This page spotlights books available at the Cunningham Memorial Library in print or ebook or that are related to diversity, inclusion and social justice. The books are available in the library or through InterLibraryLoan. If you need help finding books on other topics be sure to email me.
A Is for All the Things You Are by
An ABC book celebrating and inspiring diversity. A Is for All the Things You Are- A Joyful ABC Book is an alphabet board book developed by the National Museum of African American History and Culture that celebrates what makes us unique as individuals and connects us as humans. This lively and colorful book introduces young readers, aged 0-7, to 26 key traits they can explore and cultivate as they grow. Each letter offers a description of the trait, a question inviting the reader to examine how he or she experiences it in daily life, and vibrant illustrations. The book supports understanding and development of each child's healthy racial identity, the joy in human diversity and inclusion, a sense of justice, and children's capacity to act for their own and others' fair treatment.
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Angel of Greenwood by
A piercing, unforgettable love story set in Greenwood, Oklahoma, also known as the "Black Wall Street," and against the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. Isaiah Wilson is, on the surface, a town troublemaker, but is hiding that he is an avid reader and secret poet, never leaving home without his journal. Angel Hill is a loner, mostly disregarded by her peers as a goody-goody. Her father is dying, and her family's financial situation is in turmoil. Though they've attended the same schools, Isaiah never noticed Angel as anything but a dorky, Bible toting church girl. Then their English teacher offers them a job on her mobile library, a three-wheel, two-seater bike. Angel can't turn down the money and Isaiah is soon eager to be in such close quarters with Angel every afternoon. But life changes on May 31, 1921 when a vicious white mob storms the Black community of Greenwood, leaving the town destroyed and thousands of residents displaced. Only then, Isaiah, Angel, and their peers realize who their real enemies are.
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This Is Your Time by
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Civil rights icon Ruby Bridges--who, at the age of six, was the first black child to integrate into an all-white elementary school in New Orleans--inspires readers and calls for action in this moving letter. Her elegant, memorable gift book is especially uplifting in the wake of Kamala Harris making US history as the first female, first Black, and first South Asian vice president-elect. Written as a letter from civil rights activist and icon Ruby Bridges to the reader, This Is Your Time is both a recounting of Ruby's experience as a child who had to be escorted to class by federal marshals when she was chosen to be one of the first black students to integrate into New Orleans' all-white public school system and an appeal to generations to come to effect change. This beautifully designed volume features photographs from the 1960s and from today, as well as stunning jacket art from The Problem We All Live With, the 1964 painting by Norman Rockwell depicting Ruby's walk to school. Ruby's honest and impassioned words, imbued with love and grace, serve as a moving reminder that "what can inspire tomorrow often lies in our past." This Is Your Time will electrify people of all ages as the struggle for liberty and justice for all continues and the powerful legacy of Ruby Bridges endures.
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When They Call You a Terrorist (Young Adult Edition) by
Patrisse Khan-Cullors' and asha bandele's instantNew York Times bestseller,When They Call You a Terrorist is now adapted for the YA audience with photos and journal entries! A movement that started with a hashtag--#BlackLivesMatter--on Twitter spread across the nation and then across the world. From one of the co-founders of the Black Lives Matter movement comes a poetic memoir and reflection on humanity. Necessary and timely, Patrisse Khan-Cullors' story asks us to remember that protest in the interest of the most vulnerable comes from love. Leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement have been called terrorists, a threat to America. But in truth, they are loving women whose life experiences have led them to seek justice for those victimized by the powerful. In this meaningful, empowering account of survival, strength, and resilience, Cullors and asha bandele seek to change the culture that declares innocent black life expendable.
