Expand yourself: Join my book club

I'm Anne Vally, on the right. I'm a maker, knitter, and artist.
Kathy Clark, on the left, is a fellow knitter and children's librarian.
We are passionate about books, making things by hand, and anti-racism.

We read diverse books. By doing so, we understand each other and our world better. We learn how to do our part to create more justice and equity for Black, Indigenous and People of Color, and we unwind white supremacy by changing ourselves.

Kathy and I are particular enthusiasts of children’s literature, a genre that contains some of the most beautiful, moving, and elegantly told stories. So, in this book club, we read diverse books written in #ownvoices for middle grades and young adults.

Why kids' books?  Because there are so many good ones! There is a powerful movement to publish diverse books within the children’s literature field and, as a result, there are so many new, creative, and compelling books by authors of color at the middle grade and young adult reading levels.

Why diverse books?  Reading diverse books is important not just for children and teens of color, but for everyone. Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop explains in her seminal article, Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors, children's literature can "help us understand each other better by helping to change our attitudes towards difference ... (books) act as both mirrors and windows for all our children." Dr. Bishop makes a powerful case for why white people need to read diverse books, too: "People from dominant social groups ... need books that will help them understand the multicultural nature of the world they live in, and their place as a member of just one group, as well as their connections to all other humans.”

LET'S GET INSPIRED TOGETHER

We believe that reading diverse books is a critical way to become more informed and brave about race and racial justice. This is precisely what we hope to inspire in you, as we read diverse books together.

We look forward to welcoming you to our club!