Children's books and activities
Family and Community
Do you know any kids who are curious about their family history and genealogy? Or kids who want to help build a better world through volunteering in their community? We've gathered up a great collection of books, activities, apps, and websites for learning all about families, communities, and civic engagement.
Check out our new 2020 resource: Our Democracy, where kids can explore our government, voting and voting rights, and active citizenship through books and activities.
Try pairing fiction with nonfiction books and exploring different genres (like poetry and biographies) and formats (like graphic novels and audio books). You'll be creating your own "text sets" — collections of texts focused on a specific topic, such as families and communities. Reading widely in this way helps children build background knowledge, vocabulary, and comprehension skills.

Other topics to explore
Great Fiction & Nonfiction Books
Age Level: 3-6 years old


After a fire destroys their home and possessions, Rosa, her mother, and her grandmother save their money to buy a big comfortable chair. Suffused with warmth and tenderness, this story celebrates family love and determination. A Caldecott Honor book. Spanish version also available.
A Chair for My Mother
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Each spread presents a letter and a bit of social commentary urging children to take a stand against war and violence, develop an awareness of our environment, and promote acceptance and equality for all cultures, races, religions, genders, and walks of life. An unusual offering that may plant the seeds for activism and spark discussions.
A Is for Activist
Age Level: 3-6 years old

"Honk-honk, tweet-tweet, patter-patter!" This sweet, fun read-aloud drums up nostalgia for all the rhythms, noises, and dreams of the city. On their way to the farmers market, a mother and daughter duo appreciate street musicians: a saxophone next to their apartment building ("toot-a-toot swoosh,") a drummer in the subway ("boom-bam-boom-boom"), a flautist by the flower shop sounds like butterfly wings.
A Neighborhood Walk, a Musical Journey
Age Level: 3-6 years old

A lively neighborhood school welcomes its diverse students at the start of a school year, proclaiming that all are welcome! Joy-filled, colorful, engaging paintings combine with brief, rhyming text to celebrate children and families coming together to learn and share.
All Are Welcome
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Playful language distinguishes this broad and often funny look at what makes "family." Vibrant, detailed, and stylized illustrations complement this engaging rhyming jaunt.
All Kinds of Families
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Another Brother
Age Level: 3-6 years old

"You can grow your own farm anywhere" is the empowering message of this inclusive picture book. All you need are soil, sun, water, and a seed. You can plant a farm in an empty lot, a pot, a box, or even a shoe. You can share your seeds with others to spread the food and fun.
Anywhere Farm
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Apple Pie Fourth of July
Age Level: 3-6 years old

A baby bird goes in search of his mother in this funny, classic story, originally published in 1960. The little hatchling is determined to find his mother, even after meeting a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a Snort. A timeless message of the bond between mother and child.
Are You My Mother?
Age Level: 3-6 years old

This cumulative tale is a celebration of bounty and gratitude, family and friendship and shows how a feast —Thanksgiving or otherwise — is all about building family.
Around the Table That Grandad Built
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Auntie Yang's Great Soybean Picnic
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Bee-Bim Bop!
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Big Frank tells young readers all about firefighting and the many other important jobs firefighters do: fire safety training, fire inspection, helping at accident scenes, and more. It's all in a day's (and night's) work for our firefighting friend and his crew.
Big Frank's Fire Truck
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Every year the narrator and his family take a trip down to Cottondale, Florida, to visit his grandmother, Bigmama. This autobiographical story recalls the joys of summer and the contrast between the author's life in the city and Bigmama's lush, rural home. While the illustrations suggest it was a period of segregation, this thought never overpowers the carefree summer celebration.
Bigmama's
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Rhythmic language and luminous paintings show the joy of this warm and loving family as they rejoice in their differences.
Black Is Brown Is Tan
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Does no electricity mean that there's nothing to do or are there new adventures just waiting to happen? A family and their neighbors find out one hot summer night in the city. Luminous illustrations and limited text reveal the unexpected, joy-filled pleasures of a blackout.
Blackout
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Building Our House
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Three generations bake a pie, make a crown of flowers, pass on a handmade quilt, and share a lullaby. Each time "it was the same, but different," highlighting the connections between generations. Vividly colored, child-like illustrations effectively complement the rhythmic text.
Cherry Pies and Lullabies
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Chicken Sunday
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Adam and his family spend an exciting day at the colorful and bustling Eastern Market. But when Adam gets briefly separated from Mom and Dad, he mistakes a friendly, diverse cast of characters for his parents in their traditional Muslim clothin, and shows that we all have more in common than you might think. This nearly-wordless picture book celebrates diversity and community in vibrant, dynamic art.
Common Threads: Adam's Day at the Market
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Counting up from one stuffed piñata to ten hefty hens — and always counting on each other — children are encouraged to recognize the value of their community and the environment. A broad and inspiring vision of diversity is told through stories in words and pictures.
Counting on Community
Age Level: 3-6 years old

An introduction to the important job of mail carriers, how their mail truck works, and how the mail must get delivered no matter what the situation.
Delivering Your Mail
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Some kids are adopted, others live with one parent, other children live with two moms or two dads; still others live with a mom and dad. Lots of different families are celebrated through a simple text and full-color photographs.
Families
Age Level: 3-6 years old

From the window in his favela, the narrator shares what he sees: neighbors working, playing, changing weather, and more. Based on the author’s experience growing up in Brazil, everyday experiences are illustrated in a colorful, naïve, folk style.
From My Window
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Green grass is wide and fresh and clean for a family to play in, and brown dirt is perfect for digging a garden. But when gray buildings start to rise up and a whole city builds, can there be any room for green space? The neighborhood children think so, and they inspire the community to join together and build a garden for everyone to share in the middle of the city.
Green Green: A Community Gardening Story
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Get to know the everyday heroes in your community! From firefighters to teachers, mail carriers to crossing guards, neighborhood helpers are all around. Young readers learn about the importance of cooperation and the people who lead the way in our communities.
Helpers in Your Neighborhood
Age Level: 3-6 years old

