Multicultural book recommendations to start reading with your child before bed
One of the best and earliest things you can do to help promote healthy sleep for your child is to have a bedtime routine. Studies show “a nightly bedtime routine as a key factor in the promotion of not only healthy sleep, but also of broad development and wellbeing in early childhood.” When we work one-on-one with families to help their children get better sleep, one of the foundations we look for first is to make sure they have a bedtime routine! There are so many things you can incorporate in your bedtime routine, from a bath and teeth-brushing to swaddling and praying, but one thing that we encourage, no matter how young or old your child, is bedtime reading!
We reached out to Carol Gordon Ekster, a retired educator and author of children’s bedtime books You Know What? and Before I Sleep: I Thank You, to find out why it’s so important to incorporate reading into your child’s bedtime routine. She explained it like this: “Because a bedtime picture book is usually shared on a lap or cuddling close, forever memories are created. A love of books begins now…from the youngest age. It provides a safe space to explore every possible topic and introduces children to art. Reading aloud stimulates imagination and helps children understand their world, exposes them to new language, and teaches them the value of books. This all leads to giving those who were read to, early and often, a definite advantage once they get to school.”
Although any children’s book can be beneficial, it’s definitely worth putting effort into picking exactly what books you want to expose your child to. We live in a world where we can order virtually any book from Amazon or browse shelf after shelf at a thrift store, and the options seem endless. Books with flaps and touch-and-feel books are fun, books that rhyme help with language development and literacy, and books with solid storylines help teach cause/effect or beginning/middle/end.
But when choosing books to read to your children, you should also think about the content and pictures you are exposing them to. Are you teaching them about the world around them? Are you showing them things they are familiar with yet also exposing them to things that they may not know about otherwise? Are you teaching them about the world around them, or reading books where the characters are of a different race and culture?
With recent events reminding us all about “unconscious bias,” it makes sense that exposing our children to books about people of different races or cultures will help them to become more unbiased citizens as they grow. To explain this further, we reached out to Black children’s author Irene Smalls (@TheGrandMaDiva1), author of the bedtime book My Nana and Me, the humorous story of how Irene’s Nana got little Irene to bed and to sleep.
Irene explained it this way:
“We are living in a global society. Your children are likely to grow up going to school with and working with people from many different cultures and backgrounds. Exposure to people of different backgrounds at an early age through books prepares your child for the real world. Books about diverse children and cultures highlight that all children feel the same emotions, no matter where they live in the world, what language they speak, or how they look. Diverse books show that although people have many differences and may look different, there are common traits that unite all people.”
Irene continued: “Scientists say babies see colors at around 5 months. Dr. Rebecca Bigler, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, who has studied children's racial attitudes, says that ‘studies show babies recognize differences in skin color and hair textures.’ Babies see skin color and hair texture, but it has no meaning as neither good nor bad. It is only when children see and hear certain types of behaviors from the people around them that negative racial attitudes develop. Having multicultural books as part of your bedtime reading list fosters the development of respect, empathy, and acceptance of people who look differently. Multicultural books show children examples of how to navigate in an increasingly complex and diverse world. Parents, teach through your actions. Add to your list of bedtime stories books about children from different races and backgrounds.”
As we searched the Internet for great bedtime books, we came across the website Colours of Us. It’s a great resource where you can search for children’s books (and toys) based on ethnicity and age group. We also found the 2020 Global Children's Book Club, where you can find a list of books about different countries (one for each letter of the alphabet).
However, thanks to some wonderful authors and publishers, we also had the opportunity to “try out” some multicultural bedtime books ourselves, and we’re happy to present this list of our recommendations to you!
For babies:
Global Baby Bedtimes by Maya Ajmera, founder of The Global Fund for Children, for ages 0-3 - This short board book features photos of sleeping babies from different countries all over the world. All babies love seeing photos of other babies, and although there aren’t many words on the pages, the countries are labeled and you can use it as a way to start introducing your little one to the idea of different countries and cultures.
Babies Around the World by Puck, for ages 0-5 - This charming and simple book focuses on a different country on every page. You see what people there look like, what their city looks like (including some famous landmarks), and you learn a couple simple phrases in their language. The book has colorful, detailed illustrations good for babies, but can also be very education for older toddlers. And like all good bedtime books, it ends with a baby sleeping!
