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By Rob Scotton
Splat the Cat’s plans are ruined by the rain. Will anything good come of this rainy day?
Watch and listen to Splat the Cat: The Rain is a Pain read aloud.
Written by Roda Ahmed
Illustrated by Stasia Burrington
Mae wants to become an astronaut! As a child she practices this role through play as she makes her own suit from a curtain and a ship from materials found around the house. With the loving support of her family, Mae becomes the first African American woman to travel in space.
Watch and listen to Mae Among the Stars Read Aloud.
By Deborah Heiligman
Illustrated by Bari Weissman
A class excitedly watches as a caterpillar eats, grows, and disappears into a chrysalis. What will happen to the caterpillar next?
Watch and listen to From Caterpillar to Butterfly read aloud to find out!
By Joanna Ho
Illustrated by Dung Ho
A young Asian girl embarks on a path of self-love and empowerment with guidance from the women in her family. Follow along as she celebrates her heritage and beauty.
Watch and listen to Eyes that Kiss in the Corners read aloud.
Written and illustrated by Dr. Lorenzo Pace
A powerful and vibrant story about Jalani, a boy who holds strong to his prideful memories as he’s enslaved by an iron lock. Read as he wins freedom and passes on his determination for triumph to his children and family.
Watch and listen to Dr. Lorenzo Pace’s performance of Jalani and the Lock. Learn more about the author and buy the book on his website. Thanks, Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, for recommending this book
By Jessica Love
While riding the subway home with his abuela (grandma), Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up and becomes inspired! Follow along with this beautifully illustrated story about the importance of being seen and affirmed – something we all need.
Listen to Julián is a Mermaid read aloud by Mikaela Chant, the Friends and Neighbors Coordinator and Playgroup Facilitator from Bananas.
Written by Carrie Finison
Illustrated by Daniel Wiseman
Doug doesn’t want a hug, and that’s ok. Some people love hugs, some people don’t. You just have to ask! This story is an introduction to consent and bodily autonomy that’s perfect for little ones.
Watch and listen to Don’t Hug Doug: (He Doesn’t Like It) read aloud.
Written by Keith Calabrese
Illustrated by Juana Medina
Getting ready for the first day of school can be scary! In this story, Lena’s ready for Kindergarten, but her favorite pair of shoes is very nervous. Read along as Lena helps ease her shoes’ worries.
Here’s Lena’s Shoes are Nervous: A First-Day-of-School Dilemma read aloud.
Written by Arthur Dorros
Illustrated by Elisa Kleven
Rosalba and her Abuela (grandma in Spanish) go on an exciting adventure to explore and celebrate their city. Rosalba hears Abuela’s stories as they create new memories together.
Watch and listen to Abuela read aloud.
Written by Dallas Hunt
Illustrated by Amanda Strong
Walking through the forest one day, Awâsis drops the batch of bannock (a type of flatbread) her grandmother just made. With the help of some animal relatives, Awâsis comes up with a plan to remake her grandmother’s world-famous bannock.
See what adventures unfold in this Read Aloud of Awâsis and the World Famous Bannock.
Written by Steve Metzger
Illustrated by Miki Sakamoto
Three friends head out on an adventure to find beautiful autumn leaves. This sing-along story has easy rhyming text and fun sound effects that are perfect for little ones!
Watch and listen to We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt read aloud.
Written by Elisa Kleven
The dark winter days have everyone feeling blue, so a baker decides to bring some light by baking a sun bread! Learn about sunlight and changing seasons in this cheerful story.
Watch and listen to Sun Bread read aloud here.
Watch and listen to Owl Babies read aloud.
