Solidarity with Asian-American communities

As many of you may know, there has been an increasing number of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans particularly in the last month. Most recently, we witnessed a horrific mass-shooting in Atlanta, murdering six Asian-American women. This incident has put renewed pressure on all of us to examine our biases and be conscious of the mounting vulnerability of Asian-American communities. The Trails School condemns these hostile acts and assures our families that we are committed to maintaining a non-biased environment.

Over this past year, we have researched and learned how implicit biases could manifest in early childhood settings and offering ways for you to discuss race with your children. Although these conversations may feel uncomfortable, it is crucial to open up that line of communication while your child’s mind is still so malleable and they are eager to explore and absorb this information with you. Below are a few articles we have written about having race discussions with your children and we hope they can assist your family in discussing these recent hate crimes.

Examples of discriminatory literature

In light of these events, it is essential that we continue to re-examine the environment and literature that we provide to our communities and children. It can be challenging to identify how Asian discrimination presents itself in children’s literature, especially with books parents have grown up reading. Discriminatory literature can be broadly defined as literature that engages with stereotypes instead of stories, and it presents Asian people as a homogenous, monolithic group. An example of this type of children’s literature is many of Dr. Seuss’s books. Prior to his career as a children’s author, Dr. Seuss’s early works were political cartoons filled with racist language and depictions, and he continued to incorporate this racist rhetoric in his children’s books. While many of these books have been in our libraries for generations, studies have shown that these representations are harmful to a child’s identity in early childhood settings, and it is vital that we carefully pick which books we offer to our children. 

Examples of positive Asian representation

Let’s Read…

Eyes that Kiss in the Corner by Matthew A. Cherry

 This children’s book is about a  young Asian girl who notices that her eyes’ shape is different from her classmates. She then realizes that her eyes appear to look exactly like her mother and grandmothers and finds an appreciation for her features. This children’s book draws from the womens’ strength in her life and takes you on a powerful self-love journey. You can find this book at Kido Chicago!

Let’s Read…

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

This book is about a young girl named Unhei who is from Korea. Unhei is anxious that the young children in her class may not like her and will not be able to enunciate her name. Unhei ultimately decides that she loves her name and that she will not change it. You can find this book at the Rose Cafe.

Let’s Read…

Hush!: A Thai lullaby by Minfong Ho

This illustration book is perfect for our infants and toddlers. It illustrates a Thai mother singing her child a lullaby about nature and animals. Children at these early stages can recognize differences in features so it is important that we include culturally diverse faces in our library. You can find this book at the Rose Cafe.

Trails is committed to a twofold process of investigating our environment for bias and continually inviting our community members to share their cultural experiences with our students. Guided by the principles of the Reggio Emilia approach, we invite our parents to share any cultural practices that they would like with their child’s classroom.  We support inclusion and strive to foster an environment where our children can continuously communicate experiences unique to their families. Stay tuned for more information on getting involved and sharing what makes your family unique!

Happy Black History Month!

How to talk about Black History Month with your children

As a community, we must continue to learn about and discuss Black History every month of the year. That being said, having a designated month allows for a perfect time to sit down with your children and discuss its importance and history. 

First, you can explain what Black History month is by saying, “February is Black History month, and it is a month that celebrates all the fantastic things that Black people have accomplished and contributed to this country, despite the struggles they have faced because they are Black.” Take this time to teach them about Black historical icons such as Angela Davis, Martin Luther King, Jr, and Rosa Parks, including notable Black individuals in your child’s lifetime, such as Barack Obama, Madame VP Kamala Harris, and Stacey Abrams. You can continue to study influential Black people based on your child’s interests. Does your child enjoy listening to music or creating art? If they enjoy music, perhaps you can share some prominent Black artists such as Buddy Bolden, who pioneered Jazz’s creation. Whatever it may be that they are interested in, Black History Month is the perfect catalyst to having these discussions with your family and explaining why they are important in our History. 

