READ ALOUDS

Providing children with books of people who look like them, and stories that reflect their own culture and race, contributes to their development of an appreciation of self. In many cultures, storytelling and children’s books are used to transmit cultural values and attitudes. When children interact with a story or book, they may identify with the main character, the minor characters, the main problem, or other features of the story. Through these connections, books serve to transmit cultural and moral values to children.

The children’s books we chose for the Multicultural Literacy Project are authentic to the narrative, storyteller, and culture which it represents. The characters and stories represent a variety of underrepresented groups including people who identify as Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, First Nations, LGBTQ+, persons with disabilities, and non-mainstream identities.

The book readers in these videos are a diverse group of local leaders. They volunteered their time to share their favorite children’s books through video. We hope you enjoy watching and listening to these treasured books and the readers who bring them to life!