Diversity in Children's Books
The example books on this page align with the definition of diversity provided by We Need Diverse Books:
"We recognize all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, Native, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities*, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities.
*We subscribe to a broad definition of disability, which includes but is not limited to physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, chronic conditions, and mental illnesses (this may also include addiction). Furthermore, we subscribe to a social model of disability, which presents disability as created by barriers in the social environment, due to lack of equal access, stereotyping, and other forms of marginalization."
Examples of Children's Books
I Am the Subway
TMC Easy KIM
Wild for Winnie
TMC Easy FIT
Song in the City
TMC Easy BER
Home
TMC Easy LIP
All Moms
TMC Easy ELL
A Mermaid Girl
TMC Easy RAF
Mama and Mommy and me in the middle
TMC Easy LAC
What's Silly Hair Day with No Hair?
TMC Easy PAU
Saturday at the Food Pantry
TMC Easy ONE
Can Bears Ski?
TMC Easy ANT
My Brother Is Away
TMC Easy GRE
Tough Like Mum
TMC Easy BUT
My City Speaks
TMC Easy LEB
Queen on the Corner
TMC Easy CHR
Bodies are Cool
TMC Easy FED
My Powerful Hair
TMC Easy LIN
Aaron Slater Illustrator
TMC Easy BEA
Just Like a Mama
TMC Easy DUN
Sam's Super Seats
TMC Easy BRO
All Are Neighbors
TMC Easy PEN
I Dream of Popo
TMC Easy BLA
Mama's Home
TMC Easy YOU
A Grandma's Magic
TMC Easy OFF
My Fade Is Fresh
TMC Easy GRA
I Love You Because I Love You
TMC Easy VAN
Hair Twins
TMC Easy MIR
Hot Pot Night
TMC Easy CHE
When Aidan Became a Brother
TMC Easy LUK
We Move Together
TMC 158.1 FRI
How to Wear a Sari
TMC Easy KHI
Still This Love Goes On
TMC Easy SAI
I Am Every Good Thing
TMC Easy BAR
Eyes that Speak to the Stars
TMC Easy HO
Pepe and the parade
TMC Easy KYL
Laxmi's Mooch
TMC Easy ANA
This Day in June
TMC Easy PIT
The Day You Begin
TMC Easy WOO
Jack (Not Jackie)
TMC Easy SIL
All My Stripes
TMC Easy RUD
I Sang You Down from the Stars
TMC Easy SPI
Grandpa Grumps
TMC Easy MOO
Fry Bread
TMC Easy MAI
May Your Life Be Deliciosa
TMC Easy GEN
Julián Is a Mermaid
TMC Easy LOV
All Are Welcome
TMC Easy PEN
Hello Goodbye Dog
TMC Easy GIA
Just Like Grandma
TMC Easy ROG
Just Ask!
TMC Easy SOT
Dreamers
TMC 921 MOR
A Synagogue Just Like Home
TMC Easy MCG
On the Trapline
TMC Easy ROB
Still a Family
TMC Easy STU
The Skin You Live In
TMC Easy TYL
Zak's Safari
TMC Easy TYN
A Different Pond
TMC Easy PHI
A Moon for Moe and Mo
TMC Easy ZAL
Stella Brings the Family
TMC Easy SCH
Visiting Day
TMC Easy WOO
When Charley Met Emma
TMC Easy WEB
Thank You, Omu!
TMC Easy MOR
Rescue and Jessica
TMC Easy KEN
A Friend for Henry
TMC Easy BAI
Yo Soy Muslim
TMC Easy GON
Far Apart, Close in Heart
TMC 152.4 BIR
Do You Sing Twinkle?
TMC Easy LEV
Mango, Abuela, and Me
TMC Easy MED
One
TMC Easy OTO
My Brother Charlie
TMC Easy PEE
El Deafo
TMC 741.5 BEL
Examples of Young Adult Books
Stuck
TMC Fiction SWE
The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School
TMC Fiction REY
Fancy Pants
TMC Fiction QUI
Saints of the Household
TMC Fiction TIS
Breathe and Count Back from Ten
TMC Fiction SYL
Zara's Rules for Living Your Best Life
TMC Fiction KHA
Man o' War
TMC Fiction MCC
Maizy Chen's Last Chance
TMC Fiction YEE
All My Rage
TMC Fiction SAB
Stuntboy, in the meantime
TMC Fiction REY
Next New Syrian Girl
TMC Fiction SHU
The Summer of Bitter and Sweet
TMC Fiction FER
Honestly Elliott
TMC Fiction MCD
Troublemaker
TMC Fiction CHO
Starfish
TMC Fiction FIP
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute
TMC Fiction HIB
Tumble
TMC Fiction PER
How to Succeed in Witchcraft
TMC Fiction BRO
The Best At It
TMC Fiction PAN
While You Were Dreaming
TMC Fiction RAI
Fat Chance, Charlie Vega
TMC Fiction MAL
Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet
TMC Fiction KEM
Scout's Honor
TMC Fiction AND
Sunny G's Series of Rash Decisions
TMC Fiction FAR
The last Cuentista
TMC Fiction HIG
The Marvelous Mirza Girls
TMC Fiction KAR
Firekeeper's Daughter
TMC Fiction BOU
Hello Universe
TMC Fiction KEL
Faith: Taking Flight
TMC Fiction MUR
We Are Not Free
TMC Fiction CHE
Pet
TMC Fiction EME
Love & Other Natural Disasters
TMC Fiction SUG
Self-Made Boys : a Great Gatsby Remix
TMC Fiction MCL
Last night at the Telegraph Club
TMC Fiction LO
As Brave as You
TMC Fiction REY
Lupe Wong Won't Dance
TMC Fiction HIG
A Thousand Questions
TMC Fiction FAR
Legendborn
TMC Fiction DEO
Made in Korea
TMC Fiction SUK
Every Body Looking
TMC Fiction ILO
The Stars and the Blackness Between Them
TMC Fiction PET
I'm OK
TMC Fiction KIM
Patron Saints of Nothing
TMC Fiction RIB
Invisible Differences
TMC 741.5 DAC
Genesis Begins Again
TMC Fiction WIL
A Burning
TMC Fiction MAJ
How It Went Down
TMC Fiction MAG
Juliet Takes a Breath
TMC Fiction RIV
Felix Ever After
TMC Fiction CAL
One Crazy Summer
TMC Fiction WIL
Piecing Me Together
TMC Fiction WAT
Related Library Guides
- Intersectional Voices Library GuideAn Illinois State University curated list from the Systemic Racism Guide of available children's books, young adult books, graphic novels, and more.
- Teaching for JusticeAn Illinois State University curated guide with materials to support teaching for justice, including books.
Web Resources
There are also amazing web resources to browse and discover diverse books. Some of those resources are:
- Diverse Book FinderA searchable catalog that has analyzed picture books since 2002 for stories with human characters representing black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC). The project is funded by the Institute of Library and Museum Services in partnership with the Bates College Ladd Library in Lewiston, ME.
- We Need Diverse BooksA not-for-profit advocating for change in the children's literature publishing industry. Their vision is "a world in which all children can see themselves in the pages of a book."