Looking for recommendations for books by Latinx authors? We’ve got you covered! Keep reading to discover new books and revisit your favorites! Plus, download our Latinx Voices catalog and watch our book buzz!
Discover Latinx Voices for kids and teens here →In 1979 President Jimmy Carter created Black Music Appreciation Month. June is set aside to appreciate the contributions of African-American musicians, composers, singers, and songwriters in American culture. Celebrate Black Music Appreciation Month with us by checking out these amazing titles filled with outstanding artists!
President George W. Bush proclaimed June as National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, making it a national holiday in 2006. However, this holiday was founded by Dr. Claire Nelson and celebrated by the Institute of Caribbean Studies in 2000. Find a list of books about celebrating the history, contributions, and culture of Caribbean-American people below!
On June 19, 1865 in Galveston, TX, enslaved African Americans were finally informed of their freedom, despite the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation two years prior. Juneteenth is also referred to as “Freedom Day”, “Emancipation Day”, and “Juneteenth Independence Day.” The first celebrations of Juneteenth were about honoring former enslaved people. Today celebrations of Juneteenth consist of gathering with family, BBQs, parades, festivals, beauty contests, and other celebratory events to remember the lives of their enslaved ancestors.
For those who would like to learn more, we recommend reading “Juneteenth: The Growth of an African-American Holiday” and “So You Want to Learn About Juneteenth?”
Looking for your next all-school or all-community read? See below for suggestions from Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group!
Discover common read selections →
Discover how 40 influential Latinas became the women we celebrate today in Latinitas: Celebrating 40 Big Dreamers by Juliet Menéndez, a gorgeous collection of biographies accompanied by stunning hand-painted illustrations! Don’t miss Latinitas (Spanish Edition): Una celebración de 40 soñadoras audaces available on March 1st!
Download free educator resources and teacher’s guides (available in both English and Spanish!) to use alongside the book. Plus, enter to receive a free Latinitas art print to display in your classroom or library.
Find more resources to celebrate LATINITAS here →
Rosie the Riveter: The Legacy of an American Icon by Sarah Dvojack
On Sale Now!
Ages 4-8
This gorgeous picture book highlights how an iconic image of a working woman evolved into an inspirational symbol of hope and strength for all girls and women.
Rosie the Riveter was born in 1942, in the middle of the Second World War. Riveting is a way to hold pieces together to make something strong and powerful. In a time when everything was coming apart, America turned to Rosie and American women to hold things together.
Over time, Rosie came to represent so much more. As women pushed back against all the things society suggested they could not do, they used the symbol of Rosie to motivate, represent, and unite them. Today, Rosie isn’t just one woman—she’s every woman. Like a rivet, she holds us all together, reminding us how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go.
This inspirational text traces Rosie’s formation and legacy from World War II to today, letting girls know that they are capable and strong—just like Rosie and the long history of strong women who came before and after. Included in the back of the book is additional information on the history of Rosie the Riveter.
Keep reading to learn about our NCSS author programs, download our catalog of Social Studies Books for Kids & Teens, request digital ARCs of upcoming books, and more!
National Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month is observed from September 15 – October 15. We’re celebrating our Hispanic authors, illustrators, and creators this month (and every month) and sharing Hispanic stories. Keep reading to discover new books and revisit your favorites!
Discover books for National Hispanic and Latinx Heritage month here →
This month we’re interviewing Randi Pink, author of Angel of Greenwood. May 31, 2021 marks 100 years since the Tulsa Race Massacre. In this historical fiction account of the tragedy, the thriving Black community of Greenwood in Tulsa, OK is destroyed by an angry mob of white people. Randi Pink honors the real victims of Greenwood by acknowledging the strength and resilience in this community and two teenagers who fall in love in the midst of chaos.
Randi shares more about her inspiration for the story and what she hopes young readers will learn here.
Read a Q&A with Randi here →