As parents we influence the books our kids read which inform the way they see the world and their place within it.
In June 2020, we started an experiment. We looked at our kids’ books and separated them into different categories:
1. Books without people (neutral)
2. Books with both white and non-white representation
3. Books with non-white characters at the centre of the story
4. Books with white characters at the centre of the story or driving the story exclusively
You can probably guess which pile was the highest.
It has been an eye opener.
The #bookshelfchallenge has been the start of an important conversation about representation at home. But it doesn’t stop there. We can do better. Let’s keep each other accountable.
Pledge that your next kids’ book purchase will feature a non-white character in a central role.
