Anti-Racist Resources for Children

There are so many empowering and teachable children’s books about race, anti-racism, and social justice. Start the conversation. WFPL is here to help.

Book a Librarian: If your child wants recommendations for what to read next, send us a request and a Children’s Librarian will follow up with you. Zoom, Google Meet, email, and telephone options are available. To start the process, send an email to Emily (emiranda@watertown-ma.gov) or fill out this online form: bit.ly/BookaLibrarianWFPL

Many of the books on this list are in high demand right now. If the book you want is checked out, look out for other titles that are marked as "always available" through the hoopla app.

  1. Race/Anti-Racism
  2. Resources
  3. Asian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Pacific Islander American Voices
  4. Black Voices
  5. Latinx Voices
  6. Native, First Nations, and Indigenous Voices

Race, Racism, and Anti-Racism

Picture books and nonfiction to help start discussions about race, racism, privilege, power, oppression, and anti-racism in the United States. 


A Is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara (book, Hoopla e-book)

Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi (bookOverDrive e-book)

Black Lives Matter by Duchess Harris (book)

The Colors of Us by Karen Katz (book)

Enough!: 20 Protestors Who Changed America by Emily Easton, illustrated by Ziyue Chen (bookOverDrive e-book)

Equality’s Call: The Story of Voting Rights in America by Deborah Diesen (book)

Freedom, We Sing by Amyra León, illustrated by Molly Mendoza (book)

Happy in Our Skin by Fran Manushkin (book)

Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson (bookHoopla audiobook)

A Kids Book About: Racism by Jelani Memory (book)

A Kids Book About: Systemic Racism by Jordan Thierry (boo)

A Kids Book About: White Privilege by Ben Sand (book)

Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester (book)

Noodlephant by Jacob Kramer (book)

Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness by Anastasia Higginbotham (bookHoopla e-book)

Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights by Rob Sanders (book)

The People Shall Continue by Simon Ortiz (book)

The Power Book by Claire Saunders (bookHoopla e-book)

Raising White Kids by Jennifer Harvey (bookHoopla e-book)

Remembering Manzanar: Life in a Japanese Relocation Camp by Michael L. Cooper (book)

Skin Again by bell hooks (book)

Something Happened In Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice by Marianne Cleano (bookOverDrive e-bookHoopla audiobook)

This Book Is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell (book)

We Are the Change: Words of Inspiration from Civil Rights Leaders by various (bookOverDrive e-bookHoopla e-book)

The Wedding Portrait: The Story of a Photograph and Why Sometimes We Break the Rules by Innosanto Nagara (book)

We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices by Cheryl and Wade Hudson (book)

A Young People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn, adapted by Rebec Stefoff (bookOverDrive e-bookHoopla e-book)

Your Name Is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (bookHoopla e-book)