Megaphone Board Picks Kids Set
Megaphone Board Picks Kids Set
Curated by your favorite authors and SMP Megaphone Board members, Jason Reynolds, Elizabeth Acevedo, Hena Khan, Meg Medina, and Wendy Shang, this set contains books for young people ages 4-9
Books In This Set
Authors: Tseganesh Chala, Joy Ugwu
Illustrator: Joy Ingram
In Joy-Grace and the Dress Dilemma, authors Joy and Tseganesh wanted to write a book about the challenges--and the beauty!--of having a multicultural identity. Joy-Grace is a fashionista, and this week is her school’s culture day. She wants to bring in a garment to reflect her background, but there’s only one problem: her family is from Nigeria, Jamaica, AND Ethiopia! Will Joy-Grace be able to find the perfect dress to celebrate all of who she is in time for culture day?
En Joy-Grace y el dilema del vestido, las autoras Joy y Tseganesh quisieron escribir un libro sobre las dificultades —y la belleza— de tener una identidad multicultural. Joy-Grace es una fashionista, y esta semana es el día de la cultura en su escuela. Quiere llevar un vestido que refleje sus raíces, pero solo hay un problema: su familia es de Nigeria, Jamaica y Etiopía. ¿Podrá Joy-Grace encontrar el vestido perfecto a tiempo para celebrar todas sus culturas?
ISBN: 978-1-950807-39-0
Age: 4-9
Lexile: AD570L
Page Count: 40
Published: Fall 2021
Authors: Deyssy Mosso, Yenner Rengifo Chaverra
Illustrator: Fatima Seck
In Perla’s Magical Goodbye, Deyssy and Yenner wanted to write a book that reflects the experience of leaving home to move to another country. Perla has been friends with Pablo and Genesis for as long as they can remember. But now that Perla is moving away from her hometown of San Unicornio to the US, she is sad about leaving them. After making a wish at the town’s unicorn fountain, Perla and her friends are visited by a magical creature who helps them spend one last beautiful day together. How can Perla and her friends learn to hold onto these magical memories and say goodbye?
En El adiós mágico de Perla, Deyssy y Yenner quisieron escribir un libro que reflejara la experiencia de dejar su hogar y mudarse a otro país. Perla ha estado con sus amigos Pablo y Génesis desde que tiene memoria. Pero ahora que Perla se va a mudar de su pueblo natal, San Unicornio, hacia los EE. UU., está triste por dejarlos. Después de pedir un deseo en la fuente del unicornio del pueblo, Perla y sus amigos son visitados por una criatura mágica que los ayuda a compartir un último y hermoso día juntos. ¿Cómo aprenderán Perla y sus amigos a preservar estas memorias mágicas y decir adiós?
ISBN: 978-1-950807-40-6
Age: 4-9
Lexile: AD550L
Page Count: 40
Published: Fall 2021
Authors: Mario Serrano, Jamileth Brito
Illustrator: Yurieli Otero-Asmar
In Searching for Sancocho, Jamileth and Mario wanted to write a book that celebrated the deep connection of family recipes and honored their lost loved ones. Aurora misses her abuela, who recently passed away. Neighbors and friends in D.C. keep bringing dishes to the house to help her family mourn, but all Aurora wants is Abuela's famous sancocho. After finding a magic pink bike that flies her all the way to the Dominican Republic, Aurora visits all Abuela’s old favorite places in hopes of finding the recipe. Will Aurora be able to find the secret ingredient and keep Abuela’s famous sancocho alive?
En En busca del sancocho, Jamileth y Mario quisieron escribir un libro que celebrara la conexión íntima de las recetas familiares y honrara a los seres queridos que han perdido. Aurora extraña a su abuela, la cual falleció recientemente. Sus vecinos y amigos en D.C. llevan comida a la casa para ayudar a su familia a pasar el luto, pero lo único que quiere Aurora es el famoso sancocho de Abuela. Después de encontrar una bicicleta rosada mágica que la vuela hasta la República Dominicana, Aurora visita todos los lugares favoritos de Abuela con la esperanza de encontrar la receta. ¿Podrá encontrar Aurora el ingrediente secreto y mantener vivo el famoso sancocho de Abuela?
ISBN: 978-1-950807-38-3
Age: 4-9
Lexile: AD530L
Page Count: 40
Published: Fall 2021
by Danya, Joseph, and Samaria of Reach Incorporated
Danya, Joseph, and Samaria were inspired by their experience of being in lockdown with family: both the joys and the challenges. Shayla loves to draw and be creative. But during the shutdown, she's having a hard time finding a place to do what she loves. Her big, multigenerational family seems to always be in the way. Mom and dad are video-chatting. Her brothers and sisters are doing schoolwork. And her little cousins are making messes all over the place. Frustrated, Shayla goes to her Aunties for help. Will she be able to figure out how to make space for herself in a very crowded house?
Want all four titles from this year’s amazing Reach Incorporated authors? Buy the set!
ISBN: 978-1-950807-13-0
Age: 4-9
Lexile: 580L
Page Count: 38
Published: Fall 2020
by De’Asia, India, Essence and Malik of Reach Incorporated
Rahim loves his dog Mumbo, and Mumbo loves himself some Mumbo sauce. :-) The two are best friends, but lately Rahim has been getting frustrated by all the chores that come along with taking care of a dog -- especially the ones that get in the way of him playing basketball. On the day before his big tournament, Rahim’s dad makes him take Mumbo out, but he’s running late for practice, so he tries to multi-task… and when practice is over, Mumbo is gone. Can Rahim figure out how to find his beloved dog AND play in the big game?
