Finding the words to explain to young children America’s issues of race, religion, gender and equity are tough. At Paddington we recognize the power of story in children’s literature and celebrate it! Stories can convey the virtues and values we want our children to learn and live by every single day. There are many children's books that promote kindness, inclusiveness, equity, the importance of diversity and the power of voice to make a change. We hope you'll use the resources below to add some of these wonderful titles to your story-time rotation.
Fifty Lists of Multicultural and Social Justice Books for children, young adults and educators
Best multicultural and social justice board books for younger children
What types of books are appropriate by age-level?
Books for Under-Two and Two-year-olds:
This age group likes to sit on a lap and listen to a book. Board books are a perfect choice! Books for toddlers are usually short and rhyming. They are about concrete subjects (farm animals or pets) and include first words and simple language that is easy to read. Books that encourage singing are also highly recommended for this age. Children need to ‘see’ themselves in books as well as be exposed to books that depict other children and families that are similar different from their own.
Books for Three-year-olds:
Three-year-olds are just beginning to learn about humor and they love funny picture books. They enjoy books with concrete topics that reflect their passions, such as ‘dinosaurs’, but, they also begin to enjoy ‘silly’ humor like Duck on a Bike, by David Shannon, because they know that ducks don’t really ride bikes…. Or do they?
Books for Four-year-olds (PreK):
Four-year-olds enjoy the wacky sort of humor that is found in many picture books. They also love to dive into topics and learn all about their interests. They have a seemingly insatiable appetite to learn at this age and they are happy to tell you all about their newly attained knowledge!
Books for Kindergartners:
Kindergartners love the idea of reading. They want to listen to read-alouds and they want to do it for themselves. They are working on sounding out words. Their emerging reading skills are fun and exciting for them. They have great success with books they can memorize and also with books that have lots of pictures to give them clues.
Fifty Lists of Multicultural and Social Justice Books for children, young adults and educators
Best multicultural and social justice board books for younger children
What types of books are appropriate by age-level?
Books for Under-Two and Two-year-olds:
This age group likes to sit on a lap and listen to a book. Board books are a perfect choice! Books for toddlers are usually short and rhyming. They are about concrete subjects (farm animals or pets) and include first words and simple language that is easy to read. Books that encourage singing are also highly recommended for this age. Children need to ‘see’ themselves in books as well as be exposed to books that depict other children and families that are similar different from their own.
Books for Three-year-olds:
Three-year-olds are just beginning to learn about humor and they love funny picture books. They enjoy books with concrete topics that reflect their passions, such as ‘dinosaurs’, but, they also begin to enjoy ‘silly’ humor like Duck on a Bike, by David Shannon, because they know that ducks don’t really ride bikes…. Or do they?
Books for Four-year-olds (PreK):
Four-year-olds enjoy the wacky sort of humor that is found in many picture books. They also love to dive into topics and learn all about their interests. They have a seemingly insatiable appetite to learn at this age and they are happy to tell you all about their newly attained knowledge!
Books for Kindergartners:
Kindergartners love the idea of reading. They want to listen to read-alouds and they want to do it for themselves. They are working on sounding out words. Their emerging reading skills are fun and exciting for them. They have great success with books they can memorize and also with books that have lots of pictures to give them clues.
