Diverse Achievers: A guide for parents and teachers on using children's literature to promote self-esteem and an understanding that anyone can become an achiever

Achievement is color blind

All children need role models, but children of color often don’t see enough examples of inspirational people who look like them.

This selected bibliography provides summaries and discussion questions for 82 contemporary works of children’s literature. The stories are mostly about people of color, written by African-American authors. It highlights the lives, challenges, and accomplishments of people of color and is an essential resource for families and educators to introduce children to diverse achiever role models.

This book will help you to:

• Encourage children to read and engage with inspirational stories that champion diverse role models of color
• Stimulate discussion and critical thinking with questions and activities about fairness, tolerance, differences, and the problems associated with stereotypes
• Cover important topics such as the impact of slavery, civil rights, equality and equity, education, ongoing discrimination, and racism
• Locate the perfect story for teaching current topics and societal concerns using the thematic listing and author and age range indexes

Irene Eizen has been an educator for over 50 years, teaching at all levels of instruction from kindergarten through graduate courses. She wrote this book with her colleague and former student, Gary Plummer, to encourage and guide parents and teachers to discuss important lessons around great achievers of color using children's literature.

Gary Plummer has been an educator for over 40 years. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with a major in early childhood education and a concentration in black studies, Gary taught courses in black studies and African-American literature at college and high school levels. He was also a workshop team leader for the "Black Lemonade for All" project, a curriculum and workshop program for parents of students of color, to help them adopt better parenting strategies.