Kids for Racial Justice Reading for Joy: Using Books to Promote Children’s Cross-Racial Understanding
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These materials were created by Renata Love Jones, Nicholl Montgomery, and Meredith Moore
Please do not share or reproduce without approval.
Welcome to Reading For Joy Resources
The following are resources that inspire and encourage us in the journey of reading for joy!
We will continue to add to this space.
-Renata Love Jones, Nicholl Montgomery, Meredith Moore
Reading for Joy for Anti-Racist Purposes
Books and media are tools for Anti-Racism and resources for cultivating anti-oppressive perspectives.
We want to be careful of the images that we build of communities.
We are not interested in creating saviors but instead desire humans who are universally committed to justice… partners, village, and community that appreciate and fight for the end of supremacy, inequity, and oppression.
We offer these resources in support you in choosing and engaging media for understanding communities with respect, joy, genius, and complexity.
Different Texts Types
Film/TV
Picture Book
Graphic Novel
Audio Book
Podcast
Article
Chapter Book / Novel
Age and Child Maturity
Delivery & Format
Opportunity for Engagement
(joint and individual)
PICTURE BOOKS WE LOVE | CHAPTER BOOKS WE LOVE | ART WE LOVE | FILM WE LOVE |
Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love | Track Series- Jason Reynolds | ||
Amari and the Night Brothers- B.B. Alston | |||
Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match - Monica Brown | Before the Ever After- Jacqueline Woodson | ||
Layla’s Happiness by Ekere Tallie | Merci Suárez Changes Gears - Meg Medina | | |
I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes | Tristan Strong Series- Kwame Mbalia | |
Books and media can be windows, mirrors, sliding glass doors
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Rudine Bishop Sims
As illustrated by Grant Snider
Books that tell of Black pasts, present, and futures with respect, joy, genius, and complexity
�Chapter Books that tell of Black pasts, present, and futures with respect, joy, genius, and complexity
Indigenous and First Nation
Latin@ Americans
Asian American &
Pacific Islander
There are books to read with joy about any community, perspective, experience, and/or intersectional identity
Picture books
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The Day You Begin
Understanding Communities is Complex
diversity, difference, identity, and self appreciation
Cooper’s Lesson
Joy is Complex
AAPI coming of age story that explores race/biracialness, language, and identity
Julian is a Mermaid
Communities are Intersectional
LGBTQ+, Latin American Culture, and Self Love/Discovery
Chapter Books
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Indian No More
Identities are complex
Termination, relocation, identity, and self definition
Betty Before X
Joy is Complex
Family, activism, community, and identity
King and the Dragonflies
Communities are Intersectional
LGBTQ+, family, death, and Self Love/Discovery
Beginner Chapter Books We Love
Books to Explore New Orleans’ Culture and Black Experience (including Hurricane Katrina)
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Books to Explore Hair and Hair Coverings
Acknowledging Today’s Media with Picture Books
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Acknowledging Today’s Media with Chapter Books
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Resources to Find More Great Books and Other Media
Childrens Book Resources | Film Resources |
Kid Friendly News Resources | |
Support Black Owned Bookstores
Online Options
10 Black-Owned Online Bookstores to Support While at Home
27 Black-Owned Bookstores To Support Today & Always
125 Black-Owned, Independent Bookstores By State (oprahdaily.com)
Boston Local, Black Bookstore
Frugal Bookstore
57 Warren St.
Roxbury, MA 02119
(617) 541-1722
#DisruptTexts’s mission is to aid and develop teachers committed to anti-racist/anti-bias teaching pedagogy and practices. We believe that the perspectives represented here are valuable for parents interested in pushing conversations, especially with upper elementary and secondary children.
Resources for Adults to grow in their own critical anti-racist journey
Black Girl Nerds - Highlights upcoming film and media, especially those that center characters of color
Abolitionist Teaching Network and Dr. Bettina Love- Education and Abolitionist Advocacy. Check out Dr. Love’s “We want to Do more than Survive”
The following social media personalities offer in depth critiques on current topics. They are very intentionally political and anti-racist, anti-oppresive Anti-Ablist, ProLGBTQ+, ProBlackLivesMatter
Love Life of an Asian Guy - Political, Racial Conscious Posts
Son of Baldwin - Political, Racial Conscious Posting
Don’t forget to enjoy our curated playlist. We have included many of our favorite, joy bringing songs. We hope you and your family can explore these artists further.
**These songs are generally family friendly. We encourage you to preview the artists and songs ahead of sharing with your family.