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Common Sense Media

Educator's Reference Complete

A collection of news articles, scholarly articles, videos, and other materials related to education at all levels.
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National Museum of African American History & Culture

NSF's Classroom Resources
NYS Talking Books & Braille Library

Parenting Books
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What Happened to You?
This accessible, funny, and groundbreaking story addresses the questions children often ask, as well as a disabled child's choice not to answer.
What happened to you? Was it a shark? A burglar? A lion? Did it fall off? A boy named Joe is trying to play pirates at the playground, but he keeps being asked what happened to his leg. Bombarded with questions and silly suggestions, Joe becomes more and more fed up...until the kids finally understand they don't need to know what happened. And that they're wasting valuable playtime!
Based on the author's real childhood experiences, this honest, funny, and authentic picture book is an empowering read for anyone with a disability, and for young readers learning how best to address differences. -
My Brother Charlie
From bestselling author and actress Holly Robinson Peete--a heartwarming story about a boy who happens to be autistic, based on Holly's son, who has autism.
"Charlie has autism. His brain works in a special way. It's harder for him to make friends. Or show his true feelings. Or stay safe." But as his big sister tells us, for everything that Charlie can't do well, there are plenty more things that he's good at. He knows the names of all the American presidents. He knows stuff about airplanes. And he can even play the piano better than anyone he knows.Actress and national autism spokesperson Holly Robinson Peete collaborates with her daughter on this book based on Holly's 10-year-old son, who has autism.
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Lucas at the Paralympics
Introduce your child to the Paralympics--where physically disabled world-class athletes exemplify strength, determination, and courage.
Lucas and Eddie, two physically disabled friends, visit the Paralympics and cheer on blind and physically challenged athletes as they compete in running, swimming, sitting volleyball, para archery, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair basketball, and more.
Readers learn about some of the rules that expedite play and that even the playing field. For example, blind runners wear blindfolds so none of the competitors (some totally blind and some with limited sight) have an unfair advantage. Also, all of the blind competitors are tethered to guides.
Author Igor Plohl, who lost the use of his legs after a spinal injury, is a teacher and passionate advocate for raising awareness of physical disability. As a teacher, he knows the questions children ask and how to answer them.
A CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book -
I'm New Here
Three students are immigrants from Guatemala, Korea, and Somalia and have trouble speaking, writing, and sharing ideas in English in their new American elementary school. Through self-determination and with encouragement from their peers and teachers, the students learn to feel confident and comfortable in their new school without losing a sense of their home country, language, and identity.
Young readers from all backgrounds will appreciate this touching story about the assimilation of three immigrant students in a supportive school community.
Anne Sibley O'Brien is one of the founders of I'm Your Neighbor, an organization that promotes children's literature featuring "new arrival" cultures. As the rate of immigration to the United States increases, topics related to immigration are increasingly more important in the classroom and home. I'm New Here demonstrates how our global community can work together and build a home for all. -
Not My Idea
**A WHITE RAVEN 2019 SELECTION**
Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness is a a picture book that invites white children and parents to become curious about racism, accept that it's real, and cultivate justice.
"Quite frankly, the first book I've seen that provides an honest explanation for kids about the state of race in America today." --Elizabeth Bird, librarian
NAMED ONE OF SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL'S BEST BOOKS OF 2018
"A much-needed title that provides a strong foundation for critical discussions of white people and racism, particularly for young audiences. Recommended for all collections." --SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (*Starred Review)
"A necessary children's book about whiteness, white supremacy, and resistance... Important, accessible, needed."--KIRKUS REVIEWS
"A timely story that addresses racism, civic responsibility, and the concept of whiteness." --FOREWORD REVIEWS
"For white folks who aren't sure how to talk to their kids about race, this book is the perfect beginning."--O MAGAZINE
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The Breaking News
When devastating news rattles a young girl's community, her normally attentive parents and neighbors are suddenly exhausted and distracted. At school, her teacher tells the class to look for the helpers—the good people working to make things better in big and small ways. She wants more than anything to help in a BIG way, but maybe she can start with one small act of kindness instead . . . and then another, and another.Small things can compound, after all, to make a world of difference.
