5 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month

5 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month

5 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month

Whether you celebrate Black History during February or during the entire year, below are 5 different ways to recognize the history of African American and Black individuals.

If you are looking for Black History Project Ideas, click here for some.

1. Visit a site

If you live or can drive, there are historical sites in the U.S. that have previously owned plantation sites. Some sites are preserved, and you can view them.

There are hundreds if not thousands of former sites that housed enslaved individuals in the United States. Take some time to visit, and you can see the pros and cons of how the owners lived compared to the 1,000s who were forced to build the wealth of the ones who owned them.

Visiting the site can make the experience more real, and recognize that humans were trafficked.

Some sites here

2. Talk to an elder

Our African American grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, and cousins are living history books. In the 1930s, Black Americans were sharecropping and picking cotton.

Sharecropping explained here

Even though slavery was abolished, the actions of enslavement remained with laws such as Jim Crow. Elders can give you a 1st person perspective on life and what it meant to have limited freedoms.

3. Museum Visit

The National Museum of African American History & Culture celebrates Black History each day. You can find stories and https://nmaahc.si.edu/

4. Read

There are beautifully written texts written about Black History Month.

Here are a few suggestions for children ages 0-12.

1. Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre    Ages 8-12
2. Evicted! The Struggle for the Right to Vote Ages 9-12
3.Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free:
The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth       
Ages 4-8
4. The Me I Choose to Be    Ages 6-8
5. The ABCs of Black HistoryAges 5-8
6. The Hair Book Ages 0-5

5. Visit a Black or Caribbean Restaurant

The Black experience flows from not only Africa but from the Caribbean to the Americas. Eat at a restaurant to not only support this establishment economically but experience the culture. If you want to learn about Black History, you can learn it through the vibrant food experiences.

Have fun celebrating!

Booklist-Fiction & Nonfiction Books with LGBTQIA characters and authors

Booklist-Fiction & Nonfiction Books with LGBTQIA characters and authors

Photo by Michael Burrows from Pexels

  •  YA books with LGBTQ authors.
  • Fiction and nonfiction booklist

A booklist with modern-day stories that discuss gender and sexuality for teens and young adults. 

8-12, MIDDLE GRADE READERS

NON FICTION

1. The Gender Wheel by Maya Christina Gonzalez

2. You Be You! He Kid’s Guide to Gender, Sexuality, and Family by  Jonathan Branfman

3. Be Amazing, A History of Pride by Desmond Is Amazing

4. Rainbow Revolutionaries by Sarah Prager

5. Out! How to Be Your Authentic Self by Miles McKenna

FICTION

1. Ciel in all Directions by Sophie Labelle about a trans Teen

2. Cheer Up! By Crystal Frasier YA Graphic Novel

3. Sports by Emilie Dufresne

4. Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

5. My Brother’s Husband by Gengoroh Tagame

6. Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki

13+, SECONDARY READERS

NON FICTION

1. The ABC’s of LGBT by Ash Hardell

2. Queer, There, and Everywhere, 23 People Who Changed the World by Sarah Prager

3. Out! How to Be your Authentic Self by Miles McKenna

4. Rainbow Revolutions, Power, Pride, and Protest in the Fit for Queer Rights by Jamie Lawson

5. A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities by Mady G and Jules Zuckerberg

6. The New Queer Conscience by Adam Eli

7. All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

FICTION

1. The Lost Coast by A.r. Capetta       

2. Our Dining Table by Mita Ori a Graphic Novel

3. When You get the Chance by Tom Ryan

4. You Brought Me the Ocean by Alex Sanchez

5. Our Dining Table by Mita Ori

6. When you Get the Chance by Tom Ryan

7. The Lost Coast by A.R. Capetta

 

8. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

9. What Makes You Beautiful by Bridget Liang

10. Quiver by Julia Watts

 

 

Booklist-Fiction & Nonfiction Books with Asian youth

Booklist-Fiction & Nonfiction Books with Asian youth

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

YA & Children’s books with Asian characters

Books with Asian main characters

Asian writers books

Below is a list to recognize the stories about Asian lives and Asian characters. Stories range from children to young adult readers. You can discover picture books with Asian characters and novels for teens.

INFANT-PRESCHOOL READERS

My Love for You is Always by Gillian Sze

Bee-Bim Bop! Linda Sue Park

Binny’s Diwali by Thirty Umrigar

Laxmi’s Mooch by Shelly Anand

Tomatoes for Neela by Padma Lakshmi

The Colors of Tết / Màu của Tết Bilingual Vietnamese English Book by Tiny Wrist

Green and Preen: A Broken Crayon Cosmic Adventure by Linda Sue Park

One Hug by Katrina Moore


5-8 YEARS OLD, PRIMARY READERS

Words to Make a Friend: A Story in Japanese and English by Donna Jo Napoli

Two girls become friends despite not speaking the same language.

The Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor

The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee by Julie Leung

What I See: Anti-Asian Racism From The Eyes Of A Child by Christine T Leung

Friends in the Mail by Fran Manushkin

Katie Woo’s Neighborhood Series

How to Cath a Dragon by Adam Wallace
Spring Festival or Chinese New Year Celebration

BIOGRAPHY

Be Water, My Friend: The Early Years of Bruce Lee by Ken Mochizuki

Honda: The Boy Who Dreamed of Cars by Weston


8-12, MIDDLE GRADE READERS

FICTION


The Many Meanings of Meilan by Andrea Wang her identity about being Chinese-American

How to Win a Slime War by Mae Respicio https://www.maerespicio.com/

Stargazing by Jen Wang

Generation Misfits by Akemi Dawn Bowman

We Belong by Cookie Hiponia
The main characters are from the Philippines. Story of fitting into a new culture and other experiences.

