Classroom

One Wish: Fatima al-Fihri and the World’s Oldest University is a gorgeous introduction into the medieval Islamic world, the thriving city of Fez, and the ongoing cultural and scientific discoveries and exchanges of the Islamic Golden Age. It also demonstrates the power of one woman’s determination to bring education to girls and women, an action that has transformed lives and reverberated over 1,200 years.

The remarkable power of words to hurt and to heal is echoed throughout Beauty Woke, the vibrant and uplifting picture book by author NoNieqa Ramos and illustrator Paola Escobar.

In a picture book as vivid and colorful as the art it celebrates, author Jeanne Walker Harvey and illustrator Loveis Wise collaborate to introduce young readers to the life and work of Alma Woodsey Thomas. Alma was the first Black woman to have a solo art exhibition at the Whitney Museum of Art and she created the first artwork by a Black woman to be displayed as part of the White House’s permanent collection. While highlighting her accomplishments, the narrative emphasizes Alma’s early appreciation of the beauty of nature, the joy she found in making art, and her commitment to providing art education to underserved children in Washington, DC.

The post Beauty Abounds in Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painted Alma Thomas appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

In a picture book as vivid and colorful as the art it celebrates, author Jeanne Walker Harvey and illustrator Loveis Wise collaborate to introduce young readers to the life and work of Alma Woodsey Thomas. Alma was the first Black woman to have a solo art exhibition at the Whitney Museum of Art and she created the first artwork by a Black woman to be displayed as part of the White House’s permanent collection. While highlighting her accomplishments, the narrative emphasizes Alma’s early appreciation of the beauty of nature, the joy she found in making art, and her commitment to providing art education to underserved children in Washington, DC.

Fun, games, and live music! The Rez Dogs author and a crowd of superfans test their knowledge of Bruchac's novel about a girl quarantining at her grandparents' house on a Wabanaki reservation. It's all in the latest episode of Author-Fan Face-off.

Literacy development depends on many factors, including access to learning that helps students crack the alphabetic code, their community's ability to meet social-emotional needs, and engaging curriculum. 

A luminous companion to The Day You Begin, Woodson and López’s latest picturebook collaboration will remind children that they have the courage and capacity to “fly” past their most difficult times.

In tough times, people turn to books and the resources libraries offer. Here are some resources to share with kids of all ages that can help them understand the conflict and the people of Ukraine and address mental health issues as the world around them feels unsafe.

How War Changed RondoWritten by Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy LesivTranslated by Oksana LushchevskaPublished in 2021 by Enchanted Lion BooksISBN 978-1592703678 At The Classroom Bookshelf, we have been thinking about the ways in which we talk about the war in Ukraine with our students. We imagine that you, too, are thinking about how you can talk […]