diversity – Page 13 – The Lerner Blog

The Rabbi and the Reverend: An Interview with Author Audrey Ades

When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington, he did not stand alone. He was joined by Rabbi Joachim Prinz, a refugee from Nazi Germany, who also addressed the crowd. Though Rabbi Prinz and Dr. King came from very different backgrounds, they were united by […]Read more

Author Interviews

The Call of Antarctica: An Interview with Author Leilani Raashida Henry

In November 1939, George Gibbs Jr. set out on an expedition to Antarctica aboard the USS Bear and became the first person of African descent to go to Antarctica. Eighty-two years later Leilani Raashida Henry, daughter of this brave explorer, takes readers on a journey to the rugged Antarctic landscape in The Call of Antarctica: […]Read more

READING DIVERSE BOOKS HELPS STUDENTS BUILD SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS

“In order to be effective, SEL must be equitable. In other words, it must be supportive, affirming, and beneficial for students of all cultures, backgrounds, and identities.” Wallace Foundation Diverse books affirm the identities, strengths and experiences of all children and diverse texts inspire reflection, create connections, and illicit empathy for others. This helps create […]Read more

Author Interviews

From the Tops of the Trees: An Interview with Author Kao Kalia Yang

Even in the most difficult circumstances there is joy and love. From the Tops of the Trees is a powerful true story of a young girl who has never known life outside the Ban Vinai Refugee Camp. For Kalia and her cousins, life isn’t always easy, but they still find ways to play, racing with […]Read more

Sesame Street ® Brings Friends Together

There are many ways young readers can change the world. They can help animals, create imaginative art, and be an upstander against racism. This fall, Sesame Street® brings young readers together with new activities, new characters, and new places. Read on to discover this season’s titles and the online resources that will encourage young readers […]Read more

Author Interviews

Just Ash: An Interview with Author Sol Santana

Set in contemporary Salem, Massachusetts, Just Ash is a heartrending but ultimately empowering journey of an intersex boy learning to embrace both his body and his identity. Ash Bishop has never thought much about being intersex. But when he gets his period during soccer practice his friends and teachers start to view him differently, and […]Read more

Author Interviews

Where I Belong: an Interview with Marcia Argueta Mickelson

The new YA novel Where I Belong follows Guatemalan American high school senior Millie Vargas as she struggles to balance her family’s needs with her own ambitions. Then Mr. Wheeler, a U.S. Senate candidate and her mother’s employer, mentions Millie’s achievements in a campaign speech about “deserving” immigrants. It doesn’t take long for people to […]Read more

Moving Forward Through Tough Times

In Lawrence J. Cohen’s book, The Opposite of Worry, he describes the “Second Chicken” effect. If a baby chicken gets scared by a sudden noise or movement, it will freeze in place and look for a second chicken. If that second chicken is happily pecking and scratching at the dirt, the baby chicken will unfreeze and continue […]Read more

Author Interviews

Hair Story: An Interview with NoNieqa Ramos

The new celebratory picture book, Hair Story, follows Preciosa and Rudine as they play hair salon and take inspiration from their moms, their neighbors, their ancestors, and cultural icons. They soon discover that their hair holds roots of the past and threads of the future. With rhythmic, rhyming verse and vibrant collage art, author NoNieqa […]Read more

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