My husband and I are big readers and wanted to pass on our love of reading to our son. We started young; at just a few days old we began the habit of reading at least one book to our son before bed. It quickly became our favorite part of our day and his library has grown to outnumber our own.
While we love the classics like Pout Pout Fish, Gossie and Gertie, and anything by Sandra Boynton, we really wanted to make an effort to find books that are written by, or about, people who are different than us. The world is filled with so many different cultures, languages, and families, what better way to explore that than through books?
There are so many amazing books and authors out there that I couldn’t share them all (or we’d be here for days,) so here’s just a few of our favorite books broken down by age range.
Birth – Preschool
The Family Book by Todd Parr is a colorful book that shows young kids different families. As the book says, “There are lots of different ways to be a family. Your family is special no matter what kind it is.”
Along the same lines is What Makes a Baby by Cory Silverberg. A colorful, factual book about how babies are made for families of all types. LGBTQIA+ friendly.
Jake at Gymnastics by Rachel Isadora is a bilingual book about toddlers in a gymnastics class. This book shows kiddos of all ethnicities and is written in both English and Spanish.
The Once Upon A World series by Chloe Perkins is a series of books that have taken the classic fairytales and turned them on their heads. Many of the books depict different cultures and the drawings are absolutely stunning. A few examples are Rapunzel set in India, Cinderella set in Mexico and The Little Mermaid set in the Caribbean.
The Library Book. The library is my happy place, so I had to have this book. The catchy rhyming in the story is great for littles and the illustrations are precious.
I Am Enough by Keturah A. Bobo is a book about celebrating our differences. As the book says, “…and in the end, we are right here to live a life of love, not fear, to help each other when it’s tough, to say together: I am enough.”
Happy in Our Skin by Fran Manushkin showcases babies and kids of different skin tones and explains how unique and special everyone’s skin is.
Mama, Do You Love me? by Barbara M. Joosse is about a mother explaining her unconditional love to her child. This book brings in the culture of the native people of Alaska, including animals, food and clothing.
Elementary School
This Little….. Collection by Joan Holub. We own the “This Little Scientist” and the “This Little Trailblazer” book and they’re a great way to learn about notable people in history.
Little People, Big Dreams Series. This series highlights people who overcame obstacles (physical, mental, societal) to achieve their dreams. We have the books about Josephine Baker, Wilma Rudolph, Coco Chanel, Jane Goodall, and Amelia Earhart but there are so many more. There is also a hardcover collection book of 50 Brilliant Dreamers.
The Ordinary People Change the World series. Another series about important historical figures and the challenges they’ve overcome. We have the one about Harriet Tubman but there’s so many to choose from.
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures is about Dr. Temple Grandin. Dr. Grandin was diagnosed with autism at a young age. No one expected her to talk, but she became one of the most powerful voices in farming science.
Festival of Colors by Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal is about the Indian holiday, Holi. It explains what the festival is about with pages of bright, beautiful colors.
Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho is about a young Asian girl who notices that her eyes do not look like her peers. While theirs are big and round, hers kiss in the corners. She learns to recognize her own beauty and begins her discovery of self-love.
Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love is about a young boy, Julian, who sees three women dressed up on the subway. At home Julian dreams about dressing like these women, but is nervous about what his grandmother will think.
When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamison and Omar Mohamed is about two brothers living in a refugee camp in Kenya. When Omar has the opportunity to go so school, he has to make the choice between staying with his brother or changing their future.
Any book by Andrea Beaty. These books are a favorite of my son’s and I can see why. Each book introduces a character that kids can relate with, the text is engaging and fun to read, and the pictures are colorful. We seriously read each of these at least once a week.
Middle School, High School and Beyond
Women in Science by Rachel Ignotofsky shares the stories of 50 women in STEM that have changed the world. I learned so much while reading this book, many of the women I had never heard of, even though I use their inventions every day.
Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around The World by Vashti Harrison is a beautifully illustrated book about women visionaries from around the world. You’ll read about scientists, musicians, artists, and activists. Another book that taught me so much while I read it to my son.
Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History is another book by Vashti Harrison. This book is just as beautifully illustrated as Harrison’s other books and shares biographies of notable black men in history. There is also “Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History” by Vashti Harrison as well.
Notable Native People by Adrienne Keene is a collection of 50 indigenous leaders, dreamers and changemakers. I know my knowledge of indigenous history is severely lacking, so this book is a great way to begin learning.
My son is still in elementary school so we don’t have a lot of experience with books for older kids. I asked my sister, a middle school English teacher, what her suggestions are, and these are what she said. I will definitely be picking up a few of these when my son is older.
George by Alex Gino (now published as Melissa) is a book about a young child who everyone sees as George, but she knows she is Melissa. With the help of her friend, Melissa finds a way to try out for the school play so everyone can know who she truly is.
The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake tells about the story of Sunny who has created a “new life plan” after receiving a new heart. One part of her plan is to kiss a boy, but when she meets Quinn, she wonders if she wants to kiss boys at all.
Redwood and Ponytail by K.A. Holt is a universal story of finding a way to be comfortable in your own skin.
The March Trilogy by John Lewis are three graphic novels that recount John Lewis’ life in the Civil Rights Movement.
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei is a graphic novel memoir recounting George Takei’s time in the American concentration camps during World War II.
Dear Martin by Nic Stone tells the story of an Ivy League-bound African American student named Justyce who becomes a victim of racial profiling. He begins journaling to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to figure out what to do.
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely tells of an instance of police brutality from two perspectives: Rashad who is suspected of shoplifting and Quinn who sees the beating but initially pretends he doesn’t. This book is written by two authors, one who is African American and the other who is white.
Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu is about a fed up teenage girl who starts a revolution in her small Texas town by creating a feminist zine.
It Ain’t So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas is about a young Iranian girl who moved to California in the 1970s. Cindy has to deal with fitting in while Iran makes headlines with protests, revolution and the capture of American hostages.
Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper is a book about eleven year old Melody who has cerebral palsy. She can’t walk, talk or write but she has a photographic memory. She’s the smartest kid in her school but no one knows because everyone dismisses her. Melody refuses to be defined by her disability and is determined to let everyone know it.
There are so many other amazing books out there, I couldn’t share them all, but clearly my family loves reading! What are you favorite books to read with your kiddos? Is there one that has helped you learn about a new culture, way of life or perspective?
While we have included links to all of the books, we are huge fans of checking out your favorite book from the local library!
Let’s Read: Coastal Bend Libraries Round-up
