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It’s easy to talk to our kids about being nice, playing outside, and having adventures. But some topics get a bit tougher: how do you deal with the death of a grandparent, or worries, or racism? Well, you could start with some of the books in today’s column: here’s a stack of picture books that touch on issues that we sometimes avoid. I’ve also got a couple comic books and a book for adults at the end.
Just Ask! written by Sonia Sotomayor, illustrated by Rafael López
What do you do when you notice that somebody is different from you? It’s common for us to shush our kids when they point out differences or express curiosity — we’re trying to be polite, but the unintended consequences is often that we stigmatize those differences. Sonia Sotomayor explains that when she was a kid, she had to give herself insulin injections because of diabetes, but the other children didn’t ask about it. It made it feel like she was doing something wrong. This book introduces us to lots of different kids: kids who are deaf or blind, who use wheelchairs to get around, who have autism, who speak with a stutter. Each one explains what it’s like, and asks a question…
