(Update: 11/14/19 This post has been updated in light of new information about the author Sherman Alexie. I still enjoy the book Thunder Boy Jr., but wanted to change this post a bit to highlight and highly recommend the amazing illustrator Yuyi Morales, and encourage you to check out more of her work.)
If you’ve followed this blog for a while you know that something I feel is extremely important to teach my kids is empathy and being able to take the perspective of others. One of the best ways to do this is through excellent children’s books. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald no combina – Monica Brown– This is one of my favorite books period and it just so happens to be a bilingual story about a girl with parents of different races there are English words mixed in with the Spanish version, and Spanish words mixed in with the English version. I LOVE this book.
- Thunder Boy Jr. – Sherman Alexie – A great story that I believe every father and son should have about wanting to be like dad…but doing it in his own way without losing his personal identity. Please check out the illustrations in this book and support the amazing Yuyi Morales who is an excellent author!
- One Word From Sophia – Jim Averbeck – A hilarious and cute story about a little girl asking her parents for a pet giraffe…what little girl wouldn’t want a pet giraffe?
- Tiger in My Soup – Kashmira Sheth – Beautiful pictures, a terrific imaginative story and my favorite animal from when I was a kid…yes please!
- Round is a Moon Cake: A Book of Shapes – Roseanne Thong – The story and its author are great, but the illustrator of this book is one of my favorite authors as well. This a great way to introduce aspects of a different culture while also introducing shapes.
Others Titles I Love:
- Families, Families, Families – Suzanne Lang
- Round is a Tortilla : A Book of Shapes – Roseanne Thong
- A Squiggly Story – Andrew Larsen
- The Colors of Us – Karen Katz
This is providing every kid with window and mirror books…
This is fatherhood…
This Is Fatherhood 