Tag: Positive Personal and Cultural Identity

Categories
Accessibility Diversity and Diverse Learners

Neurodiversity

Listed below are selected resources for teachers, picture books, fiction, and non-fiction related to neurodiversity.

Teacher Resources

The neurodiversity handbook for trainee teachers

by Sarah Alix

Considering a neurodivergent world is vital in society today, and even more so in the classroom. This book will support your knowledge and development as a trainee teacher so you can better understand the complexities of working with neurodivergent pupils. Starting with a model of difference rather than deficit, this book will guide trainee teachers to understand neurodiversity within the classroom, providing strategies which aim to support their students.

Neurodiversity and education

by Paul Ellis, Amanda Kirby, Abby Osborne

Human brains are diverse: each one of us has a unique set of connections between billions of nerve cells. Neurodiversity is about us all. It is not an exclusive club or one condition, difficulty, difference, or disorder. Understanding more about the concept of neurodiversity helps us consider, respect and appreciate these differences. It helps us see potential rather than deficit. This clear and practical book, which is useful for all aspects of learning and education discusses how an emphasis on neurodiverse ′ability′ can cultivate a better world.

Indigenous disability studies

edited by John T. Ward

This book provides a comprehensive approach to the perspectives, lived experiences, and socio-cultural beliefs of Indigenous scholars regarding disabilities through a distinctions-based approach. It contains chapters pertaining directly to neurodiversity, such as “Neurodiversity from an Indigenous perspective.”

Sustaining disabled youth: centering disability in asset pedagogies

edited by Frederico R. Waitoller, Kathleen A. King Thorius ; series foreword by James A. Banks

This book brings together a collection of work that situates disability as a key aspect of children and youth’s cultural identity construction. It explores how disability intersects with other markers of difference to create unique cultural repertoires to be valued, sustained, and utilized for learning. The book contains chapters pertaining directly to neurodiversity, such as “Smooth and Striated Spaces: Autistic (Ill)legibility as a Deterritorializing Force.”

Autism, Pedagogy and Education: Critical Issues for Value-based Teaching

by Carmell Conn

This book discusses critical issues concerning autism and education, and what constitutes effective pedagogy for this group of learners. Autism is a high-profile area within the discipline of special education, and the issue of how to teach autistic learners remains a contested one: recent theorising has questioned a techno-rationalist approach that places the burden of change on the autistic pupil. The author explores the values that underpin educational approaches within existing pedagogical practice: while these approaches have their individual merits and shortcomings, this book introduces and expands upon a strengths-based approach.

by Carrie C. Snow

Using creativity as a lens to explore the meaningful learning experiences of autistic youth, Carrie Snow evaluates and challenges common conceptions about autism and offers a strengths-based demonstration of the many ways that autistic people express creativity and imagination. She then identifies key qualities of education that are commonly cited by autistic people to be significant to the development of fulfilling lives, healthy identities, promising careers and vocations, and creativity in general.

DisCrit : disability studies and critical race theory in education

edited by David J. Connor, Beth A. Ferri, and Subini A. Annamma

This book brings together major figures in Disability Studies in Education (DSE) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) to explore some of today’s most important issues in education. Scholars examine the achievement/opportunity gaps from both historical and contemporary perspectives, as well as the overrepresentation of minority students in special education and the school-to-prison pipeline.

Picture Books

Brilliant Bea

by Shaina Rudolph and Mary Vukadinovich; illustrated by Fiona Lee

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Preschool-3

Despite her struggles with reading and writing, Beatrice is a natural and brilliant storyteller. With the help of a kind-hearted teacher, Beatrice uses an old-fashioned tape recorder so she can speak her words and then play them back, as a technique for learning in whole new way. With her new approach, Beatrice is able to show her classmates who she really has been all along. This book is set in EasyReading, a dyslexia-friendly font.

A day with no words

by Tiffany Hammond; illustrations by Kate Cosgrove

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Preschool-3

Young children will learn what life can look like for an autistic child who uses nonverbal communication by following a mother and child on a day where they use a tablet to communicate with others.

Wiggles, stomps, and squeezes calm my jitters down

Lindsey Rowe Parker; illustrated by Rebecca Burgess

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Preschool-2

This is a story about sensory differences and how some children experience their world, told from a child’s perspective. The vibration in her feet when she runs, the tap-tap-tap of her fork on the table at mealtime, the trickle of cool water running over her hands—these are the things that calm her jitters down. This book is for anyone who has ever felt the need for a wiggle, stomp, or squeeze!

It was supposed to be sunny

by Samantha Cotterill

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Preschool-1

Laila’s birthday party, perfectly planned with her autism in mind, goes awry due to a change in weather and an accident with her cake, but with the help of her mom and her service dog, Laila knows she can handle this.

You are enough: a book about inclusion

inspired by Sofia Sanchez; written by Margaret O’Hair; illustrated by Sofia Cardoso

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Preschool-3

It can be hard to be different — whether because of how you look, where you live, or what you can or can’t do. But wouldn’t it be boring if we were all the same? Being different is great! Being different is what makes you YOU. This inclusive and empowering picture book from Sofia Sanchez — an 11-year-old model and actress with Down syndrome — reminds readers how important it is to embrace your differences, be confident, and be proud of who you are.

Fiction

The fire, the water, and Maudie McGinn

by Sally J. Pla

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): 3-8

Follows thirteen-year-old neurodivergent Maudie during an eventful summer in California with her father, where she struggles with whether to share a terrible secret about life with her mom and stepdad.

The best at it

by Maulik Pancholy

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): 4-9

Rahul Kapoor is heading into seventh grade in a small town in Indiana. The start of middle school is making him feel increasingly anxious, so his favorite person in the whole world, his grandfather Bhai, gives him some well-meaning advice: Find one thing you’re really good at. And become the BEST at it. Those four little words sear themselves into Rahul’s brain. While he’s not quite sure what that special thing is, he is convinced that once he finds it, bullies like Brent Mason will stop torturing him at school. And he won’t be worried about staring too long at his classmate Justin Emery. With his best friend, Chelsea, by his side, Rahul is ready to crush this challenge. … But what if he discovers he isn’t the best at anything?

Something more

by Jackie Khalilieh

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): 7-12

Fifteen-year-old Jessie, a quirky loner obsessed with the nineties, is diagnosed as autistic just weeks before starting high school. Determined to make a fresh start and keep her diagnosis a secret, Jessie creates a list of goals that range from acquiring two distinct eyebrows to getting a magical first kiss and landing a spot in the school play. Within the halls of Holy Trinity High, she finds a world where things are no longer black and white and quickly learns that living in color is much more fun. But Jessie gets more than she bargained for when two very different boys steal her heart, forcing her to go off-script.

Unbroken: 13 stories starring disabled teens

edited by Marieke Nijkamp

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): 7-12

This anthology explores disability in fictional tales told from the viewpoint of disabled characters, written by disabled creators. With stories in various genres about first loves, friendship, war, travel, and more, Unbroken will offer today’s teen readers a glimpse into the lives of disabled people in the past, present, and future.

Darius the Great is not okay

by Adib Khorram

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): 6-12

Darius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He’s a Fractional Persian–half, his mom’s side–and his first-ever trip to Iran is about to change his life. Darius has never really fit in at home, and he’s sure things are going to be the same in Iran. His clinical depression doesn’t exactly help matters, and trying to explain his medication to his grandparents only makes things harder. Then Darius meets Sohrab, the boy next door, and everything changes. Soon, they’re spending their days together, playing soccer, eating faludeh, and talking for hours on a secret rooftop overlooking the city’s skyline. Sohrab calls him Darioush–the original Persian version of his name–and Darius has never felt more like himself than he does now that he’s Darioush to Sohrab.

Forever is now

by Mariama J. Lockington

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): 6-12

On a perfect summer day, wrapped in her girlfriend’s arms, Sadie feels safe. She’s been struggling to manage her chronic anxiety, and is hopeful better times are ahead. When her girlfriend reveals some unexpected news, and the two witness a violent incident of police brutality, Sadie’s whole world is upended in an instant. Not feeling safe anywhere, Sadie retreats inside her self. When her therapist diagnoses Sadie with agoraphobia, she starts on a path of healing. Her best friend, Evan, updates her on the protests taking place in their city. How can you show up for your community when you can’t even leave your house?

Non-Fiction

Disability visibility: 17 first-person stories for today: adapted for young adults

edited by Alice Wong

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): 6-12

The seventeen eye-opening essays in Disability Visibility, all written by disabled people, offer keen insight into the complex and rich disability experience, examining life’s ableism and inequality, its challenges and losses, and celebrating its wisdom, passion, and joy. The accounts in this collection ask readers to think about disabled people not as individuals who need to be “fixed,” but as members of a community with its own history, culture, and movements. They offer diverse perspectives that speak to past, present, and future generations.

