Happy In your Skin: Is Rafa different? Explore with Rafa about how he learns about his cultural identity

Do you want to enhance your child’s multicultural, diversity, & inclusion skills?

• Children’s books on diversity and inclusion - There is an absence of cross-cultural/ethnic books in K-12. Especially, books written by parents having first-hand experience. This book is a good tool for parents and teachers who want to help their kids understand diversity and that everyone is OK no matter how you look.
• Children become Ally’s – Research shows that talking about issues like race, gender, and by including readings for diversity and social justice from the age of two increases self-awareness, self-esteem, and allows children to recognize and confront things that are unfair, like discrimination and prejudice.

• You Belong Here - This would be the perfect addition to all families, classrooms, and libraries. It is a simple story to teaches all kids, not just children of color, the importance of being kind and accepting.

• Let’s develop our little people into future inclusive leaders - All children want to feel like they fit in, and this story teaches us we can be ourselves and shares why difference in each of us are wonderful. Children are curious and are open to questioning what they see. Grown-ups often post-pone conversations on complicated topics because it's hard to know where to begin.

You will Love it – ADD TO CART today for your reading collection.

This book tells the story about Rafa, who is in preschool and is curious about why his skin color is different.

Young Rafa has a wonderful family. They are from India and now live in the United States. Rafa loves where he lives, but sometimes he gets strange questions that he doesn’t know how to answer.

“Why are you brown?”
“Why are you so different?”

At first, Rafa did not have the tools to navigate these questions… until he talks to some of the adults in his life!

It turns out that many people have gotten questions like that, and they can help him with what to say! His doctor, teacher, and parents help Rafa understand who he is and how to be proud of that.

Dear parents and teachers, Here is why I wrote this book:

• Why is my skin color different? This was the question my preschooler asked me.

• While it was hard to process at the moment for me, I knew I needed to help my child navigate through these feelings and curiosities about his identity.

When questions and curiosities are not addressed, Children start forming their beliefs based on the stereotypes they see in the media.

1. This book is a tool for parents to navigate questions about differences and give our children a sense of pride and security in who they are.

2. A resource for teachers who can help children learn new ways to embrace everyone's uniqueness.

My mission through this labor of love is :

1. To help all young children to become exceptional future leaders through cultural sensitivity and awareness

2. For parents to know that you don't have to do it all alone.

Erlin Kakkanad is a mom, Ph.D. in Education, promotes cultural sensitivity and awareness for children, youth, and adults in corporations; and raises Asian Indian American children in the Midwest.