1.

Bud, Not Buddy

a. Christopher Paul Curtis, 1999, Delacorte Books for Adult Readers, ISBN 978-
0439402002
b. African American
c. I felt this book was appropriate because of its connection to history with the jazz
age and the African American social history. It is a good read for grade 4-8. It is an
interesting and a good example of a window into the characters life.
2. The Diary of a Young Girl
a. Anne Frank, 1947, Bantam Books, ISBN 978-0553296983
b. Jewish
c. I chose this book because I feel it is the perfect window into the life of a Jewish
girl and the hardships that her family faced during the Nazi occupation in World
War II. It is a compelling read and is appropriate for grades 4-12.
3. I am Malala: How One Girl Stood up for Education and Changed the World
a. Malala Yousafzai, 2014, Little, Brown and Company, ISBN 978-0316322409
b. South Asian
c. This book is an appropriate read that talks about the Taliban’s control over
women and young girls. It provides a window into another culture and is an
appropriate read for grades 4-12.
4. The War that Saved my Life
a. Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, 2014, Puffin Books, ISBN 978-0147510488
b. Disability
c. This story is about a ten-year-old girl who was born with a club foot and lived
with an abusive, financially struggling mother that kept her locked away. She was
a part of the children evacuation of London during World War II. I felt this book
was appropriate, because it not only depicts life of children during a war, but the
mistreatment of someone with a disability. For grades 4-8.
5. Julián is a Mermaid
a. Jessica Love, 2018, Candlewick, ISBN 978-0763690458
b. LGBTQ+
c. This sweet story is about a boy that wants to be a mermaid. He is not worried
what people think about him and confidently and uniquely himself. This book is
appropriate for grades 2-4.
6. Nowhere Boy
a. Katherine Marsh, 2018, Roaring Brook Press, ISBN 978-1250307576
b. Middle Eastern, Immigrant/Refugee
 c. This book is about a Syrian refugee who is living in the basement of a house in
Brussels. This is a unique story and provides a different perspective. Appropriate
for grades 4-8.
7. Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman
a. Nikki Grimes and E.B. Lewis, 2002, Scholastic Inc, ISBN 978-0439352437
b. African American, Women/ Girls
c. This is an important monologue about Bessie Coleman, the first woman of color
to fly. She is an important figure in history and is not often talked about. This
book is appropriate for grades 1-8.
8. Out of My Mind
a. Sharon M. Draper, 2010, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0606256728
b. Disability
c. This story is about a fifth-grade girl with cerebral palsy, and she has not ever
been able to talk or communicate with people. I think it is important for children
to read about real life accounts from someone with a disability. Appropriate for
grades 4-8.
9. The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963
a. Christopher Paul Curtis, 1995, Delacorte Press, ISBN 978-0385321754
b. African American
c. This story is about the accounts of a family that moves to Alabama during the
time of segregation. This story resonates because it pulls at the family dynamic
and is important read for children. This book is appropriate for grades 4-8.
10. I am Not a Number
a. Jenny Kay Dupuis, Kathy Kacer, and Gillian Newland, 2016, Second Story Press,
ISBN 978-1927583944
b. American Indian
c. This is a book about an eight year old Anishinaabe girl who is sent away to attend
the residential boarding school, where her identity is stripped away and all she is
allowed to go by is her number. This is an important story because we often do
not talk about all of the wrong that was done to indigenous people. This story is
appropriate for grades 1-5.

Extra
11. Night
a. Elie Wiesel, 1956, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, ISBN 978-0374500016
b. Jewish
c. This story is a first-hand account of the horrors of life in concentration camps
during the Nazi’s reign in World War II. Gives students a perspective into
someone’s real experience. Appropriate for grades 7-12