Finally, Jaxson has been able to sit still as I read him an entire book. This makes me so excited and proud. He will even sit and read by himself. I’ve noticed that we don’t have very many books with pictures dark skinned boys.
Lately when we read books, he’ll point out illustrations of boys who look like him. Usually the boys either have fluffy hair and a darker skin tone. I know we’re not the only family who are looking for these types of books, so here’s what we’ve found. Just a note that I prefer books where the character’s skin color isn’t the focus of the story-though sometimes those are great too.
Multicultural books for preschool aged boys
Not Norman: A Goldfish Story by Kelly Bennnett is about a boy who really wants a pet, but all he has is a goldfish. He really wants a soft, furry pet that will sleep in bed with him. Anything but Norman, a boring goldfish. My kids totally empathize with the boy in this story because they have been begging for a dog. I guess our cat doesn’t count.
Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building by Christy Hale will teach your children about architecture and they won’t even realize it. This fun book alternates between illustrations of kids playing with blocks, playing cards, and Legos and photos of actual buildings that have similar lines. Your kids will want to pull out all sorts fun materials to create their own structures.
Do You Know What I’ll Do? by Charlotte Zolotow is about a brother and his older sister-which is perfect for us since Jaxson adores his sister. While Sophia can become annoyed with her little brother, she loves him unconditonally and it’s no different with the siblings in this book. No matter how much my kids fight, I know they’ll love each other no matter what.