The Breaking News by Sarah Lynne Reul touches on themes of community, resilience, and optimism with an authenticity that will resonate with readers young and old. -
Tell Someone
Telling someone can help make things better.
Whether you're sad or angry, happy or proud, there's one thing you can do: tell someone. Just talking about your problems can help make them better, and the person you're talking to may have ways to help. When children feel nervous on the first day of school, or experience that scary feeling of having a secret that doesn't feel right, this book empowers kids to find someone they trust--and tell them.
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We Ask Permission
A story that helps with teaching boundaries.
Asking for permission is a key foundation of consent. We Ask Permission builds children's social and emotional skills and helps with teaching boundaries by encouraging children to look for body language cues and by asking before hugging or touching others.
The third book in the We Say What's Okay series, We Ask Permission follows Jovan as he learns to ask permission and become a body language detective. Using the book as a read-aloud, educators and families can model the language Jovan's teachers use to support children as they learn to look for body language cues and respect the personal boundaries of others. The author, who hosts workshops and trainings on teaching boundaries and consent for families and early childhood educators around the country, offers additional activities in the back of the book.
Digital content includes a song from Peaceful Schools with downloadable audio files and sheet music.
We Say What's Okay Series
Centered on a class of preschoolers, the We Say What's Okay series helps teach young children the social and emotional skills they need to understand the complexities of consent. Each book covers a consent theme, such as how to recognize the physical sensations that emotions create, look for body language cues, ask for and listen to choices, and know that our bodies have value. With believable, everyday situations and diverse characters, children can see themselves and others reflected in each story--and develop a vocabulary to communicate consent and feelings. Every book in the series is accompanied by a song from Peaceful Schools with downloadable audio files and sheet music. -
Bye-Bye Binky
Babies use a binky. Do big kids? No! Big kids say, "Bye-bye, binky!"
Every child's life is filled with milestones. Some happen easily; others need a little extra support. Artist and mom Maria van Lieshout has been there. Drawing upon her own experiences, she has created an engaging series of books that are just right for children on the brink of major changes and the caregivers who encourage them. -
My Own Big Bed
The independent little girl in this snug story loves her brand new big bed but . . . What if I fall out? What if I get lonely? What if I get lost? What if I get scared? Just right for young children making the transition from crib to bed, and featuring Mary Watson's comforting and realistic paintings, My Own Big Bed celebrates self-reliance, eases fears, and -- with a tuck and a kiss from Mommy and Daddy -- promises a safe and cozy night's sleep.
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Wemberly Worried
Wemberly worried about everything.
Big things.
Little things.
And things in between.
Then it was time for school to start.And Wemberly worried even more.
If you ever worry (or know someone who does), this is the book for you.
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When Mommy and Daddy Go to Work
While Mommy and Daddy are busy at work, I'm busy having fun at day care.
Day care is fun, even though saying good-bye to Mommy and Daddy before work might not be. In this reassuring guide for young children, noted author Joanna Cole shows that, although parents may go to work, they always come back at the end of the day. A helpful Note to Parents is included.
Acclaimed for her Magic School Bus series, Joanna Cole is also the author of the popular I'm a Big Sister, I'm a Big Brother, My Big Boy Potty, and My Big Girl Potty, all illustrated by Maxie Chambliss.
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You Weren't with Me
Little Rabbit and Big Rabbit are together after a difficult separation, but even though they missed each other, Little Rabbit is not ready to cuddle up and receive Big Rabbit's love. Little Rabbit needs Big Rabbit to understand what it felt like when they were apart. "Sometimes I am very mad. I don't understand why you weren't with me," says Little Rabbit, "I worry you will go away again." Big Rabbit listens carefully and helps Little Rabbit to feel understood and loved. This story was designed to help parents and children talk about difficult separations, reconnect, and find their way back to each other.