The world is full of different homes, from tents and huts to bobbing boats, and apartments high up in the sky. What’s your home like? Colorful, richly detailed illustrations and accessible text invite readers to consider how houses around the world today and in the past are similar and different to their own.
Home, Sweet Home: What Makes a House a Home?
Age Level: 3-6 years old

How Far Do You Love Me?
Age Level: 3-6 years old

How to Babysit a Grandpa
Age Level: 3-6 years old

I Love Saturdays y domingos
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Libby's great aunt, Lobo, is from Mexico, but the United States has been her home for many years, and she wants to become a U.S. citizen. At the end of the week, Lobo will say the Pledge of Allegiance at a special ceremony. Libby is also learning the Pledge this week, at school — at the end of the week, she will stand up in front of everyone and lead the class in the Pledge. Libby and Lobo practice together — asking questions and sharing stories and memories—until they both stand tall and proud, with their hands over their hearts.
I Pledge Allegiance
Age Level: 3-6 years old

The story of one girl who inspires a community to stand up to bullying. Explores the feelings of helplessness and anger that arise in the wake of seeing a classmate treated badly, and shows how a single act of kindness can lead to an entire community joining in to help.
I Walk with Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness
Age Level: 3-6 years old

A universal story of a diverse community coming together to make a difference. All kinds of people working together, playing together, and living together in harmony makes a better village and many villages coming together can make a better world.
It Takes a Village
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Jubilant illustrations show how a father supports his son as he grows into a man and eventually becomes a father himself. The text is from Will Smith's popular song of the same name, and is distinguished by luminous, full-color paintings that make the words sing.
Just the Two of Us
Age Level: 3-6 years old

One day, Kamala and Maya had an idea. A big idea: they would turn their empty apartment courtyard into a playground. This is a story of children’s ability to make a difference and of a community coming together to transform their neighborhood.
Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea
Age Level: 3-6 years old

A slightly grumpy CJ asks his grandma why they have to take a bus across town every Sunday after church. Her answers are playful, wise, and effective; CJ admits he's glad they came to see their friends at the soup kitchen where they serve. Bright, stylized illustrations and rich, well-paced language presents a warm relationship and a diverse urban locale.
Last Stop on Market Street
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Her parents are receptive to Kate's suggestion, "Let's get a pup!" and head to the shelter. They bring home a puppy, but ultimately return to add Rosey, an older dog, to their family. Line and wash illustrations depict a very contemporary and loving family with wit and compassion.
Let's Get a Pup! Said Kate
Age Level: 3-6 years old

This cheery picture book emphasizes the importance of community, describing the different facets of one particular suburban neighborhood. A multiethnic group of young friends — Nick, Pedro, Yulee, Sally, and others — take part in activities together as they prepare for a street fair to raise money for the local library.
Look Where We Live!: A First Book of Community Building
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Mira brings color and builds community through her beautiful art which she first gives to individuals and then has them contribute their own paintings. Based on an Urban Art Trail in San Diego, the animated illustrations evoke Mexican folk art while remaining child-like.
Maybe Something Beautiful
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Dorothy became a librarian to share her love of books and reading. How she started a library service first on a bookmobile and later inspired a building — touching many lives in her North Caroline town — is based a real person that the author knew. Gentle language and soft illustration present Miss Dorothy's story and the impact of one individual.
Miss Dorothy and Her Bookmobile
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Mr. Griggs is the one-man show at a small town's post office. He weighs the parcels, wonders about those packages that have gone astray, and sells stamps. His job is with him on duty and off.
Mr. Griggs' Work
Age Level: 3-6 years old

When Rosa's grandmother becomes sick, Rosa comes up with an idea that not only makes Grandma feel better, it helps add coins to the family's near empty money jar. Translucent watercolors illustrate this timeless, affectionate tale of family, community and the power of music.
Music, Music for Everyone
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Caroline doesn't see much of the name of their new street, Meadowview, as she and her family move to their new suburban neighborhood. When she saves a single flower from the lawn mower, she starts to change not only her backyard but ultimately the entire neighborhood. Soft illustrations and understated text convey story and an important concept.
On Meadowview Street
Age Level: 3-6 years old

A family trip begins with everyone piling into the car. They then travel through the city with its traffic, over a bridge, through a tunnel, and more, stopping only when the family reaches the sparkling sea. Torn paper collage illustrations and simple text chronicle the gratifying outing.
On the Road
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Every day children around the world awake to begin their days having breakfast, going to school, coming home to families. A poetic text combines with photographs from myriad countries to visually highlight the richness of the world and its people.
One World, One Day
Age Level: 3-6 years old

A picnic, a beach, a pie cut into pieces and shared with good friends. Pie is for sharing. It starts off round, and you can slice it into as many pieces as you want. What else can be shared? A ball, of course. A tree? What about time?
Pie Is for Sharing
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Plant a Little Seed
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Rainbow Stew
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Visit the school, the farm, the post office, and many more fun and exciting places in this classic book that teaches little ones all about what goes on in their very own communities.
Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy Town
Age Level: 3-6 years old

A young boy on a crowded bus (dala dala) discovers that, after some wiggles and giggles, there’s room for everyone in this lighthearted rhyming picture book set in Zanzibar.
Room for Everyone
Age Level: 3-6 years old

When Ruby realizes there are amazing birds right in her neighborhood, her imagination takes flight. The story includes a seek and find element with birds hiding on nearly every page. Information about where to find all of the birds in real life follows, plus Ruby’s tips for taking a nature walk and connecting with a citizen's science project.
Ruby's Birds
Age Level: 3-6 years old

