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We Need Diverse Books
@weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
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We Need Diverse Books is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit revolutionizing what we read to create a world where everyone can find themself in the pages of a book.

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Stay tuned for more updates about our Adopt-a-Library program! We’d also like to take a moment to thank you, our supporters. It’s only with your help that we can provide these grants, which represent books, supplies — and hope — to students nationwide.
Collage graphic displaying eight photographs around the graphic’s border. At the center is text that says, “Thank you for your support! It’s only with your help that we can provide these grants, which represent books, supplies — and hope — to students nationwide.” Going clockwise from the top left, the photos included are: a picture of shelved books; a We Need Diverse Books table display, including all of WNDB’s published anthologies; a craft table where a 100-piece puzzle has been assembled; a distant shot from outside the library looking in towards a table displaying a WNDB banner; an overhead view of a fully-stocked shelf of young adult books; a distant shot of the library’s shelving; a photo showing a group of young teenagers sitting at a table together and working on a project, their backs to the camera; and a photograph of students reading underneath a mural of a Nelson Mandela quote that says, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.”
November 10, 2025 at 3:30 PM
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We’re incredibly proud of what we were able to help the Green Street Academy library accomplish this past year! That’s why we’re thrilled to announce the next recipient of our Adopt-a-Library grant: Odyssey Charter School in Altadena, California.
Graphic designed to look like the front page of a newspaper titled “Adopt-a-Library”. The “headline” says, “Our Next Project.” The “article” contains the following description: “WNDB will help an Altadena charter school rebuild library collection. We Need Diverse Books is proud to announce that our next Adopt-a-Library recipient is Odyssey Charter School in Altadena, California! When the devastating Los Angeles wildfires struck Altadena this past January, the school was burned down and their library collection was completely destroyed. WNDB is eager to help this charter school rebuild! On the right-hand side is a side-by-side photo showing Odyssey Charter School prior to 2025 and then a photo of the school burned down. Beneath the photo is pull-quote from Boonrasi Norman, a representative of Odyssey Charter, regarding their excitement about their Adopt-a-Library selection.
November 10, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
Green Street Academy in Baltimore, Maryland was the recipient of our first Adopt-a-Library grant. Since 2024, WNDB has been working with the academy’s faculty to provide books and supplies to the school — which as of last year had no library.
Collage graphic titled “Green Street Academy” and containing the following description: “Since 2024, WNDB has been working with the faculty of Green Street Academy in Baltimore to provide $10,000 in diverse books and supplies to the school — which as of last year had no library. This year, with WNDB’s help, the school established a library, hired a librarian, and got the students reading!” There are five photographs bordering the graphic. From the top right going counterclockwise: a photo of informational papers found on the librarians desk such as “Why Reading? and “What Books Do You Love”?, a circular display shelf displaying various young adult novels, a wall mural of a Nelson Mandela quote says “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world”, a close-up of a students hands holding an open book, and a photo overlooking books displayed on top of a library shelf with students working busily at a table in the distant background. White graphic containing the following caption: “On Literacy Night, students visited the library to sign up for library cards, meet Mr. Keal, and check out the new space, filled with books and sunlight. WNDB provided hundreds of diverse titles to fill the shelves — and even bought some of the shelves!” Beneath that is a pull-quote from Robert Keal, the Green Street Academy Librarian, who says, “The books are flying off the shelves as the high schoolers catch wind of the collection. It's been fun!” Along the left-hand side of the graphic is a column of three photos: a young student reading a book called “Young, Gifted, Black”; a close-up photo of the school’s new computers; and a photo of WNDB Program Director Elizza Petruzzi, librarian Robert Keal, and WNDB Executive Director Caroline Richmond standing next to the library’s circular shelf display.
November 10, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
✨ To learn more about the history of Freedman and Black Natives, visit IndigenousReadsRisin...

Many thanks to Pasha Westbrook, Stacy V. Wells, and Cynthia Leitich Smith for collaborating on this resource and book lists! Special thanks to historian Alaina E. Roberts for her guidance.
