For Black History Month 2020, I wanted to showcase some amazing books that have been read, reread, forgotten, discovered, and reread yet again. I will be publishing each book on every Tuesday and Thursday throughout February. These are books for every level ; some for a ride in the stroller while others are longer, young adult books. Regardless of the anyones age, these are books that have a positive, progressive social message, or strong minority and/or female characters. They promote understanding of difference, diversity, and inclusion. By being exposed to diverse characters and stories- we teach our children, and ourselves empathy, respect for others, and visibility to the many other cultures besides our own.
Jabari Jumps is one of my favorite books! Not only does it bring back memories of going to the community pool with my family during the summer, but the main character, Jabari, has a stay at home dad! It was really great to see the father confidently watching from the sidelines, wearing his infant child, and encouraging his oldest to jump off the high diving board. This book has simple words, it is short and a quick read. It tells the story of Jabari who feels excitement and fear as he attempts to jump off the big diving board. It has a great example of a loving father, he is patient and encourages Jabari to overcome his fears and take a leap of faith. In the end, Jabari’s success is infectious and great fun to talk about. I often ask, “Will he jump?” and “Would you Jump?’ It is very important to encourage our children to start thinking critically about stories and how they relate us. Down the road, as kids continue to excel a reading, you will have stronger readers who are critical thinkers that are able to really dive deep into books. Our family loves Jabari Jumps is a perfect poolside read aloud book that I highly recommend for all ages.