This book is a great lesson in sharing one’s blessings with others. Strega Nona tries to show Big Anthony the importance of order in gardening, but he has other ideas. He plants his own garden that quickly grows out of control, producing more vegetables than he could possibly eat. Anthony secretly leaves piles of veggies at his grandmother’s doorstep each night and she, in turn, decides to share the bountiful harvest by hosting a feast for the villagers.
Strega Nona's Harvest
Age Level: 3-6 years old

This rhyming read-aloud celebrates how we’re all connected under the sun. As readers are introduced to people and places all over the world and throughout history, the refrain, “The sun shines everywhere,” reminds us that the sun is something that we all need and that we all share.
Sun
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Omu is an elderly woman who makes a fantastic pot of thick red stew. The scent from her stew travels all throughout her neighborhood and brings all of her community members over to her home for a taste. By the end, she shares a lovely feast with her neighbors where everyone contributes to the meal.
Thank You, Omu!
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Thanking the Moon
Age Level: 3-6 years old

The Curious Garden
Age Level: 3-6 years old

A young girl and an older woman, Honey, bond over Honey’s garden and her chickens. When Honey must move away, the narrator is devastated until new neighbors move in and the girl can show them how to maintain the garden. An author’s note reveals that her story is loosely based on a Talmudic story about the value of effort not simply the harvest.
The Forever Garden
Age Level: 3-6 years old

The new kid in school needs a new name! Or does she? Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what about when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her.
The Name Jar
Age Level: 3-6 years old

In the style of "The House That Jack Built," Diane Gonzales Bertrand offers a lively picture book that tells the story of a community coming together to build a park for the town. The story highlights key vocabulary words in English and Spanish with matching pictures, making it an excellent read-aloud choice for young children learning comprehension and predicting skills in either language.
The Park Our Town Built
Age Level: 3-6 years old

When one child reaches out in friendship to a classmate who seems lonely, she begins a chain reaction of kindness that ripples throughout her school and her community. One kind act begets another, small good deeds make way for bigger ones, and eventually the whole neighborhood comes together to build something much greater than the sum of its parts..
The Power of One: Every Act of Kindness Counts
Age Level: 3-6 years old

The workers at the village garage are busy all year long! They're busy from spring clean up to fall leaf collection, keeping their town safe and clean. Cartoon-like illustrations highlight the informative, engaging text.
The Village Garage
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Share the sights, sounds, smells, and humor of a family camping trip through this collection of engaging poems illustrated with vivid paintings. From setting up the tent to the ultimate return home, campers and non-campers alike will enjoy this vacation and all its outdoor pleasures.
Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Tomás, child of migrant workers, visits the town library to find stories like the ones told by his grandfather. There he meets a librarian who provides him with a cool place, stories and books, and friendship before Tomás and his family move on to the next place. Handsomely illustrated in earth tones, this touching story was inspired by the real life of writer and educator, Tomás Rivera. Also available in Spanish.
Tomás and the Library Lady
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Join a boy as he takes you uptown to introduce his Harlem home, filled with excitement, sounds, and verve. Illustrations use watercolor and collage to present a vibrant, music-filled place sure to please.
Uptown
Age Level: 3-6 years old

A catalog of ordinary events that occur in a park between sunrise and sunset, these scenarios involve dogs, babies, ice-cream trucks, gardeners, and, yes, water. It runs out of a fountain for two tots on a playdate, swirls around the ankles of wading dogs, and falls from the sky in gray sheets.
Water in the Park
Age Level: 3-6 years old

A child is embarrassed when parents stop the car to harvest wild watercress. Illustrations in sepia, however, show why this is such an emotional moment for the Chinese American family as it recalls an earlier time. Inspired text and stunningly detailed watercolors provide insight into one family’s history and a glimpse of their life before coming to the United States.
Watercress
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Sorell, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, offers readers a look at contemporary Cherokee life as she follows a family through the seasons of the year as they take part in ceremonies and festivals. The book opens, “Cherokee people say otsaliheliga to express gratitude. It is a reminder to celebrate our blessings and reflect on struggles—daily, throughout the year….”
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Teeka has a sharp eye as she describes each member of the family that joins the picnic in the park while waiting to see if the aunt with the dried out pie arrives. Lively language and animated, colorful illustrations make this picnic jump off the page.
We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Two children aroused by their parents join a march for equal rights. Short sentences and semi-abstract illustrations convey the children's evolving feelings as they join scores of others in what adults recognize as an historic march for civil rights.
We March
Age Level: 3-6 years old

Willie and Uncle Bill
Age Level: 3-6 years old

A girl is lost in a snowstorm. A wolf cub is lost, too. How will they find their way home? Paintings rich with feeling tell this satisfying, wordless story of friendship and trust. Winner of the 2018 Caldecott Medal.
Wolf in the Snow
Age Level: 3-6 years old

In this brightly illustrated picture book, many different perspectives around the world are explored — from a pair of bird-watchers to the pigeons they’re feeding. Young readers are invited to engage with the world in a new way and see how everyone is connected, and that everyone matters.
You Matter
Age Level: 3-6 years old
Age Level: 6-9 years old


In a small village in India, a boy grows up to make a huge difference in his community by planting trees to celebrate the birth of every girl. Based on a true story, this book celebrates environmental sustainability, community activism and ecofeminism.
111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Follow the progress of an imaginary city through six key periods of time, each captured by a scene of the city and zooming in on key buildings like a Roman bathhouse, medieval castle, and a modern skyscraper. Young readers are introduced to the people who lived there, from Greek slaves to modern-day commuters. [Amazon]
A City Through Time
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Told in the first person by two young boys, this story relates the same daily activities in two very different cultures: a small African village and a modern suburban setting. Children will enjoy finding the similarities and differences for themselves.
A Country Far Away
Age Level: 6-9 years old

