by: Amber Miller
January 20, 2025
Why is diversity such an essential issue in children's literature? Consider what books can do for children and what they can learn about themselves and others. Diversity has been a concern among scholars of children’s literature for more than fifty years. In a 1965 article, Larrick voiced concern about the lack of children’s books with Black characters and the often problematic portrayal of Black characters when they did appear. Twenty-five years later, Bishop (1990) brought the issue to light again, arguing for the importance of diverse children’s books because they can be a window or sliding glass door into another world or a mirror in which children have an opportunity to see themselves. She suggests,
“Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection, we can see our own lives and experiences as part of the larger human experience. Reading, then, becomes a means of self-affirmation, and readers often seek their mirrors in books. For many years, nonwhite readers have too frequently found the search futile,” (Bishop, 1990, p. ix).
You'll often see Bishop's windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors metaphor in connection with children's literature. Please take a moment to read her piece here.
Watch this short video clip of Bishop explaining the importance of diverse children's literature:
Next, listen in as author Grace Lin shares her thoughts on window, mirrors, and sliding glass doors:
Finally, watch this TED Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The Danger of a Single Story.
Integrating the perspectives of various authors and illustrators of color into your personal understanding of creating strong multicultural books encourages us to consider the importance of representation in children's literature.
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