MAC BARNETT VISITS CSB
D.E.I. READING LIST BY AARON MULLEN, Directory of Inclusion and Student Life
BY ALLI DECKER, School Librarian
Books not only have the ability to transport readers to another world or time, they also have the ability to give us a glimpse into the life experiences of our fellow humans. Reading takes us out of ourselves to expand our understanding of those around us. Below is some suggested reading for those interested in expanding their perspective on the human experience.
BOOKS for CHILDREN
BOOKS for ADULTS
DIVERSITY We Came to America by Faith Ringgold LANGUAGE I Love Saturdays y Domingos by Alma Flor Ada GENDER Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress by Christine Baldacchino She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beatty ADOPTION Jack & and Almost Jill: A True Story of a Twin Adoption
BIAS Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People by Mahzarin R. Banaji STEREOTYPE THREAT Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do by Claude M. Steele IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
knows that a good story is appealing to readers of all ages. When I asked Mr. Barnett about his audiences, he replied, “People on airplanes often ask me what ages I write for, and I don’t think I can answer it the way they want me to. I think a good picture book can have a floor—an age below which it can’t be understood—but not a ceiling. I wish picture books were labeled the way board games are like four and up. A good picture book should never make a reader feel infantilized, no matter how old she is.” As you can imagine, Mr. Barnett writes about mischief that clever young readers love. And in doing so, he combines sophisticated humor with a silliness that adults appreciate too. But what makes him really special and his books so popular is that he delivers stories that are…smart. Rarely offering an easy explanation or a right or wrong answer, he challenges readers to question the predictable ending and/or the preachy message that many kids are already wary of. He says,
“I don’t subscribe to the utilitarian view of children’s books, the belief that kids’ books must be a delivery mechanism for lessons. Some kids’ stories have tidy morals. So do some adult stories. I didn’t like reading those stories then and I don’t like reading them now. Really, I just hope that kids enjoy the book, that it makes them laugh and feel, and, if we’re lucky, that they think about it for a while after the book is closed. Any good piece of art tells us something about what it means to be a person, but usually the truths worth passing on can’t be easily distilled.” This combination of intelligence and wit is what truly sets Mr. Barnett and other writers like him apart. In the tradition of authors like William Stieg and Tomi Ungerer, children get their first glimpse at the world of literature. They’re introduced to language that elevates rather than condescends, humor that is inclusive, and stories that broaden their understanding of the world around them in a playful way.
ON APRIL 1, AUTHOR EXTRAORDINAIRE, MAC BARNETT, VISITED THE CATHEDRAL LIBRARY. Lower School students had the special opportunity to hear Mr. Barnett read, tell jokes, and discuss his books. Teachers and students alike laughed aloud at Mr. Barnett’s entertaining stories and his whimsical approach to writing for children. After spending the day with us, he patiently signed his Mr. Barnett bookmarks for each kid and gifted one lucky Cathedral boy an advanced review copy of his latest series: Mac B., Kid Spy . A Bay Area native, Mr. Barnett is a celebrated New York Times best-selling author. He has published numerous books including non-fiction, middle- reader chapter books, and novels. His favorites in the Cathedral library are the Terrible Two series and picture books, Extra Yarn, Moustache, Triangle, Guess Again, and Sam & Dave Dig a Hole . While his books range in reading level and subject matter, what makes Mr. Barnett one of my favorite authors is that he never talks down to his audience and
Waking Up White by Debby Irving White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
by Jackie McReynolds-Ruchti Mama's Wish/Daughter's Wish by Debbie & Brynne Blackington
Real American: A Memoir by Julie Lythcott-Haims Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
FRIENDSHIP Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles
FAMILY STRUCTURE Stella Brings the Family by Miriam B. Schiffer
88 | CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS
FALL 2019 • RED & GOLD | 89
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