Ten Children's Books That Celebrate African-American Diversity

If you grow up as an insider, it's hard to see the world from the point of view of an outsider. Books do that for us.

I read a book about a person from a culture outside my own and---whammy!---I am thrust into the shoes of that world, I am in the body of that world, I am in the head of that world. I can't climb into those shoes, that body, that head without feeling the pain of that world, the cruelties of exclusion, the longing to join the larger culture, along with the joys of being part of a rich culture....it's a mixed ride. It's a ride that changes me.

Here are ten children's books that allow me into the African-American experience for a little while.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Bud, Not Buddy

The Watsons Go to Birmingham

Amazing Grace

Uncle Jed's Barber Shop

Tar Beach

The Other Side

Goin' Someplace Special

White Water

More Than Anything Else

Those Shoes

Something Beautiful

The Coretta Scott King Book Award celebrates African-American authors and illustrators of books for children and young people. This is a great place to start if you are looking for good children's books by African-Americans.

Update: Here's a link to an 11-year-old girl who is attempting to collect 1000 books featuring a main character who is an African-American girl.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

The Multicultural Children's Book Day team’s mission is to spread the word and raise awareness about the importance of diversity in children’s literature. Our young readers need to see themselves within the pages of a book and experience other cultures, languages, traditions and religions within the pages of a book. We encourage readers, parents, teachers, caregivers and librarians to follow along the fun book reviews, author visits, event details, a multicultural children’s book linky and via our hashtag (#ReadYourWorld) on Twitter and other social media.