Diversity and KidLit
This week I wanted to highlight some diverse children’s books that have been published on my podcast and blog. Children’s books are wonderful tools to help teach valuable lessons about equality and diversity. Check out some of my favorites below!
Podcast with Author and Educator Valerie Bolling
Let’s Dance is a beautiful book written by Valerie Bolling and illustrated by Maine Diaz. With musical, rhyming text, author Valerie Bolling shines a spotlight on dances from across the globe. Illustrator Maine Diaz brings this story to life and shows off the moves and the diverse people who do them. Each page is a like a work of art and a lesson for children to learn about diversity of dance and music across the globe. As you read this book aloud, you can hear the movement and beat in the words. Encourage your child to read the text with you and dance along. Learn new vocabulary with your child by reviewing the names of the dances such as the Flamenco, Kathak, and the Cha-Cha. A fun carryover activity with your child would be to show some videos of the different dances. To read more and listen to my interview with Valerie, click here.
Podcast with Author, Speaker and Literacy Activist, Caroline Brewer
Darius Daniels: Game On! is a middle grade rhythmic novel about an 11 year old boy, a video game, and a great and scary adventure the book cannot escape-until he hurts somebody. This book is very unique because it’s written in rhythm and can be read both aloud, through partner reading or independent reading. What is a rhythmic novel? To read the full review and learn more about Caroline Brewer, listen to the podcast!
Anna Carries Water can give parents the opportunity to educate our children about different cultures, lifestyles and appreciation of the simple but important things. I read this book many times to my children and found it fascinating to hear their perspective on the characters. Most children can identify with Anna because regardless of race, culture or age, we all want to feel like part of a group and that we belong. Take this opportunity to appreciate the things we take for granted such as our clean water, food and the house or apartment that you live in. To read the full review and discussion questions, click here.
The Case for Loving written by Selina Alko and illustrated by Selina and Alko and Sean Qualls is a wonderful non-fiction picture book to teach your child about interracial marriage. I recently found this book at the library and was immediately interested in the story about the couple that fought to make interracial marriage legal in their state. To read more about this true story with discussion questions, click here.
11 year old Scoob just had his spring break cancelled because he got in trouble again at school! He thinks that he will have the most boring spring break until his grandmother pulls up in a brand new Winnebago and offers to take him on the trip of his life. This raod trip is educational, scary, fun, sad and full of ups and downs. With the intermittent illustrations that are embedded in this novel, young readers can picture the different characters and various surrounding as Scoob and his grandmother embark on their adventure. To read the full review, click here.