Reading Resources by Topic
5 Senses
My Five Senses, Aliki
Blue Goose, Nancy Tafuri Hello, Red Fox, Eric Carle Dog Breath! Horrible trouble with Hally Tosis, Dav Pilkey Walter the Farting Dog books, William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray Olivia Forms a Band, Ian Falconer Quiet, Loud, Leslie Patricelli |
Adoption
Over the Moon, Karen Katz
Tell me Again About the Night I was Born, Jamie Lee Curtis Horton Hatches the Egg, Dr. Seuss |
Alphabet
LMNO Peas, Keith Baker
Eating the Alphabet, Lois Ehlert Alpha Oops! The Day Z Went First, Alethea Kontis Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Bill Martin |
Anger
When Sophie Gets Angry- Really Really Angry, Molly Bang
Mouse was Mad, Linda Urban Angry Arthur, Hiawyn Oram Mad isn’t Bad, Michaelene Mundy Sometimes Moms Get Angry, a Caillou book I Was So Mad, Mercer Mayer |
Being Different
It’s Okay to be Different, Todd Parr
Elmer The Patchwork Elephant, David Mckee Different Just Like Me, Lori Mitchell The Big Orange Splot, Daniel Pinkwater Giraffes Can’t Dance, Giles Andreae The Dot, Peter Reynolds Love Monster, Rachel Bright Beautiful Oops, Barney Saltzberg I’m Here, Peter Reynolds So Few of Me, Peter Reynolds |
Body Atonomy
Body Boundaries Make Me Stronger, Elizabeth Cole
But How'd I Get in There in the First Place?, Deboradh M. Roffman The Science of Babies, Deborah Roffman Bodies are Cool, Tyler Feder Yes! No!, Megan Madison, Jessica Ralli, and Isabel Roxas Amazing You!, Dr. Gail Saltz |
Challenging Behaviors
No More Biting from Billy Goat, Bernette Ford and Sam Williams
Little Dinos Don’t Bite, Michael Dahl Teeth are not for Biting, Elizabeth Verdick Hands are Not For Hitting, Martin Agassi |
Community
Rose’s Garden, Peter Reynolds
How to Fill a Bucket, Carol McCloud Good People Everywhere, Lynea Gillen |
Confidence Building
Ish, Peter Reynolds
The Dot, Peter Reynolds The Museum, Susan Verde |
Counting
Ten, Nine, Eight, Molly Bang
Feast for 10, Cathryn Falwell Zero is the Leaves on the Trees, Betsy Franco Ten Little Fingers, Ten Little Toes, Mem Fox Counting Birds, Alice Melvin Counting in a Garden, Kim Parker Zeal of Zebras, Woop Studios |
Creativity & Imagination
Ain’t Gonna Paint No More, Karen Beaumont
Sky Color, Peter Reynolds The North Star, Peter Reynolds |
Diversity
Walk This World, Jenny Broom
Whoever You Are, Mem Fox We’re Different, We’re the Same, Kates and Mathieu The Colors of Us, Karen Katz Children Just Like Me: A Unique Celebration of Children Around the World, Anabel Kindersley Everywhere Babies, Susan Meyers Bread, Bread, Bread, Ann Morris Shoes, Shoes, Shoes, Ann Morris Shades of People, Shelley Rotner Global Babies, The Global Fund for Children For more books, visit our Family Toolkit |
Death
The Invisible String, Patrice Karst
The Rabbit Listened, Cori Doerrfeld Something Very Sad Happened, Bonnie Zucker I Had a Friend Named Peter, Janice Cohn When Someone Dies, Sharon Greenlee Dog Heaven, Cynthia Rylant Cat Heaven, Cynthia Rylant I’ll Always Love You, Hans Wilhelm The 10th Good Thing About Barney, Judith Viorst Nana Upstairs, Nana Downstairs, Tommie DePaola Water Bugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children, Doris Stickney When a Pet Dies, Mr. Rogers |
Divorce
Mom and Dad Glue, Kes Gray
Dinosaur Divorce, Marc Brown Was it The Chocolate Pudding?, Sandra Levins Two Homes, Claire Masurel |
Early Readers/Read-Aloud
Magic Far Away Trees, Enid Blyton
My Father’s Dragon Series, Ruth Stiles Gannett The Toys Go Out, Emily Jenkins Frog and Toad Series, Arnold Lobel |
