The Best Inclusive Children’s Book of 2018

“There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you.”

So many children in so many places around the world will experience this feeling.

“The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson draws you in so quickly with its lilting, flowing prose and its gorgeous, dream-worthy illustrations by Rafael Lopez.

For this reason, and many more, I’m excited to announce “The Day You Begin” as Think or Blue’s best inclusive children’s book of 2018!

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When children feel like outsiders

It follows the story of Angelina, who feels excluded when the teacher asks each student to describe their summer break. She stayed at home watching her younger sister, without any fancy trips to the beach or Europe.

Soon we learn that other children in the class feel like outsiders for several reasons – socioeconomic, cultural, and even what we suspect to be an invisible disability.

But what Angelina did with her summer break WAS special, even if not glamorous on the surface.

By the end of the book, she develops unexpected connections with other children, and starts to feel a sense of belonging.

We need more inclusive children’s books AND authors 

Two of the most important tenets of feminist parenting are (1) raising children who can embrace their individuality AND (2) creating a world that more willingly accepts and embraces all children as they are. “The Day You Begin” personifies those ideals and brings them to life.

At a time when so few published children’s authors are people of color, we must actively support books that are. In 2017, only 7% of children’s books were written by Black, Latinx, and Native authors, according to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center.

And Lee and Low reports that only 13% of books over the last 24 years have multicultural content – yikes!

Plus, girls are much less likely to be the protagonists in children’s books. See our home library assessment here.

We can do better.

Where true community begins

There are so many fantastic things to love about this book. But my favorite is the message that it’s wonderful to find connections with other children, but it’s also special when no one else is quite exactly like YOU.

Our children need to know that sameness is not the answer to feeling a sense of community and belonging. Rather, awareness and acceptance of all of our beautiful differences and quirks lead to true confidence and community.

“And all at once, in the room where no one else is quite like you, the world opens itself up a little wider to make some space for you.”

– The Day You Begin, Jacqueline Woodson

I’m so grateful to our family members who bought this poetic book full of important lessons for our daughter. Buy “The Day You Begin” on Amazon, currently $14.57.

For more favorite inclusive book selections that address race and challenge gender stereotypes, see these roundups:

5 Best Books for a Baby Shower

How to Start Talking to Kids about Race: 4 Books to Kickstart the Conversation

The New Classics: 5 Favorite Feminist Children’s Books

Book Review: If You’re Going to a March