Archives for Dive into Diversity

Dive Into Diversity: Let’s Get Cooking!

Dive Into Diversity: Let’s Get Cooking!

White Plains is a wonderfully diverse community! Parents, children and teens have expressed an interest in titles that reflect the diversity in the community, and Ashley, Kathlyn, and Raquel's “Dive Into Diversity” column will spotlight noteworthy children's and teen titles that are inclusive, diverse and multicultural to fulfill that interest. Ashley's portion is aimed at readers in grades 4-6. During this time of the year when it’s so cold out, one of my favorite things to do is relax on the sofa with a cup of hot cocoa, cookies, and a good book. With these stories that have elements of
Read More

January 26, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Multicultural Children’s Book Day

Multicultural Children’s Book Day

Multicultural Children’s Book Day (MCBD) will be celebrated on January 29th, 2021. According to its founders, MCBD “is an online and offline celebration that attracts thousands of supporters, educators, parents, caregivers, book reviewers, and quality authors and publishers who join forces to shine the spotlight on diversity in children and YA literature.” The founders effectively define the important key points of what makes an excellent multicultural book for children in their website article, “What is a Multicultural Book?” To celebrate Multicultural Children’s Book Day, I have gathered together notable picture book biographies that highlight diverse people in history and today
Read More

January 26, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, Dive into Diversity, Multicultural Children's Book Day, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Dive into Diversity: YA Science Fiction

Dive into Diversity: YA Science Fiction

In 2021, my Dive into Diversity posts about young adult books will focus on a different genre each month. I’ll highlight books with characters that represent a range of experiences and identities. I’ll also feature #ownvoices authors, or authors who share an aspect of their characters’ identity, as much as possible. For January, we’ll start off with science fiction books, including adventures in outer space, humanoid robots, and questions about the multiverse. Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland Grades 9 and up OverDrive; Library Catalog I added this book to my To Read list
Read More

January 26, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, science fiction, staff picks, staff recommendations, YA Fiction, and young adult books.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Chapter Books

International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Chapter Books

White Plains is a wonderfully diverse community! Parents, children and teens have expressed an interest in titles that reflect the diversity in the community, and Ashley, Kathlyn, and Raquel's “Dive Into Diversity” column will spotlight noteworthy children's and teen titles that are inclusive, diverse and multicultural to fulfill that interest. Ashley's portion is aimed at readers in grades 4-6. Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte For children in grades 3-7 Library Collection: Print OverDrive: eBook In this historical fiction novel set in 1805, Mary Lambert and her family live in the town of Chilmark on the island of
Read More

December 1, 2020 2:08 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: chapter books, children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities: YA Books

International Day of Persons with Disabilities: YA Books

The United Nations recognizes December 3rd as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I put together a list of YA books featuring a variety of characters living with some type of disability. I read A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman, about a dancer in India who has part of one leg amputated after an accident. Since childhood, Veda has been focused entirely on dancing. The book opens just as she wins a particularly sweet victory at a dance competition. On the way home, however, her dance troupe’s van is in a serious accident, and Veda is so severely
Read More

December 1, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Observances and Celebrations, Observances and Holidays, staff picks, staff recommendations, teen books, and YA books.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Children’s Books

International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Children’s Books

The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly. The United Nations website states the occasion “aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. The 2020 theme is “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World.” In her blog post “Representation Matters: 10 Children's Books with Disabled Characters,” Margaret Kingsbury, herself a disabled mother,
Read More

December 1, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: chapter books, children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Noteworthy Native American Nonfiction Titles for Children

Noteworthy Native American Nonfiction Titles for Children

Native American Heritage Month is celebrated in November and is dedicated to highlighting the history, culture, traditions, and contributions Native Americans have made and continue to make to the U.S. Highlighted in this blog are noteworthy nonfiction titles for children in grades K-6 on notable Native Americans, and Indigenous history and culture. For further reading, I highly recommend as a premier resource for information and critical analysis of Indigenous peoples in children’s and YA books, Dr. Debbie Reese’s blog, American Indians in Children’s Literature (AICL). My blogs have been highlighting the diversity found in our country’s monthly celebrations, but will
Read More

October 27, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books, children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, National Native American Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, nonfiction, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Native American Heritage Month: Chapter Books

