Books & Materials

Book collections are the heart of our program. The ability for students to access books is critical to their success.

The books that we choose to use and make available in our classrooms shape the ways in which children make sense of their own and other’s racial, cultural, and linguistic identities; communicate messages around representation; and impact how children develop the ability to think critically and deeply about what and how they learn.

It is so important to give our children access to an array of high-quality books that are as diverse and vibrant as the world they live in. Our commitment at CLI is to provide Black and Latinx children with access to high quality, anti-bias, identity-affirming books in a range of topics and genres and across multiple languages.

High-quality books are important because they offer children windows and mirrors. Windows offer children a glimpse into the lives and experiences of people different from themselves. Mirrors reflect children’s own lived experiences. Both help children make sense of the world around them. Likewise, books that offer windows and mirrors serve as an invitation for families to see themselves as part of literacy journey of their children.

Home Lending Libraries

The pre-k and kindergarten collections are chosen for parents to read aloud to children, while the collections for first through third grades include read alouds and an increasingly larger percentage of books that children can read on their own. The collections come with a home lending library guide, a bookrack, plastic bags to protect the books, and library cards and pockets.

See literacy instructional materials >>

Independent Reading Collections

Collection includes single copies of both trade and text-leveled books. Titles include many informational and nonfiction books and a variety of the fiction series titles most popular with young readers. Comes with an independent reading guide, storage baskets and labels for marking the levels of the books.

Informational Text Collections

Informational text collections contain a variety of types that include literary nonfiction, historical, and scientific. The books also contain information displayed in various ways such as charts, graphs, sidebars etc. The collection supports the Common Core Standards.

See literacy instructional materials >>

Read Aloud Collections

Contains a wide variety of genres, including nonfiction, poetry, folk tales, picture books, and chapter books, and reflect the rich diversity of cultures in our classrooms. Comes with a collection guide, 2 book racks, and book repair materials.

See literacy instructional materials >>

CLI is normalizing anti-racist pedagogy at the source.

Building on successful scaling of teacher professional development initiatives, CLI helps networks of school communities and teacher training agencies create and implement durable, culturally sustaining, early literacy practice in the classroom.

Learn more about our mission >>

Interested in CLI services? Connect with a CLI team member today to learn more about our services and opportunities for collaboration.