Examples of Diversity in Children's Literature

 Acknowledging Racism and White Privilege

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The Skin I'm In: A First Look at Racism (2003) by author Pat Thomas and illustrator Lesley Harker. This title discusses the difficult topic of racism to younger children with the hopes of helping children of all colors be comfortable in their own skin.

Thomas, P., & Harker, L. (2003). The skin I’m in: a first look at racism. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series.

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Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation (2014) by Duncan Tonatiuh. This title tells the story of Sylvia Mendez and her family’s fight against segregated schools in California for the Hispanic community. Their fight against segregated education happened almost ten years before Brown vs. The Board of Education.

Tonatiuh, D. (2014). Separate is never equal: sylvia mendez and her family’s fight for desegregation. New York, NY: Harry N. Abrams.

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This is Our House (2005) by author Michael Rosen and illustrator Bob Graham. This title shares the story of a child saying he can’t share a cardboard house based on the way the other children look. But after going to the bathroom, he returns to find all kinds of children in the cardboard house, realizing the cardboard house is for every child.

Rosen, M. (2005). This is our house. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Historical Books

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Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad (2007) by author Ellen Levine and illustrator Kadir Nelson. This title tells the story of an African American child who grows up as a slave, until he mails himself to freedom.

Levine, E., & Nelson, K. (2007). Henry’s freedom box: a true story from the underground railroad. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

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Pink and Say (1994) by Patricia Polacco. This title tells the story of an African American family risking their lives to care for a wounded white boy during the American Civil War.

Polacco, P. (1994). Pink and say. New York, NY:  Philomel Books.

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White Socks Only (1996) by author Evelyn Coleman  and illustrator Tyrone Geter. In this title, a little African American girl thinks she can drink from a “whites only” fountain because she is wearing white socks.

Coleman, E., & Geter, T. (1996). White socks only. Park Ridge, IL: Albert Whitman & Company.

Featuring African American Children

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The Snowy Day (1962) by Ezra Jack Keats. This title features an African American child experiencing the beauty and wonder of a snowfall.

Keats, E. (1962). The snowy day. New York, NY: Viking.

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Peeny Butter Fudge (2009) by authors Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison and illustrator Joe Cepeda. This title tells the story of three African American children spending a wonderful day with their Nana.

Morrison, T., Morrison, S., & Cepeda, J. (2009). Peeny butter fudge. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

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The Patchwork Quilt (1985) by author Valerie Flournoy and illustrator Jerry Pinkney.

This title is about young Tanya, who listens to her grandmother explain the family members and events that inspired each patch of the quilt she is making.

Flournoy, V., & Pinkney, J. (1985). The patchwork quilt. New York, NY: Dial Books.

Featuring Native American Children

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Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from Darkness into Light (2010) by author Tim Tingle and illustrator Karen Clarkson. This book is about Saltypie explaining his family’s difficult history before and after making the move from Oklahoma to Texas. He explains the many difficulties his Choctaw grandmother faced, including bullying and changing her own name.

Tingle, T. & Clarkson, K. (2010). Saltypie: a choctaw journey from darkness into light. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press.

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Cradle Me (2012) by author Debby Slier. This book features pictures of real Native American babies doing small actions, like smiling, sleeping, etc. Underneath each picture is the word of the action in English and then a blank space for the parent to fill in that word in their native language.

Siler, D. (2012). Cradle me. Cambridge, MA: Bright Star Books.

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Thunder Boy Jr. (2016) by author Sherman Alexie and illustrator Yuyi Morales. In this title, Thunder Jr. doesn’t want to be named after his father. He decides he wants his name to celebrate something he has done himself.

Alexie, S. (2016). Thunder boy jr. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Featuring Asian Children

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The Name Jar (2003) by Yangsook Choi. Unhei, a little girl from Korea wants everyone in her new American school to like her. When she’s teased because of her name, she’s not sure she wants to keep it. Maybe an American name would be better. Ultimately, Unhei learns that her new friends will like her with her name just the way it is.

Choi, Y. (2003). The name jar. New York, NY: Dragonfly Books.

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You Were the First (2003) by author Patricia MacLachlan and illustrator Stephanie Graegin. This title shows an Asian baby going through his first milestones with his parents.  

McLachlan, P. & Graegin, S. (2003). You were the first. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Nim and the War Effort (1997) by author Milly Lee and illustrator Yangsook Choi. This title is about the story of a young Chinese American named Nim, who wants to help with the WWII effort by participating in a paper drive. But when Nim finds out a rival is cheating to beat her in the drive, Nim goes above and beyond to prove she can win honestly.

Lee, M. & Choi, Y. (1997). Nim and the war effort. New York, NY: Square Fish Publishing.

Featuring Latino Children

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Chocolate Milk, Por Favor: Celebrating Diversity with Empathy (2015) by Maria Dismondy and illustrator Donna Farrell.  On his first day at  an American school, Gabe struggles to connect with other students because he cannot speak English. But after he experiences an act of kindness, he knows that kindness is something all kids understand, regardless of language.

Dismondy, M., & Farrell, D. (2015). Chocolate milk, por favor: celebrating diversity with empathy. Lansing, MI: Cardinal Rule Press.

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From North to South: Del Norte al Sure (2013) by author René Laínez and illustrator Joe Cepeda. Young José struggles  after his mother is deported.

Lainez, R. & Cepeda, J. (2013). From north to south: del norte al sure. New York, NY: Children's Book Press.

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The Rainbow Tulip (1999) by author Pat Mora and illustrator Elizabeth Sayles. This title is inspired by a story of the author’s mother's childhood. Stella is proud of her heritage, but becomes concerned when she has to dress up for the school parade since  she won’t look like any of the other girls.

Mora, P. & Sayles, E. (1999). The rainbow tulip. New York, NY: Puffin Books.

Featuring Middle Eastern Children

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The Sandwich Shop (2010) by authors Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah and Kelly DiPucchio, and illustrator Tricia Tusa. This title is about two girls who notice  cultural differences in the types of sandwiches they eat, forcing them to discover that differences bring them closer together, not push them further apart.

Abdullah, R., DiPucchio, K., & Tusa, T. (2010). The sandwich shop. New York, NY: Disney-Hyperion.

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Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story (2015) by author Reem Faruqi and illustrator Lea Lyon. Lailah is finally old enough to participate in Ramadan, but she is nervous that her new friends in her new country won’t understand. Lailah asks her teachers and librarian to help  her friends understand what Ramadan is and why it is important to her.

Faruqi, R. & Lyon, L. (2015). Lailah’s lunchbox: a ramadan story. Thomaston, MA: Tilbury House Publishers.

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Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan (2009) by author and illustrator Jeanette Winter. This title is about the true story of Nasreen who struggles to speak after tragically losing both of her parents. Hoping to give Nasreen her voice back, her grandmother secretly enrolls her in school.

Winter, J. (2009). Nasreen’s secret school: a true story from afghanistan. San Diego, CA: Beach Lane Books.