Diverse Reads

Recommendations that celebrate our differences and similarities!

Looking for Your Next Great Read?


Recommended Lists
Japan, Japanese Culture & #OwnVoices
School Library Journal’s
Chapter Book Series Comprehensive List 

Add Some Diversity
Center for the Study of Multicultural Literature  Best Books of 2021

Imagination Soup
Grades 1 – 2 list

 Grade 3 list

Imagination Soup
Grade 4 list

Grade 5 list


Imagination Soup
Grades 4-up list

Books by Topic (all grades)

Japan, Japanese Culture and #ownvoices

Books for Kids about Japan and Japanese Culture

81 Best Kid’s Books about Japan

11 Adorable Japanese Children’s Books

10 Books about Japan that Expat Parents Should Read to Their Kids

Learning About Japan for Kids: Picture Books

Japanese History for Kids

New Trends in Transnational Japanese Books

Haiku Poetry Books for Kids

25+ Beautiful Picture Books for Asian Pacific American Heritage

Chapter Books Set in Asia

60 children’s books with Asian and Pacific Islander Representation

Asian and Asian-American Children’s Books by #OwnVoices Authors

Best #OwnVoices Japanese American Books for Kids & Teens

Award-Winning Titles

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature

Current and previous years

South Asia Book Award

2021 Award Winners

Previous Winners

Freeman Book Award

East and Southeast Asian Titles

Children’s Book World

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature

Books for Asian and Asian Pacific Heritage

Books for Kids about Japan and Japanese Culture

81 Best Kid’s Books about Japan

11 Adorable Japanese Children’s Books

10 Books about Japan that Expat Parents Should Read to Their Kids

Learning About Japan for Kids: Picture Books

Japanese History for Kids

New Trends in Transnational Japanese Books

Haiku Poetry Books for Kids

25+ Beautiful Picture Books for Asian Pacific American Heritage

Chapter Books Set in Asia

60 children’s books with Asian and Pacific Islander Representation

Asian and Asian-American Children’s Books by #OwnVoices Authors

Best #OwnVoices Japanese American Books for Kids & Teens

Notable Books for a Global Society

2022 Winners

Past and Present Winners

Skipping Stones

34 Titles to cultivate cultural understanding and cooperation

Charlotte Huck Award

Fiction that has the potential to transform children’s lives

Jane Addam’s Book Award for Peace & Social Justice

2022 Winners

RESOURCES – Diverse Collections

  1. Critically Analyzing Books for Representation
  2. Classroom Library Questionnaire: How culturally responsive and diverse is your classroom library? 
  3. 10 Quick Ways to Analyze Books for Racism & Sexism
  4. A Tool for Selecting Diverse Texts
  5. Selecting Anti-Bias in Children’s Books
  6. Social Justice Books – A Teaching for Change Project
  7. We Are Kid Collective Lit – book lists
  8. Follett/Titlewave – Classroom Diversity Booklists
  9. Embracing Gender Identities

Available in the ASIJ ES Library

  1. Diverse Characters – Picture Books 
  2. Diverse Characters – Series Chapter Books
  3. Diverse Characters – Longer Chapter Books
  4. Diverse Characters – Available on the SORA app

“To counter bias, research from Harvard University recommends acknowledging and naming race and racism with children as early and as often as possible. Children’s books are one of the most effective and practical tools for initiating these critical conversations; and they can also be used to model what it means to resist and dismantle oppression.​” embracerace.org

Anti-Bias Resources for Children

  1. Constructing Conversations through Literacy
  2. Start a Conversation about Race – EPIC book list
  3. 4 Books You Can Download to Start the Conversation  – Dottir Press
  4. Unity Books – available on Vooks
  5. Books with Characters of Color – Common Sense Media 

Anti-Bias Resources for Parents

  1. Talking to Children About Racial Bias
  2. Books and Resources to Help You Raise Anti-Racist Children
  3. Children Are Not Colorblind:  How Young Children Learn Race
  4. Why It’s Important to Talk to Your Child About Racism and Hate
  5. How to Diversify Your Child’s Bookshelves
  6. Your Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Race: Resource Roundup

There are 3 strategies that parents can use to help children deal with racial bias:

  1. Talk to your children and acknowledge that racial differences and bias exist.
  2. Confront your own bias and model how you want your children to respond to others who may be different than them.
  3. Encourage your children to challenge racial stereotypes and racial bias by being kind and compassionate when interacting with people of all racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. 

Anti-Bias Resources for Teachers

  1. Race Talk:  Engaging Young People in Conversations about Race and Racism
  2. 15 Classroom Resources for Discussing Racism, Policing and Protest
  3. How Should I talk about Race in My Mostly White Classroom?
  4. Teaching Young Children about Race in My Mostly White Classroom?
  5. Teaching Tolerance
  6. Social Justice Resources
  7. Racism and Violence: How to Help Kids Handle the News
  8. Learning for Justice

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