Diverse Children's Books and Videos
Here's a list of children's books and videos, that educate and celebrate the differences in all of us:
• It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr (Preschool-1 year)
• First Laugh, Welcome Baby! By Rose Ann Tahe
• Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi (baby-3 years)
• Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry (Preschool-3 years)
• Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian (Preschool-3 years)
• And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson (2-5 years)
• Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi (baby-3 years)
• Round is a Tortilla by Roseanne Thong (3-5 years)
• Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard (3-6 years)
• The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad(Preschool-3 years)
• Same, Same, but Different by Jenny Kostecki-Shaw (4-7)
• A Family Is a Family Is a Family by Sara O’Leary (4-7 years)
• Sulwe by Nyong’o Lupita (4-8)
• Just Ask, Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor (4-8 years)
• Anh’s Anger by Gail Silver (4-8 years)
• Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga (8-12years)
Inclusive books - Characters from all types of backgrounds:
• It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr (Preschool-1 year)
• I Am Me by Tristan Towns
• Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World by Vashti Harrison (8-12 years)
• Think Big, Little One by Vashti Harrison (Baby-3 years)
• Dream Big, Little One by Vashti Harrison (Baby-3 years)
• Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller (4-8 years), Characters are very diverse and inclusive, not explicitly about that, but nice to see all of the different kids getting along.
• Same, Same, but Different by Jenny Kostecki-Shaw (4-7). Penpals in US and India tell each other about their lives and they see that even though they live in different parts of the world, they do a lot of the same things.
Inclusive Families: Parents who look different:
• Life with My Family by Renee Hooker and Karl Jones (3-7 years)
• A Family Is a Family Is a Family by Sara O’Leary (4-7 years)
• Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman (Preschool-2 years)
• I am Perfectly Designed by Karamo Brown (4-8 years)
Black/African/African American:
• Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman (4-8 years)
• I Am Enough by Grace Byers (4-8 years)
• Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison (8-12 years)
• Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison (8-12 years)
• Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem by Amanda Gorman (4-8 years)
• All Because You Matter by Tami Charles (Preschool-3 years)
• Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry (Preschool-3 years)
• I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont (4-8)
• Sulwe by Nyong’o Lupita (4-8): About colorism within the Black community, photo of Lupita on the back cover.
• New Kid by Jerry Craft (pre-teen, graphic novel/chapter book)
• Miami Jackson Sees It Through by Patricia McKissack (8-11, early chapter book)
• Brown Boy Joy by Dr. Thomshia Booker (3-7)
LatinX/Hispanic:
• Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love (4-8 years)
• Round is a Tortilla by Roseanne Thong (3-5 years)
• Green is a Chile Pepper by Roseanne Thong (3-5 years)
• One is a Pinata by Roseanne Thong (3-5 years)
• The Day of the Dead by Bob Barner (2-5 years)
• Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Eric Velasquez (7-12, lots of words but also great pictures on every page). True story about an afro-Puerto Rican man who immigrated to the US from Puerto Rico and collected books created a library about the achievements of African people/descendants throughout the ages.
• Separate is Never Equal by Duncan Tonathiuh (4-12). True story about Sylvia Mendez’ family’s fight for desegregation in CA, family was Mexican.
• All around us by Xelena Gonzalez - Gentle story that celebrates family, culture, community and the connectedness of all thing.
Asian American:
Eyes that Kiss the Corners by Joanna Ho
My Chinatown by Kam Mak
A Normal Pig by K-Fai Steele
It Began with a Page by Kyo Maclear
Measuring Up by Lily LeMotte
Red, White and People by Rajani LaRocca
While I Was Away by Waka T. Brown
A Thousand Letters by Saadia Faruqi
The Best At It by Maulik Pancholy
Indigenous/Native American:
• Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard (3-6 years)
• We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom (Preschool-1 year)
• The Pencil by Susan Avingaq. About an Inuit family who lives in an iglu.
• First Laugh, Welcome Baby! By Rose Ann Tahe. Story about a new baby and the significance of the first laugh in Navajo culture.
• Sweetest Kulu by Celina Kalluk (1-3). Poem written for a baby about Inuit values and respect for the land, a good bedtime story.
Immigrants/Refugees:
• The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad(Preschool-3 years)
• Watch Me: A Story of Immigration and Inspiration by Doyin Richards (3-5 years)
• Islandborn by Junot Diaz (5-8 years)
• Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga (8-12years) (pre-teen, chapter book). About a girl who wears a hijab who moves from Syria to the US and is newly labeled “Middle Eastern”, and embraces her culture and grows into herself.
Disabilities:
• I Just Do It Differently by Donna Grinyer
• I Will Dance by Nancy Bo Flood (Preschool-3 years)
• Just Ask, Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor (4-8 years): Kids of many different ethnicities with medical and developmental differences.
• My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete. Black author co-wrote with her son who has autism. Story about Black siblings, one of whom has autism.
Gender/Sexual Orientation Diversity:
• It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn (5-8 years)
• Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love (4-8 years)
• Stella Brings the Family by Miriam B. Schiffer (5-8 years)
• Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian (Preschool-3 years)
• And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson (2-5 years)
Different Religions/Cultures:
• Hats of Faith by Medeia Cohan (1-3, board book). Pictures of different “hats” that people of different faiths wear.
• The Diwali Gift by Shuchi Mehta (3-8). About Indian culture.
• Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw (4-7). About two children who are penpals in the US and India.
Anti-bias/Activism:
• V is for Voting by Kate Farrell and Caitlin Kuhwald (3-6 years)
• A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara (3-7 years)
• Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi (baby-3 years)
• No! My First Book of Protest by Julie Merberg (baby-3 years)
• An ABC of Equality by Chana Ginelle Ewing (baby-5 years)
• Woke Baby by Mahogany L. Browne (baby-3 years)
Emotions:
• When You Can’t See Me Smile by Emily Alston : A book for children to help express and understand emotions, moods, and feelings while wearing a mask.
• Anh’s Anger by Gail Silver (4-8 years)
• Steps and Stones by Gail Silver (4-8 years)
• Peace, Bugs, and Understanding by Gail Silver (Preschool-3 years)
• My Magical Words by Becky Cummings”
Videos: