Cam and the Star Fam: Pushin’ Peace With These Whoops (ft. FYB JMANE) – A Chicago Rhyming Read-Aloud

Peace you can chant. Places you can point to. A lantern’s glow in Cape Town sends Cam, Alexis, and Bianca—plus special guest FYB JMANE—on a rhyme-filled tour of Chicago’s most beloved spots. From the Harold Washington Library’s children’s room to Cloud Gate, Buckingham Fountain, the Art Institute lions, DuSable Black History Museum, Pilsen’s National Museum of Mexican Art, Garfield Park Conservatory, and Stony Island Arts Bank, the Star Fam shows how kindness, mindful breathing, and circles of belonging turn everyday city moments into “pushin’ peace.” With a catchy call-and-response refrain—“WHOOPS! We choose peace!”—this is a read-aloud built for classrooms, libraries, and families.

WHY KIDS LOVE IT

• Bouncy rhyme + refrain: “WHOOPS! We choose peace!” invites everyone to join in

• Real places: Landmarks they can visit, map, or recognize in photos

• Colorful motif: playful rings, badges, confetti, and circle frames on every stop

WHAT KIDS LEARN

• Peace in action: kind words first, share space, help out

• Mindfulness: hands to heart; count breaths 5→1 to reset

• Community & culture: honor roots, lift every name, make art together

• Belonging: “hold the circle, keep it strong”

INSIDE THE BOOK

• Launch verse: Cape Town altar and lantern glow

• Harold Washington Library – Thomas Hughes Children’s Library: “Read, then speak—kind words first”

• Cloud Gate (“The Bean”): reflections of “you and me”

• Buckingham Fountain: breathe 5–1, then help where you can

• Navy Pier Centennial Wheel: circles mean we all belong

• Art Institute Lions: songs, sketches, and shared stories

• DuSable Black History Museum: honor roots and lift every name

• National Museum of Mexican Art (Pilsen): mix paints like friends

• Garfield Park Conservatory: plant a “peace seed”

• Stony Island Arts Bank: group pledge; home close back at the altar

BOOK DETAILS

• Series: Cam and the Star Fam

• Title: Pushin’ Peace With These Whoops (ft. FYB JMANE)

• Reading experience: Read-aloud 4–8; independent 6–9

• Content notes: Chicago landmarks referenced in text; library manners, mindfulness, positive city scenes

PERFECT FOR

• Library storytime and classroom community lessons

• Chicago families, field trips, and visitors

• Any reader who loves rhyme, rhythm, and doing good together