The book may be helpful to families who have experienced:
- Divorce or caregiver separation
- Caregiver work-related separations
- Military service related separations
- Immigration related separations
- Child welfare related separations
- Parental incarceration
- Parental substance use related separations
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I Didn't Leave Because of You
The absence of a parent can be really hard. And the confusion often leaves us scarred. For those that have wondered why their parent isn't there, This book has a few reasons to share. Written as a gentle poem in the voice of an absent parent, I Didn't Leave Because of You offers beautiful and diverse imagery with a glimpse into some of the reasons for abandonment. Whether you are seeking to help a child cope with an absent parent or searching for your own healing, This book is sure to help with the journey toward understanding and forgiveness.
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Divorce is the Worst
""How can you not love a children's author who sees so clearly from her reader's point of view?"-Julie Bowen, actress, Modern Family"This book provides, through honest language and evocative imagery, a uniquely realistic view of how children experience divorce. While neither softening or white-washing this difficult topic, Higginbotham offers an ultimately comforting message to parents and children experiencing separation and divorce."-Lisa Spiegel, LMHC, Soho Parenting, NYCKids are told, "it's for the best"-and one day, it may be. But right now, divorce is the worst. With honesty and humor, Anastasia Higginbotham beautifully conveys the challenge of staying whole when your entire world, and the people in it, split apart. The first children's book to tackle divorce from a child-validating point of view, Divorce Is the Worst is an invaluable tool for families, therapeutic professionals, and divorce mediators struggling to address this common and complex experience.Divorce Is the Worst is the first book in a series of feminist children's books, Ordinary Terrible Things, which deals with common childhood crises and how children themselves find their own way to cope and grow.Anastasia Higginbotham is a writer and illustrator in Brooklyn, NY, whose childhood experience of divorce inspired this book"--
Learning Center Book List
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The Girl who Thought in Pictures
If you've ever felt different, if you've ever been low, if you don't quite fit in, there's a name you should know... Meet Dr. Temple Grandin--one of the world's quirkiest science heroes!
When young Temple was diagnosed with autism, no one expected her to talk, let alone become one of the most powerful voices in modern science. Yet, the determined visual thinker did just that. Her unique mind allowed her to connect with animals in a special way, helping her invent groundbreaking improvements for farms around the globe!
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin is the first book in a brand new educational series about the inspirational lives of amazing scientists. In addition to the illustrated rhyming tale, you'll find a complete biography, fun facts, a colorful timeline of events, and even a note from Temple herself!
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A Friend for Henry
In Classroom Six, second left down the hall, Henry has been on the lookout for a friend. A friend who shares. A friend who listens. Maybe even a friend who likes things to stay the same and all in order, as Henry does. But on a day full of too close and too loud, when nothing seems to go right, will Henry ever find a friend—or will a friend find him? With insight and warmth, this heartfelt story from the perspective of a boy on the autism spectrum celebrates the everyday magic of friendship.
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All the Way to the Top
2021 Schneider Family Book Award Young Children's Honor Book (American Library Association)
Experience the true story of lifelong activist Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins and her participation in the Capitol Crawl in this inspiring autobiographical picture book. This beautifully illustrated story includes a foreword from Jennifer and backmatter detailing her life and the history of the disability rights movement.
This is the story of a little girl who just wanted to go, even when others tried to stop her.
Jennifer Keelan was determined to make a change--even if she was just a kid. She never thought her wheelchair could slow her down, but the way the world around her was built made it hard to do even simple things. Like going to school, or eating lunch in the cafeteria.
Jennifer knew that everyone deserves a voice! Then the Americans with Disabilities Act, a law that would make public spaces much more accessible to people with disabilities, was proposed to Congress. And to make sure it passed, Jennifer went to the steps of the Capitol building in Washington DC to convince them.
