Blog

WNDMG Wednesday – Holiday Gifts for MG Readers

By on December 14, 2022   /   Articles, WNDMG  
We Need Diverse MG

 

We Need Diverse MG Logo hands holding reading globe with stars and spirals floating around

Illustration by: Aixa Perez-Prado

Holiday Gifts for MG Readers

Welcome to WNDMG Wednesday – the holiday edition! Looking for holiday gifts for your MG readers?

How about a video game or virtual reality goggles?

Ha.

Not April Fools yet, sorry, I got confused.

But seriously folks, how about books … and not just books, but a subscription book box? I’ve got the perfect idea: the Atlas Book Club, founded by Bunmi Emenanjo. The Atlas Book Club was created specifically with diversity in mind: to provide a way for kids to read in a way that builds global awareness, cultural consciousness, empathy, and understanding.

Lucky for us at WNDMG, we got to talk to Bunmi a little bit about the Atlast Book Club, and we can’t wait to introduce her.

Interview with Bunmi Emenanjo

WNDMG: What made you decide to start Atlas?

BE: In 2016, my husband and I moved with our kids to our current home in a lovely neighborhood with very little diversity. To ensure the kids remain connected to their heritage, I started a children’s book club initially focused on African books. This book club included kids from different backgrounds made up of kids of friends and from our neighborhood. Also, whenever I was a Guest Lucky forReader at the kids’ elementary school, I selected books from our diverse collection. This usually led to interesting conversations with kids who normally would not have exposure to books set in countries such as Uganda or Burkina Faso. I saw how these books set all over the world resonated with my kids and other kids. My observation was that kids need to see themselves in the books that they read! When they do it helps build their confidence and have a sense of belonging. I also observed that kids are yearning to learn about cultures different from their own! What started off as a home book club where we read books set in different parts of Africa eventually grew into an exploration of countries all over the world. Since launching Atlas Book Club as a business in 2019, we have explored over 25 countries through our book selections!

Atlas Book Club Focuses on Global Diversity

WNDMG: In a time when there’s so much choice in subscription book boxes—and some of those choices do include a focus on diversity—how does Atlas set itself apart from the rest?

EB: Atlas Book Club is different because our focus is on global diversity. We believe that cultural competence is an important aspect of a child’s education and development. We also believe that we do our kids a disservice by not introducing them to global culture when they are young because they will enter, as adults, a workforce that will be more globally diverse than ever.

Our focus, with our boxes, is to bring global culture to a child through a fun, engaging, and interesting book. We are also very intentional about the books that make it into our boxes. Every decision we make is towards fulfilling our mission – (1) to help children of color see themselves in the books that they read; (2) to help all children travel the world and experience global culture through the books we select; and (3) to help shatter single story narratives and stereotypes by showcasing diversity within cultures. Every single item in our box is designed to fulfill that mission. For example, our Fun Facts card typically contains facts that are not well known and that celebrate different parts of the culture of the country we are exploring. We also include a local sourced souvenir from the featured country, which in turn supports a local family or community in that country. We are very particular about the book select and they have to fit certain criteria – we feature books with protagonists of color in genres that do not typically have kids of color as the main character such as magical realism or historical fiction; we ensure that we include books that show kids just being regular kids; and we do not shy away from complex societal issues. Lastly, we explore countries that most people are not even thinking about including Turkey, Iran, Haiti, Botswana, Korea, Peru, and Australia with a focus on Aboriginal history and culture, just to name a few.

Diversity Within Race and Culture Too

WNDMG: You’ve committed to selecting a variety of books that showcase diversity “not just in race and culture, but also diversity within race and culture.” Can you talk a little bit about why that’s such an important distinction?

EB: This is one of the main parts of our mission and we take it very seriously. Often countries have a single story or a narrative that most people associate with that country which can end up fostering dangerous stereotypes. We believe that children are intelligent enough to understand that there are different aspects to every culture and country, we just have to teach them. When a child learns that diversity within cultures exist, they grow up with an awareness and sensitivity that will only serve them well as adults. Even more importantly, it helps them develop a level of respect for these cultures, and an understanding that to really know a person, you must seek to know who they are and where they are from and not simply assume certain things about them based on narratives that exist out in the world.

