Time and again we read that white children are not taught about race and racial injustice with the same frequency or at the same early age as their peers of color. Parents of white children often struggle to work conversations about race "naturally" into the flow of the day, believing that race, like sexuality or body development is a topic that necessitates a "big talk" in a time carved out from the flow of normal life. One of the easiest ways to do this is to have books around that prompt conversation and answer questions. Reading "diverse" books and cross-culturally is a great place to start. We also believe that one of the best ways to raise healthy, race-concious white children is to talk to them early and often about racial injustice and racial difference in the course of your daily family life. We recommend the following books for all families, but especially for parents of white children who may be struggling to talk about racial injustice with their kids and teens. We intentionally only featured a handful of "history" books and did not include the many wonderful biographies and histories of movement leaders because, though we carry those books in our store, too often discussions of racial justice and racism focus on the past, on the Civil Rights Movement in isolation or on individual heroes. Change begins now, with white people, in this present moment. We hope this gives you a few ideas for starting places. As always, we encourage you to browse our store in person or buy online at www.charisbooksandmore.com. A more up-to-date version of this list can be found here:
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Books to Teach White Children and Teens How to Undo Racism and White Supremacy |
Featuring brand-new activity pages and additional learning material, the paperback edition of Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness is a picture book about racism and racial justice, inviting white children and parents to become curious about racism, accept that it's real, and cultivate justice.
One of NPR's Top 100 Book for Young Readers
“Reading it is almost like reading Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States, but for two-year olds—full of pictures and rhymes and a little cat to find on every page that will delight the curious toddler and parents alike.”—Occupy Wall Street
Racial discrimination is cruel, and especially so to younger children. The Skin I'm In encourages kids to accept and be comfortable with differences of skin color and other racial characteristics among their friends and in themselves.
"This wonderful book should be a first choice for all collections and is strongly recommended as a springboard for discussions about differences.” —School Library Journal (starred review)
A positive and affirming look at skin color, from an artist's perspective.
Seven-year-old Lena is going to paint a picture of herself. She wants to use brown paint for her skin. But when she and her mother take a walk through the neighborhood, Lena learns that brown comes in many different shades.
The quintessential first book on peace.
The essential resource for 20 years
With the ease and simplicity of a nursery rhyme, this lively story delivers an important message of social acceptance to young readers. Themes associated with child development and social harmony, such as friendship, acceptance, self-esteem, and diversity are promoted in simple and straightforward prose.
Cocoa, tan, rose, and almond—people come in lots of shades, even in the same family.
Grace loves stories, whether they're from books, movies, or the kind her grandmother tells. So when she gets a chance to play a part in Peter Pan, she knows exactly who she wants to be. Remarkable watercolor illustrations give full expression to Grace's high-flying imagination.
New York Times best-selling author Robie H. Harris helps preschoolers understand what makes us who we are — from our height to our hair, from the shade of our skin to our eyesight.
We Are All Born Free Mini Edition: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures (Hardcover)
Now in a mini edition! The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed on 10th December 1948. It was compiled after World War Two to declare and protect the rights of all people from all countries.
$18.99ISBN: 9780545478533Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 DaysPublished: Arthur A. Levine Books - January 27th, 2015"I support the freedom to marry for all. That's what Loving, and loving, are all about." -- Mildred Loving, June 12, 2007
For most children these days it would come as a great shock to know that before 1967, they could not marry a person of a race different from their own. That was the year that the Supreme Court issued its decision in Loving v.$19.99ISBN: 9780618397402Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 DaysPublished: HMH Books for Young Readers - May 3rd, 20042005 Coretta Scott King Award Winner
Toni Morrison has collected a treasure chest of archival photographs that depict the historical events surrounding school desegregation. These unforgettable images serve as the inspiration for Ms.$22.95ISBN: 9780897935685Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 DaysPublished: Hunter House Publishers - June 21st, 2011Helping Teens Stop Violence, Build Community, and Stand for Justice is a guide for adults who work with young people ages ten and up on issues related to youth leadership and social justice. It is also a training manual for adults who want to become effective allies to young people and develop the skills needed so that they can facilitate community building among youth.
