The Importance of Diverse Children's Books

When I was writing my children's book I wanted it to be relatable and enjoyable for both children and adults.

Developing an understanding and acceptance of others' differences is an important life skill for children and adults alike. 

In my opinion, storytelling is a fun and inclusive way to help children develop this skill.

I wanted to highlight the characters' differences in a playful but meaningful way throughout the story.

Representation in Children's Books 

With 15 years of experience working with children and young people from all backgrounds, I wanted to make my book diverse and inclusive.

Storytelling can help children develop self-awareness of themselves and others around them. 

Ethnic Diversity

The number of children’s books, by UK authors, which have a main character from a BAME background is increasing. However, the numbers are still low. A Book Trust report highlighted that: 

“In 2017, just 1% of the main characters in children’s books were from a minority ethnic group, rising steadily to 4% in 2018, 5% in 2019, 8% in 2020 and 9% in 2021.”

This means the books children read aren't representative of the true diversity of the world around them.

The report was a UK wide study, I wasn’t able to find statistics for Scotland. However, from reading the low percentage above I would imagine there will be a very small fraction of BAME main characters in books by Scottish authors.

Growing up I can't remember seeing or reading any books with children who were from different ethnicities. And I loved reading books. I used to do library reading challenges in the summer holidays!

It turns out in recent years, a large number of children  don't see themselves represented in books either. According to the National Literacy Trust's 2022 Annual Literacy Survey, nearly half (45.2%) of the Black children and young people surveyed said “they struggle to see themselves in what they read, compared to over 1 in 3 from white backgrounds.”

The survey results were based on over 48 000 responses. It is sad to read of the lack of representation and diversity within the books children read. 

Although there are more diverse books being published, it's still disproportionate to the number of BAME children living in the UK.

I read these reports after I had written the story and decided the characters would be BAME.

I feel strongly that when children see themselves in books they're able to relate to the characters.

I believe this more so after discovering these statistics.

How often have you seen or read about someone who is like you in a book? 

Neurodiversity

Although I am not neurodiverse, I recognise that it is important for children who are to see themselves reflected in books.

The characters in my book are neurodiverse with opposite personalities. Despite their differences they form a wonderful friendship.

The story doesn't explicitly tell the reader that the characters have ASD and ADHD, however when you read the book you will likely notice their personalities and unique qualities.

I have worked with a lot of children who are neurodiverse over the years. Yet I can't recall ever reading a book with them where the character was similar to them. 

This realisation has made me reflect that we should all diversify our bookshelves, in our professional and personal life.

It's important to read books written by a variety of authors and read about characters from all backgrounds and walks of life.

Final Note 

My intention for my book is to help children learn and accept others' differences in a mindful way. As well as increase the number of diverse books available for children to see themselves mirrored back when reading. 

I aim to share it far and wide to reach as many people from different backgrounds as possible.

In future, I plan to offer author visits to share my book with school pupils and in library visits. If you would be interested in finding out more please get in touch with me at hello@butterfly-minds.co.uk 

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