When his family moves from Korea to West Virginia, Hee Jun has a difficult time adjusting. He doesn't look like the other children, he can't understand English, and when he tries to speak, the words "feel like stones…in [his] mouth." As the months pass, though, brother, sister, and grandmother begin to learn English and Hee Jun slowly transforms from an outsider to an ordinary boy among his classmates. The story comes full circle when Hee Jun brings home a gift from a new friend—a rose of Sharon plant, the English name for the mugunghwa blossoms his grandmother grew in Korea.
A Piece of Home
Age Level: 6-9 years old

In this powerful, affirming poem, a Black child explores his shifting emotions throughout the year. The poem explores the depth and nuances of a child’s experiences following a police shooting―through grief and protests, healing and community.
A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart
Age Level: 6-9 years old

José lives in a diverse neighborhood where he's just as likely to hear Spanish, English, or Chinese. The appealing photographs in this book document José's life at home, at school, and on the streets of his barrio in San Francisco, a city that is a vibrant mosaic of different cultures. (Available in a Spanish edition and in an English edition with a Spanish glossary).
Barrio: José's Neighborhood/Barrio: El barrio de José
Age Level: 6-9 years old

The true story of how a young girl from Uganda was able to attend school after receiving a goat as a gift through a special international project and then sell its milk to get the money needed to buy her books.
Beatrice's Goat
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A heartfelt journey into African American history. When a little boy is feeling afraid to go to school one day, his grandfather, Big Papa, takes him away in his time machine—a 1952 Ford—back to all of the times when he was scared of something life was handing him. "That's called being brave," Big Papa says over and over.
Big Papa and the Time Machine
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A child reflects on the meaning of being Black in this moving and powerful anthem about a people, a culture, a history, and a legacy that lives on.
Black Is a Rainbow Color
Age Level: 6-9 years old

This collection of poems, first published in 1956, reveals the heroes we see in our everyday lives. Vibrant paintings add a fresh, new dimension and bring the poet's Chicago neighborhood to life.
Bronzeville Boys and Girls
Age Level: 6-9 years old

In this story of community conservation, a girl finds a home in a new place and a way to help other small travelers — beautiful monarch butterflies.. This book is about the real change children can make in conservation and advocacy.
Butterflies Belong Here: A Story of One Idea, Thirty Kids, and a World of Butterflies
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Celebrate Independence Day with Parades, Picnics, and Fireworks
Age Level: 6-9 years old

As a young girl leads a cast of characters on a musical journey, they learn that they have the power to make changes — big or small — in the world, in their communities, and in most importantly, in themselves.
Change Sings: A Children's Anthem
Age Level: 6-9 years old

There is a garbage-filled, vacant lot on the street where Marcy lives. Instead of growing flowers in coffee cans like they usually do each spring, she and her friend Miss Rosa decide to plant a garden there. Their enthusiasm and energy spread and everyone in the neighborhood joins together to create an urban oasis. (From School Library Journal)
City Green
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Crouching Tiger
Age Level: 6-9 years old

This rhythmic, read-aloud is celebration of the self-esteem, confidence, and swagger Black boys feel when they leave the barber’s chair—a tradition that places on their heads a figurative crown, beaming with jewels, that confirms their brilliance and worth and helps them not only love and accept themselves but also take a giant step toward caring how they present themselves to the world. The fresh cuts. That’s where it all begins.
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A father-son story about bravery and facing fears. With his toy dinosaur, Nicholas can scale tall walls, swim in deep water, even score a goal against the huge goalie everyone calls Gorilla. But when the dinosaur goes missing, everything is scary again.
Dad and the Dinosaur
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A 10 year old girl narrates this fictionalized story, based on real events and people, of how her rural southern town builds a new school for African American children with the help of Julius Rosenwald (then president of Sears Roebuck).
Dear Mr. Rosenwald
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Each kindness makes the world a little better. Chloe and her friends won't play with the new girl, Maya. Eventually Maya stops coming to school. When Chloe's teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship, and thinks about how much better it could have been if she'd shown a little kindness toward Maya.
Each Kindness
Age Level: 6-9 years old

It's windy on the Danish island of Samsø. Meet the environmentally friendly people who now proudly call their home Energy Island. This inspiring true story proves that with a little hard work and a big idea, anyone can make a huge step toward energy conservation.
Energy Island: How One Community Harnessed the Wind and Changed their World
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman have many extraordinary abilities, but their greatest superpower of all? Family!
Family Is a Superpower
Age Level: 6-9 years old

The artist recalls growing up in south Texas in this celebration of family and cultural traditions presented in vivid paintings and short prose in Spanish and English. Garza's pride in her Mexican-American heritage is evident and celebrated in this handsome book.
Family Pictures/Cuadros de familia
Age Level: 6-9 years old

To help baby loggerhead turtles find their way back to the sea, a group of children involve the entire town as they launch their Lights Out for Loggerheads campaign. By showing the multiple channels that the students work through to raise awareness (posters, fliers, bake sales, a town meeting, the local newspaper, and the Internet), kids can learn about accessible, affordable ways to raise issue awareness in communities.
Follow the Moon Home: A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Join the rhythmic countdown to Sunday afternoon, the one time when enslaved Africans in 19th century Louisiana could relax in what became known as New Orleans’ Congo Square. Vibrant paintings, reminiscent of Jacob Lawrence, further enliven the portrait of people as they toiled daily, culminating on Sunday. An introduction provides historical insight and perspective of this little known part of American history.
Freedom in Congo Square
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A book about activism and taking the big steps to set things right, using examples of people throughout history who have taken "giant steps." Despite the challenges, even the smallest step can change the world.
Giant Steps to Change the World
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Realistic watercolors present the summer celebration a boy shares with his family on the 4th of July. The day's activities range from a pet parade and games to a barbeque and concert. The patriotic performance concludes with fireworks, after which the family returns home, tired but happy. The story is inspired by an actual community gala.
Happy Birthday, America
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Experienced readers will enjoy this stunning and sophisticated visit to Harlem in word and image. Landmarks like the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater are included and invite discussion.
Harlem
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Discover the inspiring true story of how one man made a big difference in a neighborhood. Tony Hillery invited students from an underfunded school to turn a vacant lot into a beautiful and functional farm. By getting their hands dirty, these kids turned an abandoned space into something beautiful and useful while learning about healthy, sustainable eating and collaboration.
Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A wordless graphic novel depicts an intergenerational friendship between a young girl, Saanvi, and her neighbor Helen. Together, they care for the wild birds that visit Helen’s yard. When Helen dies, Saanvi finds healing by bringing the sparrows and hummingbirds back.
Helen’s Birds
Age Level: 6-9 years old