How to include Black History all year round

A great way to bring Black History into the rest of the year is through books! There are so many incredible children’s books specifically about Black History. Still, beyond that, children’s books written by Black authors and about Black characters are ways to include Black voices in our daily reading. This simple implication reminds our students that Black characters are not exclusive to familiar figures such as MLK. Rather, Black characters are a vital part of a well-rounded library and classroom, no matter the month. 

Take a look at some of our Family-friendly recommendations! These books can be purchased online from Kido Chicago or from Rose Cafe, two Black-owned local bookstores; a reminder that purchasing from BIPOC-owned bookstores is an anti-racist action that we encourage!

Lets Read…

“Curls” by Ruth Forman

This playful board book is an ode to Black girls and the beauty of their curls. With beautiful illustrations, this book joins in the catalog of hairspiration for Black youth and reminds kids to love their differences. You can find this book at Kido Chicago! 

Lets Read…

“Parker Looks Up” An Extraordinary Moment by Parker Curry & Jessica Curry

This book explores the impact and importance of Black representation for young people. It tells the story of preschooler Parker Curry, whose life is changed after seeing Michelle Obama’s portrait at the National Portrait Gallery. This book was written by Parker and her mom! You can find this book at Kido Chicago!

Lets Read…

“Black is a rainbow color” by Angela Joy

This children’s book captures the nuances of black culture in a way that your little one can understand. It also incorporates many historical figures following our theme. You can listen and watch on Youtube or purchase it from Rose Cafe and add it to your library!

Lets Read…

“Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat” by Javaka Steptoe

This illustration book captures a young Jean-Michel’s mind as he imagined the life he would one day have as an artist. You can listen and watch on Youtube or purchase a hard copy from Rose Cafe! 

Professional Development Day!

What is the FAN tool?

The FAN (Facilitating Attuned Interactions) is an approach to enhance parental confidence and strengthen the parent-child relationship while simultaneously promoting healthy development. It does this by utilizing mindful self-regulation, empathy, collaboration, and self-reflection.  According to Lisa Gilkerson, Ph.D. and Founder of FAN, “Home visitors, Pediatric residents, and any professional working with young children can do amazing things in very challenging situations. The FAN helps them to stay steady, centered, and empathetic.”

How is the FAN helpful in a school setting?

The FAN approach is notably detailed and comprehensive, so here are a handful of components that we thought to be the most helpful. 

One of those would be practicing Mindful Self-Regulation. Practicing mindfulness to regulate yourself allows you, as the parent, to check in with yourself; to bring calm, you must emulate calm. You can start by consciously attending to your breathing, finding ways to help yourself relax and shift your awareness to the present moment. As teachers, we can also use mindful self-regulation to better attend to our students’ needs! 

Another helpful component is Empathic Inquiry, which begins with understanding how empathy can be used to listen and validate an individual’s experiences. Empathy creates connections between people through naming emotions and making space for those emotions to be heard and accepted. For teachers, empathic inquiry centers on the question, “what has it been like for you?” By genuinely listening to the parent’s perspectives, teachers can better understand their needs and validate their parents’ unique experiences. 

Our final component is Collaborative Exploration. The purpose of this step is for the teacher to see the same child that the parent sees so we can think together about how to become more attuned to the child’s needs. This allows us to bridge any gaps between routines at home and at school, ultimately creating a more cohesive system for the child and family to thrive.

How might the FAN framework be helpful in parenting?

These tools and resources increase a caregiver’s attunement to the needs of the children in their care. Understandably, perfect attunement is something all parents and caregivers strive to achieve with their children. However, referencing Dr. Ed Tronick, a child development expert and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard University,  even the “best” parents are only attuned to their children 30 percent of the time. Although it may be unrealistic to be attuned at every moment, we can acknowledge that children are almost always attuned to us as their caregivers; children absorb and learn from our shared surroundings. The FAN tool gives parents and teachers a step-by-step approach to increasing overall attunement, while also acknowledging that it is not always possible and that is perfectly acceptable!

How Impacting Your Community Impacts Your Child

Looking to include your child in your own volunteer or donation efforts? Let’s talk about what that looks like and why it’s important to involve our children starting at a young age.

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What does it mean to impact my community?

