February’s Theme:

Non-traditional Families

For February’s theme, we will celebrate and learn about the role non-traditional families play in our society. As Daniella shares, “What do you imagine a family being? When I asked my friend group, the most common answer I got was a mom, a dad, and some amount of children who look like a 50/50 mix of their parents. While this is an example of a family, there are many answers beyond this.”

Daniella continues, adding “a family can consist of two dads or two moms, or a single parent. A family can consist of two parents and an adopted child, or a foster child. In addition, a family can hold many cultures within itself. In a month containing a celebration of love, let us read
about the many kinds of familial love.”

Great Questions to Ask…

“WHO LIVES IN YOUR HOUSE? WHO DOES NOT LIVE IN YOUR HOUSE THAT IS STILL A PART OF YOUR FAMILY?”
“WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OR DEFINITION OF THE WORD ‘FAMILY’?”
“DO YOU HAVE TO BE RELATED TO SOMEONE FOR THEM TO BE A PART OF YOUR FAMILY?”
“WHY DO FAMILIES LIVE TOGETHER?”

Book List For February:

• Mommy, Mommy! Is This for Me? (Megan Connolly)
• All Families are special (Norma Simon)
• Family Means (Matthew Ralph)
• Two Homes (Claire Masurel)
• A Plan for Pops (Heather Smith)
• What Makes a Family (Hana Bruner)
• A tale of Adopted Brothers (Yasmin Afrazeh)
• All Families are special (Norma Simon)
• Pride (Rob Sanders)
• My Own Way (Joanna Estrella)
• Fred Gets Dressed (Peter Brown)
• Eugene the Unicorn (T. Wheeler)

Listings for the rest of the year:

January’s Theme:

Mental Health

Mental Health is someone’s emotional, social, and psychological health. Humans experience mental health in the same way they do their physical health. Some people are incredibly mentally healthy, and some people struggle. This month, we will read books which feature charactersstruggling with their mental health, as well as books focused on ways you can stay balanced.

As Daniella shares, “my friend’s mom has a condition called trichotillomania, which is a compulsive disorder where a person pulls out their own hair without even realizing it.  She says the pulling gets worse when she is sad or anxious.”

Great Questions to Ask…

“WHAT IS ONE STRATEGY YOU USE TO HELP YOURSELF OR A FRIEND IF THEY ARE SAD?”
“WHAT MAKES YOU ANXIOUS OR EXPERIENCE BIG EMOTIONS? WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THAT HAPPENS?”
“DO YOU THINK HAVING EMOTIONS IS NORMAL/HEALTHY? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE TO YOU?”
“HOW DO YOU THINK MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ARE RELATED TO EACH OTHER?”

Book List For January:

• The Most Magnificent Thing (Ashley Spires)
• How Full is Your Bucket (Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer)
• A little space for me (Jenifer Gray Olson)
• You need to chill (Juno Dawsone)
• The Couch Potato (Jory John and Pere Oswald)
• How to Hug a pufferfish (Ellie Peterson)
• Hair Twirlers and Pullers(Jack Macallum Malloy)
• What’s the Matter Marlo (Andrew Arnold)
• You Me and Empathy (Jaynene Sanders)
• Listen (Gabi Snyder)
• My Hair went on Vacation (Paola Quin)
• Death is stupid (Anastasia Higginbotham)

February’s Theme:

Non-traditional Families

For February’s theme, we will celebrate and learn about the role non-traditional families play in our society. As Daniella shares, “What do you imagine a family being? When I asked my friend group, the most common answer I got was a mom, a dad, and some amount of children who look like a 50/50 mix of their parents. While this is an example of a family, there are many answers beyond this.”

Daniella continues, adding “a family can consist of two dads or two moms, or a single parent. A family can consist of two parents and an adopted child, or a foster child. In addition, a family can hold many cultures within itself. In a month containing a celebration of love, let us read
about the many kinds of familial love.”

