7 essential reads for an inclusive bookshelf

BOOK NOOK

In honour of World Book Day 2024, the team at Inclusive Books for Children presents a curated selection of diverse books for young children

Explore seven classics and contemporary gems to ensure your setting’s bookshelf is both fun and inclusive – perfect for cosy shared reads, interactive play or energetic read-alouds, suitable for children aged one upwards.

Catch! by Trish Cooke, illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max (Alanna Max, 2023 edition)

She’s tried everything: balls, apples and even a balloon, but little Kiona just can’t catch! That’s until Mum gently offers her a loving guiding hand.

Originally published in 2004, this reassuring story is perfect for reading aloud to a group or shared reading. It’s a positive portrayal of a parent-child bond that also encourages children to persevere with new skills.

Wilson-Max’s colourful illustrations complement Cooke’s rich, repetitive text beautifully, making this an excellent choice for initiating conversations, playful exploration and extending vocabulary - bit.ly/IBC-catch.

Five Little Ducks: First Book of Nursery Games, illustrated by Ailie Busby (Child’s Play, 2020)

No early years booklist is complete without nursery rhymes, and this vibrant board book anthology perfectly fits the bill.

An inclusive cast of babies and toddlers takes centre stage, bringing to life 26 traditional rhymes and games, with a few modern variations, including ‘Sleeping Bunnies’ and ‘Wind the Bobbin Up’.

Singing nursery rhymes regularly with children offers a host of benefits, including boosting communication, language acquisition, early literacy and mathematical skills.

Playing games also supports social and communication skills, strengthening adult-child bonds, while fingerplay provides opportunities to practise concentration, hand-eye coordination and fine-motor skills - bit.ly/IBC-Five-Little-Ducks.

Let’s Explore with Ted by Sophy Henn (Bloomsbury, 2019)

From freezing icebergs to steaming hot jungles, lofty mountains to deep oceans, Ted enjoys adventurous play in a variety of interesting places.

Curious pre-schoolers will love this captivating, interactive lift-the-flap book with supportive picture cues enabling them to make connections, think imaginatively and learn more about the world and animal habitats.

Great for little hands to explore, unfolding the vibrant, chunky pages to reveal a new destination each time is a true delight - bit.ly/IBC-Lets-Explore

So Much! by Trish Cooke, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (Walker Books, 2019 special edition)

Baby and Mum are home alone when suddenly the doorbell rings, and the whole family arrives for a birthday surprise!

First published in 1994, this humorous, large-format picture book, ideal for reading aloud, is a much-loved classic from an award-winning creative duo.

Depicting a charismatic family in a recognisable home setting, younger children will adore exploring the illustrations, listening to the cadences and joining in with repeated phrases.

Reading the text may prompt talk about children’s own families and celebrations.

The lyrical text incorporates Jamaican Patois, providing authenticity while developing children’s awareness of other people and cultures. The cumulative repetitive structure also supports literacy skills for pre-schoolers.

With its memorable cast of characters and broad appeal, it remains a thoroughly entertaining story centring a loving extended Black-British family. Suitable for 2+ - bit.ly/IBC-So-Much

Too Green! by Sumana Seeboruth, illustrated by Maribel Castells (Barefoot Books, 2023)

Baby plays at cooking soup just like Mum, but when it’s ready he refuses to eat… because it’s TOO GREEN!

This delightfully humorous, simple story, with bouncy rhymes and delicious onomatopoeia, is captivating for toddlers and parents alike.

Set in a familiar home environment, it encourages exploration of new activities

while supporting language development and spontaneous role-play.

Naturally inclusive, the story features a mixed-couple of same-sex parents and their baby boy performing everyday routines that children will connect with. Encouraging healthy eating and trying new foods, it also offers subtle guidance for parents/caregivers navigating tricky dinnertime moments - bit.ly/IBC-Too-Green.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (Puffin, 1986 reprint)

One morning, Peter looks out of the window to see… snow everywhere! He decides to have fun before the warm sun melts the snow away!

The Snowy Day follows the adventures of African American child, Peter, as he plays in the snow. From experimenting with footprints to building snowmen, this simple yet magical story captures a child’s awe and wonder at nature, making it a timeless picture book.

Keats’ well-crafted, collage-style illustrations and gentle narrative fuel curiosity, and when read as a cosy winter-themed story the text becomes a stimulus for outdoor play, talk about the changing seasons or art/sensory activities based on snow. It also makes a great bedtime story.

First published in 1962, The Snowy Day won the Caldecott Medal in 1963. The groundbreaking work, arguably the first full-colour US picture book with a Black protagonist, remains as relevant today as it was 60 years ago - bit.ly/IBC-Snowy-Day.

Zeki Goes to the Park by Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Ruth Hearson (Alanna Max, 2023)

Toddler Zeki is excited for summertime at the park – riding on rockers, shovelling in the sandpit and stomping in the splash pad – there’s so much fun afoot!

Featuring a small, diverse cast of characters of Tanzanian and East Asian heritage, this energetic story, in which Zeki and Yu enjoy a multi-sensory ‘feast’ of activities, is a must for early years bookshelves.

Part of the popular Zeki series, it’s deceptively simple yet packs a lot of learning! For example, a hot-and-cold theme runs through the text and illustrations, with a clever colour palette contrasting cooling blues and greens with hot reds and oranges.

With age-appropriate sturdy pages and rounded corners, it’s a captivating little book that joyfully celebrates childhood play in a modern urban setting - bit.ly/IBC-Zeki.

About Inclusive Books for Children (IBC)

Inclusive Books for Children is a charity with a free website for families that helps them easily choose books for a more inclusive bookshelf. We showcase stories that represent all types of family and don’t draw on gender stereotypes or negative tropes. We feature books with a variety of ethnicities, positive images of disabilities and different identities, and celebrate Own-Voice authors and illustrators.

The IBC website runs in parallel with our provision of funding to other not-for-profit organisations also working to improve inclusivity in children’s books, and access to those books. www.inclusivebooksforchildren.org.

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