Rabia Khokhar recommends 8 new kids books to celebrate all our identities and experiences

Books have a special way of helping us centre, respect, honour and celebrate our own identities and experiences as well as learn about others. It’s important to have books that affirm and expand children’s ideas because it builds respect and encourages relevant and responsive age appropriate conversations. I hope that these books will help us continue to affirm and expand our ideas around identities and experiences.

-Rabia Khokhar, teacher-librarian

“We Move Together”

By Kelly Fritsch and Anne McGuire, illus. Eduardo Trejos

Ak Press, 42 pages, $23.95

An important book that brings the topic of accessibility and disability justice to children in an age-appropriate way. The words and bright illustrations model for readers how we can all work together to create an inclusive community that respects, values and loves people of all identities and abilities.

“Beautifully Me”

By Nabela Noor, illus. Nabi H. Ali

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, $21.99

This book focuses on the important messages of self love and acceptance. Zubi, feels upset after she hears her family members being critical about their own bodies. She reminds and helps them understand that we must love ourselves as we are and that all bodies are beautiful.

“Amara and the Bats”

By Emma Reynolds, Author and Illustrator

Simon & Schuster, 48 pages, $23.99

A special book that reminds us to be confident about our interests because they are part of our identities. Amara loves bats and feels sad when she learns their habitats may be at risk. With her friends and community members she decides to build bat houses to save the bats.

“C is for Carnival”

By Yolanda T. Marshall, illus. Daria Lavrova

Chalkboard Publishing, 32 pages, $24.99

An A to Z alphabet book where each letter teaches us something special about the Caribbean Carnival. The colours and vibrant energy of the book draws readers in. There is an important lasting message which is one of inclusion, unity, celebration, honouring and learning about each other’s holidays and traditions.

“Archie Celebrates Diwali”

By Mitali Banerjee Ruths, illus. Parwinder Singh

Charlesbridge, 32 pages, $19.99

Archie is excited to celebrate her favourite holiday Diwali! She invites her friends to her family’s party and feels a little nervous because she wants everyone to love the holiday. When an unexpected thunderstorm happens, it becomes a way to exemplify the true power and essence of Diwali.

“A Kid is a Kid is a Kid”

By Sara O’Leary, illus. Qin Leng

Groundwood, 32 pages, $18.99

A lovely book that focuses on thinking critically about the questions we ask each other. Children reflect on the limiting and deficit questions they are usually asked. They challenge them by telling us the question they would rather be asked. These questions centre an asset based perspective.

“I am the Subway”

By Kim Hyo-eun, trans. Deborah Smith

Scribble Publications, 52 pages, $27.50

A fascinating story from the perspective of the train in Seoul. The train shares the unique stories and lives of strangers who ride daily. Readers learn about the different lived experiences of diverse groups of people. In the telling of these stories, passengers are humanized and a community is fostered.

“Sharice’s Big Voice, a Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman”

By Sharice Davids with Nancy K. Mays, illus. Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley

HarperCollins, 40 pages, $21.99

This powerful picture book autobiography shares the inspirational story of Sharice Davids who is an American congresswoman. The engaging story and beautiful illustrations details Sharice’s different life events and experiences she has gone through to become one of the first Native American women elected to Congress.