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Multicultural Literature is a beautiful, colorful, and utmost important means to tell stories through different culture experiences from different culture lenses. Those stories need authentic characters with diverse viewpoints. Some themes may include justice, empathy, and inclusion to represent marginalized individuals.

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The sites below offer books that represent diverse authors and their books.

EDUTOPIA is a simple, colorful, website that offers multicultural books for all grade levels and the books are suggested by various teachers themselves.

edutopia.org

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HARPERCOLLINS publishers has a section of diverse books for very young readers. They delve into subjects as inclusivity, stereotypes and other themes related to multicultural literature.

https://www.harpercollins.com/blogs/harperkids/diverse-books-for-kids

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OPRAH DAILY website offers a glimpse into her best friend, Gayle, diverse list of books for her grandson Luca. The 21 book collection stems from books that are inclusive and instills values in young readers experiences.

www.oprahdaily.com

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GOODREADS website offers hundreds of diverse, colorful books. Goodreads is a popular site that offers discounts on books. It's nice to see have they a big selection and also list themes such as race, multicultural, and diversity.

www.goodreads.com

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DIVERSIVEBOOKS is a beautifully, well-designed website sells diverse books. What's lovely is all the authors come from marginalized background and experiences.

www.diversebooks.org

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In a vibrant, multicultural society, representing the richness of students' lives in a class or school library takes a conscious effort. Including writers and fictional characters with a variety of backgrounds, beliefs, and life circumstances is a way to increase the chances that students will find, to use the metaphor that Rudine Sims Bishop popularized, both windows and mirrors in the library-books that reflect their lives, and ones that give them insight into the lives and experiences of people who aren't like them.

No book shelf is going to represent the fullness of this nation. From the descendants of people who arrived here more than 15,000 years ago to the newest immigrants, we're simply too much. But the inclusive set of books below-many of which were recommended by multiple teachers-span all grade and Lexile levels up to 1140L, and include award winners and best sellers, books that have stood the test of time and newer options. We hope they reflect human diversity in the broadest sense, addressing race and ethnicity, religion, sexual identity, socioeconomic status, and other special circumstances.

Grades pre-K to 2

Deena Misses Her Mom
Deena is a formerly well-behaved girl who has been lashing out in school ever since her mom was sent to jail. Deena's story-sensitively illustrated by Leslie Jindalay Pyo-was written by high school students Jonae Haynesworth, Jesse Holmes, Layonnie Jones, and Kahliya Ruffin to reflect the lives of the children they were tutoring in Washington, DC. Parental imprisonment is a shockingly common occurrence in America: More than 5 million children in the U.S. have had at least one parent in jail.

Grades 3 to 5

Grades 6 to 8

The Arrival
A sepia-toned marvel, The Arrival conveys in images-there is no dialogue-a man's journey from his troubled home country to a new one. Artist Shaun Tan places the reader in the immigrant's shoes by using an invented alphabet on the signs in the strange new world he enters-the language is as impenetrable to the reader as it is to the protagonist.

Ghost
A National Book Award finalist, Jason Reynolds's Ghost is the story of an African American middle school runner with the talent to qualify for the Junior Olympics-if he can learn to control his temper. Money is tight and his father is in jail, and Ghost has been having a lot of what he calls "altercations." This is the first in a series of books about the members of a track team.

George
George is a transgender fourth grader who wants to try out for the lead role in the school production of Charlotte's Web so that her mother will see her as a girl. Alex Gino presents George's struggles with both bullying and the painful reassurance that she will "turn into a fine young man." George won a Stonewall Book Award-and made the American Library Association's 10 Most Challenged Books list in 2016 and 2017.

Grades 9 to 12

Bless Me, Ultima
A classic of Latino literature, Rudolfo Anaya's coming-of-age tale is an exploration of faith-Antonio, the young protagonist, makes his First Communion in the Catholic Church but also finds a spiritual guide in Ultima, an elderly curandera, or healer, who helps him explore indigenous traditions of New Mexico.

The Hate U Give
Angie Thomas's debut novel was a sensation when it was published in 2017, remaining on The New York Times best-seller list for 50 weeks. It centers on the killing of an unarmed black teen by a white police officer, a shooting witnessed by 16-year-old Starr, whose days are split between her black neighborhood and mostly white suburban school. The killing of her friend Khalil drives those two worlds farther apart than ever.

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22 Diverse Book Choices for All Grade Levels

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Suggestions from teachers who are working to offer students at every grade level book choices that represent their lives.

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WHY MULTICULTURAL IS IMPORTANT?

