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 Sarah and Ian Hoffman, authors of Jacob’s New Dress, on Friday, January 15th at 2:00 pm, for an engaging and informative presentation on how they came to write this well-known picture book. Jacob’s New Dress is a solid tale about overcoming adversity and being yourself, and can be used to build empathy in children. This presentation will include a reading of the book as well as a Q & A. Best suited for K-4th graders, but all are welcome. 

Classrooms are invited to register and participate in this program.

Around the world, young people are standing up for human rights and working to make their communities and schools safer and more inclusive. Join award-winning author Robin Stevenson for an interactive session on January 20th at 2:00 pm, when she'll talk about the challenges the LGBTQ+ community continues to face, and share stories about some of the young activists who are making a difference. Robin will read her picture book, Ghost's Journey: A Refugee Story, and share some highlights from her non-fiction books - Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle, and Kid Activists: True Tales of Childhood from Champions of Change. Bring your questions about writing, activism, LGBTQ+ issues and more! Best suited for 8+ years. Register for this virtual author visit with Robin Stevenson  (beginning Dec 28th). 

Classrooms are invited to register and participate in this program.

Celebrate inclusion and diversity with our family-friendly pride storytime program, presented in partnership with Pflag Halton featuring Fairy T, on January 22nd at 10:00 am! This special storytime will include rhymes, music and dancing, and books that celebrate all types of families! Best suited for ages 4-7 but all are welcome! Click here to register (beginning Jan 4)

Classrooms are invited to register and participate in this program.

Join Nadia Hohn, author of Malaika's Costume, Malaika's Winter Carnival, and Malaika's Surprise, on February 26th at 10:00 am. This interactive, lively and musical workshop, will feature a reading of Malaika’s Costume, as well as musical instruments and storytelling.   Participants will enjoy the opportunity to explore Caribbean songs, rhymes, and games that Malaika would learn and play in her schoolyard. Best suited for K-3rd graders, but all are welcome. Click here to register (beginning Feb 8)

Classrooms are invited to register and participate in this program.

Teen's Read Woke (13-17 years)

Adult's Read Woke (18+ years)