Every year, the Rainbow Round Table Committee from the American Library Association (ALA) selects quality lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual+ (LGBTQIA+) books for the ALA's Rainbow Book List. The committee evaluated approximately 450 titles published in the United States and Canada between July 1, 2020,…

The annual "National Council for the Social Studies" (NCSS) Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People list often contains picture books that profile citizen role models--people who worked to change society for the better. In 2018 the list includes beautiful, thoughtful biographies of people who chose "doing good" over…

All children have the right to creative expression through the arts. The creation of art cultivates critical thinking, reflection, and problem-solving skills. It also encourages systems thinking; the color choices, individual brushstrokes, and materials all contribute to a greater whole. Infusing art-making and arts education throughout the…

When motivating students to read so often the literacy teacher will ask for assistance from the language arts, social studies, mathematics, and science teachers to develop literacy and content specific activities. It is important to consider other teachers in the school that are often not asked to participate in reading activities. The physical…

Boys need books with which they can connect, books that reach out to them with characters that reflect themselves, books that feature people who speak and look and act like the people in their lives. Among the functions of literature in children's lives, two are particularly relevant: facilitating literacy skills and providing role models. The…

Using quality children's literature with portrayals of characters that have communication impairments can be an effective teaching tool. Storybook characters with communication disorders can provide positive role models and promote understanding of diverse populations. Eighteen children's books were selected based on the following criteria:…

Describes how the innovative children's librarian, Katherine Watson, of the Denver (CO) Public Library surveyed famous American men and women in 1929-1930 about their favorite children's books to inspire young readers. Discusses Watson's idea that became children's book week, a book talk with local children's authors, a traveling collection of…

Students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are physically active and impulsive often to the point of being difficult to contain. Fortunately, advances in research and practice are helping unravel some of the mysteries of ADHD and with this information comes an imperative to inform individuals with ADHD about their disability.…

Because the media emphasize how females look rather than what they do, it is important for children to encounter strong girls in the books they read. This article provides an annotated bibliography of picture books for primary grade children in which African and African-American girls exhibit admirable traits. Suggests class activities in art and…

This series presents biographical sketches of famous Americans of Hispanic descent. The biographies in the projected eight volume series for elementary school children represent the diversity of Hispanic heritage in the United States. Those featured are contemporary figures with national origins in the United States or Latin America, with careers…

The biographies in this projected eight volume series for elementary school children represent the diversity of Hispanic heritage in the United States. Those featured are contemporary figures with national origins in the United States or Latin America, with careers that cover many aspects of contemporary life. Every person profiled in the series…

The biographies in this projected eight volume series for elementary school children represent the diversity of Hispanic heritage in the United States. Those featured are contemporary figures with national origins in the United States or Latin America, with careers that cover many aspects of contemporary life. Every person profiled in the series…

As part of a five-volume series this volume presents biographical sketches of persons of Asian American heritage who have made contributions to American life. Asian Americans have often been subjected to racial and ethnic prejudice, as have other easily identifiable groups of Americans. The series, written at a reading level of grades 5 to 6, but…

As part of a five-volume series this volume presents biographical sketches of persons of Asian American heritage who have made contributions to American life. Asian Americans have often been subjected to racial and ethnic prejudice as have other easily identifiable groups of Americans. The series, written at a reading level of grades 5 to 6, but…

As part of a five-volume series written at a reading level for grades five to six and as a tribute to the contributions Asian Americans have made to the United States, this volume presents biographical sketches of Asian Americans who can serve as role models for today's youth. The profiles in the series show the triumph of the human spirit. Volume…