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Culturally Relevant Trade Books

Reycraft Books Culturally Relevant Trade Book Libraries

Reflecting the Voice and Vision of All Children

Connect children to the world around them through books that inform, inspire, and reflect their experiences.

  • Authentic stories by authors and illustrators from underrepresented communities
  • Award-winning picture books, early chapter books, middle grade books, and graphic novels that call out to be read again and again
  • Curated collections and teacher support for every book that empower educators to affirm the unique identities of their students and build bridges to the world
  • Teacher support for every title!

Every child needs to know that his or her story is important—that it has value. We want to publish stories that have not yet been told, and the stories of children whose voices have not yet been heard.

—Sera Reycraft, Publisher

Engaging, exquisitely illustrated books, sometimes funny, sometimes touching, captivate young readers as they see themselves portrayed in print. These are books they will want to read again and again—providing them with mirrors, windows, and sliding doors to the world.  

Spotted Tail 

written by David Heska Wanbli Weiden and illustrated by Jim Yellowhawk & Pat Kinsella

This biography of Spotted Tail traces the life of the famous Lakota leader who expertly guided his people through a pivotal and tumultuous time in their nation’s history as they fought and then negotiated with the U.S. government. Spotted Tail is remembered for his unique leadership style and deep love for his people. Today, a university is named in his honor. 

AICL (American Indians in Children's Literature) Best Books of 2019

Finalist in the 2020 Colorado Book Awards Juvenile Literature

2020 Spur Western Writers of America Best Western Juvenile Nonfiction

2020 Best Books of the Year by Bank Street College of Education (Outstanding Merit Award)

The Library of Congress's Discover Great Places Through Reading Book List 2020

Dandan's Dream
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2020 and Bank Street Best Book of 2021

written by Xiaowen Zhu and illustrated by Yanling Gong

Dandan has always dreamed of visiting her father, who is away studying icebergs at the South Pole. Now, thanks to a new post office policy, she can mail herself there—but not without a few adventures along the way.

 

Woodpecker Girl
School Library Journal Best Books of 2020 and Bank Street Best Book of 2021

written by Chingyen Liu & I-Tsun Chiang and illustrated by Heidi Doll

A little girl was born with cerebral palsy, a condition that rendered her wheelchair bound. One day, her art teacher affixed a paintbrush to her forehead with a headband. From then, the little girl was able to express herself and freely explore the world through her paintings.

 

Call Me Max
American Library Association Rainbow Book List Selection

written by Kyle Lukoff and illustrated by Luciano Lozano

Max and Teresa, one of his best friends, are always finding adventure—even the kind that might get them into trouble. But Teresa doesn’t mind. When their class goes on a field trip to a local farm, Teresa convinces Max to sneak out after dark to see the baby piglets. When the mama pig voices her unhappiness, the squeals wake up the farmer and the entire class. How will Max and Teresa get out of this big, muddy mess?

 

More of Our Award-Winning Books:

·      Call Me Max

·      Dear Abuelo

·      Rice

·      Black Cat, Yellow Bunny

·      The Powwow Thief

·      Let’s Swap for a Day

·      The Reluctant Storyteller

·      One Afternoon

·      Grandma and the Rooster

·      My Big Family

·      Soraya & the Mermaid

·      Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls

·      It’s Okay

·      Storm Warning

·      Dolley Madison, the White House, and the Big Tornado

Reycraft Books feature award-winning authors and illustrators from underrepresented communities.

These authors and illustrators represent a vast tapestry of cultures, lifestyles, and experiences, and they share their unique voices and visions through their craft. They enrich children’s literature with their talents, opening new horizons to readers with their thoughtful and enlightening perspectives.

Featuring:

Christine Taylor-Butler is the author of more than 80 books and short stories for children. A graduate of MIT, she holds degrees in Civil Engineering and Art and Design. The mother of two, she lives in Kansas City with her husband, Ken, a tank of fish, and a cat who thinks she is both servant and head of the pride.

 

Kyle Lukoff has worked at the intersection of books and people for over half his life, first as a bookseller, then as a school librarian, and now as a writer. His is a Stonewall Award-Winning author. Kyle is transgender, like Max, and lives in a small Brooklyn apartment with six overflowing bookshelves.

 

 

 Joseph Bruchac is the author of more than 120 books for children and adults. His work includes poetry, short stories, novels, anthologies, and music, all reflecting his Native American heritage. Bruchac has received numerous awards for his writing, including the American Library Association Young Adult Fiction Award and the Western Writers of America Spur Award.

 

Rashin Kheiriyeh is an award-winning artist, author, and animation director who has illustrated over eighty children’s books internationally. She won the Sendak Fellowship Award in 2017 and the Bologna Book Fair Ragazzi Award in 2009. Rashin was born in Khorramshahr, Iran, in 1979. Since she was a little girl, her great passion was to become an artist. The beauty of Persian rugs and her interest in astrology inspired her to write and illustrate Bahar, the Lucky. She now lives in Washington, D.C., where she teaches art at the University of Maryland and enjoys illustrating for The New York Times, Google, and many amazing publishers around the world.

