Instagram Accounts Celebrating Diversity Through Children’s Books
Image Credit: Suad Kamardeen
Since my son was born, it's been a tradition in our home to read daily. Naptime, bedtime, and pretty much whenever the mood strikes us, we read. This means two things:
1. I am always on the hunt for a well-written children's book.
2. We are running out of shelving in our home quickly.
When perusing for new children's books, I've found that Instagram can be a great place to get inspiration. However, not all accounts are created equal. I recently spoke with Megan Hartley (@ihaveabook4that) and Kimicia Byrd (@pretty_in_primary), both advocates for diverse books in the home and at school. Throughout our conversations, I learned more about why they created their accounts and what they hope to achieve by sharing their thoughts, ideas, and book reviews with the world.
Megan Hartley
Megan Hartley is a reading teacher, mother, and literary fanatic advocating for diverse books in schools. She runs the Instagram account @ihaveabook4that, offering insightful reviews and daily recommendations for various books. The topics generally range from diversity and anti-racism to the many other moments throughout a child's life that we, as adults, can often use help explaining. Megan's content includes selections for infancy through 9+ years old.
What inspired you to start @ihaveabook4that, and what did you hope to achieve?
I remember being at the movie theater with my family and the feeling of joy I felt when I watched the short film Hair Love. I was even more elated when I saw that this film had been made into a book. I wanted every other Black boy and girl to feel that same feeling of excitement that I felt. It made me think back to my childhood. When I was growing up, my house was full of books. Despite my access to books, I didn't have or read stories that I could see myself in. I thought Arthur the Aardvark and The Berenstain Bears family were black people. I wanted to change this narrative for Black and Brown children today. So, I created my account to share stories that feature minority children and families living life (not only being oppressed). Publishing has come a long way since I was a kid in the 90s, and there are so many stories available about children of color. I want to make all families aware of those books.
What is something you wish others knew about being anti-racist and becoming an ally to the BIPOC community?
Social justice and anti-racism have been lacking in the United States for far too long. Last summer, when the country was enraged (rightfully so) over the brutal murder of George Floyd, I witnessed so many parents saying they teach their kids not to see color. The truth of the matter is that we all see color. Kids notice color at an early age. Teaching kids not to see color does more harm than good in the long run. Most parents were saying this as a way to be an ally. But an ally should fight for you. How can you fight for something you can't see? Without seeing color, it is impossible to fight for social justice and anti-racism. Social justice and being anti-racist are both critical components in helping heal the divide of the United States.
What's one of your favorite posts that embodies these values and educates your community?
One of my favorite posts to date features several books that make talking about race and racism easier. Racism is a challenging discussion to have, but it is necessary, and books can serve as a gateway to difficult discussions. I want to make sure people talk to their kids about race and racism, so I highlighted several quality children's books to jumpstart the conversation.
Kimicia Byrd
Kimicia Byrd is a second-grade teacher from South Florida and an avid reader who enjoys collecting diverse children's books. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Master's Degree in Elementary Education. Her Instagram account @pretty_in_primary, shares literary resources for children of all ages, touching on topics like acceptance, equality, and the courage to create change. Kimicia's loving family supports and inspires her daily.
What inspired you to start @pretty_in_primary?
As a second-grade educator, I am always looking for diverse books to read to my students. However, I have often found that books depicting Black and Brown characters and other underrepresented groups are frequently not showcased and highlighted, even in an educational setting. I decided to start my account to create a platform for the many amazing and diverse books, authors, and illustrators that are out there.
What do you hope to achieve with your platform?
As a Black woman and an educator, racism, and inequality affect me and my culture daily. I'm dedicated to using my social media presence and influence as a leader in the classroom to help dismantle systemic racism and speak out about the inequalities many of us face. I am passionate about providing resources to parents so that all children can access diverse books, helping set the groundwork for them to grow into anti-racist adults who respect all races and cultures.
What is your advice for parents following your page?
We can combat anti-racism and promote social justice by educating ourselves and our youth about other cultures. Books can help start these conversations. Books can be one of the first moments a child recognizes the differences, similarities, struggles, and triumphs of the people and cultures that make up our world. Stories and words can be the starting point for teaching love, acceptance, and respect for all people. I hope that parents can use @pretty_in_primary as a resource to promote diverse books and teach these values to our future generations.
Need more inspiration? Check out some of our other favorite accounts celebrating diversity through books:
5. @hereweeread