Furthermore, cultures and countries around the world have such rich, interesting histories and traditions that to boil them down to a single narrative is to lose out on so much richness and stories that could really broaden our understanding of people and of the world. A good example of this is the book You Bring the Distant Near which was featured in one of our YA boxes. This book exposed our readers to Indian Bengali culture. This nuance is important because we were able to dive into the diversity that exists within Indian culture and other South Asian countries. We learned, during our conversation with author Mitali Perkins, the difference between Indian Bengalis and Bangladesh Bengalis, and the history of the Bengal region. This is an example of what we mean by showcasing diversity within cultures through our book selections.

((Looking for additional holiday book suggestions? Check out Rosanne Parry’s latest Diverse Book List HERE))

Working with Parents, Schools, and Libraries

WNDMG: Do you have any partnerships with libraries or schools to support diversity and a global perspective in their collections?

EB: We offer a number of consulting packages to schools, libraries and parenting groups to help them build a book collection and curriculum that is diverse and inclusive in an intentional manner. It is extremely important to create an environment where ALL children can see themselves represented and feel like they truly belong.

WNDMG: Even though your books are curated for young readers, we know adults love to read middle-grade and young adult as well. What kind of responses have you had from parents of your readers?

EB: Ha! I love the parents that snatch up the books before their kids can get to it! The YA books and some of the middle grade ones have been a hit with the parents. You will find that YA books set in other parts of the world have stories that are deep, complex and quite satisfying. Atlas YA books are not all fluff! We have the occasional romance novels but these YA books are simply fantastic. My favorite book of 2020 was one of our YA selections called The Things She’s Seen which we featured when we explored the Aboriginal people of Australia, and it is incredible. And my favorite book this year so far is a middle-grade book called Other Words for Home that just hit me square in the gut. It is featured in our Syria Box.

Kids Feel Seen

WNDMG: Do you have a favorite story of an interaction you’ve had with your book subscribers?

EB: My favorite is a story a mom told me about her Nigerian-American son who attended a mostly white school. He read the book Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor—a fantasy book with a Nigerian boy as the main character—and he loved the book so much he took it to his school librarian and advocated for the book to be added to his school library. He felt like the book represented so much of him and his culture that his classmates should get to read the book too. This really hit home because he validated what we have always believed – when kids see themselves represented in the books that they read, it helps with their sense of identity and belonging. They feel seen. This kid felt seen by reading the book Ikenga and felt his friends should see him, too.

Next for Atlas

WNDMG: What’s next for Atlas?

EB: Gosh! So much we would love to do! We would love to deepen our relationship with the homeschooling community. Our boxes have been such a hit with homeschooling families because they are perfect for social studies, geography and language arts with a focus on global culture. We also would like to grow our consulting clients because we feel that parents and schools do want to ensure that their libraries are diverse and inclusive, and they do want to provide these options to their students, but they do not know where to start! Our goal is to help schools, libraries and parents get there.

About Bunmi Emenanjo:

(Bio excerpted from Work With Me page on Atlas Website)

With over 17 years as an attorney, I have worked in spaces that span the spectrum from the think-tank Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, biotechnology companies, a number of federal agencies to the White House. The diversity of my work experience allows me to be able to communicate with individuals from different professional and personal backgrounds in a manner that resonates such that they feel seen and heard. As a student of vulnerability and authenticity, I bring all that I have learned to the table,

Stay in Touch with Atlas:

Instagram

Facebook

For more on subscriptions, homeschooling, and school visits, check out the Atlast website HERE.

Back to Top

STEM Tuesday– Evolution– In the Classroom

By on December 13, 2022   /   Evolution, STEM Tuesday  

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and discovery of natural selection changed the way people viewed themselves and the world around them. The idea that organisms adapt over time to survive in their environment was groundbreaking. It contradicted what people had always assumed to be true. Many incredible books have been written to help students understand the importance of this discovery and how it influences our understanding of the world today. These books can be used as a springboard for classroom discussions and activities.

 

cover of the book "One Beetle Too Many," featuring an illustration of Charles Darwin peeking through leaves at insects

One Beetle Too Many: The Extraordinary Adventures of Charles Darwin by Kathryn Lasky and Matthew Trueman

This book does an excellent job of making Charles Darwin relatable to young readers. He was a child who loved all type of creatures, including insects and worms. He loved being outside and took great pride in his collections. Kids may see that they aren’t too different from Darwin, and that will keep them engaged throughout the entire book. The illustrations complement the text perfectly, and students will want to look closely to take in all the details.

