Why Diversity Needs to be at the Heart of Children's Books

Tradara McLaurine is a published author, business owner and higher education professional who utilizes her experiences, skills, education and out of the box thinking to inspire others and create new opportunities. She enjoys writing children's books and speaking about leadership. In 2017, she published Why Mommy Works and Why Daddy Works. Her third book, I Want a Nickname, released in 2022.

- Tradara McLaurine

We are each brought into this world made up of millions of features that make us utterly and completely unique. It is vital to celebrate our individuality and integrate the remarkable features of those who may be different from us into our daily lives. Often, we take for granted that our children are “sponges”, and we assume that they will automatically form optimistic viewpoints regarding the world around them. Sometimes, diversity and inclusion practices fall by the wayside as we entrench ourselves in the business of our day-to-day duties.

However, we must take an active approach in exposing our children to different ways of life and people who live, look, and learn differently from them. A child’s viewpoints on race, ability, and cultural differences are heavily developed based on the environment they grow up in. As a parent, remaining silent on these issues prohibits open conversations and questions that lead to a deeper understanding of worldly differences for your child.

So, as you begin to take an active approach in immersing your child into different cultures and ways of living, where do you start?

The best place to begin this learning adventure is where we begin most educational quests— a good book. Books can change the way we view the world. Especially for children, the words we read in books can have long-lasting effects.