Thanks to Jen at TeachMentorTexts for hosting It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? I always learn so much about kid lit from this community of readers!

Celebrate Children’s Book Week this week by reading, exploring, and celebrating children’s books! Go to the link for all kinds of resources, posters, and bookmarks. Our school will read Christian Robinson’s book, The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade, as our May Book of the Month. This book is a little gem and is on the recommended book list of books about bias, diversity, and social justice from the Anti-Defamation League.

I continue to fall in love with Christian Robinson’s books, as well as his own story. His collaboration with Matt de la Pena on Last Stop On Market Street is another treasure. I like to share a clip from PBS’s Brief But Spectacular segment with children and talk about how an artist’s early experiences shape their art and their lives. This book addresses important ideas about being an ally, not a bystander, and about taking a stand. It’s a beautiful book in beautiful words and beautiful pictures. By the way, Justin Roberts wrote the words.

Happy Monday, Happy Reading, and Happy Celebrate Children’s Reading Week!