the most recently published ones should be
your starting point as they are based on the
Why am I me?
By: Paige Britt, Sean Qualls, Selina Alko
This book two diverse children explore the
similarities and differences between each
other. This book helps us recognize that
everyone is unique and that we need to
accept our differences. The illustrations in
this book are very fluid and multicultural.
The social justice book mentions how to
portray diversity through people rather than
animals. These authors demonstrate this in
the book “Why am I me”. This book also
supports the social justice book because it
portrays colorful illustrations and
individuals in the book are illustrated
differently from one another. Students can
see this book as a window and a mirror by
acknowledging differences and similarities
in the text. They can identify traits and
qualities that resemble them as well as their
peers. The cover also represents a Venn
diagram as the two characters faced meet in
the middle. This supports the Building on
Windows and Mirrors article by students
recognizing that a “window can also be a
mirror”. Also, this book “shows them their
place in our multicultural world and
teach[es] them about the connections
between all humans" as the Building on
Windows and Mirrors states. This text was
also published in 2017. The Social Justice
Book tells us that when considering books,
reality of society. This book reflects students
due to how recent the publication date is.
Emmanuel’s Dream
By: Sean Qualls and Laurie Ann Thompson
“Emmanuel’s Dream” is based on a true
story which lets us know that the content is
reliable. Through the story, we learn
information about Emmanuel such as he has
a disability, he provides for his family,
enjoys playing soccer, he works, and he
enjoys riding his bike. This book stood out
to me because Emmanuel is an individual
who has many qualities that students can
emphasize with. Students may see this book
as a mirror when it comes to the hobbies that
Emmanuel enjoys. Students might also have
to help provide for their families or see a
window of their older siblings who might
provide for them. Students with disabilities
can also see how they can accomplish goals
with their abilities. This is also a window for
peers to see that classmates with disabilities
can participate in activities and have
accomplishments just like they can. This
book touches on a variety of traits which
allows students to be able to view the book
as both a mirror and a window. This book is
transformative because it gives the reader a
real-life story and an accurate representation
of what it takes to overcome challenges and
changes other perceptions.
Be Kind
By: Pat Zietlow Miller
This book is about how Tanisha's classmate
helps make her feel better and is kind. It was
published in 2018 which makes it reflect
today's society. The Social Justice Book
states that when considering books, the most
recently published ones should be your
starting point as they reflect the reality of
society. This book is relevant to students
because it was written during the time that
reflects what they go through. Therefore,
this book looks at bullying and peer
interactions. It explores how students can be
kind and how they act can make a
difference. I believe this book is
transformative because the illustrations
include a diverse group of students. With
diversity among illustrations, it provides
students an opportunity to view windows
and mirrors. Building Windows and Mirrors
state that texts should “create a more
complex and authentic picture of the diverse
lives of their students and the diverse world
of us all” This book does a good job doing
this through their illustration. Also, it
teaches students how to be optimistic and
kind towards others who are different from
them. The Building on Windows and
mirrors state, it “Literature functions as a
major socializing agent. It tells students who
and what their society and culture values,
what kinds of behaviors are acceptable and
appropriate, and what it means to be a
decent human being”. Through this book,
readers will experience appropriate
behaviors when working with individuals
who are different from themselves.
A Rainbow of Friends
By: P.K. Hallinan
This book is about a diverse group of friends
and its main goal is to celebrate the
difference between students and demonstrate
how differences make every student special.
From the start, looking at the cover, our
illustrations show a diverse group of
individuals. There is a student using a
wheelchair, different sexes, and different
skin tones. Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias
Children's Books, by Louise
Derman-Sparks, “What children do not see
in their books also teaches them about who
matters and who doesn’t in our society.
Invisibility in their storybooks—as well as
in textbooks as they get older—undermines
children’s affirmative sense of themselves
and reinforces prejudiced ideas about people
who are not seen”. By having this diversity
in illustrations, it is more inclusive of who is
in the books and minimizes who we don’t
see in the text. It provides the opportunity to
eliminate prejudice and to feel as though the
students matter.