And, without her wheelchair, she climbed.
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A Boy and a Jaguar
2015 Schneider Family Book Award Winner
Speaking for the animals he loves gives one boy's life hope, purpose, and truth in this gorgeous picture book autobiography.
Alan loves animals, but the great cat house at the Bronx Zoo makes him sad. Why are they all alone in empty cages? Are they being punished? More than anything, he wants to be their champion--their voice--but he stutters uncontrollably.
Except when he talks to animals...then he is fluent.
Follow the life of the man Time Magazine calls, "the Indiana Jones of wildlife conservation" as he searches for his voice and fulfills a promise to speak for animals, and people, who cannot speak for themselves. This real-life story with tender illustrations by Catia Chien explores truths not defined by the spoken word.
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Good Different
"The next Wonder. Good Different should be required reading." -- Good Morning America
An extraordinary novel-in-verse for fans of Starfish and A Kind of Spark about a neurodivergent girl who comes to understand and celebrate her difference.
Selah knows her rules for being normal.
She always, always sticks to them. This means keeping her feelings locked tightly inside, despite the way they build up inside her as each school day goes on, so that she has to run to the bathroom and hide in the stall until she can calm down. So that she has to tear off her normal-person mask the second she gets home from school, and listen to her favorite pop song on repeat, trying to recharge. Selah feels like a dragon stuck in a world of humans, but she knows how to hide it.
Until the day she explodes and hits a fellow student.
Selah's friends pull away from her, her school threatens expulsion, and her comfortable, familiar world starts to crumble.
But as Selah starts to figure out more about who she is, she comes to understand that different doesn't mean damaged. Can she get her school to understand that, too, before it's too late?
This is a moving and unputdownable story about learning to celebrate the things that make us different. Good Different is the perfect next read for fans of Counting by 7s or Jasmine Warga.
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Stanley Will Probably Be Fine
This funny and moving second novel from the author of The Someday Birds features comic trivia, a safety superhero, and a super-cool scavenger hunt all over downtown San Diego, as our young hero Stanley Fortinbras grapples with his anxiety—and learns what, exactly, it means to be brave.
Nobody knows comics trivia like Stanley knows comics trivia.
It’s what he takes comfort in when the world around him gets to be too much. And after he faints during a safety assembly, Stanley takes his love of comics up a level by inventing his own imaginary superhero, named John Lockdown, to help him through.
Help is what he needs, because Stanley’s entered Trivia Quest—a giant comics-trivia treasure hunt—to prove he can tackle his worries, score VIP passes to Comic Fest, and win back his ex-best friend. Partnered with his fearless new neighbor Liberty, Stanley faces his most epic, overwhelming, challenging day ever.
What would John Lockdown do?
Stanley’s about to find out.
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Button Pusher
A memoir-driven realistic graphic novel about Tyler, a child who is diagnosed with ADHD and has to discover for himself how to best manage it.
Tyler’s brain is different. Unlike his friends, he has a hard time paying attention in class. He acts out in goofy, over-the-top ways. Sometimes, he even does dangerous things—like cut up a bus seat with a pocketknife or hang out of an attic window.
To the adults in his life, Tyler seems like a troublemaker. But he knows that he’s not. Tyler is curious and creative. He’s the best artist in his grade, and when he can focus, he gets great grades. He doesn’t want to cause trouble, but sometimes he just feels like he can’t control himself.
In Button Pusher, cartoonist Tyler Page uses his own childhood experiences to explore what it means to grow up with ADHD. From diagnosis to treatment and beyond, Tyler’s story is raw and enlightening, inviting you to see the world from a new perspective. -
Buddy the Bucket Filler
Buddy, a boy who lives in the city, can' t wait to visit his Uncle Frank, who lives in the countryside. Find out through this heartfelt story that illustrates the concept of bucket filling and acts of kindness that increases happiness for all.