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A father reads to his two daughters outside

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
The poetry of [‘Black Girl Dreaming’] gave me a mirror: I saw myself, and it felt like a book told my story for the first time.
Quote by: Marley Dias, Founder, #1000BlackGirlBooks
Share your reader story: What books have impacted you?

A Future That Includes All of Us

Marley Dias, activist, author, and NEA’s Read Across America Ambassador speaks about why we need to ensure there are more books where kids see themselves as protagonists in their own stories.

August 2022

Create a Better World

Books of the month:

Books of the month:

Elementary

The Year We Learned to Fly / El Año En Que Aprendimos a Volar

The Year We Learned to Fly

The Year We Learned to Fly / El Año En Que Aprendimos a Volar

by Jacqueline Woodson

By following their grandmother's advice, a brother and sister discover their ability to use their imaginations to lift themselves up and escape their troubles as their ancestors once did.
Learn more

Middle Grade

Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood

Black Boy Joy

Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood

by Kwame Mbalia

The wonders of Black boyhood are celebrated in this collection of stories, comics, and poems about finding and attaining joy.
Learn more

Young Adult

Why We Fly

Why We Fly

Why We Fly

by Kimberly Jones & Gilly Segal

The rocky start to senior year for best friends Nelly, who is Black, and Leni, who is White and Jewish, gets more complex when the cheerleading team kneels for the national anthem and each girl has to deal with the consequences.
Learn more

Ready, Set...Read!

Celebrate the joy of reading this month with these featured articles and resources.
A girl reads a book while lying in the grass

Get Serious About Summer Reading

Use these ideas and resources to put good books into kids’ hands and connect them to vibrant summer learning adventures.
Learn more
Book with pages shaped like a heart

Free Materials

Need help finding books to put into the hands of readers? Check out these resources and bring print and online books to qualifying schools and students.
Learn more
One word reviews for Sal Boat (A Boat by Sal) Luminous and Inventive
Sponsored Content

SAL BOAT (A BOAT BY SAL)

A boy builds a unique boat of his own with some help from his community in this new picture book by the critically acclaimed author of Alfie.
Learn more from the author
True Stories About Amazing People, select book covers from Simon & Schuster

The True Stories of Incredible People

Sponsored Content
From picture book biographies, to memoirs to young reader adaptions, Simon & Schuster has an enormous library of fantastic nonfiction for children! Our collection is extensive, so be sure to check it out!
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Here’s What We’re Reading...

Click on a month below for our recommended books, plus suggestions for discussions and activities.
2022 August Black Boy Joy Cover

August 2022

Create a Better World

2022 Sept Vinyl Moon Book Cover

September 2022

Find the Right Words

Growing an Artist Book Cover

October 2022

Foster Belonging

Powwow Day Book Cover

November 2022

Promote Healing & Growth

A Thousand Steps Book Cover

December 2022

Activate Inner Strengths

2023 Jan Blue Cover

January 2023

Explore Societal Forces

When Winter Robeson Came to Town Book Cover

February 2023

Celebrate Black History

We Weren't Looking to Be Found book cover

March 2023

Bring Communities Together

Barakah Beats book cover

April 2023

Make Music!

Loteria book cover

May 2023

Nurture Family Bonds

Twas the Night Before Pride book cover

June 2023

Support LGBTQ+ Communities

Moth book cover

July 2023

Cultivate Caring Connections

YA Author Chat

Four young adult authors—J. Elle (Wings of Ebony), Margarita Engle (With a Star in My Hand), Loan Le (A Phở Love Story), and Britteny Morris (The Cost of Knowing)—discuss why diverse books matter for all students as part of a moderated conversation led by educator Tanya Johnson Martin.

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
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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