On Monday, Valerie Smith, an elementary school librarian, arrived at the Sanford School Department’s central office to find two crates waiting for her. One crate held 30 picture books that explore the experiences of modern-day immigrants and their families, complete with discussion prompts. The other contained a custom display, crafted by Maine businesses, designed to showcase these books.
For Sanford, which has recently welcomed a number of immigrants from Central Africa, Smith said the arrival of these resources is timely. She praised the new initiative by the Maine Department of Education, which aims to provide this diverse collection to every school district in the state, as a much-needed boost amidst tightening school budgets.
The initiative, developed by the Portland-based nonprofit I’m Your Neighbor Books, aims to reinforce Maine’s commitment to inclusive and diverse education. After nearly three years of book bans affecting similar topics nationwide, this project represents a positive shift. Smith, while not directly targeted by the book banning movement, sees great value in the educational opportunities these new books will offer.
“Our goal in libraries is to make sure kids see themselves in the books we provide,” Smith explained. “Expanding our collection with these new books is going to be fantastic. It’s not just beneficial for the new students from different cultures, but also for those who have been here all their lives, as they can learn about various experiences through these books.”
The collection includes titles that focus on representation, inclusion, and belonging, such as Abuelita and Me by Leonarda Carranza, which addresses racism through the eyes of a girl and her grandmother, In My Mosque by M.O. Yuksel, which highlights mosques as community hubs, and Priya Dreams of Marigold & Masala by Meenal Patel, which offers vibrant descriptions of India. Another featured book is I’m New Here by Peaks Island author Anne Sibley O’Brien, which portrays the experiences of three immigrant children adjusting to an English-speaking school.
The partnership with the Maine Department of Education, known as The Pine Project, is a groundbreaking effort to distribute the Welcoming Library collection to every public school district. The project, funded by nearly $650,000 in federal pandemic relief, will place almost 6,200 books in circulation across the state. Kendra Carter, an education marketing coordinator for the DOE, highlighted that this initiative is unprecedented in its scope.
Kirsten Cappy, executive director of I’m Your Neighbor Books, emphasized the project’s significance. “Without a collection that includes modern migrants and new-generation communities, our classrooms and communities will not be fully represented,” she said. “The presence of these books changes teaching and shifts perspectives.”
According to the Maine Department of Education, the project aims to “enhance students’ understanding of diverse experiences and foster inclusive school environments.” Additionally, the department will provide online training on September 30 to support educators in teaching the themes covered by the books, including social-emotional learning.
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