Care work: dreaming disability justice

by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Adult

In her latest book of essays, Leah writes passionately and personally about disability justice, on subject such as the creation of care webs, collective access, and radically accessible spaces. She also imparts her own survivor skills and wisdom based on her years of activist work, empowering the disabled–in particular, those in queer and/or BIPOC communities–and granting them the necessary tools by which they can imagine a future where no one is left behind.

Trouver d’autres ressources

Voici quelques conseils pour trouver d’autres ressources dans ce domaine :

  • Sur la page principale du site de la bibliothèque de l’UBC, utilisez la boîte de recherche générale pour rechercher des matériaux à travers toutes les succursales de la bibliothèque de l’UBC.
  • Pour limiter vos résultats aux matériels disponibles à la Bibliothèque de l’éducation, visitez le site web de la Bibliothèque de l’éducation et effectuez une recherche à l’aide de la case “Search Education Resources” située dans la bande à gauche de l’écran.
  • Remarque : les ressources étant principalement cataloguées en anglais, les termes ci-dessous donnent généralement plus de résultats que les recherches effectuées en français. Vous pouvez filtrer votre liste de résultats par langue dans la barre latérale de gauche.
  • Utilisez des termes de recherche spécifiques, tels que
    • “neurodiversity”, “neurodivergent”, “disability justice”, “disability”, “accessibility”,  or “neurodiversity AND juvenile literature”
  • Pour trouver des plans de cours, incluez “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” dans vos termes de recherche.

Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • Search using the General tab on the UBC Library website to look for material in all UBC Library branches.
  • Search using “Search Education Resources” box in the left hand bar on the Education Library website to limit your results to physical materials in the Education Library.
  • Use specific search terms, such as
    • “neurodiversity”, “neurodivergent”, “disability justice”, “disability”, “accessibility”,  or “neurodiversity AND juvenile literature”
    • You may also choose to narrow your search with more specific terms, such as “dyslexia AND picture books” or “bipolar disorder AND juvenile literature”
  • To find lesson plans, include “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” in your search terms.

Header image: Neurodiversity Symbol, by MissLunaRose12, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Categories
Accessibility Diversity and Diverse Learners Community Celebrations Seasons and Celebrations

Asian Heritage Month

May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada. Celebrate with these picture books by Asian Canadian authors and/or illustrators:

Picture Books

Thao by Thao Lam

“Thao” seems like a simple enough name. Only four letters–all of them belonging to many other names! And yet Thao had been called everything from “Tail” to “Theo” to “Towel.” At one point, completely fed up, she decided it was time to try another name. Something “easy.” Something like “Jennifer.” But trying to be someone else only works for so long. And eventually “Jennifer” is swayed back to being herself when she opens her lunchbox and finds her mother has packed her Gȯi cuõn (also known as Vietnamese spring rolls)! Thao’s favourite! Her name is pronounced “Tow” like the English word “how.” While simple on the surface, this story of cultural assimilation and celebration of cultural pride runs deep. It is a personal one for Thao. And it will strike a chord with readers who have struggled to fit within a mainstream mold–then realized it was just more comfortable to be themselves. Visually, this book will also be a personal reflection of Thao in that she will be incorporating childhood photos into her usual cut-paper collage style! She has also opted to minimize the number of illustrations and instead play with type and typography as a way to highlight her name–and the many variations of it that appear in the book!

My Day With Gong Gong words by Sennah Yee; pictures by Elaine Chen

A day in Chinatown takes an unexpected turn when a bored little girl makes a connection with her grandpa. May isn’t having fun on her trip through Chinatown with her grandfather. Gong Gong doesn’t speak much English, and May can’t understand Chinese. She’s hungry, and bored with Gong Gong’s errands. Plus, it seems like Gong Gong’s friends are making fun of her! But just when May can’t take any more, Gong Gong surprises her with a gift that reveals he’s been paying more attention than she thought. With lighthearted, expressive illustrations by Elaine Chen, this charming debut expertly captures life in the city and shows how small, shared moments of patience and care–and a dumpling or two–can help a child and grandparent bridge the generational and cultural gaps between them. A glossary at the end of the book features translations of the Chinese words from the story into Chinese characters and English.

Hug? by Charlene Chua

A little girl finds herself giving hug after hug until, all of a sudden, she’s had enough!

How many hugs is too many? After coughing up a hairball, a girl’s cat doesn’t feel well. She gives her cat a hug, which makes the cat feel much better. A dog notices and asks for a hug, too. And then some ducks come along. And a skunk . . . and a bear — and a porcupine! One animal after another asks the girl for a hug until she’s simply had enough. How much more of this can she take? Sometimes a hug is just what you need. And sometimes, it’s just NOT!

Our little kitchen by Jillian Tamaki

Tie on your apron! Roll up your sleeves!
Pans are out, oven is hot, the kitchen’s all ready!
Where do we start?

In this lively, rousing picture book from Caldecott Honoree Jillian Tamaki, a crew of resourceful neighbors comes together to prepare a meal for their community. With a garden full of produce, a joyfully chaotic kitchen, and a friendly meal shared at the table, Our Little Kitchen is a celebration of full bellies and looking out for one another. Bonus materials include recipes and an author’s note about the volunteering experience that inspired the book.

The Barnabus Project by Terry, Eric & Devin Fan

In a world built for Perfect Pets, Barnabus is a Failed Project, half mouse, half elephant, kept out of sight until his dreams of freedom lead him and his misfit friends on a perilous adventure. A stunning picture book from international bestsellers The Fan Brothers, joined by their brother Devin Fan.

Deep underground beneath Perfect Pets, where children can buy genetically engineered “perfect” creatures, there is a secret lab. Barnabus and his friends live in this lab, but none of them is perfect. They are all Failed Projects. Barnabus has never been outside his tiny bell jar, yet he dreams of one day seeing the world above ground that his pal Pip the cockroach has told him about: a world with green hills and trees, and buildings that reach all the way to the sky, lit with their own stars. But Barnabus may have to reach the outside world sooner than he thought, because the Green Rubber Suits are about to recycle all Failed Projects . . . and Barnabus doesn’t want to be made into a fluffier pet with bigger eyes. He just wants to be himself. So he decides it’s time for he and the others to escape. With his little trunk and a lot of cooperation and courage, Barnabus sets out to find freedom — and a place where he and his friends can finally be accepted for who they are.

This suspenseful, poignant, and magical story about following your dreams and finding where you truly belong will draw readers into a surreal, lushly detailed world in which perfection really means being true to yourself and your friends.

Finding Home: The Journey of Immigrants and Refugees by Jen Sookfong Lee; illustrated by Drew Shannon.

What drives people to search for new homes? From war zones to politics, there are many reasons why people have always searched for a place to call home. In Finding Home: The Journey of Immigrants and Refugees we discover how human migration has shaped our world. We explore its origins and the current issues facing immigrants and refugees today, and we hear the first-hand stories of people who have moved across the globe looking for safety, security, and happiness. Author Jen Sookfong Lee shares her personal experience of growing up as the child of immigrants and gives a human face to the realities of being an immigrant or refugee today.

Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed; illustrated by Anoosha Syed (Illustrator is Pakistani-Canadian)

Six-year-old Bilal is excited to help his dad make his favorite food of all-time: daal! The slow-cooked lentil dish from South Asia requires lots of ingredients and a whole lot of waiting. Bilal wants to introduce his friends to daal. They’ve never tried it! As the day goes on, the daal continues to simmer, and more kids join Bilal and his family, waiting to try the tasty dish. And as time passes, Bilal begins to wonder: Will his friends like it as much as he does?

This debut picture book by Aisha Saeed, with charming illustrations by Anoosha Syed, uses food as a means of bringing a community together to share in each other’s family traditions.

Ojiichan’s gift by Chieri Uegaki; illustrated by Genevieve Simms

A heartwarming story about the relationship between a girl and her grandfather.

When Mayumi was born, her grandfather built her a garden. It had no flowers or vegetables in it. Instead, Ojiichan made it out of stones: “big ones, little ones, and ones in-between.” Every summer, Mayumi visits her grandfather in Japan, and they tend the garden together. Raking the gravel is her favorite part. But then one summer, everything changes. Ojiichan has grown too old to care for his home and the garden. He has to move. Can Mayumi find a way to keep the memory of their garden alive?

The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad; with S. K. Ali; art by Hatem Aly
(co-author S.K. Ali is Indian-Canadian)

A powerful, vibrantly illustrated story about the first day of school–and two sisters on one’s first day of hijab–by Olympic medalist and social justice activist Ibtihaj Muhammad.

