Max Axiom, Super Scientist! A comic series about a Black scientist with superpowers, Max Axiom’s main objective is to help children learn science in a fun and interactive way. Max Axiom STEM adventures mirror science themes, concepts, vocabulary, and curriculum. The engaging, super informative, graphic novels also use a 4D app to scan pages and reveal concepts in an engaging video format. Also included in the back matter are discussion questions, writing prompts, a glossary, additional books, and internet sites. Capstone, the publisher, provides a website with projects and games. Age Range: 7 to 14 years
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Our 1995 #kidslitflashback features the book DARKNESS by author Mildred Pitts Walter and illustrated by Marcia Jameson. This children’s book begins with “Are you afraid of the dark?” I pulled this title out of the archives for students to challenge their potential hesitation towards the negative notions darkness and Blackness. As an affirmation of the beauty that can be found in the opposite of light, Pitts Walter states…”Life begins in darkness.” The familiar images presented in her book reinforce every day, often overlooked, beauty in moments of darkness. This book can be read together with the following to discuss the beauty of darkness and Blackness. -Ashley Bryan. (2003). Beautiful blackbird A tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia appreciating one’s heritage and the beauty within. It affirms Black as beautiful and also that all living creatures are beautiful. -Taye Diggs, & Evans, Shane, illustrator. (2015). Chocolate me! Taye’s story relays the experiences of a dark-skinned curly-haired boy who mather helps him realize how beautiful he is inside and out. -Jewel Parker Rhodes. (2020). Black brother, Black brother. A coming of age middle-grade story about two bi-racial 12-year-old brothers, one Black presenting, Donte, and the other, White presenting brother Trey. Known as the ‘Black brother’, Donte navigates colorism, privilege, bullying, and discrimination in an affluent, private school setting. Interestingly, I am having a mental block and couldn’t think of a young adult book. Please share titles for young adult-level books. The story Does Santa Look like Me by Ariel Young and Illustrated by Monika Wnek, asks the question many have had. The main character, young AJ questions what Santa looks like when he notices holiday toys and figures don't look like him. This story offers an African-American-centered holiday story affirming African-American representaton within this holiday season.
The 1619 Project: Born on the Water | Book Trailer
As we celebrate family & food today, We Are Here Lit! recommends the new title Soul Food Sunday, by author Winsome Bingham, and illustrator C. G. Esperanza, as a book AND the streaming video.
This story celebrates the Black tradition and culture of Soul Food Sunday. One of the young grandchildren helps Granny prepare the meal. This story feels like home. Benefits of using streaming read-alouds, in moderation, include: -Enhanced “comprehension and retention of information” -Support for “multi-modal” learning. -Appeals to multiple learning preferences. -Helps students to understand complex information. -Develops digital literacies. The read-aloud captions helps: -For students who are learning English, captioned media can help improve vocabulary acquisition, listening comprehension, and word recognition and decoding skills -For students who are struggling readers, seeing and hearing unfamiliar words can help improve their understanding of the material and important vocabulary words -Can be motivating for your students. Several studies (e.g., Bowe & Kaufman, 2001; Evmenova, 2008; Linebarger, 2001; Rickelman, Henk, & Layton, 1991) indicate that captioning and subtitles can help strengthen the following reading skills of students with learning disabilities, ELLs, and struggling or beginning readers: -Reading speed and fluency -Word knowledge -Decoding -Vocabulary acquisition -Word recognition -Reading comprehension -Oral reading rates Source: Reading Rockets Pick up a print copy at your local bookstore or library. And check out the streaming video of the book through library e-book services like Overdirve. Ask your local librarian if you have access! author: @armyvetfive illustrator: @cgesperanza publisher: @abramskids We haven't had a research article in a while. Often those doing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion or Anti-Racist work often hit barriers when trying to operationalize the work in their organizational environments and cultures. This article's framework to address anti-Black racism can help give direction, like steps, and a process to assess movement towards anti-racist education and provide insight to structure your organizational practice. The full text is available by doing a title search in your preferred web browser.rarians, community advocates, and others engaging in social justice work. This article is easily transferrable to libraries and non-profits, as well. Geared towards educational leaders, the information can be used for teachers, librarians, community advicates and others engaging in social justice work. The full text of this article is available by doing a title search in your preferred web browser. Let us know your thoughts and how you would use this in your workplace or practice. As we head into the holiday, we want to share family love with two intergenerational titles showing the special relationship between a Grandfather and Grandson.
The first is TIme for Bed, old House written by Janet Costa Bates and illustrated by AG Ford. This story shares how Grandpop eases Isaac's bedtime fears. Grandpop puts the old house to sleep and explains away the bedtime noises that give Isaac some concern. The Remember Balloons written by Jessie Oliveros and illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte, is a story of James who struggles with his Grandpa's memory loss. The baloons hold their special memories. James learns to carry on the memories and ballons they both share. Omar Mohamed shares his life story, in the graphic novel When Stars Are Scattered, about how he and his brother Hassan, alone without their parents, escaped Somalia during Civil War to trek 3 months to a refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya to live.
The graphic novel details Mohamed, as a 12-year-old, with the help of an older woman, Fatuma, figure out how to live in a place that is not your home but becomes your home. Struggling with a lack of food and taking care of his intellectually disabled brother, and trying to get an education in the camp, Muhamed conveys the harsh realities of life in a refugee camp with a human touch. This book, co-written and illustrated by Victoria Jamieson, written at middle-grade level, gives young people an understanding of the difficulties of life being a refugee and seeking immigration to a place one can feel safe and have a sense of peace away from their homeland in strife. We also provided are other books from K-12, fiction and non-fiction for students to understand the humanity of these experiences. Dr. Guy Sims, Philly native, co-creator of the critically acclaimed Brotherman comics books takes time to share his story with us! He is a frequent collaborator with his brother, illustrator Dawud Anyabwile. He adapted Walter Dean Myers' book Monster into a graphic novel which Mr. Anyabwile illustrated.
Dr. Sims discusses, the role literacy played in his life, writing, the story behind Brotherman comics, retelling Monster for a new generation, and much more. In his memoir, Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood (Adapted for Young Readers), Trevor shared his experiences growing up as a biracial child during Aparthied in South Africa.
Readers will gains better understanding of what it was like to live under racial segregation in another country outside of the United States. Noah shares his adventurous, mischievous, complicated, journey as he witnesses gender roles, colorism and the system of racism as it existed in South Africa. You will also experience Trevor's resilience, his intelligence and incredible love for his Mother. This book fits the literary 'windows' and 'sliding glass door ' references. There are some difficult themes, like domestic violence within this book. The reading range is from Middle-grade to High school. As we celebrate International Education Week, we hope these titles inspires addition learning about the culture, histories, and stories from Africa. |
AuthorSWE ARE HERE will provide you book reviews, discussions, news, and programming about literature and literacy by and about Black males. This site will also feature vlog conversations on topics related to the promoting literacy and voice for Black boys and young men. Archives
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