Every human being deserves to be seen and heard, especially those from underrepresented communities. Seeing themselves represented in stories especially when they are young is their birthright and it can teach all children the value of empathy and authenticity to be themselves.

COMMON SENSE MEDIA hosts a section of diverse, multi-cultural books, podcasts, youtube videos and diverse tv shows from their Celebrating Community tab. It offers a wide selection with multi-cultural through various mediums, not just books.

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/multicultural-books

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/celebrating-community

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SAG-AFTRA ONLINE STORYTELLING

The actor's union created a diverse set of books for children of all ages. Actor's from tv, film and theatre read the stories. The stories are diverse, some read by Viola Davis, Oprah Winfrey, and Rosario Dawson. It's a non-profit organization that is available for all.

https://storylineonline.net/library/

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BLACK HISTORY AND NATIONAL DISABILITIES 

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BLACK CULTURAL

I Am Me by Jennifer Francis is a beautiful book celebrating every young Black girl to be herself and empowers them to be lawyers, doctors or anything they want to be.

https://www.savethechildren.org/us/charity-stories/black-history-month-reading-list-children-books

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Hidden Figures is a book that inspires and teaches us the story of 4 black, brillant mathematicians, they helped bring the astronauts to space with NASA. Their story wasn't well known until the book was made into a film in 2016. https://www.ala.org/winner/hidden-figures

YOU COME from GREATNESS:A CELEBRATION of BLACK HISTORY:A PICTURE BOOK by Sara Chinakwe is very appropriate to read during Black History month that is celebrated every year in February. Understanding the black experience and to celebrate their worth.

https://bookshop.org/p/books/you-come-from-greatness-a-celebration-of-black-history-a-picture-book-sara-chinakwe/18774511?ean=9780593578285&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAACfld423RmHWSP4uN2vD7MFL2d_GO&gclid=CjwKCAiAxea5BhBeEiwAh4t5K-sNg3GB_P2V0dJrb8b0PVf-uug2UExtzdgjozofF148NzeU9lPALxoCwx4QAvD_BwE

I AM RUBY BRIDGES by Ruby Bridges is the important story when Ruby was 6 years old and integrated into the first all white school in Louisiana.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrhTQdq7Dls

SCHOMBURG:THE MAN WHO BUILT A LIBRARY by Carole Boston Weatherford, is based on the true story of Arturo Schomburg who collected art, books, music on black culture and created the Schomburg Library in Harlem as part of the New York Public Library.

https://www.getepic.com/video/88558923/schomburg-the-man-who-built-a-library

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DISABILITIES

National Disabilities Day is celebrated on July 26th, it raises awareness for those with disabilities.

THE CHANCE TO FLY by Ali Stoker is a book on a young girl in a wheelchair who has big dreams and she gets a chance to audition for Wicked. It's written by Ali Stoker who was one of the first actor's to appear on Broadway in a wheelchair.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/363166-the-chance-to-fly

I AM ABLE: LIVING with DISABILTIES by Laura and Shirley Williams tells a poignant story about the two sisters who were apart growing up and the challengers Shirley faced as she lost her eyesight.

https://tridentbookscafe.com/book/9781735684239

DON'T CALL ME SPECIAL: A FIRST LOOK at DISABILITY written by Pat Thomas, shares to readers that there are some who are different and may need help, it's a lovely picture book that gently helps readers understand people with disabilities.

https://www.booktrust.org.uk/book/d/dont-call-me-special-a-first-look-at-disability/#:~:text=This%20picture%20book%20introduces%20key,equipment%20and%20help%20in%20life.

JUST ASK! BE DIFFERENT, BE BRAVE, BE YOU by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, tells the story to be themselves, no matter what challenges they face. Sotomayor had diabetes as a young child and having this disability taught her at an early age how to be brave and learn to be responsible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4sGcaA6bFk

MY HEARING MY WAY, by Dr. Stacey Areas

the book on hearing loss in young kids helps parents and anyone seeking understanding to help those with this disability. The picture book aims to empower those to accept themselves as they are.

https://www.bookwormforkids.com/2024/01/todays-read-my-hearing-my-way-by-dr.html

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BLACK HISTORY

Assign each student a book on a Black historical figure. Research, use visual presentations such as drawings or pictures and read the book out loud of what they discovered.

NATIONAL DISABILITIES

Engage students to understand how different each person is and to learn about acceptance and empathy. Watch clips from the Paralympics such as wheelchair basketball; watch Ray Charles who is visually impaired play the piano and sing a song.