School Library Journal has proudly partnered with We Are Kid Lit Collective to share and promote the group’s 11th annual summer reading recommendations. In the next couple of weeks, SLJ will publish individual posts featuring their recommendations of board books, picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and young adult titles.

We Are Kid Lit Collective (wtpsite.wordpress.com) is pleased to present our 11th annual summer reading list. At a time of great upheaval and uncertainty, we remain committed to uplifting titles written or illustrated by BIPOC creators. As in previous years, we have sought out books that explore the intersections of these identities through stories that invite readers to celebrate, question, imagine, hope, and explore. Diversity in our list extends from characters, authors, and countries of origin to publishers, genres, and formats. Each book on the list has been carefully selected, discussed, and vetted by two or more members.

AGARWAL, Veronica & Lee Durfey-Lavoie. Just Roll with It. Random House Graphic. 2021. ISBN 9780593125410.
In this graphic novel, Maggie is anxious about her first year of middle school. Between trying to find the best after-school club, attempting to make friends, and avoiding the monster rumored to be lurking on school grounds, she is struggling. So, she turns to her 20-sided dice; when she rolls the right number, good things happen. But what happens if Maggie rolls the wrong number?

BURGOS, Hilda Eunice. Bodega Cats: Picture Purrfect. illus. by Siara Faison.Holt. 2024. ISBN 9781250903747.
This story is told from the perspectives of Miguel, who helps in his family’s bodega, and Lolo, a lonely cat he adopted. They share friendship and adventures in New York City that help them appreciate their unique bond. Spanish is sprinkled throughout.

GIOVANNI, Nikki. The Sun Is So Quiet. illus. by Ashley Bryan. Holt. 1996. ISBN 9781250046697.
This collaboration between legendary poet Giovanni and great artist and author Bryan collects poems mostly centered around nature.

LEE, Erika & Christina Soontornvat. Made in Asian America: A History for Young People. Harper/Quill Tree. 2024. ISBN 9780063242937.
This comprehensive nonfiction text examines and illustrates the wide diversity among Asian Americans. Beginning with what led to the migration of many groups from Asian countries, the authors show the discrimination, racism, and xenophobia Asian Americans face. They also convey the continued ways that Asian Americans shape the U.S. through political activism and ingenuity.

MARTINEZ, Michael. Composting for Community. illus. by Hannah Abbo. Gloo Bks. 2023. ISBN 9781737240488.
Mateo needs to give a school presentation about his dad’s job but lacks the vocabulary to explain what a composter does. He then learns his family history of working with land and the importance of composting. The narrative includes facts and information about reducing waste and growing community. Spanish is sprinkled throughout.

NERI, G. My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots, and So Much More. illus. by Corban Wilkin. Candlewick. 2024. ISBN 9781536223323.
A few years ago, Neri applied for and received a National Science Foundation grant that took him to Antarctica. This book details why he wanted to go there, exactly how he got the opportunity, and what it’s like to spend time in that vast, freezing cold land.

RAMOS, NoNieqa. Best Believe: The Tres Hermanas, a Sisterhood for the Common Good. illus. by Nicola Medina. Lerner/Carolrhoda. 2024. ISBN 9781728460444.
This picture book is an ode to three sisters whose activism impacted New Yorkers, particularly in the Bronx. Bold, colorful illustrations paint a vivid picture of the hermanas’ lives from Puerto Rico to the Big Apple. Some Spanish is sprinkled throughout.

VAN SCIVER, Noah & Marlena Myles. Paul Bunyan: The Invention of an American Legend. illus. by Noah Van Sciver. Astra/TOON. 2023. ISBN 9781662665226.
It’s winter 1914 in Minnesota, and a train is halted by debris on the tracks in this hybrid work of graphic nonfiction. To pass the time, a lumber industry ad man tells fanciful stories of the legendary Paul Bunyan and his big blue ox, Babe. While many enjoy his stories, some are more skeptical of the man’s tales.

WIBOWO, Jes & Cin. Lunar Boy. illus. by authors. HarperAlley. 2024. ISBN 9780063057609.
In this graphic novel, Indu feels like he doesn’t belong on New Earth. During an especially lonely moment, Indu calls out to his place of origin, the moon, a sentient being who agrees to bring Indu home on the first day of the New Year. But as the day grows closer, Indu begins to have second thoughts. Indonesian is sprinkled throughout.
 

Sam Bloom is the children’s collection development librarian at Lane (OH) Public Library. Edith Campbell is a librarian at Indiana State University. Ariana Sani Hussain is a teacher librarian at the Blake School, Hopkins, MN. Sujei Lugo is a children’s librarian at the Boston Public Library and an independent researcher. Lyn Miller-Lachmann is an award-winning author and translator of children’s books. Sonia Alejandra Rodríguez is a professor of English at LaGuardia Community College (CUNY).