Grade Level: Middle School

Unhappy Camper

Two sisters go to the same summer camp. One is comfortable with her Taiwanese identity, the other wants to ignore her cultural identity. An exploration of self-esteem and cultural identity.
What to Do When Mistakes Make You Quake: A Kid’s Guide to Accepting Imperfection

Mistakes can feel scary. Even small errors can lead to worries. Whether it’s a fear of being wrong, making a bad decision, or not meeting expectations, the pressure to be perfect can be upsetting.
Deep Dive: Eid

Eid is a joyful Islamic festival celebrated by over 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide, marking moments of gratitude, reflection, and togetherness. It includes two major observances, Eid al-Fitr, celebrating the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, honoring devotion and sacrifice, both beginning with communal prayers and shared festivities.
Game Changers: Stories of Hijabi Athletes From Around the World

Many of these women were the first in their sport to compete while wearing the hijab. Some were up against cultural traditions that didn’t allow girls to play sports. And some fought to have institutional anti-hijab rules changed so that they would be able to compete.
Jella Lepman and Her Library of Dreams: The Woman Who Rescued a Generation of Children and Founded the World’s Largest Children’s Library

A Jewish woman who had fled from the Nazis, was determined to restore a sense of childhood to German children after World War II. She collected 4,000 children’s books that would eventually become the International Youth Library in Munich, now with over 600,000 items.
Botticelli’s Apprentice

Husted wrote and illustrated an inspiring, and well-researched fiction graphic novel that reveals information about women and social stereotypes during the Renaissance, as witnessed through the day to day life of Botecelli’s female apprentice, Mella.
The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze

In Great Mountain, Mississippi, everyone is watching Henson Blayze, a football genius. The predominately white townsfolk have been waiting for Henson to play high school ball, and now the township is overjoyed to have an exceptional Black athlete of their own.Until a horrifying incident forces Henson to speak out about injustice.
The True Story of Vanilla: How Edmond Albius Made History

Edmond Albius a slave on a sugar plantation invented the process for hand polinating vanilla orchards plants.This book reveals the atrocities of slavery, and Albius’ struggle to be recognized as the inventor of the process.
Deep Dive: Tết Nguyên Đán

Commonly called Tết, Tết Nguyên Đán is the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. It’s the most important Vietnamese holiday and is celebrated between late January and mid February, marking the beginning of the lunar new year. As a time to celebrate with family and honor ancestors, Tết is a festive affair filled with wishes for health…
Deep Dive: Lunar New Year

Families all over the world in countries such as China, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and more celebrate the Lunar New Year. To prepare for an auspicious year, families clean the house, feast, hang lanterns, and more! Read on to learn more about this very important tradition – specifically, the Year of…
A Duet for Home

Last year, June Yang’s father spent months saving to buy her a viola, but her father has died in an accident, and the family has been evicted. They find a place at Huey House, a homeless shelter, but June isn’t allowed to bring her viola in to practice.
Dream Annie Dream

Brown sensitively portrays Annie’s shift from a girl who changes to fit in with the majority culture to a person who is fully aware of racial prejudice.This highlights issues faced by many Asian Americans fighting for justice.