December 2020 Bookshelf

Creating a new future for education, where all young people are at the center, will require individuals and communities to completely reimagine their beliefs about how learning happens. And, how those beliefs will shape their actions. In Atomic Habits, James Clear draws on the disciplines of biology, psychology, and neuroscience to offer a framework for defying habits that no longer serve our goals and cultivating new habits that align with how we want to show up in the world. This is a potentially transformative resource for educators and leaders eager to unlearn conventional approaches to learning and education and embrace new skills that center learners’ unique interests and needs.

How do we show ourselves and the young people we serve what compassion, self-love, respect for others, and kindness feel and look like? Grace Byers’ and Keturah A. Bobo’s I Am Enough seeks to answer that question by pairing short, inspiring lessons with powerful imagery that invites adults and young people alike to pause and embrace the mantra, “We are more than enough.” We often need a reminder of the remarkable contributions we make in the world and this book is a great place to start.

In the concluding book in his Mysteries of Nature series, Peter Wohlleben gives us an intimate glimpse into the natural world. Wohlleben examines the relationship between plants, animals, and the complex system that sustains their existence and what happens to the established harmony when that system is out of balance. This is a great tool for learner-centered leaders who believe the interactions between learners, educators, and communities belong to an interdependent ecosystem. And, who are interested in taking lessons from nature to inform how they can build resilient networks of support for the young people they serve.

By empowering young people to harness their imaginations, we unleash the possibility for them to see and realize their boundless potential. In Imagine a World, Rob Gonsalves, provides a catalytic tool for young people to let their dreams run wild. Through striking illustrations, Gonslaves invites readers to “cut mountains out of curtains” and unfurl their imaginations to see new possibilities— moving beyond their perceived limits. 

Addressing race (and topics that collide with race) is a delicate undertaking. When those discussions are with young people—who bring their own unique lived experiences and perspectives—it can become even more complicated. In The Talk, 30 authors and illustrators representing a diversity of races, ethnicities, and cultures present, for observation, the honest conversations they have with their own children—offering raw, practical advice. Targeted as a resource for anyone aged 10-16, it’s also a useful tool for adults and educators eager to more thoughtfully navigate dialogues about race with young people.