Picture books play an important role in the socialization of children. The images children see, and the narratives they tell play a huge role in developing their beliefs about themselves and others.
We know that positive representation can increase self-esteem and combat negative stereotypes. Black children should be able to see themselves through the protagonists of amazing stories. And all children should see diverse characters in fun and engaging stories!
Woke Babies is driven to provide diverse books to nurture a new generation who are confident about themselves, empathetic and understanding of others. Here are some titles we’d like to highlight.
You can’t be what you can’t see, so show them that they can be anything they aspire to! Whether it’s an Educator, Athlete or Superstar, nothing is impossible. Busy Day Athlete, I Want To Be A Teacher, and Josephine Baker, are board books which are small enough to pop in your bag so you can bring these positive images everywhere with you. These board books are perfect for children aged 0-3.
As children get older and start to question their identity, positive representations of culture, race and community are important. We recommend the following books for ages 4-7.
Colour and Me is a beautiful look at race through the metaphor of mixing colours. You can read more about what the Author, Michaela Dias-Hayes has to say in this previous blog post.
Written by proud, Muslim athlete Ibtihaj Muhammad, The Proudest Blue, is a heart-warming story about faith, and one girls empowering choice to wear the hijab.
Thank You Omu, is a wonderful example of how sharing culture can bring a community together.
Whether it's getting your smallest used to seeing characters that look like them, or building a sense of pride in older children we're sure we've got a book to help! Subscribe now for a monthly delivery of positive representation.
