Why We Need Diverse Books

I don’t know if you’ve grabbed the tissues and seen the video on Facebook of the little girl receiving an American Girl doll yet.  At first, I thought it was just another gift giving video, but this is an absolutely beautiful story of a young girl who does receive an American Girl doll as a gift, but what makes her burst out in happy tears is that the doll has a prosthetic leg, just like she does.  If you haven’t seen the video yet, take a look!
This is the exact same reason we need diverse books.  Kids react completely different to the chance of seeing themselves in the books and toys they read and play with.  This gives kids the chance to feel a sense of belonging and inclusion in ways that they may not feel in their everyday life.  Can you imagine how powerful of a feeling for a kid who sees themselves and maybe even their family portrayed in a book?  What a great gift to give a child!