Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter.  2020 has been quite a year with two major events that has changed humanity once again.  One being a virus that has infected millions and the other being the death of George Floyd that catapulted the fight against racial inequality to a greater distance.  

Never has the black rights movement seen so many passionate participants from all races and walks of life.  More people have been able to step aside and ask “what if that was my son, brother, or friend who was killed with an officer’s knee on their neck because of the way they looked”? 

Unfortunately, I don’t think we can change the mindset of every individual out there.  Racism will always be there in some kind of form no matter how hard we try to remove it.  However, for those who are interested in making our society a kinder and peaceful one, we can all make some small change to help future generations become more accepting of others that are different.

This can include a simple change such as making more room on bookshelves for more ethnically diverse books for children.  Kids have the ability to absorb things so quickly.  Books are just one of the many ways they are able to explore the world beyond them.  The time has come where we need to start introducing more characters of different ethnicities, religions, medical issues, and any other important difference that are part of today’s reality.  If you want a child to succeed in life, they need to know what real life entails – this includes learning about the different people that live in it.

I had recently asked some friends for book recommendations from their own children’s bookshelves that include diverse characters, so here are some of my favorites and theirs:

Clive and his Art, by Jessica Spanyol (ages 3-6) 

The Snow Day, by Ezra Jack Keats (ages 2-5) 

Saffron Ice Cream, by Rashim Kheiriyeh (ages 4-8)

Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai (ages 5 and up)

Turning Pages – My Life Story, by Sonia Sotomayor (ages 5 and up)

Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt de la Pena (ages 3 and up)

Hair Love, by Matthew A. Cherry

Four Feet, Two Sandals, by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammad  (ages 7-10)

Jabari Jumps, by Gaia Cornwell   (ages 4-8)

Big Red Lollipop, by Rukhsana Khan  (ages 4-8)

Animal Sounds For Baby, by Cheryl Willis Hudson (ages 1-3)

Bright Eyes, Brown Skin, by Cheryl Willis Hudson (ages 6 – 9)

Happy Reading and Sharing! Lets hope for a better 2021 and beyond.