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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

OP posts:
Connie2468 · 09/09/2022 21:08

Eat Up Gemma
So Much
15 Things Not To Do With A Baby
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes

CatSpeakForDummies · 09/09/2022 21:01

Never bite a tiger on the nose

drspouse · 09/09/2022 21:00

Whose Toes Are Those and Whose Knees Are These.
Babies Everywhere.

nurserypolitics · 09/09/2022 20:57

I also love Octopus Shoktopus, and the Dinosaur Department Store: both have incidental mixed race parents and are objectively good books.

CryCeratops · 09/09/2022 20:55

Look Up by Nathan Bryon

Starting School by Janet and Allan Ahlberg has children from a mixture of ethnic backgrounds

Original poster
HappyLondonWoman · 09/09/2022 18:48

Thanks again for all your help. It's all been really useful Smile

OP posts:
Fluffruff · 09/09/2022 13:50

Whistle for Willie is a lovely book and quite vintage now.

Keroppi · 09/09/2022 13:34

the "Clive" books, e.g. clive and his babies
no gender or ethnic stereotypes but no wokery, just kids of diff ethnicities playing
& board books so robust against chewing lol

www.books4us.co.uk/products/all-about-clive-series-4-book-collection-set-by-jessica-spanyol

tonyhawks23 · 09/09/2022 13:24

doc mcstuffins

InstantUserNameJustAddWater · 09/09/2022 13:18

Off To Market by Elizabeth Dale is fun. If you're in the UK, Tales on Moon Lane is a bookshop in Herne Hill, South London that has a particular interest and expertise in these sorts of books - I suggest you give them a call and just have a chat!

BlueChampagne · 09/09/2022 13:14

Harry, sorry - it has been a few years!!

BlueChampagne · 09/09/2022 13:14

Henry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs

Sprogonthetyne · 06/09/2022 23:21

octopus shocktopus, not exactly every day life, but my preschooler loves it. From the pictures it appears to be a blended multi ethnicity family, though this doesn't have any bearing on the story.

Pre-school books with ethnic minority characters
WankBadger5000 · 06/09/2022 23:04

The Boy Who Loved Everyone amzn.eu/d/2bjZfdD

This is a lovely book too.

FiddleFigs · 06/09/2022 22:40

The Pink Bicycle by Gill Lobel was a firm favourite when DD was younger. It’s a sweet little story about a girl and her bike, and she’s of Indian heritage.

Leeds2 · 06/09/2022 22:31

Have a look at www.willesdenbooks.co.uk. I have placed orders with them many times, and never had a problem.

teezletangler · 06/09/2022 17:50

Shirley Hughes is good for having a lot of diverse characters, although the main characters are white. Alfie Gives a Hand and The Big Alfie and Annie Rose Storybook are particularly good.

KatieKat88 · 06/09/2022 17:42

SouthOfFrance · 06/09/2022 17:24

The Jojo and Gran Gran books

Definitely this! Love the TV show too.

NCHammer2022 · 06/09/2022 17:39

Quite a few of DD’s preschool books fit this bill, some favourites were:

I Love You Like Yellow - Andrea Beaty

My Pet Star - Corinne Averiss

Where’s Lenny - Ken Wilson-Max
Maya’s Walk - Moira Butterfield

Puddling - Emma Perry

Booktrust have a good bookfinder tool and lists of suggestions, I found this really useful when I was looking for ideas of books showing more diversity around disability.

Original poster
HappyLondonWoman · 06/09/2022 17:39

Oh wow what a lot of suggestions! Thank you so much.

OP posts:
DuneFan · 06/09/2022 17:38

Romp in the swamp
Alfie gives a hand

Hopeful16 · 06/09/2022 17:36

Cleversticks is quite a cute story about a little chinese boy.

Pre-school books with ethnic minority characters
WhoopDeeedoo · 06/09/2022 17:28

I wouldn't say any of the Handa books fit what the OP is looking for. Being woken by bush pigs or carrying fruit on your head is not everyday life.

IggityZiggity · 06/09/2022 17:28

Oh and Catch that Chicken 🐔