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]

Join us on May 5th at 2:00 pm for a virtual visit with Rina Singh–– author of many critically acclaimed books for children, including: Holi Colors, Diwali Lights, My First Book of Hindi Words, and Grandmother School (a Blue Spruce 2021 nominee). In this 1-hour visual presentation, Rina will share readings of the four titles noted here, providing participants with an opportunity to learn a few Hindi words, learn more about some Hindu Festivals, and listen to a new book based on a true story from the village of Phangane, India, about a school built for grandmothers. This presentation will include a Q & A. Best suited for students in SK-Grade 3.

Classrooms are invited to register and participate. 

Join Saira Mir, author of Muslim Girls Rise, on May 17 at 6:30 pm for a fun, interactive virtual presentation. Saira will read passages of her book, discuss behind-the-scenes information learned while researching and interviewing these heroic women, and share her inspiration for including them. The presentation will include a Q & A. Best suited for ages 7-12, but all are welcome. Registration begins May 1st. 

Join us on May 26th at 2:00 pm for a virtual author visit with Ann Yu-Kyung Choi, author of Once Upon an Hour - a picture book that looks at different ways of measuring time using the animals from the Asian zodiac. During this presentation, participants will create their own clocks using the traditional Korean way of telling time. They will also have an opportunity to explore how different cultures around the world use the sun, the moon, and the stars to tell directions. Best suited for JK-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)