Diversity

Since June 19th became a national holiday in 2021, the list of books about Juneteenth has been growing! Here is a handful of the latest titles for children.

Readers can find magic in these pages, from an alternate Shakespearean London to a modern high school. Share these stories featuring LGBTQIA+ characters with teens during Pride Month and throughout the year.

Self-identifying mixed-race people make up the largest demographic among Americans under 18. These picture books and middle grade novels feature multiracial kids as heroes of their own stories.

The report “Banned in the USA: State Laws Supercharge Book Suppression in Schools,” released Thursday, shows a 28 percent increase in book bans over the last six months, reflecting the impact of state legislation on censorship efforts across the country.

These titles about Passover include a mix of contemporary and historical stories, transporting young readers to various times and places, including the Spanish Inquisition, Washington DC during the Great Depression, and Iran in the 1950s.

From a collection of short stories for children to a novel about a high school senior facing Islamophobia in a big city, these six titles center Ramadan and Eid for young readers.

Tonya Bolden is one of the most prolific and acclaimed authors of children’s and young adult literature that focuses on Black history. We thought it was fitting to conclude our Black History Month nonfiction/fiction pairings by highlighting a selection of her works for young people. 

For new and emerging readers, two books have just hit the shelves: A Mohawk tale reminiscent of ­Aesop’s famous race, this time featuring a bear and a turtle; and another bear and turtle, plus a red-tailed hawk, who help stir a sleeping sun in a story from the Santa Ynez Chumash reservation.

Share these four board and picture books with young children to help them learn about the Hindu festival of colors.