Exploring Diversity through Children’s Literature – School-Age Book Suggestions

Below is a list of books that will add diversity to your bookshelves. These were pulled from a variety of “best books to celebrate diversity” lists. There are many, many other books available. Some authors listed have written multiple books exploring diversity. Reach out to your local librarian for even more suggestions.

  1. I, Too, Am America by Langston Hughes
  2. I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  3. I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings
  4. Donovan’s Double Trouble by Melissa DeGross
  5. Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States edited by Lori M. Carlson
  6. Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson
  7. The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
  8. 10,000 Dresses by Marcus Ewert
  9. The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble
  10. El Deafo by CeCe Bell
  11. Drop by Drop by US Conference of Catholic Bishops
  12. Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull
  13. I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy
  14. Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai
  15. This is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from Around the World by Matt Lamothe
  16. The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
  17. We are All Born Free by Amnesty International
  18. Be the Change: A Grandfather Gandhi Story by Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hegedus
  19. The Diwali Gift by Shweta Chopra
  20. A Different Pond by Bao Phi

Exploring Diversity through Children’s Literature – Infant & Toddler Book Suggestions

Below is a list of books that will add diversity to your bookshelves. These were pulled from a variety of “best books to celebrate diversity” lists. There are many, many other books available. Some authors listed have written multiple books exploring diversity. Reach out to your local librarian for even more suggestions.

  1. Babies Around the World by Puck and Violet Lemay
  2. Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora
  3. Dragon Dance: A Chinese New Year by Joan Holub and Benrei Huang
  4. The Family Book by Todd Parr
  5. Mommy, Mama, and Me by Leslea Newman
  6. A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni
  7. Whose Toes are Those? By Jabari Asim
  8. Counting on Community by Innosanto Nagara
  9. Round Is a Tortilla: A Book of Shapes by Rosanne Thong
  10. Handa’s Surprise by Eileen Browne
  11. Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes edited by Elizabeth Hammill
  12. Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse
  13. Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke
  14. My First Spanish Word Board Book by DK
  15. My Heart Fills with Happiness by Monique Gray Smith
  16. Hugs and Kisses (Babyfaces) by Roberta Grobel Intrater
  17. I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont
  18. Aloha is… by Tammy Paikai
  19. You Are Important Series by Todd Snow
  20. “More, More, More,” Said the Baby by Vera B. Williams