Inclusion and Diversity in Children's Books

By Amy Koide

Reading is important to development in early childhood. It can help in developing cognition, empathy, knowledge, relationships, vocabulary, concentration, literacy skills, imagination, and creativity. It can also improve social skills and interactions. Reading can teach you more about art, science, technology, history, and culture. It can make the foreign more familiar by introducing us to people and places we wouldn't normally interact with.

Books are a way to connect with things that may be foreign to us. This is an excellent way to educate children and show them both the differences and similarities they might have with other children in far away lands or who live under different circumstances. 

If you have a desire to introduce your kids to other traditions, ideas, and points of view, reading books is a great way to help them broaden their horizons. Scour your local library for books on agreed upon topics and have fun with it. When we've done this, my kids and I learn right alongside each other and they have more fun knowing that Mom is learning too. Sometimes we make a game out of it, trying to find facts that the other didn’t know, write them down, and keep score. Usually, I let them win, which makes it even more fun for them. It might be difficult to know where to begin, so here are some ideas that can make it easier to integrate into your routine and make things relevant to them. 

• Start with the familiar. Disney characters like Moana, Coco, Mulan, and Tiana from The Princess and the Frog are accessible and entertaining, but also somewhat representative of people who may have different cultural backgrounds. They may be a bit watered down, but once you decide to learn about something from a movie you and your child have just watched together, you can make a list of things that interested them from that movie and start doing some research. 
  

• Find out what your child is really interested in right now. Are they into sports, art, dancing, cooking, music, or politics? Look for people who can be looked at as role models in those interests. If your child is really into soccer, you could start by finding a famous soccer player your child is already familiar with and learn about where they came from. Then you could branch out and find books on sports from around the world. Maybe you even try some out. Adding movement to learning enhances the experience, and can help solidify information in growing brains.
  

• Holidays are another great way to introduce diversity into your home. You can look at a calendar or online to see what important dates or celebrations might be happening that are not generally celebrated in your community. Ramadan? Diwali? Hanukkah? Cinco de Mayo? Lunar New Year? Look for books about those important dates and learn more about them. Many of the children's books we’ve found have age appropriate arts and crafts that go along with that holiday. They might have recipes that are significant that you can try out as part of your own celebration. 
  

• Look into local history and see what people may have inhabited the place you currently live. Why did they live there? What did they do there? How did they shape what the place has become? Were there American Indians? Hispanic people? Asians? Is there a history of slavery? What does that mean? Are any of those people still there? Why or why not? Of course this can be a lot for a young child to understand, but it can help them better connect with their community and the people in it.
  

Learning shouldn’t only happen at school. Learning can and does take place in the home whether you realize it or not. What you see around you shapes you. If you only see people who are like you, your life experiences will be limited. Reading about other people, places, and ideas will broaden your child’s horizons and also make the world feel a bit smaller and more familiar. Diversifying reading material at a young age can help to combat harmful stereotypes and stigmas associated with people of different backgrounds, making for a more tolerant, loving world.

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Amy Koide grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and moved to Provo with her family four years ago. She has a background in Early Childhood Education as well as Special Education. Reading has always been a big part of her upbringing, especially because her mother, grandmother, and grandfather were all teachers. She is an avid reader who shares that love with her neighbors and family.

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