The Conscious Kid

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The Conscious Kid

Children’s books

We are an education, research, and policy organization dedicated to disrupting racism and supporting healthy racial identity development in kids.

08/24/2026

Cover reveal!! ✨✨

Friday is a day of rest, of faith, of joy. And best of all, it’s Baba’s Day off!

A young girl and her sister can’t wait to ride in their father’s taxi after school. But when Baba has to work on Friday, the girls must wait, dreaming of the adventures he’s having as he ferries people across Washington DC: seeing monuments, visiting museums, enjoying the cherry blossoms, and remembering stories of his life growing up in Pakistan.

When Baba finally comes home, it’s time for the whole family to ride with him in his car and spend a special evening together. Sarthak Sinha’s (Sarthak Sinha) cozy illustrations perfectly complement Sadia Ali Heil’s (Sadia Heil | Writer, Poet, Advocate) tender story in this ode to family, immigrant cultures, and the frontline workers who serve as the backbone of our communities.

Releases 4/27/27 from Candlewick Press!

08/20/2026

Cover reveal!! ✨✨

This lyrical picture book from author Sandhya Acharya (Sandhya Acharya) and illustrator Chaaya Prabhat (Chaaya Prabhat | Illustrator) celebrates multicultural identity and the joys of being from more than one country.

An Indian American girl explores what “home” means to her as she travels between two worlds: In America, she collects pinecones, eats sweet honey sticks at the farmer’s market, and rides her bike down rolling hills with her friends. In India, she savors jalebis from street hawkers, smells the scent of jasmine in the air, and plays tag in crisscross lanes with her cousins. For her family, “home” is both America and India at the same time, and she doesn’t have to choose just one!

With poetic text and vibrant illustrations, this picture book offers an affirming message about being from more than one place and belonging to more than one culture. Home is so much more than just a place on a map: It’s wherever your heart lives!

Out 4/20/27 and available for preorder now from Little, Brown Young Readers!

08/08/2026

Since 2020, we’ve put more than half a million diverse children’s books into classrooms at 10,000+ elementary schools across the country.

For the start of the 2026–2027 school year, we’re giving 1,000 educators free classroom sets featuring 38 award-winning children’s books representing a wide range of identities, cultures, families, and experiences. Each title was selected to help educators build libraries that reflect students’ experiences while introducing children to stories and perspectives beyond their own.

As book challenges and bans continue to limit access to many of these stories, we’re focused on making sure students can still find them on their classroom shelves.

Teachers, librarians, counselors, administrators, and staff at Title I elementary schools and preschools can request a free set through the form linked in our Stories.

[https://forms.gle/cCKjsZeUuhRYMyh57]

08/07/2026

Cover reveal!! ✨✨

From acclaimed duo Raakhee Mirchandani (Raakhee Mirchandani) and Supriya Kelkar (Supriya Kelkar) comes a joyful picture book that celebrates self-expression, family, and cultural connection as one little girl wears Indian clothes to school for the first time.

It’s a BIG week. Friday is school picture day, and one little girl has just five days to figure out the perfect outfit!

She finds inspiration in a box of Mom’s childhood photos—including one of Mom wearing traditional Indian clothes. Our narrator gets a brilliant idea: she’ll wear Indian clothes to school this week!

As she counts down to picture day, she mixes all her favorite pieces—a blue bindi with her favorite basketball leggings, a friendship bracelet with shimmering bangles and Mom’s jhumkas—to find a picture day look that’s proudly her.

Inspired by a true story, this empowering picture book from powerhouse duo and real-life best friends Supriya Kelkar and Raakhee Mirchandani shows how our families and cultures can help us feel the most like ourselves—and that’s worth sharing!

Out 4/27/27 and available for preorder now!
ABRAMS Kids

06/24/2026

Happy book birthday ! ✨

Elijah (Bubb) is having a really hard day. His Paw Paw went to the sky, and he misses him more than he knows how to say. Little reminders - a sound, a smell, a rhythm - keep popping up around him, stirring up big feelings he doesn’t quite understand. When it all becomes too much, Elijah turns to the one person who always knows how to help: Grandma Jan. With her gentle guidance, he discovers a beautiful, unique way to feel close to his Paw Paw again - through his life’s playlist, the memories he left behind.

This tender story helps families talk about grief, healing, and the special ways our loved ones stay with us. Children will see that even when someone they love goes to the sky, the music of their life can keep playing long after their story ends.

Coauthored by , illustrated by .Snider.artist.

Out and available now from !

06/11/2026

Cover reveal!! ✨✨

In her autobiographical picture book, acclaimed educator and former college basketball player Bettina Love (blovesoulpower) reflects on how she first fell in love with basketball at her father’s knee—honoring the beauty and brilliance of childhood joy.

