It would not be overstating the impact of the last year to think about each day as a fresh catastrophe. No one would try to deny that current events have been especially challenging to negotiate, even as a fully grown adult. What has it been like for children? Their shorter time on the planet means they do not possess the needed context to process the numerous crises that continue to wash over us with each news cycle. We published a resource guide early in January in the wake of the capitol insurgence, which you can read HERE. We also assembled a list of anti-racist resources, which you can read HERE. This post expands upon those resources with a focus on anti-racism and social justice. Let’s give our children the tools to approach the world with knowledge and compassion.
Picture Books for Younger Children
- Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi
- Healing Days: a Guide for Kids Who Have Experienced Trauma by Susan Farber Straus
- A Place Inside Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart by Zetta Eliot
- Something Happened in Our Town by Marianne Celano
- You Matter by Christian Robinson
Learn more about the context for this book from a brief interview with the author, Marianne Celano HERE.
Books for Older Readers (8-12)
- Have I ever Told You Black Lives Matter? by Shani King
- No Voice Too Small edited by Lindsay H. Metcalf
- This is Your Time by Ruby Bridges
- Woke: A Young Poet’s Call to Justice by Mahogany Browne
For Parents
- The Talk: Conversations About Race, Love & Truth edited by Wade Hudson & Cheryl Willis Hudson
- You are Special: Words of Wisdom from America’s Most Beloved Neighbor by Fred Rogers
Articles
- Children Notice Race Several Years Before Adults Want to Talk About It from the American Psychological Association
- How to Talk to Kids About Shootings and Gun Violence by Ellen Hendriksen, PhD
- Racism, Bias, and Discrimination Resources from the American Psychological Association
- Talking to Kids About Discrimination from the American Psychological Association
- We Must Unmute from the American Psychological Association
Websites
- Anti-Bias Tools and Strategies from ADL.org
- Campaign Zero from joincampaignszero.org
A huge THANK YOU to Susan and Erica for assembling this list of resources. All listed books can be found in the Monarch catalog. Do not hesitate to reach out for troubleshooting help requesting material or for additional anti-racist resources.
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