with only 10 to 15 percent of children’s books written by or about people of color.
However, those numbers have begun to climb in recent years. In 2020, 28 percent of children’s books published in the United States were written by people of color, the CCBC reports—and 30 percent featured nonwhite characters. 8
With a growing selection of books to choose from, librarians/media specialists can support positive representation for all students.
New Scholastic Collections Celebrate Underrepresented Voices To promote diversity in representation, Scholastic has created specially curated collections of books for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. These high- interest, culturally relevant texts give context to what students are experiencing in the world around them while fostering meaningful conversations about social justice issues and identity development. The first Rising Voices Library, issued in May 2021, focuses on celebrating Black and Latino boys. Developed in partnership with educator David C. Banks, President and CEO of the Eagle Academy Foundation, each grade-level library contains 50 books—two copies each of 25 fiction, nonfiction, and biographical titles—complete with teaching materials. The collection is organized around five literary themes that students and teachers can use to make cross-cultural connections, such as “Family, Culture, and Community” and “Heroes and Role Models.” “While the focus of this collection is specific, it is a tool to support all learners by fostering a classroom community that supports more positive representation and equity,” Banks says. “Children of all backgrounds will benefit as they build empathy, respect, and understanding.” The second Rising Voices Library, released in August 2021, focuses on empowering girls in STEAM. Curated in partnership with a group of five female STEAM mentors, this collection of fiction and nonfiction stories shatters misconceptions about girls and women as leaders in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math.
Three other Rising Voices Libraries will follow. To learn more, call 1-800-387-1437 or go to scholastic.com/risingvoices.
Why Diversity Matters in School Library Collections—And How to Achieve It 5
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