Ruby's Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges

Ruby's Wish is about a little girl in China who knows she is going to grow up to marry a man and be a housewife. Her grandfather is rich and the family has a tutor at the house. Ruby loves school and does better than all her boy cousins. She stays up late to study even after a long day of school and doing chores and "womens work". She gets the chance to tell her grandfather how she feels. Luckily he is an open-minded man and she gets to continue school. This was a touching story and also a true one. The author recounts his grandmothers experience. I like stories that break tradition for the better and empower women. This book was an excellent portrayal and also had beautiful pictures. There was Chinese culture to learn about with an inspiring story attached. I definitely recommend this book.

Lunch Money and Other Poems About School by Carol Diggory Shields

The book is a collection of poems about school. They are funny and easy to relate to. Each poem describes something about the school day. One discusses the process of trading snacks at lunchtime. Another discusses what happens during the flag salute. My favorite had to be the one about staring at the clock and waiting for the bell to ring for the end of the day. Everyone has experienced something from the collection of poems. The main theme of the book shows how school can be fun. That idea is most important when trying to get kids excited about going to school. This book will definitely persuade children to go to school. Any anxiety or fear about attending school will be decreased by reading these poems. Parents with young children should have this book and classrooms should also have this book on the shelf. It provides many opportunities for writing activities.

The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler

The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler is phenomenal! Every child and adult should be required to read this  book. It is basically about being comfortable in you own skin and how we are all humans and equals even though we look different. The book describes what people are and are not. The metaphors relating to skin colors are bold but simple. The author shows similarities across cultures and emphasizes acceptance of diversity . It is an easy read yet the message is so powerful. I definitely recommend this book to have in the classroom.