Supported by
Readers Recommend a Diverse Children’s Bookshelf
Favorites about race, protest, and non-white protagonists.
As unrest over the killing of black Americans and police brutality continued across the country, Jessica Grose, the lead editor of NYT Parenting, asked experts how to talk about the protests with kids. In the interest of keeping an open dialogue about racism, she heard from pediatricians and childhood psychologists about the importance of making sure your home library has books with black people at the center of their stories. To start, children’s book authors and Times staffers gave us their favorites. We also heard from nearly a hundred readers with more recommendations of books that their kids have loved over the years.
Here are 12 of the most popular suggestions we received, including books with black protagonists, plots centered on racism and activism, and beloved gems by black authors.
Ages 0-3
“Please, Baby, Please” by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee
Parents and children will recognize the struggle of pleading with a baby (“Go back to bed, not on your HEAD!”, the narrator implores), as told by award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife, the producer Tonya Lewis Lee.
“More, More, More, Said the Baby” by Vera B. Williams
This board book focuses on three tiny playmates — Little Guy, Little Pumpkin and Little Bird — and the adults who take care of them.
“Ten, Nine, Eight” by Molly Bang
This rhyming board book counts down through bedtime rituals, until “one big girl” is ready for sleep.
Ages 3-5
“Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt de la Peña
As a little boy rides the bus across town with his grandma every Sunday after church, he asks her a series of questions about their city and circumstances.
“Corduroy” by Don Freeman
The classic picture book tells the story of a sentient teddy bear wandering through a department store in search of a missing button, and the little girl who eventually gets to bring him home.
“Bath! Bath! Bath!” by Douglas Florian
Younger readers (particularly those who might need a little encouragement come bath time) will relish this rhyming board book about washing tiny toes and quacking rubber ducks.
Ages 5-9
“Sulwe” by Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o, the Oscar-winning actress, tells the story of a girl with “skin the color of midnight,” darker than everyone else in her family, who takes a journey into the night sky.
“Octopus Hug” by Laurence Pringle
When the mother of the central family goes out for the evening, the kids are left to bicker among themselves — until Dad swoops in with a round of goofy games.
“We March” by Shane W. Evans
An illustrated account of the 1963 March on Washington can help put the moment into historical context and explain the power of protest movements throughout time.
“Ada Twist, Scientist” by Andrea Beaty
One of the most frequently recommended books among our readers, “Ada Twist, Scientist” focuses on an especially curious second-grade scientist and the experiments she embarks on.
“The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson
“There will be times when you walk into a room, and there is no one quite like you,” Woodson writes in this lyrical book for early readers.
“Grace for President” by Kelly DiPucchio
“Where are all the girls?” asks the title character as she embarks on an illustrated journey to become the first female president of the United States — starting with participating in her elementary school’s mock election.
Dani Blum is a news assistant on the Parenting desk. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2018. More about Dani Blum
A Guide to Parenting Now
Some anxious parents are choosing “sleepunders” picking kids up just before bedtime — or even staying over with them. Here are the pros and cons to that approach.
Many parents feel the need to stuff their children’s days full of activities to keep them entertained and engaged. But boredom has its virtues.
Being a modern parent means juggling many opinions on how to do it correctly. The good news is that there’s no one way to do it right.
Parental burnout is real. Take this test to clarify how depleted you feel — so hopefully you can get the help you need.
More American women are having kids later in life. We asked mothers who had children after 40 to share their experiences.
Millennial parents, guided by influencers, are now proudly try-hard, and they're embracing a new “gentle parenting” approach.
Advertisement