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Lee Dabney, Children's Librarian I, recommends The Big Umbrella and So You Want to Talk About Race.
For those of you who don’t know me, I am the story-time lady. Every Monday at 10:30 a.m. a group of tiny people and their caregivers join me for stories and an activity.
One of the books I picked for the letter "U" was The Big Umbrella by author/illustrator Amy June Bates with help from her teenage daughter Juniper. Basically, the umbrella is a metaphor for a society where there is room for all to gather under its protective covering. No matter if you are a ballerina, a big bird, or a hairy monster, there is space for you. It is lovely message and the straightforward delivery is simple enough for young children to grasp.
Interestingly, it is another group of young people who have inspired me to read an additional book about inclusion. The Blaine County Amnesty International Club, whose members are primarily teenagers, are currently sponsoring an ongoing book club to discuss Ijeoma Oluo’s So You Want to Talk About Race.
There is a reason this group of young people chose this book and are including us. Like Story Time for young children, supporting our older kids and their endeavors is key to their growth; and who knows, they might even teach us a thing or two.
Read Lee's entire Book Review here.
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