This page is dedicated solely for Parents or those in spaces where Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion literacy in child development is needed. The resources below should hopefully help children and parents alike explore conversations relating to the community around them. Vulnerability is important to scaffold when teaching children and letting them know they may have questions that are uncomfortable at first but important to talk through as they are constantly shaping their own worldview. This work is intersectional and being able to talk about a wealth of different lenses helps handle our own biases and will ultimately help us all become more empathetic.
I want give a huge thanks to Kate Eicher and Dr. Julie King for compiling this ongoing list.
Jump to
Children’s Literature Awards
Diverse Combined Book Lists
African American and Black Literature
American Indian/Native American, Alaska Native Literature
Asian/Pacific American Literature
Differently Abled/Learning Differences
Female Empowerment Literature
Hindu Literature
Immigration Literature
Jewish Literature
LatinX/Hispanic Literature
LGBTQIA+ Literature
Muslim Literature
Religious Literature
Activism/Digital Citizenship
Professional Development and Parenting Resources
Diversity & Cultural Literacy Toolkit
Updated Lee & Low Diversity in Publishing research
AASL Underserved Populations Toolkit
-research, teacher/parent info, book lists, etc. regarding Non-Traditional Families (including death and divorce), Children of Incarcerated Parents, Homeless Youth, Migrant Worker Families, and Foster Children
Your Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Race: Resource Roundup
Anti-racism Resources for White People
Talking with Children about Racism, Police Brutality, and Protests
Evaluating Children’s Books about Police
Article: Picture Book Police Officers
Talking About Race: National Museum of African American History & Culture
Kirwan Institute – Implicit Bias Modules
Center for Racial Justice In Education resources
10 Quick Ways to Analyze Children’s Books for Racism and Sexism
Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children’s Books
Should I use the adjective “diverse”
Booklists around Empathy, Bravery, Race, etc. Video about the results of use of the book lists/programs (Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation)
Teaching Tolerance is a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. It has professional development as well as lesson plans.
Teaching Hard History From the Beginning
Stamped (Remix by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi) Educator Guide
5 Minute Film Festival: Talking about Race and Stereotypes
Diversity in Publishing Survey Results
Lee & Low Grade Level Resources
Children’s Book Council Diversity Resources
Booklist and teacher resources for talking about race
Children’s Literature Awards:
Bank Street Lib Guide of Awards
Bank Street Children’s Book Committee Best Books of the Year
Bank Street Children’s Book Committee Social & Emotional Learning List
Children’s Book Committee Awards
We Need Diverse Books; Walter Awards
Diverse books by diverse authors
Here Wee Read
Diverse combined book lists
A searchable database for books published since 2002. Site also has data regarding diverse books.
60 carefully selected lists of multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators.
SLJ Antiracist Reading Lists for Children and Teens
Anti-Defamation League – Books Matter
Search by topic or keyword
Multicultural Children’s Book Publisher:
Search by levels, theme, language, age range, etc.
International Children’s Digital Library
A searchable database of digital children’s books from around the world in 59 languages (some books are in multiple languages). Child-friendly searchability.
Goodreads Lists (remember that these are not necessarily authenticated/award-winning, but it is a list that could be helpful)
Beginning Chapter Books Whose Lead Characters are People of Color
We Need Diverse Jewish and Muslim Books article and booklist
African-American and Black Literature
Stamped (Remix by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi) Educator Guide
Coretta Scott King Book Awards
“Outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.”
“Affirm new talent and to offer visibility to excellence in writing and/or illustration which otherwise might be formally unacknowledged within a given year within the structure of the two awards given annually by the Coretta Scott King Task Force.”
Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature
“African American Grandparents and Grand-family themed books.” Download document.
Linking picture books and poetry
Honoring African American Women and Girls, Past and Present
“The Brown Bookshelf is designed to push awareness of the myriad Black voices writing for young readers.”
Picture books that celebrate black boys
Black Picture Books That Aren’t About Boycotts, Buses or Basketball (2016)
Black Picture Books That Aren’t About Boycotts, Buses or Basketball (2018)
“30 books to inspire black boys to be creative and build their dreams.”
