Hot take: Sometimes the best way to get a kid into a book is by watching the show or movie FIRST. 🙈

Name a children's book author you didn't know as a kid that you discovered as an adult. I'll go first. Rosemary Wells!! 🫶🫶🫶

Feels like we all need to add as much pro-social, Mr Rogers like activity as possible just as a homeostatic response to all the ambient evil floating around right now.

Anyway I just signed up to read with little kids on Wednesday mornings before work.

Do you limit the number of books your kids can check out from the library?

To reduce overwhelm/burnout it’s been recommended we set boundaries by each choosing a small number of issues to focus on. Of course, book banning and representation came to my mind immediately. What are your issues? #bookbanning

Feeling overwhelmed and helpless? I keep reading that that's the point. Here's a set of steps I'm working through to keep my head above water.

What are you honing in on over the next several years? I’m thinking book banning & book ownership for kids.

More on what I mean here: open.substack.com/pub/thekidlt...

As a follow up to yesterday’s 28 Days of Black history, I wanted to share 28 Days of Black stories that were crafted by Black creators to highlight stories of Black JOY, experiences, community, culture and family. In the face of oppression, all of these things are powerful acts of resistance.

Representation matters all day, every day

All kids deserve to see themselves reflected in every part of life.

When representation is erased, it sends a message. That message is loud and clear: you don’t belong.

Do people post video content here? Not sure but I’m going to try it out because this may end up being one of my main platforms someday. ❤️

Can children's books help build a better world? Author SF Said on how almost all the world’s problems come down to ‘us and them’ – and how children’s books can knock down the barriers

At times like these, I wonder what use children's books can be. But maybe they're more important than ever now. However dark things get, we have to help kids imagine a better world. So please: never stop sharing books with kids. Never stop giving them HOPE.
www.theguardian.com/childrens-bo...

One thing before tomorrow:

Use your local libraries.

Get your card.

Borrow books, manga, films, audios, ebooks.

Recommend titles for purchase (usually online).

Attend promoted activities.

Fill out those "How are we doing?" questionnaires.

Tell your kids that libraries are good.

They are.

📚

Whatever happens, never forget: READING FOR PLEASURE has the biggest positive impact of any factor on children's life chances. So always make time to share books with kids, and help them find books to love. Make reading central to everything you do. It will change their lives forever!
#literacy

A short list of books to show kids that love is still winning, how to be an ally, and ways they can use their talents for good in the world.

Love is Still Winning by Fabienne Doucet
When You Meet a Dragon by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
Most People by Michael Leannah
We Are the Builders! by Deepa Ayer