Children's books about racism and anti-racism are just one way in which we can start conversations with our children about this important topic. Jessica Grose states, "In addition to keeping an open dialogue about racism, a way to raise children who are anti-racist is by making sure your home library has books with black people at the center of their stories" (New York Times, 2020). We have included recommended books in this guide that are part of McKee Library's collection, but encourage you to use the links below to find additional titles that can help you talk about race and encourage a love of literature with diverse characters with your children and teens.
Featuring stories that include black characters is important. Picture books can be an excellent way to embrace race and encourage the inclusion of diversity in children's literature. Older children and teens can embrace more difficult topics while engaging in this difficult, yet important conversation.
The murders of eight people at several spas in the Atlanta area, most of them Asian American and women, mark only the most awful, recent contribution to a year-long spike in anti-Asian American violence in the US. The STOP AAPI Hate received some 3,000 reports of assaults against Asian Americans between March and December 2020 alone, many of them targeting women and seniors. Watch this conversation about the resulting toll on Asian American people and communities and about how communities are pushing back. How are parents, family members, teachers and other caregivers supporting children at a time when physical safety is all but impossible to guarantee? How can the rest of us meaningfully support our Asian American family members, friends and neighbors? Our guests are Dr. Anatasia Kim, professor and cognitive-behavioral therapist to children and families at the Wright Institute, and Manjusha P. Kulkarni, Executive Director of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc8oHi-heM