Book picks similar to
Facing Fear by Karen Lynn Williams


picture-books
picture-book
immigration
family

The Story of Bodri


Hédi Fried - 2019
    Germany’s leader hates her and her family, just because they are Jewish. And Hitler doesn’t even know them—it doesn’t make any sense. Soon Nazi Germany invades Hédi’s country, and her life changes forever.Inspired by the author’s experiences.

There Is a Rainbow


Theresa Trinder - 2021
    A hopeful, timely picture book that helps us all see the rainbows that connect us!On the other side of a window, there is a neighbor.On the other side of a sadness, there is a hug.And on the other side of a storm, there is a rainbow.Sometimes we are separated by distance, sometimes by the way we feel. Even though the world is full of barriers that can make us feel unconnected, we are all just on one end of a rainbow. Connected by all that color and light, there is always something, or someone, waiting for us on the other side.Poetically told with an uplifting message for some of life's most difficult moments, this book encourages readers to look past their immediate surroundings and find comfort, community, and inner courage—all are closer than we might think.Inspired by the multitude of rainbows found in the windows of homes around the world following the coronavirus lockdown, this uplifting picture book shares a message of hope and resilience that is truly timeless.• TIMELY: Sweet, sincere, and uplifting, this book offers comfort to readers young and old. Its graceful approach to navigating both today's difficulties and the inevitable obstacles of the future makes this a staple picture book little ones and their parents will cherish for years and return to time and again.• HOPEFUL: This book provides a much-needed dose of realistic optimism, encouraging readers to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Painting a believable picture of what is and what might be, it also shows readers all the wonderful things within our reach, even in difficult times. Its underlying message has the potential to change perspectives.• COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: The book's emphasis on finding a network of support—whether it's among family members a phone call away, the neighbors right across the street, or a wider community accessible through technology—is particularly potent. Imbued with the unshakeable sense that we are never alone, this is one picture book with a message everyone can get behind, and which will, itself, spread hope from home to home, community to community.• READ ALOUD: As this reassuring picture book artfully reveals what's on the other side of both concrete objects and abstract ideas, it smartly uses the page turn to do so—it will have young readers eagerly turning the page to complete each sentence, to see what's on the other side. It provides the perfect read-aloud experience for story time in the classroom, in the library, and at home.• THE INSPIRATION: This picture book was inspired by the author's own experiences during the COVID-19 crisis.Perfect for:• Children going through a wide variety of difficult experiences, possibly for the first time• Parents and grandparents looking for a hopeful, comforting picture book• Caretakers and gift givers looking for profound, beautifully written, optimistic picture books• Teachers, librarians, and booksellers looking for the perfect uplifting read-aloud option• Fans of picture books that teach new perspectives

Hands Up!


Breanna J. McDaniel - 2019
    She stretches her hands up high like a plane's wings and whizzes down a hill so fast on her bike with her hands way up. As she grows, she lives through everyday moments of joy, love, and sadness. And when she gets a little older, she joins together with her family and her community in a protest march, where they lift their hands up together in resistance and strength.

Paletero Man


Lucky Diaz - 2021
    But when he arrives, our narrator’s pockets are empty! What happened to his dinero? It will take the help of the entire community to get the tasty treat now.Celebrating the strength of community and the tastes of summer, fans of Thank You, Omu and Carmela Full of Wishes will be hungry for what Paletero Man has in store.The book includes Spanish words and phrases throughout and an author’s note from Lucky Diaz about why he was inspired to write this picture book.

A Sweet Smell of Roses


Angela Johnson - 2005
     Inspired by the countless young people who took a stand against the forces of injustice, two Coretta Scott King Honorees, Angela Johnson and Eric Velasquez, offer a stirring yet jubilant glimpse of the youth involvement that played an invaluable role in the Civil Rights movement.

Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness


Anastasia Higginbotham - 2018
    Upset, he asks his mother why; she deflects, assuring him that he is safe. Later, they visit an aunt and uncle, where the TV, always on, shows a rally in response to the police shooting. The child glimpses a moving press conference with the victim’s family while his aunt claims she simply “can’t watch the news.”The book’s narrator accompanies the child as he faces history and himself. The activities section urges kids to grow justice (“like a bean sprout in a milk carton”) inside of themselves, seek out and listen to the truth about racism and white supremacy, and prepare to be changed, heartbroken, and liberated by this experience.Part history lesson, part compassionate primer to assist children (and parents) past defensiveness, Not My Idea is a tangible tool for necessary conversations.

