Kids Book Index
Dan Gill
Mr. Gill keeps an empty chair at the front of his classroom, prompting his students to ask why it is there. He tells them about his childhood friend Archie, who was excluded from a classmate’s birthday party because he was Black. The experience of racism led Mr. Gill to make welcome and inclusion central to the lesson he shares with his students.
This book appears on 1 reading list across 1 edition.
The Blue Velvet ChairRio CortezA Black child begins each day by settling into a blue velvet chair beside an upper-story apartment window. From this familiar spot, she watches the cityscape change through the seasons: spring rain gives way to snow, and icy windows later bring sunshine and warmth. As the world outside and the child herself continue to change, the chair remains a constant, cozy place for observing and daydreaming.Five to NineOn the same reading list for the same age or grade groupView book details
Returning the Sword: How a Japanese Sword of War Became a Symbol of Friendship and PeaceCaren StelsonAfter World War II, Captain Orval Amdahl returned to Minnesota with a Japanese sword given to him as a military souvenir. He had witnessed the devastation in Nagasaki and continued to wonder about the sword and its owner. Decades later, a researcher helped identify the family of the Japanese soldier who had owned it. Letters led to a 2013 ceremony in which Amdahl returned the sword to the owner’s son, Tadahiro Motomura.Historical People, Places, and EventsOn the same reading list for the same age or grade groupView book details
Odder: An Otter's StoryKatherine Applegate, illustrated by Charles SantosoA young sea otter is separated from her family, faces danger, and is rescued by people. As she recovers, she finds that she can assist other otter pups who have also been separated from their families. This picture-book telling follows her path from rescue through recovery to helping other young otters.Five to NineOn the same reading list for the same age or grade groupView book details