People are always in a state of transition, whether we recognize it or not, whether we welcome it or not. Just as the earth is currently transitioning from winter to summer, or summer to winter, depending on where you are, we are all likely in some process of moving from one way of being to another. How do we do that? How have we become who we are now, and how do we become something, or someone, new or different?
Becoming is both the process of coming to be a certain way (or thing), and the process of passing into a certain state of being. To do this, to let in or discover new ways of being, we let go or release prior ways. Becoming is also a process of discovery, particularly self discovery. Who do we want to be? How do we want to be? Growing into these answers isn’t always easy. To become, we need to find our true selves. And as much as we might like to, we can’t know where we’ll wind up. The best we can do is maintain hope, and trust the process.
This month, using diverse perspectives found within our collection, we explore Becoming as:
letting go and letting in,
self discovery, and
maintaining hope while trusting the process.
In addition, in honor and recognition of Earth Day on April 22, 2021, and our collective need to become people of, for and with the earth, rather than people on the earth, we share a collection of books honoring our mother earth, our connection with her and efforts to help her heal.
The books in the curated list below, are all written by or about people, identities and communities that are under published and under represented in literature. These books, and hundreds more, are all available for loan to our library patrons as well as TVUUC members and families. Click “Borrow A Book” to learn how to bring these and other books home. If you’re not able to check books out, please refer to these suggestions when looking for books exploring Becoming. And if you want to support our efforts, visit https://cdjlibrary.org/support to learn how you can do that.
*Monthly themes adapted from the work of Soul Matters Sharing Circle https://www.soulmatterssharingcircle.com
Becoming as a Process of Letting Go and Letting In
Picture Books
Perfect, Nicola Davies
The Garden of Hope, Isabel Otter and Katie Rewse
Rescue and Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kennedy
Golden Threads, Suzanne Del Rizzo
Dreamers, Yuyi Morales
The Journey, Francesca Sanna
MIDDLE GRADES
Hope in the Holler, Lisa Lewis Tyre
Lucky Broken Girl, Ruth Behar
Teen
This Side of Home, Renee Watson
You Bring the Distant Near, Mitali Perkins
Becoming as a Process of True-Self Discovery
picture books
The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do - Ashley Spires
My Story, My Dance: Robert Battle’s Journey to Alvin Ailey, Lesa Cline-Ransome, James E. Ransome, Robert Battle
Juvenile
The Real Boy, Anne Ursu and Erin McGuire
Middle grades
Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and off the Court, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld
Teen
Finding Miracles, Julia Alvarez’
I am J, Cris Beam
Tilly: A story of hope and resilience, Monique Gray Smith
Beautiful Music for Ugly Children, Kirstin Cronn-Mills
Adult
Becoming Nicole: The inspiring story of transgender actor-activist Nicole Maines and her extraordinary family, Amy Ellis Nutt
Becoming as Maintaining Hope and Trusting the Process
picture books
Johnny’s Pheasant, by Cheryl Minnema and Julie Flett
Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, Laurie Ann Thompson and Sean Qualls
Juvenile / Middle grades
Brothers in Hope: The story of the lost boys of Sudan by Mary Williams and Gregory Christie
Middle Grades
The Promise of Change: one girl’s story in the fight for school equality, Jo Ann Allen Boyce, Debbie Levy
The Science of Breakable Things, Tae Keller and Alexandria Neonakis
Books in Honor of Earth Day (Becoming a people of, for and with the earth)
board books
Nibi is Water by Joanne Robertson
picture books
Moondragon in the Mosque Garden by El-Farouk Khaki and Troy Jackson
Greta and the Giants: inspired by Greta Thunberg’s stand to save the world by Zoe Tucker
Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa, Jeanette Winter
Dear Children of the Earth, Schim Schimmel
One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the recycling women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul and Elizabeth Zunon
The Water Walker by Joanne Robertson
We Are Water Protectors, Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade
Young Water Protectors: A Story About Standing Rock by Aslan Tudor
My Mother Talks to Trees by Doris Gove
City Green, DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan
Birrarung Wilam: A story from aboriginal Australia, Aunty Joy Murphy, Andrew Kelly, Lisa Kennedy
Dolphin SOS by Roy Miki
Raven and the Spiders: A Story of Unconditional Love by Constance Stoner