How to diversify your child's bookshelf - Amie Jones, Kind Kids Book Club

We all love reading here at Kind Kids Book Club HQ but as a busy mum with limited time

and money, for a long period, when it came to children’s books, if it wasn’t on a supermarket

shelf within grabbing distance, I wasn’t buying it.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some fantastic books on supermarket shelves and we love

them – but it always felt like I was missing something.

My three sons see themselves regularly in the pages of the books we read. They are

knights on horseback, dinosaur keepers, doctors, pilots, friends to all manner of woodland

animals and heroes. They are at the heart of the story. They are the story. But what about everyone and everything else? What about BIPOC characters? What about

different cultures and different countries, strong girls and women, families that aren’t 2.4

children and people with disabilities? And not just tokenism. Central protagonists, one and

all.

How can I really teach my children to be kind – to show empathy and understanding for the

world around them and the people they meet wherever their lives might take them – if they

aren’t seeing it right now in the books with read together?

In 1996, educator Emily Style advocated for an inclusive ‘both/and thinking’ approach to how

children learn. This method means all children should be invited to look through

metaphorical ‘windows’ for insight into unfamiliar experiences (to build their empathy and

understanding) and ‘mirrors’ which reflect their own experience back to them (to build their

self-esteem and confidence).

So, if this sounds like you too – here are our top tips for getting started on diversifying your bookshelves:

CHECK WHAT YOU HAVE

Go through all of the books you already have and really look at them. Can you spot any lazy

or harmful stereotypes or a one-size-fits-all approach to representation – however subtle or

normalised it might seem? I pride myself on being vigilant about what the boys read – but

even I was surprised by some of the things I spotted.

ALL ABOUT THE STORY

There are some brilliant non-fiction children’s reference books out there about everything

from anti-racism to feminism and they absolutely have their place and purpose – but, in

general, children love a really good story. Choose books that tell a great tale and

demonstrate inclusive representation that is mostly incidental to the story line. This is about

keeping it really simple: the picture books on your shelves should depict people with

disabilities, Black protagonists, strong girls, sensitive boys and families of all shapes and

sizes and so much more. Not because these characters have something to say about their

body, the colour of their skin, their struggles or their family set up – but because this

accurately reflects the diversity of the world around us.

SEEK OUT OWN VOICES

Own voices authors and illustrators create works based on their own lived experiences. This

might mean what it’s like to be from a particular country, or live with a disability, or follow a

certain religion and much more. Own voices are important because they offer an authentic

representation of heritage, culture, identity and perspective from often marginalised and

under-represented groups. This means that their insight is real and honest and never relies

on harmful assumptions, generalisations, tropes or stereotypes to tell the story.

MAKE A WISH LIST

Start making a list of books you would like to add to your collection and hand it out to family

and friends when they ask for ideas for birthday and Christmas presents. This way, boosting

your bookshelves doesn’t have to cost a fortune and your house is much less likely to be

filled with unwanted gifts that gather dust!

ASK AT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY

The library is a brilliant way to start diversifying your book collection without spending a small fortune. If you are looking to give particular titles a try, it’s definitely worth asking your local library to order them in for you if they don’t already have them. The added bonus here is that lots of other families will also benefit from a more diversified assortment to choose from.

Amie is owner of Kind Kids Book Club - A monthly subscription service featuring inclusive children’s books with heart. Expect beautiful books to engage, empower and educate and inclusive stories that celebrate empathy, diversity and equality.

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