Benny Doesn’t Like to be  Hugged  [by Zetta Elliot; Illustrated by Purple Wong] is about the difficulties kids with Autism can experience. The book is written from Benny’s friends’ perspectives. Vibrant images depicting kids with autism interacting with friends and the acceptance of these friends of autism are illustrated by Purple Wong. The story will help young students to understand what autism is and to accept and befriend fellow classmates with autism. This is an easy-to-read book with each page containing only a few sentences and colourful illustrations. The author Zetta Elliott describes why she wrote this book at the end and provides helpful links for teachers and parents wanting to learn more about autism.

On Our Street: Our First Talk About Poverty [by Dr. Jillian Roberts and Jaime Casap; Illustrated by Jane Heinrichs] is a great resource for students in elementary school learning about what poverty is. This book provides illustrations, photographs and facts from reputable resources. Teachers will be able to use this book to help children understand what poverty means and what questions they should ask to find out more information about poverty. It helps children become more aware and compassionate towards their fellow classmates and see what people in poverty go through in daily life.

How to Think Like a Coder Without Even Trying [by Jim Christian] is an excellent resource book for young students to learn coding. The basic terminology for coding is covered in this book. Teachers can also use this book as a resource to teach younger students. With illustrations and activities included, enticing kids to learning this new language will be easy. This resource is a great way to start young kids on the language of coding, especially in this technology era!

Creating A Culture of Support for Teacher Leaders: Action for Change and Hope [by Rosemary Gornik and Wendy L. Samford] discusses how teachers help shape our youth by the type of environment they bring to the classroom. This book is a compilation of various essays by scholars in the teaching field, either K-12 or University/College. Each essay features a story about teachers, their leadership experiences and how they have incorporated these leadership skills into their practices. This book is inspirational in supporting teachers to hone their leadership skills in classroom settings. It also provides a way for teachers to share their leadership stories with others.

“Because who we are shapes how we learn and the ways we teach…” A Primer for Teaching Environmental History: Ten Design Principles  [by Emily Wakild and Michelle K. Berry] offers suggestions on teaching Environmental History. This book also considers a student learning perspective and ways for teachers to adapt to this while creating a more conducive teaching environment. This book is a great resource for teachers to create a curriculum on Environmental History in science. Through a series of in-depth exercises on how to teach environment, Wakild and Berry go to extensive lengths to make environmental history enjoyable for all!

Who Are You? The Kid’s Guide to Gender Identity by Brook Pessin-Whedbee
This book introduces children to gender as a spectrum by talking about how individuals experience gender differently. By assuring children that it is okay to talk about how we experience gender through our body, our expression, and our gender identity, Pessin-Whedbee hopes to bring an understanding that gender is individual and it is something that connects us to the people around us. This book encourages children to be who they are, and explores how gender identity can be expressed through feelings, through what you like, how you likes to dress, and how you act. Included in the book is a guide for grown-ups with an additional list of resources for reading with a class or any group of children. The back of the book also includes a page-by-page guide to key concepts and discussion points. The book also comes with a three layer simplified gender wheel that can be used to help children express their body, identity, and expression.

The Gender Identity Workbook for Kids: A Guide to Exploring Who You Are by Kelly Storck
Uniquely created with thirty-seven fun activities, this workbook is created to provide information about gender that reflect the experiences of gender-diverse children. The author hopes that this book serves as a guide with aims to support a happy and healthy life for a growing child. Storck suggests that the best way to use the workbook is to allow the child to take the lead in uncovering their gender experience. The workbook is divided in three sections: “Understanding Gender,” “Understanding Me,” and “Being Me.” These sections are intended to help the child learn more about gender, more about their unique gender, and how to be the happiest, healthiest, and truest version of themselves. The workbook is meant to be fun and inclusive to support all gender-diverse youth with their journey of self-discovery.

10, 000 Dresses by Marcus Ewert
This beautifully illustrated picture book written by Marcus Ewert tells the story of Bailey, who dreams every night about magical dresses made of of crystals and rainbows, flowers, and dresses made of windows. Bailey is able to dream of up to 10, 000 dresses, but  Bailey’s family members does not want to hear about these amazing dresses and reminds Bailey and she is a boy. Bailey’s dream of making beautiful elaborate dresses eventually come true when she meets an older girl who loves Bailey’s imagination and creativity. Readers are brought onto this journey with Bailey as she discovers an outlet for self-expression, friendship, and acceptance. 10, 000 Dresses is a picture book that can be used for in-classroom reading for empowering and inspiring other children who are struggling with gender expression.

Bright Ribbons: Weaving Culturally Responsive Teaching Into the Elementary Classroom by Lotus Linton Howard
After spending four decades teaching in diverse classrooms in inner-city schools, Howard’s growing passion for social justice and the educational rights of all children inspired the development of this textbook. Focusing on culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices, the author aims to create a curriculum that builds on relationships with students while creating a community where every child can thrive. This is an instructional textbook for educators interested in how to use CRT as a philosophy that infuses every aspect of the school day, strategies using the weaving strategies of the seven principles of CRT into all lessons and activities, and how to be more self-reflective in unlocking students’ individual uniqueness.

Case Studies on Diversity and Social Justice Education by Paul C. Gorski and Seema G. Pothini

This is the second edition of a text that aspires to challenge  educators to  consider their teaching in light of the “sociopolitical context of schooling” (Introduction), in other words: the relationship between inequities  in the education system and those in society. The authors feel that the case method strengthens efforts to prepare educators to “think, teach, lead and advocate more equitably and justly” (Introduction), by providing opportunities to identify biases and ideologies and to practice in-depth analysis and problem-solving skills. Scenarios present school/classroom injustices based on issues of racism, sexism, ableism, transphobia, heterosexism, socio-economic status, religious, linguistic  and ethnic differences.

These can all be be found in the New Titles shelf of the OISE library, close to the seating area against the west window near the Circulation Desk.