Blog / children
Poem: "We are talking about" (biracial)
or check it out from your local library!
We are talking about
by Arnold Adoff
We are talking about
the ones who pick their friends
because of how black they act
or
because of how white they can
be.
Sometimes blackness seems too black for me,
and whiteness is too sickly pale;
and I wish every
one were golden from
the
sun.
Golden from the
inside
out.
Children's Book: "Peanut Butter Brother" (Interracial)
I'm Your Peanut Butter Big Brother
Big Brother wonders whether the new baby will look like him. He blends from semisweet dark Daddy chocolate bar and strawberry cream Mama's milk. He's the baby's peanut butter big-brother-to-be. Will the baby's hair look like big brother's soft, crunchy billows of cotton candy, or Noel's string beans locked this way and that, or Akira's puffy head of broccoli flowerets? Will the baby's eyes match big brother's--hot cocoa footballs set wide apart--or will they be a perfect pair of pennies? I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the illustrations! This will be a favorite in our home for sure! Order here.
Music: "Free to be You and Me"
Poem: "No Difference" by Shel Silverstein
I spent many hours as a child loving Shel Silverstein's book of poems, Where the Sidewalk Ends
No Difference
by Shel Silverstein
Small as a peanut
Big as a giant,
We're all the same size
When we turn off the light.
Red, black or orange,
Yellow or white
We all look the same
When we turn off the light.
So maybe the way
To make everything right
Is for God to just reach out
And turn off the light!
Children's Book: "The Rabbits' Wedding" by Garth Williams
The Rabbits' Wedding
The Rabbits' Wedding is, hands down, my youngest daughters favorite book. It has been as far back as I can remember. It's a sweet story about two little rabbits, one white and the other black, who fall in love and want to be together forever. The illustrations are darling! Garth Williams is famous for illustrating many books, two of the most notable are Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web. Here's a favorite page that always produces laughs:
Interestingly, the book was banned in several places during the 1960's for fear that it was "brainwashing" children into thinking integration/interracial marriage was good. Sweet message + darling illustrations = priceless! BUY IT HERE!
Children's Book: "Mother's Day" (multiracial)
Mother's Day by Anne Rockwell
In my constant endeavor to find books that reflect diversity, I ran across this great book by author Anne Rockwell. I thought the timing couldn’t be more perfect! Mother’s Day is set in Mrs. Madoff’s class where children (reflecting different cultures and ethnicities) discuss the different ways they will celebrate the holiday, making breakfast, hiking, snuggling, etc. The children were asked to bring in a button for class that they use in making a special tissue paper flower for mom (bonus: instructions are included). I enjoyed many things about the book (illustrations are darling) but I especially liked that a single mother is represented along with a grandmother raising her granddaughter. The children and mothers spent lots of time picking out their button and had little stories about why they chose their particular button. Mom’s didn’t know what the button was for and were surprised that it was to make a flower. Really sweet book! Buy your copy here
