A NOTE FROM OUR EDITORIAL TEAM
In 1990, Rudine Sims Bishop published an essay about the importance of providing young readers with diverse books. She used the phrase “windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors” to emphasize the need for all children to experience diverse stories through the characters and real-life people they meet in books. When children read books that serve as mirrors, they see reflections of their own experiences and cultures. When children read books that serve as windows, they gain insights into worlds beyond their own personal experiences. All children need access to diverse books that allow them to look in and look out, making text-to-self and text-to-world connections. Ideally, every classroom would contain a robust library filled with hundreds of books that reflect the mosaic of our society. Yet excellent texts with accurate, dignified, and appealing portrayals of people from marginalized backgrounds are still largely lacking from most classroom and school libraries (Thomas 2018, Routman 2018). And this lack of diversity takes a toll. When children do not see themselves in books—or worse, see only distorted or stereotypical reflections—they can internalize negative cultural views and feel as if school is not a place where they or their culture matter.
Each Rising Voices Library aims to shine a spotlight on those whose contributions and potential are often overlooked. When we foster a classroom community that supports positive representation and equity, children of all backgrounds benefit as they gain empathy, respect, and understanding. The goal of a Rising Voices collection is to empower educators to share literature and promote discussions that are too often lacking in American classrooms.
The Rising Voices Program Guide | 1
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