Grow Your Fro Garden by Gabriela Salaah (née Walker) & illustrated by Katie Crumpton
Book 15
Debby wishes her hair was long and straight like her classmates’. Her straight-haired peers don’t have to spend hours prepping their hair with different products and protective styles. Debby even goes as far as hiding her hair under different hats for a while. Mom and Dad step in to offer support and encouragement. They positively associate hair care with taking care of a garden, teaching Debby to cherish her hair and treat it with care. Debby learns to embrace her unique hair and grows to appreciate its beauty.
Gabriela Debrye-Walker Salaah was born in Georgia, but grew up in Maryland, The Netherlands, and Virginia as a military child. She moved around and traveled with her family of 7 all throughout grades K–12. She is a 2024 graduate of Howard University with a B.S. in Elementary Education. With a passion for teaching future leaders, she works as a K–3 educator. Salaah is the author of two Our Stories Decodables: Grow Your ’ Fro Garden and The Big Move . She lives in Virginia with her husband and two fur-baby dogs.
by Gabriela Debrye- Walker Salaah
illustrated by Katie Crumpton
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3/27/24 11:29 AM
My Glasses Give Me Superpowers Review Book by Sean Miller & illustrated by Brittney Bond
Review Book 5
Zee is a third-grader who struggles with being nearsighted. She is a huge fan of superheroes but thinks that glasses will make her appear weak. At school, Zee’s friends talk about the upcoming eye exam, and Zee is worried. Zee is upset when the school nurse discovers that Zee needs glasses. But when she starts wearing glasses, Zee realizes that glasses allow her to see the world clearly—and that gives her confidence and power.
Sean Miller is a Norfolk, Virginia, native who is an award- winning educator and artist. He is pursuing his Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Howard University. He received his Master of Education in Special Education from Regent University, Master of Arts in African American Religious Studies from Howard University, and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing and Design from Old Dominion University. Sean currently serves as a History and Social Studies Department Chair and teacher. He is a lifelong creative who loves visual and performing arts.
by Sean Miller illustrated by Brittney Bond
View Sample
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3/8/24 2:11 PM
Shay Goes to College by Ausha Harris & illustrated by Shellene Wright
Book 16
by Ausha Harris illustrated by Shellene Wright
Ausha Harris was born in Toledo, Ohio, to a family who prioritized and sacrificed so that she would receive the best education possible. When it was time to pick a college, Ausha had the opportunity to visit over 20 HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities). Ausha attended Howard University, where she received a bachelor of science in Psychology and a master’s of education in Special Education. Today, Harris works as an elementary school teacher in the District of Columbia.
When big brother Josh gets a law school acceptance letter, he screams with excitement. Shay, curious about the achievement, is puzzled. Seeing an opportunity to inspire his little sister, Josh persuades Shay to join him on a visit to the college campus. They explore different departments during an open-house event, where faculty and students showcase their work. The experience proves to be transformative as Shay discovers her calling. One day, she too will earn a college degree.
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4/26/24 12:16 PM
The Land We Love by Geena Talley & illustrated by Jessica Warrick
Book 17
At a beautiful local swimming hole, a Karuk sister, her brother, and their grandmother come across a lively group of tourists who arrive with floaties and coolers and leave the beach and swimming hole littered with trash. In an effort to protect their home, the Karuk family creates signs advocating for the preservation of the land. When the tourists return the following day, they become aware of the impact of their actions. The family and the tourists work together to clean up the beach.
Geena Talley is from the Karuk and Yurok Tribes of Northern California. She grew up learning from her greatest teachers: her Grandma and her ancestral homelands. Today, Talley is an elementary classroom teacher who holds respect for land, water, and people at the forefront of her teaching. The Land We Love is her first children’s book. She lives in Northern California with her family. Geena Talley is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz, as well as the University of Oregon.
FPO
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4/11/24 10:25 AM
Book 18
Meera and the Mermaid by Mayah Johnson & illustrated by Nadia Fisher
by Mayah Johnson illustrated by Nadia Fisher
Mayah Johnson is an elementary school teacher who grew up in Santa Barbara, California, just a short drive away from the ocean. In 2020, when her senior year of high school was interrupted by the COVID-19 lockdown, Johnson bonded with her mother by walking along the beach looking for the prettiest shells. The character of Shelly in the story Meera and the Mermaid is inspired by the relationship Johnson has with her parents, along with her experiences not fitting in with her peers back in school. Mayah has always loved telling stories and hopes that readers can relate to Meera and Shelly!
In this fantasy, a lonely girl named Meera has trouble making friends. When she collects a beautiful shell on the beach and brings it home, she discovers that inside is Shelly, a small mermaid-like creature. It takes a while, but Shelly shows Meera what it means to be a friend. After Shelly goes back to her home in the sea, Meera uses what Shelly taught her, and she is able to make a new friend.
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6/3/24 4:04 PM
The House of Hip-Hop Review Book by Sean Miller & illustrated by Emmanuel Boateng
Review Book 6
Aspiring rapper J. Dot reluctantly spends a summer with his grandparents in Upstate New York. Initially disappointed and assuming his grandparents couldn’t possibly help him write his rap songs, he soon learns that his grandparents were at the birth of hiphop in the Bronx in 1973 and played a role in hip-hop history. J. Dot’s perception of his grandparents changes and the three of them begin to build a strong new bond over their shared love of music.
by Sean Miller illustrated by Emmanuel Boateng
Sean Miller is a Norfolk, Virginia native who is an award-winning educator and artist. He is pursuing his Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Howard University. He received his Master of Education in Special Education from Regent University, Master of Arts in African American Religious Studies from Howard University, and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing and Design from Old Dominion University. Sean currently serves as a History and Social Studies Department Chair and teacher. He is a lifelong creative who loves visual and performing arts.
View Sample
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4/12/24 12:50 PM
Our Stories Decodables | 6
5490-24 4/25
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