“Head down, hoodie up, eyes on the ground. Be unimportant. Blend in. Disappear. That was how you avoided the bullies.”

This book would be good to read to upper elementary grades and help them understand the importance of sticking up for people who may be being bullied or excluded. Although this book shows more extreme versions of this, it allows students to have different perspectives of children who faced hardships.

Refugee by Alan Gratz published in 2017 is a book following three different children and their families during different historical periods. It is an intense book that allows children to see into other children's lives from far and recent history and make connections or comparisons to their own lives. The story is told from the perspective of each of these three children which allows the readers to feel more connected to them.

“Perhaps she will also inspire you.”

This book can be inspiring to young students and let them know they all have a place in the world to do something great and to not give up.

Nothing Stopped Sophie (2018) by Cheryl Bardoe is a story about Sophie Germain, an eighteenth-century mathematician. Sophie was discriminated against because she was a woman but solved a math problem that male scholars said would be impossible to solve.

“Every spoonful of water in the deep ocean, Sylvia says, is brimming with extraordinary forms of life.”

This book can inspire students who care for the environment and allow them to learn about new careers and people.

Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle (2012) is the story of Sylvia Earle, an oceanographer, by Claire A. Nivola. Sylvia dedicated her life to exploring and learning about the ocean and had a passion for exploration that made her known around the world.

“No wonder people called her Amazing Grace!”

This book can be inspiring to students and show them that there is always room for new people to make contributions in math, science, etc.

Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code (2017) by Laurie Wallmark is about Grace Hopper, a woman who revolutionized computer science. The book details her childhood and life growing up and the contributions she made to modern technology.

“But Katherine knew she was as good at math as anyone else – maybe better.”

This story would be good for upper elementary grades and feature diverse perspectives to help relate to all students as well as educate students on these important women.

Hidden Figures (2018) by Margot Lee Shetterly and Winifred Conkling is a biography picture book about four black women who worked at NASA during the space race. They did jobs that were often overlooked but made major contributions to America and NASA during the space race. This story details their lives during their time at NASA and their contributions.

“She was determined to prove everyone wrong.”

This is an inspiring book to read to elementary students to show the strength and bravery had by Eugenie to discover new and scary things.

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist (2017) by Jess Keating is a biography about Eugenie Clark who is a scientist who studied sharks. Eugenie fell in love with sharks at a young age and the book chronicles her life as she grows up and becomes someone who is known for her contributions to shark studies.

“He thought about math whatever he was doing, wherever he was.”

The Boy Who Loved Math is a good book for elementary-aged students and can teach them about a famous mathematician and his life.

The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos (2013) by Deborah Heiligman is a biography about a mathematician named Paul Erdos and his life as he grew up, and how it connected with numbers. Paul was constantly thinking about math from a young age and the book chronicles how that affected him growing up.

“Katherine yearned to know as much as she could about numbers, about the universe – about everything!”

This biography is a good thing to talk about with young students as during the time period it takes place in, women and African-American people were typically discriminated against, but Katherine Johnson is someone who impacted America greatly at a time when she was not taken as seriously as she should‘ve been.

Counting on Katherine (2018) by Helaine Becker is a biography about Katherine Johnson who was an African-American mathematician who worked for NASA. Katherine worked for NASA during the space race and was the mathematician who made sure the Apollo 13 was safely returned home from the moon landing. Her contributions to NASA while she worked there are very important.

“And she did all that with a homemade hammer, a chisel, and a never-ending quest to fearlessly keep exploring - and learning.“

This is a great book to introduce paleontology and dinosaurs with younger classes to get them interested in paleontology.

Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist is a biography about a woman from the 1800s named Mary Anning. Mary lived on the seaside and found fossils to sell to tourists, but eventually found dinosaur bones and was interested in learning more about them, and she kept notes and made plenty great discoveries, but was not taken seriously given the time period and her being a woman.

“Being DIFFERENT might just be what makes you so NEAT!“

This is a great book to read with elementary students to learn about an inventor who is a woman and also autistic. It is great to include diverse role models to help relate to all students you are teaching.

The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin (2017) is a children's book by Julia Finley Mosca about Temple Grandin, an American academic, inventor, and ethologist who is autistic. The book goes through events in her life and all the achievements as well as obstacles she faced and overcame.

“I am Ruby Bridges. The first!“

This is a good story to read with younger elementary students to introduce them to Ruby Bridges as well as what segregation in school was.

I Am Ruby Bridges (2022) is an autobiography written by Ruby Bridges. This book for children was written to tell the story of Ruby, who was the first black student to integrate into an all-white school in 1960. This tells the story of a brave six-year-old student who broke racial boundaries in America.

Even in the darkest times, there are always people who are willing to stand up and do what is right.

This is a good book to talk about children about the Holocaust or introduce the topic. Speaking about the heroes of the Holocaust is a good way to teach it.

Nicky & Vera is the story of a man named Nicholas who saved over 600 children during the start of the Holocaust in Prague. This is a good story for older grades learning about the Holocaust and heroes from the time period. The story also follows Vera, a child Nicholas saved and her search for her family in Czechoslovakia post-war.

“Dance, little baby, dance up high,”

The story is very visually appealing. The father is a fisherman and owns his own boat. He is excited for his child to see their first fish. This is a good family story for all ages.

Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes From Around the World by Elizabeth Hammill has a story with a good message of a mother and father playing with their newborn child outside. It gives a representation of the families love for their child. While introducing their child to the world around them.

“If you know how to read, you can never be lonely”

The style of these poems are all warm welcoming and inclusive. This book can be understood by a wide variety of people because of its use of everyday images and themes.

Everything Comes Next written by Naomi Shihab Nye was published in 2020. Is a collection of poems that explores human connection, childhood, conflict, and connectivity. The book includes new and old poems and is divided into 3 sections of poetry.

“If I opened my classrooms wooden door not knowing how to read or speak English, imagine.”

This story creates an amazing visual for students to observe and think of when thinking of their future.

Imagine by Juan Felipe Herrera is a poetic story that brings the reader through scenarios where they should imagine what they would feel like if they were put in that position. This story teaches readers of the different circumstances they could be in and what they would learn!

“Im very, very smart and rather lucky, I would say”

This book would be great for younger readers as it uses rhyme and alliteration.

Cricket in the Thicket by Carol Murray contains a poem for every bug you can think of! It uses cute and inviting illustrations and fun poems that use fun rhymes that children will love. I would recommend this for the ages of 3-7.

“In the face of the sun, dance! Twirl! Whirl!”

The illustrations added to Langston Hughes “Dream Variation” in That Is My Dream! is a great addition to the words and help create a better picture of what Langston is saying.