Bookstore Babies and Library Babies by Puck, for ages 0-4 - These are great books to help foster your little one’s love for books! Babies of all different races are shown, loving everything from storytime to snacking in the bookstore cafe. In the bookstore version, the story ends with a mother reading to her baby before bed, and the very last page of the book has ideas for parents to make this book more interactive for toddlers.
Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers, for ages 0-3 - This is such a sweet and simple book that lists all kinds of things that babies do. All over the word, babies are kissed, rocked, fed, carried, and so much more. Illustrations show babies of all different races, representing so many differences, yet they are all just...being babies! This book shows that ALL babies, no matter what they look like or who they live with, experience and love so many of the same things.
Hooray for Babies by Susan Meyers, for 0-3 years - This book is exactly what the title sounds like: a celebration of babies! The text goes through all kinds of things that babies do, from the perspective of babies, focusing on how they love everything about themselves! The cute illustrations show babies of different races, all playing and celebrating together.
For ages 2-3+:
Babies Around the World: Dancing by Tamarah Barker (in the same style as Puck’s books), for ages 2-4 - Although it’s not a bedtime book at all, we had to include this on this list because it’s just so fun, but also diverse and educational! Each page features babies from a different country. Through colorful illustrations and just two short sentences on each page, you learn what people dress like in that country, how they dance, and how to say “hello” in their language! We wouldn’t really recommend this for bedtime, but it’s a great book to provide physical activity during the day for toddlers, encouraging them to copy the diverse dance moves!
Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn, for ages 2-4 - In this story, an African American girl named Lola describes her time at the library every Tuesday. This book is a great introduction for children to learn about the library and encourage them to be excited about going. The story ends with Lola’s mom reading her a bedtime story, making this a great book for you to read not only during the day, but also as part of your child’s bedtime routine!
Picture books by Atinuke:
(These are not exactly “bedtime books,” but they are adorable stories about babies and kids in a colorful and busy African village)
B is for Baby, for ages 2-5 - An African boy accidentally takes his baby sister on a bicycle ride to their Baba’s (grandfather’s) house. The story and illustrations are very cute, and the only words in the story are “B is for ___” as we see a baby, bananas, basket, bicycle, baboons, and more.
Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke, for ages 3-5 - A mother (with a basket on her head) and a baby (in his mother’s wrap) head to a market where they buy all sorts of fruits and other goods. Unbeknownst to the mother, the baby manages to win the hearts of several market sellers who give the little one plenty of free food to add to their basket! This book is also educational with a counting theme.
Catch That Chicken! by Atinuke, ages 3-7 - A little girl is the best chicken-catcher in the village! This cute story teaches several subtle lessons, including the fact that everyone is good at different things and we can’t be the best at everything.
For ages 3-5+:
Courageous People Who Changed the World by Heidi Poelman, for ages 3-7 - This nonfiction board book isn’t bedtime related, but it’s a great way to introduce little ones to real people in our history who stood up to make a difference, from Abraham Lincoln to Mahatma Gandhi, and Rosa Parks to Malala Yousafzai. Children will learn that all people, no matter what age, race, or gender, can all make a big difference in the world.
Finding Kindness by Deborah Underwood, for 3-8 years - This is a beautiful story showing how kindness can be displayed in so many different ways. The book’s illustrations show all kinds of people, including a biracial family, a Muslim woman, a boy in a wheelchair, and people of all different ages and colors. (And as a sidenote, my almost-2-year-old loves it as well!)
My Nana and Me by Irene Smalls (who contributed to our introduction above!), for ages 3-8 - In this sweet story based on the author’s childhood, a Black girl spends time with her Nana, going through how they spend their beautiful and fun day together, ending with bedtime.
You Know What? by Carol Gordon Ekster (who contributed to our introduction above!), for ages 4-6 - This book takes us through Oliver’s bedtime routine as he stalls and tells his mommy plenty of random facts. It’s very relatable for many parents of toddlers! Although this book is not actually about another culture, Oliver has darker skin than his mother, which can lead to conversations about being biracial.
Imani's Moon by JaNay Brown-Wood, for ages 5-9 - This book is written like an African legend, telling the story of a girl named Imani who was made fun of in her village for being the smallest. This lovely story teaches determination, as little Imani sets her goal on being able to touch the moon, despite what others think of her.
If you have any recommendations of multicultural bedtime books, please let us know!