BLOGS > AUGUST 4, 2021
BY JILLIAN HEISE
The US Census report from 2014 projected that by 2044, whites will no longer be the majority of the United States population. In 2018, the Cooperative Children’s Book Center in Madison, Wisconsin, reported 50% of children’s books published that year depicted white characters. So, what does this mean for #ClassroomBookADay?
It means that making sure to consider diversity and representation of the global majority in the books we share with students is important. It also means we need to be cognizant of ensuring we expose our students to books that go beyond the confines of our borders.
We have a chance to help them gain a global perspective through the settings and characters in the picture books we choose to share. With that in mind, this month I pulled together a list of 20 titles that help show perspectives outside of the United States and lives that may be different from what the students in our classrooms experience.
One of the benefits of #ClassroomBookADay is that it provides an opportunity to bring in topics there may not be room for within prescribed curriculum or district expectations. By reading a picture book every day of the school year, we end up with over a hundred opportunities to share topics, ideas, peoples, cultures, settings and characters that may not be included in the rest of the curriculum.
In this case, it’s a collection of stories about refugee experiences; communities at play; school adventures; immigrant experiences; environmental activists; family traditions; distractions from war; community celebrations; adventures in towns and in rural areas, in cities and on the water; communities coming together; and a cave rescue that captured international news.
Within all 20 of them is a thread of love. Love for self, love for others and love for community. As we build community in our classrooms through #ClassroomBookADay read-alouds, we can also use that time to help our students see themselves as part of the global community in which we all exist.
Lester Laminack has said, “Reading aloud is a place where we become bonded through common stories that allow us to see, as human beings, that we are more alike from the inside out than we are different from the outside in.” I’m hopeful these books will help remind all of us about that as we share in the journeys of these characters, visit these settings, and learn more about the world outside of our borders.
Jillian Heise
Jillian Heise is a Grade K-5 Library Media Teacher in southeastern Wisconsin. She previously taught Grades 7-8 ELA in the Milwaukee area for 11 years and is board certified. Jillian is a passionate advocate for student choice in reading and the power of shared stories through #ClassroomBookADay picture book read-alouds. She brings her literacy expertise and knowledge of books to her role as Chair of the WSRA Children’s Literature Committee. You can find Jillian talking books and education at Heise Reads & Recommends and on Twitter at @heisereads.
Watch webinar recording presented by Jillian Heise, Building Community: #ClassroomBookADay Read Alouds.
You've Been Virtually Book'd! Choice Boards from Shannon McClintock Miller
August 20, 2024
We love the Choice Boards Teacher Librarian Shannon McClintock Miller creates! If you missed any, explore Shannon’s curated collections below and discover new favorites for your students on a variety of topics.Libraries and LibrariansReading and BooksChildren’s Book WeekEclipseEarth DaySchool Library...
Read more
What We're Reading – #BritReads Edition
August 12, 2024
Each year, I document my #BritReads reading journey on my social media channels and now I’m taking it to blog format! Below you’ll find a list of the books I’m currently enjoying – watch this space for other Follett Content...
Read more
Enjoy free access to fall 2024 digital galleys.
August 8, 2024
Follett Content has partnered with Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley* to provide digital access to forthcoming titles through November 30. Get early access to books from readers’ favorite genres and then preorder them in Titlewave®! Preorder NowThe Bletchley RiddleBy Ruta...
Read more
Classroom Libraries Part 3: Next Steps, Updates, and Classroom Collaboration
August 6, 2024
In the previous posts, we discussed best practices for your classroom library and how to organize and manage your library so students are able to access it and take ownership of the collection. In this post, we'll discuss how to...
Read more
5 Benefits of Hosting an Online Book Fair
August 5, 2024
A Follett Book eFair is a fun and easy way to get the book fair experience without the hassle of setting up and running a physical event. Available to all PreK-8 schools in the US, our Book eFairs offer the...
Read more
July 31, 2024
Before I started work this morning……Holden, my 15-month-old, brought me four books to read to him. * …I listened to the last 45 minutes of the latest David Baldacci book during my run. **…And I transitioned a stack of completed books...
Read more