Last Updated on June 8, 2021 by Bilingual Kidspot
Find below 10 anti racism books for kids. This list of books about racism for kids will teach them to understand that everyone is the same, regardless of race.
Teach Kids Not to be Racist
With the recent events around the world, the national outrage regarding the treatment of people of color, particularly of Black people, have set off a slew of difficult conversations to be had between strangers on the internet, colleagues, friends, and families.
Many nationalities all over the world not only joined in protests against racism, but are now actively seeking ways and resources to become anti-racists. Because in a world filled with hate and colorblindness, it’s not enough to be non-racist, we have to be anti-racist.
As parents, we have a big responsibility to ensure that we are raising kind, anti-racist children, who see the beauty in the array of colors keeping this world beautiful and interesting. If you haven’t already, check out our post on how to speak to kids about race and racism.
Modelling anti-racist behaviors, fighting against injustices, and using our privilege to speak up are a few important practices we need to consciously exhibit in front of our children to foster inclusivity and anti-racist sentiments.
Raising anti-racist children is as easy as keeping an open and honest dialogue about racism, befriending others from all walks of life, and filling your home library with books centered on non-white protagonists.
In particular, include books telling joyful stories of Black individuals doing regular things — and not just stories of oppression — as children’s author and writer Christine Taylor-Butler said, “…we want white kids to see — we’re not the people you’re afraid of.”
Recommended:
Multicultural Books for Kids
Diversity Books for Kids
10 Books about Racism for Kids
Kids books about racism are important. Check out these anti racism books for kids young and old, and add one or more to your home library.
1. Whistle for Willie
By Ezra Jack Keats
Age range: 0-4 years old
Whistle for Willie is part of a four-book collection about a black city boy Peter and his adventures as a kid. The positive and endearing narrative is easy to read and understand, and it shows a black kid just being a normal kid without the trauma, while still being inherently Black.
Find online HERE
2. Baby Boy, What Will You Be?
By Terquoia Bourne
Age Range: 0-6 years old
A captivating and inspiring tale of a mother and her dreams for her little one as she posed the question: what will you be? Bursting with optimism, emotion, and diversity, this book cultivates limitless possibilities and inclusiveness.
Find Online HERE
3. Last Stop on Market Street
By Matt de la Peña
Age Range: 3-8 years old
This book is about a boy and his grandmother, who takes a bus after church. A simple tale of finding beauty even when there doesn’t seem to be any. The characters, their speech, the storyline, and all the lovely details provide cultural, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic diversity that are not often present in children’s books. This book encourages and promotes awareness and compassion among children of those who may not look, talk, act, or live exactly like them.
Find Online HERE
4. Sulwe
By Lupita Nyong’o
Age Range: 4-8 years old
Sulwe is a story about a girl, who didn’t want to be the color of midnight. In her quest to lighten her skin, she learned that her dark skin is beautiful, and that she is indeed beautiful inside and out. Beautifully written and illustrated, this book speaks to many non-white girls and their radiantly beautiful skin.
Find Online HERE
5. I Believe I Can
By Grace Byers
Age Range: 4-8 years old
The positive affirmations in poetic verses are inspirational in this short, heart-warming book. The illustrations are very diverse; and it’s a great resource to uplift, motivate, and reaffirm confidence within children, who may be experiencing self-doubts.
Find Online HERE
6. Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
By Vashti Harrison
Age Range: 6-10 years old
This cute, little picture book includes in-depth, one-page biographies of bold, Black women and their contributions to American culture and history. A phenomenal book, with poster-worthy illustrations, that celebrate Black women’s accomplishments despite their struggles and in the face adversity. This book is one of the three-part book series, by the same author, which includes Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World and Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History. The series are inclusive, anti-racist, and downright incredible to add to your little one’s collection.
Find Online HERE
7. The Day You Begin
By Jacqueline Woodson
Age Range: 6-10 years old
A line in the story perfectly sums up the book: “There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you until the day you begin to share your stories.” Woodson captured the insecurity, challenges, and the fear that children (and sometimes, adults) feel when faced with new, and uncertain situations. However, as we’re brave enough to open up about our own lives and stories, we find that even with all our differences, there’ll always be something common between each one of us that will help bridge the gap and connect us to each other.
Find Online HERE
8. Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness
By Anastasia Higginbotham
Age Range: 6-10 years old
The New York Times reviews this book as “an honest explanation about how power and privilege factor into the lives of white children, at the expense of other groups, and how they can help seek justice.” This narrative of the book is realistic, honest, raw, and it provides space for children to inquire and seek answers to difficult questions and hard-to-swallow events they may or may not notice are happening around them.
Find Online HERE
9. The Skin I’m In
By Sharon Flake
Age range: 11-13 years old
This realistic fiction novel depicts a young girl, who was bullied and ridiculed for many things, but most severely on her very dark complexion. Flake’s storytelling unravels the cruelty, pain, and trauma of bullying and racial profiling; but also, the roughness and beauty in finding self-confidence and standing up for what’s right. It is a fantastic anti racism book for kids to add to your home library to help teach kids empathy, understanding and kindness.
Find Online HERE
10. Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You
By Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
Age range: 12 and up
This book isn’t a supplement to Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning, rather it’s a reworking. Reynolds’ superb writing makes this easy to understand without taking away from the context and the gravity of racism. A compelling read for middle-school-aged kids, adults, and everyone in between; this is a timely anti-racist book that covers six hundred years of history.
Author Renée Watson summarizes this book well, “Teens are often searching for their place in the world, in Stamped, Reynolds gives context to where we are, how we got here, and reminds young people – and all of us – that we have a choice to make about who we want to be. This unapologetic telling of the history of racism in our nation is refreshingly simple and deeply profound. This is the history book I needed as a teen.”
Find Online HERE
Anti Racism books for Kids
Hopefully this list of books about racism will inspire you to fill your home with more diverse books and of course anti racism books for kids.
Every home library should have diverse books. Make sure to check out our other book lists: MULTICULTURAL BOOKS FOR KIDS, and DIVERSITY BOOKS FOR KIDS.
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