Children's Literature

At the ECEC our goal is to help all children and families feel valued and represented in our program. The University of Michigan has expectations for each department on all three campuses. The ECEC Anti Bias policy, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation, Great Start to Quality (GSTQ) guidelines, and Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) grant set expectations for high quality programming and how that is achieved in the classroom. Materials, photos, and literature in the classroom reflect our inclusive practices, anti-bias policies, and standards set forth by state and national organizations. Information on specific policies at the University can be found at the Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX Office and outlined in the Strategic Plan. 

You may notice material labels in multiple languages, alphabets from around the world, magazines geared towards children, maps, restaurant menus from different cuisines, and newspapers! A literacy rich environment shows children how important written language is and how it connects to verbal communication. Repeated exposure to written language also helps children become familiar faster with alphabet letters, letter sounds, and other concepts related to print. 

Classroom libraries offer a great opportunity for children to see age appropriate material. These books may be read with individual children, with small groups of children, or with the whole group. The children are welcome to look through books independently, with a peer, or with an adult. Non-fiction books are also available and serve as great resources to research specific topics. Families are welcome to donate age appropriate books to the classroom, or even come as a guest reader!

If your family is going through a big change (new sibling, moving, loss of a family member, etc.), your child’s teachers can help to recommend specific books that might help your child process what is happening. 

Some titles that you may see in our classrooms include (but are not limited to):

