I originally published this post on August 13, 2021. I have edited and updated it since then, though the heart of it remains the same. All of the photos included are of inclusive books I’ve reviewed in the past and highly recommend. Once upon a time, a subscriber asked me:
WeStories was an organization founded in St Louis after Mike Brown’s murder, focused on using children’s literature to help white families talk about race and racism. They recently closed the organization, but have made their (really excellent) curriculum available at the website above.
Love everything about this, Sarah! Thank you. Here in Indianapolis, we have black and woman-owned Beyond Barcodes Books and are eagerly awaiting the grand opening of Loudmouth Books--owned by author Leah Johnson.
Unrelated: My kids are getting older and I am struggling to maintain their interest in picture books. 😭😭😭 My oldest is 10 and reading at a high level, tearing through big chapter books faster than I can provide them. And the younger two (7 and 6) just want to read what big brother is reading. Any advice on maintaining interest in picture books as they grow? (I did just buy a front-facing bookshelf so that was step 1!)
You know, I drive through Indy at least twice a year and have never made it to a single bookstore, even once 😕 Thanks for mentioning these -- I will have to force my family to stop one of these days.
I don't have a quick-and-simple answer to maintaining interest in picture books. Buying a front-facing shelf is a great idea. I would also continue to read-aloud picture books *to* them -- rather than hoping they'll pick up picture books on their own -- without expecting them to sit and look at the books like they probably did when they were younger. You can read aloud a picture book just like a chapter book -- when someone is sitting eating a meal, hanging out across the room, playing quietly, whatever. (And if they actively ask you to stop, I'd honor their wishes. It's okay to want to read what big brother is reading -- that's great, right? The most important thing is that they're enjoying reading and books. If picture books aren't their thing anymore, it's truly okay.)
Ok, ok, then let me plug my favorite local bookstore, though it's a little outside of Indy. Wild Geese Bookshop in Franklin, IN, about 30 minutes south of Indy. It is so lovely and well-worth a little pilgrimage, in my opinion!
We are only 1 yr old so we’re mostly still riding on the books we were given. I’m slowly starting to cull, curate and rebuild our board books selection and supplement it from the library. Thanks for these resources! Native stories are less visible here in Baltimore so this is great.
I get it! It takes a minute to start building your own collection after all those new-baby books you received as gifts. The good news is that even the smallest steps make a difference -- you can literally take it book by book 😊
If you're interested, I have two lists on my Bookshop.org website that include diverse and inclusive titles for that age group:
(I get a small commission if you use those links to make a purchase but no pressure whatsoever -- I created them mostly as an easy way to share a large volume of titles quickly.)
I recently became a subscriber and have been going through past issues, and putting some of the books in your lists on our hold lists. It’s been loads of fun. Last week we checked out Bathe the Cat. The kids have been laughing a lot when we read it.
Today our childcare provider (who is a loving, engaged POC and makes my life so much easier) let me know she thought Bathe the Cat was too much for a 5 and a 3 year old. Two dads? Why introduce that? Why so many books about being brown? Why do I keep checking out books about differences? It made me profoundly mad and sad to even have to explain representation. It’s been a few hours and I’m still upset about it. Sigh. 😔 Thanks for reading
Anna, that is so tough. Take faith in the fact that while you might not be able to control your provider or what she thinks, you can strongly influence your children -- that's how we're going to change things and build a better future. Hugs.
Great article, Sarah!
I would add one more resource for folks who are interested: http://www.westories.org
WeStories was an organization founded in St Louis after Mike Brown’s murder, focused on using children’s literature to help white families talk about race and racism. They recently closed the organization, but have made their (really excellent) curriculum available at the website above.
Thanks so much, Jessica! I've never heard of WeStories and will be checking it out.
Love everything about this, Sarah! Thank you. Here in Indianapolis, we have black and woman-owned Beyond Barcodes Books and are eagerly awaiting the grand opening of Loudmouth Books--owned by author Leah Johnson.
Unrelated: My kids are getting older and I am struggling to maintain their interest in picture books. 😭😭😭 My oldest is 10 and reading at a high level, tearing through big chapter books faster than I can provide them. And the younger two (7 and 6) just want to read what big brother is reading. Any advice on maintaining interest in picture books as they grow? (I did just buy a front-facing bookshelf so that was step 1!)
Thanks, Lindsey!
You know, I drive through Indy at least twice a year and have never made it to a single bookstore, even once 😕 Thanks for mentioning these -- I will have to force my family to stop one of these days.
I don't have a quick-and-simple answer to maintaining interest in picture books. Buying a front-facing shelf is a great idea. I would also continue to read-aloud picture books *to* them -- rather than hoping they'll pick up picture books on their own -- without expecting them to sit and look at the books like they probably did when they were younger. You can read aloud a picture book just like a chapter book -- when someone is sitting eating a meal, hanging out across the room, playing quietly, whatever. (And if they actively ask you to stop, I'd honor their wishes. It's okay to want to read what big brother is reading -- that's great, right? The most important thing is that they're enjoying reading and books. If picture books aren't their thing anymore, it's truly okay.)
Thanks, Sarah! Super helpful! :)
Ok, ok, then let me plug my favorite local bookstore, though it's a little outside of Indy. Wild Geese Bookshop in Franklin, IN, about 30 minutes south of Indy. It is so lovely and well-worth a little pilgrimage, in my opinion!
Thank you!
We are only 1 yr old so we’re mostly still riding on the books we were given. I’m slowly starting to cull, curate and rebuild our board books selection and supplement it from the library. Thanks for these resources! Native stories are less visible here in Baltimore so this is great.
I get it! It takes a minute to start building your own collection after all those new-baby books you received as gifts. The good news is that even the smallest steps make a difference -- you can literally take it book by book 😊
If you're interested, I have two lists on my Bookshop.org website that include diverse and inclusive titles for that age group:
Books for 12-18mo old: https://bookshop.org/lists/books-for-12-18-months-old
Books for 2-year-olds: https://bookshop.org/lists/books-for-2-year-olds
(I get a small commission if you use those links to make a purchase but no pressure whatsoever -- I created them mostly as an easy way to share a large volume of titles quickly.)
Oh sweet! I bought a few books from your lists recently but hadn’t seen these.
Thank you -- I appreciate your support!
I recently became a subscriber and have been going through past issues, and putting some of the books in your lists on our hold lists. It’s been loads of fun. Last week we checked out Bathe the Cat. The kids have been laughing a lot when we read it.
Today our childcare provider (who is a loving, engaged POC and makes my life so much easier) let me know she thought Bathe the Cat was too much for a 5 and a 3 year old. Two dads? Why introduce that? Why so many books about being brown? Why do I keep checking out books about differences? It made me profoundly mad and sad to even have to explain representation. It’s been a few hours and I’m still upset about it. Sigh. 😔 Thanks for reading
Anna, that is so tough. Take faith in the fact that while you might not be able to control your provider or what she thinks, you can strongly influence your children -- that's how we're going to change things and build a better future. Hugs.