BOOKS

Meet Anjali! She’s the spunky star of this picture book with a timeless message about appreciating what makes us special and honoring our different identities.

Anjali and her friends are excited to buy matching personalized license plates for their bikes–but Anjali can’t find a plate with her name. She is often teased about her “different” name, and this is the last straw. Anjali is so upset that she demands her parents let her pick a new name! When they refuse, Anjali decides to take a closer look at who she is–beyond her name–and why being different means being marvelous.

For Anjali, playing the tabla is something that comes naturally. She loves the feel of the drum beneath her fingers and getting lost in the music. But when the boys in her class give her a hard time for being better than them, she messes up on purpose. When her teacher announces a contest where the winner will get to perform with him at his next concert, Anjali is distraught. Winning the contest would be a dream for Anjali. But it seems like the better she gets, the meaner some of the kids are. In this follow up to Always Anjali, Anjali realizes that she should never let anyone make her feel bad for being good at something. An important story for all children to remember to ’never dim their light.’
When Leila’s mother gets sick, lots of things change for her family. But one important thing stays the same: they still have each other, and they know how to find joy and laughter when they need it most! The poetic, uplifting story and hopeful ending are based on the author’s own experience battling cancer as the parent of young children.

You’ll find free coloring pages, activity & discussion guides here.

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