I hesitated at first, not wanting this to feel like a “because it’s February” post. But many of the books I intentionally place on our shelves — the ones we return to again and again — are written by people of color or center characters of color. Some are already dog-eared, some requested night after night, some quoted back to me in toddler voices. These stories have shaped how my boys see heroes, families, and themselves in the world.
As a parent, I’m learning that what we read shapes what feels normal, familiar, and worthy of curiosity. This month feels like a natural moment to share those stories, already woven into our story time, and to continue making space for voices that deserve to be heard all year long.
A Storytime that Stopped Us
I have this book that I remember choosing when I was little, won from a library raffle or something similar. It’s about a young girl visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., with her class — before the museum even existed in that form. She learns about the Underground Railroad, feels overwhelmed, and eventually falls asleep on the grass, dreaming that she’s part of that journey.
One night, my oldest picked that book out. At his age, it was beyond his comprehension in a few ways, so we worked through it together. I skipped the meta dream sequence and jumped straight into the Underground Railroad. To that sweet toddler, it was utterly baffling — a pause, a question, a furrowed brow.
We had to figure out what slavery was — and why it existed. Of course, we talked about the difference between the people who were enslaved and those who enslaved them: the color of their skin. It wasn’t a nuanced discussion or a history lesson. It was a three-year-old asking questions about injustice, and his mama doing her best to answer him.
Exploring history and culture from our bed, tucked in under blankets, feels comfortable — but sometimes it’s meant to be a little uncomfortable. I don’t want my boys to grow up under illusions about the past or the present. I want them to begin learning how to think critically and recognize injustice, even when the conversations are hard. That means opening books that invite discomfort and letting questions come along for the ride.
As educator and philosopher Kieran Egan once wrote, “Stories help children make sense of the world — and their place in it” (Egan, 1986). Sometimes history, and even current events, are hard to make sense of. I don’t want my boys to feel too scared or defensive to engage with difficult topics. I want them to know they can wrestle with hard ideas alongside someone safe. I hope that can be me for them.
Why Black History & Diverse Children's Books Matter
Children are learning who matters and whose stories are worth telling long before they can name it. The books we read together quietly shape what feels normal, familiar, and worthy of curiosity. Think about it, when you were growing up, what stories did you read? Which had more value?
Increasing the diversity of authors and characters on your bookshelf helps your children build both their identity and empathy. Professor of Education, Rudine Sims Bishop: “Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined… and sometimes mirrors, reflecting our own lives back to us" (Bishop, 1990).
In simple terms:
- Black children deserve mirrors
- Non-Black children need windows
- Everyone benefits from sliding glass doors into other lives
It is important for me to have representation in our home and on our bookshelf. I want my boys to see themselves reflected in stories, but I also want them to grow curious about lives that don’t look like their own.
Sometimes adults -- I can even feel myself -- shy away from topics like this. They're just kids. They don't know yet. I've used those phrases, too. But early childhood educators remind us that children are not too young to notice differences — they’re already forming ideas about race, fairness, and identity. Avoiding the topic doesn’t prevent bias, it just leaves kids to make sense of it on their own (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). Books give us a way to approach those ideas thoughtfully, together.
This is why I curate stories intentionally in our home — not to teach lessons, but to widen the world my boys are growing into. I’m not trying to cover every topic or get it “right.” I’m trying to give my boys stories that help them grow into thoughtful, curious humans.
The books I’m sharing this month aren’t perfect or exhaustive. They’re simply stories we’ve loved — stories that have opened conversations, sparked questions, and made our story time a little bigger.
Kids Book Recommendations: Black History & Diverse Voices
Just to let you know, these aren't special ‘February picks.’ These are just some of the stories that already live on our shelves.
E's book recommendation
Our second boy's name was inspired by Pele. Pele, if you are not aware is a phenomenal soccer player, a legend, a black man from Brasil. My husband's father's family immigrated to the United States from Brasil. His namesake holds a lot of family history and love.
It's no wonder that we should have a book about it.
E's book recommendation of the month is:
Pele written by Patty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein
Brief Synopsis: This is a simple board book about the life of Brasil soccer legend, Pele!
