Celebrating and Reflecting Our Diversity: Picture Books List

By Spread Book Joy

Celebrating and Reflecting Our Diversity: Picture Books List

By Spread Book Joy

Our choice of books is critical in order to promote children’s senses of identity and self-worth; they are also invaluable in promoting and encouraging discussions about discrimination which we know are crucial to challenging discrimination in all its forms.

Amazing Grace

Mary Hoffman and Caroline Binch

£7.99 £7.59

Classic picture book. Grace wants to play Peter Pan in her school play, but her classmates tell her that he wasn't a girl or black. Grace's Ma and Nana teach her she can do anything if she puts her mind to it...

Baby Goes to Market

Atinuke and Angela Brooksbank

£7.99 £7.59

Beautifully illustrated by Angela Brooksbank, the vivid pictures take us on a trip to the market, where Baby keeps adding food to Mama's basket.

So Much

Trish Cooke and Helen Oxenbury

£8.99 £8.54

Everyone in this large extended family comes to see mum and baby because they all love baby so much.

Perfectly Norman: A Big Bright Feelings Book

Tom Percival

£7.99 £7.59

From the author of 'Ruby's Worry'. Norman is perfectly normal until one day he grows wings. They are so much fun but he worries about what everyone else thinks. A tale about having the courage to be proud of our differences.

What Are Little Girls Made of?

Jeanne Willis and Isabelle Follath

£9.99 £9.49

Nursery rhymes get a feminist makeover in which Georgie Porgies gets a lesson in consent and Bo Peep rescues her sheep herself. Humerous but important messages.

Look Up!

Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola

£7.99 £7.59

Rocket is a ball of energy who loves to star gaze and wants to be an astronaut. She knows a meteor shower is coming but everyone else is just looking down at their phone! A lesson for us all to take notice of the world around us.

Clean Up!

Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola

£7.99 £7.59

Rocket is back. This time she is visiting her grandparents on their island when she notices all of the plastic waste and organises a clean up crew!

The Worst Princess

Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie

£6.99

Princess Sue is not very good at being the type of princess everyone expects her to be and her prince turns out to be a real disappointment.

The Paper Bag Princess

Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko

£5.99 £5.69

A dragon burns Princess Elizabeth's castle and all of her property, including her clothes, leaving her with just a paper bag in which to rescue her kidnapped fiance. I can't recommend this one enough!

Tar Beach

Faith Ringgold

£7.99 £7.59

Stunning art work accompanies a semi-autobiographical tale. Young Cassie dreams of flying above her 'tar beach', the rooftop of her apartment block, and seeing down over 1939 Harlem.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Presents A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo

Jill Twiss and EG Keller

£13.99 £13.29

Marlon lives with his Grampa Vice President Mike Pence. He's a boy bunny who falls in love with another boy bunny. A sweet and fun book which was an important protest against Mike Pence's anti-LGBT views with proceeds going to various charities. Learn more here. The audio book is voiced by Jim Parsons and a host of huge names and is only £1.57!

The Girls

Lauren Ace and Jenny Løvlie

£7.99 £7.59

Four girls meet and form a friendship that lasts a life time. They're lives go in different directions but they are there to support each other throughout. Lovely book.

Colin and Lee, Carrot and Pea

Morag Hood

£7.99 £7.59

Two friends who are very different. Teaches children the value of having friends who are different from us. A board book suitable for very young children.

Julian Is a Mermaid

Jessica Love

£7.99 £7.59

One of the best picture books in recent years. Julian wants to be a mermaid but will his grandmother approve? A gorgeous celebration of being true to who you are.

Julian at the Wedding

Jessica Love

£12.99 £12.34

A wedding is a party for love. Julian and his cousin Marisol are in his two aunties' wedding party. When Marisol gets mud on her dress, Julian has an idea.

The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family

Ibtihaj Muhammad, S. K. Ali, et al.

£7.99 £7.59

Faizah's first day at school is also her older sister Asiya's first day of wearing hijab. Faizah thinks it is beautiful but not everyone agrees. Written by the first American Olympic medal winner to compete wearing hijab.

Don't Touch My Hair!

Sharee Miller

£6.99 £6.64

A book about strangers touching black hair which will encourage discussion about not touching anyone without permission.

My Hair

Hannah Lee and Allen Fatimaharan

£7.99 £7.59

"My birthday's coming up so soon, I'll need new clothes to wear. But most of all, I need to know, How shall I style my hair?" A visit to the hairdressers to get ready for a birthday celebration is full of excitement and amazing hairstyles!