ISBN: 978-1-945434-96-9
Age: 2-4
Lexile: 490L
Page Count: 42
Published: Fall 2018
by Ashley, De’Asia, and Romel of Reach Incorporated
It’s Amaya’s first month at a new school in a new state, and she's too scared to speak. Amaya has a stutter. At her old school she got bullied for how she talked, but she had finally just started making friends. And then her mom got a new job and moved them to DC, where she had to start all over again! Now Amaya is mad at her mom and scared at school. The only friend she shares her feelings with is her dog, Journey, who can talk back! If Amaya doesn’t start speaking soon, she’ll keep getting in trouble and will never make friends. Can Journey and her classmates help Amaya find her voice?
ISBN: 978-1945434051
Age: 4-9
Lexile: 500L
Page Count: 38
Published: Fall 2017
by Jonae, Jesse, Layonnie, and Kahliya of Reach Incorporated
Lately, Deena has been getting angry. A lot. She acts out in school and keeps getting in trouble. Everyone is surprised because she used to be very calm, but that was before her mother went to jail. Her dad, her grandma, and her best friend Josey all do their best to help her out, but Deena doesn’t want to talk about it. Will a day at the carnival with her Dad help her open up?
ISBN: 978-1945434075
Age: 4-9
Lexile: 520L
Page Count: 40
Published: Fall 2017
by the Restavek Freedom Writers
Story: Jenika's life changed in an instant. One day she lived in the countryside with her mother and ten siblings, and the next she moved with her aunt to the city, where she was promised an education but was instead forced into a life of cooking, cleaning, and despair. The only thing that kept her going was her singing. Read this inspiring tale of a girl who overcame the odds, written by girls who understand her struggle.
Story Behind the Story: Written by a team of young women served by the Restavek Freedom Foundation, Jenika Sings For Freedom aims to raise awareness about the inhumanity and injustice of child slavery in Haiti. At the same time, the books give these young women the opportunity to shape the stories of their own lives with power and possibility and hope.
ISBN: 978-0692321515
Age: 7-11
Lexile: 630L
Page Count: 46
Published: Fall 2014
Recognition & Impact
LAYC authors of the Beyond Borders series were recently interviewed by WAMU/DCist about their experience writing children's books centering immigrant stories -- and their story aired on national radio!
Authors of the Beyond Borders series were interviewed and featured on Apple Newsroom. “Today at Apple Creative Studios amplifies young artists’ voices”
A to Z The Real DC, Tyrell’s Big Move, Adventures in Ana Park, and Finding Mumbo are being used in curriculum by DC Public Schools Summer Learning Academy.
The authors of Breonna Marches Through Time, Diarou’s Not So Different, And Justice For Who? and Shayla’s Shutdown Solution were featured on NBC4.
Deena Misses Her Mom was used in the regional third grade curriculum at Rocketship Rise Academy.
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Our 2022 and 2026 titles were authored by student parents enrolled in Generation Hope’s Scholar Program in Washington, DC.
Everyone deserves to see themselves on the page, starting with our youngest readers. The Mini Mirrors series features books for toddlers that celebrate diverse families and experiences.
Our 2026 titles were authored by student parents enrolled in Generation Hope’s Scholar Program in Washington, DC.
This set includes:
Bright Before Us, Like a Flame
A landmark anthology spanning ten years of Shout Mouse Press with memoir, poetry, fiction, comics, and children’s literature from underrepresented youth authors, offering both a retrospective and a call to action for a new generation of writers as well as teachers.
The Light Looks Like Me: Words on Love from Queer Youth
A stunning, affirming collection of poems, stories, art, and comics by queer youth authors that celebrates love, identity, and self-expression in all its forms.
Passing the Mic: Building a Poet-Athlete City
A powerful portrait of Washington, D.C., this collection showcases three decades of DC SCORES poet-athletes who use soccer, poetry, and service to imagine and build a better future.
When we pass the pen to young people, what stories emerge? Find out in Shout Mouse Press’s latest series, Beyond Borders, featuring bilingual children’s books centering the stories of immigrant families.
The 2023 series is authored by program participants of the Latin American Youth Center in Washington, DC, representing six countries around the world.
Everyone deserves to see themselves on the page, starting with our youngest readers. The Mini Mirrors series features books for toddlers that celebrate diverse families and experiences.
Our 2022 titles were authored by student parents enrolled in Generation Hope’s Scholar Program in Washington, DC.
These books do a lot in less than thirty pages! They help kids learn about the days of the week and the community members that make up our families, or explore sounds and rhymes while teaching about Central America. They use imagination and curiosity to help kids manage separation anxiety, or celebrate diversity while honoring identities that don’t always get featured in books.
Curated by your favorite authors and SMP Megaphone Board members, Jason Reynolds, Clint Smith, Elizabeth Acevedo, Hena Khan, Meg Medina, and Wendy Shang, this set contains books for young people ages 12+
Authors: Araceli, Edith & Juliana
Illustrator: Shurjo Mukhi
Toddlers will love this fun chanting book celebrating Central America!
From swimming in the sea in Panama to smelling abuela’s cafecito in Costa Rica, there are so many things to love about Central America! This fun and rhythmic book, inspired by Brown Bear, Brown Bear, was written by young mothers who wanted to celebrate their Central American heritage with their children. The sweet sayings, fun sounds, and charming collages in a bilingual children’s book will make little ones clap, smile, and learn about the world.
ISBN:978-1-950807-51-2
Age: 1-3
Lexile: AD130L
Format: Board Book
Page Count: 22
Originally Published: Nov 15, 2022