We could all use a dose of nice right now.

Like many of you I'm still reeling from the results of last week's election. This post is an attempt to do what I promised my children we will do every day: continue to work to be kind, to do public service, and to be accepting of differences. I've focused on picture book titles, as they are my personal favorite, and the subset of children's literature that I know best. This list is by no means complete. While depicting diversity in children's books is an uphill battle, there are many books in print today that do a beautiful job celebrating our differences and the need for kindness every day. Here are just a few of my favorites:

Last stop on Market Street by Matt De La Peña.

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

A Family is a Family is a Family by Sara O'Leary

Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts

Everyone by Christopher Silas Neal

All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon

Everywhere Babies by Susan Myers

It's Okay to be Different, and The Family Book by Todd Parr

I'm the first to admit Todd Parr was a hard sell for me. More traditional, sentimental illustration and text are my first love in children's books, but Parr's whimsical illustrations and inclusive messages won me over. I'd have trouble coming up with another children's author/illustrator doing anything quite like this, and kid's love him. I'm sure Parr's newest book Be Who You Are is also fabulous, but it's so new I haven't seen a copy yet.

An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco 

Thanks for reading!