Transformational Texts: Using Children's Literature to Open Doors on Historical and Current Events

Speakers: Jinnie Spiegler, Director of Curriculum and Training, and Libby Otto, Associate Director of Curriculum and Training, ADL

Books for young children about historical topics like enslavement, the Holocaust, Japanese-American internment, voting rights, segregation and genocide present these subjects with both sensitivity and insight. When it comes to current event topics there are many excellent books about immigration and the refugee crisis, racial justice, transgender rights, marriage equality and activism among others. Viewers will explore these compelling picture books from our Books Matter collection. and learn how they can be used to build empathy, provide the groundwork for both historical and literary analysis, and identify questions for further research.