 

 

Wook Jin Jung was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York. He is an illustrator and storyteller, as well as a graphic designer in the field of children’s education. He has illustrated many picture books, including Black Cat, Yellow Bunny, Robot, Go Bot!, I Am SuperKid!, and This Foot Needs a Shoe.

 

 

Ángeles Ruiz was born in Barcelona, Spain. When she was a child, reading was her favorite subject at school. That was where her passion for creating magical stories and picture books started. Ángeles paints with both traditional and digital brushes using textures and colors in her work to evoke magical environments and emotions. She has illustrated several books for children, including The Lost Kitten by Leyla Torres. Valentina and Monster is the first children’s book she both wrote and illustrated.

 

 

Teacher Support Included for Every Title!

Read-aloud Teacher’s Guides invite students to engage in conversation as they respond to, reflect on, and react to the books, and as they research to deep understanding.

  • Book Talks provide engaging summaries to captivate students’ imaginations.
  • During Reading Conversation Starters cite text evidence to spur discussion and foster deep thinking.
  • Social-Emotional Perspectives align to CASEL core competencies.
  • Book Recommendations suggest related titles to build thematic collections.
  • Respond, Reflect, or Research activities connect to social studies, SEL competencies, and the writer’s craft.
  • Real World Action promotes the exploration of perspectives and equity inside and outside the classroom.

Diverse titles provide a robust selection for whole-group and independent reading. 

Plus: A Teacher’s Guide for every title—available exclusively with Reycraft Books Collections!

Grades K-2

Engage, entertain, and enlighten young readers with wonderful writing, lovely artwork, and most of all, great stories. 

Featured topics in this collection include: 

  • Social-Emotional Learning
  • Cultures Around the World
  • Families

Grades 3-5

Inspire older elementary readers with authentic fiction, captivating stories, and dazzling illustrations.  

Featured topics in this collection include: 

  • Indigenous Peoples
  • Mysteries
  • Animal Facts

Grades K-5 Also Available!

Grade-Level Collections Include:

Knowledge Strand Collections

Our exclusive grade-level collections for your school and classroom libraries are linked to the knowledge strands in your units of instruction. Supported by idea-filled Teacher’s Guides for every title, these collections provide reading opportunities that deepen content knowledge, broaden perspectives, and enrich your core curriculum. Collections are available in hardcover or paperback for Grades K-6.

Click here to view all titles in K-6 Knowledge Strand Collection Set 1.

Click here to view all titles in K-6 Knowledge Strand Collection Set 2.

10 Knowledge Strands:

Grade 1 Knowledge Strand Collection

Collections Also Include:

Brochure
Reycraft Books Knowledge Strand Collections Brochure

Celebrate diversity with deliberate collections centered around underrepresented groups. 

Plus: A Teacher’s Guide for every title—available exclusively with Reycraft Books Collections!

Collections Include:

African and African American Collection

Asian Collection

Children with Disabilities Collection

Family and Community Collection

Graphic Novels Collection

Hispanic and Latin American Collection

Identity Collection

Kindness Collection

LGBTQ+ Collection

Middle Grades Collection

Native American Collection

Nonfiction Collection

Tales Collection

Transitional Chapter Books Collection

And More!

Native American Collection:

Sample Collection

Collections include:

Identity:

·      Native American Collection – 9 Titles, 9 Teacher’s Guides

·      Asian – 61 Titles, 61 Teacher’s Guides

·      Asian (Middle Grade) – 7 Titles, 7 Teacher’s Guides

·      Hispanic and Latin American – 13 Titles, 13 Teacher’s Guides

·      African and African American Collection – 9 Titles, 9 Teacher’s Guides

·      LGBTQ+ – 6 Titles, 6 Teacher’s Guides

·      Children with Disabilities – 4 Titles, 4 Teacher’s Guides

·      Girl Power – 15 Titles, 15 Teacher’s Guides

·      Identity – 9 Titles, 9 Teacher’s Guides

Social/Emotional

·      Family & Community – 52 Titles, 52 Teacher’s Guides

·      Kindness – 25 Titles, 25 Teacher’s Guides

·      Friendship – 23 Titles, 23 Teacher’s Guides

·      First Day of School – 4 Titles, 4 Teacher’s Guides

·      Bedtime Stories –14 Titles, 14 Teacher’s Guides

 

Identity:

·      Native American Collection – 9 Titles, 9 Teacher’s Guides

·      Asian – 15 Titles, 15 Teacher’s Guides

·      Asian (Middle Grade) – 7 Titles, 7 Teacher’s Guides

·      Latinx – 9 Titles, 9 Teacher’s Guides

·      African & African American Collection – 5 Titles, 5 Teacher’s Guides

·      LGBTQ – 3 Titles, 3 Teacher’s Guides

·      Children with Disabilities – 2 Titles, 2 Teacher’s Guides

·      Girl Power – 9 Titles, 9 Teacher’s Guides

·      Identity – 10 Titles, 10 Teacher’s Guides

Social/Emotional

·      Family & Community – 18 Titles, 18 Teacher’s Guides

·      Kindness – 15 Titles, 15 Teacher’s Guides

·      Friendship – 14 Titles, 14 Teacher’s Guides

·      First Day of School – 4 Titles, 4 Teacher’s Guides

·      Bedtime Stories –5 Titles, 5 Teacher’s Guides

 

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