There's a lot of discussion and different perspectives in libraries around the commemoration of the United States' 250th anniversary. I have my own thoughts on this, but since I don't generally do programs with specific themes that particular aspect is not relevant. I have been looking at books on the topic of US history, geography, and in general and here I have to focus very firmly on putting on my librarian hat.
Whatever my own thoughts and perspective, my professional responsibility is to purchase items that are of interest to my community and that include accurate information. This seems straightforward, but it's actually really tricky; if a book's information is accurate but it limits or ignores some perspectives is it truly accurate? But if I purchase books that are accurate and cover all perspectives and they don't circulate, am I really meeting the needs of my community? It does help that my library is part of a larger consortium so there is access to more materials than are just in my library.
Anyways, this is a list of US-themed materials I have purchased so far this year. I will be updating this periodically and it will be interesting to see the total at the end of the year. I actually have a lot of juvenile nonfiction that hasn't been added yet because I'm currently weeding that collection too.
Picture Books
- 50 states of love: A celebration of America 9781836006077
- Copland: A story about America 9780593693711
- Make a pretty sound: A story of Ella Jenkins the first lady of Children's Music 9781452170640
- The 50 states: Things that go 9781419779725
- Land of the free: America's ABC 9781668979020
- The Navajos 9780823460977
- America the beautiful 9781836008774
- Baseball for breakfast: A (mostly) true story 9781623545703
- Main Street: A community story about redlining 9798217002672
- You are the land 9798217003495
- Once a wasteland: From toxic dump to national park 9781534113480
Juvenile beginning chapters
- Where is Arizona? 9798217053407
- Where is Florida? 9798217051373
- Where is Michigan? 9798217053285
- Where is New Jersey? 9798217053315
- Where is New York? 9798217051403
- Where is North Carolina? 9798217053254
- Where is Tennessee? 9798217053438
- Where is Virginia? 9798217053346
- Where is Washington? 9798217053377
Juvenile nonfiction
- History Comics: Ellis Island 9781250768780
These are items I have read/skimmed and plan to purchase
Picture Books
- Teaching for change by Yvonne Clark-Rhines 9780063251601
- This is a powerful biography of a Civil Rights luminary. I'm very pleased to see more biographies of women and behind-the-scenes people from history and large-scale movements which are usually tied to a single man as leader.
- When Paul Revere Rode by Sarah L. Thomson 9781662681387
- A collection of poems from the different people involved in the events of "Paul Revere's Ride". Quotations from original sources and a brief explanation of each event are also included. Two enslaved men are quoted and there is an oblique mention of other riders.
- It takes a family to serve by Lisa Wheeler 9780063283473
- The subtitle is "A tribute to military families" and this does a really good job of showing a variety of different families and military personnel. POC and women are shown serving and a child is shown being raised by his grandfather.
- Honor Flight by Jeff Gottesfeld 9781536230154
- An honor flight as seen through the eyes of the author and the veteran he escorted.
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