This beautiful, award-winning picture book is about a young boy who lives near the U.S.-Mexico border. The boy and his dad travel from one country to the other, visit family, run errands, and help friends seeking asylum. In what initially comes across as a story of a sweet visit to a Mexican town to run some errands, Bowles seamlessly weaves in some of the complexities of living on the border. He fearlessly introduces the complex issues surrounding the presence of refugees waiting to be admitted into the United States and candidly portrays the everyday lives of families who span the border, creating a unique cosmos in this space.

A young girl goes on an imaginative quest to rediscover the island she immigrated from but can no longer remember. Originally from the Dominican Republic, Lola's family celebrates their culture every day through food, music, and stories. But Lola doesn't understand why they had to leave, or what it means that she can't remember her birthplace. Her family and friends share their memories and histories, both beautiful and complex, helping Lola see that she's part of both worlds.

Family love and mementos make this warm, comforting story a must-read. Dulce loves it when Abuela visits, but it never lasts long enough. When Dulce gives Abuela some souvenirs to give to her cousins in Mexico, Abuela gives Dulce a gift in return. This delightful story celebrates the true meaning of home and the special connection children share with their grandparents.

Based on the author’s real-life experiences, this picture book shares Areli’s story as a young immigrant from Mexico. Although moving to a new country presented many difficulties, Areli now calls America home. It’s a touching story that any child will love — especially if they’ve also experienced the growing pains of adjusting to a new place.

From the award-winning author and illustrator of Last Stop on Market Street, comes this new book about family and hope. Carmela is finally old enough to run errands around the neighborhood with her brother. But when she can make only one wish on a lone dandelion in the sidewalk… what should she wish for?

After church, CJ and Nana ride the bus through their colorful, busy town. Along the way, Nana shows CJ how to find beauty in everyday life. A modern classic, this charming picture book taps into the wisdom of a grandparent and teaches children a valuable lesson.

This tasty picture book celebrates grandparents who live far from their grandchildren and the traditions passed down through families. Through this heartfelt story about a girl learning to cook Paati’s (her grandmother) recipes, bestselling author and TV personality Padma Lakshmi gives readers the chance to reflect on the foods, flavors, and customs in their own families.

This tells the story of a child who receives a lemon tree from her grandmother for her birthday instead of the new gadget she asked for. The child is initially surprised and disappointed, but follows the narrator's instructions and discovers that the tree might be what she wanted all along. The book celebrates the pleasures of patience, hard work, nature, community, and putting down electronic devices. It also showcases the concept of delayed gratification.

When other kids play hide-and-seek, Camilla just wants to hide. At school, she worries about whether she’s using the right pencil and answering questions correctly. Anxiety overwhelms Camilla when her teacher announces a class field trip to the aquarium. When they arrive, she tries to hide but finds another equally scared classmate hiding in the same spot. This classmate loves stingrays but is too afraid to find them in the aquarium. Camilla decides they can face their fears together and enjoy the field trip.

This Very Tree is about a Callery pear tree that was planted in the plaza beneath the Twin Towers and was buried by the towers collapsing in the 9/11 attacks. Remarkably, it was still alive when it was unearthed about a month later–it was the last living thing to be rescued from the pile.

Students can log minutes using their Beanstack app on classlink! If you read to them you can also log for your class on Beanstack! Help us reach our goal!