children’s book

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Affirming and Multicultural Children’s Books

Looking for a good book to read to your children or to give as a gift? Consider supporting these books that honor and celebrate diversity while being very fun to read. These books reflect the diversity in our nation, and I created this list because I truly believe we are all better together. We grow each time we read something from another person’s perspective because we have learned something new about our community members of amplified their voices when we support their work. Plus, these books are fun to read to kids. As a teacher, I know that kids need to be able to see and understand that not all people are exactly like them, and they need to be taught not to fear diversity. Reading about diversity doesn’t change the core of who a child is. It just helps them be a more loving and accepting person and gives them tools as they grow so they can be a better community member.

I update the list quarterly, so you can check my website for newly added books.

Joy to the World by Kai Shappley and Lisa Bunker

I am Perfectly Designed by Karamo Brown

10,000 Dresses by Marcus Ewert

A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara

Blue by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond and Daniel Minter

Every Body is a Rainbow by Caroline PsyD Carter and Mathias Ball

Amanda Gorman by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Queenbe Monyei

Families by Susan Kuklin

ABC: A Family Alphabet Book by Bobbie Combs

The Mommy Book by Todd Parr

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

The Adventures of Little Miss Crazy Hair: The Girl with Curl by Christopher Garcia-Halenar and Alejandro Garcia-Halenar

Adopting My Two Dads by Luca Panzini

Bare Tree and Little Wind by Mitali Perkins and Khoa Le

It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book about Gender Identity by

Theresa Thorn (Author)/ Noah Grigni (Illustrator)

Bright Brown Baby by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney

Best Best Colors: Los Mejores Colores by Eric Hoffman

Free at Last by Sojourner Kincaid Rolle and Alex Bostic

Good Dream Dragon by Jacky Davis and Courtney Dawson

The Meaning of Pride by Rosiee Thor and Sam Kirk

A Boy Named Isamu by James Yang

A Day for Rememberin’ by Leah Henderson and Floyd Cooper

ABC of Gender Identity by Devika Dalal

Cookies and Cake & The Families We Make by Jennifer L. Egan

This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman

The Different Dragon by Jennifer Bryan

Stacey’s Remarkable Books by Stacey Abrams

The Rainbow Sheep by David Hayward

​Mr. Maple: A Guide Dog’s Journey by Paul Castle

When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner

When God Made Lights by Matthew Paul Turner

You Will Always Belong by Matthew Paul Turner

Every Body is a Rainbow: A Kid’s Guide to Bodies Across the Gender Spectrum: A Kid’s Guide to Bodies Across the Gender Spectrum: A Kid’s Guide to Bodies Across the Gender Spectrum by Caroline Carter

Our Heroes: Black History Month by Ariana Brown

Grandad’s Pride (A Grandad’s Camper LGBTQ Pride Book for Kids in partnership with GLAAD) by Harry Woodgate

Binny’s Diwali by Thrity Umriga

Lights, Camera, Diwali! by Amita Roy Shah

Welcome Ramadan by Sara Sarfraz

The Night Before Eid: A Muslim Family Story by Aya Khalil

The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story by Aya Khalil 

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Elly the Eagle

A free children’s story about not giving up and about lifting up others as we grow.

Elly’s Flight

by Chris Pepple © 1992

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            Elly felt a gentle breeze blowing across her feathers. She slowly opened her eyes to see the sun peeking over the tips of the mountains.

            “Good morning, my baby,” Elly heard her mother say.

“Baby!” Elly swackled as she stretched and turned to face her mother. “I’m not a baby. I’m Elly the Eagle, and today I’m going to fly!”

Mom shook her head in disbelief. She didn’t think Elly was quite ready to leave the nest yet, but Elly jousted out her favorite song:

            I’m Elly the Eagle

            And I’m gonna fly—

            I’ll be as high

            As a bug in the sky!

“Silly, Elly,” Mom chuckled, “bugs aren’t as high as eagles in the sky. Now you just wait here until I come back.”

Elly watched as Mom soared out of the nest and over the tops of the trees. Soon Mom was out of sight. Elly wondered what else was out of sight. Elly got excited just thinking about it. She thought out loud:

I’m Elly the Eagle

            And I’m gonna fly—

            I’ll be as high

            As a bug in the sky!

            When I fly

            I’m gonna see

            What it looks like

            From the top of the tree

            I’ll see people and dogs

            And maybe even deer

            And I will fly high

                        Without any fear!

                        I’ll fly over lakes,

                        Rivers and streams,

                        How long have I waited?

                        Forever, it seems!

Elly got so excited that she jumped out of the nest without even thinking and hopped over to the edge of the ledge. With one mighty jump, she leaped into the air. For one moment, Elly thought she was flying. Then she realized she was falling.

I thought I could fly

            But this is a fall

            I’ll go SPLAT

            And that will be all!

            HEEEELLLLLPPPP!!!

And Elly fell farther and farther and farther.

Suddenly, Mom appeared out of the clouds. She glided under Elly and caught Elly on her wings. Elly held on tight as Mom soared upwards then landed beside the nest. She told Elly how badly she could have been hurt.

Then she added, “Don’t worry, Elly. One day, you will grow. One day, you will fly.”

And Mom was right. Day after day, Elly practiced stretching her wings. Soon she practiced flying. Day after day, Mom had to catch Elly on her wings. But one day Elly flew on her own. She soared above the tips of the mountains. She glided over tops of trees. She floated over rivers and lakes and streams.

Finally, Elly rested on the soft green grass of a field. She laughed out loud and said:

I’m Elly the Eagle

And I’m gonna fl

I’ll be as high

            As a bug in the sky!

Then she heard a voice. “Silly Elly, bugs aren’t as high as eagles in the sky.”

Elly looked down and saw a little beetle glaring up at her. She wondered why he wouldn’t fly as high as she could. He said he had to stay close to the ground. “That’s just the way things are.”

“No way!” cried Elly. “Just climb on, and I’ll show you—that’s not the way things have to be!”

The beetle was curious, so he climbed onto Elly’s wings. Suddenly both were soaring over the tips of mountains and gliding over the tops of trees.

            I’m Elly the Eagle

            And I can fly—

            Now I’m as high

            As a bug in the sky!