Growing up, very few readers felt they could relate to the characters they read about in their books. For a young child, this can create quite a dilemma. They think they can never be like the characters because they don’t look like them. However, as society is becoming more inclusive and aware of the array of people that exist, are these realities reflected in children’s literature?
Diversity in children’s literature is crucial for our society to build a stronger foundation of kindness and humanity.
In 2021, the Cooperative Children’s Book Center School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison conducted a study and found that, of 3,415 books, 450 books were able Black/African American characters, 356 were about Asian characters, 242 books were about Latinx characters, and 74 were about Indigenous characters. While, according to this data, it is clear that books about white protagonists have decreased, there has been an increase in the number of books published about animals and inanimate objects.
When we think about our childhood and the types of characters we read about and interacted with, it is hard to think of a character that is not white. Nancy Drew, Peter Pan, Hermione Granger, Willy Wonka, Cinderella, and many more characters come to mind. Where is the representation of neurodiversity, religion, race, culture, sexuality, etc.?
Why is Diversity Important in Children’s Literature?
Many people well into their teenage years and even adulthood struggle to find a place in society and accept their true identity. All these issues stem from their childhood. By increasing the diversity in children’s books, we foster a safe space for children who identify with different communities. While interacting with various types of characters, children discover new things about their identity and feel as though they belong.
Almost every bookshelf at stores and libraries has books about the same character. Children internalize that they can never be like the people they read about because the literature does not reflect them. Kids need to see more characters like them to understand it is okay to take up space in society regardless of who they are. How can we expect children to learn to respect and appreciate various experiences, cultures, and people if they never hear of them? Reading about diverse characters makes them empathetic and understanding. I know many history books about realistic characters from various backgrounds exist; however, it is insufficient. Minority communities do not just exist in the past. History textbooks are one thing, but sharing stories about people that live in today’s world is just as important, if not more.
What is Society Doing to Change the Narrative?
Organizations like We Need Diverse Books and Build a Better Book Project are doing their part by providing more diverse books representing many minority communities. Lee & Low Books conducted a diversity baseline survey in 2019 and concluded that 76% of the publishing industry is white people. We see an apparent lack of diversity on the editorial side, as 85% of the employees were white.
We Need Diverse Books is a non-profit organization that actively works to increase representation in children’s books. CEO Ellen Oh is fighting against the myth that books about people of color do not make a profit or garner an audience. In an interview with AP News, she said, “because of this myth, publishing never gives these books a chance.” They have programs offering scholarships to students of minority communities looking to enter the publishing industry, awards recognizing diverse stories and authors, and partnerships with many schools to include more books in their libraries.
The Build a Better Book Project, located at the University of Colorado Boulder, creates books for children with learning impairments. Using multi-modal creations, they produce books and distribute them to schools and libraries for students who cannot read a traditional bound book.
Children rely heavily on literature as it shapes how they perceive the world. So why limit the world of books when it can empower our children to achieve greatness in their reality?