• How to Find a Fox By Kate Gardner. Photographs by Ossi Saarinen. 2021 Book Information 
• You Go First By Ariel Bernstein. Illus. by Marc Rosenthal. 2023 Book Information 
• Some Bodies By Sophie Kennen. Illus. by Airin O’Callaghan. 2022 Book Information 
• Knight Owl By Christopher Denise. 2022 Book Information 
• Whose Footprints Are These? By Gerda Muller. 2022  Book Information 
• Sunny Days By Deborah Kerbel. Illus. by Miki Sato. 2022 Book Information 
• I Love My Hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley. 2001 Book Information 
• All the Colors We Are: The Story of How We Get Our Skin Color by Katie Kissinger. 2014 Book Information
• A Gift, by Yong Chen. 2009. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press. Book Information 
• Al-Alwan, Al-Ashkaal, Al-Arqam: Learning My Arabic Colors, Shapes, & Numbers, by Asma Wahab. Illus. by Nadia Afghani. 2018. Garden Grove, CA: Civilian Publishing. Book Information 
• Baby Goes to Market, by Atinuke. Illus. by Angela Brooksbank. 2019. Somerville, MA: Candlewick. Book Information 
• Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, by Derrick Barnes. Illus. by Gordon C. James. 2017. Evanston, IL: Agate Bolden. Book Information 
• Dear Juno, by Soyoung Pak. Illus. by Susan Kathleen Hartung. 1999. New York: Puffin Books.Book Information 
• Freight Train / Tren de Cargo, by Donald Crews. 2008. New York: Greenwillow Books. Book Information 
• From North to South / Del Norte al Sur, by Réné Laínez. 2013. San Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press. Book Information 
• Grandfather Counts, by Andrea Cheng. Illus. by Ange Zhang. 2000. New York: Lee and Low Books. Book Information 
• Halmoni and the Picnic, by Sook Nyul Choi. Illus. by Karen Dugan. 1993. Boston, MA: HMH Books for Young Readers. Book Information 
• Halmoni’s Day, by Enda Coe Bercaw. Illus. by Robert Hunt. 2000. New York: Dial Books. Book Information 
• Holi Colors, by Rina Singh. 2018. Victoria, British Columbia: Orca Book Publishers. Book Information 
• Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji, by Farhana Zia. Illus. by Ken Min. 2017. New York: Lee and Low Books. Book Information .
• Little You, by Richard Van Camp. Illus. by Julie Flett. 2013. Victoria, British Columbia: Orca Book Publishers. Book Information 
• Love Makes a Family, by Sophie Beer. 2018. New York: Dial Books. Book Information 
• Sitti’s Secrets, by Naomi Shihab Nye. Illus. by Nancy Carpenter. 1994. New York: Aladdin. Book Information 
• Suki’s Kimono, by Chieri Uegaki. Illus. by Stephane Jorisch. 2003. Toronto, Ontario: Kids Can Press. Book Information  
• Thank You, Omu!, by Oge Mora. 2018. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Book Information  
• What Is Light, by Markette Sheppard. Illus. by Cathy Ann Johnson. 2020. New York: Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Book Information  
• Yunmi and Halmoni’s Trip, by Sook Nyul Choi. Illus. by Karen Dugan. 1997. Boston, MA: Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt.   Book Information 
• A Chair for My Mother, by Vera B. Williams. 1982. New York: Greenwillow Books. Book Information  
• A Day with Dad, by Bo R. Holmberg. Illus. by Eva Eriksson. 2008. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. Book Information  
• And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. Illus. by Henry Cole. 2005. New York: Simon & Schuster. Book Information  
• Annie Rose Is My Little Sister, by Shirley Hughes. 2003. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.  Book Information  
• Black Is Brown Is Tan, by Arnold Adoff. Illus. by Emily Arnold McCully. 2002. New York: Harper Collins. Book Information  
• Daddy Makes the Best Spaghetti, by Anna Grossnickle Hines. 1999. New York: Clarion. Book Information  
• Every Year on Your Birthday, by Rose A. Lewis. Illus. by Jane Dyer. 2007. New York: Brown, Little.  Book Information  
• Everywhere Babies, by Susan Meyers. Illus. by Marla Frazee. 2001. San Diego: Harcourt. Book Information  
• The Family Book, by Todd Parr. 2003. New York: Little, Brown. Book Information  
• Fred Stays with Me! by Nancy Coffelt. Illus. by Tricia Tusa. 2007. New York: Little, Brown. Book Information  
• Has Anyone Seen My Emily Greene? by Norma Fox Mazer. Illus. by Christine Davenier. 2007. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.  Book Information  . 
• Jamaica Tag-Along, by Juanita Havill. Illus. by Anne Sibley O’Brien. 1989. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Book Information  
• In Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers, by Javaka Steptoe. 1997. New York: Lee and Low Books. Book Information  
• Lots of Grandparents, by Shelley Rotner and Sheila Kelly. 2003. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook. Book Information  
• Mystery Bottle, by Kristen Balouch. 2006. New York: Hyperion. Book Information  
• My Hippie Grandmother, by Reeve Lindbergh. Illus. by Abby Carter. 2003. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. Book Information  
• On Mother’s Lap, by Ann Herbert Scott. Illus. by Glo Coalson. 1992. Clarion Books: New York. Book Information  
• Quinito, Day and Night, by Ina Cumpiano. Illus. by Jose Ramirez. 2008. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press. Book Information  
• Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin and illustrated by James Dean. HarperCollins Publishers. 2010. Book Information  
• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems. Disney Publishing Group. 2003. Book Information  
• Duck Duck Moose by Mary Sullivan. HarperCollins Publishers. 2021. Book Information 
• Cowhide-And-Seek by Sheri Dillard. Running Press Book Publishers. 2019. Book Information  
• We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen. Margaret K. McElderrry Publishing. 2019. Book Information 
• Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas. Beach Lane Books Publishing. 2009. Book Information  
• The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 2007. Book Information 
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Martin Jr. Ills. Eric Carle Henry Holt & Co. 2008. Book Information   
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 2020. Book Information  
• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. HarperCollins Publishers. 1997. Book Information  
• Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem by Amanda Gorman. Penguin Young Readers Group. 2021. Book Information  
• Hana’s Hundreds of Hijabs by Razeena Omar Gutta. Barefoot Books. 2022. Book Information 

Edited 1/15/2024