Stellaluna: delighting in the extraordinary brings confidence and happiness

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Stellaluna: delighting in the extraordinary brings confidence and happiness

Ages 2 to 8

This is a must-read book - it speaks to the anxiety of being separated from family, the strangeness of new worlds, reconciliation with those new worlds, a return to family and familiarity and being able to move between two worlds without betraying either and without loss of love or friendship. It's a book to have, sitting on the shelf, to provide reassurance and peace at the end of a long day.

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Vision of Beauty: a mighty story of dignity and freedom

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Vision of Beauty: a mighty story of dignity and freedom

Madame Walker was born Sarah Breedlove, the youngest child in her family and the first person in her family to be born free. Her family were slaves in Louisiana until emancipation in 1865. 

Sarah was born in 1867 and lived an extraordinary life.

During her at once difficult and blessed life, Sarah married twice, had a daughter, and built a cosmetics empire. 

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a meditation on the realities of war, enemies, and the profound value of seeking understanding

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a meditation on the realities of war, enemies, and the profound value of seeking understanding

ages 4 to adult
Having an enemy doesn’t always require a war, but always (always!) requires separate camps! Those camps could be foxholes, but they could also be duct tape lines across a shared bedroom floor, places to sit during lunch at school, or even a divided family.

In this book, 'There’s a war on.', and two soldiers are facing each other from holes in the ground. Just one soldier speaks to us, but we see both

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a beautifully illustrated call to be wary of first impressions—and to seek out the best in life

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a beautifully illustrated call to be wary of first impressions—and to seek out the best in life

ages 2—8 years
There’s a scene in Emma (by Jane Austen), where Emma is talking to her friend (or plaything depending on your viewpoint) Harriet about a proposal. Emma says, ‘You must be the judge of your own happiness.’—and then proceeds to tell her how to judge her happiness!

Most of us are spared an Emma in our lives—we mostly judge our own happiness and find our own way. But sometimes we can be so secure in our current happiness that it becomes difficult to envision a different happiness.Children are prone to this too.

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an empowering story of friendship, fairness and a vote for hope

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an empowering story of friendship, fairness and a vote for hope

ages 6 to grownup
It seems almost dystopian that there was a time when Aboriginal people were not counted in the population statistics. And when the laws and powers that were held by each State government resulted in segregation and broad discrimination...

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stories that ask important questions for adults and children alike

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stories that ask important questions for adults and children alike

A Treasury for every home—absorbing art coupled with significant prose woven around funny, engaging, shocking and/or inspiring stories. Beautifully produced, it's a work of art that's great fun to read aloud.
ages 2 years to adult

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one book each—2 books that help us know and feel what it is to be a refugee

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one book each—2 books that help us know and feel what it is to be a refugee

One book each (adult and child) to help us know and feel what it is to be a refugee: certain that there was no choice but to leave, yet living a life devoid of sureness. Both are beautiful to look at, both tell personal stories respectfully and without compromise.
 

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