With her new backpack and light-up shoes, Faizah knows the first day of school is going to be special. It’s the start of a brand new year and, best of all, it’s her older sister Asiya’s first day of hijab–a hijab of beautiful blue fabric, like the ocean waving to the sky. But not everyone sees hijab as beautiful, and in the face of hurtful, confusing words, Faizah will find new ways to be strong.

Paired with Hatem Aly’s beautiful, whimsical art, Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad and Morris Award finalist S.K. Ali bring readers an uplifting, universal story of new experiences, the unbreakable bond between siblings, and of being proud of who you are.

I Am Small by Qin Leng

With beautifully composed watercolor illustrations, Qin Leng recalls her own childhood in this story about a little girl who has always been the smallest: smallest of the family, smallest in school, smallest in a crowd. The girl faces her own set of challenges, but her loving parents and an unexpected visitor might change her perception for good.

A very big story about a very small girl. Mimi is so much littler than everyone, –I might as well be called Mini,” she says. Everyone is taller than her, even the family dog! Though there are advantages ã like fitting into the best hiding places ã to Mimi, being small is the worst. But then one day, a surprise shows up at home. A very little surprise. And Mimi begins to realize that being little is just a matter of perspective. The perfect book for any child trying to find their place in the world.

Salma the Syrian chef story by Danny Ramadan; art by Anna Bron

Newcomer Salma and friends cook up a heartwarming dish to cheer up Mama. All Salma wants is to make her mama smile again. Between English classes, job interviews, and missing Papa back in Syria, Mama always seems busy or sad. A homemade Syrian meal might cheer her up, but Salma doesn’t know the recipe, or what to call the vegetables in English, or where to find the right spices! Luckily, the staff and other newcomers at the Welcome Center are happy to lend a hand–and a sprinkle of sumac. With creativity, determination, and charm, Salma brings her new friends together to show Mama that even though things aren’t perfect, there is cause for hope and celebration.

Syrian culture is beautifully represented through the meal Salma prepares and Anna Bron’s vibrant illustrations, while the diverse cast of characters speaks to the power of cultivating community in challenging circumstances.

They say blue by Jillian Tamaki

In captivating paintings full of movement and transformation, Tamaki follows a young girl through a year or a day as she examines the colors in the world around her. Egg yolks are sunny orange as expected, yet water cupped in her hands isn’t blue like they say. But maybe a blue whale is blue. She doesn’t know, she hasn’t seen one. Playful and philosophical, They Say Blue is a book about color as well as perspective, about the things we can see and the things we can only wonder at.

This first picture book from celebrated illustrator Jillian Tamaki will find equal appreciation among kids and collectors.

Mooncakes by Loretta Seto; illustrated by Renné Benoit

Mooncakes is the lyrical story of a young girl who shares the special celebration of the Chinese Moon Festival with her parents. As they eat mooncakes, drink tea and watch the night sky together, Mama and Baba tell ancient tales of a magical tree that can never be cut down, the Jade Rabbit who came to live on the moon and one brave woman’s journey to eternal life. With a gentle focus on the importance of family, Mooncakes is a perfect book for parent and child to read together, while its educational aspect makes it ideal for school libraries that wish to provide an insight into a unique cultural holiday.

Categories
Accessibility Diversity and Diverse Learners Planning for Teaching and Learning

Diversify Your Classroom Library

Listed below are fiction and non-fiction picture books, middle grade and young adult books, and teacher resources that feature diverse characters and themes.

Picture Books

alt= All Because You Matter 

by Tami Charles

Fiction.

A lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to remind all children, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, that they matter. The detailed illustrations feature Black and Brown children while colourful collages symbolize community.

Dumplings for Lili: Iwai, Melissa: 9781324003427: Books - Amazon.ca

Dumplings for Lili

by Melissa Iwai

Fiction

Lili loves to cook little dumplings called baos with her grandmother, but when cabbage is needed, Lili races up and down the stairs of her grandmother’s apartment building to find the ingredient and help the other grandmothers borrow ingredients for different dumplings, from Jamaican meat patties and Italian ravioli to Lebanese fatayer and more.

Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors : Khan, Hena, Amini, Mehrdokht: Amazon.ca: Books

Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors

by Hena Khan

Fiction

With beautiful illustrations and rhymes, a young Muslim girl and her family associates colours with the Muslim traditions. Includes a glossary of terms and pronunciation guide.

Julián Is a Mermaid: Love, Jessica, Love, Jessica: 9780763690458: Books - Amazon.ca

Julián Is A Mermaid

by Jessica Love

Fiction.

Inspired by three beautifully dressed women on the subway, Julián dresses up as his own version of a show-stopping mermaid. This book signifies the importance of gender expression, love, and acceptance while featuring Afro-Latinx characters and the Spanish language.

Laxmi's Mooch: Anand, Shelly, Ali, Nabi H.: 9781984815651: Books - Amazon.ca

Laxmi’s Mooch

by Shelly Anand

Fiction

After Laxmi’s friend Zoe points out the hairs on her lip, Laxmi is very self-conscious until her East Indian parents help her to accept and celebrate her appearance.

My Papi Has a Motorcycle: Quintero, Isabel, Peña, Zeke: 9780525553410: Books - Amazon.ca

My Papi Has A Motorcycle 

by Isabel Quintero

Fiction

 Daisy Ramona and her papi zoom around their neighbourhood in an homage to the author’s hometown of Corona, California. Quintero celebrates the memories of home in a changing Mexican-American community.

My Two Blankets: Kobald, Irena, Blackwood, Freya: 9780544432284: Books - Amazon.ca

My Two Blankets 

by Irena Kobald & Freya Blackwood

Fiction

After moving to a new country, a young girl seeks comfort in the familiarity of her own words and sounds that she calls her “old blanket.” Little by little, a new blanket grows as she meets a friend at the park. Inspired by a friendship between her daughter and a Sudanese child, the author addresses the hardships of moving to another country and the impacts of a simple kind gesture.

We Are Water Protectors : Lindstrom, Carole, Goade, Michaela: Amazon.ca: Books

We Are Water Protectors

by Carole Lindstrom

Fiction.

Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all… When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth and poison her people’s water, one young water protector takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource. Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, this bold and lyrical picture book issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption.

Watercress: Wang, Andrea, Chin, Jason: 9780823446247: Books - Amazon.ca

Watercress

by Andrea Wang

Fiction

Embarrassed about gathering watercress from a roadside ditch, a girl learns to appreciate her Chinese heritage after learning why the plant is so important to her parents. A powerful story about memory, compassion, and Chinese immigrants.

Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah: Thompson, Laurie Ann, Qualls, Sean: 0884547302700: Books - Amazon.ca

Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah

by Laurie Ann Thompson

Non-fiction

Born with only one strong leg, Emmanuel rode four hundred miles across Ghana in 2001 to spread his powerful message: disability is not inability. This book encourages people with disabilities to reach for their dreams and unleash their full potential.

IntersectionAllies - ePub Version — Dottir Press

Intersection Allies: We Make Room For All 

by Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council, & Carolyn Choi

Non-fiction

A powerful tool to introduce allyship, solidarity, and intersectionality, and how different parts of our identities combine to make us unique. The rhymes and vibrant illustrations feature children with diverse abilities and identities. Includes a page-by-page discussion guide.

She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History: Clinton, Chelsea, Boiger, Alexandra: 9780525516996: Books - Amazon.ca

She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History 

by Chelsea Clinton

Non-fiction

Features 13 women in science, arts, sports, or activism who have shaped history around the world by fighting for what’s right. An empowering book for anyone who has ever felt small, unimportant, or unworthy to aim high and to raise their voice.

Treaty Words | Annick Press

Treaty Words: For As Long As the Rivers Flow

by Aimée Craft

Non-fiction

Accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Luke Swinson and an author’s note at the end, Aimée Craft affirms the importance of understanding an Indigenous perspective on treaties in this evocative petite book that is essential for readers of all ages.

Middle Grade Books

The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf: 9781984850812 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

The Boy At The Back Of The Class 

by Onjali Q. Raúl

Fiction

When a young student and a group of friends try to befriend the new boy in class, they discover that he likes soccer, pomegranates, and came from Syria. Thus begins a journey about refugees, lost family, brilliant plans, and true friendship. The novel is a great introduction to growing empathy for others, asking questions sensitively, and learning about war and the refugee crisis.

Dog Driven: Johnson, Terry Lynn: 9781328551597: Books - Amazon.ca

Dog Driven 

by Terry Lynn Johnson

Fiction

McKenna is losing her vision to Stargardt’s disease, but that will not stop her from competing in a rigorous new sled dog race through the Canadian wilderness. This book addresses living with visual disabilities and the bond between people, dogs, and family in this fast-paced and action-packed story.

