Book List: 10 Picture Books That Are Not About Oppression

Diverse Picture Books Not About Oppression

In looking for books with protagonists of color, most readers find that the books they see about protagonists of color surround their marginalization (in fact, this recent New York Times piece on the topic went viral). Though it is vastly important for children to understand the history and complexity of oppression, racism, and discrimination, children, especially children of color, also deserve to see themselves thrive, to experience the joy of being a part of a loving community, and to not be stuck in a cycle of oppressive narratives that can shape how others view them. Below we’ve compiled a list of diverse books that reflect the daily lives of children and feature kids just being kids!

Black All Around

Black All Around
by Patrica Hubbell, illus. by Don Tate

Join a young girl as she discovers all the wonderful things around her that are black.

Find the Teacher’s Guide here.
Purchase the book here.

The Hula-Hoopin' Queen

The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen
by Thelma Godin, illus. by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

A spunky African American girl has a hula-hooping competition with her friends in Harlem, and soon everyone in the neighborhood—young and old alike—joins in on the fun.

Find the Teacher’s Guide here.
Purchase the book here.

Marisol McDonald collection

The Marisol McDonald series
by Monica Brown, illus. by Sara Palacios

Meet Marisol McDonald, a free-spirited Peruvian-Scottish-American girl headed straight into the hearts of young readers everywhere. Fans of the award-winning Marisol McDonald series will be encouraged to embrace their own uniqueness like Marisol who takes pride in her individuality.

Purchase the collection here.

Family Poems for Every Day of the Week

Family Poems for Every Day of the Week/Poemas familiares para cada día de la semana
by Francisco Alarcón, illus. by Maya Christina Gonzalez

Partly based on the real life experiences of Alarcón’s own family, this festive, celebratory collection of poems highlights the daily life of children while also honoring the experiences of the poet’s Latino family in the United States.

Find the Teacher’s Guide here.
Purchase the book here.

Juna's Jar

Juna’s Jar
by Jane Bahk, illus. by Felicia Hoshino

Juna and her best friend, Hector, love to go on adventures in the park, collecting things to put in Juna’s empty kimchi jars. But then one day Hector unexpectedly moves away. With the help of her special jar, Juna searches for her friend the world over. What Juna finds is that adventure—and new friends—can be found in the most unexpected places.

Find the Teacher’s Guide here.
Purchase the book here.

The Blue Roses

The Blue Roses
by Linda Boyden, illus. by Amy Córdova

With gentle words and magical images, this contemporary Native American story tenderly embraces the natural cycle of life.

Purchase the book here.

King for a Day

King for a Day
by Rukhsana Khan, illus. by Christiane Krömer

This lively, contemporary story introduces readers to a centuries-old festival and the traditional sport of kite fighting, and to a spirited, determined young boy who masters the sport while finding his own way to face and overcome life’s challenges.

Find the Teacher’s Guide here.
Purchase the book here.

Rainbow Stew

Rainbow Stew
written and illustrated by Cathryn Falwell

It’s a rainy summer day, but the vegetables in Grandpa’s garden are just waiting to be picked. Yellow peppers, purple cabbage, red tomatoes, green zucchini, orange carrots, and more. So many colors! So many delicious ingredients to slice, chop, peel, and dice for a great big pot of mouthwatering Rainbow Stew.

Find the Teacher’s Guide here.
Purchase the book here.

Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji

Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji
by F. Zia, illus. by Ken Min

Aneel’s grandparents have come to stay, all the way from India. Aneel loves the sweet smell of his grandmother’s incense, and his grandfather, Dada-ji, tells the world’s best stories. When he was a boy, adventurous, energetic Dada-ji had the power of a tiger. And what gave him his power? Fluffy-puffy hot, hot roti, with a bit of tongue-burning mango pickle. Does Dada-ji still have the power? Aneel wants to find out—but first he has to figure out how to whip up a batch of hot, hot roti.

Find the Teacher’s Guide here.
Purchase a copy here.

A Morning with Grandpa

A Morning with Grandpa
by Sylvia Liu, illus. by Christina Forshay

Mei Mei’s grandpa is practicing tai chi in the garden, and Mei Mei is eager to join in. As Gong Gong tries to teach her the slow, graceful movements, Mei Mei enthusiastically does them with her own flair. Then Mei Mei takes a turn, trying to teach Gong Gong the yoga she learned in school. Will Gong Gong be able to master the stretchy, bendy poses?

Find the Teacher’s Guide here.
Purchase a copy here.

Can you think of other titles to add to the list? Share your recommendations in the comments!

13 thoughts on “Book List: 10 Picture Books That Are Not About Oppression”

  1. Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall. Adults will recognize the scene—a swimming pool—as one of past oppression for people of color. In this book, though, the focus is all on Jabari and his internal struggle with the goal he’s set for himself: jumping off the diving board. As a bonus, it features a dad confidently and competently caring for and encouraging his children. And the illustrations are just fantastic.

    1. I agree! This is a fabulous book which I recently purchased for a friend’s son. I plan on using it in my classroom this year.

  2. Tiger In My Soup by Kashmira Sheth
    Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn
    Jazz Baby by Lisa Wheeler
    Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina
    Say Hello by Rachel Isadora

  3. This blog (and the NYTs) make a wonderful point. One we have long embraced. May we suggest THE CLOUD ARTIST, a picture book by Sherri Maret and illustrated by Merisha Sequoia Clark, both are Oklahoma Choctaws. Told in English and Choctaw, the tale is about a little Choctaw girl born with the gift of painting with the clouds — and how she makes a hard decision about how she wants to use her art. A rare book in which we see a child age to a great-grandmother, becoming a tribal treasure along the way.
    Also, THE APPLE TREE by Sandy Tharp-Thee. Told in English and Cherokee, it is about a little boy who plants a seed already seeing the tree it will someday be. When the tree isn’t so sure, the boy finds a way to help his friend give the seasons time to work their magic.

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