Teaching empathy and diversity to children can be a challenging task for any parent. Knowing what topics to address and at what age is important, especially with younger children who might find it difficult to understand. And, while your local library might have an extensive selection of these books, it is good to have some basic information about the specific topics and books before you go.
With that being said, we are going to share some of our favourite books which are designed to help today’s parents teach kindness, empathy, and diversity to their children. Let’s get started:
Diverse Reading Books For Your Little Ones
- Noodlephant (a story about civil disobedience)
- Jabari Jumps (overcoming fear, features an awesome Black father)
- Sulwe (colourism)
- Abuela, also by Elisa Kleven (family, immigration, Latinx)
- Dreamers by Yuyi Morales (immigration)
- Margaret and Margarita / Margarita y Margaret (kids playing together, despite a language barrier)
- My Footprints (multicultural Asian family with two moms)
- Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
- Heather Has Two Mommies (one of the first children’s books to depict same-sex parenting.)
- And Tango Makes Three (true story of gay penguins who became adoptive dads)
- Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse (Beautifully illustrated book about empathy and classism.)
- The Remember Balloons (Alzheimer’s)
- Shades of People (excellent children’s book on race, featuring photos of real kids and families)
- Whoever You Are (race)
- Wish by Matthew Cordell (poignant story about adoption)
- A Mother for Choco (adoption)
- The Dead Bird (death)
- Rabbityness (grief)
- The Tenth Good Thing About Barney (pet death)
- The Lorax (Dr. Seuss environmentalist tale)
- Strictly No Elephants (inclusivity)
- Ballerina Dreams (a true photo-story of a dance class for kids with cerebral palsy)
- Hello Goodbye Dog (A loving dog becomes a school therapy dog. The main human character is in a wheelchair.)
- The Digger and the Flower (environmentalism, natural beauty, and the ability of one person to make a difference, told with construction vehicles)
- It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr
- Saffron Ice Cream (emigrating from Iran)
- Thank You, Omu! (sharing, neighbours)
- I Am: I am a Dancer by Eleanor Schick (body-positive)
- Uno’s Garden (a unique book with a strong environmental message, with the bonus of teaching math to little kids)
- The Trouble with Dragons (environmentalism)
- Two Nests (divorce)
- Mama, Do You Love Me? (unconditional parental love, Inuit family)
- I am Martin Luther King Jr. by Brad Meltzer.
- I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark
- Mustafa by Gay Marie Louise (from perspective of a refugee child, friendship)
- In My Heart — A Book of Feelings
- I am Human: A Book of Empathy
Contact Playdays Academy
To learn more ways to teach kindness, empathy, and diversity to children, contact Playdays Academy today.
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