#BooksonInclusivity

Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions.  She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.

The world has significantly evolved in how we perceive and embrace diversity. Thankfully, there is a growing awareness today, especially among young minds, about the importance of accepting and celebrating differences. Books have played a pivotal role in fostering this understanding, offering children meaningful insights into the beauty of diversity.

There were times when children with special needs were often overlooked. This was due to a lack of awareness to identify and support such differences. For instance, a child who struggled to focus for more than a few seconds was often labelled inattentive, without any attempt to understand if this behaviour stemmed from an underlying issue. Such children were frequently left with little empathy from friends or caregivers, and were often branded as 'troublemakers' or 'riots.'

Among the many children’s books available today, Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt is a must-read for both children and caregivers. This book highlights the struggles of children with dyslexia and other learning difficulties, fostering empathy and understanding.

Similarly, bullying was another behaviour that was often overlooked in the past due to limited awareness. Children who were bullied were frequently asked to 'ignore it' or 'toughen up', while the root causes of such behaviour went unaddressed. Without timely guidance or intervention, many victims suffered in silence, and bullies missed opportunities to learn empathy and respect. A powerful book addressing bullying is Wonder by R.J. Palacio. It teaches children the importance of kindness and helps them appreciate differences rather than fear them.

Children who exclude others often lack an understanding of how to respect diversity. One of the safest and most effective ways to address this is by introducing literature that promote inclusivity, thereby helping children develop empathy for those who might seem different. Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love is a beautiful story that addresses gender expression and encourages acceptance, making it an invaluable resource for teaching inclusivity, particularly on LGBTQ themes.

As parents and educators, our responsibility doesn’t end with merely introducing these books to children. It must extend to encouraging meaningful conversations at home and in classrooms, with the goal of translating the lessons from these stories into real-life actions. Inclusive stories are not just words on a page, they are blueprints for building a more compassionate and accepting world.

Explore more books on inclusivity for children here.

Do you want to raise a child who's kind to themselves and kind to others?

This book will help children:

• Love and accept themselves just the way they are
• Appreciate and celebrate other people's differences
• Build their self-confidence and self-esteem
• Nurture their tolerance, empathy and kindness

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets. Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house.

Every day, while her parents clean the rooms, Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.

Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.

Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language? It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?

Hà has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope—toward America.  This moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing received four starred reviews, including one from Kirkus which proclaimed it "enlightening, poignant, and unexpectedly funny."  An author's note explains how and why Thanhha Lai translated her personal experiences into Hà's story. This updated digital edition also includes an interview with the author, an activity you can do with your family, tips on writing poetry, and discussion questions.

Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least win her first battle. As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill. But it’s hard to get your come up when you’re labeled a hoodlum at school, and your fridge at home is empty after your mom loses her job. So Bri pours her anger and frustration into her first song, which goes viral . . . for all the wrong reasons.

Bri soon finds herself at the center of a controversy, portrayed by the media as more menace than MC. But with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri doesn’t just want to make it—shehas to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be.

Insightful, unflinching, and full of heart, On the Come Up is an ode to hip hop from one of the most influential literary voices of a generation. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; and about how, especially for young black people, freedom of speech isn’t always free.

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

Bestselling and award winning author Sherman Alexie tells the hearbreaking yet funny story about a boy living on the Spokane Indian Reservation who wants to break free of the life he was destined to live.

Junior is a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, based on the author's own experiences and coupled with poignant drawings by Ellen Forney that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.

In this groundbreaking tour de force, Caldecott Medalist and bookmaking pioneer Brian Selznick sails into uncharted territory and takes readers on an awe-inspiring journey. Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother's room and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing.Set fifty years apart, these two independent stories--Ben's told in words, Rose's in pictures--weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder. Rich, complex, affecting, and beautiful--with over 460 pages of original artwork--Wonderstruckis a stunning achievement from a gifted artist and visionary.

In this prequel to the bestselling phenomenon They Both Die at the End, two new strangers spend a life-changing day together after Death-Cast first makes their fateful calls. #1 New York Times bestseller!

It’s the night before Death-Cast goes live, and there’s one question on everyone’s mind: Can Death-Cast actually predict when someone will die, or is it just an elaborate hoax?

Orion Pagan has waited years for someone to tell him that he’s going to die. He has a serious heart condition, and he signed up for Death-Cast so he could know what’s coming.

Valentino Prince is restarting his life in New York. He has a long and promising future ahead and he only registered for Death-Cast after his twin sister nearly died in a car accident.......