Word of the Month Resources: Belonging

Life was ordinary in the big oak tree on Forest Lane. Squirrels lived in every part of the tree, and the Gray squirrel family inhabited the knot in the middle. But the neighborhood gradually changes as the big oak tree welcomes families of chipmunks, beavers, and birds. With each new arrival, the Grays become increasingly frustrated and reclusive. It will take an unexpected moment of heroism from a caring animal to ultimately open hearts and bind together this diverse community.

Oliver is a little piece of a big puzzle. Like all of us, Oliver just wants to find where he fits, but finding his place in the great puzzle of life isn't easy... Oliver has always dreamed about where he will fit. Will he be in the mane of a unicorn? The tentacle of a pirate squid? The helmet of an astronaut? When he finally goes in search of his perfect place, he finds that trying to fit in is a lot harder than he thought. But like any puzzle, a little trial and error leads to a solution, and Oliver figures out exactly where he belongs.

Cao Wenxuan's Feather tells the story of a single feather that is helplessly swept away on a journey of self-discovery and belonging. Encountering a variety of birds, from a kingfisher to a magpie, the feather is hopeful of meeting the bird it belongs to. Again and again, the feather is ignored. Only when it calmly accepts that perhaps it is simply a feather with no bird to call its own does fate offer a reunion...

Fans of the New York Times bestseller All Are Welcome will love this timely tale about kindness, empathy, and charity, with clever peek-through holes that beckon young readers inside. Poor Frog's pond has dried up and he has nowhere to live. Luckily, he meets a friendly Mouse, who is building a new house. "Everybody's welcome, no matter who they are," explains Mouse. "Wherever they may come from, whether near or far." As Frog and Mouse work together, they meet more animals without a place to live. Soon, they all join in to build a big, beautiful home where everyone is welcome, safe, and warm. In this sweet forest setting, children will learn how important it is to extend a generous hand to those in need, whether neighbors in crisis, a friend with a problem, or a family immigrating to a new country. It's a much-needed and comforting story that will inspire useful conversations about the world today.

Cartwheel moves to a new country with her auntie, and everything is strange: the animals, the plants--even the wind. An old blanket gives Cartwheel comfort when she's sad--and a new blanket just might change her world. This multicultural story of friendship is about leaving home, moving to a foreign and strange place, and finding a new friend. It's a story for all who have experienced change.

Explore the emotions, hopes, dreams, and activities that we all share in this vibrant book, which features die-cut pages and a skillful weaving of text and illustration. There are so many different kinds of people in the world, in so many different places. But we all share the same emotions, hopes, and dreams, and we all engage in the same activities to find joy in our lives. This enchanting picture book, which features die-cut pages, explores the idea that we are all connected by a common thread, despite differences in who we are and where we live. No matter where in the world people are, we are all one under the same sky.

This resonant and award-winning picture book tells the story of one girl who constantly gets asked a simple question that doesn't have a simple answer. A great conversation starter in the home or classroom--a book to share, in the spirit of I Am Enough by Grace Byers and Keturah A. Bobo. When a girl is asked where she's from--where she's really from--none of her answers seems to be the right one. Unsure about how to reply, she turns to her loving abuelo for help. He doesn't give her the response she expects. She gets an even better one.

There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you. There are many reasons to feel different. Maybe it's how you look or talk, or where you're from; maybe it's what you eat, or something just as random. It's not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet, but somehow you do it.

An inspiring and poetic story about reading, libraries, and overcoming shyness to find community. I gather the books in my arms, and give them a hug. "Welcome back," I whisper.   Nicky is a shy girl who feels most at home in the safe space of her school library, but the library closes for a week and Nicky is forced to face her social anxiety. When she meets a group of unique, diverse, inspiring women at her mother's diner--members of a women's motorcycle club--Nicky realizes that being different doesn't have to mean being alone, and that there's a place for everyone.

A moving coming-of-age story about one girl's bravery and imagination in the face of the unknown. Perfect for fans of Front Desk and Mañanaland. Meixing Lim and her family have arrived at the New House in the New Land. Her parents inherited the home from First Uncle who died tragically and unexpectedly while picking oranges in the backyard. Her mama likes to remind Meixing that the family never could have afforded to move here otherwise, so she should be thankful for this opportunity. Everything is vast and unknown to Meixing in this supposedly wonderful place. She is embarrassed by her secondhand clothing, has trouble understanding her peers, and is finding it hard to make new friends. Meixing's only solace is a rundown greenhouse, that her uncle called his glasshouse, at the far end of her backyard that inexplicably holds the sun and the moon and the secrets of her memory and imagination. When her fragile universe is rocked by tragedy, it will take all of Meixing's resilience and bravery to finally find her place of belonging in this new world.

The magical and moving story of a bird like boy who longs to fly. Ten-year-old Nashville doesn't feel like he belongs with his family, in his town, or even in this world. He was hatched from an egg his father found on the sidewalk and has grown into something not quite boy and not quite bird. Despite the support of his loving family, Nashville wishes more than anything that he could join his fellow birds up in the sky. The trouble is- He hasn't grown wings, which must surely make his dream impossible. And yet, in this lyrical novel with the feel of a timeless fable, Michelle Cuevas manages to convince us that, actually, anything is possible.

This funny and profound debut novel by prolific illustrator Lin tells the story of young Pacy who, as she celebrates the Chinese New Year with her family, discovers this is the year she is supposed to "find herself."

A coming-of-age middle-grade graphic novel featuring a girl with severe allergies who just wants to find the perfect pet! At home, Maggie is the odd one out. Her parents are preoccupied with getting ready for a new baby, and her younger brothers are twins and always in their own world. Maggie loves animals and thinks a new puppy to call her own is the answer, but when she goes to select one on her birthday, she breaks out in hives and rashes. She's severely allergic to anything with fur! Can Maggie outsmart her allergies and find the perfect pet? With illustrations by Michelle Mee Nutter, Megan Wagner Lloyd uses inspiration from her own experiences with allergies to tell a heartfelt story of family, friendship, and finding a place to belong.

There was no day that dumplings couldn't make better. Pacy is back! The beloved heroine of The Year of the Dog and The Year of the Rat has returned in a brand new story. This summer, Pacy's family is going to Taiwan for an entire month to visit family and prepare for their grandmother's 60th birthday celebration. Pacy's parents have signed her up for a Chinese painting class, and at first she's excited. This is a new way to explore her art talent! But everything about the trip is harder than she thought it would be--she looks like everyone else but can't speak the language, she has trouble following the art teacher's instructions, and it's difficult to make friends in her class. At least the dumplings are delicious... As the month passes by, Pacy eats chicken feet (by accident!), gets blessed by a fortune teller, searches for her true identity, and grows closer to those who matter most.

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets. Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests. Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed. Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language?It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?

The villagers are afraid of her, so the legendary Baba Yaga disguises herself as an old woman in order to know the joys of being a grandmother.

The Big Book of Belonging is a timely celebration of all the ways that humans are connected to life on planet Earth. With children at the heart of every beautifully illustrated spread, this book draws parallels between the way humans, plants, and animals live and behave. We all breathe the same air and take warmth from the same sun, we grow, we adapt to the seasons, and we live together in family groups.

A poignant, laugh-out-loud illustrated middle-grade novel about an eleven-year-old boy's immigration experience, his annoying little brother, and their cake-baking hijinks!