Family Read Alouds
Reading books aloud as a family is a perfect way to spend time together while also increasing children’s reading skills. Listening to stories helps kids who are learning, and who know how to read, by building their vocabulary and comprehension skills. And above all, there’s nothing quite like sharing a story with someone. Many of these titles also exist as audio books – ask a librarian if you need help finding a title. (Updated: November 2019)
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Ancestor Approved
This book offers a wonderful collection of stories set during a powwow happening in a high school gym. Native families and friends from the United States and Canada gather together to dance and celebrate with their community. Bursting with Native pride and an impressive line-up of authors, this is a great book to share as a family.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Too Small Tola
Divided into three short stories, this collection offers rich details and vivid glimpse into life of a family living in the flats of Lagos, Nigeria. Tola's siblings often tease her about her size, but each of these stories reiterates that strength often comes in small packages.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Soul Food Sunday
Sundays are a celebration of family, and Granny wants her grandson to fully participate in putting together the meal everyone will share at the table. She keeps him engaged with tasks like grating cheese, cleaning the greens, and preparing the meat for the grill, but it's her grandson's own contribution that highlights this story's charm and appeal.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Stella Diaz Has Something to Say
Stella Diaz has something to say, but her fear of embarrassment from mispronouncing words and accidentally using her native Spanish causes hesitation and anxiety. Her best friend is in another class this year, and making new friends proves difficult. On top of all this, she has a big oral presentation to prepare for, so she needs to find courage and confidence - fast.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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A Song of Frutas
This brightly illustrated picture book written by Belpré Award winning author Margarita Engle is a super fun read aloud with a musical rhythm and cadence. A small girl, visiting her Abuelo who is a pregoneros (singing vendor) in Cuba learns and sings all the songs he uses to sell his delicious fruit. The inclusion of Spanish text throughout makes this picture book an immersive experience.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Maya and the Robot
Maya is anxious about going into 5th grade, especially since her best friends are in a different class. But when she brings an abandoned robot to life, she discovers a whole new way to connect with those around her and makes an unexpected new friend.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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When Stars Are Scattered
Omar and his younger brother, Hassan have spent years in a refugee camp in Kenya. Life has been hard, which is why when Omar is offered the opportunity to go to school, he knows it could change their future forever. But it would also mean leaving his brother alone every day. This tender graphic novel offers an intimate look at what it means to be a family in the most challenging of situations.
Format: Graphic Novel
Availability: Available
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Kiyoshi's Walk
Kiyoshi wonders, "Where do poems come from?" And his grandfather helps him find the answer by taking him on a walk through their city. Kiyoshi slowly realizes that poems are often inspired by the everyday magic of the world outside of us. This intimate picture book is a perfect book to share as a family before a stroll through your own neighborhood.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Song for A Whale
12-year-old Iris may be a tech genius, but being deaf makes it difficult for her to communicate with the people around her. So when she learns about Blue 55, a whale unable to communicate with other whales, she feels a connection and an urge to communicate in her own way with the whale.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Einstein
An adventurous mouse has missed the world's largest cheese festival, and that is simply unacceptable! His only choice is to go back in time, but how? With the help of the worlds' most famous physicist, his attempt at time travel is successful...but he misses his target date by 80 years! Find out if he's able to get back in the fourth installment of the Mäuseabenteuer series.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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