Hope For the Future: The Best Culturally Diverse Children’s Books

The Best Culturally Diverse Children’s Books

Looking back at the news this year, it’s hard to not feel a little worried for our little ones and the world they face. Humanity as a whole needs to find more compassion, more understanding, and more appreciation for the differences among us. When I start to feel overwhelmed by upsetting current events, I look at my children, and instead of feeling scared for them and their futures, I like to feel hopeful for the world. Why? Because my kids are the future, as are your children, your neighbors’ children, and all the other little ones scattered across our globe. If we as parents raise them with an understanding that all of us—regardless of where we come from, what color our skin is, or what language we speak—belong here, then they will go on to create a world in which some of the biggest problems we are facing today might only be memories.

I feel lucky to be raising my little brood in one of the most culturally diverse places in our country. They hear different languages, get to try so many different kinds of wonderful food, and meet people from continents far and wide—but we can also introduce our children to our world’s great diversity through story time. There is a great need in our libraries and book stores for more culturally diverse children’s books, but there are some really fantastic titles for our little ones that I wanted to share with you:

* The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler (toddler and early grade school)

* Mirror by Jeannie Baker (toddler and early grade school)

* Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa by Veronica Chambers (toddler and early grade school)

* Abuela by Arthur Dorros (toddler and early grade school)

* Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman (toddler and early grade school)

* The Year of the Book (and other titles!) by Andrea Cheng (grade school)

Do you have any other culturally diverse children’s books to add? Please leave them in the comments so we can all read along and learn from each other!