Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd ; Hard Cover, Picture Book ; Recommended

Willis Watson Is a Wannabe

It’s a book written with a definite purpose in mind, and it’s a purpose we need: to encourage more children of color to consider futures in the professions where we need more people of color (in this case specifically, doctors). It tells of a kid who loves his grandpa who is always telling him he can be anybody he wants to be, and encourages him to think beyond his neighborhood. But he also gets the sense from his peers that it’s not cool to be a wannabe. But when a medical emergency hits and his beloved grandpa is in the hospital, he’s grateful to the doctor who cares for him, and who grew up in his own neighborhood, re-energizing his dreams of being the kind of hero he sees around him.