Room to Dream by Kelly Yang

Amal Abound by Aisha Saeed

Unsettled by Reem Faruqi

Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang
Graphic Novel about a basketball allstar

HISTORICAL FICTION

Soul Lanterns by Shaw Kuzki

A Song for Cambodia by Lord


13+, YA READERS

Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim

A Taste for Love by Jennifer Yen

Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, graphic memoir

Everything Sad Is Untrue: (a true story) by Daniel Nayeri
An autobiographical novel about an Iranian Refugee; National Indie Bestseller

Reading Books for Academics and Pleasure

Reading Books for Academics and Pleasure

  • Critical reading English for academic purposes
  • Encouraging reading at home
  • Pleasure of reading books

Ensuring that your child reads for fun or reads for school or academics requires stamina and balance. Particularly, these experiences include different books, skills, and ideas. Reading academically and for pleasure has unique differences. For example, reading for pleasure is when one is intrinsically motivated to read a book and they are not solely focused on reading for learning. Academic reading is meant to advance one’s knowledge or studies.

What does reading for pleasure look like?

ClassroomHome
15-20 Minutes each day, depending on age group.
During times when there is center or guided reading work.
Right after or before lunch.
A set time at the end of the day before it is time to go home.
In the morning before breakfast or in the evening before bed.
Before you turn on the TV for late-night cartoons.
Driving in the car.

What does academic reading look like?

Critically reading to understand the purpose of the text, build connections of the text, and to show the skill that the teacher or curriculum desires. 

Ensuring the reader picks up vocabulary, syntax, and building of their comprehension. 

Ultimately, finding books that are engaging and motivating takes time. There are online book finders and of course your local librarian who can help you find the books that are just right for your child. 

Reading for Pleasure and Reading for Academics has stark differences. Ultimately if integrated on a daily basis, the reward can be great. Your child will be a reader and he or she will have the skills, stamina, and internal motivation to read.

Here at Pennez, we are looking to support you and your child in your online reading experiences. We have tutoring services, and a product called Read2Think. At Pennez we cater our tutoring services to ensure the books are inclusive and the lessons are on pace for your child. We also encourage parents to listen in on the first few times to exchange knowledge. 

Booklist-Fiction & Nonfiction Books with Black Youth

Booklist-Fiction & Nonfiction Books with Black Youth

  • Children’s books featuring Black authors or Black characters.

  • Black authors nonfiction

  • Young Adult books by Black authors

To celebrate African American and Black authors or characters, a list has been compiled for young readers-middle grade-high school grade readers. The majority of these books were published in 2020 & 2021. There are a few older stories as well.

INFANT-PRESCHOOL READERS

1. Brown Sugar Babies by Charles R. Smith Jr.

2. Hey Black Child by Useni Eugene Perkins

A poetry book on what it means to be a strong, unique, and know where you are going.

3. Change Sings by Amanda Gorman

4. Time for Kenny by Brian Pinkney

5. Ruby’s Reunion Day Dinner by Angela Dalton

6. Jayden’s Impossible Garden by Mélina Mangal

7. Ty’s Travels: Beach Day by Kelly Starling Lyons

8. Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn

9. Just Us Books, Marimba Books, an African American publisher

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5-8 YEAR OLD, PRIMARY READERS

FICTION

1. What Is Light? By Markette Sheppard

2. ana & andrew book series by Christine Platt

3. Southwest Sunrise by Nikki Grimes

4. Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan

A group of birds rejoice how beautiful the black bird is because the black bird contains all of their colors.

You can discover more about the author here: https://ashleybryancenter.org/contact.html

5. Mia Mayhem Superhero Series by Kara West

6. The Dramatic Life of Azaleah Lane by Nikki Shannon Smith

7. When My Cousins Come to Town by Angela Shanté

REALISTIC FICTION

1. Early Sunday Morning by Denene Millner

2. The Old Truck by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey

3. Bedtime Bonnet by Nancy Amanda Redd, Nneka Myers

A storybook about nighttime traditions.

4. Saturday by Oge Mora
A little girl and her mother have fun routines every Saturday because it is the only time they can spend a whole day together each week. But this Saturday something went wrong, and they discover the true meaning of Saturday.

5. Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée Watson

HISTORY

Praline Lady by Kirstie Myvett

The King and Me by Isaiah Bealer

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AGES 8-12, MIDDLE GRADE READERS

ADVENTURE

1. The Last Mirror on the Left by Lamar Giles

2. Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron

REALISTIC FICTION

1. Ashton’s Dancing Dreams by Kaitly Pitts

2. Some Place More Than Others by Renée Watson

3. What Lane? by Torrey Maldonado

A story about what it means to be biracial.

4. Fast Pitch by Nic Stone

5. Take Back the Block by Chrystal D. Giles

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AGES 13+, SECONDARY READERS

REALISTIC FICTION

1. Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson

2. Not So Pure and Simple by Lamar Giles

3. Muted by Tami Charles

 

HISTORICAL FICTION

1. Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron

2. Leaving Lymon by Lesa Cline-Ransome

3. Pictures at the Protest by Steven K Smith

4. Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden

5. The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones by Daven McQueen

 

ADVENTURE

1. Black girl unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a teenage wizard by Echo Brown

2. My life as an Ice Cream Sandwich by Ibi Aanu Zobi

3. Tristan Strong Destroys the World by Kwame Mbalia