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.
Activist, author, and NEA’s Read Across America Ambassador Marley Dias makes a reading connection with Ali Stroker & Stacy Davidowitz, authors of The Chance to Fly, our featured middle grade title for August.
October 2021
Create Change
Books of the month:
Books of the month:
Elementary
Change Sings: A Children's Anthem
Change Sings: A Children's Anthem
As a young Black girl leads others on a musical journey, they learn that they have the power to change the world, their communities, and themselves.
Middle Grade
The Magic in Changing Your Stars
The Magic in Changing Your Stars
Full of disappointment after bungling his audition to play the Scarecrow in The Wiz, Black fifth-grader Ailey Benjamin Lane is magically transported to the year 1939 where he meets his own grandfather and legendary tap dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.
Young Adult
Love Is a Revolution
Love Is a Revolution
Nala Robertson, a 17-year-old Black girl of Jamaican descent who is plus-size, just wants to be loved. Determined to make that happen, she pretends to be something she’s not when she meets her dream boy, the very woke Tye.
Ready, Set...Read!
Celebrate the joy of reading this month with these featured articles and resources.
A Talk with Author Donna Barba Higuera
NEA's School Me podcast welcomes author Donna Barba Higuera to discuss El Cucuy is Scared, Too! and learn why she is so passionate about writing books that feature multiracial children, families, and identities.
Book Club Basics
Here's what you need to know to start your own Read Across book club in your school.
A Bilingual Booklist for Back to School
Celebrate reading in English and Spanish with titles featured in this bilingual booklist from Colorín Colorado.
Celebrate Black Stories with Denene Millner Books
Sponsored Content
Denene Millner Books publishes books that celebrate the everyday humanity of Black children and families. Featuring both fiction and nonfiction, from picture books to young adult, Black children can see their universal childhood experiences reflected in the stories on their bookshelves and can read about people who look like them in spaces beyond history, biography, and sports.
- Learn more!
Here’s What We’re Reading...
Click on a month below for our recommended books, plus suggestions for discussions and activities.
August 2021
Spread Your Wings
September 2021
Embrace New Beginnings
October 2021
Create Change
November 2021
Explore Ancestry and Identity
December 2021
Lend a Hand
January 2022
Try Something New
February 2022
Explore Families and History
March 2022
Play With Stories
April 2022
Nurture a Sense of Belonging
May 2022
Build Together
June 2022
Gain Perspective
July 2022
Determine Destiny
Watch What We're Celebrating This Year
We're joining the parade—Tiara's Hat Parade, as NEA President Becky Pringle, Read Across America Ambassador Marley Dias, and author Kelly Starling Lyons welcome us to another year of diverse books and take us deeper into a beloved tale of family, community, courage, and fashion.
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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.
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.
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