Books about differences and racism for 6/7yos?

[CrispieCake]

Could anyone recommend some books about ethnic and cultural differences and prejudice and racism to read with my young 7yo? While DC has been fairly oblivious up until now (we live in a very multicultural area and he's young for his age), some of the chat between the kids at the playground and some of my DC's recent comments makes me think that these issues are cropping up more and more at school as the kids become more self-aware and compare themselves to each other.

Are books ‘about difference’ really the best way to go with this?

Because there’s nothing ‘different’ about being whatever race one happens to be. And absolutely no one needs to be told that ‘it’s ok to be black’, or ‘it’s ok to have short hair / eleven fingers / dyspraxia’ or whatever.

Surely it would better to ensure that, growing up, your child is made aware of African philosophy, Chinese mathematics, Caribbean playwriting, or, again, whatever. Given evolving demographic trends it’s highly unlikely they’ll be educated to believe White and Western is the default in everything - but you have most influence while they’re small. Just show them.

(And the thought of handwringing, do-gooding ‘improving’ literature makes me cringe.)

A M Dassu has a wide range of books.

Mixed by Arree Chung is great. It might be a little young, but the message is brilliant without relating it directly and obviously to people, but allows discussion to open,

@DisneyHag . I agree with you more widely, but this is not about "improving" at all, it's more prompted by what I have been hearing in the playground, which is very young children discussing their own and others' appearances/language/mode of dress etc., and not always in a positive way. I've definitely heard a few things that I need to address with my DC.

So …

Buy them great literature by people who don’t look like them / people from other continents / people with different life experiences …

Take them, often, to museums and galleries and concerts and plays and science talks and choral evensongs and restaurants and food shops, etc, etc - where they can see and experience brilliant work by every (what we used to call) ‘race, colour, creed’. When you drag them to stately homes discuss how the original owners made their money. Talk about the people in the portraits on the walls …

Ha! It’s the Olympics in days now. Do your homework, be ready with entertaining information …

(Sorry - not buying the ‘read about difference’ thing. I am of both Caribbean and African heritage; born and brought up in the Home Counties. As a child, thoroughly well versed in the literatures, art, histories and achievements of my parent’s countries, I was encouraged to pity white children so poorly educated that they had no better conversation than name calling … Honestly I would have died of cringe if, instead of giving me free rein in every library and bookshop, my parents had sat me down with a nice picture book telling me I mustn’t feel bad about being ‘different’ …)

Just stumbled upon this again - and am wondering how you’re getting on, @CrispieCake?

Hi, we're getting on ok thanks. I think a lot of it was just innocent comments from children too young really to understand the context of what they were saying ("I don't like you because you look different from me, I don't like Sophia because she has red hair"). We read Mixed and my child really enjoyed it. Tbh, as the children have matured a bit and started understanding the material at school about different cultures and religions (and tbh have learned to be kinder to each other and use their brains before they speak 😅), most of the issues seem to have receded. Like I said in my original post, we live in a very diverse area (socio-economically, ethnically, culturally) which was why I was surprised at some things I heard, but I think it was mostly very little children talking without speaking and jostling with each other without really understanding what they were saying, and the attitudes are not reflected or reinforced by the parents, so largely seem to have gone away.