Book picks similar to
My Bindi by Gita Varadarajan


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Your Name Is a Song


Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow - 2020
    In response, the girl's mother teaches her about the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names on their lyrical walk home through the city. Empowered by this newfound understanding, the young girl is ready to return the next day to share her knowledge with her class. Your Name is a Song is a celebration to remind all of us about the beauty, history, and magic behind names.

Grandpa Grumps


Katrina Moore - 2020
    Throughout the week, she tries all sorts of things to get him past his grumpiness. Will she be able to make him smile before he goes home?

Nosotros Means Us: Un Cuento Biling�e


Paloma Valdivia - 2021
    But no matter how they change, they will always be "us." This bilingual story is a timeless ode to the unshakable bond between parent and child.Si yo fuera una oveja, t� ser�as un cordero.Si yo fuera una osa, t� ser�as un osenzo.Con su ni�o en brazos, una madre contempla c�mo ser�a elamorentre ellos si fueran diferentes animales. Pero por mucho que cambien, no importa. Siempre ser�n"nosotros". Este cuento biling�e es una oda eterna al lazo irrompibleentre madre e hijo.

My Maddy


Gayle E. Pitman - 2020
    Includes note to parents.

You Are Enough: A Book About Inclusion


Margaret O'Hair - 2021
    But wouldn't it be boring if we were all the same? Being different is great! Being different is what makes you YOU.This inclusive and empowering picture book from Sofia Sanchez-an 11-year-old model and actress with Down syndrome-reminds readers how important it is to embrace your differences, be confident, and be proud of who you are. Imagine all of the wonderful things you can do if you don't let anyone stop you! You are enough just how you are. Sofia is unique, but her message is universal: We all belong. So each spread features beautiful, full-color illustrations of a full cast of kid characters with all kinds of backgrounds, experiences, and abilities.This book also includes back matter with a brief bio of Sofia and her journey so far, as well as additional information about Down syndrome and how we can all be more accepting, more inclusive, and more kind.

Room for Everyone


Naaz Khan - 2021
    A young boy on a crowded bus discovers that, after some wiggles and giggles, there’s room for everyone in this lighthearted rhyming picture book set in Zanzibar.The dala dala rumbles and roars as Musa and Dada drive off to the shore—but the bus stops for multiple detours: “Do you need a ride? It’s hotter than peppers out there in the sun! Come in, there’s room for everyone!” One stop becomes two stops which soon becomes ten, and Musa wonders when it will end: “How can any more people get in? We’re already smushed like sardines in a tin!” But there's always room for one more, if you make the room, which is the heartwarming take-away from this bouncy, joyous tale in rhyme.

Freedom, We Sing


Amyra Leon - 2020
    Is it a place? Is it a thought? Can it be stolen? Can it be bought?"As powerful as it is beautiful, Freedom, We Sing is a lyrical picture book designed to inspire and give hope to readers around the world. Molly Mendoza's immersive, lush illustrations invite kids to ponder singer/songwriter Amyra León's poem about what it means to be free. It's the perfect book for parents who want a way to gently start the conversation with their kids about finding hope in these very tense times we are living in.

A Kid Is a Kid Is a Kid


Sara O'Leary - 2021
    I can think of better things to ask than if I’m a boy or a girl. Another child comes along and says she gets asked why she always has her nose in a book. Someone else gets asked where they come from.One after another, children share the questions they’re tired of being asked again and again — as opposed to what they believe are the most important or interesting things about themselves. As they move around the playground, picking up new friends along the way, there is a feeling of understanding and acceptance among them. And in the end, the new kid comes up with the question they would definitely all like to hear: “Hey kid, want to play?”Sara O’Leary’s thoughtful text and Qin Leng’s expressive illustrations tell a story about children who are all different, all themselves, all just kids.

We Are All Under One Wide Sky


Deborah Wiles - 2021
    Andrea Stegmaier’s fresh and captivating illustrations feature children from around the globe and celebrate different architecture, landscapes, and activities. By the end of the book, children will have internalized the message that although we are from different places, we are the same in so many ways. What we have in common is what is most important—family, laughter, love, nature, and friendship. We all share the same wide sky. We Are All Under One Wide Sky is a peace anthem with a timely and important message for children: to both celebrate diversity and embrace how much we all have in common.

