Story Starters is a 10-week program for families with kids in grades PreK - 4 that provides the tools, support, and community for race conversationsthrough books, family events, and parent workshops. Help support Story Starters by donating a book from the program's wishlist, and support your local economy by buying it from Belmont Books.
When you order a book online to donate to Story Starters, please select the delivery option "Pick-Up in Store." Then pay online using your credit card or PayPal, and leave an order comment noting that this is a donation for Story Starters. Please place a separate order for personal purchases. Please also state in the order comments, whether you are comfortable with having your name shared with the organization as a donor. Thank you.
Learn more about the Story Starters program by visiting their website.
A 2018 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book
The First Rule of Punk is a wry and heartfelt exploration of friendship, finding your place, and learning to rock out like no one’s watching.
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A poignant story about the difficulties of leaving everything behind and the friendships that help you get through it.
Fleeing war-torn Kosovo, ten-year-old Drita and her family move to America with the dream of living a typical American life. But with this hope comes the struggle to adapt and fit in.
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A Washington Post Best Children’s Book of 2017
“For inspiring empathy in young readers, you can’t get better than this book.” —R. J.
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On a dark night of howling rain and booming thunder, Jackson and Millicent MacGruder welcome a new baby girl into their lives. Imagine their surprise when she sits up, thanks them for bringing her into the world, and informs them that she's quite partial to the name Rose.
A positive and affirming look at skin color, from an artist's perspective.
Seven-year-old Lena is going to paint a picture of herself. She wants to use brown paint for her skin. But when she and her mother take a walk through the neighborhood, Lena learns that brown comes in many different shades.
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The first volume of Princeless as it's never been available before, in a special edition hardcover volume. This edition includes the full first volume written by Jeremy Whitley and illustrated by M Goodwin.
Based on a true story from Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s childhood in South Africa, Desmond and the Very Mean Word reveals the power of words and the secret of forgiveness.
From the Caldecott Award-winning and bestselling team of Audrey Vernick, Liz Garton Scanlon, and Matthew Cordell comes a hilarious sick-day read-aloud!
A Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book!
“Reinforces the sense that kids around the world are more alike than different.” —Booklist
“An excellent tool for explaining how cultures connect.” —School Library Journal
Two cousins—one in the United States and one in Mexico—learn their live
In this warm and sunny picture book, follow the progress of a little girl and her father as they put together a wonderful birthday surprise for mom: a window box flower garden.
Ada Ruth's mama must go away to Chicago to work, leaving Ada Ruth and Grandma behind. It's war time, and women are needed to fill the men's jobs. As winter sets in, Ada Ruth and her grandma keep up their daily routine, missing Mama all the time. They find strength in each other, and a stray kitten even arrives one day to keep them company, but nothing can fill the hole Mama left.
A moving story about a family's attempt to flee Haiti in a boat, and a young boy who bravely learns to navigate a new world through playing his drum.
Frogs have been stolen, an earthquake rumbles, a village is in peril. To restore calm to her land, a girl must delve beneath the surface of a lake, deep into a spirit world. What she finds will thrill readers and introduce them to a classic hero's journey.
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A wonderful look into Japanese tradition and culture through the eyes of a young girl, Kimiko. Every year on Children's Day in Japan a kite in the shape of a carp is flown for each boy in the family. Kimiko desperately wants an orange, black, and white calico carp kite of her own to fly, but her parents remind her that there is a holiday just for girls–Doll's Day.
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Meet one smart chicken chaser. She can catch any chicken on her grandmother's farm except one – the elusive Miss Hen.
Nothing frightens Winifred Schnitzel--but she DOES need her sleep, and the neighborhood monsters WON'T let her be Every night they sneak in, growling and belching and making a ruckus. Winifred constructs clever traps, but nothing stops these crafty creatures. What's a girl to do?
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Has the moon ever followed you home at night?
An instant New York Times Bestseller!
Street photographer and storyteller extraordinaire Brandon Stanton is the creator of the wildly popular blog "Humans of New York." He is also the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Humans of New York.
This loving ode to our shared humanity is the perfect introduction to conversations about identity and Anti-Racism.* "Will invite the book's audience to grapple with themes of individuality, diversity, universality, and what it means to be human." -- The Horn Book, starred review"Loved it." -- Jacqueline Woodson, former Ambassador of Young People’s Literature
Presented as a thoughtful
Jacqueline Woodson is the 2018-2019 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature
Clover's mom says it isn't safe to cross the fence that segregates their African-American side of town from the white side where Anna lives. But the two girls strike up a friendship, and get around the grown-ups' rules by sitting on top of the fence together.
With a simple, witty story and free-spirited illustrations, Peter H. Reynolds entices even the stubbornly uncreative among us to make a mark — and follow where it takes us.
Her teacher smiled. "Just make a mark and see where it takes you."