Empathy & Bullying
Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun, Maria Dismondy
One, Kathryn Otoshi Little Quack’s New Friend, Lauren Thompson Stand in my Shoes, Bob Sornson Good People Everywhere, Lynea Gillen |
Engineering
Not a Book, Antoinette Portis
The Most Magnificent Thing, Ashley Spires Iggy Peck, Architect, Andrea Beaty How a House is Built, Gail Gibbons Dream Something Big: The Story of Watts Towers, Dianna Hutts Aston 13 Buildings Children Should Know, Annette Roeder Rosie Revere, Engineer, Andrea Beaty The Three Little Pigs – An Architectural Tale, Steven Guarnaccia You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Skyscraper Builder!, John Malam Dreaming Up – A Celebration of Building, Christy Hale Big Friends, Linda Sarah and Benji Davies |
Family Structures
The Family Book, Todd Parr
Mommy, Mama, and Me, Carol Thompson Daddy, Papa, and Me, Carol Thompson Who’s in my Family?, Robie Harris And Tango Makes Three, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell Horton Hatches the Egg, Dr. Seuss Who’s in a Family? Robert Skutch Love is a Family, Roma Downey Why Don’t I have a Daddy? Georigre Anne Clay All the World, Liz Garton Scanlon Papa Please Get the Moon for Me, Eric Carle Daddy is a Doodlebug, Bruce Degan Guess How Much I Love You, Sam McBratney Me and My Dad, Alison Ritchie Fly Away Home, Eve Bunting Daddies Are for Catching Fireflies, Harriet Ziefert |
Feelings
The Feelings Book, Todd Parr
The Secret Olivia Told Me, N. Joy My Blue is Happy, Jessica Young Duck and Goose, How are You Feeling? Tad Hills Feelings, Aliki Feelings to Share from A to Z, Todd Snow Have you Filled a Bucket Today? Carol McCloud Today I Feel Silly, Jamie Lee Curtis How are You Peeling? Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day, Judith Viorst Courage, Bernard Waber |
Friendship
Big Al, Andrew Clements
Friends, Helme Heine Best Friends, Miriam Cohen Will I Have a Friend? Miriam Cohen Friends, Mies Van Hout The Gift of Nothing, Patrick McDonnell Making Friends, Fred Rogers I’m Here, Peter Reynolds How to Fill a Bucket, Carol McCloud Have you Filled a Bucket Today? Carol McCloud One, Kathryn Otoshi Little Quack’s New Friend, Lauren Thompson |
Giving
Beatrice’s Goat, Paige McBrier
Julia’s House for Lost Creatures, Ben Hatke Always Room for One More, Sorche Nic Leodhas Red Knit Cap Girl to the Rescue, Naoko Stoop The Three Questions, Jon J. Muth Mr. Bow Tie, Karen Barbour Is There Really a Human Race? Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell My Heart Will Not Sit Down, Mara Rockliff A Shelter in Our Car, Monica Gunning Bear Feels Scared, Karma Wilson How to Heal a Broken Wing, Bob Graham The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein |
Health-Related
Nowhere Hair, Sue Gladen
Grandpa Doesn’t Know It’s Me, Donna Gutherie Mommy, Was your Tummy Big? Carolina Nadel Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings, Ellen McVicker Mom has Cancer, Jennifer Moore-Mallinos |
Helpers
Ultimate Spotlight: Firefighters, Anne-Sophie Baumann
Fire Drill, Paul DuBois Jacobs Here Come the Helpers, Leslie Kimmelman On Patrol with Police Car, Little Hippo Books Community Helpers, Wonder House Books |
Love
Guess How Much I Love You, Sam McBartney
I’ll Love You Forever, Roger Knapp I’ll Always Love You, Hans Wilhelm An Awesome Book of Love, Dallas Clayton Wherever You Are, My Love Will Find You, Nancy Tillman Daddies are for Catching Fire Flies, Harriet Ziefert Papa Please Get the Moon for Me, Eric Carle Daddy is a Doodlebug, Bruce Degen Plant a Kiss, Amy Krouse Rosenthal |
