Books For Children: Race, Anti Racism, and Diversity (Pt. 1)
“Your greatest contribution to the universe may not be something you do, but someone you raise.”
Recent events showcasing racism and police brutality have sparked a fire within many of us. There has been an overwhelming outpouring of support, love, and cries of solidarity from people who stand with the black community. I have felt this shift and needed to seek change in ways that worked for my family and myself. As a mother and a teacher, I turned to education as a tool to seek answers to my questions, to better understand the systemic racism that continues to disadvantage people of colour, and to help me raise humans who understand what racism is and have the knowledge on how to fight it better than the generations before have.
I have seen a lot of book recommendations for children that would aid in the discussion of race, anti-racism, and the importance of diversity. What I haven’t seen much of is questions, discussion points, and activities that accompany these books to assist in opening up communication with children on these topics. So I took it upon myself to do this for you. Hopefully, you can use these ideas to ignite a conversation with your children and have authentic and meaningful discussions that will inform them about the realities of the world and their most important job in making it a better place.
I posted these books along with my example questions on my instastories (follow me there to get this information in real-time). Since, I have had a few people asking me to produce a highlight reel, send them the information, or create a blog post, I’ve decided to do just that. Please feel free to adapt the questions and activities to best assist you with your children. There are numerous ways to expand the activities to challenge older children as well as a variety of ways to simplify the tasks. If you need any further information, don’t hesitate to reach out.
All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold
A beautiful book with colourful illustrations that showcases a classroom of diverse children as they go about their day. Kids with a myriad of skin tones, hairstyles, families, backgrounds, clothes, and needs are welcomed into their classroom with open arms. With its pleasant rhyme scheme and thoughtful messaging, this book is sure to warm your heart.
Questions/Discussion Points:
What is the message of this book?
What does diversity mean?
Why is diversity important?
How do all kids want to feel at school?
What are some ways we can ensure that kids feel how they hope to at school?
Look at the last picture. What makes the kids the same?
Look at the last picture. What makes the kids different?
Why is it important to celebrate differences?
How can we make sure people always feel welcome?
Activities:
Create a Golden Rule Poster
Create An All Are Welcome Poster
Create your set of family rules
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
A book that teaches the importance of embracing our differences. We meet several different children with unique characteristics that set them apart. They find the courage to connect with others despite their feelings of fear and loneliness. This book empowers children to share their stories, find their voice, and make connections; to see their differences and their similarities.
Questions/Discussion Points:
Can you recall a time where someone made you feel left out/different/insecure about something you couldn’t change about yourself and how did it make you feel?
What is one way that you feel different from others?
What can others do to support you when you feel different/left out/insecure?
How do you think the boy feels when the kids laugh at him because he sounds different?
What could the kids do to make him feel welcome instead?
How do you think the girl feels when the other kids think her food is strange?
What could the kids have said and done to make her feel comfortable and accepted?
How do you think the boy felt when nobody wanted him on their team?
What could the kids have done to make him feel like part of the group?
Why do you think the author thought it was important to write this book?
What is the message of the story?
Activities:
Create a Venn diagram of yourself and a friend (preferably someone with different backgrounds/races/religions as you. Compare and contrast.
Do an “If This/Do This” table. Example - If this: A child is sad because kids are making fun of their food. Do this: Ask them to sit with you. Talk to them about their food. What is it, why do they like it, and how is it made?
The Colors of Us by Karen Katz
Lena wants to paint herself brown but her artist Mother tells her that there are many shades of brown. We follow Lena and her mom as they tour their town and describe all of the different skin tones they see in the most beautiful way. Lena learns that brown is a mixture of colours and that although we are all different, we are all mixes of a variation of these colours.
Questions/Discussion Points:
Look at the picture on the inside cover (various arms) and talk about the different skin tones you see.
Why do you think Lena’s mom wanted to show Lena that we are all different colours?
Lena’s mom says we are not all brown but that we are all mixtures of various colours. Can you describe the colours that make up your skin tone?
Why does Lena’s mom take her to so many places to see different skin tones?
What would be different if we all looked exactly the same?
Why is it good to be different?
Talk about the differences in skin tones just within your family. Note that even within one family, our skin is not the same colour.
How should we treat others who do not look the same as us?
Why did the author write this book?
Activities
Use paint chips/cards to match your skin tone and your family members’ skin tone. Create a unique name for your skin tone. Discuss or write about how your tone differs from your family members.
