We shall walk together on this path of life, for all things are part of the universe and are connected with each other to form one whole unity. ~ Maria Montessori

Cheney Hagerup joined our faculty this past fall as a co-teacher in our Children’s House Yellow Room, and with her she brought enthusiasm and know-how. One of her many passions is creating a classroom that, through its microcosmic culture, strives to be inclusive and understanding, and empathetic..

Recently, Cheney shared with us this comprehensive anti-Bias booklist curated by Debbie LeeKeenan.

Debbie LeeKeenan is a lecturer, consultant, and author, currently residing in Seattle, Washington. She was director of the Eliot-Pearson Children’s School at Tufts University in Medford, MA from 1996 to 2013. In addition to teaching in the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development at Tufts University, she has been a member of the early childhood faculty at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA and the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, and she is a former preschool, special education and elementary school teacher. She consults and lectures locally, nationally and internationally.

If you have read any of these titles or if you do going forward, please comment in the comment section after the blog. We would love to learn more about our community’s experience with these books. Thanks.

Children’s Books Supporting Anti-Bias Education Recommended by Debbie LeeKeenan

Racial Identity: 

Choi, Y. The Name Jar. Dragonfly Books, 2003.

Cisneros, S. Hairs-Pelitos. Alfred A. Knopf, 1994.

Hamanaka, S. All the Colors of the Earth. Harper Collins, 1994.

Intrater. R. Two Eyes, A Nose and A Mouth. Scholastic. 2000.

Katz, Karen. The Colors of Us. Henry Holt and Company, LLC, 1999.

Mandelbaum, Pili. You Be Me, I’ll Be You. Kane/Miller Book Publishers, 1990.

Pickney, S.Shades of Black.Cartwheel Books,2006.

Holidays and History:  

Bunting, E., How many days to America?  A Thanksgiving Story. Clarion Books, 1988.

Chinn, K. Sam and the Lucky Money . Lee and Low books, 1995.

Giovanni, N.  Collier, B. Rosa. Henry, Holt Co., 2005.

Hopkinson, D., Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. Alfred Kopf, 1995.

Peppas,L.  Happy New Year: Celebrations in My World, Crabtree Co., 2010.

Piernas-Davenport, Gail. Shanté Keys and the New Year’s Peas. Albert Whitman Co., 2007.  

Reynolds, A.   Cooper, F.   Back of the Bus. Philomel, 2007.

Rylant, C. The Stars Will Still Shine. Harper Collins, 2005.

Tonatiuh, D. Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and her Family’s Fight for Desegregation. Abrahams Books for Young Readers, 2014.

Whitfield Browne, The Animals of the Zodiac. Crocodile Books, 1998.

Whitman, S.Under the Ramadan Moon.Albert Whitman Company, 2008. Yolen, J., Encounter, Voyager books, 1992.

Cultural and Language:

Ajmera, M. To Be a Kid. Charlesbridge Publishing, 1999. 

Baker, J. Mirror. Candlewick Press, 2010.

Brown, M. Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match, Children’s Book Press, 2011.

Dooley, N., Everybody Cooks Rice . Carolrhoda Books; 1992.

Fox, Mem, Whoever We Are.  HMH Books for young readers, 2006.

Griego,M., Bucks,B., Gilbert, S., Kimball, L. Tortillitas Para Mama. Henry Holt Co, 1981.

Khan, H. Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors. First Chronicle Books, 2012.

Khan, R. Big Red Lollipop. Penguin Group, 2010.

Kostecki-Shaw, J. Same Same but Different, Henry Holt Co, 2011.

Martins, I. Carvalho, B. The World In A Second. Enchanted Lion Books, 2015.

Morris, Ann. Around the World Series - Houses and Homes, Bread, Tools, Families, Hats, etc.

Naimhbint, R. The Swirling Hijaab. Mantra Lingua Publishing, 2002.

Paek, Min. Aekyung’s Dream. Children’s Book Press, 1988.

Rotner, S. Kelly, S. Many Ways: How families practice their beliefs and religions. Millbrook Press, 2006.

Xiong, Blia Spagnoli, Cathy.Nine-In-One Grr! Grr!Children’s Book Press, 1989.

Family Structures: 

Coffelt, N. Fred Stays With Me! Little Borwn Co., 2007.

Hoffman, M. The Great Big Book of Families, Dial Books, 2011.

Lesléa N. Heather Has Two Mommies. Candlewick Press, 2015.

Masuret, C. Two Homes. Candlewick Press, 2001.

Parr, T. The Family Book. Little Brown Books, 2010.

Richardson, J. And Tango Makes Three. Simon   Schuster, 2005  

Gender Identity:

Baldacchino, C. Morris Miclewhite and the Tangerine Dress. Groundwood Books, 2014.

deHaan, L.   Nijland, J. King and King, Trycle Press, 2003.

Hall, Michael. Red, A Crayon’s Story. Greenwillow Books, 2015.

Herthel, J   Jennings, J. I Am Jazz. Penguin Group, 2014.

Jones, B. Dance. Hyperion Books, 1998.

Zolotow, Z. William’s Doll. Harper Row, 1972. 

Economic Class: 

Anderson, Constance. Smelling Sunshine. Star Bright Books, 2013.

Boelts, Maribeth. Those Shoes. Candlewick Press, 2007.

de la Pena, Matt. Last Stop On Market Street. Penguin Group, 2015.

Ellis, Carson. Home. Candlewick Press, 2015.

Graham, Bob. A Bus Called Heaven. Blackbird Pty. Ltd., 2011.

Williams, V. A Chair for my Mother, Greenwillow Books, 2007. 

Different Abilities:

Castenanda, O., Abuela’s Weave, Lee and Low, 2013.

Cottin, M. The Black Book of Colors. Groundwood Books, 2006.

Cowen-Fletcher, J. Mama Zooms. Scholastic, 1995.

Huber, M. Amazing Eric. Redleaf Lane, 2014.

Rabe, B. Where’s Chimpy? Albert Whitman, 1988.

Wright, L. We Can Do It.  Starbright books, 2005.

Cross-Cultural Folktales:

Diakite, B. The Hatseller and the Monkeys. Scholastic, 1999. (Caps for Sale)

Climo, S. The Persian Cinderella. Harper Collins, 1999.

Minters, F. Cinder-elly. Viking, 1994.

Pollock. P. The Turkey Girl. Little Brown, 1996. (Zuni Cinderella)

Artel, M, Petite Rouge, A Cajun Red Riding Hood. Dial Books, 2001.

Young, E. Lon Po Po, A Red Riding Hood Story from China. Philomel Bks.1989.

Dewan, T. Crispin and the Three Pigs. Doubleday. 2002.  

Lowell, S. The Three Little Javelinas. Scholastic, 1992.  

Recommended Resource for Children’s Book Recommendations:

Teaching for Change website http://www.tfcbooks.org/bestYrecommended/earlychildhood Children’s Book Press/ Lee and Low website https://www.leeandlow.com/imprints/4
Teaching Tolerance Literacy Based AntiYBias Curriculum http://perspectives.tolerance.org/