Written by Kia Mackey
As a parent, maybe you have started educating yourself on being more racially conscious by digging into podcasts, books, documentaries, etc., and now you’re wondering, how do you pass this knowledge onto your kids?
Well, children’s books are a great place to start! They can guide the difficult conversations about race and inequality and make them much easier to navigate, and they convey important information to your kids in a medium that is familiar and easily digestible to them.
Books are just the beginning of the path to raising racially conscious kids; they can serve as a great jumping-off point for having conversations with them about important topics.
We narrowed down the numerous great books we found covering tons of important topics regarding race and diversity to our top 5. Check them out!
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1. Intersection Allies: We Make Room for All
By Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council, and Carolyn Choi, Illustrated by Ashley Seil Smith
This book… wow… I certainly wish that I had it on my bookshelf growing up. Intersection Allies is great because it covers the challenges that a group of friends part of the most marginalized populations face.
My favorite part of the book is at the end when the author writes “we strive to be equal, but not the same,” a message that is so imperative for kids and adults to understand when contributing to the movement of social and racial justice. This book does not go as in-depth into certain cultures as some other books on this list do, but it is a great way to introduce your kids to these cultures, as well as drive home the importance of ally-ship. Check out a read aloud on youtube here!
2. Let’s Talk About Race
By Julius Lester, Illustrated by Karen Barbour
As an adult this book provided me with insights on racism that I had not thought of before, and there is no better time to learn these insights than when you are young!
What made this book stand out to me was the accessible way that the author defines race and racism. Additionally, this book does an amazing job depicting the complexities of individuals within a race, countering the one dimensional stereotypes that are commonly depicted in media.
My only critique or caution for this book is that in the end they drive home that message that under our skin we are all the same, which is a useful message in talking to your kids about race, but should be accompanied by a discussion about the importance of accepting and celebrating everyone’s differences, a conversation which can be guided by reading some of the other books on this list! Check out a read aloud on youtube here!
3. Grandpa, is Everything Black Bad?
By Sandy Lynne Holman, Illustrated by Lela Kometiani
“Is everything black bad,” might be a question that your child has asked you at some point or another, and this book eloquently answers this heavy question through brilliant illustrations and writing.
Heritage, a word whose meaning is ambiguous and unsure to many people, is a vital concept in understanding how to talk about the history of individuals and why their skin is a certain color, and this book does a great job of defining that term. But, that’s not where the brilliance of this book ends.
You should buy this book if you want your kids to be familiar with the rich message that skin color is incredibly important and meaningful, as it signifies and connects you to your history and ancestors.
There are so many hidden gems in this book, so check out the button below to buy this amazing book!
4. Lailah’s Lunch Box: a Ramadan Story
By Reem Faruqi, Illustrated by Lea Lyon
Whether you observe Ramadan with your family or not, I believe that this book by Reem Farqui is an excellent addition to your child’s bookshelf.
In this book, you follow the journey of a young girl who has moved to America from Abu Dhabi as she faces the challenge of telling her class about fasting for Ramadan, the reason that she is not bringing her lunch box to school for a month.
I believe that Lailah’s Lunch Box is a great read for children of all cultures to help them openly talk about their own cultural practices, as well as accept and celebrate the cultural practices of others. Check out a read aloud on youtube here!
5. When We Were Alone
By David A Robertson, Illustrated by Julie Flett
This books gives you a peek into the history of the Native American Assimilation boarding schools in the late 19th century and the aspects of Native American culture that these institutions tried to erase.
It is amazing how this book is able to talk about and inform the reader on this dark topic in a way that does not downplay the heaviness of the topic, while also delivering the information to children in a digestible and relatable way.
This book is especially relevant for kids who are not of Native American descent, because it is so important for us to learn about our full history so that we do not repeat it in the future. Check out a read aloud on youtube here!
I hope that these book reviews helped you find some new and interesting books to help you and your kids to start or continue the always important conversation about race and culture!
Comment below if you have read these books and what your thoughts are! Also, let us know what book suggestions you have for raising racially conscious kids!
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