All Kinds of Friends, Even Green! by Ellen B. Senisi

Moses' class has been talking about friendship. When his teacher asks the class to pick a friend to write about, Moses thinks about his many friends including his classmates, his parents, his teacher and even green his friends, Zaki and Hashi, the pet iguanas that live next door. Moses spins the wheels of his wheel chair as the wheels in his head keep spinning with ideas about which friend he will write about. In the end, Moses decides to write about Zaki, the iguana with no back toes. He says, "I think that's what I really like about Zaki. She figures out how to get where she wants to be in different ways than Hashi does. She's like me. I like Zaki and I think she likes me back."

Ellen Senisi's colorful photographs show children from a variety of cultures with diverse needs in an familiar environment every child can relate to: the classroom. Her story leads us through Moses' thought process as he tries to decide what to write about. Ellen Senisi is known for her beautifully photographed children's books and stock photography that celebrate diversity, children with special needs and inclusion.  

Literature Connections: This would be a great book to share as a read aloud for a discussion starter about friendship, diversity and special needs. It would also be an excellent choice to use for a mini lesson about the writing process and selecting a topic using the example of Moses' thought process as he decides what to write about. 

Recommended Age: PreK through elementary

Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles

Title: Freedom Summer
Author: Deborah Wiles
Illustrator: Jarome Laqarrique
Publisher / Date: Simon & Schuster / 2005
Genre: Historical fiction; picture book
Themes: Civil Rights, friendship, discrimination, segregation, history
Summary:  Joe and his friend, John Henry enjoy spending the summer together as buddies. These good friends are alike in a lot of ways and enjoy many of the same things, like playing marbles and swimming. Set in 1964 in Mississippi, Joe and John Henry experience first hand the effects of discrimination. The boys decide to go swimming at the pool only to discover that John Henry is not allowed because of the color of his skin.  They become hopeful once the Civil Rights Act is passed but quickly learn that the new law will not bring on instant change.
Curriculum Connections: Grades 2-5: Social Studies, Civil Rights
Personal Note: I attended a recent author visit by Deborah Wiles in which she explained that this story is a work of fiction but it is based on events from her own life. This is a moving story appropriately written for children about this historic time in our nation's history. 

Naming Liberty by Jane Yolen

Title: Naming Liberty
Author: Jane Yolen
Illustrator: Jim Burke
Publisher / Date: Philomel / 2008
Genre: Historical Fiction, Picture Book
Themes: History, Freedom, Immigrants, Social Studies
Summary: Yolen weaves parallel stories in this beautifully illustrated picture book. While telling the true story of how the Statue of Liberty was built, she also tells the story of a young Jewish girl from Ukraine and how her family came to America. As they journey to the new land of freedom, she ponders what her American name will sound like. She is welcomed to America first by the Statue of Liberty and decides to share her name: Liberty, or Libby, for short. 
Curriculum Connections: Upper Elementary: Social Studies (coming to America, religious freedom, significance of the gift of the Statue of Liberty and how and why it was made) 
Notes: The parallel story format of this book may be confusing to younger readers, but provides a fantastic historical picture for upper elementary students.

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez

Title: Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez
Author: Kathleen Krull
Illustrator: Yuyi Morales
Publisher / Date: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt / 2003
Genre: Biography, Picture Book
Themes: Biography, Hope, Overcoming Odds, Civil Rights, Hispanic, Leadership
Summary: In 1937 Cesar was 10 years old and his family owned a large farm. After a drought left them with little work, food and money, they moved to California in search of work. Cesar's family went from being wealthy land owners to being migrant workers on on other people's farms. As Cesar grew older, he saw the oppression of his people and wanted to do something about it. In his efforts to bring about change, he never forgot that "nonviolence... takes more guts." He helped organize a civil rights march, meetings and an organization promoting pay raises and better conditions for migrant workers.
Curriculum Connections: Grades 3-5 Social Studies: Civil Rights
Notes: This is a must read for Civil Rights unit! Well written, beautifully illustrated. 