Great Questions to Ask…

“WHO LIVES IN YOUR HOUSE? WHO DOES NOT LIVE IN YOUR HOUSE THAT IS STILL A PART OF YOUR FAMILY?”
“WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OR DEFINITION OF THE WORD ‘FAMILY’?”
“DO YOU HAVE TO BE RELATED TO SOMEONE FOR THEM TO BE A PART OF YOUR FAMILY?”
“WHY DO FAMILIES LIVE TOGETHER?”

Book List For February:

• Mommy, Mommy! Is This for Me? (Megan Connolly)
• All Families are special (Norma Simon)
• Family Means (Matthew Ralph)
• Two Homes (Claire Masurel)
• A Plan for Pops (Heather Smith)
• What Makes a Family (Hana Bruner)
• A tale of Adopted Brothers (Yasmin Afrazeh)
• All Families are special (Norma Simon)
• Pride (Rob Sanders)
• My Own Way (Joanna Estrella)
• Fred Gets Dressed (Peter Brown)
• Eugene the Unicorn (T. Wheeler)

March’s Theme:

Black History/BIPOC

The month of March is Black History Month. In this month, we celebrate and learn about the history of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People Of Color) individuals. Much of this history had not been as widely taught as that of white people. We learn about the hardships, and the victories. This month’s book selection features prominent BIPOC people from United States history.

As Daniella shares, “My mom’s coworker is Black and Jewish.  She currently helps to run a non-profit organization that fights for Women’s Rights.”

Great Questions to Ask…

“WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE LIVES OF BIPOC, PAST AND PRESENT?”
“WHO DO YOU KNOW THAT IS CONSIDERED BIPOC? IS THAT PERSON FAMOUS OR IS IT A PERSON YOU KNOW IN YOUR EVERY DAY LIFE?”
“DO YOU THINK THAT ALL BIPOC PEOPLE FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT THEIR CULTURAL HARDSHIPS AND VICTORIES?”
“WHY DO YOU THINK BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR GET GROUPED TOGETHER?”

Book List For March:

• Voices from the Underground Railroad (Kay Winters)
• If You Were a Kid During the Civil Rights Movement (Gwendolyn Hooks)
• Let’s Read About Martin Luther King, Jr. (Courtney Baker)
• Martin Luther King, Jr. and the March on Washington (Frances E. Ruffin)
• Claudette Colven Refuses to Move Courageous Kid of the Civil Rights Movement (Ebony Joy Wilkins)
• The Singing Man (Angela Shelf Medearis)
• The Story of Ruby Bridges (Robbert Coles)
• Shirley Chisholm is a Verb (Veronica Chambers)
• Voices From the Underground Railroad (Kay Winters)

April’s Theme:

Women’s History

This month, in celebration of Women’s History, we will learn about revolutionary women who made a difference in the world. Examples include Maria Montessori, who created a whole new learning curriculum; Katherine G. Johnson, who was crucial in putting a man up in space; and Harriet Tubman, who freed thousands of slaves. Women’s accomplishments have been underrepresented in most of our historical writings, so it’s a great time to celebrate all the amazing women from our past.

As Daniella shares, “Before my grandma was *my* Grandma, she worked at a school for pregnant and parenting teenage girls. There weren’t many schools like this at the time, so it was a lot of hard work. She taught many teachers how to teach in non-traditional school environments.”

Great Questions to Ask…

“WHO IS A WOMAN YOU THINK SHOULD BE FAMOUS FOR HER CONTRIBUTIONS?”
“WHY DO YOU THINK MOST HISTORY CENTERS AROUND MEN AND NOT WOMEN?”
“WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE WOMAN FROM HISTORY? WHAT DID SHE DO?”
“WHAT BOOK ABOUT A FAMOUS WOMAN SHOULD EXIST BUT YOU DON’T THINK IT DOES?”

Book List For April:

• Mary Anning (Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegra)
• Little People Big Dreams: Greta Thunberg (Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegra)
• Ruby Bridges Goes to School My True Story (Ruby Bridges)
• Mama in Congress Rashida Tlaib’s Journey to Washington (Rashida and Adam Tlaib)
• The Proudest Blue (Ibtihaj Muhammad)

May’s Theme:

Physical and Rare Disabilities

Every human has a different body. Some people’s bodies have dark skin, some have light skin, some are right handed and some are left handed, some are tall and some are short. Some people are disabled, meaning a part of their body does not always work correctly. For example, some people
cannot hear, some need a wheelchair or a cane to help them move, and some cannot eat different foods because they are allergic. In the month of May, we will read about various disabilities and historical figures who were disabled.
As Daniella shares, “My friend Alex has something called scoliosis, which basically means his spine is curved in a way it shouldn’t be. He ended up needing to have that curve surgically fixed and now he has a metal rod in his back.”