When you are engaging with the needs of your community, that means you know:

• The physical, social, or economic environments that you want to impact

• How your time or donations would improve the outcome for residents in that community

Community efforts are not synonymous with “charity,” which we sometimes understand as someone with time and resources temporarily helping someone who is “less fortunate.” When we’re caring for our community, no one is the “hero.” What we’re actually doing is taking responsibility for supporting our community in an informed, long lasting way.

Why is important for my child to be involved in community efforts?

Skills for School:
The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement found that children who volunteer are more successful in school, because they are able to observe and develop skills such as “planning, working in groups, interacting with people who are different from themselves, and defining and solving complex problems.”

Emotional Skills:
Involving your children in community efforts creates the opportunity for them to see how certain issues affect people in difficult ways, like food insecurity, housing insecurity, illness, etc. But by helping to support these folks alongside their family, children begin to see that even during hardship, they have agency in how they can treat others kindly and make a difference with their actions.

Knowledge and Awareness:
Finding a cause that is important to your family gives space for you to learn together. Not just about social issues, but things like your local area, its history, the people in your local government, community helpers in public spaces, and new skills.

How do we start?

1 ) Decide what you can contribute.

When thinking about how you can contribute to a community, you can usually contribute one or more of these three things:

• Time

• Money

• Items you already have

2 ) Learn about the needs of your local community.

What are the greatest needs within your city or your neighborhood? Look for grassroots organizations that are local to where you live and especially those that support underserved communities. You can search for them using online resources such as The Action Network or One Good Deed Chicago. Or, just ask people you know. Once you find an organization, make sure you know about their mission, the people who are backing them, and who they are affecting.

3 ) Get started and take action!

For more tips on how to take action with your family, check out:

Donating and Volunteering as a Family

Here are some tips on child-friendly ways to positively impact your community!

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Donating

Make small, recurring donations.

Most grassroots organizations need the support of grants to continue running. When applying for these grants, they are usually evaluated on the frequency of their donations, not the total amounts. Even if you made a larger end of year donation, see if you can also make small, recurring ones. Involve your child by having them collect pocket change, coins you find around the house or on the sidewalk, and put it in a jar to donate each month. Even if it’s only $5, your continued engagement makes a big impact (and always check if your company matches donations - you might be able to double it!).

Give as directly as possible.

Donating to grassroots organizations put resources right into the hands of people who know the best, direct ways to serve your community. There are also great opportunities to “shop” for others who are in need of certain items. For example, you can send book bundles on Open Books and choose which books you’d like to give with your donation. Including your children in this process empowers them and shows them concrete ways to help others.

Volunteering

Check if there is a demand for volunteers and the work that you are doing.

Sometimes when volunteer work is offered, very little ends up impacting your community because it’s primarily a promotional opportunity. There can also be an overwhelming number of volunteers for one effort, but a huge need in the community that is lacking the help it needs in other areas. Look for organizations that describe how the service opportunity directly contributes to their work and is clear about who they need. The Love Fridge has weekly sign ups for picking up and distributing their recurring donations. By helping organizations transport items, you can bring your child along in the car safely and remotely, while still making a big impact.

Contribute your talents!

If there’s something you love to do and are very skilled at, like gardening or cooking, seek out volunteer opportunities (that you can do safely) where you can utilize those skills, like cleaning up your public park or preparing or delivering meal kits for a meal center. These are great opportunities to give your child small tasks or have them mimic you and learn more about those skills through experience.

Contributing Items You Already Have

Donate to your local mutual aid organizations.

Especially after the pandemic, many communities have created mutual aid organizations to pass around items or services to address specific individuals’ needs. Finding one in your area or around the city can give opportunities for you and your child to connect with new neighbors in a positive and personal way. Here at the Trails School, we have the Trails Community Network that you can always utilize to pass or receive items from our Trails family.

Ask what’s needed.

