Diversity in Children’s Books Is Hard to Find—But Important

Of 4,035 children’s books published in 2019, just 471 were about Black people, according to a study by the Cooperative Children’s Books Center at the University of Wisconsin.

As a kid, growing up, there weren’t many black characters in the books I coveted so much. From Charlotte’s Web to Madeline , it was hard to find a face that looked like my own in these classic children’s tales. Sadly, this remains the same today. Search any list of recommended books that every child should have on their bookshelves and we are rarely represented.

The Just Like Me! Book Box® was built on the foundation of exposing children of color to literature, characters, authors and stories that are reflective of them. Picture books are among the first representations of the broader world that we see and they are introduced at a critical time. The truth is EVERYBODY should read Black children’s literature.

It is our mission to spark a lifelong love of reading and self-discovery with every box we ship. We will send you a perfectly curated box filled with African American children’s books and other educational tools. Before making our selections we consider the subject, authors, awards, and prices of each item we review. Each book is read and discussed by our team before it is included in any subscription box.