Our Favorite Books: cultural identity

In reality, our world is one of diversity. Some of our practices are the same. We feel the same emotions and carry the same empathy. Our human experience is shared by the global collective. And yet, so many of our practices are unique. We carry many cultures and ethnicities, many mother tongues and shades of skin. We live in different homes across vastly different communities. We have never been—and will never be—one monolingual, monolithic species.

So then why are the stories in our libraries so often about one ethnic group, one cultural identity, and one way of life?

As early educators committed to social justice and equality, we compiled some of our favorite books on cultural identity for you. And this list will keep growing! Check back in here each time you are looking for stories that touch on:

• ethnicity and culture

• skin tone, self-love, and racial identity

• language

• holidays, traditions, and food

In case you are looking for specific cultural representation, we’ve listed them by the communities celebrated in each book. Click on the image of the book for more information. Happy reading!

Note: We only recommend books that we and our children have read and loved. So always send over your recommendations for us to grow our vibrant library!

Global (or multicultural)

Southwest Asian & North African (or SWANA, Arab, Middle East)

East and Southeast Asian

South Asian

Indigenous Peoples (or Native American, First Nations)

Latinx (or South and Central American, Hispanic)

Black (or African-American, African)