The EJK Foundation has identified themes that may be of interest because of the universal experience of the subjects and therefore the rich possibilities for animated student discussion. Please choose a theme to see a synopsis of that theme and the associated list of books.
Theme Resources
Community
These books introduce communities in which people live, work, and play together in beneficial ways that aid, support, and encourage their members. The characters value one another and their shared spaces.
Emotions and Feelings
Social emotional learning builds on recognizing and managing one’s emotions. These books introduce characters who are feeling intense emotions, both positive and negative, and who find ways to respond to their feelings constructively, either on their own or with the help of other people.
Families
The books portray relationships and interactions among young characters and their parents, grandparents, siblings, and other individuals who comprise their closest communities. The families are different, but each one radiates love, support, and encouragement.
First Day of School
These books share the anticipations and anxieties of children and parents who are beginning a new school year, providing validation of the characters’ feelings and reassurance that the first day may not be as scary as they initially thought.
Friendship
These books honor friends who help, teach, encourage, and play with one another, showing how essential true friendships are to a full life.
Identity
Discovering who you are is an essential component of social emotional learning and gaining independence and confidence. In these books, characters explore their personal, familial, and cultural identities and become proud to express who they are.
Immigrants and Refugees
These stories highlight aspects of the immigrant and refugee experience, such as leaving behind relatives and friends, learning new languages, and adjusting to new cultures and circumstances. They are told through the perspectives of first and second generation immigrants.
Loss
These books feature characters responding to loss, such as the loss of a family member, friend, pet, or home. Learning to grieve is a difficult but essential part of social emotional learning.
Pets and Farm Animals
These books depict the joys and responsibilities of caring for animals at home and on farms, as well as the companionship, entertainment, and love provided by the animals.
Poetry
These stories offer different examples of poetry, such as rhymes, list poems, cumulative poems, and odes, while also expanding the possibilities of what a poem can be and how it can be portrayed visually, as well as textually.
Seasons and Nature
These stories celebrate the wonders of nature and the four seasons, while also recognizing the sometimes harsh realities that are part of the natural world.
Self-Esteem
A positive self-image provides a foundation for social emotional learning. As the characters in these books navigate difficult or unfamiliar situations and master new skills, they develop greater self-knowledge, accompanying confidence, and increased independence.
Strong Girls
These books feature female protagonists who demonstrate strength of mind and spirit in a variety of ways, situations, times, and places.
1997 EJK Writer Award
Juan Felipe Herrera
Calling the Doves (El canto de las palomas)
Illustrated by Elly Simmons
