Racism and Anti-Racism: Recommended reads for children and teens

Updated April 9, 2024
W
Winnipeg Public Library
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1

Hey you!
Adeola, Dapo
Paper Book
This remarkable picture book is a lyrical, inspirational exploration of growing up Black, written by award-winning illustrator Dapo Adeola, and brought to life by some of the most exciting Black artists of today. Remember to dream your own dreams    Love...

2

Abuelita and me
Carranza, Leonarda
Paper Book
In this poignant, empowering picture book debut, a girl and her beloved abuelita lean on each other as they contend with racism while running errands in the city. Spending time at home with Abuelita means pancakes, puddle-jumping, and nail-painting. But venturing out into the city is not...

Canadian author.

3

Parce Que Ta Vie Compte
Charles, Tami
Paper Book
See below for English description. Sais-tu que TA VIE compte? On dit que la matière, c'est tout ce qui compose l'Univers : l'énergie, les étoiles, l'espace... Alors comme tu fais partie de l'Univers, ta vie compte aussi! Tu comptais depuis le début des temps, depuis bien avant ta...

4

All because you matter
Charles, Tami
Paper Book
Instant New York Times bestseller! A lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to Black and brown children everywhere: reminding them how much they matter, that they have always mattered, and they always will, from powerhouse rising star author Tami Charles and esteemed, award...

5

We are here
Charles, Tami
Paper Book
An empowering follow-up to New York Times bestselling picture book All Because You Matter that celebrates the rich history of Black and brown men and women throughout history with soaring language and stunning illustration. Lyrical, affirmational, and bursting with love,...
Also available in eBook format.

6

Let's stand up for what is right
Cole, Geri
Paper Book
Inspired by the CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall "Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism," this paperback book stars Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Rosita, and their friends as they learn about racism and protests, and discuss ways to look out for one another. Elmo wants to live in a world where...

7

Spanish is my superpower!
Correa, Maria
Paper Book
Sesame Street's Rosita learns how to respond when strangers at the supermarket tell her and her Mami not to speak Spanish--this illustrated paperback is based on the video of the same name on the Sesame Street in Communities website. Rosita and her Mami experience...

8

Des Bisous Au Coin des Yeux
Ho, Joanna
Paper Book
See below for English description. Lorsqu'une petite fille découvre que ses yeux sont différents de ceux de ses amis, elle entreprend un examen de conscience. Ses yeux ressemblent à ceux de sa maman, d'Amah et de sa petite soeur. Cela lui plaît. Quelle histoire leurs yeux racontent...

9

Borders
King, Thomas
Paper Book
A stunning graphic-novel adaptation based on the work of one of Canada's most revered and bestselling authors On a trip to visit his older sister, who has moved away from the family home on the reserve to Salt Lake City, a young boy and his mother are posed a simple question with a not-so...
Also available in eBook format and as a Book Club Kit. Canadian author.

10

Goodnight racism
Kendi, Ibram X.
Paper Book
National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Ibram X. Kendi (How to Be an Antiracist, Antiracist Baby) returns with a new picture book that serves as a modern bedtime classic. As children all over the world get ready for bed, the moon...
Also available in eBook format.

11

Eyes that kiss in the corners
Ho, Joanna
Paper Book
A New York Times Bestseller and #1 Indie Bestseller · A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year · A School Library Journal Best Book of 2021 · Included in NPR's 2021 Books We Love List · Featured in Forbes, Oprah Daily, The Cut, and Book Riot · Golden Poppy Book Award Winner · Featured...
Also available in eBook format.

12

The proudest color!
Modir, Sheila
Paper Book
For me, brown is more than feeling proud.  It's the color I see when I see me. Zahra sees the world in vivid color. When she's happy, she feels a razzle-dazzle pink in her hands. When she's sad, she feels a deep blue behind her eyes. But she...

13

Abalone Woman
Spathelfer, Teoni
Paper Book
A vivid dream teaches Little Wolf about courage and acceptance of those who are different, and inspires her to show her daughters and their classmates how to be proud of their diverse cultural backgrounds. Throughout her life, Little Wolf has been troubled by the injustice she sees all...
Canadian author.

