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young girl in the library reading a copy of The Night Before Pride

create & celebrate a nation of diverse readers

Let's read and grow together with 12 months of recommended books, authors, and teaching resources that promote diversity and inclusion.
Marley Dias
“Diverse stories provide kids with different perspectives and help them see how others think and feel. Put reading to kids on your calendar all year round. Take NEA's Read Across America Diverse Books Challenge and help kids of all ages discover their own voices as they learn from the stories of others.”
Quote by: Marley Dias, Read Across America Ambassador 2021-23, and Founder, #1000BlackGirlBooks
Take the challenge

September 2023

Tackle Challenges Together

Books of the month:

Books of the month:

Elementary

The Coquíes Still Sing: A Story of Home, Hope, and Rebuilding / Los Coquíes Aún Cantan: Un Cuento Sobre Hogar, Esperanza Y Reconstrucción

The Coquíes Still Sing

The Coquíes Still Sing: A Story of Home, Hope, and Rebuilding / Los Coquíes Aún Cantan: Un Cuento Sobre Hogar, Esperanza Y Reconstrucción

by Karina Nicole González

In this story of hope and community, as Elena and her family work to rebuild what a hurricane destroyed, Elena listens for the call of the tree frogs, her favorite sound.
Learn more

Middle Grade

Iveliz Explains It All

Ivelis Explains it All

Iveliz Explains It All

by Andrea Beatriz Arango

While facing mental health challenges, seventh grader Iveliz must find her voice to advocate for the help and understanding she deserves.
Learn more

Young Adult

The Moonlit Vine / Claro de luna

The Moonlit Vine

The Moonlit Vine / Claro de luna

by Elizabeth Santiago

Fourteen-year-old Taína (Ty) learns to draw from the strength of her Taíno ancestors to bring her family and community hope and healing after a devastating incident.
Learn more

Ready, Set...Read!

Celebrate the joy of reading this month with these featured articles and resources.
young girl in glasses sits and reads a picture book at library

The Joy of Reading Isn't Dead, Yet

While the number of students who say they read for fun is at an all-time low, NEA members are turning the tide by providing access, choice, and maybe a dog in the library.
Learn more
diverse students talking in a circle in school library

Book Club Basics

The book club experience is social and a great way to motivate kids to read, get them talking about books, and have them share ideas and perspectives. Here are ideas to get you started.
Start a club
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Discover newly published books & classroom favorites!

Find books to pair with every holiday or special moment throughout the school year with the School Year Planner from Random House Children’s Books.
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Explore the World with New Chapter Books!

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Get your young readers excited with these imaginative and exciting new chapter books!
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NEA strives to make sure that every student has access to age-appropriate books that show they are reflected and respected, and opposes efforts to limit students’ access to such books. Nevertheless, NEA urges educators to comply with state and local laws and policies that may limit what books they may teach and recommend to their students. 

Here’s What We’re Reading...

Click on a month below for our recommended books, plus suggestions for discussions and activities.
August 2023

August 2023

Share Your Story

September 2023

September 2023

Tackle Challenges Together

October 2023

October 2023

Champion the Freedom to Read

November 2023

November 2023

Gain New Perspectives

December 2023

December 2023

Recognize Our Connectedness

January 2024

January 2024

Engage in the World

February 2024

February 2024

Advance Racial Justice

March 2024

March 2024

Celebrate Diversity

April 2024

April 2024

Discover the Power of Poetry

May 2024

May 2024

Focus on Family

June 2024

June 2024

Promote Respect for All

July 2024

July 2024

Foster Inclusiveness

Two Magic Treehouse Book Covers overlapping each other

Chapter Books for Early Readers

Create enthusiastic readers with Magic Tree House (MTH) early chapter book choices for beginning independent readers that are fun, accessible, and help improve comprehension and the habit of reading.

  • Magic Tree House Book #1: Dinosaurs Before Dark
  • Magic Tree House nonfiction Fact Tracker: Dinosaurs

Ready to use these MTH books and more in your classroom? Visit MTHClassroomAdventures.org for downloadable MTH resources or head to www.MagicTreeHouse.com. Eligible educators can join First Book's Network to bring new books and resources to the classroom.

Become a FirstBook Member

Black NEA RAA logo

About Read Across America

What is NEA's Read Across America? Find answers to your frequently asked questions about the National Education Association's year-round celebration of diverse books and meet the people behind it.
Learn more

Hear from Read Across America Authors

We've interviewed several authors on our School Me podcast. Donna Barba Higuera discusses El Cucuy is Scared, Too! and why she is so passionate about writing books that feature multiracial children, families, and identities. Wendy Shang, author of The Secret Battle of Evan Pao talks about why representation matters. And Andrea Davis Pinkney, author of Loretta Little Looks Back: Three Voices Go Tell It, discusses the power of storytelling.

A woman and her son use a laptop together

Join Our Community of Readers

Are you a teacher, librarian, educator, author, or devoted book worm? Join the Read Across America Facebook group to share resources, ideas, and experiences as we celebrate a nation of diverse readers.
Visit our Facebook group
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Great public schools for every student

The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.
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