Baby books

Vetch

I'm looking for books suitable for a baby, newborn-12 months, that show people of different ethnicities. The two that I like that I've found so far are Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox and Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers. Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance.

jlm29

I don’t know what ethnicities in particular you’re interested in, but some of the “that’s not my” books that have people in them have a bit of variety in terms of ethnicity, but not too much.

Anne_cordelia

Oliver Jeffers where in the world has diversity even though that’s not the whole theme of the book and there is another Mem Fox book called Whoever you are. I love 10 little fingers.

shesty

Animal Music by Julia Donaldson.Mostly animals, but there are kids on the last page of all backgrounds and abilities.

Also Brown Bear,Brown Bear by Bill Martin for 12 months plus.

A good few of the kids books now show diversity in the pictures.

lazygal

Scout out your local library. They will have a fantastic range of books. I've found really unusual ones in our branch, ordered some from other libraries, asked the children's librarian for recommendations. And its free!

Jurgen The German

Peepo is a wonderful baby book, our guy adored it and still remembers it when he spots it though it doesn't highlight different ethnicities.

shesty

Toddle Waddle is good too.Small kids are funny, they don't see the differences we do.They don't know anything about the baggage that comes with those differences.My kids stared at black kids when babies (we are white in a predominantly white area), but as they got bigger and into preschool, they never passed a comment.There are kids with a couple of disabilities in the preschool and my daughter doesn't even notice them-they just accept the child for who they are.It's just lovely to see.

Vetch

shesty wrote: »

Toddle Waddle is good too.Small kids are funny, they don't see the differences we do.They don't know anything about the baggage that comes with those differences.My kids stared at black kids when babies (we are white in a predominantly white area), but as they got bigger and into preschool, they never passed a comment.There are kids with a couple of disabilities in the preschool and my daughter doesn't even notice them-they just accept the child for who they are.It's just lovely to see.

I understand this but the books are more for the parents than the new baby. The parents are of different ethnicities living far away. I wouldn't be comfortable sending books containing images just of 'white Europeans'.

shesty

That's fair enough, I wasn't sure who or what the diversity was for.Ten Little Fingers is probably a good bet so.

Anne_cordelia

shesty wrote: »

Toddle Waddle is good too.Small kids are funny, they don't see the differences we do.They don't know anything about the baggage that comes with those differences.My kids stared at black kids when babies (we are white in a predominantly white area), but as they got bigger and into preschool, they never passed a comment.There are kids with a couple of disabilities in the preschool and my daughter doesn't even notice them-they just accept the child for who they are.It's just lovely to see.

I would have agreed with you a few months ago but I recently did some research into this and teaching kids ‘colour blindness’ isn’t right. There are loads of online resources on this but I’m just linking one article. https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.huffpost.com/entry/why-teaching-kids-racially-colorblind-is-a-big-mistake_b_7982504/amp

fits

shesty wrote: »

There are kids with a couple of disabilities in the preschool and my daughter doesn't even notice them-they just accept the child for who they are.It's just lovely to see.

One of my boys is going to a special preschool in September. We brought him in for a look a couple of weeks ago and he sat himself down between three little fellows with severe cerebral palsy and not a bother on him. Kids are amazing.

shesty

Anne_cordelia wrote: »

I would have agreed with you a few months ago but I recently did some research into this and teaching kids ‘colour blindness’ isn’t right. There are loads of online resources on this but I’m just linking one article. https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.huffpost.com/entry/why-teaching-kids-racially-colorblind-is-a-big-mistake_b_7982504/amp

To be honest, part of my mild surprise was because she hadn't been taught anything, nothing had ever been said.But she didn't blink an eye.One little guy has Down's and they did the odd sock day for Down Syndrome Ireland this year (is that the right organisation?), and I still don't know if she realises the little boy in her room has it.She just accepts him for what he is.She is starting to pass the odd comment if we are out, along the lines of "why is that man...." but I just tell her not everybody is the same, and kind of not to pass comment or ask me quietly (situation dependent).I notice it's always adults she asks about though.Never kids.
It can be hard to know what to say to her sometimes though.

Anne_cordelia

shesty wrote: »

To be honest, part of my mild surprise was because she hadn't been taught anything, nothing had ever been said.But she didn't blink an eye.One little guy has Down's and they did the odd sock day for Down Syndrome Ireland this year (is that the right organisation?), and I still don't know if she realises the little boy in her room has it.She just accepts him for what he is.She is starting to pass the odd comment if we are out, along the lines of "why is that man...." but I just tell her not everybody is the same, and kind of not to pass comment or ask me quietly (situation dependent).I notice it's always adults she asks about though.Never kids.
It can be hard to know what to say to her sometimes though.

I’m struggling to find the balance too. I was brought up to not stare and not talk about colour/disability etc in front of the person but everything I’ve read says it should be acknowledged and that people don’t mind adults explaining to children in earshot but I struggle with it for fear of offending. I try to acknowledge disability and skin colour at home in a nonchalant manner so I’m not making it a big deal