Category: Windows & Mirrors

Book Recommendations, Middle Grade, Windows & Mirrors

Windows & Mirrors: Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring

Welcome to Windows & Mirrors, where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences.   Today we’re featuring Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes. Before we get into this fun and wonderful story, I have to give a shout out about the cover, designed by award-winning artist Rafael … Continue reading Windows & Mirrors: Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring

Michelle LeonardLeave a comment
Book Recommendations, Windows & Mirrors, Young Adult

Windows & Mirrors: The Astonishing Color of After

Welcome to Windows & Mirrors, where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences.   Today we’re featuring The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X. R. Pan. When fifteen-year-old Leigh’s Taiwanese mother commits suicide, she is visited by a great red bird who delivers a package to her from her mother with a … Continue reading Windows & Mirrors: The Astonishing Color of After

Michelle LeonardLeave a comment
Book Recommendations, Windows & Mirrors, Young Adult

Windows & Mirrors: The Poet X

Welcome to Windows & Mirrors, where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences.   Today we’re featuring The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. Fifteen-year-old Xiomara longs for the simple relationship she had with her mother before she became a curvy Afro-Latina, turning neighborhood boys’ heads despite wanting to be invisible to them. … Continue reading Windows & Mirrors: The Poet X

Michelle Leonard1 Comment
Book Recommendations, Nonfiction, Windows & Mirrors, Young Adult

Windows & Mirrors: HIDDEN FIGURES by Margot Lee Shetterly

Welcome to Windows & Mirrors where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences. March is Women’s History Month, so today we are featuring Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly. Hidden Figures is the untold story of the black women mathematicians who helped win the space race. My daughter and I saw Hidden Figures … Continue reading Windows & Mirrors: HIDDEN FIGURES by Margot Lee Shetterly

Rebecca J. AllenLeave a comment
Love Letters, Windows & Mirrors, Young Adult

A Windows & Mirrors Love Letter – The Hate U Give

Welcome to a special Love Letters edition of Windows & Mirrors where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences. A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to hear Angie Thomas, author of the National Book Award-nominated, NYT best-selling The Hate U Give, speak in New York City. I loved putting a face … Continue reading A Windows & Mirrors Love Letter – The Hate U Give

Julie ArtzLeave a comment
Book Recommendations, Middle Grade, Windows & Mirrors

Windows & Mirrors: Clayton Byrd Goes Underground

Welcome to Windows & Mirrors where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences. Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King award winner Rita Williams Garcia’s Clayton Byrd Goes Underground is one of my favorite recent middle grade reads. Full of voice, the musicality and raw emotion of the blues, and complex family relationships, … Continue reading Windows & Mirrors: Clayton Byrd Goes Underground

Julie Artz1 Comment
Book Recommendations, Middle Grade, Windows & Mirrors

Windows & Mirrors: Grandma’s Purse

Welcome to Windows & Mirrors where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences.     Today we’re featuring Grandma’s Purse authored and illustrated by the amazing Vanessa Brantley-Newton. I fell in love with Vanessa Brantley-Newton’s art the first time I laid eyes on it. Her illustrations are always bustling with energy and … Continue reading Windows & Mirrors: Grandma’s Purse

Michelle Leonard1 Comment
Book Recommendations, Middle Grade, Windows & Mirrors

Windows & Mirrors: Betty Before X

Welcome to Windows & Mirrors where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences.     Today we’re celebrating Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson! Ilyasah Shabazz is the daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz. She’s the author of several books about her revolutionary family, including the critically-acclaimed adult memoir … Continue reading Windows & Mirrors: Betty Before X

Michelle LeonardLeave a comment
Book Recommendations, Windows & Mirrors

Introducing Windows & Mirrors

The phrase “windows and mirrors” has become a catch-phrase of the movement for more inclusivity in children’s literature. Borrowed from a scholarly paper written more than twenty-five years ago by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, the words remind us why children need to see themselves, and others who are not like them, in books: Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real … Continue reading Introducing Windows & Mirrors

Julie Artz2 Comments
Author, Interviews, Windows & Mirrors

Interview with Darshana Khiani

I’m excited to introduce all of you to Darshana. She is the mastermind behind the blog Floweringminds.com where she features authors and promotes diversity in kidlit. My kind of gal. Hi, Darshana! I’m excited to get to know you better because we share a love of Richard Scarry and Blondie. That pretty much sums up my childhood! I’d like to focus on diversity since that’s … Continue reading Interview with Darshana Khiani

Kristi Wientge6 Comments