Reading with young children and giving them access to a variety of books is essential for early literacy and helps spark a lifelong love of reading. As we choose books, it’s also important to consider the messages they send. The images and words children see strongly shape how they view themselves and others.

For example, check for harmful stereotypes—oversimplified and often inaccurate generalizations about identity groups. Watch for tokenism, such as only one child of a particular background appearing in a group, and for invisibility, where certain identities or experiences are missing altogether. As stated by the authors of the guide, “What children do not see in their books also teaches them about who matters and who doesn’t in our society.”

This resource is featured in our December 2025 REACH newsletter.