Great Questions to Ask…

“DO YOU THINK YOU CAN LIVE A FULL AND NORMAL LIFE IF YOU HAVE A DISABILITY?”
“DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY? WHAT IS THEIR DISABILITY?”
“WHEN DOES SOMETHING GO FROM BEING LABELED AN INJURY OR ILLNESS TO A DISABILITY?”
“DO YOU PREFER THE DESCRIPTION OF DISABLED OR OF DIFFERENTLY ABLED? WHY?”
“HOW DO YOU THINK THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE READ ABOUT REFER TO THEIR CONDITIONS?”

Book List For May:

• Who do you See When You Look at Me (Angela Ray Rodgers, Grace Anna)
• We Move Together (Kelly Fritsch, Anne McGuire, Eduardo Trejos)
• I am Deaf (Jenifer Moore-Mallinos)
• Eli, Included (Michelle Sullivan)
• You Are Enough (Margaret O’Hair)
• This is Me (Larry S. Glover)
• Mighty Mia (Katie Petruzziello)
• Its Ok To Ask (Abbie Isaac)

There are no themes for June, July or August, as school was not in session when the project was being constructed.

September’s Theme: Cultural Awareness

“Culture can be defined as the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group. What foods someone eats, what clothes they wear, and what is considered a special occasion or tradition can come from a person’s culture. This month we will be learning about and celebrating some things others do in their cultures.”

Great Questions to Ask…

“WHAT IS ONE THING YOU DO BECAUSE OF WHERE YOU OR YOUR FAMILY COMES FROM?”
“WHAT IS ONE THING A FRIEND DOES IN THEIR FAMILY THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR FAMILY?”
“WHAT IS ONE THING THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE YOU KNOW DO BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY COME FROM?”
“IS THERE A CULTURE YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT?”

Book List For September:

• Chato’s Kitchen (Gary Soto)
• Last Stop on Market Street (Matt de la Peña)
• The Mitten (Jan Brett)
• Come on, Rain (Karen Hesse)
• Let the Children March (Monica Clark-Robinson)
• When Jessie Came Across the Sea (Amy Hest)
• Moving and Grooving to Fillmore’s Beat (Rachel Werner)
• Crown: An ode to the Fresh Cut (Derrick Barnes)
• Black is brown is tan (Arnold Adoff)
• Mommy’s Khimar (Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow)
• Say Hello! (Rachel Isadora)
• Aunt Flossie’s Hat and Crab Cakes Later (Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard)
• Go Worship (L.L. Owens)
• My Name Is Yoon (Helen Recorvits)
• Everybody Bakes Bread (Norah Dooley)

October’s Theme: Neurodiversity

‘Neuro’ means brain and ‘diverse’ means different or varied. “We all think differently, ”Daniella explains. “I love math, and my best friend hates it. I didn’t learn to read until first grade, and another friend has been reading since preschool.” “For some people,” Daniella continues, “these differences come from their brain and are
heightened. This month, we will explore these differences and learn more about them.”
An example Daniella shares is her cousin Erin, who has a condition called synesthesia.  For someone with synesthesia, words, letter, and numbers all have a color. This can make the world distracting, and can make schoolwork challenging.

Great Questions to Ask…

“WHAT IS ONE SUBJECT YOU STRUGGLE WITH THAT SOMEONE ELSE DOESN’T?”
“WHAT IS AN AREA YOU SUCCEED IN WHERE SOMEONE ELSE STRUGGLES?  HOW CAN YOU HELP THAT PERSON?”
“WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO LEARN ABOUT THE DIFFERENT WAYS PEOPLE THINK?”
“DO YOU EVER FEEL THAT YOU THINK OR ACT DIFFERENTLY THAN YOUR FRIENDS OR FAMILY? IN WHAT WAYS?”

