Signs of Distress: Recognizing and Helping Someone in Need

With the rise in mental illness among young people, teens are likely to encounter a friend who is struggling. This book helps teens recognize risk factors for mental illness and signs of distress in their peers. It also explores how to have conversations about mental health with a friend, when and how to seek the support of a trusted adult or crisis services, and how to advocate for mental health in their communities.

Simply Skye

Avi's doll Skye is not a boy or a girl. Neither is Avi. But what will their family think? Avi uses Skye to explore gender expression and identity and also to discover how their family will react to Avi's own nonbinary identity. Breaking gender stereotypes, Avi's clothing choices and actions show their brother, sister, and parents who they really are as their family gradually understands and accepts Avi's identity.

Smart Choices (21st Century Junior Library)

The Smart Choices series gives readers an age-appropriate look at the causes and consequences of choices they make every day at school, at home, and beyond. Each title includes activities encouraging students to LOOK, THINK, MAKE A GUESS, ASK QUESTIONS, and CREATE. Colourful photos embrace diversity and backmatter encourages further learning on the topic.

Smashing Stigma: Dismantling Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination

Stigma is everywhere, from mistrust of unhoused people to discrimination based on weight. Having and discussing mental health challenges has been stigmatized for years until recently when high-profile actors, athletes, and professionals started to share their experiences. Where do these ideas come from and how are they perpetuated in our society? Readers will learn how to stop the spread of stereotypes and prejudice. Informational text on how to identify and confront stigma is paired with person

So Much More to Helen: The Passions and Pursuits of Helen Keller

We all know Helen Keller's story--but what else do you know about her? Did you know she was an activist, a rebel, a performer, a romantic, and so much more! Most stories about Helen Keller focus on the story of her deaf-blindness and scholarship, but there is more to Helen than her disability. This bouncy, rhyming story is an excellent tool for teaching children to see beyond the surface with everyone they encounter.

Social & Emotional Learning

Some Bodies

Our bodies! Our amazing, astounding, and all-around awesome bodies! Bodies come in all shapes, sizes, and colours, and can do extraordinary things. Our bodies are uniquely our own yet they connect us to the world around us in so many ways. Through playful rhymes and colourful engaging artwork, all the things that make our bodies special--from the texture of our hair to the color of our eyes--are celebrated. This sweet and inclusive book encourages young readers to acknowledge and accept differen

Song So Black, So Proud!, A

Written on a napkin and released just months after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the song "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)" became an anthem and rallying cry for the civil rights movement, as well as a celebration of Black culture and community. The song was penned in 1968 by singer James Brown in response to the rising racial tensions throughout the United States. Now, in first-person lyrical text, the iconic song speaks for itself, narrating the elements and moments t

Soraya

It's not easy being the weirdest kid in fourth grade. Soraya finds her escape reading comic books about a space superhero who saves the day.Soon she finds herself on some big adventures, meeting magical creatures and friends along the way!

Speak Up! Confronting Discrimination in Your Daily Life

Contemporary headlines share an alarming trend: hate crimes against specific minority groups are on the rise. In today's polarized political and cultural environment, it's essential for young people to be aware of what discrimination in their day-to-day life looks like and to feel empowered to speak out against it. Geared toward practical action, this series acts as a guide to teach readers how to speak up. Each book addresses a different form of discrimination, presenting readers with an overvi