Use Children’s Literature to Teach about Racism & Social Justice

By Sara Croymans, MEd, Extension Educator, University of Minnesota Extension and PI for OneOp Family Transitions

Recently, a friend shared that her 3-year-old daughter and another child called a young Black child in preschool a racial slur. This mother and her partner were mortified by their child’s actions, and couldn’t understand where these words came from. My friend addressed the problem with the childcare center and the Black child’s family. There were deep apologies and a commitment to work with their daughter on understanding the impact of her actions.

This brief scenario doesn’t represent the full impact of these harmful words on the young Black child and his family. The young boy’s family experienced secondhand racist remarks of another child and had to have their own conversations and teaching moments with their son.

Racism, inclusion, and the need for social justice reform are pervasive problems for families, institutions, communities, and the nation.

In recognition of this societal problem, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in April 2021 declared racism a serious public health threat (CDC, 2021). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) went further by condemning all forms of racism due to its negative impacts on children. The AAP goes on to state that “vicarious” or secondhand racism, which is witnessed through social media, conversations with others, or media images, can harm children’s health (Heard-Garris & Douge, 2020).

What can military family service providers do to address the issue of racism with the youth in our programs? A good starting place is books written for children and youth of all ages on the topic. The AAP published an article for parents and providers, Using Books to Talk With Children About Race and Racism (Douge & Jindal, 2021). Books help children and youth to form and reflect on their own identity. They also help shape children’s attitudes and behaviors toward people who are different from them.

The Academy provides this great list of strategies for parents and caregivers as they select diverse and inclusive books for children:

- - Find books with characters who share the child’s race, ethnicity, and their family’s cultural and religious beliefs, as well as characters who do not.
  - Select books that have a main character who is a person of color or books that provide a voice to those who rarely have one.
  - Locate books that tell stories that challenge myths and stereotypes or stories that normalize daily life among all racial identities.
  - Choose books that help children develop social action skills such as helping the elderly, having environmental awareness, or volunteering at a soup kitchen.
  - Pick books that help children recognize inequities in social structure. Select books that are written or illustrated by racial/ethnic minorities.
  - Choose age-appropriate books (picture books for children age 5 and under, and chapter books for elementary-aged children).
  - Seek out books that present characters facing real-life experiences or showcase experiences relevant to the child.

The Academy also suggests avoiding books that promote stereotypes. Refrain from selecting books that focus on any of the 5 F’s: food, fashion, folklore, festivals, and famous people. These stereotypes typically overgeneralize individuals or groups of people.

Reading books to children about race and racism provides an important opportunity for talking with children about these issues. Some providers and parents may feel uncomfortable or ill-prepared for having these conversations. Check out the tips provided by the American Psychological Association Racial and Ethnic Socialization (RES) Project on how to use books to have conversations, types of questions to ask while reading the books, and a list of questions children may ask.

Book Recommendations

Check out the American Academy of Pediatrics’ great book lists:

- - The article, Using Books to Talk With Kids About Race and Racism, provides book suggestions to begin to build a diverse and inclusive bookshelf for infants, preschoolers, elementary, pre-teens, and teens.
  - The article, Recommended Reading: Books to Build Character & Teach Your Child Important Values, provides an extensive list of books for all age levels that address kindness, expressing emotions, bullying and harassment, listening to others’ views, respecting differences, and social change and civic engagement.

Review the curated book lists developed by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families:

- - Books about Racism and Social Justice
  - Books That Promote Diversity and Inclusion

Seek Additional Information

Are you looking for professional development opportunities to learn more? We invite you to access these blogs and webinars from MFLN:

- - Building Racial Literacy Among Military Caregivers and Children By Jenny Rea
  - Talking to Children About Racism by Katie Lingras
  - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Youth Programs
    - Developing Inclusive Program Structures – August 3, 2021
    - Fostering Supportive Adult-Youth Relationships – August 24, 2021
  - Using Children’s Books and Storytelling to Connect Literacy and Social-Emotional Development – November 17, 2021

In addition, check out these final resources:

- - Read the book Reclaiming Community: Race and the Uncertain Future of Youth Work by Bianca Baldridge
  - Subscribe to Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance)
  - Incorporate Penn State’s Just in Time Equity Dialogues For Youth lessons into your programming which are designed to foster honest conversations with youth about social justice issues
  - Review the curriculum, Reimagining Equity and Access for Diverse Youth, specifically Module 20: Talking about Race with Youth
  - Check out the resources available on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Professional Development Offering of the eXtension Foundation Impact Collaborative website

References:

American Psychological Association. (2019, April). Reading and RES: Parent Tip Tool – Choosing and Using Books to Discuss Race and Ethnicity. https://www.apa.org/res/parent-resources/reading?tab=3

Centers for Disease Control (CDC). (2021, April 8). Media Statement from CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MN, MPH, on Racism and Health. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s0408-racism-health.html

Common Sense Media. (No Date). Books About Racism and Social Justice. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Building-Resilience/Pages/Books-to-Build-Character-Teach-Important-Values.aspx

Common Sense Media. (No Date). Books That Promote Diversity and Inclusion. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/books-that-promote-diversity-and-inclusion

Douge, J. & Jindal, M. (February 2, 2021). Using Books to Talk with Kids About Race and Racism. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Building-Resilience/Pages/using-books-to-talk-with-kids-about-race-and-racism.aspx

Heard-Garris, N. & Douge, J. (January 1, 2020). Talking to Children about Racism: The Time is Now. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Building-Resilience/Pages/Talking-to-Children-about-Racism.aspx

Navsaria, D. (2020, December). Recommended Reading: Books to Build Character & Teach Your Child Important Values. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Building-Resilience/Pages/Books-to-Build-Character-Teach-Important-Values.aspx