Why my kids loved it: We love soccer. Also, our youngest was named after him. We like to find the balls on every page.
Cultural / emotional themes highlighted: This book highlights his life. It talks about poverty, family, and success.
Recommended age range: 1 to 5 years old
H's book recommendation
Our oldest has already asked about racism. I am glad. I am grateful that he comes to us with questions when things don't make sense. While I hope to give him adequate explanation (especially for his age) I also hope that expanding our bookshelf will help him understand past and present impacts of racism.
H's 2 recommendations this month are:
Escape! written by Sharon Shavers Gayle and illustrated by Eric Velasquez
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Brief Synopsis: You can go back in time with Emma, a young girl, and make your way north though the Underground Railroad.
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Why my kids loved it: It is a little scary and real. I've noticed that sometimes my kids like to experience emotions that are outside of the peaceful, happy, content range. My oldest loves to explore more difficult concepts and will always ask "why?" So be prepared!
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Cultural / emotional themes highlighted: This story is all about the underground railroad. It teaches a little about slavery and follows a group of escaped slaves to the north.
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Recommended age range: 4 to 10 years old
AND
Wilma Rudolph written by Isabel Sanchez Vegara and illustrated by Amelia Flower
Brief Synopsis This book is all about Wilma Rudolph, the Olympic gold medalist. It follows her story from birth, through recovering from polio, to high school, college, the Olympics, and beyond.
Why my kids loved it: We love cheering for others to overcome obstacles -- in fact, that's something we remind each other when we are facing something hard. Wilma is a great example of that. My oldest also has a competitive streak, so it's fun to discuss competitions and the hard work it takes to get there.
Cultural / emotional themes highlighted: There are large family dynamics, the impacts of racism (throughout), and the effects of poverty. There is also the triumph of never giving up and working hard.
Recommended age range: 3 to 10 years old (we can get our two year old to listen as well)
honorable mentions: Creating Heroes
Parenting Takeaways from Reading Diverse Children's Books
It's important to stop and listen while reading. Often, I take a minute, especially with a new or tricky book to ask:
- “How do you think [character] felt?”
- “What would you do in their shoes?” -- "What would you do if you were them?"
- “What surprised you about this story?”
As Maya Angelou reminds us, “Diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads… are equal in value no matter their color.” Through storytime, I hope my boys can see themselves, see others, and appreciate the value in every story.
Build Our Bookshelves
Storytime doesn’t always look like quiet lessons neatly wrapped up with a moral. Sometimes it looks like confusion. Sometimes it looks like big questions asked right before sleep. Sometimes it looks like rereading the same page because something didn’t quite make sense yet.
But I’m learning that those moments matter. The books we come back to—dog-eared, familiar, and loved—are shaping how my boys understand the world and their place in it. They’re learning who is brave, who is worthy of attention, and whose stories deserve space. They're also learning that theirs do, too.
These picks are ones we already love. They're also part of our effort to build a bookshelf that reflects the world as it is and as we hope our kids will help shape it—curious, empathetic, and honest. Do you have any we should add to our shelf?
If you’re reading along with us, I hope these stories open conversations in your home the way they’ve opened them in ours. And if you have books your family loves—stories that have made bedtime a little bigger—I’d love to hear about them.
BONUS: A Parent's Pick
I'm a read a book, listen to it on 2x speed while running around, re-read, etc. In other words, I'm a big fan of stories. Here's my recommendation from last year.
Last year I read Allegedly, a novel by Tiffany D. Jackson and it messed with my head. The writing and plot were phenomenal and it highlighted injustice in the court system and personal biases about age. While it was a little dark, I 100% recommend it!
Sources
Bishop, R. S. (1990). Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom, 6(3), ix–xi.
Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Egan, K. (1986). Teaching as storytelling: An alternative approach to teaching and curriculum in the elementary school. University of Chicago Press.
Angelou, M. (1996). Diversity makes for a rich tapestry. In Conversations with Maya Angelou (pp. xx–xx). University Press of Mississippi.
(If you prefer, you can also attribute this quote more informally without a full book citation, which is common in blogs.)
Jackson, T. D. (2017). Allegedly. Katherine Tegen Books.