Light brown graphic with orange and gold beaded flowers bordering the top left and bottom right corners. Body text at the top of the graphic says, “Read the full article and find more information about these titles on IndigenousReadsRising.com, written and compiled by Pasha Westbrook, Stacy V. Wells, & Cynthia Leitich Smith, with guidance from Alaina E. Roberts.” Beneath the text is a mock-up internet browser containing a screenshot of an article titled “Freedman & Black Natives” that can be found on the Indigenous Reads Rising website. Light brown graphic with orange and gold beaded flowers bordering the top left and bottom right corners. At the center of the graphic is a white pop-up window with rounded corners. At the top of the window is the logo for We Need Diverse Books, followed by the name of the organization and a subtitle denoting it as a Nonprofit Organization. Body text beneath says, “Follow us to discover & support even more diverse stories like this!” Underneath the body text is a row of light orange colored icons indicating how people can engage with this post by liking, sharing, commenting, and saving. At the bottom of the white window is a bright yellow bubble containing the handle @WeNeedDiverseBooks.
November 6, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
📚 Young Adult books about Freedman & Black Natives
Light brown graphic with orange and gold beaded flowers bordering the top left and bottom right corners. Bold white title text says, "TeenBooks About Freedman & Black Natives” The one mock-up hardcover featured on this slide is “Legendary Frybread Drive-In” edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith. There is a gold arrow sprouting off from the book cover and pointing to the right-hand side of the graphic where white text specifies that the short story “Mvskoke Joy” by Marcella Bell is suggested reading about Freedman and/or Black Natives.
November 6, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
📚 Middle Grade books about Freedman & Black Natives
Light brown graphic with orange and gold beaded flowers bordering the top left and bottom right corners. Bold white title text says, "Middle Grade Books About Freedman & Black Natives” The one mock-up hardcover featured on this slide is “Blue Stars, Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem” by Kekla Magoon, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and Molly Murakami.
November 6, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
📚 Picture books about Freedman & Black Natives
Light brown graphic with orange and gold beaded flowers bordering the top left and bottom right corners. Bold white title text says, "Picture Books About Freedman & Black Natives” The one mock-up hardcover featured on this slide is “Stronger Than” by Nikki Grimes, Stacy Wells, and E.B. Lewis. To the right-hand side of the cover is a yellow starburst illustration that says, “Out 2026!”
November 6, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
📚 Picture books about Freedman & Black Natives
Light brown graphic with orange and gold beaded flowers bordering the top left and bottom right corners. Bold white title text says, "Picture Books About Freedman & Black Natives” The one mock-up hardcover featured on this slide is “George Crum and the Saratoga Chip” by Gaylia Taylor and Frank Morrison.
November 6, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
📚 Picture books about Freedman & Black Natives
Light brown graphic with orange and gold beaded flowers bordering the top left and bottom right corners. Bold white title text says, "Picture Books About Freedman & Black Natives” The one mock-up hardcover featured on this slide is “Fry Bread” by Kevin Noble Maillard and Juana Martinez-Neal.
November 6, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
📚 Picture books about Freedman & Black Natives
Light brown graphic with orange and gold beaded flowers bordering the top left and bottom right corners. Bold white title text says, "Picture Books About Freedman & Black Natives” The one mock-up hardcover featured on this slide is “Beautiful You, Beautiful Me” by Tasha Spillett-Sumner and Salini Perera.
November 6, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
📚 Picture books about Freedman & Black Natives
Light brown graphic with orange and gold beaded flowers bordering the top left and bottom right corners. Bold white title text says, "Picture Books About Freedman & Black Natives” The one mock-up hardcover featured on this slide is “Magnolia Flower” by Zora Neale Hurston, Ibram X. Kendi, and Loveis Wise.
