“Books about White children, talking bears, trucks, monsters, potatoes, etc.
This perspective often does not bode well for oppressed and marginalized groups.
Even when diverse books manage the rare triumph of getting published, they receive less recognition from mainstream channels.
Verywell / Catherine Song
A study looked at 100 National Book Award finalists and 20 winners between 1996 and 2015.
The protagonist of each story was scanned for identity markers.
Brookings Institution.Less than half of US children under 15 are white, census shows.
Cooperative Children’s Book Center.The numbers are in: 2019 CCBC diversity statistics.
Lee & Low Books.Where is the diversity in publishing?
The 2019 Diversity Baseline Survey results.
Bickmore ST, Xu Y, Sheridan MI.Where are the people of color?
The diversity of children’s literature in early childhood classroom libraries.J Child Lit.
2016;42(2):29-42.
HughesHassell S, Cox EJ.Inside board books: representations of people of color.Libr Q.
2010;80(3):211-230. doi:10.1086/652873
Atkins L.Whats the story?
Issues of diversity and childrens publishing in the U.K.E-rea.
2013;(11.1).
2019;72(5):559-68. doi:10.1002/trtr.1764
