18 Children's Books to Help You Talk About Race and Racism With Kids

Many parents feel it's important to talk with their children about race and identity, but they may not always know how to talk about these complex topics. In fact, a 2019 survey from the Sesame Workshop found that 63 percent of parents say they rarely or never talk about their family's race or ethnicity with their children. If you're looking for a place to start, books about race and racism can offer a great framework for beginning some of those conversations, even with very young children. Some can introduce or further ideas about diversity. Others can teach kids about historical figures like Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, and others who advocated for racial justice.

As you search for kids' books about race, you may want to consider a point from author Christine Taylor-Butler, who wrote on Twitter that, "in this time of stress people want to 'flood' their kids with books about racism. Please provide 20 joyful books for every one book on racism. They also need to know POC kids are like every other kid."

Below is just a small sampling of books about race and racism that can facilitate a conversation between you and your child. In addition to these books, turn to librarians for suggestions and pay attention to people discussing this topic on social media. Lastly, consider using a subscription service like Jambo Books, which will send two books a month that star a child of color in an engaging story.