January 2021 Booklist
Happy January!
We hope your new year is off to a good start.
Reminder: refill and refuel, we are all in this together!
Here are our favourite reads for the month of January:
Say Something!
Authored and Illustrated by: Peter H. Reynolds
Recommended Age: Kindergarten to grade 6
Say Something is the PERFECT introductory read to introduce students to anti-oppressive knowledge and gauge their schemas. The author Peter H. Reynolds, highlights "saying something" through varied actions, such as artistry, writing, and using your voice." This Low Floor High Ceiling read will spark dialogue with diverse groups of learners as they collectively retrieve text, self, and world connections. Say Something provides the perfect foundation to foster an anti-oppressive, asset-based space for your learners.
Check out our Instagram post to see how we anchored this book to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday.
Eyes That Kiss In The Corner
Authored by: Joanna Ho
Illustrated by: Dung Ho
Recommended Age: Preschool and Up
When I first heard the title of this children's book a year a little under a year ago, I could not wait for it to be released! Eyes That Kiss In the Corner will easily become a bookshelf staple in all learning spaces. Redefining beauty standards and re-establishing self-love, this story tells a generational tale through the beauty of eyes. Joanna Ho describes the beauty within the eyes "that see golden glitter and not too well" among all her family members with eyes that kiss in the corners.
Read Aloud - I highly recommend checking out this interactive read aloud by Maya Espiritu! She shares her connections to the story stating, on her Instagram, "this is a book I needed as a child." - support & show her some love (tell her we sent you)!
Dear Martin
Authored by: Nic Stone
A FAVOURITE AMONG MANY! To my surprise, although consistently referenced, we've never shared Dear Martin in an RLC Monthly Booklist. We originally planned to share the sequel this month... but you can't read a sequel first. IF you haven't yet, this book is a MUST read. I've been excited to read the sequel since before it existed. It was recently released and I cannot recommend it enough.
Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom
Authored by: bell hooks
After reading All About Love for our final book club of 2020, Teaching to Transgress was an instinctual follow-up. Recommended by many of you in the RLC community, Teaching to Transgress explores education as the practice of freedom. hooks, masterfully, highlights feminist scholarship, theory as liberatory practice, and teaching in a multicultural world (to state a few concepts). We have added this to our Teaching Resources section on the website, check out other must-reads to Enhance Your Pedagogy.
RLC Playlist
Have you checked out the RLC Playlist, yet?
We've curated a list of artists who represent a variety of backgrounds, orientations, and identities. Songs include a range from meaningful inquiries to beautiful ballads. Some songs promoting social responsibility, inclusivity and representation. Other songs are simply great songs by dope artists. We want you to be able to listen to this playlist NOTÂ just because of the critical race thinking by some artist but also because it is ...GOOD music. Racial literacy is holistic and we must acknowledge joy and spirit-filling practices. Enjoy while you read or study up on your racial literacy.
We shared some Featured artists in this post - check out the playlist HERE! 🎵
Looking for Consulting?
Send Us a Blessing?
Thank you for your love and support,
Correnda Downey
Founder
RacialLiteracy.ca
Toronto, On