Cannonball


Sacha Cotter - 2020
    He's ready to make a splash!I'm ready to pull off the perfect cannonball, but everyone has advice."You need more weight""Bigger shorts!""More muscles!""BIGGER SHORTS!"All it really takes is listening to your own voice and finding the courage to make the perfect cannonball.

Barakah Beats


Maleeha Siddiqui - 2021
    by joining her school's most popular boy band.Twelve-year-old Nimra Sharif has spent her whole life in Islamic school, but now it's time to go to "real school."Nimra's nervous, but as long as she has Jenna, her best friend who already goes to the public school, she figures she can take on just about anything.Unfortunately, middle school is hard. The teachers are mean, the schedule is confusing, and Jenna starts giving hijab-wearing Nimra the cold shoulder around the other kids.Desperate to fit in and get back in Jenna's good graces, Nimra accepts an unlikely invitation to join the school's popular 8th grade boy band, Barakah Beats. The only problem is, Nimra was taught that music isn't allowed in Islam, and she knows her parents would be disappointed if they found out. So she devises a simple plan: join the band, win Jenna back, then quietly drop out before her parents find out.But dropping out of the band proves harder than expected. Not only is her plan to get Jenna back working, but Nimra really likes hanging out with the band-they value her contributions and respect how important her faith is to her. Then Barakah Beats signs up for a talent show to benefit refugees, and Nimra's lies start to unravel. With the show only a few weeks away and Jenna's friendship hanging in the balance, Nimra has to decide whether to betray her bandmates-or herself.

Marty


Rachel Noble - 2021
    You’ve never noticed him before, because he is undercover . . . Marty wears disguises and studies human behavior in order to fit in. He is always watching, learning, and laughing.And then one day, after much preparation, Marty gets a job! He loves to watch his customers, and he even makes some friends. But Marty knows he can never reveal his secret. Humans are terrified of Martians.When his cover gets blown, Marty needs somewhere safe to go. Who will see beyond his strange, green looks to show him kindness?This adorable story of an outsider with a good heart reminds readers that everyone needs a place to call home–and a friend for company. Zoey Abbott’s colorful art, full of elaborate costumes and whimsical details, pops against Rachel Nobel’s spare, sweet text. With its charming way of promoting inclusivity, the book makes for a perfect companion to All Are Welcome.

Santa in the City


Tiffany D. Jackson - 2021
    A little girl's belief in Santa is restored in this ode to the magic of Christmas.It's two weeks before Christmas, and Deja is worried that Santa might not be able to visit her--after all, as a city kid, she doesn't have a chimney for him to come down and none of the parking spots on her block could fit a sleigh, let alone eight reindeer! But with a little help from her family, community, and Santa himself, Deja discovers that the Christmas spirit is alive and well in her city.

The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family


Ibtihaj Muhammad - 2019
    It’s the start of a brand new year and, best of all, it’s her older sister Asiya’s first day of hijab–a hijab of beautiful blue fabric, like the ocean waving to the sky. But not everyone sees hijab as beautiful, and in the face of hurtful, confusing words, Faizah will find new ways to be strong.Paired with Hatem Aly’s beautiful, whimsical art, Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad and Morris Award finalist S.K. Ali bring readers an uplifting, universal story of new experiences, the unbreakable bond between siblings, and of being proud of who you are.

Lila Lou's Little Library: A Gift From the Heart


Nikki Bergstresser - 2021
    Lila Lou’s Little Library by Nikki Bergstresser carries key concepts of sharing, creativity and community supported by the many advocates of positive parenting solutions. It'll sit comfortably on your shelf alongside other books that focus on overcoming obstacles and creating community, like the work of Dan Santat (After the Fall) and Kristen Bell and Benjamin Hart (The World Needs More Purple People) This book comes with a free Reader’s Guide for children. The guide is available for free download from the publisher website. Lesson plans, activities and discussion questions to allow parents, teachers and caregivers to explore the topic further and deepen comprehension.