by Quynh Nguyen, Early Elementary Classroom Teacher
I am currently setting up my classroom in the Early Elementary. My favorite task is building the classroom library. I will continue to add books to it throughout the year. My goal is to make sure that my bookshelf is inclusive. My hope is that the books displayed in the classroom celebrate and honor the population of our world. I have been reading online blogs to find new books to check out.
One of the many online resources I am using is a list posted by Welcoming Schools titled, “Great LGBTQ Inclusive Picture & Middle Grade Books”. This list is packed with books that showcase marvelous and rich LGBTQ characters. Some books I have in my library already are: I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel & Jazz Jennings, Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell, Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders, and Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack. Below are books on my reading list for the next two weeks. Please check out the resources on Welcoming Schools to see a wider selection. The lists will give you a brief summary of the books as well.
Here are some picture books I would like to check out immediately:
- Families by Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. K
- The Bravest Knight Who Ever Lived by Daniel Errico
- The Different Dragon by Jennifer Bryan
- Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima
- Maiden Voyage by Jaimee Poipoi
- A Tale of Two Daddies by Vanita Oelschlager
Here are some chapter books for older kids that I would like to read:
- Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker
- The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
- The House of Hades by Rick Riordan
- Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot by Dan Pilkey
