"Read In Full Color"....Stories That Reflect Every Reader From Our Friends At Crayola Education and Harper Kids

A few days ago the neatest box arrived on our front steps. 

On the top it read, Read In Full Color...Stories That Reflect Every Reader.

The sides was covered with beautiful illustrations and...

...quotes from books. 

Each one catching my attention and reflecting on stories that reflect every reader. 

I couldn't wait to open the box from my friends at Harper Kids and Crayola Education. 

It was filled with so many wonderful things that put the biggest smile on my face. 

I loved pulling out the Colors of the World Crayons from Crayola Education.  These are my favorite crayons as they allow every child to see themselves in the colors they create with. 

As the activity kit shares, 

Our hope is that young readers will see themselves in these stories and feel empowered to use these creative products to color themselves into what they draw and design to make the world a brighter, more colorful place. 

These can be ordered on the Crayola site here.

There was the cutest Read In Full Color mug that I will add to my collection at school. 

And of course there were books.  In the box, I pulled out What Will You Be by. Yamile Saied Mendez and illustrated by Kate Alizadeh; 

When Lola Visits by Michelle Sterling and illustrated by Aaron Asis; and..

...Shady Baby by Gabrielle Union-Wade and Dwyane Wade Jr. and illustrated by Tara Nicole Whitaker. 

These three books are part of the list inside of the Read In Full Color Activity Kit.  Take a look at all of the books that inspire us to read in full color.  

I added the ones I don't have already to the top of my book list today!  I love every single one of them and can't wait to bring them to our library and readers. 

In the Read In Full Color Activity Kit, there is...

...a special letter to readers explaining the Read In Full Color initiative.   As it shares, 

Read In Full Color spotlights diverse creators and inclusive stories,  It's a space where books reflect the narratives of the young readers picking them up for the first time.  We also want to remember the adults who did not have representation in the books they grew up reading and show them we are listening and promoting the stories they needed when they were kids.  Read In Full Color serves as a reminder that these books are important, necessary and in demand. 

Within the activity kit, there are also a few pages that will inspire and...

... encourage conversations, writing and creativity around important topics. 

And on the back page, I loved finding quotes from authors such as LeBron James, Grace Byers, Meena Harris and more. 

There is also a Read In Full Color page on the HarperCollins Publishing site.  Here you will find information and a video highlighting this amazing initiative they have created, 

Featured Titles and lots of other books, 

blog posts focused around the books featured in Read In Full Color, 

and even a special Read In Full Color Storytime with Read Aloud Videos. 

And as I scrolled to the very bottom of the site, I couldn't be more excited to find the images that were on the outside of the Read In Full Color box that was on my front step. 

There are eight of these Read In Full Color images with quotes from...

...authors and...

...illustrators, which are perfect...

..to share on social media and within our library spaces and classrooms.   

As we read, share and celebrate these books and materials, let's share on social with the #ReadinFullColor hashtag and tag Harper Kids and Crayola Education with the tags above. 

Thank you Harper Kids and Crayola Education for creating such a beautiful place for us to celebrate all voices and stories that reflect every reader.  It means the world to all of us as librarians, teachers, parents, young people, and most of all, as readers.