Author Kwame Alexander in a dark green track suit stands and recites in front of middle school students with bassist Amy Shook in the background

Celebrate Reading diverse & inclusive books

Let's read and grow together with 12 months of recommended titles, authors, and teaching resources that promote diversity and inclusion.

Kwame Alexander in a dark green shirt with hands clasped

[The Crossover] is the book I wished I could have read when I was a kid …a book with characters who looked like me, with rhythm and flow and empowering words. I believe the mind of an adult begins with the imagination of a child.

Quote by: Kwame Alexander, poet and author of The Crossover

Watch The Crossover story concert

July 2025

Cultivate Compassion

Books of the month:

Elementary

Cesaria Feels the Beat

by Denise Rosario Adusei

Though the director insists that Cesaria wear the sandals that are part of her peacock costume, she stands up for herself and takes off her shoes while dancing at her seaside Carnival performance so she can feel the music through her bare feet.

Learn more

Middle Grade

Shiny Misfits

by Maysoon Zayid

Bay Ann is sure her tap dance will win at the school talent show, but when her crush, Alyee Maq, catches her before she falls (which was his fault anyway) and becomes a viral sensation for helping a girl with a disability, she is determined to beat him at his own attention-seeking game.

Learn more

Young Adult

Give Me a Sign

by Anna Sortino

Lilah, whose hearing loss leaves her feeling not "deaf enough" to identify as Deaf or hearing enough to meet the world's expectations, finds community and romance when she becomes a counselor at a summer camp for the deaf and blind.

Learn more

Celebrate the joy of reading this month with these featured articles and resources.

educator holds a stack of books with Twas the Night Before Pride on the top and visible

LGBTQ+ Books for Schools

Recommended titles that reflect on the LGBTQ+ experience and books about Pride, tolerance, and diversity.

View the list

Raising Literacy Rates in the Digital Age

Competing with technology can be difficult, but these educators are introducing students to books—and the joy of reading in general—in creative ways.

Learn more

New look, same action-packed series!

Your favorite secret agent series is now available as a graphic novel

Learn More

Comics: The Superheroes of Classroom Diversity

It’s a bird…It’s a plane…It’s a champion of diversity!

teen girl reading a book in the school library next to a stack of books on the desk

Celebrating Jewish Culture with Books

Celebrate Jewish culture, tradition, language, and beliefs as well as the achievements and contributions of Jewish people with these recommended titles from NEA’s Jewish Affairs Caucus and NEA’s Read Across America.

View the list Find titles in your local library

High school student reading graphic novel in the library

Classroom Resources to Celebrate the Freedom to Read

Find book recommendations, posters, bookmarks, stickers, and ways to show your support for banned books and freedom from censorship in the classroom.

Learn more

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.

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

August 2024

Compose Bonds

September 2024

Speak Up and Make Change

October 2024

Know Your Power

November 2024

Engage with Community

December 2024

Foster Confidence

January 2025

Find Your Way

February 2025

Pursue Passions

March 2025

Join In

April 2025

Share Your Poetic Voice

May 2025

Revel in Your Heritage

June 2025

Build Others Up

July 2025

Cultivate Compassion

“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

Post this Take the challenge

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. Andrea Davis Pinkney, author of Loretta Little Looks Back: Three Voices Go Tell It, discusses the power of storytelling. And Duncan Tonatiuh, author of A Land of Books: Dreams of Young Mexihcah Word Painters, makes the case for the freedom to read.

Sign up to receive EdPractice, our monthly email packed full of advice, tips, and resources to help you be the best educator possible for your students.

Suggested Results

Celebrate Reading diverse & inclusive books

Cultivate Compassion

Cesaria Feels the Beat

Shiny Misfits

Give Me a Sign

Ready, Set...Read!

LGBTQ+ Books for Schools

Raising Literacy Rates in the Digital Age

New look, same action-packed series!

Comics: The Superheroes of Classroom Diversity

Celebrating Jewish Culture with Books

Classroom Resources to Celebrate the Freedom to Read

The 2024 Newbery Winner is Now in Paperback!

Here’s What We’re Reading...

Compose Bonds

Speak Up and Make Change

Know Your Power

Engage with Community

Foster Confidence

Find Your Way

Pursue Passions

Join In

Share Your Poetic Voice

Revel in Your Heritage

Build Others Up

Cultivate Compassion

Hear from Read Across America Authors

Section with embed

Section with embed

Section with embed

About Read Across America

Join Our Community of Readers

Keep learning wherever you are.

Great public schools for every student