Youth Services staff are sometimes asked for help finding classics. These books may be desired for any number of reasons. Oftentimes, families are looking for well-written books that have stood the test of time; or caregivers want to share beloved books that they remember reading in their childhood. Or both! And either way, those are great reasons to find a book.
However, many adults helping their children discover classics may not be aware of the troubling content concerning racial and ethnic differences. Many of the books we naturally think of as great examples of children’s literature - like The Little House in the Big Woods or Peter Pan - present harmful stereotypes or offensive language, especially towards Black and Brown people.
We will still provide the classics to our community for as long as they are useful, and indeed, those problematic details may present mature readers with a learning opportunity on the troubling portrayal of Black, Indigenous and People of Color throughout the history of literature. However, I’d like to offer some suggestions for families to read alongside or instead of these titles to better broaden children’s knowledge and empathy for all people.
Looking for The Little House books?
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These stories of Laura and her family are still popular for their heartwarming depiction of a family on the American frontier. However, there are stereotypical and damaging depictions of Native Americans and African Americans that appear throughout the book. |
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The Birchbark House series by Louise Erdrich Erdrich's books are set during a similar time period, but are about an Indigenous family and offer a more nuanced depiction of Native people. |
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Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park This beautiful story set in a newly developing frontier town introduces readers to a half-White, half-Chinese girl facing racism from her fellow settlers while trying to fulfill her dreams. |
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Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis A novel that imagines the life and adventures of the first free-born child in Buxton, Canada, a haven for runaway refugees from the slavery of the American South in 1859. |
Looking for A Little Princess or The Secret Garden?
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Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic books featuring children in early 20th century Britain are beloved and lively tales of family and friendship, but the author often employs offensive depictions of India as a mystical or uncivilized place. |
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The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall For a modern story of friendship, sisterhood, and light-hearted adventures presented with an old-fashioned sensibility, try these heartwarming stories.
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Balance Burnett’s stories that romanticize colonization with this moving historical fiction novel bringing the harrowing fight for India’s independence from British rule to life through one child’s eyes. |
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For an old-fashioned tale with orphans, magic, adventure, friendship, and all-the-Victorian-feels, you can’t go wrong with this remarkable book published in 2011.
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Looking for The Indian in the Cupboard?
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Many readers are entranced by the idea of a tiny figurine come to life in one boy’s mysterious cupboard where he stores his treasures, but the depiction of the Native American character presents many harmful stereotypes. |
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A classic in its own right, this adventure also imagines the life of tiny people, without prejudicing Indigenous people. |
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Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis An illuminating coming-of-age story set in 1957 about one girl’s loss and rediscovery of her identity after the U.S. government enacts a law saying that her tribe no longer exists. Really powerful examination of the country’s history of discrimination against its native peoples.
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Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate For a different book about a boy and his connection with an unbelievable friend - in this case, a giant imaginary cat - try this funny and sometimes heart wrenching book from the one-and-only Katherine Applegate. |
Looking for Peter Pan?
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The stories of J. M. Barrie offer readers lots of delightful adventures and thoughts on childhood and growing up, but unfortunately the depiction of Native Americans on Never Never Land is harmful and disturbing to modern ears. |
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Lintang and the Pirate Queen by Tamara Moss Need a pirate-filled adventure? This book is brimming with action on the high seas, along with some magical creatures and a tough young heroine. |
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Granted by John David Anderson This contemporary-set story imagines the lives of fairies seeking to help us with wishes. The charming personalities and elaborate world of these little human-like creatures makes this book quite enjoyable. |
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Lose yourself in this charming contemporary fantasy about a girl who must try to rescue her baby brother from crows who have flown off with him into an enchanted forest kingdom outside Portland, Oregon. |
Looking for any well-written, timeless children’s books with positive messages?
Here are some of our favorite “modern classics” - books we know you will love, and that will stand the test of time:
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The Watsons Go To Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis Often humorous and ultimately moving, this is the story of one family who, on a trip from their home in Flint, Michigan, to visit Grandma in Birmingham, Alabama, become witnesses to a terrible act of violence against Black people during the Civil Rights movement. |
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The Lotterys Plus One by Emma Donoghue A story of a super-contemporary homeschooling family with LGBTQ parents and an enchanting mix of cultures and traditions, told with all the warmth and gentleness of an old-fashioned classic. |
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Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin Chinese folklore twists through this beautiful and adventure-filled quest one girl takes to find a mythical dragon and save her family’s fortune. |
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A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
This Newbery Medal-winning book brings ancient Korea to bright life through the eyes of an orphan who becomes fascinated by the skilled potters in his village and longs to create the artistic ceramics himself. |
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The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
A fascinating book that combines prose and pages-and-pages of line-drawn artwork to tell a story of mystery and friendship during the early days of film-making in Paris. |
Tip: Want personalized reading suggestions? Fill out this form and you’ll receive a customized list direct to your inbox!
Youth Services Librarian Allison