The Fabulous Zed Watson! | CBC Books

The Fabulous Zed Watson! 

by Basil Sylvester & Kevin Sylvester

Fiction

Zed, their friend Gabe, and his sister Sam embark on an eventful road trip to discover the mystery of The Monster’s Castle. Co-authored by child-parent duo Basil Sylvester and Kevin Sylvester, this is a vibrant story about friendship, identity and belonging, based on Basil’s experiences as a non-binary child.

The Hero Next Door 

edited by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

Fiction. Anthology

Short stories by diverse authors that explores acts of bravery by heroes trying to make the world a better place. An anthology from We Need Diverse Books to celebrate the everyday heroes who don’t need super powers to make a difference.

Moon Girl and the Devil Dinosaur, Vol. 1: BFF

by Brandon Montclare & Amy Reeder

Fiction. Comic.

Luna is a 9-year-old African American girl who loves to invent and is described as the smartest character in the Marvel Universe. This comic has large, vibrant, and dramatic pictures suitable for middle grade and young adult readers.

No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen

No Fixed Address 

by Susin Nielsen

Fiction.

Felix and his mother experience homelessness as they secretly live in a van, use public washrooms, and struggle to keep their bellies full. Felix hopes to change their fate by appearing on a game show to win $25,000. Heartbreaking and compelling, this book addresses children experiencing homelessness with compassion and hope.

No Vacancy: Cohen MFA, Tziporah: 9781773064109: Books - Amazon.ca

No Vacancy

by Tziporah Cohen

Fiction

Buying and moving into the run-down Jewel Motor Inn in upstate New York wasn’t eleven-year-old Miriam Brockman’s dream, but at least it’s an adventure. When it becomes clear that only a miracle is going to save the Jewel from bankruptcy, Miriam and her new Catholic friend Kate decide to create one of their own. This novel addresses the reality of anti-Semitism, hate, prejudices, and how those who hold different beliefs can still connect and bond together.

ACCIDENTAL TROUBLE MAGNET

Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet

by Zahib Mian

Fiction

Imaginative Omar goes through the ups and downs of starting a new school and making new friends with the help of his wonderful (and silly) Muslim family. With creative illustrations and hand lettering on each page, this book is filled with humour, Muslim traditions, and addresses the struggles with being a Muslim family in a new school and neighbourhood.

Prairie Lotus: Park, Linda Sue: 9781328781505: Books - Amazon.ca

Prairie Lotus

by Linda Sue Park

Fiction

With a Caucasian father and a Chinese mother, Hanna’s ethnic mix is rare and unwelcome in a midwest town in 1880. When the parents of other children find out about Hanna’s heritage, her father’s business, her dreams of a new home, and her own safety are all on the line. This novel is a powerful story about questioning the norm, finding support, and fighting for change amidst fear.

Where's Halmoni?: Kim, Julie: 9781632170774: Books - Amazon.ca

Where’s Halmoni?

by Julie Kim

Fiction. Graphic novel.

Searching for their missing grandmother, two Korean-American children follow tracks into a fantastic world filled with beings from folklore who speak in Korean. Includes translations and information about the folkloric characters.

Calling All Minds: How To Think and Create Like an Inventor: Grandin, Temple: 9781524738204: Books - Amazon.ca

Calling All Minds 

by Temple Grandin

Non-fiction

 Sharing about the history of inventions, how ideas are created and improved, and her own personal experiences, autistic scientist Temple Grandin explores how to think about science with an open-mind, inquisitiveness, and imagination for young readers. Includes 25 kid-friendly projects.

Free Lunch

by Rex Ogle

Non-fiction. Memoir.

During the first semester in sixth grade, Rex and his baby brother often went hungry, wore secondhand clothes, and were short of school supplies, and Rex was on his school’s free lunch program. Grounded in the immediacy of physical hunger and the humiliation of having to announce it every day in the school lunch line, this is a story of a more profound hunger – that of a child for his parents’ love and care.

Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation: Gray Smith, Monique: 9781459815834: Books - Amazon.ca

Speaking Our Truth by Monique Gray Smith & Speaking Our Truth Teacher Guide by Tasha Henry

Non-fiction

We are embarking on a journey of reconciliation. Readers will learn about the lives of Survivors and listen to allies who are putting the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into action. The teacher guide follows the book, chapter by chapter, making it easy for teachers and students to dig deeper into the text and make personal connections to the material.

WE RISE, WE RESIST, WE RAISE OUR VOICES

We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices 

edited by Wade Hudson & Cheryl Willis Hudson

Non-fiction. Anthology.

Comforting and supportive art, poetry, short stories, and essays from 50 diverse creators encourage young readers to be kind in the face of toxicity, hatred, and oppression. This book addresses children of varying abilities, ethnicities, faith, and identities.

Young Adult Books

Black Enough: Stories of being young & Black in America

edited by Ibi Zoboi

Fiction. Anthology

A collection of short stories explore what it is like to be young and Black, centering on the experiences of black teenagers and emphasizing that one person’s experiences, reality, and personal identity are different than someone else’s.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

 by Erika L. Sánchez

Fiction

After Julia’s sister Olga dies in a tragic accident, Julia discovers that Olga may not have been such a “perfect Mexican daughter” after all. Mexican-American poet and novelist Sánchez shares a story of grief, mental health, and bicultural tensions that can arise in an immigrant family.

Far from the Tree by Robin Benway

Far From the Tree

by Robin Benway

Fiction

Grace, adopted at birth, is raised as an only child. At 16, she’s just put her own baby up for adoption, and now is looking for her biological family. She discovers Maya, her loudmouthed younger bio sister who was also adopted; and Joaquin, their stoic older bio brother, who has no interest in bonding over their shared biological mother after seventeen years in the foster care system. Grace struggles between cautious joy at having found them, and the true meaning of family in all its forms.

Felix Ever After : Callender, Kacen: Amazon.ca: Books

Felix Ever After

by Kacen Callendar

Fiction

Felix Love has never been in love, painful irony that it is. He is proud of his identity, but fears that he’s one marginalization too many – Black, queer, and transgender. When an anonymous student sends him transphobic messages, Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. Dramatic and moving, this novel addresses gender identity, the journey of questioning, self-discovery, and self-love.

Iron Widow: Zhao, Xiran Jay: 9780735269934: Books - Amazon.ca

Iron Widow 

by Xiran Jay Zhao

Fiction.

In a fantastical and Chinese-inspired society, strong female protagonist Zetian avenges her sister’s death and uses her power to force her society to stop failing its women and girls – or to die trying. Local Chinese-Canadian author tells an action-packed and groundbreaking story with feminism and queer themes.

The Magic Fish: (A Graphic Novel): Nguyen, Trung Le: 9781984851598: Books - Amazon.caMagic Fish 

by Trung Le Nguyen

Fiction. Graphic novel.

Tié̂n doesn’t have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he’s going through? Is there a way to tell them he’s gay? With rich coloured panels for fairy tales, memories, and the present, this book shares a stunning story of a Vietnamese-American immigrant family, communication, love, and identity.

Puddin' (Dumplin' #2) by Julie Murphy

Puddin’

 by Julie Murphy

Fiction.

When circumstances put Millie Michalchuk and Callie Reyes together over the course of a semester, the girls realize they have more in common than they ever imagined. A story of unexpected friendship, romance, and Texas-size girl power that addresses body-confidence, fat-shaming, race, and sexuality (including asexuality).

Surviving the City (Surviving the City, #1) by Tasha Spillett

Surviving The City 

by Tasha Spillett-Sumner

Fiction. Graphic novel. 

An Indigenous Canadian story of Miikwan and Dez, best friends who navigate the challenges of growing up in an urban landscape, until one day, Dez disappears. Cree-Canadian author addresses womanhood, friendship, resilience, and the anguish of a missing loved one. Colonialism and the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People are explored in Natasha Donovan’s beautiful illustrations.

UNBROKEN

Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens 

edited by Marieke Nijkamp & 12 others

Fiction. Anthology.

Stories in various genres features disabled characters written by disabled creators. The characters with different mental, physical, sensory, and intellectual disabilities reflect diverse colours, genders, and orientations. Stories address first loves, friendship, war, travel, and more.

See the source image

The 57 Bus 

by Dashka Slater

Non-fiction

Sasha, a white teen, lived in the middle-class foothills and attended a small private school. Richard, a black teen, lived in the crime-plagued flatlands and attended a large public one. One afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single reckless act left Sasha severely burned, and Richard charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. This true story addresses issues of race, class, and gender in a compassionate and empathetic way. 

