Multicultural Children’s Books to Read with Your Child

Teach your child about diversity and inclusion with these multicultural children’s books, perfect for toddlers, preschool, and elementary students!

Multicultural Children's BooksThe first school my kids attended celebrated the different cultures and people of color that made up its population. They held concerts for Black History Month, featured dances from Native Americans, and sponsored international events on campus.

The demographic was just as diverse, from the kids’ classmates to the people you see in the neighborhood. You’d even notice the delicious smell of their home-cooked food.

That’s why I’m adamant that my kids are exposed to different cultures and develop empathy toward others.

Cultural diversity teaches them to include—not fear—others, even if they look or act differently. That people are often the same in many ways. Plus, it’s fun to celebrate the many traditions and customs that aren’t our own.

Multicultural children’s books

One of my favorite ways to expose young children to different cultures of the world is through multicultural books.

Young readers can “travel” on adventures to just about any place in the world and learn how diverse characters live. They can see that beyond our differences are the similarities that bind us. And that all people deserve respect, compassion, and acceptance, just as we would of others.

Now more than ever do we need to feature the true makeup of our world. One where we can see a diverse representation and learn—not fear—one another’s differences. Take a look at my recommendations for multicultural picture books below and select a few to read with your child:

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne and Julia Kuo

I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne and Julia Kuo

We Are a Garden by by Lisa Westberg Peters and Victoria Tentler-Krylov 

We Are a Garden by Lisa Westberg Peters and Victoria Tentler-Krylov

Kitchen Dance by Maurie J. Manning

Kitchen Dance by Maurie J. Manning

Coquí in the City by Nomar Perez

Coquí in the City by Nomar Perez

Tomatoes for Neela by Padma Lakshmi and Juana Martinez-Neal

Tomatoes for Neela by Padma Lakshmi and Juana Martinez-Neal

Our Class Is a Family by Shannon Olsen

Our Class Is a Family by Shannon Olsen

The Cot in the Living Room by Hilda Eunice Burgos and Gaby D'Alessandro

The Cot in the Living Room by Hilda Eunice Burgos and Gaby D’Alessandro

The Colors of Us by Karen Katz

The Colors of Us by Karen Katz

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

Remarkably You by Pat Zietlow Miller

Remarkably You by Pat Zietlow Miller

Hannah and the Ramadan Gift by Qasim Rashid and Aaliya Jaleel

Hannah and the Ramadan Gift by Qasim Rashid and Aaliya Jaleel

Our Favorite Day of the Year by A. E. Ali and Rahele Jomepour Bell

Our Favorite Day of the Year by A. E. Ali and Rahele Jomepour Bell

Mama Miti by by Donna Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson

Mama Miti by by Donna Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson

How to Plan a Multicultural Night

Related: Get tips on how to plan a multicultural night.

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

People by Peter Spier

People by Peter Spier

This Is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe

This Is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe

This Is the Way We Go to School by Edith Baer

Say Hello by Rachel Isadora

Say Hello by Rachel Isadora

Same, Same but Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

Same, Same but Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

My Pet Star by Corrinne Averiss and Ros Beardshaw

My Pet Star by Corrinne Averiss and Ros Beardshaw

Whoever You Are by Mem Fox

Whoever You Are by Mem Fox

Like the Moon Loves the Sky by Hena Khan and Saffa Khan 

Like the Moon Loves the Sky by Hena Khan and Saffa Khan

Grandmother School by Rina Singh and Ellen Rooney

Grandmother School by Rina Singh and Ellen Rooney

The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin

The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin

How to expose your child to different cultures

Whether you live in a multicultural community or not, there are plenty of ways to teach your kids about the different cultures of the world (including yours!), like:

  • Eating from ethnic restaurants or cooking cultural meals (like finding a recipe for latkes)
  • Celebrating or learning about holidays, like Diwali in India
  • Watching educational shows about how other people in the world live
  • Diving deep into a culture’s history during commemorative months, such as Hispanic Heritage Month
  • Attending festivals like Bastille Day or Lotus Festival
  • Learning another language, like common Spanish words
  • Traveling

Free resources: Want even more diverse books? Join my newsletter and grab your copy of the Read Aloud BookList! You’ll get hundreds of favorite selections to read aloud with your kids. Get it below—at no cost to you:

Read Aloud Book List

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