We aspire to be a go-to resource for librarians, educators, parents, book creators, and publishers who seek to create collections in which all children and young adults can see themselves — and each other — reflected in the books they read.
What is our mission?
Our unique focus on collecting and analyzing ALL diverse children’s and young adult books allows us to expand the important discussion about representation within the diverse books movement beyond the current focus on:
- increasing the number of children’s and young adult books featuring BIPOC.
- identifying good/authentic vs. bad/harmful representations of BIPOC in children’s and young adult books.
By:
- providing critical data that identifies common trends in how BIPOC are represented within the broader landscape of diverse books itself.
- translating this critical data so that it is accessible and useful to a wide and informed audience of users, creators, and advocates.
This approach allows for both a broad and deep consideration of what kinds of stories about BIPOC the diverse books movement has made space for, and where we might need to go next.
What obstacles do we face in this work?
This project is a work in progress. Even as we attempt to shift the spotlight to what kinds of stories are being told about those who have long been underrepresented in children’s and young adult books, the industry in which we operate continues to center Whiteness by:
- commonly using it as the reference point (norm) against which all else is measured (e.g. “diverse” compared to whom?).
- shaping our analysis of trends within BIPOC representation (since books featuring BIPOC are a record of a minoritized experience, often one of racial/cultural marginalization).
- determining who creates, agents, acquires, publishes, reviews, sells, and collects the majority of children’s and young adult books, including the “diverse” ones.
Therefore, even as we work to transform the world of children’s and young adult literature to better reflect all youth, we recognize that we are part of the system we’re trying to change.
How can you contribute?
Many thoughtful people have already contributed to our evolving language, data, and analyses. We invite you to be part of this conversation and welcome your critical reflections — especially any suggestions for improvement. Please reach out to us through the Contact Us page.
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