Reviewed by Makai Kellogg
Review Source: Teaching for Change
Book Author: Sholachauntel Shoda, Tayla Brawner, Sarah Ivey
Sebastian’s Apartment Family was written by three mothers in a Shout Mouse Press workshop. They open the book with a dedication: “We wrote this book for the villages that help to raise our children.” This colorful and engaging book centers collective caregiving. As a mom, I am grateful for family members and people within my community who have supported, guided, and loved my child. Given the prohibitive costs of childcare in the United States, help from friends and family was often the only way I could get to work, run errands, or even take a nap when my child was very young.
In the book, Mommy is a student and her son, Sebastian, spends time with their neighbors throughout the week while she is in school. The story sequences the days of the week with specific neighbors in a predictable schedule. Sebastian engages in a variety of experiences, such as caring for pets, cooking, reading poetry, and dramatic play. The illustrations and story depict diversity in family structure and representation across ages.
This is an excellent book that reflects the Black Lives Matter guiding principles of Black families, Black villages, Black women, intergenerational, loving engagement, and diversity.
The ending connects with all children who experience a parent leaving them at school or with another caregiver by reassuring, “It’s not goodbye; it’s I’ll see you again!”
Makai Kellogg is an anti-bias early childhood educator and Equity and Diversity Coordinator at School for Friends in Washington, D.C. She creates age-appropriate curriculum on social justice for her students to explore equity issues such as race, homelessness, gender stereotypes, etc. Makai leads the Parents of Multiracial Children group, Equity and Diversity Parent Book Club, as well as other programming throughout the year that allow parents to address their biases to be proactive as their children learn about the world around them. Makai facilitates training and opportunities for her colleagues to engage in identity work and discussions on equity and anti-bias education in the classroom. Through her work with young children and their families, she is creating an inclusive community of critical thinkers and change makers. Makai works closely with Teaching for Change and its initiative, the D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice as an advisory board member. She is also part of the leadership team for the Anti-Bias Early Childhood Educator Working Group. Read more on Makai’s Early Childhood Equity Endeavors.
Sebastian's Apartment Family by Sholachauntel Shoda, Tayla Brawner, Sarah Ivey
on November 15, 2022
Genres: Neighborhoods, Shout Mouse Press booklist
Pages: 30
Reading Level: Early Childhood, Grade K
ISBN: 9781950807482
Review Source: Teaching for Change
Publisher's Synopsis: Learn the days of the week with Sebastian and meet his extended family of neighbors!
On Mondays, Sebastian reads poetry with Mr. and Mrs. Howe. On Tuesdays, he plays with parrots at the Iveys! While his mom is at school, Sebastian spends each day at a different home in his apartment building. What happens the rest of the week as he plays the days away? This rhyming book, written by student parents, celebrates the power of community coming together to help raise a child.
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