If you ask me what I collect, my answer is always the same: books. Reading has been instrumental in shaping both my professional and personal growth, providing endless opportunities for reflection, inspiration, and learning. But beyond just reading, I love discussing books with others, exchanging insights, and uncovering new perspectives. Below are some books that have significantly influenced my journey as a leader. The hardest part of writing this blog post was narrowing down my list to those included.
The Books That Stay on My Desk
Theme: Books that provide practical strategies and frameworks for leadership and teaching.
- Culturally Responsive School Leadership by Muhammad Khalifa
- Learning by Doing, Fourth Edition by Richard DuFour, Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker, Thomas W. Many, Mike Mattos, and Anthony Muhammad
- Crucial Accountability Tools for Resolving Violated Expectations, Broken Commitments, and Bad Behavior by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler
- Radical Candor by Kim Scott
- Principal in Balance: Leading at Work and Living a Life by Jessica Cabeen
The Books That Shaped Me as a Leader
Theme: Leadership development, personal growth, and organizational change.
- The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity by Nadine Harris
- Transforming School Culture by Anthony Muhammad
- Is My School Better Because I Lead It? by Baruti Kafele
- Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing It Right—Using It Well by Richard Stiggins, Judith Arter, Jan Chappuis, and Stephen Chappuis
- Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students by Zaretta Hammond
The Books That Taught Me Beyond the School Walls
Theme: History, social justice, and human resilience.
- The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
- The Color of Law: The Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- Night by Elie Wiesel
The Books That Help Me Connect With Kids
Theme: Understanding youth culture and building meaningful connections.
- The Run series by John Lewis
- We Were Liars by e. lockhart
- The Rose That Grew from Concrete by Tupac
- The Man Who Loved Clowns by June Rae Wood
- Anything by Elizabeth Acevedo, Angie Thomas, Alan Gratz, Roland Smith, Karen McManus, Jewell Parker Rhoades, Jason Reynolds, and Nic Stone
The Books I Just Finished
- Let Them by Mel Robbins
- The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
The Books I’ll Read Next
- Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara
- Teaching When the World Is on Fire by Lisa Delpit
- Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall
- The Collapse of Parenting: How We Hurt Our Kids When We Treat Them Like Grown-Ups by Leonard Sax
As an author, my favorite book is the one I had the opportunity to write with Shelley Burgess—Lead Like a PIRATE: Make School Amazing for Your Students and Staff—along with the other books in the Lead Like a PIRATE series. Writing this book with Shelley was a transformative experience for me. Our goal was to offer other educators and leaders the tools for creating a culture where people thrive. This project reinforced the belief that leadership is a shared responsibility, and it’s been incredible to see how the PIRATE philosophy has resonated with others.
Books have the power to challenge, inspire, and transform us, and these are the ones that have shaped my journey as a leader, educator, and lifelong learner. Whether they sit on my desk for daily reference, mold my leadership philosophy, or help me connect with students, each title has left a lasting impact. I’m always looking for the next great read. What books have influenced you? Let’s keep the conversation going!
