Illustrated by Bryan Collier 5 stars A beautiful biography in verse recounting various moments in the life of Maya Angelou. From her childhood to her reading “On the Pulse of Morning” at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton, the book shares glimpses throughout Angelou’s life. It includes moments from her childhood, her work as a…
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by Claudette Colvin and Phillip Hoose Illustrated by Bea Jackson 5 stars A fantastic book that tells the story of how Claudette Colvin took a stand against discriminatory rules. Told in first person, the book follows Colvin’s frustration at not having the same rights as others because of the color of her skin. One day,…
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by Cynthia Levinson Illustrated by Mirelle Ortega 4 stars A powerful fictionalized account that tells the story of Plyler v. Doe, which mandated free public school education for all US residents regardless of immigration status. This nonfiction picture book follows Alfredo Lopez who loves school where he can learn and see his friends. But one…
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By Deidre Havrelock Illustrated by Aphelandra 4 stars A beautiful picture book that tells the story of Carol Powder, her music, and her activism. The book goes through Powder’s childhood singing with her family, her great-grandfather making her a drum of her own and teaching her its songs, creating her own drumming group, Chubby Cree,…
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5 stars A fantastic kid-friendly resource to understand how different brains work and to encourage the acceptance and celebration of neurodiversity. The all-text format is presented in an engaging way, utilizing different colors and font sizes to keep each page visually interesting. Also works in symbols of neurodivergence such as the infinity symbol, butterflies, and…
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Illustrated by Supriya Kelkar 4 stars A beautiful picture book biography of Kamala Harris to inspire action and helping others regardless of how old you are. Follows Harris’ life and highlights her actions to stand up for herself and others in her childhood, in college, and as an adult. While the text is brief, it…
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by Franck Prévot Illustrated by Aurélia Fronty Translated by Dominique Clément 5 stars Originally published in French, this wonderful picture book biography celebrates the life of Wangari Maathai and her impact on the world. The book follows Maathai’s childhood in Kenya, her atypical education, founding the Green Belt Movement, and her activism to promote environmentalism,…
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by Tonya Duncan Ellis Illustrated by Jenin Mohammed 5 stars A beautiful celebration and history of Emancipation Park. Told from the perspective of the park itself, the book follows the park’s founding in 1872, its vital role in the community especially during the time of Jim Crow laws, its years of disrepair, and its eventual…
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by Laura Obuobi Illustrated by Olivia Duchess 4 stars An absolutely stunning picture book biography of Michaela Mabinty DePrince. The story follows DePrince’s life from her time at an orphanage in Sierra Leone, her adoption and moving to the US, her passion for ballet growing up, and her success as a ballerina. It also explores…
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Illustrated by Laura Freeman 5 stars A fantastic picture book biography of the life and work of Justice Ketanji Jackson. The book follows important events throughout Justice Jackson’s life from childhood, through her education, taking on various jobs, marriage, motherhood, and finally her becoming the the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. Well-written…
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