Email or call for priceISBN: 9781624038983Availability: Special OrderPublished: Abdo Publishing - November 1st, 2015Black Lives Matter covers the shootings that touched off passionate protests, the work of activists to bring about a more just legal system, and the tensions in US society that these events have brought to light.
Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards.
Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.
$12.99ISBN: 9781250044457Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 DaysPublished: Square Fish - August 12th, 2014No Choirboy takes readers inside America's prisons and allows inmates sentenced to death as teenagers to speak for themselves. In their own voices—raw and uncensored—they talk about their lives in prison and share their thoughts and feelings about how they ended up there.
$38.50ISBN: 9781878554178Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 DaysPublished: Teaching for Change - February 1st, 2007An incredible, informative, collection of essays, articles, analysis, interviews, primary documents and interactive & interdisciplinary teaching aids on civil rights, movement building, and what it means for all of the inhabitants of the planet.
$8.99ISBN: 9780763690953Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 DaysPublished: Candlewick - August 23rd, 2016“Will leave readers thinking about the ways that humor can be a survival tool in a world that tends to put people in boxes.” — Publishers Weekly
$16.99ISBN: 9781433828546Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 DaysPublished: Magination Press - March 1st, 2018The companion book, Something Happened in Our Park: Standing Together After Gun Violence, is coming in 2021. Preorder now.
A NEW YORK TIMES AND #1 INDIEBOUND BEST SELLER #6 on American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom's Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2020 A Little Free Library Action Book Club SelectionEmail or call for priceISBN: 9781595721778Availability: Special OrderPublished: Star Bright Books - September 1st, 2009Layla, the new girl in first grade, is hesitant to participate in school-day activities because she is afraid that her head scarf makes her look too different from her classmates. But as the day progresses, and the curious first graders learn more about Layla's culture, they help to make her feel more comfortable in her new school.
$12.95ISBN: 9781554518098Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 DaysPublished: Annick Press - October 11th, 2016What if there were no prisons? Alternative approaches to dealing with crime are underway around the world to explore how victims, offenders, and communities can heal rifts and repair damage. It's often called restorative justice. It's a way to think about the deeper reasons behind crimes, and suggests that by building more caring communities, it's possible to change our societies--and ourselves.
$18.99ISBN: 9780062498533Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 DaysPublished: Balzer + Bray - February 28th, 20178 starred reviews · Goodreads Choice Awards Best of the Best · William C. Morris Award Winner · National Book Award Longlist · Printz Honor Book · Coretta Scott King Honor Book · #1 New York Times Bestseller!
"Absolutely riveting!" —Jason Reynolds
$17.99ISBN: 9780525552314Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 DaysPublished: Dial Books - January 22nd, 2019This triumphant picture book recasts a charged phrase as part of a black girl's everyday life--hands up for a hug, hands up in class, hands up for a high five--before culminating in a moment of resistance at a protest march.
Email or call for priceISBN: 9781609808020Availability: BackorderedPublished: Triangle Square - October 17th, 2017The Wedding Portrait is an essential book for kids about standing up for what's right. Here are stories of direct action from around the world that are bookended by the author's wedding story. He and his bride led their wedding party to a protest, and were captured in a photo by the local newspaper kissing in front of a line of police just before being arrested.
Email or call for priceISBN: 9780525541127Availability: Special OrderPublished: TarcherPerigee - June 4th, 2019An eye-opening exploration of race in America
$17.99ISBN: 9781512404425Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 DaysPublished: Carolrhoda Books (R) - January 1st, 2018Two poets, one white and one black, explore race and childhood in this must-have collection tailored to provoke thought and conversation.
How can Irene and Charles work together on their fifth grade poetry project? They don't know each other . . . and they're not sure they want to.
$16.45ISBN: 9781945289088Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 DaysPublished: Reflection Press - September 4th, 2017Self-Care for Kids This is not your usual kid's book This book is a call to BE, to step forward and LOVE yourself, LOVE your community, know your history and your powerful place in it and strengthen your own creative power This book is a tool to use. I created it because I know you are an important part of our world and your strength matters.