From one of the most important voices on the lives of Black children today comes a story that champions girls who love sports and touts the importance of perseverance and following your dreams, regardless of what others say you can or can’t do. “Practice and patience, Love,” Bettina’s dad tells her when her love affair with basketball begins. And she takes his advice to heart, from the ba-dum ba-dum of her dribbling to the beautiful swish when the ball finds the net. From the time Bettina wakes until the time she sleeps, she and the ball spend all day together, dancing to the beat of her heart. And when a bigger kid chases her off the court because she’s a girl, it takes only her dad’s reminder that nobody can tell her what or whom to love, and she feels her heartbeat again, stronger than ever.

Paired with Frank Morrison’s () energetic illustrations, Bettina Love’s picture-book debut makes clear that when you love something fearlessly, not only can it be contagious—it can be everything.

Available for preorder now from : https://www.candlewick.com/9781536236446/bettina-and-the-ball/

06/09/2026

Cover reveal!! ✨✨

1991, Michigan. Can Priya find the confidence to stop blending in to the melting pot—and be her best stand-out self?

When her best friend moves away, Priya will have to start sixth grade on her own.
But maybe this is a chance for Priya to reinvent herself. Out with the old, in with the new.

What’s in is shiny, straight hair (unlike Priya’s thick, unruly mane); a TV show Priya’s parents won’t let her watch; and cuffing your jeans so tightly they leave marks on your skin. (Fashion hurts!) What’s out: Marching band, cultural traditions like coconut hair oil, and voicing your concerns about the dubious history celebrated by your town’s Victorian Festival.

When trying to be just like everyone else starts to feel impossible—and wrong—will Priya find the courage to speak up, and show everyone that a diverse potluck is better than a melting pot?

This semi-autobiographical graphic novel by author .kelkar, illustrated by anibushry, highlights the highs—and lows—of an Indian American girl navigating middle school in the era of tight-rolled jeans.

Out February 2nd, 2027 from and available for preorder today!

05/28/2026

We’re excited to see you at our conference this Saturday! ✨

We’re especially honored to kick off the day with breakfast and a special book signing featuring . The first 100 educators to arrive will receive a complimentary copy of I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy and will have the opportunity to have it signed by Mychal.

We’re also thrilled to welcome , author and president of Authors Against Book Bans, who will join and for our panel discussion on navigating book bans.

Swipe for the full updated conference schedule.

⚠️ If you registered but have not yet confirmed your attendance, please check your email for the confirmation link to reserve your spot!

We can’t wait to see you soon!! 💛

05/22/2026

Cover reveal!! ✨✨

From National Book Award winner comes a gorgeous picture book about dreams, faith, and cats set during a young Muslim boy’s pilgrimage to Mecca.  Zayd’s heart wishes for one thing. During his family’s pilgrimage to Mecca, the place where dreams come true, Zayd prays for just that. But the purr-fect answer to his duaa slips through his fingers as quickly as it appears. This sets Zayd on an adventure around the Kaabah, the house of Allah. Will Zayd get what he wants? Find out in this joyful tale that’s:

-Written by National Book Award Winner Shifa Saltagi Safadi and gorgeously illustrated by .illo!
-Perfect for Ramadan: Millions of Muslims travel to Mecca to perform Umrah, the pilgrimage portrayed in this story, during Ramadan every year!
-A Must Have for Hajj Season: Celebrate the fifth pillar of faith with this book all Dhul Hijjah long!
-Universally Relatable: The themes of family, self-discovery, wish fulfillment, and love for animals will delight readers from all backgrounds.
-Feline Forward: Cat lovers will love searching for the cats on every page!
-An Engaging Educational Resource: Includes accessible backmatter ideal for educators, librarians, and readers interested in pilgrimages, Islam, and Mecca.

Editor: Erika DiPasquale
Designer: Caitlin Stamper

Releases from on 1/12/27. Available for preorder now!

and

05/20/2026

Join us for a free conference on culturally relevant education and literacy on Saturday, May 30 at ! All attendees will receive a set of 40 brand new diverse children’s books 📚

Click the link in our profile or stories to register!

Repost from
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We are excited to partner with for an upcoming convening focused on inclusive literacy, education, and culturally relevant curriculum.

This gathering will bring together scholars, educators, students, and community members for critical conversations, collaborative learning, and collective imagination around equity and justice in children’s literacy education.
Registration is FREE, and we look forward to seeing you there!

📍 See the flyer and conference schedule for full event details.

🔗 Registration link in bio!

We look forward to being in community with you!

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Oakland, CA
94601–94615, 94617–94624, 94649, 94659–94662, 94666

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https://www.theconsciouskid.org/donate

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