Picture books about identity

A joyful story about a young Indian boy who loves to paint his nails and match the colour to suit his mood. Heart-warming, and full of joy, the book explores emotions, identity and staying true to who you are.

CBeebies presenter George Webster invites us to have fun exploring the world, working out what makes us ​‘glow’ and giving everything a go in this delightful, inclusive picture book. 

Mae gan bob un ohonon ni ein hoff bethau a’n cas bethau, a’r gallu i serennu yn ein ffyrdd arbennig ein hunain. Mae gan bawb gasgliad o gynhwysion unigryw sy’n ein gwneud ni yn ni.

The first book in David McKee’s iconic series about a friendly, fun elephant and his adventures, Elmer is a true ambassador of inclusion, acceptance and celebrating difference. 

A little girl explains how she got her name, and how it makes her feel when people get her name wrong.

Create your own story with this brilliant interactive book full of detailed, colourful illustrations.

Triangle feels that she needs to be the same as everyone else. But is she right? A great book to share, and to begin conversations about identity, fitting in and friendship. 

Everyone’s good at something, but what am I good at? A gentle story that will echo young children’s worries, while providing reassurance. A joyous celebration of individuality.

Kamara is strong and fast. But negative words from her friends make her doubt herself. Can she find a way to celebrate her strength? This heart-warming picture book celebrates the many ways to be strong, and to be yourself.  

This joyful picture book celebrates what makes us who we are, from the qualities we inherit from family to our cultural heritage and personal experiences. With lyrical text and stunning illustrations, this is an unusual, thought-provoking and uplifting tale.  

Is Avocado a fruit or a vegetable? He sets off to find out, but Tomato shows him that it really doesn’t matter if he isn’t easy to categorise. A witty allegory about identity.

On her way home from school, Maya announces that she wants to be a princess when she grows up. Mum encourages her to consider other professions, but Maya won’t change her mind. Though maybe it’s not a fairy tale princess she’s thinking about. A witty story about inspirational black women.

A little girl describes how she feels to have a foot in two worlds – to be a glorious mix of all her family members and their culture, history, and experiences. A lovely book to share with children of every family background. 

This important non-fiction book explores the concept of racism for a young audience, explaining what it is and why it is always wrong. With colourful pages and engaging illustrations, this picture book carries an essential message that nobody should be disadvantaged because of their race. 

Herbert’s mother cannot understand why he won’t be a good rabbit, but Herbert doesn’t want to be a rabbit – he wants to be a fox! This charming picture introduces themes of identity and acceptance to young children through bright, expressive illustrations and visual clues to help children predict what will happen next.

Blodwen is a sheep – or at least that’s what the actual sheep in this story think. An inventive picture book about mistaken identity that celebrates the importance of accepting others for their differences.

Picture book exploring how whoever you are and wherever you live there is someone in this world just like you. Joyful. 

Faizah sees her sister as a princess wearing her beautiful blue hijab, but not everyone at school sees it this way. Inspired by the experiences of Olympic medallist Ibtihaj Muhammad, this is a beautiful and powerful story about the bond shared between siblings and being proud of yourself and your beliefs. 

A perfectly pitched story of Black history that brings it back to the personal for a little girl.