 

 

 

 

Charles and Emma by Deborah Heiligman

Many biographies of Charles Darwin focus on his research and his time spent on the HMS Beagle. Charles and Emma, however, starts after that adventure is already over, when Charles is trying to decide if he should get married. The relationship between Charles and Emma was a loving one, but she, like many others at the time, had trouble accepting his Theory of Evolution. It completely contradicted peoples’ religious beliefs. This book explores Charles and Emma’s relationship and how that impacted his thinking and his work. Young readers will view Darwin through a different lens.

 

 

 

 

cover of the book "Evolution" featuring a multicolored chameleon on white background

Evolution: How Life Adapts to a Changing Environment with 25 Projects by Carla Mooney and Alexis Cornell

In this book, STEM Tuesday’s own Carla Mooney makes evolution accessible to middle grade readers. She clearly explains what it is, how we think it works, and how this ongoing process will affect the future of our planet. The thought provoking essential questions and subsequent activities give students hands on opportunities to discover how and why animal adaptations occur.

The following two activities were taken directly from this book and are ones I think students will especially enjoy.

 

 

Activity 1 – Create Your Own Animal

In this activity, students will create their own animal with useful adaptations. They will begin by considering the following questions.

  • Where does the animal live?
  • How much water is in the area?
  • What is the climate and weather like in this location?
  • What does the animal eat? What predators threaten the animal?

Using these details, students will create their animal. What does it look like? How does it behave? Have them write a paragraph describing their animal and its behaviors. Draw a picture of the animal. What adaptations does the animal have to help it better survive in its environment?

Now try this: Have students design another environment. Imagine their animal in the new environment. What features are useful for the animal in the new environment? What features are not helpful? If the animal stays in the new environment, what new adaptations do you predict will arise during many generations. Why?

 

Activity 2 – Darwin’s Finches

In this activity, students will demonstrate how different adaptations can help different birds collect food.

  1. Gather several objects that represent different types of seeds a bird might encounter, including large seeds, small seeds, dried beans, rice. etc.
  2. Find or design several “tools” that they can use to pick up the seeds. Ideas include forks, spoons, knives, chopsticks, tweezers, and straws. Students can also build their own tools.
  3. Using each tool, attempt to pick up each type of seed. Which tool works the best? What type of seed is the easiest to collect? Which tool is the least effective? Which seed is the hardest to collect? Do some tools work better with certain seeds and not others?

Now try this: Students will demonstrate the process of evolution by natural selection using the seeds and the tools. Using only one type of food, assign each of the tools to the students. Set a time limit and see how many they can collect with their assigned tool. After the time has expired, see which tools have collected the most food. Those that did not collect enough food will die out and be replaced by the top-performing tools. Have students repeat this process several times. What happens to the tools in the population? What was the role of natural selection in the outcome?

 

Peppered Moth Simulation

In this online game, students will see how camouflage protects moths through the eyes of a predator. Click here to access the game.

 

Speciation Video

Further explore the idea of speciation by having students watch this video from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Click here to access the video.

 

Hopefully, these books and activities will help students understand the Theory of Evolution and how it influences our understanding of the world today.

 

***************************************************************************************************************

Jenna Grodziki

Jenna Grodzicki is the author of more than twenty fiction and nonfiction children’s books. Her books include Wild Style: Amazing Animal Adornments (Millbrook Press 2020) and I See Sea Food: Sea Creatures That Look Like Food (Millbrook Press 2019), the winner of the 2020 Connecticut Book Award in the Young Readers Nonfiction Category. Jenna lives near the beach with her husband and two children. In addition to being a writer, she is also a library media specialist at a K-4 school. To learn more, visit her website at www.jennagrodzicki.com.

