Thursday, July 29, 2021

Perfectly Paired Picture Books- “Belonging, Individuality, and Consent”

 By Keila V. Dawson

Today’s post looks at diversity and inclusion in books that address important topics such as belonging, individuality, and consent. In these books, authors acknowledge difference exists and there are many types of diversity. Readers can learn about diversity by exploring their own identities and those of others, too. However, diversity alone is not enough.  Books in this post are wonderful examples of diversity and inclusion. They show what diversity looks like and how to coexist so all feel respected and valued.



Fitting in vs. Belonging

Humor and cultural traditions help children learn about how individuals try to fit in when what they really desire is to feel they truly belong.

My School Stinks! By Becky Scharnhorst, Julia Patton

All Are Welcome By Alexandra Penfold, Janina Edwards


Individuality and Self-Esteem

Lyrical text, rhyme, and puns help children celebrate individuality.


Except When They Don't By Laura Gehl and Joshua Heinsz

Bodies Are Cool By Tyler Feder


Boundaries and Consent

Characters in this pair use their voices to speak out about their likes and dislikes.


Don't Hug Doug: (He Doesn't Like It) By Carrie Finison and Daniel Wiseman 

Don't Touch My Hair! By Sharee Miller


Some final thoughts...

Kudos to Carrie and Kirsti for the countless hours spent managing this blog and running the annual Reading For Research Month event the past seven years. I hope my posts have helped others as much as studying books and writing about them has helped me grow as a writer.

Writing can be a lonely endeavor and I am forever grateful to Carrie and Kristi for welcoming me into this corner of the kidlit community.

It's been an honor working with Team ReFoReMo.

Happy reading!

 

16 comments:

  1. Great PB pairings, Keila. I have learned so much from your Author Studies over the years. Here's to you and the team!

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    1. Thanks, Kathy! It's a mutual admiration society!

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  2. Thank you for all the great posts! You have contributed to my understanding of how to use mentor texts and shown me some great picture books to study!

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    1. YAY!!! Thanks for reading and taking part in RefoReMo.

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  3. Great posts! Love the pairings. I will miss these informative posts. Thanks for all of your hard work - to everyone who has contributed over the years!

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  4. ReFoReMo has encouraged me. 2021 was my first year and I read every book that I could find from the list. I made notes on each story. When I finished, I did the same for 2020 and am now reading through the 2019 list. Three journals and 265 books later I am still at it. This has exposed me to many books I may not have picked up on my own. I've also been able to recommend several books from the lists to others to read to their children and grandchildren. Thank you for the challenge, guidance and resources. I wish you much success in your future writing adventures.

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    1. WOW! So glad to hear about the reach. We will see you in the community for sure. Good luck to you, too!

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  5. Thanks for a final-final, Keila! Your insightful posts will be missed! And I'm thrilled to see a friend's (yay, Becky!) and StoryJammer's (yay, Laura!) books in your pairings. Wooohoo!

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    1. Muuuuwah! Thanks for taking part, Jilanne. See you and hope to "see you" again, soon!

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  6. Gratitude to Carrie and Kristi, Keila and all contributors to this wonderful blog. You have made a real difference!

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  7. Keila, thank you for sharing these paired picture books about belonging, individuality, and consent. I'm going to miss these posts by you and the amazing ReFoReMo team. Wishing everyone all the best in their new adventures.

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    1. Thanks so much Charlotte! See you around the interweb!

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  8. These are some great-sounding ones, thank you for sharing!

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