Draw pictures using accurate skin tone colours of a variety of friends. Write a positive attribute of each one.
Do a science study on Melanin. What is it? Why are we different skin tones? How does it produce different pigments and why?
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
This story is about a girl named Unhei who has moved from Korea to America. She gets made fun of on the bus for her unique name so she makes the decision not to tell her classmates what her real name is. Instead, she tries to figure out a new name that would suit her. When one of her classmates discovers her real name and it’s special meaning the encounter encourages her to share her real name. This sweet story showcases the importance of embracing our cultures, not forgetting who we are, and the difference that kindness can make.
Questions/Discussion Points:
How do the kids on the bus react to Unhei’s name?
How do you think Unhei feels about the way the kids act when they find out her name?
How can you tell that Unhei feels this way?
Why does Unhei choose not to share her name with her classmates?
Why does Unhei’s class create the name jar?
How does Unhei’s class and the boy, Joey, treat her differently than the kids on the bus?
What was the significance of Unhei’s mom saying “just because we’re in America doesn’t mean we don’t eat Korean food”?
What does Unhei’s letter from her granma reveal and how is her name a connection to her grandma?
In the end, Unhei chooses to share her real Korean name. Who do you think she does this?
Why are names important?
How did Unehi’s class respond to her real name and why is this important?
How does Unhei feel about her name by the end of the story
Why do you think the author wrote this book?
Activities:
Do a name study. Learn about your name. Write about the meaning of your name, how you got your name, the importance of your name, and if they like their name.
Create a name stamp design - Create your own name stamp that represents your name. Add creative embellishes that represent who you are. Incorporate your favourite sport, activity, or item. Use a favourite colour. Add a picture that represents the meaning of your name.
Acrostic poem - Using the letters of your name, write words or sentences starting with each letter to represent who you are.
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca
A beautiful story with a pleasant rhyme scheme that showcases the life of the infamous Dr. Temple Grandin. Readers get to hear about Temple Grandin’s struggles with autism, how she adapts to meet her needs, and how she persists to become a famous scientist. A lovely introduction to nonfiction that speaks to the importance of never giving up and embracing all types of thinking.
Questions/Discussion Points:
What makes Temple different?
What struggles did Temple have when she went to school?
How do you think Temple felt when the kids made fun of her and teased her at school?
Why did Temple get kicked out of school?
Instead of kicking Temple out of school what could have been done to help her thrive?
What do you think the other children thought of her?
Why does Temple go to visit her Aunt?
What different things help Temple to overcome her challenges? (Techniques, surroundings, family etc)
Why does Temple relate to animals so well?
Discuss the quote “each person is special so unique are our minds. This world needs your ideas it takes brains of all kinds.” What is its significance?
What is autism?
What can we do to make others with autism and other special needs feel welcome and accepted?
Activities
If you know someone with autism who is willing to talk to you about their experiences, arrange a chat or get together. Get to know them and what makes them different and the same as you.
Listen to a speech by Temple Grandin on YouTube.
Temple invents a machine to help calm her. Invent your own machine that would be calming for you.
My Hair is a Garden by Cozbi A. Cabrera
Readers meet Mackenzie who gets made fun of for her messy hair. When the teasing doesn’t stop she turns to her neighbour, Miss Tillie for advice. Miss Tillie uses her beautiful garden as a metaphor for Mackenzie’s hair showcasing the importance of caring for your hair and loving it as you would a plant. Miss Tillie helps Mackenzie realize that the negative opinions of others are weeds in her garden that need to be picked and that her natural hair is beautiful.
Questions/Discussion Points:
What do you find beautiful?
Why do the kids at school tease Mackenzie?
Have you ever been teased or know someone who has been?
How do you think Mackenzie feels when she is teased?
Why does Mackenzie go to Miss Tillie?
What does it mean to be a good Neighbour?
Do you have someone you can turn to for advice?
What does Miss Tillie teach Mackenzie?
Why does Miss Tillie compare succulents and a Japanese Maple? (Neither is more beautiful even though one is taller)
Discuss the following quote: “My words are like seeds that I plant. What I think and speak draws a yield. I weed out all opinions that have no place in my garden.”
What is the message of this story?
Why do you think the author wrote this book?
Activities:
Draw people with all different types of hair styles, colours, textures etc.
Write how your hair is like a garden. Draw pictures to go with each point.
Write a letter to Mackenzie. Think about what you would want to say to her if you could speak to her.
