Our world isn't easy to live in. It is very big and has a lot of color. People live there and have a lot of fun and have to deal with a lot of problems. There is no better way for us to teach our children about and appreciate these differences than by reading them books about diversity with them.

In this list, we have 60 books that will teach young people about a wide range of things, from cultural differences to gender fluidity, from social expectations to how to build your own identity. These stories were written and drawn by a wide range of people, giving kids different ways to look at the world. You can start with picture books that are light-hearted and appealing to young children, or you can read more introspective stories to help them think about their own lives.

We've broken the books down into the sections below to help you find the right book for your child.

General children’s books about diversity

Families, Families, Families! by Suzanne Lang and Max Lang

You can have any kind of family. This book is uplifting and full of happiness for kids of all ages. People in both traditional and nontraditional families are shown in clever ways on these bright pages. All they want to say to you is that, no matter how many dads, moms, grandparents, stepmoms, or stepdads you have, you're in the right place. You're with your family.

Lovely by Jess Hong

There won't be any preaching about how important it is to be different here! Instead, Jess Hong's Lovely is a look at every kind of person you can think of. In her portraits of people, she shows a wide range of races and ethnicities as well as sexual orientations and body shapes. All of them ask the question, "What is lovely?" Everyone is beautiful, and we are all lovely.

I Am Enough by Grace Byers and Keturah A. Bobo

Grace Byers, an actor on the TV show Empire and an activist, has written a wonderful and empowering book for your child to read and keep. A simple way to say it: This is a party for you. He will show you the benefits of having a positive sense of yourself while also teaching you how to appreciate and accept differences.

Just Ask! by Sonia Sotomayor and Rafael López

The first Latino and Hispanic woman on the Supreme Court is Sonia Sotomayor. She is also a best-selling author, and she's just an all-around great person. Just Ask! might be just what kids need to learn. They work together to build a community garden in this hopeful, positive picture book. Sotomayor's wisdom and kindness show up on the page when she tells kids to ask people about their different experiences.

A Boy Like You by Frank Murphy and Kayla Harren

Powerful. Unfeelingness. Misogyny. "A Boy Like You" is a book for boys that teaches them that those things aren't what it takes to be a boy. Murphy and Harren, on the other hand, paint a picture of positive masculinity that breaks with traditional gender norms. This is a much-needed reminder that character, vulnerability, kindness, and sportsmanship are more important than physical strength and privilege.

Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers and Marla Frazee

A good thing to know about diversity isn't just something you learn about when you start school. It's all over the place even when you're just an infant! Everywhere Babies is a perfect example of that: It's full of cute rhymes and lovely watercolor illustrations, but it doesn't try to preach or be aggressive when it shows different kinds of people. Rather, it is a gentle, warm, and funny way to talk about multiculturalism that even the youngest child can understand and enjoy.

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman

Everyone should have All Are Welcome, a book about a school where everyone is welcomed with open arms. As long as it's the first day of school, everyone comes together to learn from and have fun with each other. This is a picture book that kids will love for the rest of the school year because of its bright, easy-to-read illustrations.

An ABC of Equality by Chana Ginelle Ewing and Paulina Morgan

People who write An ABC of Equality think about diversity when they write their favorite ABCs. If you want to show your kids how social justice works in a fun way, this book is for you. A stands for ability, B stands for belief, C stands for class, and P stands for pick this one up. When it comes to young children, this book is especially good because it's never too early to learn about equality.

Maddi's Fridge by Lois Brandt and Vin Vogel

Friendship is the best. Sofia and Maddi are the best of all time. They play, go to school, and enjoy life together. Sofia didn't know that Maddi had almost no food in her fridge until one day when she found out. As well as the fact that Maddi goes hungry more often than not Sofia can't help Maddi because she promised her best friend that she wouldn't tell anyone about this. If you want to talk about poverty, hunger, or other difficult issues, Brandt does so with a kind of sensitive, caring touch. The result is an honest picture book that teaches kids how to be friends and trust each other.

Geraldine by Elizabeth Lilly

I don't think so. She is not moving, especially not to a new place where she is the only one who is different. Besides, she has a very dramatic neck, which makes things (and doorways) more difficult. With the help of a girl who is just like Geraldine, Geraldine learns how to fit in without giving up who she is.

Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees

To see Gerald the giraffe's dance moves if you can't get enough of Geraldine, look at Gerald. The twisting of his neck, bumpy knees, and spindly legs don't make him the best choice for the stage. It's not all bad news for Gerald. He meets a little cricket who teaches him about the value of self-esteem and how to move with the beat of his own drum.

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael López

Award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson has a new book for kids that is going to be a big hit. It's a good book for any child who's ever been afraid or different from other people. It will give them the courage to reach out and connect. Because of their race, hairstyle, family, or ability to learn, they might feel like they don't belong. The Day You Begin, with its gentle verse and beautiful art, is here to help and reassure them that they'll always be welcome.

We're Different, We're the Same by Bobbi Kates and Joe Mathieu

You can always trust Elmo and the rest of the Sesame Street gang to figure out the answer when there's a complicated question. People love We're Different, We're the Same because it shows kids and adults that what's inside really does matter. It will show you what makes our world so great in a way that you will enjoy. In the end, it's us!

One Big Heart by Linsey Davis and Lucy Fleming

A book that talks about diversity from a Christian point of view might be One Big Heart. You might want to read it to your kids at night. In this multicultural picture book, similarities and differences are celebrated just as much as they are different. You and I are more like each other than we are different, and there's always a way to connect with someone new.

Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

Elliot and Kailash might live 8,000 miles apart, but that won't stop these pen pals from writing letters and exchanging pictures with each other! Their cities, lives, families and backgrounds are very different. The more notes they write each other, they realize how very different they are from each other. But they're also a lot more alike than they think, which is what makes friendship so great.

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