September 2026: Bring Your Whole Story to School

Afro-Latino heritage • Back to school • Belonging

Welcome back, Young Scholars! Layla wants you to remember something as you walk into a new classroom: your whole story belongs there. Your name, your family, your language, and the traditions you share at home are gifts.

A prayer for the school year

God, watch over our children as they learn and grow. Help them feel safe, ask questions, make friends, and take pride in who they are. Remind them that they are loved wherever they go. Amen.

Let’s read together

In Island born, Lola learns about the place her family comes from through the memories of people who love her.

In My Papi Has a Motorcycle, Daisy Ramona sees her neighborhood and its stories while riding with her father. After reading, ask your child:

“What is one story about our family or neighborhood you want to remember?”

Three words to know Heritage: the stories and customs passed down to us. Migration: moving from one place to another.

Tradition: something a family or community does again and again.

Try this at home: Draw a “story backpack.” Fill it with three things you carry into school that others cannot see, such as a family saying, a favorite food, or a special memory. Tell someone why you chose them.

Young Scholar affirmation: My culture is a gift.

Carry that thought with you this school year.

Here at

Read to You 365,

we read to you books about you.