Especially during the holiday season, organizations can be overwhelmed with items people want to give away but aren’t necessarily the items that are needed. When you think about contributing extra food, clothes, supplies, or toys to an organization, check their website and see if they have a list of most needed items. CAWC has a wishlist of specific items they’re looking for - even the sizes of diapers that they need! Use these lists to look around the house with your child and find the items that you are willing to pass along. You can easily turn a housekeeping task into an indoor scavenger hunt that’s helping your community!

Exploring Conversations on Race - For Grownups

Curious about what conversations on race sound like for children this young? Want to hear more examples and suggestions from the experts?

Take a look at some of our recommendations for exploring this topic:

Let’s read…

“Why and How To Talk To Your Child About Racism”
PBS

Psychologist Charity Brown Griffin breaks down why talking about race with your children can be so difficult and what conversations might sound like for your family.

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Let’s watch…

“How To Talk About Race”
The Atlantic

In this 3 minute video, author Jemar Tisby explains how to turn everyday moments into entry ways for talking about race with kids.

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Let’s listen to…

“Raising an Antiracist Generation”
Silence Is Not an Option

Don Lemon sits down with Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum (author of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?) to talk about how we can explain protests, racial differences, and racism to children and why some of our instincts might not actually help them in the long run.

Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts

Which of these links did you find the most interesting? Have suggestions of other resources for conversations about race? Let us know in the comments below!

Exploring Conversations on Race - For Kids

Interested in jumpstarting conversations on race with you child?

Take a look at some of our family-friendly recommendations for exploring this topic together:

Let’s read…

“Speak Up!”
by Miranda Paul

Speak Up! explores different ways that your child and their friends at school can use their voices to speak up for what is right. Read this story by watching this read aloud video or purchasing this book for your home library.

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Let’s watch…

“PBS Kids
Talk About Race & Racism”
PBS

This half hour special includes episode clips from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, and Arthur where your favorite characters explore race, racism, and identity. For our older Trailblazers, there are also real conversations between children and their parents, where they ask each other about their thoughts on race.

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Let’s listen to…

“In So Many Ways, We Are the Same”
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood

This short song from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood shows us how we can notice the differences and similarities between us and our friends, and celebrate both!

Which of these links did your child like best? Have suggestions of other resources for conversations about race? Let us know in the comments below!

How to Talk about Race Before Kindergarten

It’s pretty easy to find ways to talk about race with an elementary or middle schooler, but what about in early childhood? Here are some recommendations for talking about race with your child in any age group before kindergarten. 

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Infants

When we are talking to our infants for encouragement and confidence, we can also talk to them positively about their unique characteristics, inside and out . For example, saying things like, “I love your curly hair” or “Thank you for being so kind.” You can also use the same language when talking about their friends, family, and teachers who all look different from each other. Listening to songs or reading books with these positive affirmations (like You Matter by Christian Robinson) can be a first step to understanding that we all matter and all have inherent value.

You can also be aware of your own responses when interacting with people of different races. When you walk down the street or interact with other families, pay attention to things that you do that might present as bias, no matter how subtle. Who do you model respect to? Who do you laugh at? Do you tense up or ignore people who look a certain way? What kinds of people do you smile at? What kinds of people do you call beautiful?

Toddlers

Toddlers: Incorporating Diversity and Making Observations

When toddlers begin making more connections between words and images, it’s important that through play and everyday interactions, they see diverse groups of people to make positive associations with all kinds of individuals. While you can and should incorporate diversity at any age, when you notice what your toddler is most interested in, it is a wonderful way to show how all kinds of people do the things they love. Playing with baby dolls of various skin colors, looking at pictures of Black firefighters or train conductors, or dancing to songs in different languages are all awesome ways to incorporate inclusion into play. You can say things like, “I love all of your babies and how kind you are to them” or “Wow aren’t those firefighters so brave?” or “It’s so fun dancing to this music with you!”

As toddlers learn how to express their observations to the people around them, they may make facial expressions, point, or even use singular words to show when they notice something new or recognize something they see. When they make these observations, these are great opportunities to make positive associations when they notice differences and similarities in what people look like: “Yes, her eyes look a lot like yours, I love how they look!” or “I do see that her skin is darker, it’s also very beautiful.”

