For many homeschool moms, teaching their kids is also about learning who they are. It’s about finding their place in the world. For Black moms, this path can be both joyful and hard. They love expanding their kiddo’s understanding of themselves, their culture, and their history, but struggle to find books that accurately portray their varied experiences.
Understanding how books as mirrors windows and voices for homeschool families work becomes very important for helping families feel seen and understood.
“A mirror is a book that helps build a child’s identity as it reflects their own culture or personhood. Children find themselves represented along with their families and communities, and their sense of belonging grows as they recognize characters like themselves moving through the world. Books as windows, on the other hand, provide a realistic view of how others live while simultaneously situating children within the context of a wider world.”
Amber O’Neal Johnston, author of A Place to Belong
Amber’s Big Idea: Books as Mirrors, Windows, and Voices
Amber wrote a book called “A Place to Belong.” In it, she talks about books being like mirrors and windows. This matters a lot for Black children. They don’t always see themselves in the stories they read. These books act as mirrors, windows, and voices to enable kids to see their own lives reflected in books. They also show them new worlds beyond what they know.
Books can be a space for kids to dream and imagine.
Amber saw this problem and did something about it in “Soul School.” Her work asks for more stories from the Black perspective — so kids can feel seen and understood. Their stories need to matter and be reflected in the culture around them. She also shares that White kids gain from these stories too, and we should be expected to see the world from a different vantage point.
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird
The Magic of Books as Mirrors, Windows, and Voices for Homeschool Families
Amber believes all children should see themselves in books. Toni Morrison once said, “If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” This drives Amber’s work. She fills in the gaps and shares books and stories that really matter.
Maya Angelou tells us, “We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter their color.”
These wise words reveal why Amber’s words are necessary for such a time as this. They show how books as mirrors, windows, and voices help families discover who they really are through real stories. Families that deserve to be seen, heard, and understood.
Learning to Care Through Reading: How Books as Mirrors, Windows, and Voices Build Bridges
Studies show that reading stories helps people care more about others. Research proves that reading can help kids build emotional intelligence and empathy, enabling young readers to better connect with other perspectives and human experiences. This works for entire homeschool families.
Books challenge what we think we know. They help us care more. W.E.B. Du Bois said we must tell human stories with truth.
“Nations reel and stagger on their way; they make hideous mistakes; they commit frightful wrongs; they do great and beautiful things. And shall we not best guide humanity by telling the truth about all this, so far as the truth is ascertainable?”
W.E.B. Du Bois
Creating Change: White Families Learning About Black Families via The Soul School Way
One amazing thing about books as mirrors windows and voices is what happens to White families. When we read all sorts of stories from perspectives beyond our understanding, we begin to see ourselves in other families’ stories. White families read about Black families facing similiar challenges or celebrating too. They see that all families share the same basic human experiences.
“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail
This changes everything. White families learn that being different doesn’t mean being separate. They see that joy, sadness, love, and growth happen in all families. Books as mirrors, windows, and voices help White families discover they’re part of a bigger human family. They’re not separate from or better than other communities.
A Movement Toward Understanding Through Books as Mirrors, Windows, and Voices for Homeschool Families
Amber’s work shows how books as mirrors windows and voices create something bigger. “Soul School” isn’t just stories. It’s a tool for change that shows the rich mix of experiences we all share. It shows how these experiences bring us together.
Where You Can Find Amber & Her Books
Amber shows us we all have power to create change. We do this by sharing our stories. Her message is simple but powerful: every child should feel seen, heard, and valued. It’s our job to make sure they do.
When we engage with books that show the lives of others — especially those different from ourselves — we begin to see beyond stereotypes. We grow in compassion, we gain courage to confront our own biases, and we become more human.
Or, as Michelle Obama puts it in Becoming:
“I’ve learned that it’s harder to hate someone if you know their story.”
When we read widely, we grow in empathy. But there’s another kind of story that deserves attention too: your own.
As homeschool moms, we spend so much time focused on our kids’ identities that we sometimes lose sight of our own. So let me ask you:
Do you feel clear on who you are?
Are you showing up as your true self in your homeschool — or who you think you’re supposed to be?
Do your values, passions, and voice have space in your daily life?
If you’re craving clarity and alignment, I made something just for you.
🎁 Grab the free “You Be You” Checklist — a simple, soul-centered guide to help you reconnect with your identity, your core values, and your unique voice in homeschooling and life.
Because when you know who you are, you homeschool from a place of peace, not pressure. Download your free checklist now — and start the journey of becoming more fully you.
I help homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.
