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Original poster

Pre-school books with ethnic minority characters

58 replies

HappyLondonWoman · 06/09/2022 17:18

I'm looking for books with non-white or a mixture of ethnic backgrounds for preschool age children. But not books about diversity per se. (We have several books which are about celebrating diversity) Just regular stories. To add to our early years library at school.
Books about routine life but where the characters aren't all white.
Any suggestions?
We have "So Much" and "Lima's Red hot chilli"
TIA

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Snowwhiteandthesevendwarfs · 20/10/2022 22:45

A lot of the biff, chip and kippers are good for this and come in the different stages of reading so some with very few words and mostly pictures and others you can read to children showing the pictures.

Tanith · 20/10/2022 22:29

Please, Baby, Please by Tonya Lewis Lee
Oliver's Vegetables by Vivian French
Growing Good by Bernard Ashley

FleasAndKeef · 20/10/2022 22:26

We love "Mr Scruff" by Simon James

TempsPerdu · 20/10/2022 22:25

Anything by Dapo Adeola or Swapna Haddow - we have ‘Look Up!’ and ‘My Dad is a Grizzly Bear’/‘My Mum is a Lioness’ - all great.

We also have a lovely ballet one called ‘How to be a Real Ballerina’ by Davina Bell and Jenny Lovlie.

CaledonianSleeper · 20/10/2022 22:24

Another vote for Look Up by Nathan Bryon with fantastic illustrations by Dapo Adeola; they have another book featuring the same lovely lead character and her family, it’s called Clean Up.

Tillsforthrills · 20/10/2022 22:20

Books from the author Chinasa Uyanna

TenThousandSpoons · 20/10/2022 22:16

Ravi’s Roar

RascafríaMom · 20/10/2022 22:13

She rides like the wind (Yo, Alfonsina in Spanish) by Joan Negrescolor is a book about an Italian girl cyclist. It is one of my current favorites but mostly because books about sportswomen for the toddler set are hard to come by. (There is also a board book about Serena Williams that is well loved mostly for it's bright colors.)

The Dinosauria books by Laura Wittner often have diverse children in the background.

Some of the cocomelon books feature JJ's classmates a bit more.

AndAllOurYesterdays · 11/10/2022 21:58

A Dress With Pockets. The main characters just happen to be black but the story is about how great it is to have a dress with pockets!

User478 · 11/10/2022 21:48

The "Luna loves" series is fab.

(Although I think she's school age...)

LeavesOnTrees · 11/10/2022 21:37

On the way home Jill Murphy

NannyR · 11/10/2022 21:31

Twizbe · 04/10/2022 11:38

The Girls - not about daily life but a beautiful book about girls growing into women. I cry reading it every time.

If I had a sleepy sloth is a fun book too.

I posted a similar request a whole ago and someone recommended The Girls - it's such a lovely book.

DisforDarkChocolate · 11/10/2022 21:29

Look Up by Nathan Bryson?

DisforDarkChocolate · 11/10/2022 21:27

Came on to suggest So Much and you already have it. I love this book, its such a lovely representation of family.

SquashesPumpkinsAutumnBliss · 11/10/2022 21:24

Benji Davies’ series - The storm whale, The storm whale in winter,

ArtemisFlop · 04/10/2022 21:51

There's picture books about a little girl called Lulu who is black, 'Lulu goes to the library', 'Lulu gets a cat' etc. Very sweet tales of pre-school life.

EspressoPatronum · 04/10/2022 12:18

Izzy gizmo
my brother JJ
We are family
bippity bop barbershop
All are welcome
Look up / Clean up
potty superstar
abc what can she/he be
the storm whale

PinkHeadphones · 04/10/2022 11:41

This lady maintains a spreadsheet of diverse books, it is a pinned Tweet at teh top of her account: twitter.com/kwia35

Twizbe · 04/10/2022 11:38

The Girls - not about daily life but a beautiful book about girls growing into women. I cry reading it every time.

If I had a sleepy sloth is a fun book too.

repeatplease · 04/10/2022 11:32

sorry - didnt mean to post twice!

repeatplease · 04/10/2022 11:31

Its old but Mary Hoffmans The Colour of home
Mother Goose comes to Cable Street - illustrations could nt be more multi ethnic!
Have you met Rocket - super girl in books by Nathan Bryon - one is Look up Another is Clean up!

SusiePevensie · 04/10/2022 10:07

The Ahlberg's 'Starting School' is majority white, but has at least two non white families .

repeatplease · 04/10/2022 09:58

Guardian book reviews are always useful on this.
Old - but Mary Hoffman's The Colour of Home
Mother Goose comes to Cable Street
Have you met Rocket?! Shes great - see Nathaniel Bryons Look Up! and also Clean up!
Ask your public library!

Connie2468 · 09/09/2022 21:10

WhoopDeeedoo · 06/09/2022 17:22

The 'Grace' series.

I'd say those are aimed at older children/KS1