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.
Graphic Novels Your Students Will Love from Annick Press
May 21, 2026
The intricately crafted worlds and dynamic characters of graphic novels capture the imagination of students of all ages, no matter where they are in their literary journey. These worlds foster deeper cultural understanding while the narratives hone critical thinking skills crucial to...
Read more
Best-Selling SEL Professional Development from Norton Books in Education
May 19, 2026
Cutting-edge research continues to confirm that teaching students social and emotional skills provides enduring behavioral and learning benefits for academic and lifelong success. These hands-on professional development titles from Norton provide school leaders and classroom teachers in Grades K-12 with SEL tools and strategies grounded...
Read more
The Adult Title Fulfillment Gap in Public Libraries – and What It Means for Collection Development
May 18, 2026
For decades, a major player in the public library space was one of the most relied-upon sources for adult print titles.When that leading library book vendor exited the public library distribution market, it created a gap that collections professionals are...
Read more
Long hold queues for new releases? Here's how libraries are solving it.
May 11, 2026
It’s one of the most visible measures of patron satisfaction in a public library: the holds list. When a highly anticipated adult title is released and dozens – sometimes hundreds – of patrons are waiting for a handful of copies,...
Read more
What's a street date program for public libraries, and why does it matter?
May 4, 2026
If you manage adult collections at a public library, you already know the pressure that builds before a highly anticipated book comes out. Holds lists grow long. Patrons ask at the desk. And when release day finally arrives, the copies...
Read more
Follett Content is Back as an Approved Vendor for NYC School Libraries
March 23, 2026
New York City (NYC) school libraries operate at scale and benefit from partners who do the same. Follett Content is once again an approved vendor (#ECO004000), offering support that simplifies ordering while maintaining consistency, including:Local, on-site support with experience assisting school...
Read more