Preschoolers

Preschoolers: Talking Through Preferences and Asking Questions

At this age, children are finding opportunities to make their own opinions and share them with the people around them. This is commonly an age where parents notice children expressing racial preferences like not wanting to play with darker skinned dolls or not wanting to play pretend as Black and Brown characters from movies or TV shows. Children of color may even express that they want to have different physical characteristics, like blue eyes or pale skin. Expert Dr. Aisha White says that “parents shouldn’t be unnecessarily concerned or disturbed by that. Because it’s just something that comes from being immersed in a highly racial society where images that children see are predominantly white images.”

If you notice instances like this with your child, Dr. White recommends having a conversation and asking them “Why don’t you want to play with this doll?” or “Why do you want to look like someone else?”.

After listening, you can emphasize how everyone matters in a positive way: “I think this doll is just as kind and beautiful as the other dolls. I want us to show her that we love her!” or “I don’t want you to change, you are so wonderful just the way you are.” However, this must be paired with consistent positive socialization around people of color, using exposure in their books or media and their everyday interactions.

Junior Kindergarten

Junior Kindergarten: Telling Stories and Exploring How We Feel

As their language and concepts develop, the questions curious children ask at this age tend to begin with “Why?” And when dealing with complex topic of race, coming up with a simple, age-appropriate answer can feel daunting. However, it can be very helpful to use feelings to tell the story of what’s going on with honesty.

For example, if your child asks what is happening during a Black Lives Matter protest and why, you can say: “Sometimes, people get treated unfairly and want to express that they’re mad or sad because someone isn’t listening to them. They want to help other people by holding up signs and talking about how they feel. I might be a helper in a protest, but if I think it isn’t safe, I will come home right away.”

Dr. White recommends reading books with children at this age and using those to spur conversation as well. Asking questions like “Which of the children would you want to be friends with? Why?” or “What would you do if this person was being bullied or called names because of who they are? When you try helping that person, it’s called being an ally.” Dr. White says these moments can “be a step toward children thinking about what they can do as a young child who might feel like they don’t have a lot of power - but they do.”

Want to hear other recommendations from early childhood researchers?

3 Misconceptions About Discussing Race With Children

Knowing how to talk to children about race can be complicated, but it is necessary. Sometimes these common misconceptions can stop us from having these conversations, but early childhood researchers actually recommend we start as soon as possible.

1. “Children don’t notice race, and if we talk about it, we might just instill prejudice in them.”

Children do notice race, just like they notice physical characteristics like height or hair color, and they notice these differences as early as 3 months. The Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Childhood (P.R.I.D.E.) program at the University of Pittsburgh found that when younger children point out what they notice about race, they are often shushed by their parents, which models to children that talking about race is something that we cannot do. If children watch the grownups in their lives freeze or frown at the mention of race, they model that behavior whether we want them to or not.

However, Dr. Aisha White, the director of the P.R.I.D.E. program, says that if the adults in their lives invest in having their own positive racial identity and exercise their own comfort and empathy in regards to race, children will model that behavior and learn how to advocate for others instead of withdraw. 

2. “It’s only necessary to talk to children about race once they are able to form their own opinions and talk about them.”

Just like science, language, or social skills, we can teach children about race in a developmentally appropriate way that they understand. And unfortunately, when we wait until they are in their kindergarten years to talk about race, we are too late.

Researchers have found that by the time children are 3 years old, they already have conscious and unconscious biases towards Black boys, and when given the choice, preschoolers of any race tend to respect and prefer white teachers over black teachers. This is because racism is not just our own personal beliefs or attitudes - racism is made up of the systems of power and assumptions that we are surrounded by every day. Unless adults create the opportunity for children to talk about race positively, children will begin absorbing negative messages starting in infancy.

3. “Talking about race is very negative and can be more harmful than helpful.” 

While talking about race can sometimes include sad or angry feelings, children’s identity and empathy are strengthened much more through discussion than through silence. If you don’t talk about race at all, you also can’t talk about what makes you or you friends unique or brave or beautiful. If you don’t talk about something mean your friend might hear, you can’t practice what you would say to be kind to them.

