These terms were originally applied by Emily Style and then popularized by Rudine Sims Bishop in reference to the idea that students need to be able to find elements of their own identity mirrored in the books they read while also finding windows into the identities and experiences of others. If you’d like to hear more about windows and mirrors books and the impact they can have on students, then this Ted Talk by award-winning author Grace Lin is well worth 12 minutes of your time.
Q. Who created this award?
The idea sprang to life and took root in a professional learning community with some of the elementary librarians in the Edmonds School District. With the support of the rest of their colleagues in the district, the idea became reality.
Q. How are the books promoted?
Every year Edmonds SD elementary librarians highlight about 20 books, purchasing multiple copies, booktalking them, facilitating student voting for awards, and using them as the basis for a district-wide battle of the books.
Q. What if there's a question that hasn't been answered here?
Please send an email to Carmen Carpenter and I will do my best to respond in a timely manner.