Under My Hijab
By: Hena Khan

Whoever You Are This text is about a girl who is trying to

express herself and personality while
By: Mem Fox wearing her hijab. According to the Guide
for Selecting Anti-Bias Children's Books, by
This book explores individuals about the
Louise Derman-Sparks, Transformative
world. Whoever You Are looks for readers
texts should represent groups of people that
to acknowledge differences and similarities
are not typically seen in children's literature
as well as rejoice in both. Guide for
or curriculum. This book uses a female main
selecting anti-bias children’s books states
character of Muslim decent which is not
that “Unfortunately, all of us absorb socially
typically represented in children's literature.
prevailing stereotypes about a range of
This book is a great mirror for female
people, even if we do not consciously
Muslims in the classroom. This culture
subscribe to them.” (Derman-Sparks). This
many times has stereotypes, so this book
book is transformative because it looks to
“spend time observing those of others” as
minimize these prevailing stereotypes by
mentioned in Building Windows and
discovering and accepting the difference
Mirrors. This book is not stereotypical and
between cultures and generations. Also,
instead is reliable based on our author.
Building on Windows and Mirrors state,
Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children’s
“books are sometimes the only place where
Books states that “all authors write from a
readers may meet people who are not like
cultural as well as a personal context”. Hena
themselves”. This book demonstrates
Khan is Muslim like our main character. She
diversity so that individuals can see a variety
mentioned that she chooses not to wear a
of unique individuals. This book talks about
hijab, however, she has family members and
how they may not look the same, may not
friends who wear it who she respects and
speak the same language, or they may live
admires. Since her culture is the same as the
different lifestyles. This is transformative
main characters, it makes the information
because it helps view others by using
we read non-stereotypical since she is
windows. This book supports Building on
writing from her cultural and personal
Windows and Mirrors statement that
context. This book was also published in
windows allow “for a vicarious experience
2019 which makes it reflect today’s society.
to supersede the limits of the readers’ own
The Social Justice Book states that when
lives and identities and spend time observing
considering books, the most recently
those of others”.
published ones should be your starting point
as they are a reflection society. This book is
relevant to Muslim students because it
reflects their values within society.
are not included, therefore this book is
transformative because it includes these
students in the classroom through the
literature that the peers and students will
read. It allows students to feel valued when
they can see themselves in the book and it is
supportive of them.

The Invisible Boy

By: Trudy Ludwig
This book talks about Brain who is usually Tom’s Special Talent
unnoticed in the classroom. I believe this
book is transformative since it can be a By: Kate Gaynor
mirror for individuals who are quiet or shy
This story is about a student, Tom, who has
in the classroom. Building on Windows and
dyslexia. This book highlights how students
Mirrors talks about how mirrors help
should consider differences that exist
students become able to “find themselves in
between their classmates and that all
a text, they are therefore validated; their
students learn differently. Diverse books
experiences are not so unique or strange”.
means literature for all supports this by
This book helps students who might not
saying “Students read about people and
always be noticed or “invisible” to others
places different from what they’ve
experience this feeling. This can also be
experienced; their eyes open to new worlds,
used as a window for individuals to know
and their knowledge and views expanded”
how to react to students who may be
This book is transformative because students
different from them and see how they feel.
experience that peers can all learn in
Diverse books Means Literature for All also
different ways and that everyone has their
states, “Schools should be a place where
own talents. It is a great Window since it
every individual feel[s] valued, included,
offers “views of the world around them” as
supported, and safe, and that literature
Building on Windows and Mirrors state.
should provide feelings of safety and
Diverse Books Mean Literacy for All also
acceptance. One of these opportunities is for
mentions that “When a book is written well,
students to immerse themselves in the
students can get inside the world of
experiences and worlds of the characters
characters, empathize with their
they find in the pages of a book.” This book
experiences” This book is transformative
recognizes students who feel unnoticed and
because it provides this opportunity to
students by labeling these students'
differences in experiences as discovering
special talents. This optimistic view will
help students learn to emphasize differences.

All My Stripes
By: Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer
This story is about how a zebra feels
Those Shoes different from his classmates because he has
an “autism stripe”. Building on Windows
By: Maribeth Boelts and Mirrors talks about how mirrors help
students become able to “find themselves in
This text is about Jeremy, a boy who wants a
a text, they are therefore validated; their
pair of shoes that everyone at school seems
experiences are not so unique or strange”.
to be wearing. In this story, there is a
This book helps students who feel different
non-traditional family structure as he lives
from their peers experience these feelings.
with his grandmother with low
This book can also be used as a window for
socioeconomic status. Building on Windows
students learning understanding how
and Mirrors supports this book as a mirror
students with disabilities feel Diverse books
for students who experience a similar
Means Literature for All also states,
lifestyle, by allowing them to connect with
“Schools should be a place where every
the text and be represented within it. It acts
individual feel[s] valued, included,
as a window for students of color and
supported, and safe, and that literature
students of low socioeconomic status for
should provide feelings of safety and
other students. The main characters in this
acceptance.” This book recognizes students
text are African American descent. This
who feel different; therefore, this book is
makes it transformative since the Guide for
transformative because it shows that their
Selecting Anti-Bias Children's Books states
differences are accepted in the classroom
how Transformative texts should represent
and provides students a safe place. When
groups of people that are not typically seen
they can see differences in a text and view it
in children's literature or curriculum. This
as a mirror, the student is less discouraged
book does this through the main characters.
about their unique qualities. It allows
Also, the Social Justice Book mentions that
students to feel valued when they can see
there should be colorful illustrations. This
themselves in the book and it is supportive
text has colorful illustrations that help
of them.
readers see diversity.