13 Books About Race to Read to Your Kids
Updated: Jun. 25, 2020
Here are some of our favourite kids books that include perspectives from people of colour.
A is for Activist
Children’s author, illustrator, and activist designer Innosanto Nagara wrote the bestselling ABC board book to help families raise children to grow up learning about civil rights, LGBTQ rights, and more. With glowing reviews and a progressive message, A is for Activist is definitely a book parents should read to their children.
(Learn what BIPOC stands for.)
The Snowy Day
This 1962 classic written by Ezra Jack Keats has beautiful illustrations and won the prestigious Caldecott Medal. This book showcased an important portrayal of multicultural urban life and also captured the innocence of a child looking at the first snowfall of winter.
Whose Knees Are These?
Written by Jabari Asim, author and associate professor of writing, and illustrated by LeUyen Pham, Whose Knees Are These? highlights diversity with sweet stories and clever rhymes.
Hair Love
Hair Love is a children’s picture book by filmmaker and Academy Award-winning creator Matthew A. Cherry and illustrated by Vashti Harrison. The sweet story is about how a Black father, Stephen, has to step in and learn how to do the hair of his daughter, Zuri, right before a big event. With multiple award nominations and glowing reviews, Hair Love is a children’s book you’ll want to add to your children’s bookshelf. After reading, you can view the animated short film of the same name which won the 2020 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
Sulwe
Sulwe is a children’s picture book by Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o and illustrated by Vashti Harrison. The New York Times bestseller and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award recipient, Sulwe tells the story of a young girl who learns how to see her own beauty.
(Check out these Black-female0owned wellness companies to support.)
Grandpa, Is Everything Black Bad?
Written by Sandy Lynne Holman and beautifully illustrated by Lela Kometiani, Grandpa, Is Everything Black Bad features a heartfelt conversation between a grandson and a grandfather about African heritage and the conversations adult family members have with their young ones about race.
No!: My First Book of Protest
Reading to your children about race is important, and incorporating activists and iconic figures into your reading material will help your young ones learn about history, too. No!: My First Book of Protest written by Julie Merberg and illustrated by Molly Egan includes important historical figures like Frederick Douglass and Malala through illustrated art and information on protest movements.
The Day You Begin
Written by National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by Rafael López, two-time Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner, The Day You Begin reflects on the power of sharing stories and finding companionship when you feel different and alone. The Day You Begin has been published in both English and Spanish.
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
With bold illustrations and rich text, Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History written by the New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Vashti Harrison tells the stories of forty inspirational black women in American history including chemist Alice Ball, poet Maya Angelou, and abolitionist Sojourner Truth.
This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work
Written by activist an anti-racist educator Tiffany Jewell and illustrated by Aurelia Durand, This Book Is Anti-Racist uses gender-neutral words and vibrant illustrations to bring characters to life and help you have a better understanding of race, social identity, racism, among other topics with 20 chapters and activities.
Skin Again
Written by the prominent Black author Bell Hooks and illustrated by Chris Raschka, Skin Again focuses on what’s important and what’s on the inside.
Antiracist Baby
Antiracist Baby written by National Book Award-winning author Ibram X. Kendi with illustrations by Ashley Lukashevsky introduces anti-racism with bright illustrations and nine steps toward being anti-racist.
New Kid
New Kid is a graphic novel by author and illustrator Jerry Craft which won numerous awards including the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Author Award. With rich illustrations, New Kid is about seventh-grader Jordan Banks who moves to a new neighborhood and has to learn how to navigate a new school while remaining true to himself.
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