There is a wall in Ángel’s neighborhood. Around it, the community bustles with life: music, dancing, laughing. Not the wall. It is bleak. One boy decides to change that. But he can’t do it alone, he needs the whole community. This inspiring picture book celebrates the power of art to tell a story and bring a community together.
Hey, Wall: A Story of Art and Community
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Little by little, baby Tracy grows. She and her neighbors begin to rescue their street. Together, children and adults plant grass and trees and bushes in the empty spaces. They paint murals over old graffiti. They stop the cars. Everything begins to blossom and an urban community reclaims its land. A drab city street becomes a living, thriving neighborhood — a place to call home.
Home
Age Level: 6-9 years old

This guide to making the world a better place is packed with inspiring ideas and tips for kids who want to know how to make a difference. Full of positive encouragement to find something you're passionate about and how to get started on making a big difference through small actions, thifact book for kids is a treasure trove of information and great advice.
How to Make a Better World: For Every Kid Who Wants to Make a Difference
Age Level: 6-9 years old

An inspirational "can do" tribute to youth, encouraging readers to believe in themselves and dream big regardless of their skin color, racial background, or abilities.
I Believe I Can
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Three students are immigrants from Guatemala, Korea, and Somalia and have trouble speaking, writing, and sharing ideas in English in their new American elementary school. Through self-determination and with encouragement from their peers and teachers, the students learn to feel confident and comfortable in their new school without losing a sense of their home country, language, and identity.
I'm New Here
Age Level: 6-9 years old

If America Were a Village: A Book About the People of the United States
Age Level: 6-9 years old

The "beautiful 200-year-old mansion on 18 acres of land right in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C.," is better known as the White House. It's where most, though not all, U.S. presidents have lived. Fun and fast, this lighthearted look at the residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is presented in sound bites and illustrations reminiscent of political cartoons.
If the Walls Could Talk: Family Life at the White House
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Kingsville, on the border of Mexico and Texas, comes to life in words and pictures in this book. Readers will share the simple joys of eating, dancing, and celebrating as the artist remembers her own childhood. Her stories, presented in both English and Spanish, are accompanied by her bright paintings.
In My Family/En mi familia
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Jasmine is only 8 years old but wants to do what the boys do. It’s her family Japanese tradition for the boys to pound the rice for mocha at her family’s New Year’s celebration. But can she really handle it? Readers of all backgrounds will empathize with Jasmine’s dilemma and see themselves in her.
Jasmine Toguchi: Mochi Queen
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A collection of original poems centered on giving and spontaneous acts of kindness, which also incorporate larger themes of community, intergenerational relationships, young mentors, and care for the environment.
Lend a Hand: Poems About Giving
Age Level: 6-9 years old

In 1963 Birmingham, Alabama, thousands of African American children volunteered to march for their civil rights after hearing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak. They protested the laws that kept black people separate from white people. Facing fear, hate, and danger, these children used their voices to change the world.
Let the Children March
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Lester shares his own story as he explores what makes each of us special. He says, "I write because our lives are stories. If enough of these stories are told, then perhaps we will begin to see that our lives are the same story. The differences are merely in the details."
Let's Talk About Race
Age Level: 6-9 years old

This story addresses issues of poverty with honesty and sensitivity while instilling important lessons in friendship, empathy, trust, and helping others. A call to action section, with six effective ways for children to help fight hunger and information on antihunger groups, is also included.
Maddi's Fridge
Age Level: 6-9 years old

When a little girl’s far-away grandmother comes to stay, love and patience transcend language. Mia’s abuela has left her sunny house with parrots and palm trees to live with Mia and her parents in the city. The night she arrives, Mia tries to share her favorite book with Abuela before they go to sleep and discovers that Abuela can’t read the words inside. So while they cook, Mia helps Abuela learn English, and Mia learns some Spanish too, but it’s still hard for Abuela to learn the words she needs to tell Mia all her stories. Then Mia sees a parrot in the pet-shop window and has the...
Mango, Abuela, and Me
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Cornelius Washington was proud of his hometown, New Orleans. His job as a sanitation worker was important before Hurricane Katrina devastated the city but became even more important after when Cornelius worked with others to help restore it. Textured illustrations and a hope-filled narrative combine fact with fiction for a moving look at a catastrophic event.
Marvelous Cornelius: Hurricane Katrina and the Spirit of New Orleans
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Me and My Family Tree
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Lilly Ann Granderson,, who was enslaved, secretly learned to read and write as a child and passed on this dear knowledge to hundreds of other enslaved people despite the great risks. To avoid the notice and suspicion of white masters and patrollers, she hosted her school in the middle of the night.
Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Here's the true story of how Anne Carroll Moore created the first children's room at the New York Public Library — a bright, welcoming room filled with art, reading nooks, and (most importantly) borrowing privileges to the world's best children's books. The folk art style illustrations capture a sense of history in the making. In the end notes, you can learn more about Moore and other pioneering children's librarians.
Miss Moore Thought Otherwise: How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Miss Rumphius leaves the world more beautiful with an unusual legacy. This gentle story can relate to not only the language arts, but to dreams, legacies, and the environment.
Miss Rumphius
Age Level: 6-9 years old