November 6, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
📚 Picture books about Freedman & Black Natives
Light brown graphic with orange and gold beaded flowers bordering the top left and bottom right corners. Bold white title text says, "Picture Books About Freedman & Black Natives” The one mock-up hardcover featured on this slide is “Braided Roots” by Pasha Westbrook and Madelyn Goodnight.
November 6, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
Thank you for sharing and for all the work you do! 📚❤️
November 5, 2025 at 3:45 PM
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If you found this helpful, please consider sharing! We Need Diverse Books recently re-opened our Emergency Grants for diverse writers, illustrators, publishing professionals, and educators facing food insecurity (application link below), made possible by your support!

💻 bit.ly/WNDB-emergency
White graphic displaying a white pop-up window with rounded corners. At the top of the window is the logo for We Need Diverse Books, followed by the name of the organization and a subtitle denoting it as a Nonprofit Organization. Body text beneath says, “Follow us to discover & support even more diverse stories like this!” Underneath the body text is a row of lime green colored icons indicating how people can engage with this post by liking, sharing, commenting, and saving. At the bottom of the white window is a light orange bubble containing the handle @WeNeedDiverseBooks.
November 4, 2025 at 3:30 PM
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🍽️ Adult nonfiction books about food insecurity & food access
White graphic sharing five adult nonfiction books that address food insecurity or food access. The titles shown are as follows: “How the Other Half Eats” by Priya Fielding-Singh, “Food Waste, Food Insecurity, and the Globalization of Food Banks” by Daniel N. Warshawsky, “The New Breadline” by Jean-Martin Bauer, “A Mass Conspiracy to Feed People” by David Boarder Giles, and “Black Food Geographies” by Ashanté M. Reese.
November 4, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
🍽️ Middle Grade books about food insecurity & food access
White graphic sharing seven middle grade books that address food insecurity or food access. The titles shown are as follows: “Free Lunch” by Rex Ogle, “No Place Like Home” by James Bird, “Heroes Like Us: Two Stories” by Onjali Q. Raúf, “Crenshaw” by Katherine Applegate, “Boundless” by Chaunté Lowe, “Morning Sun in Wuhan” by Ying Chang Compestine, and “Ida in the Middle” by Nora Lester Murad.
November 4, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
🍽️ Picture Books about food insecurity & food access
White graphic sharing four picture books that address food insecurity or food access. The titles shown are as follows: “Food for the Future” by Mia Wenjen & Robert Sae-Heng; “A Plate of Hope” by Erin Frankel & Paola Escobar; “Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table” by Jacqueline Briggs Martin & Shabazz Larkin; and “Pa, Me, and Our Sidewalk Pantry” by Toni Buzzeo & Zara González Hoang.
November 4, 2025 at 3:30 PM
weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social
🍽️ Picture Books about food insecurity & food access
White graphic sharing five picture books that address food insecurity or food access. The titles shown are as follows: “Watercress” by Andrea Wang & Jason Chin; “Everybody Eats” by Jasmine Crowe & Nadia Fisher; “We Care” by Megan Madison, Jessica Ralli, & Sharee Miller; “Food for Hope” by Jeff Gottesfeld & Michelle Laurentia Agatha; and “Our Little Kitchen” by Jillian Tamaki.
November 4, 2025 at 3:30 PM
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🍽️ If you or someone you know is facing food insecurity or loss of access to food, here are a few national organizations providing food to those in need (and if you’re not facing food insecurity, consider donating food or your monetary support):
White graphic sharing national organizations that address food insecurity and provide food donations to people in need. The seven organizations listed are as follows: Feeding America (website: FeedingSmerica.org), No Kid Hungry (website: NoKidHungry.org), Meals on Wheels (website: MealsOnWheelsAmerica.org), U.S. Hunger (website: USHunger.or)g, Little Free Pantry (website: LittleFreePantry.org), Partnership with Native Americans (website: NativePartnership.org/food-and-water), and Food Research & Action Center (database website: frac.org/about/1303-2). Beneath the name of each organization is their Instagram handle and the web address for their websites.
November 4, 2025 at 3:30 PM