With summer winding down and school back in session, I know I will miss our family’s regular trips to the library. As our days get more hectic with after school activities and sports, our trips become a little less frequent and I’m usually popping in by myself to exchange one bag of books for another. I am a book lover, and I hope that my children share my love of reading as they grow older, so regular trips to the library are one way I hope to foster this love! Becoming a parent has made me enjoy books even more, and has given me a chance to revisit some of my childhood favorites. Now that half of my children can read, I’m finding a new appreciation for books as learning tools. They have become so useful for spurring discussions about feelings and emotions, and for exposing us to worlds and people that we may not encounter in our daily travels.
One specific goal I’ve had lately is to be more intentional about the content and characters of the books we choose. I want to make sure that I provide my children with literature that represents a wide range of people, varying in body shape/size, skin color, ability, family structure, religion, and language. Raising three boys, I’m constantly fighting against the “that’s a girl book” comment. I ask them, what is a girl book? And I remind them that books are for everyone, and there’s no such thing as a “girl book” or a “boy book.” I wonder if my daughter will feel similarly if I encourage her to bring home books that typically appeal to boys featuring construction sites or bodily functions (hello, Captain Underpants, I’m looking at you!).
I recently came across the metaphor of books as both windows and mirrors, which to me is the perfect way to understand the importance of a diverse bookshelf. Books can be “windows” into the lives of people who may experience things differently than we do, or a new culture. What’s it like to live in Japan? To move across the country? To speak a language that no one else in your classroom speaks? Books also serve the important purpose of “mirrors,” for children to see themselves in literature, and to be inspired and excited about the possibilities for their future. This character that looks just like me is a scientist! The character is this book is experiencing a divorce, too! And how many of us started reading books about becoming a big brother or sister to our kiddos when we found out we were expecting? What a gift to relate to a story line. Kids need to see themselves in books in order to promote a positive sense of self/identity. Seeing yourself in the books you read promotes a love of reading as well! Think about books you’ve read that “spoke to your soul” – I know I have a few. It feels good to be seen, and to feel connected to the larger world.
Personally, I like books that showcase diverse characters, without tokenizing or stereotyping groups of people. I enjoy just regular, fun stories that put kids of different races, religions, family structure, language, etc in the spotlight. Some of the books on this list promote inclusion more implicitly, while others teach an explicit lesson in acceptance. Although our little town has a good bit of diversity, it’s still important for young children to be exposed to folks that look/act differently than they do. This feels especially important for kids living in more homogeneous areas. We recently moved back to Auburn after living in New Hampshire for a couple years. I found books to be one of the small ways I could teach my children about inclusion. As our kids grow up, I know as moms we all pray for them to be kind and accepting towards those around them. Consider what messages the books (and TV shows/movies) you enjoy with your family might be conveying. Empathy and understanding are especially important as many of our kids step into new classrooms with new friends and teachers. I can guarantee in your child’s classroom there will be at least one “new kid” that moved here this summer from another state, someone that was born in another country, someone whose family speaks a different language at home, and friends that have a different skin tone or hair texture than your own child. Let’s prepare our children to lead the way when it comes to inclusion and kindness.
If you are a teacher or work with children, consider including some of these books so that all of your students can see themselves represented in the classroom. Whatever your reasons for wanting to increase the diversity on your bookshelf, I know your kids will eat these books up! Even better, all of these books are available at the Auburn Public Library!
-Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall (ages 4-8)
-Say Hello by Rachel Isadora (ages 3-5)
-A Bike Like Sergio’s by Maribeth Boelts (ages 5-8)
-Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang (ages 0-3)
-Baby’s First Words by Stella Blackstone (ages 0-3)
-All are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold (ages 4-8)
-One is a Pinata: A Book of Numbers by Roseanne Thong (ages 4-7)
-Chocolate Milk, Por Favor! by Maria Dismondy (ages 4-11)
-The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi (ages 3-7)
-Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena (ages 3-5)
-The New Small Person by Laura Child (ages 3-7)
