Spring is finally here! The birds are chirping and my tulips are blooming. The books on my April read-aloud list are guaranteed to put a spring in your step! They celebrate Earth Day and Easter. There are also books about gardening and birds and flowers. KENYA’S ART BY LINDA TRICE Kenya’s class is on spring vacation and their teacher asked them to write a report about how they spent their time. But vacation is almost over and Kenya hasn’t done anything worth noting. A late visit to a museum’s recycling exhibit and a walk through her neighborhood with her daddy inspire Kenya to use her old, broken toys and other items to make art with her family. Now she’s prepared to teach her whole class how to Recycle! Reuse! Make Art! DIG IN! Explore all of the creepy, crawly, dirty, muddy, green, and growing things that can be found

March is a transition time between winter and spring. It is also a popular month for spring book fairs and spring break. The picture books in my March book list include a few women’s history books, St. Patrick’s Day stories and spring titles. Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride by Pam Munoz Ryan A fictionalized account of the night Amelia Earhart flew Eleanor Roosevelt over Washington, D.C. in an airplane. Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson When spring comes, Bear wakes up very hungry and is treated to great food by his friends. Bruce’s Big Storm by Ryan T. Higgins Grumpy Bruce the bear does not like neighbors, but is forced to help when a big storm draws them all to his home. Duck and Goose by Tad Hills Duck and Goose learn to work together to take care of a ball they think is an over-sized egg.

It is so important to read our students’ picture books with diverse characters. Children need to learn about new cultures, places, and traditions. They also need to be able to “see” themselves in a book. For so long there was a shortage of diverse and multicultural children’s books. And while there has been a steady increase in the past few years, there is still a long way to go. Below is a book list of 36 books that feature both multicultural and diverse characters. These include children of different races and ethnic groups as well as a child with two fathers and a boy who identifies as a girl. Before you read the book list, I want to share with you one of my favorite quotes about diversity. Across the Bay by Carlos Aponte Carlitos lives in a happy home with his mother, his abuela and Coco the cat.

“When I see you through my eyes, I think that we are different. When I see you through my heart, I know we are the same”. Doe Zantamanta It is so important to teach our students to see with their heart. Reading books with characters who have different abilities helps our students to do this. It helps them to build empathy and respect. It gives the chance to look beyond a person’s disability and see who they are inside. And it also allows children who have a disability to see themselves reflected in the book. This book list features 16 picture books with children who have different abilities. This includes children with autism and Down’s Syndrome and children who are in a wheelchair, are dyslexic or have a learning disability of some kind. 47 Strings: Tessa’s Special Code by Becky Carey A childrne’s picture book about the remarkable lessons

Besides reading Valentine’s Day books, February is one of the best months to read biographies and narrative nonfiction. Most of the books on this list focus on black history month and President’s Day. I also included a book that I just discovered called A Poem for Peter. It is about Ezra Jack Keats and how he was inspired to write the book The Snowy Day. I love this book so much, I just had to give it a special mention. Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek : a Tall, Thin Tale by Deborah Hopkinson In Knob Creek, Kentucky, in 1816, seven-year-old Abe Lincoln falls into a creek and is rescued by his best friend, Austin Gollaher. Abe’s Honest Words : the Life of Abraham Lincoln by Doreen Rapaport An illustrated biography of Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States and the man responsible for seeing the country through