Building an Empathetic World: 5 Ways to Diversify Your Child’s Bookshelf

As parents, we want to give our children the best possible start in life. We provide our children with books that reflect the world around them and the diversity of people and experiences that make it so rich. Here are five ways you can diversify your child’s bookshelf:

1. Look for books that feature characters from different cultural backgrounds. For instance, books that are set in different countries or that feature characters from different ethnicities, religions, and linguistic backgrounds.
2. Seek out books that feature characters with disabilities. This can include characters with physical disabilities, sensory impairments, or mental health conditions.
3. Seek out books that feature characters from the LGBTQ+ community, including those that explore issues of gender identity and sexual orientation.
4. Read books that explore different family structures. For instance, books that feature single-parent families, blended families, or families with adopted children.
5. Look for books that feature characters with different abilities. Books about children with autism or hearing loss, or books that explore the experiences of children with learning differences.

Check out our previous blogs for specific book recommendations that fit these guidelines. In addition to diversifying your child’s bookshelf, you can create a personalized. Moreover, inclusive book experience for your child with Cosmic Unicorn’s “Your Child’s Big Adventure.” This Create Your Own Adventure-style book allows you to customize your child’s character and choose from 10 different stories that your family will love. You can upload a photo of your child and even write a personalized love note. The book includes options such as adventures under the sea with Mermaids, up in the air with Dragons, riding a Unicorn on the way to a royal castle, making tough decisions, and peacefully going to sleep. PDF digital version is available now, and printed book option will be coming soon. Given these points, head over to https://cosmicunicorns.com to customize your child’s book today.

Building an empathetic world starts with diversifying our children’s bookshelves. By intentionally seeking out and supporting diverse books and authors, we can help children to develop empathy, understanding, and appreciation for different perspectives and experiences. To get started, check out resources like the Diverse BookFinder (https://diversebookfinder.org/) and the Reading While White blog (http://readingwhilewhite.blogspot.com/), which provide recommendations and resources for finding diverse books and challenging white privilege in children’s literature. By incorporating diverse books into our children’s lives, we can help create a more inclusive and equitable world for all.