Children's Literature

We Need Diverse Books™ is a grassroots organization of children’s book lovers that advocates for essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.

Multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators.

The mission of Latinxs in Kid Lit is to assist in finding works about, for, and by Latinxs; promote literacy and the love of books within the Latinx community; examine the historical and contemporary state of Latinx characters; and encourage interest in Latinx children’s, MG, and YA literature among non-Latin@ readers.

A Mighty Girl's book section features over 3,000 girl-empowering books starring stellar Mighty Girl characters.

Resource from the University of Alberta. Classic children’s books are filled with inaccurate stereotypes of Indigenous peoples, perpetuating racism by normalizing Indigenous stereotypes, as well as affecting the self-identity of Indigenous children. However, removing these books from the library collection could be seen as censorship and many of these books are beloved, meaning they will be requested often. It is imperative that libraries find a way to educate their community about the inaccuracies portrayed in these books and pair these books with more accurate selections by Indigenous voices.

The visual and verbal messages children absorb from books (and other media) heavily influence their ideas about themselves and others. Children’s books teach children who is important, who matters, who is even visible. Books can reinforce (or undermine) children’s affirmative self-concept, teach accurate (or misleading) information about people of various identities, and foster positive (or negative) attitudes about diversity.

Resources compiled from veteran teachers, advice from ESL specialists, books and stories from around the world, and lesson plans that encourage students to share their cultures with the rest of the class.

Modules for educators covering bullying, social justice, and safety for LGBTQ+ students

Resource from Scholastic to help children develop cultural awareness and sensitivity.

Founded in 1991, Teaching Tolerance is dedicated to reducing prejudice, improving intergroup relations, and supporting equitable school experiences for our children. The program provides free educational materials, including a K-12 anti-bias curriculum: Perspectives for a Diverse America.

Teaching for Change provides teachers and parents with the tools to create schools where students learn to read, write, and change the world.
By drawing direct connections to real world issues, Teaching for Change encourages teachers and students to question and re-think the world inside and outside their classrooms, build a more equitable, multicultural society, and become active global citizens.

The 1619 Project, inaugurated with a special issue of The New York Times Magazine, challenges us to reframe U.S. history by marking the year when the first enslaved Africans arrived on Virginia soil as our nation's foundational date. Here you will find reading guides, activities, and other resources to bring The 1619 Project into your classroom.

This guide is part of an open professional learning series developed for staff across post-secondary institutions in British Columbia. These guides are intended to support the systemic change occurring across post-secondary institutions through Indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation.