Children’s Books for Diversity

Children’s Books for Diversity: (Updated 2020)

I’ve retitled and reposted this article. Originally, it was written to celebrate Black History month. But right now, Summer 2020, we are moving beyond just one black history month to racial justice every day of every month. Black Lives Matter.

I don’t claim this to be a comprehensive list of books that directly address the serious racial equality issues we are facing.  There are far better resources for this, such as The Brown Bookshelf resource list.

This list includes some of the transformative and inspiring African-American stories reviewed on Litkidz that celebrate Black Lives and diversity in many forms. For a more extensive book list, check out the yearly winners of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards.

Children's book - Finding LangstonFinding Langston

This is an exquisite book, which shows the power of poetry to uplift. It is also an excellent children’s book for understanding the experience called the “Great Migration” of African-Americans that took place after the war.

Dragons in a Bag

Aside from breaking through the social barriers of race and magic, this children’s book stands on its own as a wonderful romp into dragons, time travel, and witches. Written intentional to bring African-American heroes into the children’s world of fantasy.

The Sun is Also a Star

A challenging and moving book for older children about teenage love, which is clearly color-blind, and race-blind, and filled with challenges.

Children's Book Leaving Gee's BendLeaving Gee’s Bend

Beautiful
book based on the true lives of the quilter’s in a black community in rural Alabama in 1932; historical fiction, with an inspiring message

The Parker Inheritance

 A mystery based on a true experience and real characters.

Flying Lessons and Other Stories

A collection of short stories for diversity in reading

Addy, 1864: American Girl Series

Living in the world of slavery, through the eyes of a young girl

Bud, not Buddy

A phenomenally rich story of growing up in Black America in the 1930’s

The Watson’s go to Birmingham – 1963

A beautiful story of a black family that winds up in Birmingham when the church is bombed.

Elijah of Buxton

The reality of slavery; best for 12 and over

Katrin’s Chronicles

Growing up in a middle-class black family; an honest, authentic book of ordinary life

March: Book One, Two and Three

A graphic novel about the civil rights movement as seen and experienced through John Lewis.

Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis

Illustrated children’s book about John Lewis’s formative years.

Lions of Little Rock

A compelling look at the desegregation in Little Rock, and its impact on children

Art Lessons From Grandma

The Grandma is white and the granddaughter (Mikayla) is biracial. The book shows the love between the two and is a great resource for blended families.