After being taunted by classmates about her unruly hair, Mackenzie seeks guidance from her wise and comforting neighbor, Miss Tillie. Using the beautiful garden in the backyard as a metaphor, Miss Tillie shows Mackenzie that maintaining healthy hair is not a chore nor is it something to fear. Most importantly, Mackenzie learns that natural black hair is beautiful.
My Hair Is a Garden
Age Level: 6-9 years old

In each spread of this bold and humorous picture book, children can examine their place in the world around them through detailed and engaging maps that are drawn from a child's perspective.
My Map Book
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Nadia is thrilled to be the flower girl at her aunt's wedding, yet continues to worries her classmates will respond on Monday to the temporary henna tattoos (mehndi). The intricate hand decorations that wear off slowly are a tradition of the family's Pakistani background. Respect for tradition and the need to conform are at odds, but then resolved in this well-illustrated story.
Nadia's Hands
Age Level: 6-9 years old

In this tender letter to his daughters, President Barack Obama has written a moving tribute to thirteen groundbreaking Americans and the ideals that have shaped our nation. From the artistry of Georgia O'Keeffe, to the courage of Jackie Robinson, to the patriotism of George Washington, President Obama sees the traits of these heroes within his own children, and within all of America’s children.
Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters
Age Level: 6-9 years old

One 11 year-old girl can make a difference, as young ornithologist and artist Olivia Bouler has proven, raising more than $175,000 for the Gulf Coast oil spill recovery. Oliviacreated more than 500 bird paintings to raise money, many of which are captured in this lavish picture book that recaps her valiant campaign to save birds affected by the spill. Written in her own words, this unique introduction to backyard and endangered birds features Olivia's hand-drawn illustrations, bird facts, and full-color photos celebrating Olivia's campaign.
Olivia's Birds: Saving the Gulf
Age Level: 6-9 years old

This fictionalized story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana, who changes his world with a small loan and one hen, is based on a real person. Kwabena Darko lives in West Africa and started a system of micro-loans in villages that would not otherwise have access. Additional resources and sources for further information allow readers to find out more.
One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference
Age Level: 6-9 years old

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, this is a celebration of good food and looking out for one another.
Our Little Kitchen
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A group of children go on a field trip for a guided tour of city hall, where they learn about the roles of the city council, the mayor, and other city departments. Includes an activity.
Out and About at City Hall
Age Level: 6-9 years old

How one person helped make one community into the bicycle capital of the world is told in animated illustrations and easy text. It began in the 1970s when Maartje Rutten and her friends strived to change one city. The impact of that movement is still evident in Amsterdam today where bicycles remain more prevalent than automobiles.
Pedal Power: How One Community Became the Bicycle Capital of the World
Age Level: 6-9 years old

The life story of Georgia Gilmore, a woman whose pies and delicious homemade cooking helped sustain the Montgomery bus boycott. Nicknamed "the Club from Nowhere," Gilmore along with a team of women risked their jobs to build a network wherein people from the community could financially aid the boycott through the purchase of her pies. he text emphasizes for young readers how important Gilmore's contributions were to the civil rights movement, including her work with Martin Luther King Jr. and her testimony in court on discrimination on buses.
Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A picture book biography of storyteller, puppeteer, and New York City’s first Puerto Rican librarian, who championed bilingual literature. When she came to America in 1921, Pura Belpré carried the cuentos folklóricos of her Puerto Rican homeland. Finding a new home at the New York Public Library as a bilingual assistant, she turned her popular retellings into libros and spread story seeds across the land.
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Wangari Maathai's native Kenya was a changed land, literally blowing away because its trees and growth had been destroyed. Rather than complain, she started a reforestation effort for which she was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Handsome illustrations combine with crisp text to tell the story of one person's impact.
Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangara Maathai
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Red, White, and Boom!
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Rich: A Dyamonde Daniel Book
Age Level: 6-9 years old

During Chinese New Year, a young boy encounters a homeless person and discovers that no gift is too small when it comes from the heart.
Sam and the Lucky Money
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Explores the many ways that a single voice can make a difference. Each of us, each and every day, have the chance to say something: with our actions, our words, and our voices.
Say Something
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Snails delivering letters trek across the country-through desert heat and dangerous blizzards, across mountains and plains, through cities and forests-and along the way, they find that taking time to slow down and look around makes the journey all the more beautiful.
Snail Mail
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Sofia is a young girl who gets things done and has a great desire to help others. After her Abuelo is injured at the local landfill while recovering his runaway dog, Sofia gets the idea to turn the dangerous Mount Trashmore into a park. She knows that she can’t build a park on her own, but she can be the spark to bring her community together to take action.
Sofia Valdez, Future Prez
Age Level: 6-9 years old

The book follows two families — one White, one Black — as they discuss a police shooting of a Black man in their community. The story aims to answer children's questions about such traumatic events, and to help children identify and counter racial injustice in their own lives.
Something Happened in Our Town: A Child's Story About Racial Injustice
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A young girl, filled with the sounds of her beloved city, shares a song with her grandmother that changes the two forever. After helping Grandma realize that the city makes music as beautiful as the sounds they hear in church on Sunday morning, the two sit down and take in all the sounds of the city ... together.
Song in the City
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Celebrate young climate change activists in this charming story about an empowered girl who shows up, listens up, and ultimately, speaks up to inspire her community to take action against climate change. After attending a climate march, a young activist is motivated to make an effort and do her part to help the planet... by organizing volunteers to work to make green changes in their community, from cleaning a lake, to planting trees, to making composting bins, to hosting a clothing swap and more!
Stand Up! Speak Up!: A Story Inspired by the Climate Change Revolution
Age Level: 6-9 years old

