Listen Up! New Read-Aloud eBooks

Lerner Digital’s latest additions to our Audisee® eBook with Audio list cover a wide range of curricular and high-interest topics. From award winners and hard topics to continuing series and nonfiction, these new read-aloud ebooks are sure to satisfy your students’ reading needs. Let’s take a look!

Award-Winning Picture Books

Unspeakable

Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a powerful look at the Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation’s history. The book traces the history of African Americans in Tulsa’s Greenwood district and chronicles the devastation that occurred in 1921 when a white mob attacked the Black community.

News of what happened was largely suppressed, and no official investigation occurred for seventy-five years. This picture book sensitively introduces young readers to this tragedy and concludes with a call for a better future. Download the free educator guide here.

The print edition of this book won the Winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards for Author and Illustrator, was a Caldecott Honor Book, a Sibert Honor Book, and was longlisted for the National Book Award.

“A must-have.” —starred, Booklist

Classified

Mary Golda Ross designed classified airplanes and spacecraft as Lockheed Aircraft Corporation’s first female engineer. Find out how her passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped her life and work, with back matter narrated by Cherokee author Traci Sorell.

Traci Sorell and Métis illustrator Natasha Donovan trace Ross’s journey from being the only girl in a high school math class to becoming a teacher to pursuing an engineering degree, joining the top-secret Skunk Works division of Lockheed, and being a mentor for Native Americans and young women interested in engineering. In addition, the narrative highlights Cherokee values including education, working cooperatively, remaining humble, and helping ensure equal opportunity and education for all.

The print edition of this book is an American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award Honor Picture Book.

“A stellar addition to the genre that will launch careers and inspire for generations, it deserves space alongside stories of other world leaders and innovators.” —starred, Kirkus Reviews

From the Tops of the Trees

Narrated by author Kao Kalia Yang, this is a powerful true story of a young girl who has never known life outside a refugee camp and a father determined to help her dream big. At Ban Vinai Refugee Camp, Kalia spends her days playing with cousins, chickens, and dogs. When she asks her father if all of the world is a refugee camp, he climbs with her to the top of a tree so she can see the world beyond the fences that confine them. Yang’s evocative prose is accompanied by atmospheric illustrations from Rachel Wada in a story that encourages readers of all ages and circumstances to believe in their dreams.

The print edition of this book is an ALA Notable Children’s Book.

“Beautiful in its simplicity and elegance, with a hopeful and inspiring message, this story will not soon be forgotten.” —starred, Booklist

Hard Topics

Our Issues in Action series examines hard topics facing our society—from gun violence to immigration. Learn how problems developed and hear from underrepresented persons involved in these struggles. Created in partnership with and also narrated by Cicely Lewis, the Read Woke librarian. Reflection questions help readers challenge their perspectives, while an activism toolkit and a Read Woke reading list empower readers to make a difference.

Inspired by a belief that knowledge is power, Read Woke Books seek to amplify the voices of people of the global majority (people who are of African, Arab, Asian, and Latin American descent and identify as not white), provide information about groups that have been disenfranchised, share perspectives of people who have been underrepresented or oppressed, challenge social norms and disrupt the status quo, and encourage readers to take action in their community.

“This series is perfect for classroom discussions on social justice.” —School Library Journal

Continuing Series

We’ve added new installments in long-running series this season, including Dino-Holidays, Monkey with a Toolbelt, Super Potato, and Sandra Markle’s Science Discoveries.

Nonfiction

We’ve also added quite a few non-fiction titles focused on nature, diseases , differences and similarities, character builders, holidays, and sports. High-impact photography and primary sources solidify core concepts and encourage readers to dig deeper and learn more as independent learners.