We hope these selections serve to educate and encourage a dialogue around the biases and inequalities that affect access to healthcare and preventative care. These books highlight people and communities affected by these inequalities and the social justice activists and movements working towards change.
The Water Princess by Susan Verde
With its wide sky and warm earth, Princess Gie Gie’s kingdom is a beautiful land. But clean drinking water is scarce in her small African village. And try as she might, Gie Gie cannot bring the water closer; she cannot make it run clearer. Every morning, she rises before the sun to make the long journey to the well. Instead of a crown, she wears a heavy pot on her head to collect the water. After the voyage home, after boiling the water to drink and clean with, Gie Gie thinks of the trip that tomorrow will bring. And she dreams. She dreams of a day when her village will have cool, crystal-clear water of its own. This vibrant, engaging picture book sheds light on this struggle that continues all over the world today, instilling hope for a future when all children will have access to clean drinking water.
Available format: Book, eBook (Overdrive Media on Demand)
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all… When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth and poison her people’s water, one young water protector takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource. Inspired by the many indigenous-led movements across North America, this bold and lyrical picture book issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption. Use this picture book to discuss community access to safe and clean water.
Available format: Book, eBook (Overdrive Media on Demand), Audiobook (Hoopla)
The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath by Julia Finley Mosca
As a girl coming of age during the Civil Rights Movement, Patricia Bath made it her mission to become a doctor. When obstacles like racism, poverty, and sexism threatened this goal, she persevered―brightening the world with a game-changing treatment for blindness!
Available format: eBook (Hoopla), eBook (Overdrive Media on Demand)
The Women Who Caught The Babies: A Story of African American Midwives by Eloise Greenfield
This nonfiction work highlights important aspects of the training and work of African-American midwives and the ways in which they have helped, and continue to help, so many families by “catching” their babies at birth. The blend of Eloise Greenfield’s poetry and Daniel Minter’s art evokes heartfelt appreciation of the abilities of African-American midwifes over the course of time. The poem “Africa to America” begins the poetic journey. The poem “The Women” both heralds the poetry/art pairing and concludes it with a note of gratitude. Also ,included is a piece titled “Miss Rovenia Mayo,” which pays tribute to the midwife who caught newborn Eloise.
Available format: eBook (Hoopla), eBook (Overdrive Media on Demand)
Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Will Allen is no ordinary farmer. A former basketball star, he’s as tall as his truck, and he can hold a cabbage–or a basketball–in one hand. But what is most special about Farmer Will is that he can see what others can’t see. When he looked at an abandoned city lot in Milwaukee he saw a huge table, big enough to feed the whole world. No space, no problem. Poor soil, there’s a solution. Need help, found it. Farmer Will is a genius in solving problems
Available format: eBook (Hoopla)
Right This Very Minute: A Table-to-Farm Book About Food and Farming by Lisl H Detlefsen
This picture book is a fun, informative book that helps kids trace the food on their plate back to where it grows. A book that celebrates food and farming is sure to inspire readers of all ages to learn more about where their food comes from. Not all communities have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
Available format: Book
Charlotte the Scientist Finds a Cure by Camille Andros
The animals of the forest are all getting sick and no one can figure out why. Charlotte, a budding bunny scientist, ignores the doubters and confidently finds a cure to the mysterious malady affecting the forest. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and help her friends and family, Charlotte dives into some serious medical science. When the doctors and other scientists don’t take her work seriously, she sets out to find a cure on her own, determined to show that she can make a difference.
Available format: Book
Itsy Bitsy Spider (Urgency Emergency!) by Dosh Archer
A spider arrives at City Hospital with some strange head injuries. How did this happen? And does it have anything to do with all the water rushing down the water spout? Early readers have never been such fun! With bright color illustrations on every page, minimal easy-to-read text makes this book a great choice for young readers.
Available format: Book
Noodlephant by Jacob Kramer
Noodlephant won’t let this stand—Noodlephants can’t survive on sticks and branches, after all. Determined to do something to push back against an unjust law, she and her friends invent a machine that transforms pens into penne, pillows into ravioli, and radiators into radiatori. With that, the pasta parties are back! But that very night, the kangaroos come bounding through the door… ready to enforce their unjust laws. A zany tale full of pasta puns, friendship, and one Phantastic Noodler, Noodlepant.
Available format: Book
Happy: A Beginner’s Book of Mindfulness by Nicola Edwards
This poetically-written introduction to mindfulness touches upon the most important aspects of life–feeling, discovering, smelling, listening, and all the things that bring the world to life. With every soothing read and practice, children are better equipped to understand and control their own emotions and discover an appreciation for the beautiful world around them.
Available format: Book
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