Must-Read Children’s Books on Diversity & Inclusion

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This summer, my boys and I have been on a book binge. Local libraries have been awesome about contact-free pickup options, and I’ve learned a lot about how to search and reserve books online that are most suited for our needs.

As we embark upon more school at home, and as I recognize my own privilege in the fact that I have options within that realm, I’m also feeling pretty passionate about incorporating DIVERSITY into this home education journey. And where to start? With BOOKS.

Working with my kids (Ronan, age 8 and Deacon, age 5) and some of their friends, I’ve put together a list of diverse, inclusive, and beautiful children’s book recommendations (complete with synopses from the boys) that we hope to keep growing, and growing. Many of these titles are recommended by the wonderful Instagram page @booksfordiversity. If you have favorites that you’d like us to add, please email me and I’d be happy to do so (with your kids’ quotes, too, if you want!). Enjoy!

Diversity is equal rights. -Deacon, age 5

Diversity is including all people- Black, Brown, white, girl or boy. And thinking from different perspectives. -Ronan, age 8

Diversity is a group of people who look different and think different and that look different. -Charlie, age 4

Be a King: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream and You by Carole Boston Weatherford; Illustrated by James E. Ransome

It was about a bunch of people saying a whole bunch of different things, but they all said, “you can be a king.” You can be a king or queen of help! -Deacon, age 5

It was, like, directions on how to be a king or queen. Like, help others, stand up against bullies, and other ways. -Ronan, age 8

Different: A Story About Loving Your Neighbor by Chris Singleton & Wiliam Luong

The book is about a boy who lived in Nigeria in Africa. In the book when he came into school the people laughed at him because of his hair and shirt. I liked when they figured out it- a problem. And they were doing happy stuff with him. -Charlie, age 4

That Is My Dream! A Picture Book of Langston Hughes’s “Dream Variation” by Langston Hughes & Daniela Miyares

It was about a kid telling what his dream was, for Black and white people to be equal. -R

Beautiful Shades of Brown: The Art of Laura Wheeler Waring by Nancy Churnin; Illustrated by Felicia Marshall

That was about someone painting beautiful shades of brown. My favorite part was, she wanted to have her paintings in the museum, and at the end, she got her paintings into the museum. -R

Nighttime Symphony by Timbaland, Christopher Myers, & Kaa Illustration

It was about a kid going to bed and hearing the storm outside, and it sounded to him like it was a lullaby, and he went to sleep. -R

It was about a boy looking around and playing outside at the same time. -D

All the Ways to be Smart by Davina Bell; Illustrated by Allison Colpoys

It was about all the ways that you can be smart, like how you can glue together stuff and make boats out of cardboard boxes, and being smart in your own special way. -R

I thought it was about a lot of people…two people talking about how to be smart. You can be smart, like, riding dragons, sailing in the sea, being a mermaid. -D

Equality’s Call: The Story of Voting Rights in America by Deborah Diesen

It was about some people that were going on a march and standing up for Black people and standing up for women in order to get votes right. -D

In the beginning, only white, rich people could vote. And then they got it so then all men of all color could vote, then women could vote. It’s important because if all people voted, then everyone would know what ALL people would need. -R

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson; Illustrated by Rafael Lopez

If you walk into a new classroom, you have to speak up for them to know what you did and who you are, and then you’ll start making friends. And sometimes, people don’t want you to do stuff with them, and you have to speak up. -R

Ellington was not a Street by Ntozake Shange; Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

It was about a whole bunch of people of color that changed the world, and a girl. They made it so Black people could do all the stuff that white people could. -R

‘Ohana Means Family by Ilima Loomis; Illustrated by Kenard Pak

This was about the people picking the fruit to make food to have at their feast for family. The pictures and colors were so beautiful. -R

The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne by Lesa Cline-Ransome; Illustrated by John Parra

It’s about someone’s pen and she writes when she goes to different places. She’s fighting for justice. -D

A girl goes and creates more and more power for the Black people until the Black people had equal rights with the white people. -R

Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina by by Lea Lyon and A. LaFaye (Foreword by Sylvia Townsend); Illustrated by Jessica Gibson 

This ballerina that started out not very good, then she turned out to have a whole class. She taught a bunch of little girls. She couldn’t be in the regular classes because some said “too full” and others said “you just can’t be”- I don’t know why. But if it’s because of her skin color, that’s not fair. But, she showed them and helped other girls. -D

Just Like Me by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

It’s about a whole bunch of different girls doing poems, and it’s cool. My favorite is the painting one (“I Am a Canvas”)- it was about being painted on, and her feelings being colors. -D

Sunny Day: A Celebration of the Sesame Street Theme Song by Bruce Hart, Jon R. Stone, and Joe Raposo

It’s about being a sunny day and kids wanting to go to Sesame Street. It said, “Everything’s A-OK,” no matter what. There were some Brown kids and some white kids and some tall kids and some short kids and some girls and some boys. They’re all different. -R

In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek; Illustrated by Christine Roussey

It’s about a girl, talking about her feelings that her heart has. -R

It was about this one person who has a whole bunch of feelings and a heart. -D

Pink is for Boys by Robb Pearlman; Illustrated by Eda Kaban

It’s about boys and girls that say, pink is for girls and boys, and blue is for boys and girls. All boys and girls can see different colors and have different favorite colors and the same favorite colors. It doesn’t matter if they are boys or girls. People should like what they want. -D

Thanku: Poems of Gratitude – edited by Marlena Myles; Illustrated by Miranda Paul

It was about a whole bunch of poems that were different. A bunch of different people told the poems. There are just some really cool voices. -D

These are poems of gratitude. Gratitude means thankfulness. -R

You Matter by Christian Robinson

This book was about, even when you can’t see it, you still matter. This is my favorite page because it’s all blue and white and those are my two favorite colors, and there’s all the sea creatures, that’s why I like it. -D

Vote for our Future! by Margaret McNamara & Micah Player

This was about some kids trying to get the whole town to vote, and doing research, and getting other people to vote. -R

I liked how the voting station was decorated, like a big half circle with red, white and blue- the American flag colors. -D

If I were to vote, I would vote for no one to hurt people of color, and for Black and Brown people to be safe. -R

I just want everyone to be safe. -D

Mulan: The Legend of the Woman Warrior – translated by Faye-Lynn Wu; Illustrated by Joy Ang

It’s about a girl going to war with men, and she leads her troops to victory. And she goes home and has a feast, and all the warriors didn’t know she was a girl, so when she goes in to have the feast, they’re surprised. But the girl then said, “When a pair of rabbits run together, can you recognize that one’s the female and one’s the male?” meaning that everyone can do everything. -R

Friday Night Wrestle Fest by J.F. Fox; Illustrated by Micah Player

This book is about kids and parents wrestling. It’s fun! -D

This book is about kids having pizza for dinner and wrestling! And then the mom comes home and gets on the kids’ side, and then the kids and the mom beats the dad, and the baby saves the dad with a CLEAR THE ROOM DIAPER OF DOOM! It’s funny. -R

Dusk Explorers by Lindsay Leslie; Illustrated by Ellen Rooney

I like this page, because someone is glowing over there and glowing over here. It was about people pretending not to hear their parents and playing outside together. -D

This book is about kids going out to play at nighttime and having so much fun. And riding around on their scooters and their bikes and going to a little creek to play at. -R

More to come! Email me your favorites to add to this growing list!