What I Am


Divya Srinivasan - 2021
    Soon, we see the young girl as a plethora of things: selfish and generous, mean and kind, brave and mischievous. While many of these qualities oppose each other, the context and illustrations make it abundantly clear that she speaks the truth. She is a walking contradiction, and that is precisely what makes her both a unique individual and an essential piece of the greater world around her. Divya Srinivasan shows what makes us human and proud to be who we are.

The Paper Boat: A Refugee Story


Thao Lam - 2020
    At her home in Vietnam, a girl rescues ants from the sugar water set out to trap them. Later, when the girl’s family flees war-torn Vietnam, ants lead them through the moonlit jungle to the boat that will take them to safety. Before boarding, the girl folds a paper boat from a bun wrapper and drops it into the water, and the ants climb on. Their perilous journey, besieged by punishing weather, predatory birds, and dehydration, before reaching a new beginning, mirrors the family’s own. Impressionistic collages and a moving, Own Voices narrative make this a one-of-a-kind tale of courage, resilience, and hope.

Somos como las nubes / We Are Like the Clouds


Jorge Argueta - 2016
    This book of poetry helps us to understand why and what it is like to be them.This powerful book by award-winning Salvadoran poet Jorge Argueta describes the terrible process that leads young people to undertake the extreme hardships and risks involved in the journey to what they hope will be a new life of safety and opportunity. A refugee from El Salvador’s war in the eighties, Argueta was born to explain the tragic choice confronting young Central Americans today who are saying goodbye to everything they know because they fear for their lives. This book brings home their situation and will help young people who are living in safety to understand those who are not.Compelling, timely and eloquent, this book is beautifully illustrated by master artist Alfonso Ruano who also illustrated The Composition, considered one of the 100 Greatest Books for Kids by Scholastic’s Parent and Child Magazine.

Your Mama


NoNieqa Ramos - 2021
    Perfect for Mother’s Day.Yo’ mama so sweet, she could be a bakery. She dresses so fine, that she could have her clothing line. And, even when you mess up, she’s so forgiving that she lets you keep on living. Heartwarming and richly imagined, YOUR MAMA twists an old joke into a point of pride that honors the love, hard work, and dedication of mamas everywhere.

First Laugh--Welcome, Baby!


Rose Ann Tahe - 2018
    Who will earn the honor in this story?The First Laugh Ceremony is a celebration held to welcome a new member of the community. As everyone--from Baby's nima (mom) to nadi (big sister) to cheii (grandfather)--tries to elicit the joyous sound from Baby, readers are introduced to details about Navajo life and the Navajo names for family members. Back matter includes information about other cultural ceremonies that welcome new babies and children, including man yue celebration (China), sanskaras (Hindu) and aquiqa (Muslim).

My Day with Gong Gong


Sennah Yee - 2020
    Gong Gong doesn't speak much English, and May can't understand Chinese. She's hungry, and bored with Gong Gong's errands. Plus, it seems like Gong Gong's friends are making fun of her! But just when May can’t take any more, Gong Gong surprises her with a gift that reveals he’s been paying more attention than she thought.A glossary at the end of the book features translations of the Chinese words from the story into Chinese characters and English.

All of Us


Carin Berger - 2018
     Award-winning illustrator Carin Berger’s beautiful and timely picture book celebrates the power of community, family, and most of all, love. Her beautiful collage art and lyrical text offer a message of hope in the face of adversity.All of Us is ideal for family sharing as well as year-round giving and is for fans of Nancy’s Tillman’s Wherever You Are and Alison McGhee’s Someday.

I Am Every Good Thing


Derrick Barnes - 2020
    A difference maker. A leader.The confident Black narrator of this book is proud of everything that makes him who he is. He's got big plans, and no doubt he'll see them through--as he's creative, adventurous, smart, funny, and a good friend. Sometimes he falls, but he always gets back up. And other times he's afraid, because he's so often misunderstood and called what he is not. So slow down and really look and listen, when somebody tells you--and shows you--who they are. There are superheroes in our midst!

A New Year's Reunion


Yu Li-Qiong - 2011
    When Papa arrives, Maomao hardly recognizes him at first. But before long, the family is making sticky rice balls, hearing the firecrackers, and watching the dragon dance in the street. Maomao loves doing ordinary things with Papa - getting a haircut, fixing things around the house, and sleeping tucked between her parents. But all too soon it is time for Papa to go away again.