Black Girls Sew (Paperback) | ABRAMSBlack Girls Sew: Projects and Patterns to Stitch and Make Your Own

by Hekima Hapa & Lesley Ware

Non-fiction.

Black Girls Sew is a nonprofit organization committed to positively impacting its community through education in sewing, design, and entrepreneurship. Focusing primarily on basic sewing skills and design principals, Black Girls Sew helps readers learn to create one-of-a-kind looks and in the process grow more confident in expressing their own style.

Every Falling Star: The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea : Lee, Sungju, McClelland, Susan Elizabeth: Amazon.ca: Books

Every Falling Star: The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea

by Sungju Lee

Non-fiction.

Sungju was 12 years old when he was forced to live on the streets and fend for himself after his parents disappeared. Portraying contemporary North Korea to a young audience, this fast-paced and compelling memoir addresses homelessness, hunger, and fear of arrest, imprisonment, and execution.

See the source image

The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees

by Don Brown

Non-fiction. Graphic novel. 

Don Brown depicts moments of both heartbreaking horror and hope in the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis. Shining a light on the stories of the survivors, The Unwanted is both a testament to the courage and resilience of the refugees and a call to action, serving as a timely reminder that this is not just a Syrian crisis, but a human crisis.

Teacher Resources

 The Classroom Library: A Catalyst for Literacy Instruction

edited by Susan Catapano and Candace M. Thompson.

A practical guide for organizing and using the classroom library to support literacy learning. Content includes both information for establishing and using the library, as well as stories from practicing teachers who have established a supportive classroom library.

See the source image

The Compassionate Educator: Understanding Social Issues and the Ethics of Care in Canadian Schools

edited by Allyson Jule

An edited collection that explores the complexities that surround students’ lived realities and the variety of social issues that impact Canadian classrooms. Chapters focus on topics like mental health, Indigenous education, queer education, racism, youth radicalization, disability, religious responsiveness in schools, ensuring respect for ESL students, and teaching refugee students.

Handbook of Research on Teaching Diverse Youth Literature to Pre-Service Professionals: 9781799873754: Education Books | IGI Global

Handbook of Research on Teaching Diverse Youth Literature to Pre-service Professionals

edited by Danielle Hartsfield

K-12

Practices that teacher and library educators are apply to prepare aspiring teachers and librarians to share and teach diverse youth literature that portray different socioeconomic conditions, racial and ethnic identities, gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, religions, cultures, family structures, and abilities. Covers topics such as syllabus development, diversity, social justice, and activity planning.

Intersectionality of Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Gender in Teaching and Teacher Education – Movement toward Equity in Education | Brill

Intersectionality of Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Gender in Teaching and Teacher Education: Movement Toward Equity in Education

by edited by Norvella P. Carter and Michael Vavrus

The editors bring together scholarship that employs an intersectionality methodology to conditions that affect public school children, teachers, and teacher educators by examining group identities, complicating static notions of race, ethnicity, class, and gender, and researching educational equity in relation to institutional systems of power and privilege.

Reading and Teaching with Diverse Nonfiction Children's Books: Representations and Possibilities

Reading and Teaching with Diverse Nonfiction Children’s Books: Representations and Possibilities

edited by Thomas Crisp, Suzanne M. Knezek, & Roberta Price Gardner

K-8

Argues for the importance of including high-quality diverse books that accurately and authentically represent the world students live in and explores the ways in which engaging with diverse nonfiction children’s literature provides opportunities to counter constricted curricula and reposition the possibilities of pedagogical policies and mandates through centering the histories, lives, and cultures of historically marginalized and underrepresented people.

Reading Globally, K–8: Connecting Students to the World Through Literature : Lehman, Barbara, Freeman, Evelyn, Scharer, Patricia: Amazon.ca: Books

Reading Globally, K-8: Connecting Students to the World Through Literature

by Barbara A. Lehman, Evelyn B. Freeman, Patricia L. Scharer

K-8

This handbook shows how teachers can use global literature to help students expand their worldview while developing increased respect for cultural diversity. Includes teaching ideas and examples of books and other resources on the enclosed CD-ROM.

Studying Diversity in Teacher Education

edited by Arnetha F. Ball and Cynthia A. Tyson

Examines and presents research on issues in teacher education, centers research on diverse populations, and outlines an agenda for future research and a guide for preparing teachers for diversity education in a global context. The contributors present frameworks, perspectives, and paradigms that have implications for reframing research on complex issues that are often ignored or treated too simplistically in teacher education literature.

Teaching Tough Topics: How Do I Use Children's Literature to Build a Deeper Understanding of Social Justice, Equity, and Diversity? : Swartz, Larry: Amazon.ca: Books

Teaching Tough Topics: How Do I Use Children’s Literature to Build a Deeper Understanding of Social Justice, Equity, and Diversity?

by Larry Swartz

K-8

Shows teachers how to lead students to become caring citizens as they read and respond to quality children’s literature. It is organized around topics that can be challenging or sensitive, yet are significant in order to build understanding of social justice, diversity, and equity. Racism, Homophobia, Bullying, Religious Intolerance, Poverty, and Physical and Mental Challenges are just some of the themes explored.

Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • Search using the General tab on the UBC Library website to look for material in all UBC Library branches.
  • Search using “Search Education Resources” box in the left hand bar on the Education Library website to limit your results to physical materials in the Education Library.
  • Use specific search terms to narrow your results, such as African “juvenile literature”, disabilit* “juvenile fiction”, or “OwnVoices”.
  • To find lesson plans, include “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” in your search terms.

For more help with searching, please visit the Library Service Desk or e-mail ed.lib@ubc.ca.

Categories
Physical and Health Education

Active Living and Physical Literacy

Listed below are selected teacher resources, picture books, and non-fiction related to Active Living and Physical Literacy.

Teacher Resources

Moving with words & actions: Physical literacy for preschool and primary children

by Rhonda L. Clements and Sharon L. Schneider

Grades: K-3

This book focuses on establishing healthy habits from an early age to prepare children for later in life. Takes an interdisciplinary approach that encourages movement across the curriculum. Includes 70 lesson plans and various activities that will help teachers integrate physical literacy into the classroom.

Canadian quality daily physical activities. Grades 4-6: 80 activities adapted for classroom & outside

by Grace Price

Grades: K-8

80 activities that encourage physical activity everyday through play. Each activity includes a learning goal, necessary equipment, safety considerations, instructions, and possible extensions. Available for grades: PreK – 1, 2 – 3, 4 – 6, 7 – 8.

Everybody move!: A multimedia package for daily physical activity

by CIRA Ontario and John Byl

Grades: K-12

This book provides helpful suggestions on how to incorporate physical activity into various parts of students’ day, promoting active living in the process. Includes a teacher guide, over 50 activities, choreographed dances, DVDs showcasing dance routines, and a CD with music for dancing and activity stations.

Jump start health!: Practical ideas to promote wellness in kids of all ages

by David Campos

Grades: K-12

An in-depth overview of what wellness is and how to incorporate it into the classroom. Includes chapters on health and wellness, nutrition, physical activity, and school and community collaboration. Also includes clear learning objectives and step by step guides for activities.

Physical literacy on the move: Games for developing confidence and competence in physical activity

by Heather Gardner

Grades: K-12

This book focuses on building students’ physical literacy through games, activities, and reflection. Includes over 100 games and activities which are broken into four progressive levels of learning: beginning, exploring, competent, and proficient. Students are encouraged to take an active role in said activities and their own physical literacy by picking their own groups, equipment, set-up, and adaptations.

Gymtherapy: Developing emotional wellbeing and resilience in children through the medium of movement

by Rebekah Pierre

Grades: K-12

This book explores the connection between movement and emotional wellbeing, seeing the former as a way of improving the latter. This connection is explored across five key areas: Identity and Self Esteem, Mindfulness, Anger Expression, Protective Behaviour, and Gender Stereotypes. Includes lesson plans, real-life examples, and case studies that help to link active living with emotional well-being. eBook only.

Fitness for life Canada: Preparing teens for healthy, active lifestyles

by Guy C. Le Masurier et al.

Grades: 7-12

This book presents an evidence-based program focused on shifting teens from dependence to independence when it comes to healthy behaviours, including physical activity, fitness, and healthy eating.

Picture Books

Everyone can learn to ride a bicycle

written and illustrated by Chris Raschka

Simple text and warm illustrations tell the story of a father teaching his daughter all the steps it takes to ride a bike.

Hiking day

written by Anne Rockwell, illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell

A family embarks on a hike up the mountain near their house for the first time. While hiking they come across all sorts of animals and plants and find the joy in being outside, active, and together along the way.

