ABSTRACT

A good book can help students understand other people better and learn about experiences that are vastly different than their own. Teachers use diverse books to teach empathy and to introduce children to worlds they have never set foot in. It is so important for classroom libraries to be full of diverse stories that reflect student backgrounds and cultures. Having books with different cultures can also help establish meaning and to create a sense of self. High quality books can help facilitate the development of teachers who see literacy as a tool for understanding and building upon student diversity in their classrooms. Children learn to become agents of change and to develop their own voices with a better social awareness of the world. Culturally diverse books can decrease stereotypes, racism, and discrimination. However, teachers struggle because of the lack of diverse books as resources at the school. Children often do not have the reading materials to see themselves in the stories they read. Teachers that have brought in a variety of books to read to the children have instilled ideas and formed a sense of acceptance and understanding in other children. The grant funds will be used to purchase a wide variety of culturally diverse books for Little Dreamers Preschool. These books will include both different cultures reflected in the diversity of the children at the school as well as many other cultures outside the preschool. Having diverse books will help children develop literacy and help encompass themes of identity including race, disabilities, and family types.