Dr. White recommends discussing the negative obstacles of race through talking to your children about historical or famous figures: “Let’s say, for example… a teacher [is] using a book about Martin Luther King Jr… the children are not only getting one message about Martin Luther King. They’re learning that he experienced segregation…It’s not all negative, even when you’re talking about the experience of racial bias towards a certain group.”

Curious about what to say to your child to begin these conversations?

Exploring Inclusive Books - For Kids

Here are some ways you can read, watch, and listen to books written by Black authors and continue to build your child’s positive racial identity.

Let’s read….

You Matter - PBS Read Along with Christian Robinson

Author Christian Robinson reads his book that reminds us even when we don’t feel like we matter, we do!

Let’s watch…

Bookmarks on Netflix

Your favorite black actors, dancers, musicians, and more read beloved children's books featuring black voices. 

If you don't have Netflix, click here to access the YouTube playlist of Bookmarks episodes.

Let’s listen to…

“I Like Myself” by Karen Beaumont

One of our favorite books at Trails, I Like Myself, is full of positive affirmations to say with your child when they notice their unique qualities. 

"I like myself because I'm me, there's no one else I'd rather be!"

Which of these stories did your family like the most? Have any suggestions for other fun ways to read books by Black authors? Let us know in the comments below!

Exploring Inclusive Books - For Grownups

Interested in learning more about how representation and inclusion affects children’s development? Or how other parents have noticed the impact on their children? Take a look at some of our recommendations for exploring this topic.

Let’s read…

“Talking to Kids About Racism Early and Often” - New York Times

How can we use books to help children interpret what’s going on around them? This article discusses the importance of these opportunities and why we have to start at the preschool age.

Let’s watch…

Why We Need Diverse Children’s Books

Dad Jerry talks about what it was like to hear his daughter say she didn't want to be Chinese and how he used books to help her create a positive racial identity for herself. 

Let’s listen to…

A Is For Afrocentric -

The Longest Shortest Time/The Nod

Parents Eric and Carla talk about how their struggle with black representation and what they learned about babies and toddlers understanding race led them to sending their daughter, Eve, to an Afrocentric preschool. 

Which of these links did you find the most interesting? Have suggestions of other resources about the importance of inclusive books? Let us know in the comments below!

How Inclusive Materials Affect Development

Because our students are so young, they’re primarily using images from toys, books, and media to learn about different types of people and communities.

These choices not only have a huge impact on how children see others, but also how they understand themselves. Children as young as 3-6 months have been shown to notice race, and additionally, notice when someone’s race is different from their own.

It's important for children to learn that all kinds of people can be kind, smart, brave, and talented. 

Unfortunately, our world is filled with negative stereotypes about Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) that children are absorbing. We may be able to distinguish between something stereotypical and something authentic, but our children absorb all examples with equal importance when building their view of the world. Especially for children who cannot use words yet, their toys and books help us to communicate important values of antiracism, respect, and kindness. 

We want all children to have experiences that help them build a positive racial identity. 

When a child has a positive racial identity, it means that they understand unique characteristics of themselves and others, and then celebrate those differences with kindness and empathy. Usually, when race is explained to children, we tell them it doesn’t matter “if people are white, black, green, or purple: we should treat everyone the same.” But we don’t have purple people in real life - and if we did, they would probably have an interesting history and culture!

There are real, meaningful differences that affect our experiences. which means we are not all treated fairly. When our children notice this happening, we can help them interpret what's going on by acknowledging those differences. Incorporating all kinds of identities into their toys, books, and media can give children examples for celebrating their own identity, speaking up for others, and treating everyone fairly. 

Thinking about adding some new reads to your child’s bookshelf?

Our Trails Favorites and Where To Find Them

Looking to add some new stories to your bookshelf? Here are some recommendations of books for children 0-5 featuring BIPOC characters and non-English languages. Scroll to the bottom for great Black-owned businesses to purchase them from!

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Book Recommendations

Rain! By Linda Ashman: This favorite of the Chickadee classroom follows two very different folks trying to find some joy on a rainy day!

