Take a minute and find a memory of a favorite book you read as a child. Was it a biography? a comic book? a fantasy story of an imagined land? Now think about the characters featured. I will make an educated guess the book you chose did not include representation of people of color, LGBTQ characters, people with disabilities, or ethnic or religious minorities.
According to information from the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (which compiles information on books authored by and about people of color and Indigenous people) more books were published featuring animals and inanimate objects than books featuring people of color in 2015. The CCBC has seen this pattern in publishing for over 20 years.
This is striking considering the United States Census projects the US population will be majority “minority” by 2043, yet the books we share with children do not reflect their diverse lives and experiences.
Why should you care about diversity in children’s books? If you work with children, for the improvement of children’s well-being, have children yourself, or simply want to be part of a culture where everyone’s experience is reflected, you have a reason to support diversifying children’s literature.
Luckily there are many ways to support the cause! 1) Read diverse books from your local library to give librarians data supporting the purchase of other diverse materials. UNM's Zimmerman Library has a children’s/young adult collection on the 3rd floor with books that share these important stories. Find these titles and many others:
2) Purchase award-winning diverse books as gifts for young readers and use “Best of” lists from the American Library Association, the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs and other organizations found on the UNM Children’s Lit Libguide.
3) Attend this event in Albuquerque on April 21 to hear keynote speaker Marley Dias,12 year old creator of the #1000blackgirlbooks campaign, started because she wanted to read more stories with black girls like herself as the main characters.
4) Stay engaged on social media by following hashtags #WNDB #WeNeedDiverseBooks and follow authors and illustrators from the “Best of” lists who often share the work of other authors/illustrators they enjoy.
As a former children’s librarian, aunt, Indigenous woman, and lover of children’s books, I work to give kids access to books reflecting the diversity of their lives. I hope you find a book on a shelf today that speaks to your childhood and you share it with a child you care about. That act of sharing can make a difference!
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