Lying
The Berenstein Bears and The Truth, Stan and Jan Berenstein
A Big Fat Enormous Lie, Marjorie Weinman Sharmat Sam Tells Stories, Thierry Robberecht Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie, Laura Rankin |
Moving
Moving, Fred Rogers
The Berenstain Bears’ Moving Day, Stan and Jan Berenstain Moving House, Anne Civardi |
Multilingual
How Penguin Says Please!, Abigail Samoun
The Empanadas that Abuela Made, Diane Gonzales Bertrand We've Got the Whole World in Our Hands, Rafael Lopez Laughing Tomatoes, Francisco X. Alarcon Quinito's Neighborhood, Ina Cumpiano Animal Poems of the Iguazu, Francisco X. Alarcon Gracias Thanks, Pat Mora Moon Rope, Lois Ehlert Hairs Pelitos, Sandra Cisneros The Tooth Fairy Meets El Raton Perex, René Colato Laînez Make Way for Ducklings, Robert McCloskey Tikki Tikki Tembo, Arlene Mosel The Story for Ferdinand, Munro Leaf A Hole is to Dig, Maurice Sendak Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein Caps for Sale, Esphyr Slobodkina Sylvester and The Magic Pebble, William Steig The Amazing Bone, William Steig |
New Sibling
King Baby, Kate Beaton
The Baby Sister, Tommie DePaola Berenstein Bears New Baby, Jan and Stan Berenstein Little Miss, Big Sis, Peter Reynolds Little Rex. Big Brother, Ruth Symes Bunny in the Middle, Anika A. Denise |
Nut Allergies
The Princess and the Peanut Allergy, Wendy McClure
No Peanuts for Pete, Christina Roderick Avril Knows, Ginny Heenan Tom's Secret Agents, Jamie Waggott |
Old Favorites
Good Night Moon, Margaret Wise Brown
The Big Red Barn, Margaret Wise Brown Katy and the Big Snow, Virginia Lee Burton Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Virginia Lee Burton The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle The Story of Ping, Marjorie Flack Corduroy, Don Freeman The Snowy Day, Ezra Jack Keats Whistle for Willie, Ezra Jack Keats Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Bill Martin Jr. Make Way for Ducklings, Robert McCloskey Tikki Tikki Tembo, Arlene Mosel The Story for Ferdinand, Munro Leaf A Hole is to Dig, Maurice Sendak Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein Caps for Sale, Esphyr Slobodkina Sylvester and The Magic Pebble, William Steig The Amazing Bone, William Steig |
Other
Rumble in the Jungle, Giles Andreae
No Two Alike, Keith Baker Extra Yarn, Mac Barnett Big Box for Ben, Deborah Bruss The Curious Garden, Peter Brown Jamberry, Bruce Degen Where is the Green Sheep? Mem Fox The Giant Hug, Valeri Gorbachev Turtle’s Penguin Day, Valeri Gorbachev My Garden, Kevin Henkes Immi’s Gift, Karin Littlewood Dream Animals: A Bedtime Journey, Emily Winfield Martin Roxaboxen, Alice McLerran To Market to Market, Anne Miranda The Paper Bag Princess, Robert Munsch Duck on a Bike, David Shannon A Home for Bird, Philip C. Stead A Sick Day for Amos McGee, Philip C. Stead Dinosaur Roar, Paul Stickland Mrs. McNosh Hangs her Wash, by Sarah Weeks The Napping House, Audrey Wood |
School
School’s First Day of School, Adam Rex
The Brand New Kid, Katie Couric Kindergarten Rocks, Katie Davis A Letter to My Teacher, Deborah Hopkinson All Are Welcome, Alexandra Penfold Birdie’s First Day of School, Sujean Rim Click, Clack, Quack to School, Doreen Cronin I Am Too Absolutely Small For School, Lauren Child Kindergarten Countdown, Anna Jane Hays Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come, Nancy Carlson Maisy Goes to Preschool, Lucy Cousins Preschool Time, Mij Kelly Teachers Rock! Todd Parr Welcome to Kindergarten, Anne Rockwell Sorry Grown-Ups You Can't Go to School, Christina Geist |