Native American Heritage Month: Chapter Books

White Plains is a wonderfully diverse community! Parents, children and teens have expressed an interest in titles that reflect the diversity in the community, and Ashley, Kathlyn, and Raquel's “Dive Into Diversity” column will spotlight noteworthy children's and teen titles that are inclusive, diverse and multicultural to fulfill that interest. Ashley's portion is aimed at readers in grades 4-6. Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis with Traci Sorell For children in grades 4-7. Library Collection: Print OverDrive: eBook For all of her life, eight-year-old Regina Petit and her family have lived on the Indian reservation at Grand Ronde. They
Read More

October 27, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: chapter books, children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, National Native American Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

National Native American Heritage Month: YA Fiction

National Native American Heritage Month: YA Fiction

November is National Native American Heritage Month. I wanted to focus on a book that depicts Native people in the present day; too often, the image of Native people in popular culture is stuck in the past. In our reading, we can become more familiar with the lives and experiences of Native people today. For more books that offer insight into the many aspects of life as a Native teen, check out this blog by Debbie Reese of Nambé Pueblo; Reese is a noted scholar on the subject of Native peoples’ representation in children and YA books, and her blog
Read More

October 27, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, National Native American Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, and teen books.

Dive into Diversity: Graphic Novels

Dive into Diversity: Graphic Novels

Josh recommends some recent graphic novels featuring diverse characters and creators. Class Act by Jerry Craft OverDrive / Library Catalog This companion to Newbery Award winner New Kid finds Jordan’s friend Drew encountering discrimination and confronting privilege in his eighth grade year at the prestigious Riverdale Academy Day School. Funny, moving and thought-provoking all at the same time. Jerry Craft talks about his real-life experiences that shaped New Kid. Shirley and Jamila Save Their Summer by Gillian Goerz OverDrive / Library Catalog Jamila Waheed and Shirley Bones learn about friendship and the desire for everyone to be able to share
Read More

October 20, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, graphic novels, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Mental Illness Awareness Week: Chapter Books

Mental Illness Awareness Week: Chapter Books

White Plains is a wonderfully diverse community! Parents, children and teens have expressed an interest in titles that reflect the diversity in the community, and Ashley, Kathlyn, and Raquel's “Dive Into Diversity” column will spotlight noteworthy children's and teen titles that are inclusive, diverse and multicultural to fulfill that interest. Ashley's portion is aimed at readers in grades 4-6. The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller For children in grades 3-7. OverDrive: Audio & eBook Just a few months ago, seventh grader Natalie Napoli’s mother was Mom. Lately though, she’s been Not-Mom. Her mother used to be so bubbly
Read More

September 24, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: chapter books, children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, mental illness, Mental Illness Awareness Week, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Mental Illness Awareness Week

Mental Illness Awareness Week

Mental Illness Awareness Week was established in 1990 by the U.S. Congress in recognition of efforts by the National Alliance on Mental Illness to educate and increase awareness about mental illness. It takes place every year during the first full week of October. In her Publisher’s Weekly article, “Mental Health and Middle Graders,” Shannon Maughan writes, “A 2019 article in JAMA Pediatrics cites data revealing that one in six youths ages six to 17 experience a mental health disorder in a given year, and that in 2016, 16.5% of U.S. youths ages six to 17 (7.7 million people) experienced a
Read More

September 24, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, mental health, Mental Illness Awareness Week, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Mental Illness Awareness Week: YA Fiction

Mental Illness Awareness Week: YA Fiction

The National Alliance on Mental Illness honors Mental Illness Awareness Week during the first week in October. To mark the occasion, I'm highlighting some of the many characters in YA fiction who deal with mental health challenges. I first read I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, by Erika L. Sanchez, a couple of years ago. I considered it when working on last month’s post, and decided to listen to a little bit of the audiobook to refresh my memory… and just kept listening as the story hooked me in all over again. The audiobook was excellent. The narrator really
Read More

September 24, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: books, Dive into Diversity, Mental Illness Awareness Week, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, and teen books.

