Nothing makes me happier and more excited about starting a new year than a stack of brand new picture books to add to my read aloud collection. 2020 has been a year like none other (at least in my lifetime) with the challenges of a socially-distant society due to COVID-19 and the struggle against racial injustices in America causing protests across the world. This summer, I felt compelled to carefully examine my go-to picture books to ensure that my collection of read alouds is representative of a diverse group of characters and authors. I absolutely found some room to grow in my read aloud lists and have been searching this summer to fill in those gaps. This post is the first of four where I share picture books that will help to make your read aloud selections more diverse. In this post, I focus on books that touch on the themes of Belonging, Kindness, Compassion, and Individuality.
A NOTE ABOUT DIVERSITY IN BOOK COLLECTIONS
In my quest to maintain an inclusive collection of picture books, I relied heavily on research from The Conscious Kid, “an education, research, and policy organization dedicated to equity and promoting healthy racial identity development in youth.” The Conscious Kid has created “a curated list of teacher-facing materials and evaluation criteria to affirm and reflect students’ identities and to help facilitate important conversations about equity, racism, and belonging.”
The Conscious Kid has 14 helpful guidelines and questions to consider when selecting inclusive books. I found the guidelines to be extremely helpful and enlightening. I recommend checking out the entire 9 page document, but I thought I’d highlight some of the guidelines to note in reference to community building themes like belonging, kindness, compassion, and individuality:
Watch for Invisibility: Having an absence or minimal portrayal of different groups teaches young people about their perceived worth by showing whose stories and lives are worthy of being celebrated (Many of the books in this list do this!)
Support Counter Stories: Include texts that oppose deficit narratives of people of color and that instead center the knowledge and experiences of marginalized groups
Beware of tokenism in books: Avoid books that only show “one” person of a given group
Foster healthy racial identity: Counter whiteness as the norm or definition of success; avoid books where characters only succeed when conforming to white values or norms
Choose social justice books: Push back against embedded biases and reinforced values of sexism, racism, or ableism
Consider the author’s background: Choose books written by authors who are members of the community they write about (These have been noted in the list)
Seek out specificity: Avoid books that generalize experiences of race, culture, or ethnicity and instead select books that provide specific and nuanced experiences (Many of the books in this recommended list CENTER a person of a marginalized race, culture, or ethnicity and give us SPECIFIC insight into their experiences).
👉 Belonging, kindness, compassion, and being yourself are all themes that I like to focus on during the first several weeks of school. Finally, let’s get some NEW TITLES in your PICTURE BOOK COLLECTION!
Note: Links to suggested read alouds in this post are Amazon affiliate links. I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program that provides a way for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to amazon.com. Read my full disclosure here.
A SENSE OF BELONGING PICTURE BOOKS
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson * (Black, Indigenous Person of Color)
The beginning of a new school year can bring out a lot of apprehension about fitting in. The Day You Begin is a perfect read aloud to highlight that everyone feels different for one reason or another. We can all find ourselves feeling hesitant to step outside of our comfort zone. Featuring a young black girl as the main character, this book encourages readers to be courageous and take the first step toward creating a sense of belonging.
One Green Apple by Eve Bunting (Person of Color)
Eve Bunting does a phenomenal job of putting the reader in the shoes of a young Muslim immigrant who starts school in America where all the classmates already know each other, speak the same language, and dress similarly. Readers will immediately empathize with the main character as she goes on a field trip on her second day of school feeling like a complete outsider. This beautiful story models compassion, acceptance, and courage. There are multiple opportunities to discuss considering others’ perspectives, helping others feel accepted, and highlighting our similarities while appreciating our differences. You will find yourself referencing this book again and again.
Get your FREE Sense of Belonging Teaching Unit!
Get all of the resources mentioned in this post and you’ll be ready to create a classroom community that understands belonging and knows how to include others!
We’re All Wonders is a thought-provoking read aloud that inspires readers to step outside of their own shoes, consider someone else’s perspective, and understand that everyone has a longing to belong. Readers are invited into Auggie’s world, a boy who has severe facial deformities that make him look very different from his peers, but he has feelings that everyone else has. This is a great mentor text for discussing the shared human desire to belong as well as the importance of not letting differences get in the way of allowing everyone to feel accepted and a part of the classroom community.
Suki’s Kimono by Chieri Uegaki* (Asian-American)
Suki wants to wear her favorite kimono on the first day of school, but her sisters try to encourage her to wear something that won’t make her stand out. Her sisters are embarrassed and try to pretend that they don’t know Suki so that she won’t botch their chance at fitting in. Suki’s Kimono celebrates the courage it takes to proudly and confidently wear your individuality on your sleeve even when it puts you at risk of being “different”. Suki definitely brings a cool factor to standing out in a crowd! This is a fantastic read aloud to discuss the importance of accepting others and celebrating differences.
