5 Diverse Picture Books on Changing Your Perspective written by the Elf on 10/13/2021. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
5 Children’s Books on Changing Your Perspective
In no particular order, here are 5 of our current favorite children’s books on changing your perspective! We all need to see things in a different light sometimes. All of these books were published in between 2018-2021.
Inclusion: Unicorn Day
1- Title: Unicorn Day
Date Published: June 4th, 2019
Author: Diana Murray
Illustrator: Luke Flowers
Page Numbers: 32
Quick Summary: The unicorns are all celebrating their special unicorn day! Well, until they find out that one of them isn’t really a unicorn!! A fun book about including people in our games.
Diversity Aspects: inclusion theme
Changing Your Perspective On: Friendship, including others, differences, celebrating, when things don’t go as expected
Why read Unicorn Day: Sometimes it’s hard to include new friends in our games and fun. This is a great book to talk about when things don’t go quite as we expected and including others. The illustrations are bright, beautiful, and draw you in to the story. And the story is really touching! One of the better unicorn books!
Quick Unicorn Day Discussion Questions:
1) Are all your friends just like you?
2) How can you include more people in your fun?
3) What was your favorite thing the unicorns did?
*Also check out Different– A Great Thing to Be by Heather Avis
Expectations and Bias: Wolf in Underpants
2- Title: Wolf in Underpants
Date Published: March 5th, 2019
Author: Wilfrid Lupano
Illustrator: Mayana Itoiz, Paul Cauuet
Page Numbers: 40
Quick Summary: The wolf is coming down to town and everyone’s afraid! What’s going to happen when the terrifying wolf gets there? Or is he really that terrifying in the first place?
Diversity Aspects: Addresses xenophobia, expectations, negative biases, and being kind
Changing Your Perspective On: Those Making Money Off of Fear, Xenophobia, Negative Biases, Why Being Kind is Important
Why Read The Wolf in Underpants: One kind act changes this wolf’s life. And he’s ready to tell the whole town about it! It’s a fun book with illustrations that are a little darker. Since the illustrations are a little scarier and it talks about butts and underpants- we would suggest first grade plus on this one. But it is a really well written story with excellent lessons and talking points!
Quick Wolf in Underpants Discussion Questions:
1) Who changed the wolf’s life?
2) Why were people afraid of the wolf?
3) Who made money from people being afraid of the wolf?
*Also check out How to Be a Lion by Ed Vere and Fact vs Opinion vs Robot by Michael Rex
It’s OK to be Wrong and Ask Questions: Turtle in a Tree
3- Title: Turtle in a Tree
Date Published: June 8th, 2021
Author and Illustrator: Neesha Hudson
Page Numbers: 40
Quick Summary: Two different dogs are convinced that they see two different animals up in the tree- and that the other dog is completely wrong! But when they change their perspective, they realize that the other dog was not as wrong as they thought they were.
Diversity Aspects: Dividing differences, Asking Questions, Admitting to Being Wrong
Changing Your Perspective On: Always being right, asking questions, and apologizing
Why Read Turtle in a Tree: Kids can feel and understand that a lot of adults are very divided right now. They pick up on that tension. This is a good read for kids and adults to remind us all that sometimes we need to look at things from another persons perspective! We also spend a lot of time in school telling kids it’s OK to be wrong and make mistakes, but do they see that modeled? Everyone needs a fresh perspective sometimes.
Quick Turtle in a Tree Discussion Questions:
1) Who was right and who was wrong?
2) How can we change our perspective when we disagree and are angry with someone?
*Also check out Another by Christian Robinson and Just Ask by Sonia Sotomayer and Rafael Lopez
Worried About Being Different: The Day You Begin
4- Title: The Day You Begin
Date Published: August 28th, 2018
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Illustrator: Rafael Lopez
Page Numbers: 32
Quick Summary: Sometimes we worry about going to school, starting a new year, or being the new kid. In The Day You Begin the students are really nervous about sharing the things that make them different or unique. But by the end of the book they are sharing their stories with each other.
Diversity Aspects: The Day You Begin features cultural (including diets) differences, financial differences, and different skin tones.
Changing Your Perspective On: School worry, differences, worries, wonders, worth
Why Read The Day You Begin: The Day You Begin is a fun story on changing your perspective. Worry dominates for a few minutes, but the kids telling their own stories makes it dissipate. Which is a great lesson to discuss- telling and listening to other people’s important stories. The illustrations and way the word’s flow together are really wonderful.
Quick The Day You Begin Discussion Questions:
1) When is the last time you worried about being in a new place?
2) How can we make sure to help people who might be nervous about being at school?
3) When is the last time you listened really well to a friend?
*Also check out Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival
Looking for Fun: What Sounds Fun To You
5- Title: What Sounds Fun to You
Date Published: October 19th, 2021
Author: Annie F. Downs
Illustrator: Jennie Poh
Page Numbers: 32
Quick Summary: Can you find fun in the rain? In your neighborhood? What about with your annoying sibling? This book reminds both kids and adults to look for the fun everywhere around you.
Diversity Aspects: What Sounds Fun to You features kiddos with different skin tones and some differing abilities.
Changing Your Perspective On: the mundane and everyday- looking for fun everywhere you go!
Why Read What Sounds Fun to You: It is a beautifully written and illustrated children’s book that reminds us that there is a little bit of magic everywhere. It’s not just a good lesson for children, but also for adults- look for the little joys in everything we do and they become big, important, habits. While religious children’s literature has a tendency to be behind in diversity, there is a fair amount of diversity represented in this book. The book encourages fun and play. It’s a good read for early childhood classrooms and homes. As we’re climbing out of this world crisis, it’s a beautiful thing to find fun together.
Quick What Sounds Fun to You Discussion Questions:
1) Lets think of 3 things we can do to have fun without going anywhere!
2) What was the most fun thing you saw in the book?
3) What was the most fun thing you have done this week?
*Also check out Yong Breaks Out of the Boredom Box by MVPKids
Thanks for checking out this post with diverse picture books on changing your perspective!
Before you go, check out these similar posts!!
New Award Winning Children’s Books from 2020
5 reasons to check out the library and get a library card!
An intro to poetry for young readers
Down The Hobbit Hole Blog and this 5 Diverse Picture Books on Changing Your Perspective post use affiliate links, we only link products we think you’ll like and you are never charged extra for them. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. We also use cookies to gather analytics and present advertisements. This allows us to keep writing discussion questions and telling ridiculous dad jokes. Find our other reviews with discussion questions here. Our posts about faith here. And our posts about family stuff here.