Book List For October:

• Every Brain is Beautiful (Sara Furlong)
• Cassidy and the Mixed Up Numbers (Dezi Shepard)
• What’s Wrong With this Book? (Rachel Hiltz)
• A little space for me (Jenifer Gray Olson)
• Wings (Cristopher Myers)
• Elie Bean the Drama Queen (Jenie Harding)
• My Brain is a Race Car (Nell Haris)
• It’s Hard to Be a Verb (Julia Cook)
• Neurodiversity! What’s that? (Nadine Arthur)
• It’s Called Dyslexia (Jenifer Moore-Mallinos)

November’s Theme: Indigenous Peoples/Slavery

‘Indigenous’ means living in or existing in a land from the earliest times or from before the arrival of explorers and colonists. For example, before Europeans arrived on our shores, there were many peoples that lived on the land we now call the United States. Sadly, there are
many examples around the world of indigenous populations being displaced or enslaved when their lands are occupied.

As Daniella shares, “my friend Rainey is Pueblo and Hopi, and her family has lived on what is now American land for over 2,000 years.” This month, we will explore Indigenous Tribes and the lives of enslaved peoples, with the primary goals of learning their stories and sharing their histories.

Great Questions to Ask…

“DO YOU KNOW ANYONE FROM A CULTURE THAT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN ENSLAVED
OR WAS INDIGENOUS TO AN AREA BEFORE COLONIZATION?”
“IS THERE AN INDIGENOUS GROUP YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT?”
“WHY DO YOU THINK EXPLORERS SOMETIMES ENSLAVED PEOPLE RATHER THAN SHARE THE LAND?”
“HOW CAN WE LEARN ABOUT ENSLAVED AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN A RESPECTFUL WAY?”

Book List For November:

• A Different Pond (Bao Phi)
• Forever Cousins (Laurel Goodluck)
• Step by Step (Debby Rigaud and Carlotta Penn)
• Ohana Means Family (Ilima Loomis)
• Eyes that weave the World’s Wonders (Joanna Ho)
• Kapaemahu (Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu)
• Hope (Isabell Monk)
• The Butterfly (Patricia Polacco)
• The People shall Continue (Simon J. Ortiz)
• Remember (Joy Harjo)
• The 1619 project Born on the Water (Nikole Hannah-Jones)
• The Oldest Student (Ritta Laurane Hubbard)
• Eyes that speak to the Stars (Joanna Ho)
• The Name Jar (Yangssok Choi)

December’s Theme: Multicutural Celebrations

Most of us are familiar with Christmas, Santa Claus and his reindeer, etc. However, not everyone celebrates Christmas in December. Billions of people around the world celebrate holidays such as Hanukkah, Diwali, Ramadan, and Eid. For many cultures, holiday celebrations
link to important milestone dates in their religion or seasons of the year.

This month, we will take a closer look at these festive celebrations. As Daniella shares, “my friend Jules recently celebrated her quinceañera. In many Hispanic families, a girl’s fifteenth birthday marks the start of adulthood and is celebrated with a Catholic mass and large party with family and friends.”

Great Questions to Ask…

“DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO CELEBRATES ONE OF THE CELEBRATIONS/TRADITIONS MENTIONED ABOVE?”
“WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITIONS?”
“WHAT IS A HOLIDAY OR CELEBRATION YOU LEARNED ABOUT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND?”
“IS THERE A CELEBRATION YOU’D LIKE TO EXPERIENCE?”

Book List For December:

• Light the Lights (Margret Moorman)
• Matilda Makes Matzah Balls (Rhonda Cohen)
• The Magic Violin (Mayra Calvani)
• Celebrate Diwali (Deborah Heiligman)
• Miriam’s Cup (Fran Manyshkin)
• Juneteenth (Julie Murray)
• A Picture Book of Hanukkah (David Adler)
• Beni’s First Chanukah (Jane Breskin Zalaben)
• Sam and the Lucky Money (Karen Chinn)
• My First Ramadan (Karen Katz)