 

 

 

 

 

Back to Top

An Old Friend in a Busy Season

By on December 12, 2022   /   Articles  

A few weeks ago I attempted my first solo trip to the library with all three of our little boys. The library is walkable from our house at the edge of the borough, and since I don’t generally plan outings with the same attention to detail as my wife, I strapped the baby into a carrier, loaded the other two into a double-wide stroller, and decided we were good to go. The first three minutes of the walk were very pleasant — we noted the setting sun, talked about the books we hoped to find, hummed bits and pieces of Christmas tunes. It was all very nice. Then the boys asked for snacks. I only had one granola bar, which I had snagged on my way out the door mostly so the dog wouldn’t find it and eat the wrapper. Through some artful negotiating, we agreed to save the snack for after the library, but then they wanted water. There would be probably be water at the library, I told them.

“What about the book bag?”, they asked. 

Of course we didn’t have the book bag. I could picture it in my head — a reusable shopping bag my wife always brings because when you think for more than ten seconds about a trip to the library, you remember you’ll need a place to put all the books. 

The walk continued like that for another ten minutes — them asking questions and me dodging them like an embattled politician at a news conference. When it  was finally in view, the Phoenixville Public Library looked to me like a glowing beacon of hope rising up from the bustling corner of Reeves Park. We shuffled in, a blast of warmth hitting us as we pulled open the glass door. The kids’ section is at the bottom of a staircase, nestled deep in the belly of the building. By the time we got to the bottom of the stairs, everyone was quiet. The boys had forgotten all about being hungry and thirsty, and I’d forgotten all about being annoyed that I didn’t plan better. Even the baby had a renewed sense of calm. There was just something about being in that space that settled us.  

December is arguably the busiest and most emotionally complex time of the year, so I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on those quiet, unassuming buildings on street corners around the country. The library can mean different things to different people, but a few specific comparisons come to mind as I consider the library in this lovely albeit chaotic month.

A Refuge

photo credit: Gaelle Marcel

In a recent interview on The Daily, librarian Martha Hickson described her school library as a refuge. That word really resonates with me because it’s true on so many levels. The library can be a physical refuge — a public and safe space to go when it’s cold or dark or dangerous outside. But it’s not just a building. The library is a refuge for ideas — silly ideas and bold ideas and sometimes contentious ideas. In her interview, Martha discussed her battle to keep controversial books on the shelves at her library, and regardless of my personal opinions about specific books or their content, I really cherish the notion that the library is a refuge even for ideas that fall outside the comfortable and familiar. To that end, Martha helped developed a website designed to support other librarians facing similar challenges, and the way the literary community has circled the wagons really speaks to the importance of libraries as safe spaces.

 

A Swiss Army Knife

photo Credit: Debby Hudson

When I was a kid, I really wanted a Swiss Army Knife. I’m not sure why – I wasn’t especially outdoorsy. For most of my adolescent years, I couldn’t even open a can of soup without parental intervention. I think I just loved the idea of something serving so many different functions. In a lot of places, libraries are the Swiss Army Knives of the community. They serve as polling places, event centers, computer labs, and classrooms. Contrary to popular belief, most librarians will even tolerate quiet conversations between friends. The library is home to endless forms of community engagement, and its influence is like soft music playing in the background — a comforting, steady rhythm that settles the soul.

A French Chalet

photo credit: Toa Heftiba

December is a very commercial time of year. At our house, we don’t get much regular mail these days. It’s mostly ads for Black Friday sales and post-black Friday sales and double-bonus sales events just in case you missed the first bonus sales event.  Libraries don’t have much to sell. I think that’s another reason I find them so refreshing. As a middle school teacher and parent of young kids, I’ve gone to my share of school book fairs this season, and while no one loves shopping for books more than I do, there is something jarring about the way books are advertised in those settings. It feels a little like Vegas for book nerds — super fun but slightly overwhelming. Going to the library is like visiting a French Chalet. I’ve never been in one, but I’ve heard they’re very cozy.

 

A Thick Blanket

photo credit: Valentin Antonini

Of course no refuge is perfect. At the end of our library visit, my two year-old tripped over a train table and hurt his arm, and my five year-old nearly had a meltdown when I told him he couldn’t check out all twenty-three Berenstain Bears books at the same time. Still, the gentle music played and a million ideas from a million books swirled around and covered us like a thick blanket. We walked home mostly in silence, warmed by the thought of the dozen or so books wedged under the stroller. We’d found a brief respite from the business of the season, and I hope you do, too. Whether you go to the library every day or haven’t been there in years, I promise it’s waiting like an old friend.

Just don’t forget a bag.

Back to Top