What can I do to help save endangered animals? How can I eat healthy? What do I do if I'm being bullied? With information on problems both large and small, the author breaks down the concepts of health, hunger, climate change, endangered species and bullying, so that readers can understand the world around them, and how they can make a difference in their own lives, as well as in their communities and the world at largeIncludes photographs of real kids who are making a difference today and lists of ways to get involve.
Start Now! You Can Make a Difference
Age Level: 6-9 years old

James VanDerZee (1886–1983) was a prolific photographer who used his camera to capture the beauty and dignity of his subjects. This picture book biography not only introduces readers to VanDerZee's life but also provides a glimpse into the Harlem Renaissance and highlights some techniques used in early photography. He took photographs of legendary figures of the Harlem Renaissance — politicians such as Marcus Garvey, performers including Florence Mills, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, and Mamie Smith — and ordinary folks in the neighborhood too.
Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee!
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Cassie doesn't have to actually go to the beach; she's got her very own "tar beach" on the roof of her Harlem apartment building. From there, her imagination takes her on a journey through time and space. The artist's quilt story was successfully adapted into this modern classic.
Tar Beach
Age Level: 6-9 years old

After Frances Perkins witnessed the Triangle Waist Factory fire in 1911, she decided to work to bring about new laws to give workers more rights and make workplaces safer. When she became Secretary of Labor for FDR―the first woman cabinet member―Frances had the opportunity to make real her bold vision of a country where no one was left out with the establishment of the Social Security program.
Thanks to Frances Perkins: Fighter for Workers' Rights
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A grandfather shares with his grandchild the quiet wonder of birdwatching — and a wry talent for telling a tall tale. "When I go birdwatching, things happen," Granddad tells little Jess. Sometimes, he says, while he’s drawing pictures of the birds, they draw pictures of him. And sometimes they help him out by finding their own names in his bird book. "Birds are amazing," says Granddad, but Jess isn’t so sure. So one day she goes birdwatching with Granddad to see for herself.
The Birdwatchers
Age Level: 6-9 years old

As Tim ponders how he might earn money for a skateboard, he hears The Can Man down the street collecting empty soft drink cans. The clang of the cans in the homeless man's cart gives Tim an idea. He will collect cans too, and cash them in for the redemption money. By the end of the week, Tim has almost reached his goal, until a couple of chance encounters with The Can Man change everything.
The Can Man
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Seven-year-old Lena is going to paint a picture of herself. She wants to use brown paint for her skin. But when she and her mother take a walk through the neighborhood, Lena learns that brown comes in many different shades. Through the eyes of a little girl who begins to see her familiar world in a new way, this book celebrates the differences and similarities that connect all people.
The Colors of Us
Age Level: 6-9 years old

The story of Jane Addams who transformed a poor neighborhood in Chicago by opening up her house as a community center. She was the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize,
The House That Jane Built: A Story About Jane Addams
Age Level: 6-9 years old

The true story of green-thumbed pioneer and activist Kate Sessions, who helped San Diego grow from a dry desert town into a lush, leafy city known for its beautiful parks and gardens.
The Tree Lady
Age Level: 6-9 years old

In a neighborhood of flower gardens, a Chinese-American girl and her mother plant what the child considers to be ugly vegetables. The ugly vegetables, however, become attractive and help build community when made into a delicious soup! A recipe is included.
The Ugly Vegetables
Age Level: 6-9 years old

This activity book invites kids to document their lives and daily rituals alongside 59 real kids. Complete with sticker sheets, punch-out postcards, and a fold-out map, this interactive activity book will get kids writing, drawing, sharing, and learning about cultures and countries other than their own.
This Is How I Do It: One Day in the Life of You and 59 Real Kids from Around the World
Age Level: 6-9 years old

The story of one family’s journey north during the Great Migration starts with a little girl in South Carolina who finds a rope under a tree one summer. She has no idea the rope will become part of her family’s history. But for three generations, that rope is passed down, used for everything from jump rope games to tying suitcases onto a car for the big move north to New York City, and even for a family reunion where that first little girl is now a grandmother.
This Is the Rope: A Story from the Great Migration
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Jenny's favorite uncle, Uncle Peter, is getting married. Now Jenny won't be his only "special girl" any longer; she'll have to share him with Stella! But Peter's bride is as happy to have a new niece as she is beautiful and wins Jenny over. Child-like illustrations reflect the traditions and warmth of this Chinese American family.
Uncle Peter's Amazing Chinese Wedding
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A boy wonders about the people he sees on his city’s streets until he goes to the soup kitchen where his uncle works. This empathetic, gently told story can help kids build a connection with their local community.
Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Meet Ana, a young girl who loves to read. There aren't many books in her small Colombian village, though — until the day Ana meets the Biblioburro, a librarian who brings books through the mountains on the backs of two strong donkeys. Inspired by the heroic efforts of real-life librarian Luis Soriano, this story asks readers, "How far would you go for a book?"
Waiting for the Biblioburro
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Growing fruits and vegetables doesn't take a lot of space; they can even grow in crowded cities! From beekeeping to chickens, small areas can support food which leads to sharing, eating, and caring for others and the environment. Once the concept of urban agriculture is introduced, who knows what may blossom?!
Watch Me Grow! A Down-to-Earth Look at Growing Food in the City
Age Level: 6-9 years old

America is a country rich in diversity.No matter what brought them here, each person embodied a unique gift—their art and music, their determination and grit, their stories and their culture. And together they forever shaped the country we all call home.
We Came to America
Age Level: 6-9 years old

