21 Picture Books with Diverse Characters

In my multicultural folktales lists I mentioned how important it is to read picture books with diverse characters in contemporary settings. There has been a lot of buzz lately about the appalling lack of diversity in children's books. Over the next few months I'm going to do a few book lists featuring kids books that have people of color as the protagonists and then round them all up at the end (that's the plan, anyway).  Not to worry, I'm not done with my folktale lists, either.

I chose these 21 books because they all show kids in everyday situations. Just kids being kids, enjoying life, having dreams, exploring their world, learning how to navigate relationships — things we all do, experiences we all share. There are more than 21 books, of course, (part of the reason for multiple lists) but these are some of our favorites. I hope you add your favorites to the comment section below.

More: diverse early chapter books

{Note: I've chosen books based on my and my kids' opinions and included affiliate links should a title spark your interest.}

Rain! This new book is sure to make you smile. In contrast to the grumpy man who sees rain as a nuisance a frog-raingear-clad boy sees it for what it is: a joy to explore. It's all in the attitude, people.

Big Red Lollipop. Rubina's sisterly love is tested when her mother insists she take her little sister, Sana, to a birthday party. It's stretched even farther when Sana eats her lollipop!  Argh! Every kid can relate to that! The picture of sibling rivalry is handled deftly by author Rukhsana Kahn and the story also touches a bit on cultural differences (Kahn is Pakistani, and presumably so is the family, though it is not mentioned in the text).

Umbrella. Taro Yashima earned a Caldecott honor for this sweet book about a 3 year old Japanese-American girl living in New York City who anxiously awaits the day when she will be able to use her new umbrella. I love the way Momo tries to come up with reasons she must use her umbrella even though it isn't raining and the excitement she feels when the clouds finally come. The musical rhythm of the raindrops — ponpolo ponpolo — is infectious and your children may start to chant along with you.

The Hello, Goodbye Window. Yes, indeed-y the author of The Phantom Tollbooth has a picture book! Not only that, but it's illustrated by the illustrious Chris Raschka. A young girl loves visiting her grandparents who have an inviting kitchen window you can climb into, look out of, and see your reflection in. The text takes us on a journey with the child as she describes her special relationship with her Poppy and Nanna.

Everyone is familiar with Ezra Jack Keats' classic The Snowy Day, but don't miss out on all his other wonderful books featuring the neighborhood gang. Two of my favorites are Pet Show and A Letter to Amy. In Pet Show!, all the kids bring animals to the neighborhood contest in the hopes of winning a prize. What I like best about this story is the gentle understanding shown by the adult judges towards a group of kids; they give just the right award to each eager child. In A Letter to Amy, Peter (of The Snowy Day fame) sends a special letter to Amy to invite her to his party. All the other invitees are boys so he worries she will not want to come. Keats' books never fail to make me smile.

"More More More," Said the Baby is a book that should be on ever baby and toddler's bookshelf. Three short vignettes feature a baby (one Caucasian, one bi-racial and one Asian-American) and his or her adult caregiver engaging in gentle play. The repetitive text appeals to little ears and the giggling, tickling and chasing will sure to be acted out at story time.

I Had a Favorite Dress. Both boys and girls will be able to relate to this book if they've ever had an item they were particularly attached to. A young girl has a favorite dress but when she becomes distressed to find that one day it is too short for her growing body, her mother helps her fashion it into a shirt, and then into a scarf and so forth. It reminded me a bit of Sims Tabak's Joseph Had a Little Overcoat but it exchanged the Jewish folktale flair for modern charm.

Tracks in the Snow and Summer Days and Nights. Here are two books to get you through (at least half) the year. Both of these charmers feature Yee's winsome rhyming text and illustrations depicting a young girl engaging with the natural world.

Bebé Goes Shopping. My 4 year old is really into this book right now. Rhyming text about a baby's "enthusiastic" approach to grocery shopping incorporates Spanish words. Clever Mamá distracts him with a package of animal crackers and in the end all comes out just fine. You could use this book to teach Spanish words, but the joyful text stands on its own.

