Celebrate diverse cultures by introducing authors and illustrators from other countries, expanding cultural knowledge and intercultural understandings, and promoting respect for diverse cultures. Rather than privileging white voices and Western values (heterosexuality, Christianity; maleness, whiteness etc.), we should purposefully look for and prioritize “othered” voices, opinions, perspectives, and stories and add them to our bookshelves (Cooke, 2020). International books can give… Read more →
Author: Elizabeth Swaggerty
Top Picks: 8 International Children’s Books
Expand readers’ experiences, knowledge, and perspectives with international children’s books. These books from around the world promote international understandings and feature a character from another country, take place in another country, or are written by an author from another country. International picture books celebrate diverse cultures by introducing authors and illustrators from other countries, expanding cultural knowledge and intercultural understandings,… Read more →
Top Picks: 6 International Children’s Picture Books
If you’re looking for books that have potential to expand readers’ experiences, knowledge, and perspectives, consider international books! International books fit any of these categories: feature a character from another country take place in another country are written by an author from another country promote international understanding International picture books celebrate diverse cultures by introducing authors and illustrators from other… Read more →
Kids’ Choices: Fifteen-ish Really, Really Good Books
This week, I asked some kids to tell me about books they think are “really, really good.” I’m sharing them here to highlight the power of choice as a motivator for reading. Choice can’t be emphasized enough. Let them choose … even if the book isn’t “at their reading level.” Even if the book isn’t what you consider “high quality.” When kids… Read more →
2018 Must-Give / Must-Have Book List
Just in time for Cyber Monday, here’s your list of must-have books. These titles make great gifts or sneak a few in for yourself, too. Happy shopping! Preschool and Elementary Picture Books Still Stuck by Shinsuke Yoshitake A little one gets stuck in his shirt and panics. Who can’t relate? Great for preschoolers and their adults. Little Millie Ford and… Read more →
Kid Picks: 8, 9, and 10 Year-Old Boys’ Favorite Books
I asked 8, 9, and 10 year-old boys to name the best books they’ve read lately. They said they love these books and think other kids would definitely like to read them, too. I bet there are at least a few on this list that will hook any 8-10 year old in your life. Don’t worry about the quality of… Read more →
Graphic Novels: The Gateway Books for Second and Third Graders
Graphic novels are all the rage, particularly for middle and high school kids. But many folks don’t know that there are some really great graphic novels for younger kids, too. And getting younger kids hooked on these books can be a really good thing. A graphic novel is basically a comic book, but the entire book is one story. The… Read more →
Kid Picks: What’s Hot for 9 and 10 Year Olds
The more kids read, the better they get at it. Reading volume matters! However, kids aren’t going to read much if they aren’t motivated. And CHOICE in texts is key when it comes to reading motivation. So it is a good investment to figure out how to match kids to books they want to read. That’s why I asked nine… Read more →
7 Reasons Postmodern Picture Books are Awesome
As a literacy teacher educator and former third grade teacher, I get excited when I discover a really great book – like game show, come-on-down, hit-the-jackpot-excited. While I enjoy all kinds of children’s and young adult books, I most often find myself drawn to books others might describe as weird or odd. My quest for these unique books has led… Read more →