Chocolate, Butterscotch, Cocoa....Which Shade Are You?

Sometimes the best children's books to incorporate into an adoptive family's library are not written specifically on the topic of adoption!  Such is the case with The Colors of Us, by Karen Katz.  It is a simple, well-illustrated book that celebrates diversity by recognizing the beauty of the various shades of skin tones that surround us.  The main character is a seven-year-old girl, Lena, who takes a walk through her neighborhood with her mother and notices that all people are various shades of brown.  They find friends in shades of caramel, French toast, chocolate brown, butterscotch, etc.  Is this book making you hungry yet?  It is a simplistic view, as diversity is about much more than skin tone, but is an appropriate book for a young child that will help them to recognize our similarities that connect people and celebrate the differences.

I encourage adoptive families to scatter books about adoption and diversity on the bookshelf along with the tried and true favorite stories.  In time, the books will open the door to questions and conversations that the child can have with their parents to gain a better understanding of their own adoption story.  The Colors of Us is available in a paperback and a hardcover version and is an excellent addition to any child's collection of books.