Diverse Picture Books About Race and Racism
Every month, Montessori For All selects an anti-bias, anti-racist book for our teachers to read to their communities. First we select one for 3-6 year-olds, then one for 1st-3rd graders, and finally one for 4th-6th graders. Therefore, if you would like to subscribe to our monthly newsletter to receive links to book guides with discussion questions, vocabulary words, and extension activities to be used in the classroom or at home, you can sign up here. This month we are focusing on race and racism. Further, you can find books about peace/justice/empathy here or immigration and refugees here.
Picture Books about Race and Racism: 3-6 year-olds
By Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. Kelly
A celebration of the diversity of everyday life, this exploration of one of our most noticeable physical traits pairs simple text with vibrant photographs. At school, at the beach, and in the city, diverse groups of children invite young readers both to take notice and to look beyond the obvious.
Combining lively action shots and candid portraits, Shelley Rotner’s photographs showcase a wide variety of kids and families—many shades, and many bright smiles.
Picture Books about Race and Racism: 6-9 year-olds
Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation
By Duncan Tonatiuh Almost 10 years before Brown vs. Board of Education, Sylvia Mendez and her parents helped end school segregation in California. An American citizen of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage who spoke and wrote perfect English, Mendez was denied enrollment to a “Whites only” school. Her parents took action by organizing the Hispanic community and filing a lawsuit in federal district court. Their success eventually brought an end to the era of segregated education in California.
Picture Books about Race and Racism: 9-12 year-olds
Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement
By Carole Boston Weatherford Despite fierce prejudice and abuse, even being beaten to within an inch of her life, Fannie Lou Hamer was a champion of civil rights from the 1950s until her death in 1977. Integral to the Freedom Summer of 1964, Ms. Hamer gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention that, despite President Johnson’s interference, aired on national TV news and spurred the nation to support the Freedom Democrats. Featuring vibrant mixed-media art full of intricate detail, Voice of Freedom celebrates Fannie Lou Hamer’s life and legacy with a message of hope, determination, and strength.