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi* (Asian-American)
Unhei, a Korean girl who has just moved to America, worries about fitting in in her new country. When it comes time to introduce herself to her new classmates she doesn’t want to share her name for fear that it will be too different from American names and cause her to stand out. She decides to “try on” new names like Suzy, Laura, or Amanda to see if one fits her. Her classmates join in the search for a new name, creating a name jar where students can add their name suggestions. One day, a classmate discovers Unhei’s real name and its special meaning. When Unhei goes to choose a new name from the jar, she finds that her classmates got rid of the name jar. They encourage her to keep her own name, share its meaning, and teach them how to pronounce it. This is a heart-warming story that goes hand in hand with teaching students about the shared desire to belong and how to compassionately welcome others as they truly are.
Island Born by Junot Diaz* (POC)
Lola is given a school assignment to draw a picture of where she is from. Lola becomes discouraged when all of her classmates start excitedly talking about what they will include in their pictures. Lola can’t remember anything about the island she is from (readers can deduce it is the Dominican Republic) and she wants to represent it with as much pride as her classmates show for their homelands. So Lola decides to collect her family members’ and neighbors’ memories of “the island” and make them her own. Lola’s journey takes the reader through a vibrantly illustrated path of discovery as the memories Lola collects reflect the ambiance, culture, and history of the island. While Lola started the journey feeling like she didn’t quite belong anywhere because she was so young when she left the island, she learns that belonging means so much more. “Even if I’d never set foot on the Island,” she tells the class, “it doesn’t matter: The Island is me.”
Migrant by Maxine Trottier
Anna is a young girl whose family travels from Mexico to Canada every spring to work in the fields harvesting crops. Like many migrants, Anna wishes to feel as if she permanently belongs somewhere and feels at home. To describe her feelings and experiences, she uses the environment around her, comparing herself with migratory birds and busy bees. This beautifully illustrated picture book does a wonderful job of describing what it would be like to be a child in a migrant family and illustrates the desire to have a sense of belonging.
My Two Blankets by Irena Kobald (POC)
Cartwheel is a young girl who comes to America from her war-torn country with her aunt. Cartwheel finds her new home to be lonely and foreign and seeks comfort in a metaphorical blanket of her own words and familiarity. When Cartwheel meets a young girl at the park who is eager to strike up a friendship with her, she is hesitant. As the story continues, two children from diverse backgrounds begin to form a friendship and Cartwheel eventually finds a sense of belonging in her new home.
The Quiet Place by Sarah Stewart (POC)
The Quiet Place is a collection of letters that Isabel, a young girl who has just immigrated from Mexico to the United States, writes to her Aunt Lupita. The letters portray how constantly she is reminded that she is an outsider. They also show her strong determination to learn English and feel a sense of belonging in her new home. The Quiet Place does a fantastic job characterizing the immigrant experience and emphasizes how the desire to belong is shared by all.
Picture books are a wonderful way to spark conversations about belonging and help every student feel seen and valued. If you’d like a full unit to build on those discussions, my Sense of Belonging SEL unit includes editable lesson plans, student journal pages, bulletin board materials, suggested read alouds, and Google Slides to make building your classroom community easy and meaningful.
KINDNESS-THEMED PICTURE BOOKS
Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora* (BIPOC)
Omu, a grandmother-like character (“Omu” means “grandmother” and “queen” in Nigerian), has proudly made a large batch of yummy stew for herself. However, as the delicious smell wafts out her window and into the community, a continuous stream of community members, one by one, find their way to Omu’s door in search of the delicious smelling stew. Omu greets each person with kindness and selflessly continues to give away her stew until there is none left for herself. When Omu hears a knock at the door, she is happy to see all of the neighbors have returned with their own dishes to share.Thank You, Omu! is a heartwarming story of kindness and community and portrays a wide array of diverse characters.
Chocolate Milk, Por Favor: Celebrating Diversity with Empathy by Maria Dismondy (POC)
When Gabe, a new student who can’t yet speak English, joins Johnny’s class, Johnny tries to put Gabe down in front of his classmates. Much to his surprise, some of Johnny’s classmates embrace Gabe and he becomes hurt and frustrated when he sees them including Gabe at recess. However, in a special exchange between Johnny and Gabe, Johnny begins to understand how difficult it must be for Gabe to be unable to communicate well with his classmates. This is an excellent read aloud for touching on acts of kindness and developing empathy.
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson* (BIPOC)
Chloe and her friends refuse to play with the new girl, Maya. Maya reaches out to Chloe’s group again and again at recess and in the classroom trying to befriend the girls. We can tell from the author’s descriptions that Maya is poor and does not have proper winter clothes or ever wear new clothes. The girl’s jokingly nicknamed Maya “never new.” Abruptly, Maya moves again. Chloe is left with the guilt of knowing that Maya was lonely and tried to make new friends and that she continually pushed Maya away. When Chloe realizes what she’s done, she is left with the regret of not having been kind. The ending of this story leaves a powerful reminder and call to action for our students.
These read alouds open the door to rich conversations about kindness in your classroom. To take those conversations further, my Kindness SEL unit gives you editable lesson plans, student journal pages, bulletin board materials, and Google Slides for a complete unit’s worth of meaningful learning.
COMPASSION-THEMED PICTURE BOOKS
Under the Lemon Moon by Edith Hope Fine* (POC)
Rosalinda, a young girl growing up in rural Mexico, awakens one night to find that someone has taken all of the lemons from her lemon tree. Her grandmother encourages Rosalinda to seek out La Anciana, the “Old One”, to help her solve her problem. When Rosalinda discovers a man selling the stolen lemons, La Anciana appears and asks her to consider the man’s perspective and perhaps why he took her lemons. Under the Lemon Moon is a beautiful story about forgiveness and compassion.
Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles (BIPOC)
Set in the segregated south during the summer of 1964, two best friends, one black and one white, are eager to spend their long summer days together exploring the woods and swimming in the creek. One day they find out that the laws will be changing to allow black people to do all the same things white people can do. The boys excitedly make plans to go to the community pool together, something they have never been able to do. However, when they get to the pool they find that the white owner has hired workers to fill the pool with asphalt. Deborah Wiles paints a powerful picture of this time in history as experienced by two young boys. This picture book would serve as a powerful discussion tool about racism, friendship, and compassion.
The Whispering Town by Jennifer Elvgren
Annet and her family live in a small town in Denmark that is occupied by the Nazis. They are part of the Danish resistance and secretly hide Jews in their cellar while they wait for their escape by boat to Sweden. Annet helps her mother gather additional food and books for the “new friends” hiding in their cellar. The hushed exchanges back and forth inspire Annet to create a whispering chain to help the Jews find their way to the harbor for their escape on a moonless night.
Read alouds like these are a powerful starting point for helping students develop empathy and consider perspectives beyond their own. If you’d like a full unit to go along with them, my Empathy & Compassion SEL unit includes editable lesson plans, student journal pages, bulletin board materials, suggested read alouds, and Google Slides to bring the theme to life.
INDIVIDUALITY & SELF-APPRECIATION-THEMED PICTURE BOOKS
Sulweby Lupita Nyong’o* (BIPOC)
Sulwe is a little girl who feels that she is treated differently than her lighter-skinned friends and family because her skin is “the color of midnight”. She longs for her dark skin to be lighter so that she can be just like everyone else around her. She tries to scrub off her skin, change her diet to “lighter foods”, and even gets into her mother’s make-up to try to change her appearance. One night a magical star comes into Sulwe’s bedroom and takes her on an adventure that tells the mythical story of how Day and Night came to be. After learning about the value and beauty of the night, Sulwe learns to appreciate her skin color while also valuing the importance of being beautiful from within.
Pink Is for Boys by Robb Pearlman
Pink Is for Boys includes a wide range of diverse characters for readers and centers on the theme that girls and boys should spend time doing what makes them happy. The author stresses that all colors and activities are for both boys and girls and kids shouldn’t be focused on the gender stereotypes associated with different colors.
I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes* (BIPOC)
I Am Every Good Thing portrays a young black boy who is confident and proud of everything that makes him who he is. Among many things, he is ambitious, smart, funny, and creative. However, he also confidently points out that he sometimes makes mistakes and has flaws, but he works hard to not let those bring him down. This book is a great read aloud to use when discussing individuality and being proud and happy with what makes you, you instead of wishing to be something or someone different.
Wings by Christopher Myers* (BIPOC)
Ikarus Jackson, a new student, moves to the block and shocks his neighbors when he flies above the rooftops with his “long, strong, proud wings.” At first children and people in the neighborhood start to quietly question Ikarus and then they quickly move to taunting and ostracizing him. However, the unnamed narrator, a girl who is also quiet and not widely accepted by others, doesn’t think the flying boy is strange. As the shunning behaviors against the boy mount, the girl musters up the courage to stand up for the flying boy in front of taunting onlookers and tells him that his flying is beautiful.
These books offer a beautiful entry point into discussions about individuality, self-acceptance, and celebrating what makes each of us unique. If you’d like a full unit to build on those conversations, my Individuality SEL unit includes editable lesson plans, student journal pages, bulletin board materials, suggested read alouds, and Google Slides to make teaching this theme easy and impactful.
WHERE TO FIND OTHER INCLUSIVE BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
I am very appreciative of the following teachers and websites who continuously share book recommendations that are inclusive and represent the diverse stories of our world. Be sure to join them in the places you hang out!
Jillian Fine-Heiss’s #classroombookaday Facebook Group
We Need Diverse Books on Instagram
The Conscious Kid on Instagram and Facebook
Click here for all of my blog posts for recommended read alouds
Each new school year offers a fresh start, with new ideas, new energy, and a whole new group of students who will become your school-based family over the next year! I hope these suggested read alouds help you build that close community!
🩵My free Sense of Belonging unit is packed with lesson ideas, student journal pages, discussion prompts, self-reflections, a belonging-themed bulletin board, and more! YES, it’s all free to get you started with your first SEL unit! 👇
Get your FREE Sense of Belonging Teaching Unit!
Get all of the resources mentioned in this post and you’ll be ready to create a classroom community that understands belonging and knows how to include others!