Abuela. A girl and her Abuela (grandmother in Spanish) hop on a bus to the park where she imagines flying high above New York City. On their imaginary flight they take in all the diverse and exciting scenes of city life. The text is peppered with Spanish words and phrases (a glossary is included). Those of you looking for good books featuring positive grandparent-grandchild relationships will like this one. I also adore the vibrant, colorful illustrations, full of details to pour over.

Tar Beach. This is an interesting book to me on so many levels. A family picnics on a hot summer evening on the roof of their Harlem apartment. A young girl imagines coasting through the starry sky on a blanket with her brother over the George Washington Bridge (you would be surprised at how many books there are that feature flights over NYC, I could make a list just about that!), which her father helped build. The girl's optimistic dreams of her own future and the possibilities ahead of her do not gloss over the hardship that her family faces. Ringgold's gorgeous illustrations are quilts come to life.

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match / Marisol McDonald no combina. Red-headed half-Scottish half-Peruvian Marisol bounces off the page with great enthusiasm and loves her mismatched life. When her friend, Ollie, challenges her to "match", Marisol finds she is unhappy with life as a conformist. This is a great story that emphasizes the importance of embracing and accepting one's uniqueness. (Text is in both English and Spanish.)

Tía Isa Wants a Car. Tía Isa dreams of having a shiny green car to drive to the beach! Her lack of funds will not hold her back! The narrator (her niece) decides to help earn the money and works odd jobs to save up. Together, she and Tía go to the dealership and pick out a car. I like the positive relationships among extended family members and how they work together to make Tía's dream come true. This is a wonderful story and since it is text-heavy, probably best for ages 5 and up although my 4 year old does really like it.

There Are No Scary Wolves. A little boy wants to go outside but his mom is not yet ready and tells him to wait. His imagination takes him outside to explore the neighborhood but his overactive imagination sees wolves everywhere and he decides it might be better to wait for his mom after all. The story has a gentle humor to it and kids will like spotting a little surprise in the end paper illustrations.

A Beach Tail. At the beach Gregory draws a lion in the sand. His dad tells him to stay near the lion and not to venture into the water. Gregory picks up a stick and begins to draw the lion's tail... a very long tail, right on down the beach. When he realizes he has gone too far his finds his way back by traveling the length of the line in the sand. I like the way the story maintains a balance between natural curiosity, wonder and exploration and the trepidation that a child feels when he realizes he may almost have gone too far for comfort. It's a lovely glimpse of an important childhood moment.

Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money. It may be snowing, but that won't dissuade these two intrepid siblings from setting up shop and selling lemonade and limeade on their city block! There's a bit of math, a bit of sing-songing and a bit of humor in this story, which made it onto our list of favorite winter-themed books of 2012.

Max and the Tag-Along Moon. Even though this title was included in my recent list of moon picture books, I love it so much I must mention it again. The story of a boy watching the moon follow him home as he rides in the car reminds me of similar experiences I had as a child. Just like Max, I loved watching the moon "tag-along" over hills, through trees, behind clouds, until we finally arrived — together — at our destination. Comforting.

How Many Stars in the Sky? When a boy can't sleep he wonders about the stars in the sky and decides to count them. Instead of shusshing him back to sleep his dad joins him, nurturing his curiosity. Finding the stars obstructed by buildings and streetlamps, they hop in the car and head out through the city to the country, watching how the stars disappear, reappear, get brighter, grow dim.  When they are finally too tired to keep their eyes open they sleep out in the truck under the starry night sky.

While most books that fall into the "diversity" category are contemporary titles, don't forget about the classics. Corduroy is so well known it hardly needs an introduction. Along with books like Keats' The Snowy Day, Corduroy is an important picture book depicting people of color in everyday situations, something that was not common in the 1960s, when it was first published.

There are indeed many more books I could have added to this collection. This is not intended to be a comprehensive list. Please leave your favorites below in the comment section so I can include them in future lists and share them with everyone! 

See also:

• Multicultural Christmas Books
• Multicultural Thanksgiving Books
• Diverse Early Chapter Books
• Diverse Books for Babies and Toddlers