Celebrating the Lights of Diversity: Holiday Storytime

We truly kindled the lights of joy this holiday season during our Celebrating the Lights of Diversity holiday stortyime.

We shared three of our favorite holiday books and lit all the lights we could find while learning about each one. We included a tiny Christmas tree, a Menorah, a Kinara, an Advent wreath, a flaming chalice, a Yule log and a Havdallah candle. All were featured in our stories. We were only missing the St. Lucia crown.

Winter Candle by Jeron Ashford in which a single candle unites a building of neighbors by being shared from tradition to tradition as needed.

An Anishinaabe Christmas by Wab Kinew in which an Anishinaabe family visits "the Rez" on the winter solstice and Baby learns all about an Anishinaabe Christmas and the weaving together of traditions on the long drive home.

The Ninth Night of Hanukkah by Erica S. Perl. Neighbors help a family who's just moved in find all they need to celebrate Hanukkah when their box of supplies hasn't arrived, and in turn, on the ninth night, a new traditional of thanks and gathering is created.

March 2024 Storytime: Music Makes Room for Everyone

Please join us at 1pm in the Children’s Diversity & Justice Library on Sunday March 24 for stories in which music takes the stage. We plan to be joined by musicians to accompany our stories and may even have the chance to make some music ourselves.

Music is found in all cultures and all people. Books featuring music and musicians can be found in all 14 of the primary dimensions of diversity around which the CDJL is organized. And music has long been joined with and used by social justice movements to share messages of resistance and hope. Come hear stories in which music is the thread that unites and calls to action across all races, religions, colors, genders, sexes, classes, ages, educational levels, levels of wealth, abilities, relationship status, famly makeup and any other dimension of diversity.

What kind of music is your favorite?

February 2024 Storytime: A Birthday for Everyone

Please join us at 1pm in the Children’s Diversity & Justice Library on Sunday February 4 for stories featuring birthdays as well as games and activities that celebrate everyone’s birthday.

Every day, all around the world, in all kinds of settings, people celebrate birthdays. Sometimes they’re able to celebrate together, sometimes they’re not. Sometimes the gathering includes chosen family, sometimes birth families, sometimes friends or community, and sometimes all of them together. All birthdays that are celebrated include cultural rituals, but they may not be the same as the ones your culture observes. Some birthdays include presents we wish for, some include presents we didn’t know we needed and all include the present of being alive!

This month, the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church that hosts the Children’s Diversity & Justice Library is celebrating its 75th birthday! A birthday that includes having witnessed many important aspects of diversity and justice in our community including being the first predominantly white church to integrate in Knoxville, TN, the first church in Knox County, Tennessee to perform a federally recognized same gender marriage, and the church of Jack LaFlore who participated in sit-ins that helped end segregation in Knoxville among many others.

Did you ever realize birthdays could be so diverse, or could celebrate events of justice?! Join us on Sunday February 4th to learn and celebrate together with A Bithday for Everyone!

January 2024 Storytime: What's New?

Please join us at the Children’s Diversity & Justice Library on Sunday January 7 at 1pm for stories of newness.

The Gregorian calendar, the calendar we in the United States, and most of the world, use begins a new year on January 1. Happy New Year!

What other kinds of newness can we discover in our CDJL collection? New ideas. New family members. New schools. New places to go or live. New feelings. New skills. New friends. New names. New jobs. New homes. New books. We have all experienced being new, or something new, at some point. Come discover newness with us, and tell us — what’s new with you?

Storytime Returns with Fall 2023 Series

We are thrilled to bring back our live storytime events with a four date fall series starting Sunday September 10!

Each month we will share at least three stories from our diversity and justice collection of over 1900 titles. Often, we will have time for activities that pair with our stories such as crafts, physical movement, service, cooking, etc.

For our kickoff event we’ll be sharing three fall favorite stories and practicing one of our favorite fall activities - voting! Attendees will have the chance to vote on the next three books to add to the CDJL collection.

September is also National Library Card Sign-Up month and we will be happy to create library cards for anyone who doesn’t have one. We look forward to seeing you there!