2020 People + Places Book List for Kids
Launched in 2020, the Conservancy’s “People + Places” book lists celebrate stories about people, events, and diverse communities in L.A. and beyond! Curated for students of all ages, our book lists include diverse stories about exploring communities in Los Angeles. Each book recommendation is accompanied by a reading guide to help facilitate discussion and foster critical thinking in students.
2020 Edition
We are grateful to the Young Adult Librarians from the Los Angeles Public Library’s Teen’Scape department who helped curate this year’s teen list and to members of the Southland Council of Teachers of English and L.A. Conservancy Volunteers who designed reading guides to accompany the books.
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A House That Once Was
Written By Julie Fogliano
View on Storytime for KidsGo on an adventure with two curious friends who discover an abandoned home.
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Brick Who Found Herself in Architecture
Written by Joshua David Stein
View on Storytime for KidsLearn about historic brick structures as tenacious Brick searches for her place in the world.
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Dream Something Big: The Story of the Watts Towers
Written by Dianna Hutts Aston
View on Storytime for KidsA colorful story about Simon Rodia, an Italian American who created L.A.’s iconic Watts Towers.
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Iggy Peck, Architect
Written by Andrea Beaty
View on Storytime for KidsPrecocious and creative, young Iggy builds structures out of all kinds of materials.
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Last Stop On Market Street
Written by Matt De La Peña
View on Storytime for KidsTake a bus ride with CJ as he and his Nana explore their city, finding things to be grateful for in unexpected places.
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The Little House
Written by Virginia Lee Burton
View on Storytime for KidsThe landscape around the little house changes from farmland to city as time goes by. What does the future hold for the little house?
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Nana in the City
Written by Lauren Castillo
View on Storytime for KidsClever Nana Knows how to help her grandson discover what makes the city extraordinary.
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The Shape of the World: A Portrait of Frank Lloyd Wright
Written by K.L. Going
View on Storytime for KidsYoung Frank Lloyd Wright is inspired by the shapes he sees in nature. Learn how those shapes make their way into the buildings he designs.
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The World is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid
Written By Jeanette Winter
View on Storytime for KidsDiscover how Iraqi-born Zaha Hadid overcame obstacles to become a world-famous architect.
Major funding for the Los Angeles Conservancy’s educational programs is provided by the LaFetra Foundation and the Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation.
