Talking about race and racism with children can feel overwhelming but is an important part of parenting and essential to teaching kids about tolerance and racial equity along with creating a social culture where all people can thrive.

For parents, having this difficult and sensitive conversation with children can stir up many questions: Why and how should I discuss race with my kids? What’s the right age I should start talking to my kids about race? Shouldn’t we just teach children that all people are equal and the color of your skin doesn’t matter? All of these questions are valid and there’s no simple or easy answer to any of them. What is known is that you should start NOW and continue conversations about race, inequality, and justice for all OFTEN. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “children as young as 6 months can notice race-based differences, and they can internalize racial bias by the age of 2”. It’s our job as parents and caregivers to teach children, even from a young age, to respect and value our differences, as well as the similarities that all people share. 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed about where to start, books can help spark conversations about race and tolerance, along with model what it means to resist oppression. Books are a simple way to open children’s eyes to the unique stories and journeys of others. Picture books can also help children understand and relate to people of different races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. 

We’ve gathered a collection of diverse board books, picture books, and young adult novels that introduce race and inequality to children of all ages. And because parents have an obligation to learn WITH children about these critical and complex issues, we’ve included some helpful parenting resources so that we can all continue to listen, learn, and grow. 

INFANT + TODDLER BOOKS

• A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara
• Antiracist Baby by Ibram X Kendi, illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky
• Skin Again by Bell Hooks
• All Kinds of People by Shelley Rotner & Shelia M. Kelly
• Global Babies by The Global Fund for Children
• More, More, More, Said the Baby by Vera B. Williams

PRESCHOOL BOOKS

• Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester, illustrated by Karen Barbour
• The Color of Us by Karen Katz
• Last Stop on Market Street By Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson
• Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment by Parker Curry & Jessica Curry, illustrated by Brittany Jackson
• Happy in Our Skin by Fran Manushkin, illustrated by Lauren Tobia
• What’s the Difference? Being Different is Amazing by Doyin Richards, Feiwel and Friends
• The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler, illustrated by David Lee Csicsko
• Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children by Sandra L. Pinkney, photography by Myles C. Pinkney

ELEMENTARY AGE BOOKS

• A Kid’s Book About Racism by Jelani Memory
• The Skin I’m In: A First Look at Racism by Pat Thomas, illustrated by Lesley Harker
• Chocolate Me! by Taye Diggs, illustrated by Shane W. Evans
• Something Happened in Our Town by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin ​
• Racism and Intolerance by Louise Spilsbury, illustrated by Hanane Kai
• Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson, illustrated by Frank Morrison
• Rosa by Nikki Giovanni, illustrated by Bryan Collier
• Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
• Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Ekua Holmes

PRE-TEEN + TEENAGER BOOKS

• Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
• This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell and Aurelia Durand 
• Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
• Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson
• Can I Touch Your Hair?: Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship by Irene Latham & Charles Waters, illustrated by Sean Qualls & Selina Alko
• Why Are They Kneeling? by Lauren J Coleman, illustrated by Bryan Brown
• A Sky Full of Stars by Linda Williams Jackson

BOOKS + RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS

NON-FICTION ADULT BOOKS

• The ABCs of Diversity: Helping Kids (and Ourselves!) Embrace Our Differences by Carolyn Helsel & Y. Joy Harris-Smith
• The Black Parenting Book: Caring for Our Children in the First Five Years by Allison Abner, Linda Villarosa & Anne C. Beal
• Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race by Beverly Daniel Tatum
• Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do by Jennifer L. Eberhardt 
• White Kids: Growing Up with Privilege in a Racially Divided America by Margaret A. Hagerman

PARENTING WEBSITES

• Resources for Talking About Race, Racism, and Racialized Violence with Kids, Center Racial Justice in Education
• Talking to Children About Racial Bias, Healthy Children 
• You’re Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Race: Resource Roundup, Pretty Good Design
• Racism and Violence: How to Help Kids Handle the News, Child Mind Institute 
• Why White Parents Need to Do More Than Talk to their Kids About Racism, Time
• Tools to Raise an Anti-Racist Generation, Doing Good Together 
• Talking to Kids About Race, National Geographic 
• A Parent’s Guide to Preventing & Responding to Prejudice, Tolerance.org
• Talking About Racism: Resources for Parents & Caregivers, Children’s Alliance 
• Anti- Racism for Kids: An Age-by-Age Guide to Fighting Hate, Parents

Actions speak louder than words: be sure to shop, support, and advocate for local Detroit black-owned businesses. 

Photo credit: Facebook

SHARE THIS: