Last week, the American Library Association announced their Youth Media Awards, which includes the Newbery and Caldecott Awards. I always keep an eye on these announcements because a) I like to read! and b)there’s always a lot of love for historical fiction. They also release a list of Recommended Books in different categories, including Non-Fiction, the Amelia Bloomer List (“well-written and well-illustrated books with significant feminist content”), and Books for Reluctant Readers. As educators, we’re always on the lookout for great books about history to recommend to families. Though we haven’t had time to read all of the books listed below, here are some of the ones that caught our eye. Below are some books that both Elaina (Education Assistant) and I have added to our to-read list, and they’re all picture books. Perfect for sharing! Have you read any of these? What catches your eye?

Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel. Picture book told from the view of the organizer, Clara Lemlich.

Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors?: The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell by Tanya Lee Stone. A picture book featuring the story of the first female doctor in the United States. You can think of her when you visit our Doctor’s Office.

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise: How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children by Jan Pinborough. Can you imagine libraries without children?

Silent Star: The Story of Deaf Major Leaguer William Hoy by Bill Wise. Baseball in the 1870s!