Early childhood is a powerful time to support children’s identity development while scaffolding their understanding of and commitment to equity and social justice that they build on throughout their lives. 

In a child’s small world books and stories expand their understanding of the value for people who are different from themselves.  This is a great first step to ensure that we all appreciate the richness of diversity and a world where everyone is valued. 

Exposing children to diverse children’s literature supports their development across domains while disrupting implicit bias, building confidence in their identities, and laying the foundation for conversations around equity and justice with their peers and communities.  The following list of recommended children’s literature represents diversity in regard to race, gender, family structure, neuro-divergence, language, culture, class and ability.  This list is organized by age: birth to five and three to age eight. 

View our Children's Book List Here

If you have utilized books for children birth to age 8 that implicitly or explicitly touch equity and social justice please share them with us via email: alice.blecker@cuny.edu