We are lucky to live in a world where new, beautiful, and necessary children’s books are be written, published and enjoyed on a regular basis. Here is s list of some new or upcoming kidlit books that can be added to your “must read” list!
Together We Can by Ned Hartley
This beautiful book includes 40 inspirational stories about what humans can achieve when we work as a team.
The biggest challenges can only be overcome when teams work together towards a common goal, from inventing vaccines in record time to dealing with climate change. Together We Can is a celebration of what we can achieve when human beings work collaboratively. Packed with stories of teamwork from around the globe, read about the discovery of DNA, the beginnings of the Red Cross, the formation of Apple Inc., The Black Mambas, the Black Lives Matter movement, the Bolshoi Ballet, LEGO creators and more. Reading this book will help you understand the power and importance of teamwork!
Our Diversity Makes Us Stronger by Elizabeth Cole
This book is a captivating children’s picture book that serves as a powerful tool for teaching your child to embrace themselves and to celebrate differences. The story follows a young protagonist named Nick, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance. Nick fears his friends won’t accept his new reading glasses, but through engaging in conversations with his peers, he uncovers the richness of diversity and learns that our differences are not weaknesses, but strengths. This book is a celebration of individuality, demonstrating that our unique attributes are what make us special and strong.
This children’s book contains lovely hand-drawn illustrations and charming rhymes. This book will help your children:
- to accept and celebrate diversity
- to be kind to those who are different
- to love themselves the way they are
- to boost self-confidence
This social-emotional book for kids continues Nick’s adventures from the “World of Kids’ Emotions” series.
Baby Unicorns by Anne Marie Ryan
The Magical Unicorn Society is opening its doors once again to reveal eight brand-new stories about the world’s most magical and elusive creatures. This time, the stories reveal the little-known facts about young unicorns, which are notoriously secretive and difficult to study.
This beautifully illustrated compendium brings together tales of rare encounters with young unicorns, called younglings, from each of the eight unicorn families. Each story tells the tale of a special relationship formed between a youngling and a baby animal, as witnessed by a young person who is then bonded with the unicorn for life. Find out how a Mountain Jewel unicorn creates a lifelong bond with a wild panda cub and a young man, and follow the Water Moons as they help a young girl and a baby dolphin save their island from a sea monster.
Discover the differences between younglings and adult unicorns, from magical powers that are just developing to the colors of their coats and tails. Follow the flow chart to find out which unicorn family you belong to and discover where you can find a unicorn’s favorite food.
Crimson Twill: Witch in the Country by Kallie George
Crimson Twill’s new friends from New Wart City, Mauve and Wesley, are coming for a visit! But as soon as they arrive at Crimson’s house in Cackle County, things start to go wrong. At the rotten apple orchard, Crimson’s ripening spell goes horribly awry (what will they do with all that rotten applesauce?). Then, at the broom-straw field, Wesley cuts too much straw and starts to float away. And when the friends try to collect frogs’ breath for their spells (it makes everything wonderfully green and warty), Mauve gets a stinky faceful of it! What on earth is going on? The whole countryside feels like something big is about to happen, and Crimson wonders if it has something to do with Granny Twill and that giant cauldron of stew she made. Can Crimson get to the bottom of this bad-luck mystery? And, more importantly, will her city friends ever want to revisit her?
As I mentioned above, many families are lucky enough to have access to new books for their kids without much effort. But that’s only sometimes the case. Countless communities in the USA and worldwide are “book deserts”; quality reading material for young readers is in short supply.
Thankfully, there are many organizations and non-profits who work tirelessly to get free books into the hands of underserved communities and schools. Here are a few:
Read Your World (Formerly Multicultural Children’s Book Day).
Read Your World is a 501(c)3 non-profit whose mission is to raise awareness about children’s books that celebrate diversity and inclusion and to get more of these books into the hands of readers. Their online celebration occurs at the end of every January, and during that time, thousands of diverse children and YA books are given away to deserving readers. But they are more than just a one-day holiday to celebrate diverse KidLit.
The Louisville Book Festival:
The Louisville Book Festival is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization founded in 2018 to celebrate and promote the love and the benefits of reading, writing, and literacy. We believe that literacy is a fundamental human right and that there is power and purpose in bringing books to life every day of the year. We celebrate books and use them to highlight and grow the resilient culture of our vibrant city, as well as to encourage and elevate our creative thinking as a community.
Reading Is Fundamental of Southern California
RIFSoCal’s mission is to promote literacy and motivate children to read by providing new books to create home libraries for underserved children in Southern California.
One More Thing
Looking for a beautiful and unconventional diverse picture book for kids? Check out, Sissy Goes Tiny!
In Sissy Goes Tiny, eight-year-old Sissy and her parents make the bold choice to downsize their life and embark on a journey of living tiny and doing more with less. At first, Sissy struggles to get used to the idea of living in a tiny house on wheels and traveling around the U.S, but as she and her mommy and daddy learn about downsizing, repurposing, and how “stuff is just stuff,” she soon understands that a life of “living tiny” will be filled with the big adventures and learning.
You can read the full story of this journey here and also order your hardcover copy here.
“I believe that Sissy Goes Tiny is going to open so many minds for people! A tiny house is absolutely not for everyone, but we all like to dream and step into the shoes of another lifestyle in our minds. Learning about this lifestyle I think will help people be more supportive of people who do choose to live unconventionally. Sissy and her family are a great example of that.” Co-author, B.A. Norrgard
Join us in celebrating the idea of Tiny Living and BIG Adventures!
