As a current elementary teacher who teaches American Slavery to 4th graders each year, I am constantly reflecting back on my own early childhood history education, and can’t help but feel slighted at the gross omission of key details surrounding monumental moments in our nation’s history, and in this case, the Civil War. What I remember learning about our nation’s “deadliest war” went along the lines of this… “the North and the South were divided over how much control the government had…the industrial advances of the North were a threat to the South…etc.”, and slavery, was a mere afterthought ..read more

The Truth About Mrs. Claus Written by Mean Harris & Illustrated by Keisha Morris Amalia the Elf loves everything about making teddy bears . . . Watching Grandma and Mama sew! Feeling the soft, velvety fur! Imagining the bears in their new homes! . . . except the bear-making part.  Worried about disappointing her family, Amalia goes straight to Santa for advice. But it’s Mrs. Claus who knows how to solve Amalia’s problem—and who needs help with a secret of her own. The Day Santa Got Sick Written by Deanne Samuels & Illustrated by Oliver Kryzz Bundoc What would happen ..read more

Last year I began my annual round-up of favorite picture books of the year with one book for each month, and needless to say, choosing only 12 books was an agonizing feat. So this year, since 2021 decided to throw us some curve balls and seemingly break all the rules…I decided to reward myself (and you) by including as many of my favorites as I deemed necessary! The titles I have selected range across genres, authors, cultures, celebrations, and past and present moments and movements. While there is a wide variety in written content, these themes are present throughout…inclusion, representatio ..read more

Kwanzaa’s seven day celebration highlights the importance of culture, family, community, resilience, pride, and hope. Although our family has only been formally celebrating for a few years, these lessons are ones that should be carried throughout the entire year. Here we are celebrating by lighting a candle in the kinara and reading from the book Soulful Holidays by Ciara L. Hill. Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is marked by one of the seven principles. The following book list highlights texts that explore the history, traditions and cultural festivities of the African-American ..read more

When we were forced to go virtual during the onslaught of Covid-19 in March of 2020, as a 4th grade reading teacher I was frantic to find a virtual way to bring quality, diverse books to my students. Since then, Epic! has been my go-to for finding diverse and ACCESSIBLE books. Epic! is always free for educators, and students have free access during the school day. For less then a Starbucks Carmel macchiato per month, your child can have access to over 40k titles. I call it the “Netflix of books”! For educators and families looking for a collection of diverse titles to celebrate a variety of wi ..read more

Although PRIDE Month is celebrated in the month of June each year, these inclusive texts promote self-affirmation, dignity, and equality that are perfect to read all year long! The increased visibility and representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, and their experiences, in children’s books is essential when working against prejudice, but also fosters acceptance. By recognizing and affirming these parts of one’s identity, we celebrate everyone’s freedom to be themselves. The following selections can be found on Epic, an award-winning subscription service, which give ..read more

If you’re like me, then when you hear “2020” you tend to flinch a little bit. Beyond the obvious turmoil and heartache created by Covid-19, so many of us faced unimaginable obstacles and challenges that we are just thankful to have made it through another day. However, despite the troubles of the outside world, there was light we could depend on in the darkness…BOOKS! 2020 brought us some of the most beautiful and inspiring picture books to be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Take a look back at my favorite releases of each month, as well as my favorite book of the year…or maybe even the ..read more

As I plan for this year’s winter book list and blog post of diverse titles, I couldn’t help but reminisce on the books I shared from last holiday season! This upcoming 2020 list will focus on a wider array of winter holidays and traditions, whereas last year’s picks were specifically chosen for Christmas. Tis the season for warming up with a good book…and REPRESENTATION! Enjoy! I Got the Christmas Spirit Written by Connie Schofield-Morrison & Illustrated by Frank Morrison It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and a mother and daughter are enjoying the sights and sounds ..read more

As we anxiously await Election Day 2020 there is no better time to begin addressing questions such as these with our “future voters”: What does it mean to be a good citizen? What does it mean to be American? and most importantly…What really makes America great? This curated list of texts cover a variety of topics around citizenship, equality, voting rights, presidents, etc., as well as countless trailblazers and changemakers who forged a path to a more equal and just country. With these books we encourage our youngest citizens to remain hopeful and believe in the possibility of improving so th ..read more

Hello Literally Cultured Readers! Wow! I can’t believe a new school year is upon us, and whether a teacher, parent, or a caregiver — will be one that will surely be different than we have ever experienced before. I myself am gearing up for returning to school as full-time online teacher. Among the myriad of concerns I have, probably the biggest one is how to effectively build an online classroom community. While building community was at the forefront of my mind in curating this list, as you know, representation and diversity in my picture book selections has always been my top priority. I kep ..read more