Tag: book list

Picture Book Round Up: LOLs

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Today’s post features some of my favorite funny picture books. Yes, these are intended for small kiddos – but they’re also ones that I pick up when I want to smile.

Who Wet My Pants?
by Bob Shea, Illustrated by Zachariah OHora

A bear who is a part of a scout group is surprised to find that someone wet his pants. He goes around, asking all of his friends which one of them wet his pants. If you have the humor of an eight-year-old boy like I do, you’ll think this is hilarious.

Find Who Wet My Pants at a library near you on WorldCat!

The Panda Problem
by Deborah Underwood, Illustrated by Hannah Marks

Every main character in a story has a problem, right? A panda is the main character in this story, but the panda doesn’t seem to have a problem… until the panda becomes the problem. I really love picture books that break the fourth wall, and the interaction that the panda has with the narrator in this picture book is just too fun.

Find The Panda Problem at a library near you on WorldCat!

Pokko and the Drum
by Matthew Forsythe

Pokko’s parents made a huge mistake… they gave her a drum. This silly picture book follows Pokko as she unintentionally leads a parade through the forest. The storyline is funny, but the illustrations here are really make this a stand-out book. Shoutout to Matthew Forsythe for both writing and illustrating this – I feel like it’s so impressive when people can do both!

Find Pokko and the Drum at a library near you on WorldCat!

Attack of the Underwear Dragon
by Scott Rothman, Illustrated by Pete Oswald

Cole has always wanted to be a knight, and his wish has now come true! Sort of – he’s serving as an Assistant Knight to Sir Percival. Surely his training will go well… unless an underwear dragon shows up. Fingers crossed that Cole will be able to use his knight skills to fight the dragon off!

Find Attack of the Underwear Dragon at a library near you on WorldCat!

And yes, the first book in this round up features someone wetting their pants, and the last book in this round up features underwear. I don’t care how old you are – that stuff is always funny. Have fun with these picture books, and let me know in the comments if you know of any great laugh out loud picture books I should check out.

#JusticeforGeorge Book List

~ rachelbenzine ~ 1 Comment

My first draft of this blog post started with a narrative of my journey to recognizing my white privilege, realizing that racism is still actively working in our country, and trying to learn more about the experiences of people of color. But then I deleted all of it, because here’s what it comes down to: we have to do better, y’all.

We need to dismantle the racist systems that continue to oppress people of color, and we also need to change as individuals. I’m a huge proponent of the concept that small individual changes add up to make larger change. May our collective sadness/frustration/anger at the death of George Floyd and so many other Black people at the hands of police last beyond this moment. May we take it upon ourselves to do all that we can to change our country for the better.

I watched a powerful video yesterday of George Floyd’s brother urging people to educate themselves. When I started on this journey several years ago of trying to open my eyes to the racism that’s so prevalent in our country, I turned to books. I want to share with you a reading list of some of the best books I’ve read that have helped me become more educated on this topic.

After I finished making the list, I realized it was huge. So I’m going to divide this into a few sections: first, I’ll tell you my if-you’re-only-going-to-read-a-few-read-these-ones list. I’ll have a longer list at the bottom if you’re wanting to dig in and do some more extensive reading. If you have any good recommendations for books you loved that I should check out, leave me a comment! Let’s walk on this journey together.

The following are some of my favorites that have helped me learn more about racism, oppression, and the lives of people of color. These ones are all written for adults.

Adult Nonfiction

  • I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
  • The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
  • Motherhood So White by Nefertiti Austin
  • In the Country We Love: My Family Divided by Diane Guerrero
  • Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist by Eli Saslow

Adult Fiction

  • Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
  • Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

And now, for the full list:

Adult Nonfiction

  • The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
  • Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou
  • You Can’t Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson
  • Unashamed by Lecrae
  • In the Country We Love: My Family Divided by Diane Guerrero
  • Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
  • Motherhood So White by Nefertiti Austin
  • How Not to Get Shot by D. L. Hugely
  • Solito, Solita by Steven Mayers (editor)
  • Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist by Eli Saslow
  • I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
  • Free Cyntoia by Cyntoia Brown
  • Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall
  • We Are Not Here to be Bystanders by Linda Sarsour
  • A Knock at Midnight by Brittany K. Barnett
  • Love Thy Neighbor by Ayaz Virji
  • The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson

Adult Fiction

  • Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
  • American Dirt by Jeanine Cummings
  • Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

YA & Children’s Nonfiction

  • Reaching for the Stars by Katherine Johnson
  • Free Lunch by Rex Ogle
  • Proud by Ibtihaj Muhammad
  • The Real Story Behind U.S. Treaties with Native Americans by Sarah Machajewski
  • Uprooted: The Japanese American Experience During World War II by Albert Marrin

YA & Children’s Fiction

  • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
  • The Lines We Cross by Randa Abdel-Fattah
  • Devils Within by S. F. Henson
  • Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles
  • Internment by Samira Ahmed
  • You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino
  • The Inside Battle by Melanie Subrow

#justiceforgeorge #pleaseicantbreathe #blacklivesmatter