smart cookie read her poem out loud and everybody clapped and cheered. Smart cookie learned that you can be smart in many different ways and there is always more to learn!

An American story
Alexander, Kwame
An African American story is an American story of slavery, brutal conditions, struggle, and oppression. Remember the American story of hard work, pride, and strength in the fight for liberty as Black people stand up and speak out while "holding history in one hand and clenching hope in the other".

The dream quilt
Ryan, Celeste
Michael has bad dreams with many animals flooding his thoughts. A special quilt from the cedar chest is pulled out to play a game with his mother each night. A square from the quilt is chosen for sending a letter into dreamland. Michael's mother kisses him good night, and Michael has a wonderful dream. After Granny Rose comes to visit, Michael starts to dream in rainbows.

The crippled lamb
Lucado, Max
A little lamb named Joshua has one leg that doesn't work well so he always limped when he walked. His best friend, Abigail, was an old cow who encouraged Josh with her voice in a kind and friendly way. Abigail also told Josh about God who has a special place for those who feel left out. When all the other sheep are moved to a new meadow, a shepherd tells Josh to go back to the stable and spend the night. Josh gains companions when a young woman with her baby, Jesus, is born in that stable. Even shepherds come to the door to see God's son.


Happy feet: The savory ballroom lindy hoppers and me
Michelson, Richard
A father loves to dance. He also loves to retell the story about the opening of the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. He works hard and saves money so he can put up a shoe shine sign for his own business. When his son is born that day, the new club opens to a sharp-dressing, happy-dancing people from all backgrounds with black people and white people dancing together. The son is named Happy Feet, and he too dreams of dancing at the legendary ballroom someday.

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.

A different pond
Phi, Bao
A young boy accompanies his dad to catch fish for food before the sunrises and before other family members awake. The dad tells the bait man at the all-night store that he is starting a second job. The boy meets a Hmong man and a black man who are also fishing -- but this time, it is just the boy and his dad under the starlit sky. The boy learns to make a fire and to bait his hook and to honor the stories of his Dad as he explains how life was in Vietnam when he was a boy. When they return home, the dad and mom head to work while the boy looks after his brothers and sisters.

The me I choose to be
Tarpley, Natasha Anastasia
There are many "I am" statements from different children who refer to a planet, to hope, to a bridge builder, and to a weaver of words. Through creativity, children can become who they choose to be. Feelings of joy, sadness, and laughter are represented by wind, light, and a free spirit. The possibilities are endless for children.

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.

From the tops of the trees
Yang, Kao Kalia
Four year old Kalia wants to know what is beyond the fences of the Ban Sinai Refugee Camp where many Hmong families are held in Thailand after fleeing the Secret War in Laos. Kalia and her cousins play together by racing with chickens and riding a pet dog. One day, Kalia's father picks her up to hold her in his arms as he climbs a tall tree in the camp. This gives Kalia a chance to see a new and different world.

Mary wears what she wants
Negley, Keith
One day, a young girl named Mary decided to wear pants instead of dresses at a time when girls always wore dresses. Mary took her very daring idea into town where she was challenged by people for wearing boys clothes. Mary reminded them that "Im wearing MY clothes".

The notebook keeper: A story of kindness from the border
Briseno, Stephen
Families seeking asylum into the U.S. at the Tijuana, Mexico border have to wait for a long time to enter the United States after being denied entry. During the wait at the border, a girl and her mother look for a refugee who keeps a list of people waiting to cross into the United States. This act of kindness from the border, initiated by a notebook keeper, gives families hope as they wait.

All my stripes: A story for children with autism
Rudolph, Shaina & Royer, Danielle
Zane worries that his "autism stripes" makes him stand out from his peers. Zane's mom helps him understand the different ways that he unique from other kids his age. Whether it is art, math, or science class, Zane learns to do his best. And his mom reminds him to use his pilot stripe, caring stripe, honesty stripe, and curiosity stripe to be himself at school.

My best friend
Fogliano, Julie
Two girls become friends and realize that they are able to make each other smile and laugh. They both enjoy doing the same gardening and creative gardening and creative activities and, despite some of their differences, they value each other's company. They are best friends and their relationship will continue to grow for many years to come.

Blue
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro
A boy and his dog go through their lives together and experience different things associated with the color blue. Whether they are playing with blue butterflies or picking blue blueberries together, they love spending time with each other. One day, the boy’s dog passes away and, with time, he gets a new puppy to share his life with.

The rock from the sky
Klassen, Jon
Turtle really likes standing in his favorite spot. He asks his friend to come over to experience it too, but his friend feels uneasy there. Through a series of questions, the friendship continues to live in the moment and imagine into the future. The addition of another companion wants to join the sunset but misses the moment.

I'm going to sing: Black American spirituals volume two
Bryan, Ashley
Black American Spirituals are a representation of the resilience and bravery of enslaved Blacks. Although these songs represent suffering and sadness, they also demonstrate creativity, heritage, and expression. Ultimately, spirituals connect people to each other, their culture, and their goals.

The phone booth in Mr. Hirota's garden
Smith, Heather
Makio and his neighbor, Mr. Hirota, loved looking out at the ocean every morning while watching Makio’s father and Mr. Hirota’s daughter working. One day, a tsunami came and killed their family members, prompting Mr. Hirota to build a telephone booth as a way to cope with his grief. Soon after,  Makio and Mr. Hirota began speaking into a disconnected telephone while communicating with the loved ones they lost.

The coquies still sing: A story of home, hope, and rebuilding
Gonzalez, Karina Nicole
After a terrible hurricane, the family garden is gone and there's no electricity or running water. The mango tree still stands brown and bare, and the native tree frogs stop singing their song. As the family starts the island clean up around their Puerto Rican home, the native coqui's song begins a slow resurgence months after the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

Love is
Adams, Diane
A little girl raises a duckling and loves it very much. One day, she realizes that it is time for her duckling to leave and join the other ducks outside. Even though she misses her pet, their love stays strong and she still gets to see her duck and its new family.

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.

Walk together children: Black American spirituals volume one
Bryan, Ashley
Black American Spirituals are a representation of the resilience and bravery of enslaved Blacks. Although these songs represent suffering and sadness, they also demonstrate creativity, heritage, and expression. Ultimately, Spirituals connect people to each other, their culture, and their goals.

The sea maidens of Japan
Bell, Lili
Kiyomi's mother, Okaasan, is an ama diver who harvests shellfish from the deep ocean in Japan. As a young girl, Kiyomi practices with her mom to become an ama diver, but she is very afraid of the sea. Kiyomi gains the strength to overcome this fear and become a diver when she swims with the star turtle, an animal she helped to save when it was born.

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.

Dentists help
Ready, Dee
Learn who a dentist is, what their job entails, and how they work to provide care for their patients. Children also learn about different types of dentists and what specialists they should see when and if they have crooked teeth, for instance. Details are shared about the clothing and tools a dentist may use when caring for their patients' teeth. When you know these important details, you can relax and enjoy going to the dentist!

A toothbrush tale
Smith, Stacy
A little boy goes to sleep one night without brushing his teeth, and then he hears a song coming from his bathroom. When he goes to investigate the noise, he finds his toothbrush singing and dancing about why it is so important to brush his teeth every morning and night. Scared that he will develop cavities (or even worse, that his teeth might fall out), the little boy brushes his teeth well and continues to do so every day in order to keep a healthy smile!

Brush, brush, brush!
Unknown Author
Following a series of questions, the narrator provides a detailed description of proper oral hygiene. These recommended dental health behaviors include brushing your teeth thoroughly twice a day. If done properly, patients will maintain a healthy smile!