Julia Bryan-Diehl

With all of the heartbreaking news coming out of Afghanistan right now, it is helpful and important to give children (and adults) context and knowledge about that region, its people, and its culture. The blog post below offers some good children's books for that purpose. If you would like to do more to help the Afghan people, there's also a link in the comments to the Richmond branch of the International Rescue Committee, an excellent organization that is helping Afghan families relocate to the Richmond area.

Six Children's Books Set in Afghanistan – Literacious With Afghanistan in the news over the past few weeks, I want to share Six Children's Books Set in Afghanistan to help talk to your kids about what's happening.

Juneteenth may be a new national holiday, but it has a long history in Black communities and culture. Here are some great books to educate your children and yourself on the background and history of this important day (with a few more books listed in the comments):

10 Powerful Books for Adults, Teens, Kids to Celebrate and Understand Juneteenth From novellas to novels, picture books to deeply researched histories, each has a unique story to tell

Happy Pride Month! Here are some great children's and YA books to celebrate and educate about LGBTQ+ folks, culture, and history (with even more book lists linked in the comments):

24 Great LGBTQIA+ Books for Kids and Teens | Brightly Not just for those with a direct connection to LGBTQIA+ issues, everyone can benefit from the messages of unconditional love in these kids' books.

Interesting perspective on the movement from We Need Diverse Books

We Need Diverse Books will no longer use the term to refer to children’s literature or its authors. Moving forward, WNDB will use specific descriptions that authors use for themselves and their characters. http://ow.ly/AiDj50F3IiI

A few summers ago, I was lucky enough to attend an exhibit at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk entitled 'Eric Carle: Moonlit Nights & Other Illustrations'. I have always loved Carle's books, but never truly appreciated the depth of his art work until I saw it up close. It is now a goal of mine to one day visit the Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, in Massachusetts, where Carle and his wife created the first museum in the United States devoted to "picture books and picture book illustrations from around the world." Eric Carle shared so much beauty with the world. He and his art- both words and pictures- will be sorely missed.

Eric Carle, Creator Of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar,' Has Died The beloved author and illustrator drew more than 70 books for kids — often about friendly bugs like that famous caterpillar. He said he got his inspiration from nature walks with his father.

Currently listening to the audiobook of this year's winner of the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, and I'm totally blown away. If you're looking for a heartbreaking, funny, and generally epic summer listen, check it out. https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/45916267

Here's a great article about how to approach and rethink some classic children's titles:

Children's Books That Contextualize, Correct, or Challenge Classic Kid Lit If you've heard some recent headlines around challenges to classic kid lit and want stories that do better, check out these children's books.

This week is Resilience Week, and we are again partnering with Greater Richmond SCAN to share titles for young readers that celebrate and uplift stories of resilience. This is also the first week of Mental Health Awareness Month, and we want to share library resources that can additionally support mental health and wellness. Read our latest blog post learn more about Resilience Week, and explore recommendations from our librarians. https://bit.ly/3bcI4Od

May is Asian Pacific American heritage month- here are some great books for all ages to learn about and celebrate Asian American and Pacific islander people, cultures, and stories:

60 Children's Books for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (AAPI) | Imagination Soup To celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, read amazing children's books with inclusitivity & representation.

It's never too late to celebrate Earth Day (and, really, shouldn't we care about the planet EVERY day?), so here are some great books about Climate Justice to check out:

Environment / Climate Justice | Social Justice Books Here are titles on the environment for children, young adults, and educators.

This is an EXCELLENT middle grade book to read and discuss with your kids in this moment in time: http://jewellparkerrhodes.com/children/books/ghost-boys/

In honor of National Poetry Month, check out these fantastic novels in verse:

15 Novels in Verse to Celebrate Poetry Month Guest post written by Lori Prince, Director of Merchandising at First Book Before my years at First Book, I was a poet. The poetry I knew as a child was the poetry of songs — folk music at home, hymns…