Across several seemingly unrelated but ultimately connected actions, we watch how kids turn a lonely island into a community This book distills the fundamentals of citizenship into easy-to-digest concepts and emphasizes the importance of caring for others, accepting differences, and taking action to initiate positive change.
What Can a Citizen Do?
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A family in the community have lost everything in a fire, and the church is collecting anything that might be useful to them. James thinks hard about what he can add to the Temple's "love box," but what does he have worth giving? A touching, powerful tale of compassion and reminds us all that what is given from the heart, reaches the heart.
What Is Given from the Heart
Age Level: 6-9 years old

A celebration to remind all of us about the beauty, history, and magic behind names. Frustrated by a day full of teachers and classmates mispronouncing her beautiful name, a little girl tells her mother she never wants to come back to school. In response, the girl's mother teaches her about the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names on their lyrical walk home through the city. Empowered by this newfound understanding, the young girl is ready to return the next day to share her knowledge with her class.
Your Name Is a Song
Age Level: 6-9 years old
Age Level: 9-12 years old


Find ways to help out family, friends, yourself and the planet and show how you're never too young to make a big difference. Includes random acts of kindness, craft projects, energy-saving ideas, and much more.
101 Small Ways to Change the World
Age Level: 9-12 years old

Small actions multiplied by lots of people equals big change! That’s the driving belief behind the social change movement We Are What We Do — and it infuses this lively, motivating book packed with action steps for younger readers. These thirty-one creative, original ideas are contributed by kids for kids — and each is guaranteed to have a clear and positive impact.
31 Ways to Change the World
Age Level: 9-12 years old

How did Central Park become a vibrant gem in the heart of New York City? Follow the visionaries behind the plan as it springs to green life. Their design included parkland, ponds, a lake, walking paths, play areas, fountains, pagodas, entertainment venues, a Children’s District (with a petting zoo), and other features.
A Green Place to Be: The Creation of Central Park
Age Level: 9-12 years old

Young people see a need and work to better their world in this upbeat chronicle of youthful activists.
Generation Fix: Young Ideas for a Better World
Age Level: 9-12 years old

A boy who discovers a love of poetry after finding his late father's journal. Isaiah learns that perseverance and vulnerability are real superpowers and that family and community are the real wind beneath a superhero’s cape.
Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero
Age Level: 9-12 years old

Inspired by storytelling's oral tradition and through a mix of fictional first-person narratives, spoken-word poems, folk myths, gospel rhythms and blues influences, this picture book illuminates the dignity of sharecroppers in the rural South. Learn about America's struggle for civil rights as seen through the eyes of the children who lived it.
Loretta Little Looks Back: Three Voices Go Tell It
Age Level: 9-12 years old

Marley Dias, the powerhouse girl-wonder who started the #1000blackgirlbooks campaign, speaks to kids about her passion for making our world a better place, and how to make their dreams come true!
Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!
Age Level: 9-12 years old

Murals: Walls That Sing
Age Level: 9-12 years old

An honest explanation for kids about the state of race in America today, how power and privilege factor into the lives of white children, at the expense of other groups, and how we can all make a difference.
Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness
Age Level: 9-12 years old

A Vietnamese girl plants six lima beans in a Cleveland vacant lot, and a sense of community sprouts and spreads.Thirteen diverse characters in this book bring to life a community garden's founding and first year. Seedfolks has been drawn upon to teach tolerance, read in ESL classes, promoted by urban gardeners, and performed in schools and on stages from South Africa to Broadway.
Seedfolks
Age Level: 9-12 years old

This new edition of the best-selling youth service guide includes a refreshed Ten Steps to Successful Service Projects plus hundreds of up-to-date ideas for projects — from simple to large-scale.
The Kid's Guide to Service Projects
Age Level: 9-12 years old

Thirty diverse, award-winning authors and illustrators invite you into their homes to witness the conversations they have with their children about race in America today in this powerful call-to-action that invites all families to be anti-racists and advocates for change.
The Talk: Conversations about Race, Love & Truth
Age Level: 9-12 years old

Discusses the duties of mayors, how they get into office, the responsibilities of local governments, working with the city council, and notable mayors.
What Does a Mayor Do?
Age Level: 9-12 years old

Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood "wishtree"―people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red's branches. Along with a crow named Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red's hollows, this wishtree watches over the neighborhood. When a new family moves in, not everyone is welcoming, and Red's experience as a wishtree is more important than ever.
Wishtree
Age Level: 9-12 years old
Hands-on Activities
Build on what you’re learning together through books with these family-friendly activities, experiments, and crafts.
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PBS KIDS
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Start with a Book
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Center for Understanding the Built Environment (CUBE)
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Family Tree Magazine
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Studio Pause
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Kin Parents
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Imagination Soup
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Start with a Book
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Start with a Book
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Education.com
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Kids Art & Craft
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Start with a Book
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Chicago Children's Museum
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American Planning Association
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Family Tree Magazine
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Project Learning Tree
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Start with a Book
Summer Writing
Give kids a chance to flex their writing muscles all summer long. Try one of these prompts, selected from our writing contest archives and other literacy organizations.
Great Websites for Kids
Dive deeper into topics of interest with these media-rich and interactive sites.
Educational Apps
Educational apps recommended by Common Sense Media and other trusted reviewers.
More Themed Resources
Growing Readers Tip Sheets

Simple activities for parents and kids to do together to build reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. Read online or print the PDF.
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Meet the Authors
Family Stories.
Meg Medina, Patricia Polacco, Lucía González, Jacqueline Woodson, Linda Sue Park, and Christopher Myers talk about the folktales and family stories they heard growing up.
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Meet the Author
Fire talking. Writer and illustrator Patricia Polacco remembers listening to the elders in her family tell how things were. Now she is the one who passes down family history.
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Meet the Author
Apple Pie Fourth of July. For many of her stories, writer Janet Wong taps into her childhood experience growing up in multicultural Los Angeles. Do the unexpected. Look around. Embrace your community. Seek out what's different and new and try it.

Our Summer Blog
Washington DC for Kids