Hispanic Heritage Month: Chapter Books

Hispanic Heritage Month: Chapter Books

White Plains is a wonderfully diverse community! Parents, children and teens have expressed an interest in titles that reflect the diversity in the community, and Ashley, Kathlyn, and Raquel's “Dive Into Diversity” column will spotlight noteworthy children's and teen titles that are inclusive, diverse and multicultural to fulfill that interest. Ashley's portion is aimed at readers in grades 4-6. Stef Soto, Taco Queen by Jennifer Torres For children in grades 3-6. Hoopla: Audiobook OverDrive: Audiobook & eBook There’s a lot going on for seventh grader Stef Soto! She’d love for the kids at school to stop calling her Taco Queen
Read More

September 16, 2020 10:59 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books, children's books, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, Hispanic Heritage Month, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, The Trove, and virtual book display.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year from September 15th to October 15th. The month-long celebration recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States.The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. The day of September 15th is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries – Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September
Read More

September 15, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, Hispanic Heritage Month, Observances and Celebrations, picture books, staff picks, and staff recommendations.

Hispanic Heritage Month: YA Fiction

Hispanic Heritage Month: YA Fiction

Hispanic Heritage Month is observed between September 15th and October 15th. To celebrate, I had fun putting together a list of books by Hispanic authors. This month, I read American Road Trip by Patrick Flores-Scott. Surprisingly, the road trip itself is a fairly minor part of the storyline, which contains so many layers that it’s difficult to write a spoiler-free summary, but here goes… Teodoro Avila puts no effort into academics, and his family life is tense due to the absence of his older brother Manny, stationed in Iraq. In preparation for Manny’s return, Teodoro and his sister, Xochitl, make
Read More

September 15, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: books, Dive into Diversity, Hispanic Heritage Month, Observances and Celebrations, staff picks, staff recommendations, and teen books.

Summer Reading Highlights: Chapter Books

Summer Reading Highlights: Chapter Books

White Plains is a wonderfully diverse community! Parents, children and teens have expressed an interest in titles that reflect the diversity in the community, and Ashley, Kathlyn, and Raquel's “Dive Into Diversity” column will spotlight noteworthy children's and teen titles that are inclusive, diverse and multicultural to fulfill that interest. Ashley's portion is aimed at readers in grades 4-6. Stella Díaz Has Something to Say by Angela Dominguez For children in grades 3-5. OverDrive: eBook Stella Díaz is in third grade and has been feeling a little lonely since her best friend Jenny is in a different class this year.
Read More

July 28, 2020 11:15 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books, children, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, staff picks, staff recommendations, summer reading, summer reading highlights, summer reading list, and The Trove.

Summer Reading Highlights: YA Fiction

Summer Reading Highlights: YA Fiction

This summer, there is no single required title on the middle and high school reading lists. Instead, teachers and school librarians have collaborated to come up with several great book recommendations for each grade level. It’s clear that they prioritized titles written by a diverse group of authors and featuring a wide range of characters. With such a variety of titles, everyone will be able to find a book they’ll like. Below, I’ve highlighted my favorite book from the recommendations for each grade level. In addition to being available through the school system’s Sora app, these titles are also available
Read More

July 28, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, Observances and Holidays, staff picks, staff recommendations, summer reading, summer reading highlights, teens, and YA Fiction.

Summer Reading Highlights: Pre-K to 6th Grade

Summer Reading Highlights: Pre-K to 6th Grade

White Plains is a wonderfully diverse community! With that in mind, the Trove’s suggested Summer Reading Lists strive to reflect and recognize all the young patrons of the community by highlighting noteworthy diverse titles and series. An excellent resource to explore even more great titles for kids and teens as well is We Need Diverse Books.Org whose vision is to promote “a world in which all children see themselves in the pages of a book.” The following titles are just a few from the recommended Summer Reading List books that showcase the many different experiences of young people: Pre-K/Kindergarten: Julián
Read More

July 28, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: Dive into Diversity, staff picks, staff recommendations, summer reading, summer reading highlights, and summer reading list.

International Day of Friendship: Picture Books

International Day of Friendship: Picture Books

On April 27, 2011, the General Assembly of the United Nations officially established July 30th as International Friendship Day. The United Nations’ website writes regarding International Friendship Day that, “Our world faces many challenges, crises and forces of division — such as poverty, violence, and human rights abuses — among many others — that undermine peace, security, development and social harmony among the world's peoples.To confront those crises and challenges, their root causes must be addressed by promoting and defending a shared spirit of human solidarity that takes many forms — the simplest of which is friendship.” To celebrate International
Read More

June 30, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, eNewsletter, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: books, children, children's literature, Dive into Diversity, families, International Friendship Day, and Observances and Celebrations.