Diverse Picture Books to Celebrate the Everyday

When you think of diverse picture books, what do you think of? Are they books that highlight issues? Books based on historical events or racial tensions? Those are very important books- I’m so glad there are many of them.

Grace Lin tells us that it is important for books to serve as both mirrors and windows. Mirrors- so that they can see themselves in the stories they read, and windows- so that they can peek into the lives of others and develop empathy for those who are different.

Read-Aloud Revival moms with children of color have told me that their kids don’t have enough books with mirrors. Books about ordinary childhood problems- not rooted in historical events or racial tensions– where the characters in the story aren’t white.

And that? That is a problem.

The Read-Aloud Revival team has put together a list of our favorite diverse picture books to celebrate the everyday.

These are books that don’t shine a spotlight on historical events or racial tensions, but just show children of color doing everyday kinds of things. We think every home should have plenty of these on the shelves.

Scroll down to the end of this post if you want a list to print out and take with you to the library.