Introducing your child to reading and books is a very important part of development. Even before a child is speaking, or even reading on their own, books play a major role. Being read to helps children pick up on skills that will help them build a strong foundation for reading. In addition to being exposed to literature in early childhood, finding books to help children of all different walks of life is extremely beneficial. This helps children be more empathetic and understand what life experiences might be like for others that aren’t exactly like them. Additionally, a child seeing themselves reflected in a book can help them feel more included. We’ve listed some of our favorite children’s books, about feeling comfortable being themselves. Let us know what book you would add to the list! Red: A Crayon’s Story - By: Michael Hall Red is a book about a crayon with a red label, but he is having trouble fitting in as a red crayon. His mother, teacher, and classmates try to help work to be red. No matter how hard he tries, he just isn’t red. Eventually, Red discovers what the readers already know, he is blue! Drawn Together - By: Minh Le A young boy spends time with his grandfather. But a language barrier leads to confusion and frustration. Eventually, they sit and draw together, finding something magical in storytelling together. This is a beautiful story about finding connections and celebrating differences. A Normal Pig - By: K-Fai Steele Pip is a spotted pig growing up in an all-pink pig town. Pip feels that she is normal, but that feeling changes when she’s told she isn’t normal. A Normal Pig is about the triumph of realizing that there’s no such thing as “normal”. Mixed: A Colorful Story - By: Arree Chung Mixed is a colorful story about celebrating differences as complementary and transformative. The fun graphics and simple story make the characters easy to understand, transforming a difficult topic of discrimination into a straightforward, age-appropriate book. Tacky the Penguin - By: Helen Lester Tacky is a penguin unlike any other penguin he knows. The other penguins find Tacky’s behavior odd. Tacky’s different ways may just save the day! This delightful story is about being true to yourself, even if it means you’re a bit different from everyone else. Lily Wool - By: Paula Vasquez Lily is a little lamb with a giant imagination! Lily often gets bored with grazing and resting that everyone else in the herd does, she prefers to count stars and dream of adventures. After finding a loose strand of wool, she lets her imagination run wild! Lily’s creativity is put to the test when a problem of her own making. Lily helps others within the herd and finds her special place. Be Kind - By: Pat Zietlow Miller This is a touching story that explores what kindness is, and how different acts can make differences. After a classmate spills her juice, another classmate wonders how to help them feel better, wondering: What does it mean to be kind? A Color of His Own - By: Leo Lionni This is a short and simple board book and a classic story about searching out for somewhere to belong. A Color of His Own follows a chameleon looking for someplace all his own, specifically a color of his own. El Deafo - By: Cece Bell Author Cece Bell created a graphic novel memoir, chronicling her hearing loss and experiences with the Phonic Ear (a powerful and awkward hearing aid). The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear, but also isolates her. She just wants to fit in and find a real friend. Cece eventually harnesses the power of the Phonic Ear and becomes “El Deafo, Listener for All.” I’m Here - By: Peter H. Reynolds This is a simple, yet powerful book reminding the reader that friendships can take flight in unexpected ways. Readers will see that friendships can blossom between people with different interests and different abilities. Nerdycorn - By: Andrew Root Fern is a smart and creative unicorn! She’d rather spend time coding software and building robots than jumping through shimmering rainbows. Fern is a good friend and always willing to help, even when the other unicorns call her