We Need Diverse Books More Than Ever

chroniclebooks:

We need diverse books because books fight hate.

Because our children are the future.

Because all voices must be heard and celebrated.

Because it’s important to read about people who are different than yourself.

Because kids need to see themselves represented in literature.

Because all our stories are important.

Because children’s books can change the world.

Illustration from Josephine

For the past three weeks, we’ve been fully engrossed in our 5th annual Give Books campaign, that special time of year when we encourage everyone to give books during the holidays. For each pledge, we donate a book to a child in need through First Book, a nonprofit that sends new books to the schools and neighborhoods where they are needed most. Take the pledge today—our goal is to donate 30,000 books.

This Giving Tuesday, we want to shine the spotlight on another organization we hold near and dear to our hearts: We Need Diverse Books. They are a group of children’s book lovers that showcase and encourage literature that mirrors and honors the lives of all young people. To help get these stories into the classrooms that need them most, we’re proud to donate a selection of our diverse publishing to We Need Diverse Books:

• Green is a Chile Pepper by Roseanne Greenfield Thong, illustrated by John Parra
• Round is a Mooncake by Roseanne Greenfield Thong, illustrated by Grace Lin
• Lowriders to the Center of the Earth by Cathy Camper, illustrated by Raul the Third
• Josephine by Patricia Hruby Powell, illustrated by Christian Robinson
• Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth by Sanjay Patel and Emily Haynes, illustrated by Sanjay Patel
• Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns by Hena Khan, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini
• You Can Do It Too! by Karen Baicker, illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max
• I Can Do It Too! by Karen Baicker, illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max
• Bintou’s Braids by Sylviane A. Diouf, illustrated by Shane W. Evans
• The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Frank Morrison

One of their many noteworthy programs is WNDB in the Classroom, which works to share diverse literature and promote representation of children’s book creators from marginalized groups in school communities.

Illustration from The Quickest Kid in Clarksville

So how can you help? Here are a few ways:

• Buy, read, and give diverse books—support authors and publishers who are promoting these stories and making an effort to distribute them worldwide.
• Donate to WNDB here to help get these books into the classrooms.
• Request diverse books at your local bookstore.
• Suggest diverse books for your child’s school library or for your public library.
• Suggest authors and/or illustrators from underrepresented groups for school visits.

Illustration from Green is a Chile Pepper

Why do you think we need diverse books now more than ever?