March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World by Christine King Farris

Title: March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World
Author: Christine King Farris
Illustrator: London Ladd
Publisher / Date: Scholastic, Inc. / 2008
Genre: Nonfiction, Picture Book
Themes: Civil Rights, History, Famous Americans
Summary: Martin Luther King Jr.'s sister tells the story of the historical day of MLK's famous "I Have a Dream" speech. This story offers a behind the scenes look at MLK preparation of the great speech and what that day was like for his sister.
Curriculum Connections: Grades 3-5 Social Studies: Civil Rights, Famous Americans
Notes: Amazing full color illustrations! Wonderfully told from a unique perspective. 

Sister Anne's Hands by Marybeth Loribiecki

Title: Sister Anne's Hands
Author: Marybeth Loribiecki
Illustrator: Wendy Popp
Publisher / Date: Penguin Group / 2000
Genre: Fiction; Picture Book
Themes: Friendship; Culture & Diversity
Summary: Set in the early 1960's Anna has a new teacher, Sister Anne. Sister Anne is the first person Anna has ever seen with dark skin. Anna is surprised by a racist comment from another student and is sad for her teacher. Sister Anne teaches a valuable lesson in how she responds to the comment in this story of diversity and acceptance.
Curriculum Connections: Grades K-5: Social Studies: Cultural Diversity; Character and Values
Notes: Wonderful story with beautiful illustrations that tenderly deals with a difficult topic. After reading, have students trace their own hand and the hand of a classmate with the thumbs and pointer fingers of opposite hands are touching and form an upside down heart. Have the students illustrate their own traced hands with symbols that represent their uniqueness. 

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon

Title: A Bad Case of Stripes
Author / Illustrator: David Shannon
Publisher / Date: Scholastic / 2004
Genre: Fiction, Picture Book
Themes: Individuality, self esteem, peer pressure
Summary: Camilla is so worried about what everyone else thinks that she stops being herself. When she comes down with a peculiar illness (a bad case of stripes) she begins to see the importance of being true to herself.
Curriculum Connections: Grades K-3: Language Arts: author's purpose, author's voice; Character Traits: individuality
Notes: A great read aloud and discussion starter about the importance of being yourself. Click below for classroom activities for this book.
http://www.k-state.edu/ksureads/teachers/bookbags/stripes.htm

Hank Aaron: Brave in Every Way by Peter Golenbock

Title: Hank Aaron: Brave in Every Way
Author: Peter Golenbock
Illustrator: Paul Lee
Publisher / Date: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt / 2005
Genre: Biography, picture book
Themes: Baseball, sports, famous Americans, Civil Rights
Summary: Hank Aaron loved baseball and had the skills to play for the majors, but back then baseball teams were made up of only white men. This inspiring true story tells how Hank Aaron overcame the odds and eventually even surpassed Babe Ruth's record. 
Curriculum Connections: Grades 2-5 Social Studies: Famous Americans, Civil Rights; Language Arts: Author's Purpose
Notes: Another great example of a well written biography for children.

Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph became the World's Fastest Woman

Title: Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph became the World's Fastest Woman
Author: Kathleen Krull
Illustrator: David Diaz
Publisher / Date: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt / 2000
Genre: Biography, picture book
Themes: Biography, sports, overcoming personal hardship
Summary: Paralyzed at a young age by polio, Wilma was told she would never walk again. She believed she would not only walk again, but she would run. And run she did! All the way to the Olympics. After much hard work and determination, Wilma became the first American woman ever to win three gold medals in track in a single Olympics. 
Curriculum Connections: Grades 2-5 Language Arts: author's purpose, problem / solution; Social Studies: Famous Americans
Notes: A well written, inspiring true story of overcoming personal hardships. 

Rosa by Nikki Gioivanni

Title: Rosa
Author: Nikki Giovanni
Illustrator: Bryan Collier
Publisher / Date: Square Fish / 2007
Genre: Biography, Picture Book
Themes: Biography, Overcoming Difficulties, Civil Rights, Courage, Segregation
Summary: Courageous story of Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat on a crowded bus to a white person. The story takes place in Alabama in the 1950s. 
Curriculum Connections: Grades 2-8 Social Studies: Civil Rights, Segregation, Famous Americans
Notes: Click below for a free discussion guide for Rosa by Scholastic. The discussion guide also has several great links for additional information about Roda Parks and resources for research projects on Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights movement. 
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=39003