September 2020 Bookshelf

In their bold, new graphic novel, Get Real!, Carlos Moreno and Elliot Washor draw on their combined five decades of experience as leaders of Big Picture Learning to show what happens when young people are not confined to the college-to-career pathway. Moreno and Washor bring to life the story of two young cousins, Bella and Xavi, connected by their desire to follow their dreams and design their own future. By following their journeys, you will be left with a vivid representation of what becomes possible when young learners have the space to explore multiple life pathways centered on their interests and passions.

How can we inspire young people (and ourselves) to find hope when the world around us feels frightening and unpredictable? This question was front and center for Julie Garel and high school seniors, Ana Gutierrez and Rachel de Silva, when stay-at-home orders went into effect in Maryland during the COVID-19 pandemic. The trio collaborated to produce Silver Lining Search Club—a book that follows a child, Ana, who is forced to stay at home where she unexpectedly discovers the beauty of relationships and the natural world. If you or a young learner in your life is searching for the silver lining in this moment, be sure to check out this book for inspiration.

How can we better navigate the daily challenges of life during a pandemic? According to authors Joanne McEachen and Matthew Kane, we need to embrace our greatest superpower—our ability to learn. Through their newly released novel, The Depthvale Detectives and the Great Education Crisis, McEachen and Kane offer educators, parents, and young people a guide to discovering how this superpower can be brought to bear in conquering fear, doubt, and the “monsters” of our own making and enable us to find fulfillment, meaning, and purpose when we need it most.

Supporting young people of color in understanding their identity and how it shapes their experience in the world is vital. In Hybrida, Tina Chang weaves together a powerful anthology of “hybrid poetic forms” to confront the experience of raising a mixed-race son in a post-Trayvon Martin world. Chang’s exploration of racial tension in America is seen through the lens of a mother balancing love, anger, and fear. Published in 2019, this gripping collection of poetry resonates even more powerfully and emotionally in 2020. This is an invitation to reflect more deeply within your learning community about the intersectionality of race, identity, and safety.

Training our brains to let go of negativity and embrace kindness is a recipe for more happiness. Though, finding a path to that happiness is easier said than done…or so we think. In The Negativity Remedy, Nicole J. Phillips suggests that being more intentional about rejecting the negative feelings and impulses that often creep in, even during the most mundane activities, invites more happiness into your life. Phillips uses humor, scientific research, encouragement, and real-life examples to speak to the better angels of our nature. This is an essential read for any educator or leader inspired to create more close-knit, connected, and empathetic learning environments.