Science/Outdoors
An Egg is Quiet Dianna, Hutts Aston
Everybody Needs a Rock, Byrd Baylor Andrew Henry’s Meadow, Doris Burn If You Find a Rock, Peggy Christian Over and Under the Snow, Kate Messner |
Separation Anxiety
Mommy in My Pocket, Carol Hunt Senderak
No Matter What, Debi Gliori The Kissing Hand, Audrey Penn Week at Grandma’s, Stan & Jan Berenstein Maple & Willow Apart, Lori Nichols No Matter What, Debi Gliori Oh My Baby, Little One, Kathi Appelt Ready and Waiting For You, Judi Moreillon You Are My Wonders, Maryann Cusimano Love My Name Is Yoon, Helen Recorvits The King of Kindergarten, Derrick Barnes The Day You Begin, Jacqueline Woodson A Friend For Henry, Jenn Bailey My First Day, Leilani Sparrow The Way to School, Rosemary McCarney The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! Mo Willems Ready for School, Celeste C. Delaney Turtle and Tortoise are NOT Friends, Mike Reiss Bird Watch, Christie Matheson Max & Ruby's Preschool Pranks, Rosemary Wells |
Sharing
I Can Share, Karen Katz
The Rainbow Fish, Marcus Pfister Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed, Emily Pearson The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein Harriet’s Halloween Candy, Nancy Carlson |
Singing & Rhyming
Hush Little Baby, Sheri Halpern
Miss Mary Mack, Mary Ann Hoberman Hush Little Baby, Sylvia Long Inch by inch: The Garden Song, David Mallett Mary Wore Her Red Dress and Henry Wore His Green Sneakers, Merle Peek Down by the Bay, Raffi Five Little Ducks, Raffi Wheels on the Bus, Raffi I’m a Little Teapot. Iza Trapani The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Iza Trapani Peanut Butter and Jelly: A Play Rhyme, Nadine Bernard Westcott |
Social-Emotional
I Like Myself, Karen Beaumont
Do’s and Don’ts, Todd Parr How to Fill a Bucket, Carol McCloud Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon, Karen Beaumont How are you Peeling, Foods with Moods, Saxton Freymann Tough Boris, Mem Fox Friends, Helme Heine Hammer Soup, Dieter Schubert There’s Always Room for One More, Dieter Schubert Rabbit’s Gift, George Shannon Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Judith Viorst Bear Feels Sick, Karma Wilson 
Winter
Snowballs, Lois Ehlert
Ten in the Sled, Kim Norman Tracks in the Snow Wong, Herbert Yee Snow, Uro Shulevitz |
Thankfulness/Gratitude
An Awesome Book of Thanks, Dallas Clayton
Good People Everywhere, Lynea Gillen The Secret of Saying Thanks, Douglas Wood The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein |
Trauma or Loss
Always and Forever, Alan Durant
Badger's Parting Gifts, Susan Varley Bear's Last Journey, Udo Weingelt Everett Anderson's Goodbye, Lucille Clifton The Purple Balloon, Chris Raschka Remembering Chrystal, Sebastian Loth Rudi's Pond, Eve Bunting Sammy in the Sky, Barbara Walsh The Scar, Charlotte Moundlic Six is So Much Less than Seven, Ronald Himler Someone Special Died, Joan Prestine Where Do People Go When They Die, Mindy Arva Portnoy Where the Tomorrows Go, Manoj S. Abraham A Terrible Thing Happened, Margaret A. Holmes Jenny is Scared, Carol Shuman |
Wearing Masks
Smiling from Ear to Ear, Kaitlyn Chu
If I Wear a Face Mark Can I Still Be Me?, Carrie Garvin Protecting You...Protecting Me, Susan Poage & Dina Rosen Why is Everyone Wearing a Mask? Por Que Todo Mundo Esta Usando Mascara?, Debbie Qiu If You Can't Bear Hug, Air Hug, Katie Sedmak Lucy's Mask, Lisa Sirkis Thompson The Love Behind the Mask, Lizy Toth |