From legendary author and critic bell hooks and multi-Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka comes a new way to talk about race and identity that will appeal to parents of the youngest readers.
The skin I'm in is just a covering. It cannot tell my story. If you want to know who I am, you have got to come inside and open your heart way wide.
The best-selling picture book is now available as a board book.
I am Black / I am Unique / I am the creamy white frost in vanilla ice cream / and the milky smooth brown in a chocolate bar...Using simple poetic language and stunning photographs, Sandra and Myles Pinkney have created a remarkable book of affirmation for African-American children.
#1 New York Times Bestseller
A USA Today Bestseller
Winner of the Newbery Medal
A Caldecott Honor Book
A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
Is there anything more splendid than a baby’s skin? For families of all stripes comes a sweet celebration of what makes us unique—and what holds us together.
Look at you!
You look so cute
in your brand-new birthday suit.
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The essential resource for 20 years
A John Steptoe New Talent Award Winner
Before there was hip hop, there was DJ Kool Herc.
With the ease and simplicity of a nursery rhyme, this lively story delivers an important message of social acceptance to young readers. Themes associated with child development and social harmony, such as friendship, acceptance, self-esteem, and diversity are promoted in simple and straightforward prose.
When you look in a mirror, who do you see?
A boy? A girl?
A son? A daughter?
A runner? A dancer?
Whoever and whatever you see―just put out your fist and give yourself an "I am" BAM
A lonely boy’s new pet grows into a rather large dilemma—and a Thanksgiving parade offers an uplifting solution—in this charming tale from the author of The Boy and the Airplane and The Girl and the Bicycle.
When Leonard takes a shortcut through the park, he finds an egg and takes it home, where it hatches into a lizard (or so Leonard thinks).
"This wonderful book should be a first choice for all collections and is strongly recommended as a springboard for discussions about differences.” —School Library Journal (starred review)
A creative spirit learns that thinking “ish-ly” is far more wonderful than “getting it right” in this gentle fable from the creator of the award-winning picture book The Dot.
Ramon loved to draw. Anytime. Anything. Anywhere.
"I like your buttons, Mrs. Sutton-Jones " Kind words can be contagious. Cassandra's simple compliment to her teacher starts off a chain reaction of kindness through the teachers and students at school, adults at work, and families at home.
The groundbreaking picture book by legendary author bell hooks and multi-Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka that celebrates hair, perfect for fans of Hair Love and I Love My Hair!
Happy with hair all short and strong. Happy with locks that twist and curl.
Just all girl happy! Happy to be nappy hair!
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In a three-story house with a shop down below,
lived the worlds finest hat maker, Madame Chapeau.
Like the Lady herself, all her hats were refined.
Brilliantly singular. One of a kind.
So begins the tale of a lonely hat maker who matches customers to the perfect hat but lacks her own perfect match in life.
"I am mixed with all kinds of goodies."
Jay and Nia are the children of two worlds, and as they'll discover, they can enjoy the best of both. From Mommy's jazz beats to Daddy's classical piano, we will dance with the twins through a book that explores what it is to be of mixed ancestry, proving that a child is more than the sum of their parents.
Mom and Dad say I'm a blend of dark and light:
"We mixed you perfectly, and got you just right."
Mike has awesome hair. He has LOTS of energy! His parents love him. And Mike is a PERFECT blend of the two of them.
“Kids, young and old, fall in love with math when they see how real-life and effortless it becomes thanks to these books.” --Kimberly D. Mueller, Ed.D., First Grade Teacher, Ashbrook School, Lumberton NJ
Now a Netflix series!
#1 New York Times Bestseller
A Wall Street Journal Bestseller
A USA Today Bestseller
Inspired by mathematician Ada Lovelace and physicist Marie Curie, this #1 bestseller champions STEM, girl power, and women scientists in a rollicking celebration of curiosity, the power perseverance, a
Inside Out and Back Again is a #1 New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor Book, and a winner of the National Book Award!
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“A powerful read.” —Ahmed Rashid, New York Times Bestselling author of Taliban
“By the end of the book, young readers will be cheering for Fadi as a good friend.” —Mitali Perkins, author of Tiger Boy and You Bring the Distant Near
“Senzai has brought a whole new world to life for young readers.
A sweet and positive fairy tale in which two princesses meet and embark on an adventure to overcome their own personal obstacles.
2014 Cybils Awards Finalist
2014 Autostraddle Comic Art Award for Favorite Graphic Novel
2017 ALA Rainbow Book List Top Ten
2018 Sakura Medal Nominee
"It’s super cute, super queer, and feminist as a
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Lunella Lafayette is a preteen genius who wants to change the world, but lives in fear of the Inhuman genes inside her! Now, Lunella's life is turned upside down when a red-scaled beast is teleported from the prehistoric past to a far-flung future we call…today! Together they're the most Marvelous Team-Up of all - Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur!