Following the global Women’s March, where kids of all ages marched alongside their parents in the name of equality and respect, you may be wondering how to talk to your own kids about what inclusiveness and acceptance of diversity really mean. And the good news is, the more you talk to them about diversity and accepting one another’s differences, the better equipped they will be to stand up to bullies at school.
I’ve always been an avid believer in the power of books, and I think there is no better resource to turn to in a conversation about diversity than books your children will be able to relate to. These are my top recommendations!
It’s Okay To Be Different, by Todd Parr. This is a book for very young readers, and combines a powerful message of acceptance with bright, engaging colors and illustrations. It’s never too young to introduce your kids to the idea of acceptance, love, and confidence in one’s differences!
The Sneetches, and Other Stories, by Dr. Seuss. The great Dr. Seuss can never lead you astray, and this is one of his best and most underrated collections of stories. The Sneetches in particular is a great story to demonstrate how arbitrary and silly it is to divide the world by their physical features. Highly recommended reading!
How My Parents Learned to Eat, by Ina R. Friedman. This book is one for those with a slightly higher reading level, and I think can make one of the biggest differences in a kid’s daily life. It tells the story of an American soldier and a Japanese woman who fall in love, and try, in secret, to learn about the others way of eating. It speaks so prevalently about accepting the differences in culture, and the level of respect we can show to those differences just by learning about them.
Whoever You Are, by Mem Fox. “Joys are the same, / and love is the same. / Pain is the same, / and blood is the same.” If those lines aren’t enough reason to pick up this book, the beautiful paintings and joyful spirit behind every word should be. This is a must-have picture book for your little one.
Do you have your own recommendation? Leave it in the comments below!