Add diversity to your child’s library with these children’s books with people of color and celebrate diverse cultures near and far!
Any time I watch television shows and movies or read books, I’m always glad when I notice a diverse cast of characters. That’s cool they included a variety of ethnicities, I’d think. Or, That’s great that one of the leads is Asian/Latino.
But as much as I celebrate these moments, it only goes to show how little diversity we see to begin with. The fact that we notice diversity (or the lack of it) means we still have a ways to go.
The same is true with children’s books.
For instance, have you considered the characters in your children’s books? Many books feature animals or ambiguous illustrations, or characters that don’t reflect the diversity of our global community. That’s why it’s refreshing to find people of color in these books.
These topics, along with gorgeous illustrations, feature characters of color. Some highlight the racial injustice and racism that we still see today, while others share diverse cultures. We learn about the segregation during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, as well as how children of color are adapting in today’s world.
The more we learn, understand, and embrace diversity, the more empathy we show for others, regardless of skin tone. Kids can read from authors of color and relate to their stories as their own.
Below are several children’s books with people of color. These books celebrate the diversity that doesn’t always get represented.
And regardless of your ethnicity, these books are important because they show us the world we live in. You may live in a single-ethnic community, but you can still read about different cultures. Your kids may not find diversity within their physical communities—these books will bridge that gap.
These books also cement the idea that we are indeed different people. And for my bi-racial kids, they affirm that being different can be a good thing.
Children’s books with people of color
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The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho and Dung Ho
Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o and Vashti Harrison
Brown by Nancy Johnson James and Constance Moore
Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester and Karen Barbour
A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara
I Am Rosa Parks by Brad Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulos
When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie L.B. Deenihan and Lorraine Rocha
All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman
Maya Angelou by Lisbeth Kaiser and Leire Salaberria
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard and Juana Martinez-Neal
Hot Hot Roti for Dada-Ji by F. Zia and Ken Min
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson
Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt and Vin Vogel
Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse and Barbara Lavallee
Same, Same but Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw
Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael López
The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali and Hatem Aly
The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell and Frané Lessac
Read these next:
- Children’s Books about Community
- Multicultural Children’s Books to Read with Your Child
- Children’s Books in Spanish
- 15 Children’s Books about Geography
- Children’s Books about Family
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