NY Times: Picture Books that Bring Black Heroes to Life
American Indian/Native American, and Alaska Native Literature
American Indians in Children’s Literature
“American Indians in Children’s Literature (AICL) provides critical perspectives and analysis of indigenous peoples in children’s and young adult books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society. Scroll down for links to book reviews, Native media, and more.”
American Indian Library Association – American Indian Youth Literature Award
“The American Indian Library Association (AILA) is a membership action group that addresses the library-related needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives.”
12 Picture Books that Showcase Native Voices
National Museum of the American Indian
Essential Understandings about American Indians
Native Knowledge 360 – digital resources, lesson plans
Asian/Pacific American Literature
Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association Awards
Freeman Book Awards
Horn Book Resources for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Differently Abled or Learning Differences
List of books with characters with differences
Female Empowerment Literature
Search by age, category, awards, etc
Hindu Literature
Lee & Low book list
Reading for Diwali
Immigration Literature
Pura Belpre award and honor books specifically about the immigration experience.
School Library Journal – Refugee Experience
“Welcoming immigrants, refugees, and migrants as neighbors through the sharing of children’s literature and other stories.”
Search by setting, community, theme, and age.
Horn Book – Refugees Welcome Here
Book list and articles
Horn Book – Refugees and Immigrants
Horn Book – American Immigration
Friends Seminary recommended resources
Jewish Literature
Association of Jewish Libraries
Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Book Award
Association of Jewish Libraries Literary Awards
Jewish Book Council Children’s Book List
Anti-Defamation League Book Lists
Anti-Semitism and Jewish Culture
Horn Book Jewish American Heritage Month Resources
By director of Feldman Children’s Library; past President of AJL, Past Chair of Sydney Taylor Book Award, SLJ Reviewer
Kar-Ben is the largest publisher of exclusively Jewish-themed children’s books in the world, publishing 18-20 new, high quality children’s titles each year. Subjects include fiction and nonfiction for preschool through middle school, including Jewish holiday books, life-cycle stories, Bible tales, folktales, stories about Israel, and Jewish history, reflecting the rich cultural diversity of today’s Jewish family.
Book reviews; many book lists
blog/reviews
Latinx and Hispanic Literature
“Presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.”
REFORMA book reviews
http://imaginenselibros.blogspot.com/
Resources from Tolerance.org
School Library Journal Booklist
National Education Association Resources for Hispanic Heritage Month (K-5)
LGBTQIA+
“Recommended books dealing with gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and questioning issues and situations for children up to age 18.”
ALA Serving LGBTQ Families Book List
ALA GLBT Round Table Book Reviews
Reviews on youth literature. Can be searched under review categories such as fiction/non-fiction picture books, etc.
Professional development resource for elementary schools.
Muslim Literature
Kitaab World – Counter Islamophobia Through Stories
Further down the page are other book lists including: folktales from Islamic traditions, celebrating Islam, and more.
Salaam Reads is an imprint that aims to introduce readers of all faiths and backgrounds to a wide variety of Muslim children and families and offer Muslim kids an opportunity to see themselves reflected positively in published works. Articles at the bottom of homepage.
Muslim American Leadership Alliance
Muslim Americans individual journeys
Ramadan 2020 Horn Book list
Religious Literature
Booklist Top 10 Religion and Spirituality for Youth 2018
Fiction and non-fiction titles
Activism/Digital Citizenship
School Library Journal – Honoring Activism
Obama.org: Anguish and Action
Antiracism information, social justice organizations, and action steps.
Policing Campaign Toolkit – Rethinking Public Safety
Intended to help activists, organizations, and communities identify and act on solutions to change policing for the better in their own communities.
Philly Children’s Movement Toolkit
More under Activism and Resources in the Menu Bar
NAACP Junior Youth Council (under 13)
Mission, Vision Statement, and Resources
Digital Citizenship:
https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=digital-citizenship-teaching-strategies-evolve
“Digital citizenship is using tech to solve problems, engage respectfully with people of different viewpoints, make your voice heard, and understand how to recognize fact from fiction,” Culatta said at the ISTE conference.
Digital Citizenship Curriculum by Common Sense Media
thework.education 