GLSEN’s No Name-Calling Week, January 17-21, is a week organized by K-12 educators and students to end name-calling and bullying in schools. This week aims to disrupt anti-LGBTQ+ harassment and bias-based bullying, and invites LGBTQ+ students to assert what they want to be called. Magination Press has several books addressing bullying, name-calling, and LBGTQ+ inclusion in observance of No Name-Calling Week.
They’re So Flamboyant by Michael Genhart
This fun and funny bird’s-eye tome to individuality, community, and harmony follows the reactions of a neighborhood full of birds when a “flamboyance” of flamingos moves in.
“Feathered friends are flustered when flamingos move into the neighborhood… This story is a welcome springboard for age-appropriate discussions of assumptions, stereotypes, and inclusion. Engaging wordplay makes a serious point about inclusion.” —Kirkus Reviews
Hear They’re So Flamboyant read aloud.
Read an excerpt from the Author’s Note.
Jacob’s School Play: Starring He, She and They by Sarah and Ian Hoffman
Jacob—star of one of the most banned books of the decade according to the American Library Association—is back in his third book and ready to put on a school play! While learning their lines and making their costumes, Jacob’s class finds itself unexpectedly struggling with identity, and what it means to be “he”, “she”, or “they”.
Jacob’s School Play is an engaging way to introduce young readers to non-binary people and the pronoun options available to us all. Learning that individuals are more nuanced than how others see them is a developmentally important milestone and helps foster respect of one’s self and one’s peers.
“This straightforward and important book that honors everyone will help adults have thoughtful conversations with young children about gender identity, particularly the message about respecting someone’s choice to use ungendered pronouns…” —Booklist
Hear Jacob’s School Play read aloud.
Read an interview with Jacob about understanding pronouns.
Papa, Daddy, & Riley by Seamus Kirst
Riley is Papa’s princess and Daddy’s dragon. She loves her two fathers! When Riley’s classmate asks her which dad is her real one, Riley is confused. She doesn’t want to have to pick one or the other. Families are made of love in this heartwarming story that shows there are lots of ways to be part of one.
“A little girl with two dads confronts homophobia…. Sweet if not groundbreaking….” —Kirkus Reviews
Hear Papa, Daddy, & Riley read aloud.
Read a post by Seamus Kirst about the power of inclusion.
Ouch Moments: When Words Are Used in Hurtful Ways by Michael Genhart, PhD
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.
“Genhart clearly articulates how, when bullying occurs, it can be hard to know what to do. He encourages readers to avoid responding in kind, practice kindness (both to themselves and others), and talk to adults. It’s a solid resource for conflict meditation in clinical or school settings.” —Publisher’s Weekly
Read an excerpt from the Note to Parents and Caregivers in Ouch Moments.
Stand Up!: Be an Upstander and Make a Difference by Wendy L. Moss, PhD
Stand Up! Shows kids how to be an Upstander who makes the world a better place by standing up to bullying and injustice in their school, home, or community. Chock full of quizzes, examples, practical advice, and small steps kids can take in real life, Stand Up!: Be an Upstander and Make a Difference takes readers through the ways to be an Upstander, including being kind to yourself, having empathy for others, spreading kindness, and dealing with conflicts.
“This guidebook tackles how to be an ‘Upstander’—a ‘positive bystander’ who ‘stand[s] up for themselves and others’—through explaining positive self-talk, self-regulation, judicious intervention, realistic goals, teamwork, and persistence… deploys direct-address questions to engage readers.” —Publishers Weekly