Lucy tries soccer

written by Lisa Bowes, illustrated by James Hearne

Lucy and her friends can’t wait to try out soccer for the first time! During a game of three-on-three Lucy and her friends learn how fun soccer can be. For more in the Lucy tries sports series, click here.

Bringing the outside in

written by Mary McKenna Siddals, illustrated by Patrice Barton

A rhyming story that encourages children to get outside and play in the great outdoors.

From head to toe

written and illustrated Eric Carle

“I am a buffalo and I raise my shoulders. Can you do it?”, “I am a monkey and I wave my arms. Can you do it?”, “I am cat and I arch my back. Can you do it?” This ask and answer book encourages students to get moving in a fun and interactive way!

Everybody has a body

written by Molli Jackson Ehlert; illustrated by Lorian Tu

Everybody has a body. Whether you’re short, tall, fat, thin, hairy, bald, whether you use a wheelchair or have a limb difference, we all rely on our bodies to take us through the world. From hiking a mountain to playing baseball to exploring an aquarium, this book shows us all the different ways that bodies can look and the things they can do, with representation of all different types of bodies.

Non-Fiction

In your activities

by Janet Gurtler

Grades: K-3

Explores the relationships and responsibilities we have when engaging in recreational activities, including why and how to be a good sport. For more in the Relationships and responsibilities series, click here.

Do your bit to be physically fit!

Rebecca Sjonger

Grades: K-3

This book explains the benefits of physical activity and active living, providing a variety of activities that encourage youth to get active. For more in the Healthy habits for a lifetime series, click here.

Hop, throw, and play: Build your skills every day!

by Rebecca Sjonger

Grades: 1-4

Encourages children to be activity in some way 60 minutes a day and build their skills in the process. Includes sections on healthy living, motor skills, skill challenges and more. For more in the Healthy habits for a lifetime series, click here.

Get active!

by Louise Spilsbury

Grades: 1-4

Describes how to get active and enjoy exercise and keeping one’s body healthy, including identifying which foods provide energy, why water is important, and which exercises are best for the heart.

The busy body book: A kid’s guide to fitness

by Lizzy Rockwell

Grades: 3-7

Through illustrations, text, and diagrams, this book explains how the human body functions and why keeping active is so important.

Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • Search using the General tab on the UBC Library website to look for material in all UBC Library branches.
  • Search using “Search Education Resources” box in the left hand bar on the Education Library website to limit your results to materials in the Education Library.
  • Use specific search terms to narrow your results, such as “Health–Juvenile literature”, “Physical fitness”, “Physical fitness for children”, “Exercise–Juvenile Literature”, “Movement education”.
  • To find lesson plans, include “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” in your search terms.

For more help with searching, please visit the Library Service Desk or e-mail ed.lib@ubc.ca.

Categories
Accessibility Diversity and Diverse Learners

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI)

Listed below are selected resources for teachers, picture books, fiction, and non-fiction related to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI).

Teacher Resources Related to SOGI

Reading the rainbow: LGBTQ-inclusive literacy instruction in the elementary classroom

by Caitlin L. Ryan and Jill M. Hermann-Wilmarth

Grades: K-5

The authors show how expanding the English language arts curriculum to include representations of LGBTQ people and themes will benefit all students, allowing them to participate in a truly inclusive classroom. The text describes three different approaches that address the limitations, pressures, and possibilities that teachers in various contexts around these topics.

Gender diversity and LGBTQ inclusion in K-12 schools: A guide to supporting students, changing lives

by Sharon Verner Chappell, Karyl E. Ketchum, and Lisa Richardson

Grades: K-12

An in depth guide on how to create supportive and inclusive classrooms for LGBTQ and gender-diverse students in all grades. Includes an exploration of anti-discrimination law and policy, research, and real-world practices related to inclusive school environments, curriculum, and pedagogy for LGBTQ students. eBook only.

Gay and lesbian history for kids: The century-long struggle for LGBT rights, with 21 activities

by Jerome Pohlen

Grades: 3-8

Who transformed George Washington’s demoralized troops at Valley Forge into a fighting force that defeated an empire? Who cracked Germany’s Enigma code and shortened World War II? Who successfully lobbied the US Congress to outlaw child labor? And who organized the 1963 March on Washington? Ls, Gs, Bs, and Ts, that’s who …

The gender quest workbook: A guide for teens and young adults exploring gender identity

by Rylan Jay Testa, Deborah Coolhart, and Jayme Peta

Grades: 7-12

A digital workbook to help navigate your gender identity and expression at home, in school, and with peers. (eBook)

Questions & answers: Sexual orientation in schools

by the Public Health Agency of Canada

Grades: K-12

First published in 1994 and revised in 2003 and 2008, these guidelines were developed to assist professionals working in the area of health promotion and sexual health education in programming which supports positive sexual health outcomes.

Stepping up! Teachers advocating for sexual and gender diversity in schools

by Mollie V. Blackburn, Caroline Clark, and Ryan Schey

Grades: K-12

Offers inspiring suggestions for ways teachers and teacher educators can stand up and speak out for students to create welcoming classroom climates for LGBTQ and gender diverse youth. (eBook)

Sexual and gender minorities in Canadian education and society, 1969-2013: A national handbook for K-12 educators

by Andre P. Grace and Kristopher Wells

Grades: K-12

This guide presents a detailed overview of what has been done from coast to coast to coast since the decriminalization of homosexuality in 1969 to improve the situation of sexual and gender minorities in Canadian society and, more specifically, in education.

Safe is not enough: better schools for LGBTQ students

by Michael Sadowski

Grades: K-12

Illustrates how educators can support the positive development of LGBTQ students in a comprehensive way so as to create truly inclusive school communities.

Sexual identities in English language education: Classroom conversations

by Cynthia D. Nelson

Grades: K-12

Draws on the experiences of language teachers and learners, and uses a range of research and theory, including queer education research, to provide guidance on engaging with LGBTQ themes in the classroom.

Sexuality education: Theory and practice

by Clint E. Bruess and Elizabeth Schroeder

Grades: K-12

The authors strikes a balance between content and instructional strategies that help students assess their own attitudes and knowledge of human sexuality.

Interrupting hate: Homophobia in schools and what literacy can do about it

by Mollie V. Blackburn

Grades: 7-12

Focuses on the problems of heterosexism and homophobia in schools and explores how these forms impact LGBTQ youth and all young people. The author shows how concerned teachers can engage students in literacy practices both in and out of school to develop positive learning environments.

Tomboys and other gender heroes: Confessions from the classroom

by Karleen Pendleton Jiménez

Grades: K-12

This work brings together gender stories from approximately 600 children and youth. Set in both urban and rural contexts, these young people show how their schools and communities respond to their bodies, passions, and imaginations.

Gay-straight student alliance handbook: A comprehensive resource for Canadian K-12 teachers, administors and school counsellors

by Kristopher Wells

Grades: K-12

This handbook is part of a series of bisexual, gay, lesbian, trans-identified and two-spirited (BGLTT) educational resources produced by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation. It is designed to assist teachers, school administrators and counsellors in understanding the educational, health and safety needs of those students who are or are perceived as being BGLTT.

Trans kids and teens: Pride, joy, and families in transition

by Elijah C. Nealy

Grades: K-12

A comprehensive guide to understanding, supporting, and welcoming transgender kids. Covers family life, school, mental health issues, and the physical, social, and emotional aspects of transition.

Picture Books about SOGI

I am Jazz

written by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas

Jazz has always known she’s a girl, even when everyone else thought she was a boy. Eventually, her family finds out that she’s transgender, and it’s okay.

Henry Holton takes the ice

written by Sandra Bradley, illustrated by Sara Palacios

Everyone in Henry’s family loves hockey, except Henry. When he discovers ice dancing, he’s excited to find a way of skating that he loves…but will his family love it too?

Morris Mickelwhite and the tangerine dress

written by Christine Baldacchino, illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant

Morris loves his classroom’s dress-up center, and he really loves wearing the tangerine dress. While the children in Morris’s class say dresses are for girls, he finds a way to show them that dresses can be for everyone. (Also available in French.)

Red: A crayon’s story

by Michael Hall

Even though Red’s label says he’s a red crayon, he knows he’s actually blue. His teacher, mother, and friends try to help him be red, but it doesn’t work. Eventually, a new friend helps him to reveal his true blue nature.

This day in June

by Gayle E Pitman, illustrated by Kristyna Litten

A picture book illustrating a Pride parade. The endmatter serves as a primer on LGBT history and culture and explains the references made in the story.

