Books About Racism Are Important Books don’t save. Only Jesus saves. But books can be terrific discussion starters, particularly when we want to discuss current events, understand a different point of view, or simply show our children the tremendous diversity the Lord put in his creation. These are some of the books we have found helpful in bringing up good conversation about race and racism with children and teens. We hope they are helpful to you, too. Readers, we hope you do not visit this list this week and move on. We have reviewed these books over the years because they are always important. Books About Racism for Children and…

Ryan Hart, a next-generation Ramona Quimby, makes sunshine out of challenges in this warm-hearted series opener. Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson. Bloomsbury, 2020, 175 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 7-11, or 5-10 as a read-aloud Ryan’s name means “king”–that’s her comeback when people observe it’s a boy’s name. It’s a leader’s name, and Ryans parents gave it to her because they want her to feel powerful when her name is called. Not in a bossy way, but in a self-assured way. But how do you feel powerful when your dad loses his job? and the landlord decides to sell the house you’re living…

God’s design for diversity was beautiful from the beginning but marred by sin, requiring a Redeemer to rescue us from our mess. *God’s Very Good Idea by Trillia Newbell, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri. The Good Book for Children, 2017. 32 pages. Reading Level: Ages 4-8 Recommended For: Ages 4-8 What are your favorite ideas in history? Fireworks? Roller skates? Color TV? The Super Soaker? Mine would probably be chocolate chip cookies (I’m always trying to perfect the recipe!), or brownies. Those ideas are pretty good, but God’s ideas are phenomenal. In the beginning, God planned beautiful diversity in all of creation. God made people in His image, “like mirrors, reflecting…

Hey, Water! pictures the gift of water in all its forms, providing an accessible explanation of the water cycle for preschoolers. Hey, Water! by Antoinette Portis. Neal Porter Books (Holiday House), 2019, 38 pages. Reading Level: Picture book, ages 0-4 Recommended for: ages 2-6 Hey, Water! I know you! You’re all around. This entertaining and evocative picture book builds on its simple theme by introducing forms of water a preschooler wouldn’t necessarily think of. Whether in the house or out, in the sky or on the land, inside our own bodies or in the stem of a flower, water surrounds and nourishes our earth. The illustrations are simple yet artful,…

In Open Mic, ten writers of color team up to offer their experiences (or stories based on their experiences) in this frank, humorous collection for teens. Open Mic: Riffs on Life Between Cultures in Ten Voices, edited by Mitali Perkins. Candlewick, 2013. 144 pages. Reading Level: Teen, ages 12-15Recommended For: Teens, ages 12+ (note considerations below) Those who grow up between cultures have a different experience than those who grow up in a more homogeneous culture. Whether it’s parents from different cultures, immigration experiences that lead to life in two different cultures, or simply a different cultural background from the majority culture, a “between cultures” experience is a significant one.…

Prairie Lotus, by Newbery author Linda Sue Park, offers a hopeful look at overcoming racism in the 19th-century American west. Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park. Clarion (HMH), 2020, 256 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-15 Dakota Territory, 1880: Hanna Edmonds, age 14, has been on the road with her father for three years, ever since her mother died in Los Angeles. The circumstances of Mama’s passing were especially painful because they were indirectly related to race; Mrs. Edmunds was Chinese, and Hannah, in uncharitable terms, is a “half-breed.” During their travels, she has kept her face shaded with a bonnet, but now that Papa…