Find books that show body diversity

Early childhood educators can look for books in their programs’ collections or public libraries that focus on different body types and qualities. In recent years, some children’ s book authors have created books with characters who explore their relationships to their bodies. Some examples include Beautifully Me, by Nabela Noor and illustrated by Nabi H. Ali, Her Body Can, by Katie Crenshaw and Ady Meschke and illustrated by Li Liu, BIG, by Vashti Harrison, and Bodies Are Cool, by Tyler Feder. Educators can ask themselves:

› Does the story portray characters of various sizes experiencing happiness and achieving their hopes or goals?

› Does the book feature joy and mutual respect among characters of all sizes? › Does the text feature characters with larger bodies as the protagonists?

Stories can positively capture people of different sizes from a range of backgrounds and

experiences, including characters of diverse racial, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds.

Find teachable moments to talk about body diversity in positive, accurate ways

Young children are often surrounded by messages about larger bodies. I recall a time when the children I taught laughed at a drawing of an animal of a larger size. While I didn’ t want them to feel bad or ashamed, I wish I had done more in the moment to help them unpack why they were laughing at a character for having a larger body. Instead of staying silent, I could have asked the children why they were laughing at the drawing and then followed up with information about how and why bodies differ. In this way, I could have intentionally cultivated more positive thinking and messages about and toward bodies.

Partner with families

Educators can offer consistent support and messaging to families on this topic. This can help encourage positive self-talk and support a healthy body image across home and school settings. For instance, educators can invite families to suggest book titles that portray body positivity or ask them how they talk about healthy physical characteristics with their children. The book Beautifully Me even models a conversation between family members and children about body size: The adults recognize how their own negative self-talk has impacted Zubi, the protagonist, and apologize. Teachers could share a book like Beautifully Me with families and outline how the book models conversations on positive self-talk about body diversity.

44 Educating Young Children

Summer 2026