What better time than summer to explore diverse topics, titles, authors and genres. To start visit the following diverse summer reading lists. *Click the underlined text to access the lists. The publisher, Lee and Low has a great summer reading list . We're the People Summer Reading List featuring books about or written by Native Americans or people of color. W e Need Diverse Books - Summer Reading Series Find recommendations here for great summer time reads.

Join in the celebration in new and exciting ways. Use this month to spring into intentional diversity and incorporate poems for and about people of color. Additionally, consider using primary sources, images and poetry for a diverse approach to studying poetry. The Library of Congress Found Poetry Primary Source Set provides students the opportunity to analyze primary source texts with poetry [although created several years ago the content is rich]. Find additional details here. https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/poetry/?loclr=blogtea Here are a few ideas for school-wide, media center and community, poetry celebrations: · Host a poetry slam in your school’s library. · If you have a student-produced news broadcast have students read aloud poetry by or about people of color. · Have students write their own poems and share them with the school and community. · Feature students’ original poems on your school or library website. Other great resources and ideas for celebrating poetry month in your school can be found at the National Poetry Month Website . Poets.org is produced by the Academy of American Poets and is a nonprofit organization that advocates for American poets and poetry. For more ideas visit the National Poetry Month’s website. https://www.poets.org/national-poetry-month/home Want even more ideas? Explore this great resource, “4 mentor Texts and Activities for National Poetry Month”, on the Lee and Low Blog. http://blog.leeandlow.com/2017/04/11/4-mentor-texts-and-activities-for-national-poetry-month-2/ RAPID LIST OF RECOMMENDED DIVERSE POETRY BOOKS PICTURE BOOKS Jazz by Walter Dean Myers published by Holiday House La Madre Goose: Nursery Rhymes for Los Niños by Susan Middleton Elya published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers Animal Poems of the Iguazú / Animalario del Iguazú By Alarcón published by Children’s Book Press Love to Mamá: A Tribute to Mothers By Pat Mora published by Lee & Low Books Cool Melons— Turn to Frogs! The Life and Poems of Issa By Matthew Gollub published by Lee & Low Books OLDER STUDENTS Grades 4 - 6 Tofu Quilt By Ching Russell published by Lee & Low Books Martí's Song for Freedom/Martí y sus versos por la libertad By Emma Otheguy by Children’s Book Press TEENS (Grades 7 – 12) Between the Line by Nikki Grimes published by Nancy Paulsen Books [2018] The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano by Margarita Engle published by Henry Holt 2006 Black Girl Magic: A Poem by Mahagony Browne published by Roaring Brook Press 2018, c2016. For Everyone by Jason Reynold. Published by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books available April 10, 2018. Voices in the Air: Poem for Listeners by Naomi Shihab Nye published by HarperCollins Children's Books 2018. The Playbook: 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot and Score in This Game Called Life by Swame Alexander published by HMH Books for Young Readers 2018.