Milton Public Library is participating in the Read Woke Challenge to help the residents of Milton join in the fight to be stronger, more active, and more consistent allies in the fight for racial equality. One way that children learn about the world around them and other cultures is through the social messages found in stories. Stories help children understand how society perceives their culture as well as the cultures of their friends, teachers, caregivers, and others, thereby influencing their social and identity development. Stories can be found in traditional print materials for children or in newer digital formats. Regardless of the format for delivering a story’s message, children are greatly influenced by the stories they encounter.

Below are some lists of books available at MPL to get you started on your reading journey. Please note this is not a definitive list. 

If you wish to find your own materials, just a reminder that a Woke Book should be by and about marginalized persons, and must:

•  Challenge a social norm;  
   Give voice to the voiceless;
   Provide information about a group that has been disenfranchised;
   Seek to challenge the status quo;
   Have a protagonist from an underrepresented or oppressed group.  

To participate in the challenge, you will need to make sure you have registered for a Beanstack account. If you or someone in your household participated in a 2020 Summer Reading Club Challenge, then you already have one. If not, here is how you can get started:

1. Visit your app store to download the Beanstack Tracker App to your smart phone or device, OR visit https://beinspired.beanstack.org to use the browser version.

2. Register yourself for an account. If more than one person in your household is registering for the reading challenge (we have three age groups to choose from), create one account for the whole family and add multiple readers. If you are an educator/childcare provider, you can register as a "class or group".  (TIP: make sure you look for Milton Public Library, Ontario. We’re the one with the bee logo). 

3. Select your Read Woke challenge, based on your age.

Have questions? Email beanstack@beinspired.ca 

All children that complete the Read Woke Challenge will be entered into a Grand Prize Draw. The draw will take place in early June and the winner will be notified. The contents of the prize package can be seen in the photo below

[ Prize Package value: $300]

Jerry Craft is coming to Milton! This special virtual presentation, on February 11th at 2:00 pm (ET) is not to be missed! Jerry Craft is a graphic artist and writer. He is the author of New Kid (a Newberry Medal, Coretta Scott King Award, and Kirkus Prize winner) and Class Act. Jerry is the creator of Mama’s Boyz, an award-winning syndicated comic strip. He has won five African American Literary Awards, and he is the cofounder of the Schomburg Center’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival.

During this 30-40 minute presentation Jerry will discuss his journey to becoming a published author/illustrator and the creative process behind New Kid and Class Act. The presentation will followed by a Q&A and drawing demonstration.

Best suited for Grades 3-8, but all are welcome.

Classes are invited to register and participate.

Join Nadia Hohn, author of Malaika's Costume, Malaika's Winter Carnival, and Malaika's Surprise, on February 26th at 10:00 am. This interactive, lively and musical workshop, will feature a reading of Malaika’s Costume, as well as musical instruments and storytelling.   Participants will enjoy the opportunity to explore Caribbean songs, rhymes, and games that Malaika would learn and play in her schoolyard. Best suited for K-3rd graders, but all are welcome. Click here to register (beginning Feb 8)

Classrooms are invited to register and participate in this program.

Ever wondered how you can better connect with  people that have hearing impairments, especially now that we are eliminating the option for them to read our lips by wearing masks? Join us for this workshop for beginners with an instructor from Canadian Hearing Services (and an Interpreter).

Participants will receive a basic introduction to Deaf Culture as well as some communication tips for deaf and hard of hearing people. The workshop will include an ASL (American Sign Language) demo, to equip participants with some basic signs to use in their community. The presentation will end with a Q & A.

Tues March 9 at 2:00 pm - Best suited for students in Grades 3-7 but all are welcome

OR

Sat March 13 at 11:00 am - All families are welcome

Shane Burcaw is a 28-year-old adult with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and a wicked sense of humour. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he runs a blog and nonprofit organization dedicated to providing medical equipment to people with muscular dystrophy diseases. His children's book Not So Different, offers a humorous, relatable, and refreshingly honest glimpse into Shane Burcaw's life.
Join us on March 24th at 2:00 pm as Shane shares his children's book with us, and provides children with an opportunity to ask any remaining questions they may have. This program is best suited for children in Grades 2-7 but all are welcome.

Classrooms are invited to register and participate in this program.

Join Heather M. O’Connor, author of Fast Friends (2021 Blue Spruce Nominee), on March 31st, at 2:00 pm as she discusses her picture book and the inspiration behind it. During this program, participants will learn to identify nonverbal cues, both in the illustrations of the book, as well as with their peers, using fun interactive activities. The presentation has strong curriculum connections to body language and is best suited for students in SK-Grade 3, but all are welcome.

Classrooms are invited to register and participate

Teen's Read Woke (13-17 years)

Adult's Read Woke (18+ years)