A Family is a Family is a Family

by Sara O’Leary, illustrated Qin Leng

When a teacher asks the children in her class to think about what makes their families special, the answers are all different in many ways — but the same in the one way that matters most of all.

One Family

by George Shannon, illustrated by Blanca Gomez

An interactive book that shows how a family can be big or small and comprised of people of a range of genders and races.

I’m a girl!

by Yasmeen Ismail

A rough and tumble little girl loves being herself, although she is often mistaken for a boy.

10,000 dresses

by Marcus Ewert, illustrated by Rex Ray

Bailey longs to wear the beautiful dresses of her dreams but is ridiculed by her unsympathetic family which rejects her true perception of herself.

Not all princesses dress in pink

by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple, illustrated by Anne-Sophie Lanquetin

Rhyming text affirms that girls can pursue their many interests, from playing sports to planting flowers in the dirt, without giving up their tiaras.

Sex is a funny word

by Cory Silverberg and Fiona Smyth

A comic book for kids that includes children and families of all makeups, orientations, and gender identies, Sex Is a Funny Word is a resource about bodies, gender, and sexuality for children ages 8 to 10 as well as their parents and caregivers.

What makes a baby: A book for every kind of family and every kind of kid

by Cory Silverberg and Fiona Smyth

Pre-K to age 8

What Makes a Baby is a book for every kind of family and every kind of kid. It is a children’s picture book about conception, gestation, and birth, which reflects the reality of our modern time by being inclusive of all kinds of kids, adults, and families, regardless of how many people were involved, their orientation, gender and other identity, or family composition.

Fiction

Gracefully Grayson

by Ami Polonsky

Grades: 5-8

12-year-old Grayson is definitely a girl inside a boy’s body, but sharing that secret would mean facing ridicule, scorn, rejection, or worse. Will new strength from an unexpected friendship and a caring teacher’s wisdom be enough to help Grayson step into the spotlight?

Melissa

by Alex Gino

Grades: 3-7

Melissa really wants to play Charlotte in her class’s production of Charlotte’s Web. The problem is, her teacher won’t let her, because Melissa is a boy. But Melissa isn’t about to let that squash her dream.

Fire song

by Adam Garnet Jones

Shane is still reeling from the suicide of his kid sister, Destiny. How could he have missed the fact that she was so sad? He tries to share his grief with his girlfriend, Tara, but she’s too concerned with her own needs to offer him much comfort. What he really wants is to be able to turn to the one person on the rez whom he loves–his friend, David.

All out

edited by Saundra Mitchell

Seventeen young adult authors across the queer spectrum have come together to create a collection of diverse historical fiction for teens. From a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood set in war-torn 1870s Mexico featuring a transgender soldier, to an asexual girl discovering her identity amid the 1970s roller-disco scene, this collection of short stories crosses cultures and time periods to shed light on an area of history often ignored or forgotten.

Lily and Dunkin

by Donna Gephart

A dual narrative about two remarkable young people: Lily, a transgender girl, and Dunkin, a boy dealing with bipolar disorder. One summer morning, Lily meets Dunkin, and their lives forever change.

The art of being normal

by Lisa Williamson

Two boys. Two secrets. David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a girl. On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal – to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in year 11 is definitely not part of that plan. When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms.

The other boy

by M. G. Hennessey, illustrated by Sfé R. Monster

Ages 8-12

Since twelve-year old Shane moved to a new town, he has been concealing the fact he was born a girl, but when one of his classmates learns he is a transgender, Shane must deal with the reactions of his entire community.

Simon vs. the Homo Spiens agenda

by Becky Albertalli

Sixteen-year-old, not-so-openly-gay Simon Spier is blackmailed into playing wingman for his classmate or else his sexual identity — and that of his pen pal — will be revealed.

Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe

by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Fifteen-year-old Ari Mendoza is an angry loner with a brother in prison, but when he meets Dante and they become friends, Ari starts to ask questions about himself, his parents, and his family that he has never asked before.

Dress codes for small towns,

by Courtney Stevens

Grades 9 and up

Navigating gender expression and sexuality, this is a book about love—the kind you find in friendships and romantic relationships—and how confusing it can be to understand the difference between the two.

More happy than not

by Adam Silvera

When his girlfriend leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron can’t deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can’t stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is.

If I was your girl

by Meredith Russo

Amanda Hardy only wants to fit in at her new school, but she is keeping a big secret, so when she falls for Grant, guarded Amanda finds herself yearning to share with him everything about herself, including her previous life as Andrew.

Girl mans up,

by M-E Girard

In Ontario, Pen is a sixteen-year-old girl who looks like a boy. She’s fine with it, but everyone else is uncomfortable–especially her Portuguese immigrant parents and her manipulative neighbor who doesn’t want her to find a group of real friends.

Non-Fiction

The social justice advocate’s handbook: A guide to gender

by Sam Killerman

Grades: 9-12

This book includes sections on Breaking Through the Binary, Feminism and Gender Equity, and Social Justice Competence for Working Toward Gender Equity. It was written with two goals in mind: to help individuals who read it better understand gender themselves (their gender and others’) and to help those individuals help other people understand gender.

Being Jazz: My life as a (transgender) teen

by Jazz Jennings

Grades: 8-12

One of the youngest and most prominent voices in North American discussions about gender identity, Jennings shares both the challenges and bullying and the love and support she has experienced since coming out publicly, and she looks forward towards the new challenges of young adulthood.

Pride: Celebrating diversity & community

by Robin Stevenson

Grades: 4-8

This work of nonfiction for middle readers examines what — and why — gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and their supporters celebrate on Pride Day every June.

This book is gay

by James Dawson

Grades: 9-12

This candid, funny, and uncensored exploration of sexuality and what it’s like to grow up LGBT also includes real stories from people across the gender and sexual spectrums, plus hilarious illustrations.

The ABCs of LGBT+

by Ashley Mardell

Grades: 7-12

Ashley Mardell looks at all things LGBT+. Mardell’s book, filled with in-depth definitions and personal anecdotes, is proof it does get better every day in a world where people are empowered by information and understanding.

Rethinking normal: a memoir in transition

by Katie Rain Hill, with Ariel Schrag

Grades: 8-12

In this first-person account, Katie reflects on her pain-filled childhood and the events leading up to the life-changing decision to undergo gender reassignment as a teenager. She reveals the unique challenges she faced while unlearning how to be a boy and shares what it was like to navigate the dating world and experience heartbreak for the first time in a body that matched her gender identity.

Some assembly required: The not-so-secret life of a transgender teen

by Arin Andrews, with Joshua Lyon

Grades: 8-12

Seventeen-year-old Arin Andrews shares all the hilarious, painful, and poignant details of undergoing gender reassignment as a high school student in this winning teen memoir.

LGBTQ rights

by Natalie Hyde

Grades: 4-6

From the Compton’s Cafeteria and Stonewall riots in the 1960s, to the decriminalization of homosexuality, and marriage rights, this title examines the continuing fight for LGBTQ human and legal rights. Part of the Uncovering the past series.

Sexual orientation and gender identity

by Rachel Stuckey

Grades: 4-8

This book gives young people a better understanding of sexual orientation, gender identity, and the LGBTQ community. Personal testimonials shed light on the difficulties individuals face coming out and dispel myths of gender stereotypes. Part of the Straight talk about series.

Beyond magenta: Transgender teens speak out

by Susan Kuklin

Grades: 7-12

Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and represents them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgment of gender preference. Portraits, family photographs, and candid images grace the pages, augmenting the emotional and physical journey each youth has taken.

Tomboy: a graphic memoir

by Liz Prince

Grades: 7-12

A memoir told anecdotally, Tomboy follows author and zine artist Liz Prince through her early childhood into adulthood and explores her ever-evolving struggles and wishes regarding what it means to “be a girl.” It’s about refusing gender boundaries, yet unwittingly embracing gender stereotypes at the same time, and realizing later in life that you can be just as much of a girl in jeans and a T-shirt as you can in a pink tutu.

Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • Search using the General tab on the UBC Library website to look for material in all UBC Library branches.
  • Search using “Search Education Resources” box in the left hand bar on the Education Library website to limit your results to physical materials in the Education Library.
  • Use specific search terms, such as “Gender identity in education”, “homosexuality and education”, LGBT, “sexual orientation”, or “gender identity” AND “study and teaching” ; “sexual minorities” AND education.
  • To find lesson plans, include “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” in your search terms.

PDF Booklist

For more help with searching, please visit the Library Service Desk or e-mail ed.lib@ubc.ca.

Categories
Core Competencies

Positive Personal & Cultural Identity

Photo by Tom Barrett on Unsplash

Personal and Social is one of the three Core Competencies in the BC curriculum. Positive Personal & Cultural Identity is one of three sub-competencies in this area. Listed below are selected resources for teachers, picture books, fiction, and non-fiction related to Positive Personal & Cultural Identity.