One, Two, Three Dim Sum by Rich Lo: Our chickadees have been counting tasty treats in english and mandarin with this read!

Love makes a family by sophia beer: Our Robin classroom loves this story that peeks into all kinds of families doing fun activities together.

Baby Botanist by Dr. Laura Gehl & Daniel Wiseman: with summer almost over, our robins have had lots of Questions about plants and flowers that baby botanist is ready to answer!

i am so brave by stephen krensky: The world can be full of scary new things! But the Cardinal classroom knows they can face anything with this favorite story.

Kindness makes us strong by sophia beer: The cardinals also love this story about all of the ways we can show our friends kindness.

my mommy medicine by edwidge danticat: when you’re not feeling great, sometimes all you need is some special love from mommy. this cozy read is a goldfinch favorite!

the skin you live in by michael tyler: The goldfinches love this story that reminds us to celebrate all the different and beautiful ways that we look like.

Sofia valdez, future prez by andrea beaty: the mallards love this story where we follow sofia valdez all the way to city hall!

Going Up! by Sherry J. Lee: Olive and her neighbors all gather in the elevator to head up to her birthday party in this Mallard favorite!

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Where To Buy Them

• Kido

  We purchased a lot of our new board books from Kido this summer and loved them! They have great collections of books sorted by age group, as well as toys, clothes, and outerwear. We are also big fans of the beautiful packaging that our orders come in!

• Semicolon Bookstore

  Semicolon has a huge selection for children, as well as adults. If you are interested in having electronic versions of any of your reads, they also have the option of purchasing audiobooks or e-books through Bookshop, where your purchase helps support independent, local bookstores.

• Ashay by the Bay

  Ashay by the Bay has multiple collections for various age groups, as well as collections for specific nonfiction interests like sports, science, and coloring books!

• The Black Toy Store

  The Black Toy Store has a great selection of books, but also toys, puzzles, games, and art materials intended to help all children see themselves in their toys.

Have a suggestion of one of your child’s favorite books or a great black owned business to buy them from? Let us know in a comment below!

How To Create A More Inclusive Bookshelf for Your Child

Having inclusive books and materials for your child is vital in helping them foster a positive racial identity and model empathy and respect for others. While there are many fantastic choices out there, it’s also important to consider what messages your child may receive from singular books or your collection as a whole. Take a look at the questions below to brainstorm what your bookshelf might need!

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Do your books feature BIPOC children in various contexts or only include stories centering around their race?
We want to offer students books that acknowledge their racial experiences and foster a positive racial identity. However, we also want to represent them in books that are not about race to show they belong and are welcome in all spaces and stories. Try to find a good balance that includes the best of both types,

Are there more animals than BIPOC in your child’s collection of toys and books? 
The University of Wisconsin’s Cooperative Children’s Book Center did a study on a large collection of children’s books and found that we typically have more animals than all Black, Indigenous, and People of Color combined in our children's books! Look at your collection as a whole and see if there are books with all white/mostly white people that can be switched out with books featuring BIPOC.

What are the emotions that the Black people are having in these stories?
Do the plots only focus on Black characters being solemn, sad, or angry? Consider varying your collection to show Black folks experiencing joy, curiosity, and love. It's important for children to see that pain and suffering is not the only part of Black life.

Are the BIPOC characters in your book collection only from other countries or do they represent stereotypes from other countries?
Try to remove outdated books that only depict BIPOC as "foreign" and include books where cultures are celebrated, rather than othered. This demonstrates to children the variety of racial identities in our fellow Americans and neighbors.

Are the BIPOC characters in your collection only historical figures or celebrities?
Consider adding books where BIPOC (especially Black people) are featured as regular adults and children who are not famous. This demonstrates to the children that BIPOC do not have to be extraordinary to be valued. 

Interested in what else you should consider when purchasing books for your child? Check out 8 Tips for Choosing “Good” Picture Books Featuring Diverse, BIPOC Characters on EmbraceRace.org.

Leave a comment below of some of your favorite early childhood reads featuring BIPOC characters!