14

Maizy Chen's last chance
Yee, Lisa
Paper Book
NEWBERY HONOR AWARD WINNER . NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST . ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR YOUTH LITERATURE Twelve year-old Maizy discovers her family's Chinese restaurant is full of secrets in this irresistible novel that celebrates food, fortune, and family. NAMED...
Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

15

Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice
Smith, Tommie.
Paper Book
On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the podium in black socks and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon...
Also available in eBook format.

16

Frizzy
Ortega, Claribel A.
Paper Book
Winner of the Pura Belpré Award for Children's Text Winner of the Eisner for Best Publication for Kids Indie Bestseller New York Times-bestselling author Claribel A. Ortega and star debut artist Rose Bousamra's Frizzy is about Marlene, a...
Also available in eBook format.

17

Uncomfortable conversations with a black boy
Acho, Emmanuel
Paper Book
Adapted from Emmanuel Acho's New York Times bestseller Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, comes an essential young readers edition aimed at opening a dialogue about systemic racism with our youngest generation. Young people have the power to affect...

18

Sugar in milk
Umrigar, Thrity N.
Paper Book
A young girl in modern times comes from India to live in America with her extended family. She feels so alone-like she's not wanted-and then remembers a story her mother once told her about a group of Persians who were ousted from their country and who sailed to the Western shores of India in search...

19

Speaking our truth : a journey of reconciliation
Gray Smith, Monique
Paper Book
★"Smith's book is an effort that returns, offering diverse voices that invite the world into the reconciliation experience. Absolutely necessary."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review Canada's relationship with its Indigenous people has suffered as a result of both the residential...
Also available in eBook format.

20

La cour couleurs : anthologie de poèmes contre le racisme
Zaü
Paper Book

Cet album est une cour de recreation peuplee d'enfants venus des quatre coins du monde. Cinquante poetes y disent le rejet de la haine, le respect des differences, la solidarite et le bonheur de vivre ensemble.

21

We rise, we resist, we raise our voices
Hudson, Wade
Paper Book
Fifty of the foremost diverse children's authors and illustrators--including Jason Reynolds, Jacqueline Woodson, and Kwame Alexander--share answers to the question, "In this divisive world, what shall we tell our children?" in this beautiful, full-color keepsake collection, published in...

22

The antiracist kid : a book about identity, justice, and activism
Jewell, Tiffany
Paper Book
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of This Book Is Anti-Racist, Tiffany Jewell, with art by Eisner-nominated illustrator Nicole Miles, The Antiracist Kid is the essential illustrated guide to antiracism for empowering the young readers in your life! What is racism...

23

Meet Mary Ann Shadd (Scholastic Canada Biography)
MacLeod, Elizabeth
Paper Book
Meet Mary Ann Shadd: anti-slavery activist, newspaper publisher, and social justice pioneer! The award-winning Scholastic Canada Biography series highlights the lives of remarkable Canadians whose achievements have inspired and changed the lives of those who followed. Mary Ann Shadd...
Canadian author.

24

Voici Mary Ann Shadd
MacLeod, Elizabeth
Paper Book
See below for English description. Voici Mary Ann Shadd! Née dans un état esclavagiste de parents militants, Mary Ann était la plus âgée de treize enfants. Marchant dans les traces de ses parents, elle a décidé de militer pour la communauté noire et de s'installer au Canada. Des...

Auteure canadienne.

25

Our skin : a first conversation about race
Madison, Megan
Paper Book
Based on the research that race, gender, consent, and body positivity should be discussed with toddlers on up, this read-aloud board book series offers adults the opportunity to begin important conversations with young children in an informed, safe, and supported way. Developed...
Also available in eBook format.

26

Enfants du Monde :  le Racisme et L'intolérance
Spilsbury, Louise
Paper Book
See below for English description. Ce livre explique les concepts de racisme, de préjugés et d'intolérance tout en encourageant des discussions sur le respect et la sécurité. Explains the concepts of racism, prejudice, and intolerance while promoting discussions about respect...