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The Power of Her Pen by
"A powerful story." --The Horn Book "A worthy addition to children's biography collections." --Booklist "A solid treatment of an important but little-known figure, and it may prompt kids to think about the role and composition of a free press." --BCCB "Cline-Ransome tells [Ethel Payne's] story with economy and drive. 'Somebody had to do the fighting,' she quotes Payne saying, 'somebody had to speak up.'" --Publishers Weekly Renowned author Lesa Cline-Ransome and celebrated illustrator John Parra unite to tell the inspiring story of Ethel Payne, a groundbreaking African American journalist known as the First Lady of the Black Press. "I've had a box seat on history." Ethel Payne always had an ear for stories. Seeking truth, justice, and equality, Ethel followed stories from her school newspaper in Chicago to Japan during World War II. It even led her to the White House briefing room, where she broke barriers as the only black female journalist. Ethel wasn't afraid to ask the tough questions of presidents, elected officials, or anyone else in charge, earning her the title, "First Lady of the Black Press." Fearless and determined, Ethel Payne shined a light on the darkest moments in history, and her ear for stories sought answers to the questions that mattered most in the fight for Civil Rights.
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Danbi Leads the School Parade by This link opens in a new window
Back to School by This link opens in a new window
Princess Arabella Goes to School by This link opens in a new window
El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! by This link opens in a new window
Lena's Shoes Are Nervous by This link opens in a new window
On Our Street by 
A Bike Like Sergio's by 
Those Shoes by 
Seven Pablos by 
Everlasting Nora by 
If I Ever Get Out of Here by 
Last Stop on Market Street by 
Piecing Me Together by 
Seven Golden Rings by
In ancient India, a boy named Bhagat travels to the Rajah's city, hoping to ensure his family's prosperity by winning a place at court as a singer. Bhagat carries his family's entire fortune - a single coin and a chain of seven golden rings - to pay for his lodging. But when the innkeeper demands one ring per night, and every link snipped costs one coin, how can Bhagat both break the chain and avoid overpaying? His inventive solution points the way to an unexpected triumph, and offers readers a friendly lesson in binary numbers - the root of all computing.
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Saraswati's Way by
If the gods wanted Akash to have an education, he is told, they would give him one. But Akash has spent his entire twelve years poor and hungry. So he decides to take control of his own life and try for a scholarship to the city school where he can pursue his beloved math. But will challenging destiny prove to be more than he has bargained for? In this raw and powerful novel, fate and self-determination come together in unexpected ways, offering an unsentimental look at the realities of India. Saraswati's Way is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
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Yasmin in Charge by
In this collection of four stories, Yasmin takes charge of some sticky situations! At home, at school, or out and about, Yasmin faces challenges head on with creativity and quick thinking. Whether she's creating a new recipe, finding a way to rescue a stuck toy for a little friend, or calming down monkeys (and classmates!), a clever solution to any problem is just around the corner!
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Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant by
How much does an elephant weigh? How do you know? How would you know if you didn't have a modern scale? Six-year-old Cao Chong, the most famous child prodigy in Chinese history, faced just this problem! Chong watches as the prime minister's most trusted and learned advisors debate different methods. The principal of buoyancy and a little bit of creative thinking help this boy come up with a solution.
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Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It by
Ten-year-old Tae Kwon Do blue belt and budding rock hound Brendan Buckley keeps a Confidential notebook for his top-secret scientific discoveries. And he's found something totally top secret. The grandpa he's never met, who his mom refuses to talk about or see, is an expert mineral collector and lives nearby Secretly, Brendan visits Ed DeBose, whose skin is pink, not brown like Brendan's, his dad's, or that of Grampa Clem's, who recently died. Brendan sets out to find the reason behind Ed's absence, but what he discovers can't be explained by science, and now he wishes he'd never found him at all. . . .
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How Many Donkeys? by
When Jouha counts the ten donkeys carrying his dates to market, he repeatedly forgets to count the one he is riding on, causing him great consternation.
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One Is a Piñata: a Book of Numbers (Learn to Count Books, Numbers Books for Kids, Preschool Numbers Book) by
In this follow up to Round is a Tortilla and Green is a Chile Pepper, children discover a fiesta of numbers in the world around them, all the way from one to ten: Two are maracas and cold ice creams, six are salsas and flavoured aguas. With boisterous illustrations, a fun-to-read rhyming text, and an informative glossary, this vibrant book enumerates the joys of counting and the wonders all around!
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Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns by
With breathtaking illustrations and informative text,Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns magnificently captures the world of Islam, celebrating its beauty and traditions for even the youngest readers. Sure to inspire questions and observations about world religions and cultures, this entrancing volume is equally at home in the classroom as it is being read to a child on a parent's lap.
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