10 Diverse Children's Books I Love

Our family is diverse in many ways. We are blended, we’re not all blood related, we’re missing some pieces, and we all look different. I do my best to make sure that they confident young ladies who are proud of their differences. For that reason, I think it is important for them to see characters in books that look like them and I’m always trying to add diverse books to our home collection.

Here are 10 of our favorite diverse books:

1-Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion by Alex Smith

Little Red lives in Africa. She’s witty and not easily fooled. She’s got cornrows and puffy pigtails. She’s on a mission to save her auntie who’s come down with a case of spots. My girls love the clever actions of Little Red and how she ends up eating doughnuts with the wolf. (Appropriate for PK-3)

2-I Love My Hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley

A BlackBoard Children's Book of the Year. Every night, Kenaya sits with her mother for the dreaded ritual of combing Kenaya’s thick hair. Kenaya’s listens to her mother talk about all the amazing and different ways she can wear her hair. This book has been instrumental in helping the girls appreciate the beauty of their naturally textured hair and can both relate to the dread Kenaya feels about getting her hair done. (Appropriate for K-3)

3-I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont

This book is excellent in helping build a child’s self-esteem. This little girl loves herself and all of her differences. Messy hair? Beaver breath? Stinky toes? All a celebration of her uniqueness and the perfect example of how I want my girls to feel about themselves. (Appropriate for PK-2)

4-We Are Family by Patricia Hegarty

The perfect way to show children that all families are different yet similar in many ways. Single parents, adoptive parents, same-sex parents, mixed-race families, grandparents parents, parents with disabilities—this book demonstrates that no family looks the same and that’s okay. The message our girls hear…we all love the same. (Appropriate for PK-2)

5-Mixed Me by Taye Diggs

Taye Diggs wrote this book to address the identity issues that biracial children face. The little boy named Mike has wild hair, an energetic personality, and a great attitude. A blend of dark and light, Mike’s parents tell him, “We mixed you perfectly and got you just right.” The girls love this book and frequently talk about Mike’s description of his parents, his dad a deep brown and his mom rich cream and honey. (Appropriate for PK-3)

6-I Am Enough by Grace Byers

New York Times bestseller & Goodreads Choice Awards picture book winner

Simple, one to two line poetic lines on each page coupled with beautiful illustrations, this book is all about empowering girls and loving yourself. A basic yet powerful message—We are all here for a purpose and we are more than enough! (Appropriate for PK-3)

7-I am Truly by Kelly Greenawalt

Princess Truly can do whatever she sets her mind to—she can tame lions, fly to the moon, dance on the stars, race cars—she’s courageous and adventurous. I believe in my girls and know they can, and will, accomplish big things. This book is a fantastic way to reinforce my faith in them. (Appropriate for PK-2)

8-Hey Black Child by Bryan Collier

Coretta Scott King Award winner & Caldecott Honor.          

 Many believe this poem was written by Countee Collen to show black children during the Harlem Renaissance the possibilities that lie before them although it was really written by Useni Eugene Perkinsm, a leader of the Black Arts Movement in the 1960s and 70s. “Hey Black Child” is easy to remember and my girls can recite the poem as we look at the pictures. (Appropriate for PK-3)

9-A Bad Case of the Stripes by David Shannon

The theme of this book is learning to be yourself, to be comfortable in your own skin. Camilla Cream loves lima beans but she’s worried about what other kids will think about here so he never eats them. She worries so much that she breaks out in a bad case of stripes! The girls LOVE this book and they LOVE lima beans now too. (Appropriate for K-3)

10-Mary Had a Little Glam by Tammi Sauer

A twist on the original Mother Goose tale, this book features children of color in the nursery rhyme. Mary is glamorous and the queen of accessories. She helps transform her class from plain to fancy which is great until the kids get to recess and realize that they aren’t dressed right for playing outside. Mary, being the leader that she is, shows her classmates it’s alright to ditch the fancy clothes and get dirty. I like this book because it shows my girls that it’s okay to enjoy themselves and that they don’t always have to act like princesses. (Appropriate for PK-2)