There are so many books in the world, how do you know which books are good for your child, or in the classroom? Well, you’d have to read it to find out. However, there are quick ways to identify sexism and racism in books.

Other than stereotypical characters, do the illustrations reflect diverse characters? Are the eyes of Asians illustrated with a single line, or do the characters look different? How are the minority characters represented? What jobs do they hold and what meaning do they add to the book?

How will this affect the child’s self-image? If a child is constantly told that females are passive onlookers who need to be saved, how will it affect young girls? If a child is constantly told that boys are always brave and never cry, how does it affect young boys when they are feeling upset or overwhelmed?
A positive note is that many diverse books are out there, and many older books are being updated to remove stereotypes as they are republished.
Honeysmoke: A Story of Finding Your Colour by Monique Fields
Little Wayang Kid by Raymond Tan
Under my Hija b by Hena Khan
Benny Doesn’t Like to be Hugged by Zetta Elliott
Mr Grizley’s Class (series) by Bryan Patrick Avery
My Family (series) by Claudia Harrington
Carlos and Carmen (series) by Kirsten McDonald
Read the full article on Astor International School website https://www.astor.edu.sg/post/on-picking-diverse-books