A Reading List for Racially Conscious Kids
Hi there and thanks for your interest in our reading list for racially conscious kids. We started this list in 2020, as part of a series of “critical conversations” we wanted to have at our family’s dinner table. A few nights each week, we set up various scenarios that let us get into conversation as a family about what’s happening in our world in ways that can help make the headlines make sense to our kids, and that foster open dialogue and hard conversation.
I want to acknowledge that conversations on race can be hard, but they don’t need to be intimidating, and our hope as parents is that by modeling and fostering conversations on race; by embracing culture in all forms, beyond the white dominant culture that we were raised in; and by creating a space where they can work through hard questions inspires our kids to keep critical conversation going and to show up for racial justice every day.
Many of the books here have been part of our dinnertime conversations, and we hope they make their way into your conversations too.
In learning and service-
Carrie.
READING LIST FOR EARLY ELEMENTARY AGES
The Day You Begin, Jacqueline Woodson + illustrated by Rafael López
We all feel like outsiders sometimes. But Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael López remind us that when we share our stories, we can make connections with one another that help us feel not so different.
Enough! 20 Protesters Who Changed America, Emily Easton + illustrated by Ziyue Chen
Meet America’s most influential protestors— from Harriet Tubman to Jazz Jennings— and find out how brave actions can create positive, lasting change.
The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, A Young Civil Rights Activist, Cynthia Levinson + illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Audrey Faye Hendricks was nine-years-old when she was arrested during a civil rights protest in 1963. Her remarkable story proves that no one is too small to make a difference.
Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation, Duncan Tonatiuh
When Sylvia Mendez was denied access to a “whites only” school in California, she and her family took brave actions in pursuit of justice. Learn more about the Mendez family’s courage, and how it led to the end of segregated education in California.
Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters, Andrea Davis Pinkney + illustrated by Stephen Alcorn
Andrea Davis Pinkney and Stephen Alcorn celebrate the lives of ten Black women whose bravery has created lasting change for generations to come.
The Story of Ruby Bridges, Robert Coles
In 1960, Ruby Bridges, a young African American girl, entered a “whites-only” school in New Orleans. Her enrollment caused anger and violence, but Ruby was brave and resilient. Learn more about Ruby, her family, and turmoil in America during the 1960s from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Coles.
Let’s Talk About Race, Julius Lester
Julius Lester encourages us to break down our assumptions about race and identity, and explore how those assumptions impact the way we view ourselves and others.
Desmond and the Very Mean Word, Desmond Tutu
When Desmond goes for a bike ride in his neighborhood, a group of boys shout a very mean word at him. While he initially responds with an insult of his own, Desmond comes to understand that all people deserve empathy, no matter what.
Lillian’s Right to Vote, Jonah Winter
Lillian, a one-hundred-year-old African American woman, reflects on her family’s voting history and the bravery and resiliency required to establish the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Sit-in: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down, Andrea Davis Pinkney
When four brave friends sat down at a “whites only” lunch counter in North Carolina, they defined an important moment in the civil rights movement. Learn how this peaceful protest advanced racial equity in 1960s America.
Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story, Paula Yoo
When Anna May Wong was a young, aspiring actress, there were very few roles for Asian Americans in cinema. What’s more, most of these roles were inspired by demeaning stereotypes. After many unfulfilling jobs, Anna May rose up as a pioneer in the world of cinema, crusading for more meaningful roles for herself and other Asian American actors.
READING LIST FOR OLDER ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AGES
Look Both Ways, Jason Reynolds
A walk home can take more directions than we might initially think. In this book, Jason Reynolds tells ten stories about what might happen after the school bell rings, fusing them into a funny, poignant message about life’s detours.
New Kid, Jerry Kraft
Seventh grader Jordan Banks is one of the few students of color at his new school. Commuting from his apartment in Washington Heights to the Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan faces a daily challenge of navigating the cultural differences between his new school and the neighborhood he calls home.
This Book is Anti-Racist, Tiffany Jewell + illustrated by Aurelia Durand
This exploration of identity, true history, and anti-racism work is a resource for young people learning to identify the role of racism in the injustices they’re seeing at school, in their communities, and beyond. This book provides the language to discuss racism, an ability to understand racism, and a drive to undo it.
March: Books 1-3, Andrew Aydin and John Lewis
This series spans Congressman John Lewis’ early life in Alabama, his commitment to a nonviolent dismantling of racism, and his lifetime of “good trouble.”
Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You, Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
Adapted from the bestseller Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, this book invites kids to explore where racist ideas came from, how they impact America today, and how antiracism can be a tool used to combat racism in our schools, our communities, and within ourselves.
Front Desk, Kelly Yang
Mia Tang is having an eventful year. She’s got busy days and big dreams, and both are coming with no shortage of challenges. Through it all, Mia must learn to make sense of the world around her, all while staying true to herself.
Three Keys, Kelly Yang
Sixth grader Mia Tang faces a rollercoaster of academic, business, and political challenges as the school year gets underway. She must find the courage— and the keys— to get through these turbulent times.
My Family Divided: One Girl’s Journey of Home, Loss, and Hope, Diane Guerrero and Erica Moroz
Before she was a widely-recognized actress and activist, Diane Guerrero was a young girl living in Boston. Learn more about Diane’s childhood, and the life-altering experience of facing deportation as an undocumented immigrant.
My Name is Bilal, Asma Mobin-Uddin M.D.
When Bilal and his sister attend a new school, they struggle with being the only Muslim students enrolled. Bilal finds support in his Muslim teacher, and he learns to embrace his identity rather than try to hide it.
Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Carole Boston Weatherford
Carole Boston Weatherford celebrates the life of Fannie Lou Hamer, a civil rights champion whose role in the Freedom Summer of 1964 spurred the nation to act in the pursuit of justice.
We Troubled the Waters, Ntozake Shange
Award-winning poet Ntozake Shange gives voice to all who acted for justice during the civil rights movement, bringing to light the forgotten and immortalized stories of lasting change.
Hidden Figures Young Readers’ Edition, Margot Lee Shetterly
Four African American female mathematicians at NASA forever changed the face of STEM, and America, when they helped achieve some of the greatest moments in our space program.
Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson
Raised in South Carolina and New York, Jacqueline Woodson didn’t feel fully at home in either state. Through vivid, accessible poetry, Woodson shares what it was like to try to find her place in the world as an African American child growing up in the 1960s and ‘70s.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie
Sherman Alexie chronicles the contemporary adolescence of Junior, a budding cartoonist and the only Native American student at his school.
Nelson Mandela: The Authorized Comic Book, Nelson Mandela Foundation
Nelson Mandela was the first democratically elected leader of South Africa. Learn more about his story, from his birth and childhood, to his lifetime of struggle against apartheid and oppression.
For more great reads, visit coloursofus.com/multicultural-childrens-books-lists.
If you’d like more adventures like these, check out the full Adventures in Kindness book for more! Use code KINDSUMMER22 for free shipping and receive a free gift with your purchase!