July is BIPOC Mental Health Month. It was created in 2008 to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face related to mental illness in the communities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
Magination Press has several stories that may be helpful to BIPOC communities. Many of our stories feature biracial or multicultural families.
Accordionly: Abuelo And Opa Make Music by Michael Genhart
When both of a boy’s grandpas, Abuelo and Opa, visit at the same time, they can’t understand each other’s language and there is a lot of silence. The grandson’s clever thinking helps find a way for everyone to share the day together as two cultures become one family through an unexpected shared musical talent.
This unique book includes a bonus fold-out and a note from the author sharing the true story of his own family.
Hear Accordionly: Abuelo And Opa Make Music read aloud here.
Lulu The One And Only by Lynnette Mawhinney
Lulu loves her biracial family. But being a mix of her Mama and Daddy always brings around THAT question. Lulu hates THAT question. Her brother inspires her to come up with a “power phrase” so she can easily express who she is, not what she is.
Includes an Author’s Note, sharing her experience as a multiracial person.
Here Lulu The One and Only read aloud here.
Read an excerpt from the Author’s Note here.
My Singing Nana by Pat Mora
“Always amigos!”
This book is a compassionate tribute to families dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease. The story celebrates the ideals of family, heritage, and happy memories, showing kids that no matter how their loved one might change they always have ways to maintain their special connection.
Read an excerpt from the Note to Parents here.
Marvelous Maravilloso: Me And My Beautiful Family by Carrie Lara
Our colors make us beautiful and unique. Mommy says it is part of our culture and the big word diversity — diversidad. This award-winning story explores what color means within the dynamics of race, ethnicity, and culture, and is told from the point of view of a young interracial child.
Includes a Note to Parents and Caregivers.
Hear Marvelous Maravilloso read aloud here.
The Heart of Mi Familia by Carrie Lara
Follow a young girl as she works with her abuela and her grandma to create a wonderful birthday present for her brother that celebrates her multiculturalism and honors both sides and generations of her family. This follow-up to the award winning Marvelous Maravilliso: Me and My Beautiful Family is a must-read for all families.
Hear The Heart of Mi Familia read aloud here.
Read an excerpt from the Readers’ Note here.
Something Happened In Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice
By Marianne Celano, PhD, ABPP, Marietta Collins, PhD and Ann Hazzard, PhD ABPP
Emma and Josh heard that something happened in their town. A Black man was shot by the police.
“Why did the police shoot that man?”
“Can police go to jail?”
Something Happened in Our Town follows two families — one White, one Black — as they discuss a police shooting of a Black man in their community. The story aims to answer children’s questions about such traumatic events, and to help children identify and counter racial injustice in their own lives.
Includes an extensive Note to Parents and Caregivers with guidelines for discussing race and racism with children, child-friendly definitions, and sample dialogues.
Hear Something Happened in Our Town read aloud here.
Hear a podcast with Marianne Celano, PhD, ABPP about talking with children about racism here.
Something Happened in Our Park: Standing Together After Gun Violence by Ann Hazzard, PhD ABPP, Marianne Celano, PhD ABPP, and Marietta Collins, PhD
This important follow-up to the bestselling, groundbreaking, and inspiring Something Happened in Our Town, is a much-needed story to help communities in the aftermath of gun violence.
When Miles’s cousin Keisha is injured in a shooting, he realizes people can work together to reduce the likelihood of violence in their community. With help from friends and family, Miles learns to use his imagination and creativity to help him cope with his fears.
This book can help provide parents with helpful messages of reassurance and empowerment.
Includes an extensive Note to Parents and Caregivers with guidelines for discussing community gun violence with children, and sample dialogues.
Read an excerpt from the Reader’s Note here.
Ouch Moments: When Words Are Used In Hurtful Ways by Michael Genhart
Hearing a mean or hurtful word hurts a lot. When other kids say something mean or hurtful, it is hard to know what to do. Ouch Moments: When Words Are Used in Hurtful Ways explains these “ouch moments” in kid-friendly terms, offers practical strategies for what kids can do to help, and empowers kids to stand up to mean and hurtful language.
A Note to Parents and Caregivers by Kevin L. Nadal, PhD, provides more information about microaggressions, and strategies for talking to children about hurtful language, discrimination, and bias.
Read an excerpt from the Note to Parents and Caregivers here.