Les compétences personnelles et sociales sont l’une des trois compétences de base du programme d’études de la Colombie-Britannique. L’identité personnelle et culturelle positive est l’une des trois sous-compétences de ce domaine. Vous trouverez ci-dessous une sélection de ressources pour les enseignants, des livres d’images, des ouvrages de fiction et des ouvrages non romanesques en rapport avec l’identité personnelle et culturelle positive.

Ressources pour les enseignant (Teacher Resources)

Embracing diversity: teachers’ everyday practices in secondary english language arts classrooms,

by Sarah Bickens, Frances Bittman, & David J. Connor; foreword by Sonia Nieto

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): K – 12

This book is about the craft of teaching, with a particular focus on embracing human diversity through classic, contemporary, and unconventional texts, to develop students as critical thinkers. Narrating their own experiences in schools, the authors provide insights through reflecting upon aspects of everyday pedagogy.

Culturally sustaining literacy pedagogies: honoring students’ heritages, literacies, and languages,

by Susan Chambers Cantrell, Doris Walker-Dalhouse & Althier M. Lazar

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): K – 12

Despite widespread interest among educators in culturally sustaining pedagogy , implementation of its practice is limited. This text provides authentic examples of culturally sustaining literacy pedagogy in real classrooms so that readers can see how CSP is enacted in practice, across multiple grade levels.

Start here, start now: a guide to antibias and antiracist work in your school community,

by Dana Clark, Keisha Smith-Carrington, & Jigisha Vyas

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): K – 12

Most educators want to cultivate an antibias and antiracist classroom and school community, but they often struggle with where and how to get started. Liz helps us set ourselves up for success and prepare for the mistakes we’ll make along the way.

Read-alouds with heart. Grades 3-5: literacy lessons that build community, comprehension, and cultural competency,

by Dana Clark, Keisha Smith-Carrington, & Jigisha Vyas

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): 3 – 5

Thoughtfully chosen multicultural mentor texts serve as a jumping-off point to important conversations that build classroom community and emphasize the humanity of each class member.

At the intersection of selves and subject: exploring the curricular landscape of identity,

by Ellyn Lyle

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): K – 12

Exploring the Curricular Landscape of Identity aims to raise awareness of the inextricability of our teaching and learning selves and the subjects with whom and which we engage. By exploring identity at this intersection, we invite scholars and practitioners to reconceptualize relationships with students, curriculum, and their varied contexts.

Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students,

by Zaretta Hammond; foreword by Yvette Jackson

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): K – 12

Information on how one’s culture programs the brain to process data and affects learning relationships; Ten “key moves” to build students’ learner operating systems and prepare them to become independent learners; Prompts for action and valuable self-reflection.

All learning is social and emotional: Helping students develop essential skills for the classroom and beyond,

by Nancy Frey, Douglas Fisher, and Dominique Smith

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): K – 12

The authors offer a five-part model of social-emotional learning (SEL): building students’ sense of identity and confidence; helping students identify, describe, and regulate their emotional responses; promoting cognitive regulation skills; fostering students’ social skills; and equipping students to become informed and involved citizens.

Teaching and Learning for Intercultural Understanding: Engaging Young Hearts and Minds,

by Debra Rader

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): K – 6

Contains practical and creative strategies and activities to spark discussion on intercultural issues and ideas, including understanding culture, language, and global issues.

Culturally Relevant Teaching in the English Language Arts Classroom: A Guide for Teachers,

by Sean Ruday

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): K – 12

A practical book for ELA teachers who want to incorporate culturally relevant teaching pedagogy into their instruction, including writing, reading, and vocabulary lessons.

Emotional literacy: supporting emotional health and wellbeing in schools,

by Alison Waterhouse

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): K – 12

Offers research-driven, practical strategies, resources and lesson plans to support educators. Chapters span key topics including Recognizing Emotions, Understanding Emotions, Self-Regulation and Empathy. This is a resource book for practitioners looking to have a positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

Les livres d’images (Picture Books)

Just ask!: be different, be brave, be you,

by Sonia Sotomayor; illustrated by Rafael López

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Préscolaire – 3 (PreK-3)

As the kids work together to build a community garden, asking questions of each other along the way, this book encourages readers to do the same: When we come across someone who is different from us but we’re not sure why, all we have to do is Just Ask.

Homeland: my father dreams of Palestine,

by Hannah Moushabeck ; illustrated by Reem Madooh

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Préscolaire – 3 (PreK-3)

A Palestinian family celebrates the stories of their homeland in this moving autobiographical picture book debut by Hannah Moushabeck. With heartfelt illustrations by Reem Madooh, Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine is a love letter to home, to family, and to the persisting hope of people, which transcends borders.

Different : a great thing to be!,

by Heather Avis; illustrated by Sarah Mensinga

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Préscolaire – 2 (PreK-2)

Macy is a girl who’s a lot like you and me, but she’s also quite different, which is a great thing to be. With kindness, grace, and bravery, Macy finds her place in the world, bringing beauty and laughter wherever she goes and leading others to find delight in the unique design of every person.

Patchwork,

by Matt de la Peña; illustrated by Corinna Luyken

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Préscolaire – 3 (PreK-3)

A young dancer may grow into a computer coder; a basketball player might become a poet; a class clown may one day serve as an inspiring teacher; and today’s quiet empath might be tomorrow’s great leader. Your story is still being written.

Melissa,

by Alex Gino

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): 3 – 7

Melissa really wants to play Charlotte in her class’s production of Charlotte’s Web. But the teacher says she can’t even try out for the part… because she’s a boy. With the help of her best friend, Kelly, Melissa comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte — but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all.

Julián is a mermaid,

by Jessica Love

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Préscolaire – 3 (PreK-3)

When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he’s seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes — and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself?

Too perfect,

by Trudy Ludwig; illustrated by Lisa Fields

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Kindergarten – 4

Maisie is convinced that her life would be much better if she were as “perfect’ as her much-admired classmate Kayla until, after working together on a school project, she realizes that Kayla’s perfectionism is not as wonderful as it seems.

Maggie’s chopsticks,

by Alan Woo; illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Préscolaire – 2 (PreK-2)

Maggie has new chopsticks, but her family tells her that she is holding them all wrong, until Father comes along to tell her that she is unique and can do it her own way.

I am Jazz,

by Jessica Herthel & Jazz Jennings; illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Préscolaire – 3 (PreK-3)

From the time she was two years old, Jazz knew that she had a girl’s brain in a boy’s body. She loved pink and dressing up as a mermaid and didn’t feel like herself in boys’ clothing. This confused her family, until they took her to a doctor who said that Jazz was transgender and that she was born that way.

Sometimes I feel like a fox,

by Danielle Daniel

Niveau scolaire (Grade level): Kindergarten – 2

An introduction to the Anishinaabe tradition of totem animals. In the tradition of the Anishinaabe people of Canada, everyone belongs to an animal clan or totem. This totem animal symbolizes the skills that each member of the clan must learn to serve their tribe.

Trouver d’autres ressources

Voici quelques conseils pour trouver d’autres ressources dans ce domaine :

  • Sur la page principale du site de la bibliothèque de l’UBC, utilisez la boîte de recherche générale pour rechercher des matériaux à travers toutes les succursales de la bibliothèque de l’UBC.
  • Pour limiter vos résultats aux matériels disponibles à la Bibliothèque de l’éducation, visitez le site web de la Bibliothèque de l’éducation et effectuez une recherche à l’aide de la case “Search Education Resources” située dans la bande à gauche de l’écran.
  • Remarque : les ressources étant principalement cataloguées en anglais, les termes ci-dessous donnent généralement plus de résultats que les recherches effectuées en français. Vous pouvez filtrer votre liste de résultats par langue dans la barre latérale de gauche.
  • Utilisez des termes de recherche spécifiques, tels que
    • “Multiculturalism AND study and teaching”, “multicultural education”, “culturally relevant pedagogy”, “affective education”, “life skills AND study and teaching”, ou “social-emotional learning”
  • Pour trouver des plans de cours, incluez “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” dans vos termes de recherche.

Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • Search using the General tab on the UBC Library website to look for material in all UBC Library branches.
  • Search using “Search Education Resources” box in the left hand bar on the Education Library website to limit your results to physical materials in the Education Library.
  • Use specific search terms, such as
    • “Multiculturalism AND study and teaching”, “multicultural education”, “culturally relevant pedagogy”, “affective education”, “life skills AND study and teaching”, or “social-emotional learning”
  • To find lesson plans, include “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” in your search terms.

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