Books are powerful! They inspire us, teach us, get our imaginations running wild and bring us on amazing adventures. But imagine entering a classroom as a young child and only seeing books with pictures of people who look nothing like them. Here at the EEC, our goal is to ensure everyone feels represented and included. One of the ways we do this is by making sure that people of all ages, races, abilities, sexual orientation, and gender are represented. Books are some of the easiest ways to help children be exposed to these things in a natural and fun way. Children love looking at beautifully illustrated books and we have really been ramping up our book collection with some wonderful new books. I would like to highlight one of our new recent favorites for you.

It is called It's OK to be Different, written by Sharon Purtill and illustrated by Sujata Saha. This book is filled with the most beautiful illustrations, and I think the dedication sums up the book perfectly: “This book is dedicated to every young child who is bold enough to be themselves and appreciate the wonderful diversity around them.” It is a simple book with a big meaning, it is ok to be different because you were made to be you! Everyone has different likes, different needs, different abilities, different skin, and body types, but that what makes us so great. Afterall, if we were all the same, what a boring world that would be. I recommend buying this book for your household or as gifts for any young children!

I have mentioned this before, but I get most of my book recommendations from an Instagram account called @hereweread. The books she posts are amazing and for all ages as well. Here are a few of my favorite that I have picked up and shared with the children here at the EEC. Not all of these are strictly about diversity, however the illustrations and pictures represent the world around us.

I Dream of Popo

ABC Rise Up and BE!

Our Skin

Whoever You Are

Be a Maker

Dreaming UP

Outside, Inside

F is for Feelings

I Can Do Hard Things

Thanks for taking the time to read this! If you have any other book suggestions for the classrooms, please let us know!