27

Me and white supremacy : young readers' edition
Saad, Layla F.
Paper Book
How do we give young people the tools they need to actively dismantle racism and create a better world for everyone? From the author of the groundbreaking NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, Me and White Supremacy, Layla Saad's young readers' edition is a timely, crucial, and empowering guide for today's...
Also available in eBook format.

28

Finding Junie Kim
Oh, Ellen
Paper Book
For fans of Inside Out and Back Again and Amina's Voice comes a breathtaking story of family, hope, and survival from Ellen Oh, cofounder of We Need Diverse Books. When Junie Kim is faced with middle school racism, she learns of her grandparents' extraordinary...
Also available in eBook format.

29

The tryout
Soontornvat, Christina
Paper Book
STAND TALL. BE LOUD. GAME FACE ON. This pitch perfect graphic memoir about courage and competition, friendship and belonging is perfect for fans of Smile, New Kid, Rollergirl, and Real Friends. "A captivating...
Also available in eBook format.

30

Weird rules to follow
Spencer, Kim
Paper Book
Winner of a 2024 PNBA Book Award Winner of the 2023 IODE Violet Downey Book Award Winner of the 2023 Jean Little First-Novel Award Winner of the 2023 Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People Winner of the 2023 TD Canadian Children's Literature...

Also available in eBook format.

Canadian author.

31

Fast pitch
Stone, Nic
Paper Book
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone comes a challenging and heartwarming coming-of-age story about a softball player looking to prove herself on and off the field. Shenice Lockwood, captain of the Fulton Firebirds, is hyper-focused when she steps up to the...

32

Stealing home
Torres, J.
Paper Book
Sandy Saito is a happy boy who reads comic books and is obsessed with baseball - especially the Asahi team, the pride of his Japanese Canadian community. But when the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, his life, like that of every other North American of Japanese descent, changes forever. In this...
Canadian author.

33

The black kids
Hammonds Reed, Christina
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller A William C. Morris Award Finalist "Should be required reading in every classroom." --Nic Stone, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin "A true love letter to Los Angeles." --Brandy Colbert, award...

Also available in eBook format.

34

Not talking about you
HeronJones, Kevin
Paper Book
Khalil, a young Black boy, starts at a new school and is excited to join the basketball team--until he begins to experience and witnesses subtle and not-so-subtle forms of racism among his new teammates. Khalil struggles with how to react and stand up for himself and others against his new...
Canadian author.

35

Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman
Lee, Kristen R.
Paper Book
A striking debut novel about a college freshman grappling with the challenges of attending an elite university with a disturbing racist history, which may not be as distant as it seems. "A searing debut." -Entertainment Weekly Savannah Howard thought...

36

This place is still beautiful
Tian, Xixi
Paper Book
With five starred reviews, this is an acclaimed novel about sisterhood, family, and the pernicious legacy of racism. Perfect for fans of Tahereh Mafi, Jandy Nelson, and Emily X.R. Pan, with crossover appeal for readers of Brit Bennett's The Vanishing Half. The Flanagan sisters are as...
Also available in eBook format.

37

Rise up! : how you can join the fight against white supremacy
Fleming, Crystal Marie
Paper Book
This urgent book explores the roots of racism and its legacy in modern day, all while empowering young people with actionable ways they can help foster a better world and become antiracists. Why are white supremacists still openly marching in the United States? Why are...

38

You are more than magic : the black and brown girls' guide to finding your voice
Harts, Minda
Paper Book
"Every parent of a Black or brown girl should buy this book, read it to their child, and pass it along to the other parents in their circle."-Evette Dionne, National Book Award longlisted and Coretta Scott King honor-winning author of Lifting as We Climb Perfect for graduation...

39

How to be a (young) antiracist
Kendi, Ibram X.
Paper Book
The #1 New York Times bestseller that sparked international dialogue is now a book for young adults! Based on the adult bestseller by Ibram X. Kendi, and co-authored by bestselling author Nic Stone, How to be a (Young) Antiracist will serve as a guide for teens seeking a way forward...

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