Choosing the right books for our children can be tough, let alone choosing books that aren’t reinforcing racist thinking or stereotypes.

It can be easy to use books in years past that cause cringeworthy thoughts thinking about them now. We all learn over the years. Creating and cultivating a racially and ethnically diverse homeschool (and really, home) isn’t about perfection, though—it’s about progress. We will mess up. We will unknowingly make mistakes as we seek to include more stories of color into our children’s educations. It’s inevitable.

But learning and committing to doing better is still worthwhile.

As you commit to this effort, consider these practical, repeatable steps from University of Arizona’s World of Words: Center of Global Literacies and Literatures¹ on how to scan children’s books for racist or biased content. From the top…

Check the illustrations
This includes looking for stereotypes, tokenism, as well as “active doers,” meaning characters engaged in action, not passive onlookers.

Consider the storyline
These can be more subtle biases, such as “white behavior” being upheld or a person of color needing to excel to be seen as worthy. As you read, ask, “Are people of color seen as the problem?”

Observe the lifestyles
Are people of color depicted exclusively in ghettos, barrios, or migrant camps? Is white suburbia held as the norm? Check for stereotyped “native costumes” syndrome.

Weigh the relationships between people
Do white people in the story hold the “power” or position of leadership with people of color as supporting roles only? For example, stereotypes of mother-only Black families, Latin families experiencing poverty, etc.

Note the heroes
Are heroes of color only represented by those who avoided serious conflict with the white establishment? Instead, is the hero defined by the people of color they represent?

Consider the effect on children’s self-esteem
Does the book counteract or reinforce a positive association with the color white and negative association with black or brown? Or will children of color find positive characters to identify with?

Consider the author or illustrator’s background
If a story deals with a specific minorities group, what qualifies the author or illustrator to deal with the subject? If the author or illustrator are not members of the group being written about, is there anything in their background that would recommend them as the creators of this book?

Check the author’s perspective
No author can be wholly objective. All authors write out of a cultural and personal context. Check theirs.

Review the copyright date
Only a few books with characters of color appeared prior to the mid-1960s, with most by BIPOC emerging in the 1970s—but this isn’t a rule.

Look for loaded words
A word is loaded when it has insulting overtones. Examples of loaded adjectives (usually racist) are words like savage, lazy, conniving, superstitious, treacherous, wily, crafty, docile, and backward.

Of course, we’re always on the lookout for these points in our own book catalog’s curation process. It’s also our hope that Stories of Color’s growing list of features and information about each title helps you accomplish these steps more easily.

May we all continue to learn and do better, both for ourselves and our children. Let’s choose progress over perfection.

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Citations:
1: For more complete, unedited recommendations from University of Arizona’s World of Words, read their complete guide.