The murder of George Floyd has caused a public rediscovery of America’s legacy of racism.The road to justice has several lanes. In order to move in the right direction, it is our responsibility as parents to teach our kids about anti-racism. This week’s blog post is inspired by a recent New York Times article which provides a list of age-appropriate literature for non-black parents to read with their kids. For parents wondering how to talk to their kids about black lives and police brutality, these books are designed to help guide these big conversations with the small people in our lives. Below are lists of books for now and for later, as well as the link to the original New York Times article.
Link to article: Talking to Your Kids About Racism, Early and Often.
Children can internalize racial bias between the ages of 2 and 4. According to Jacqueline Dougé, M.D., a pediatrician and child health advocate based in Maryland, you can start having conversations about race in preschool. Here are some age appropriate book suggestions:
Ages 0-3:
- “A Snowy Day,” by Ezra Jack Heats.
- “The ABCs of Diversity: Helping Kids (and Ourselves!) Embrace Our Differences” by Carolyn B. Helsel and Y. Joy Harris-Smith.
Ages 3-5:
- “Saturday,” written and illustrated by Oge Mora.
- Hair Love,” by Matthew A. Cherry. Illustrated by Vashti Harrison.
Ages 5-8:
- “Each Kindness”, by Jacqueline Woodson.
Ages 9-12:
- “Resist: 35 Profiles of Ordinary People Who Rose Up Against Tyranny and Injustice”, by Veronica Chambers.
Ages 12+:
- “All American Boys”, by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely.
- “Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice,” by Marianne Celano.
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