DURING THE same week that many across the globe will be celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8, young people and those who educate them across the UK and Ireland will also be celebrating World Book Day today (Thursday, March 7).
The theme for this year’s World Book Day is Read Your Way which is hoped would encourage more children to have a choice and a chance to enjoy reading.
This year’s reading initiative comes in the face of a national crisis in reading. Recent research from the National Literacy Trust (NLT) found that fewer than 1 in 2 (47.8%) of children now say that they enjoy reading, with reading also proving to be more popular with girls than boys.
This is the lowest level since 2005, with reading enjoyment lowest among children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Further research by the NLT found that almost a million UK children lack a single book at home, a concerning statistic.
Amidst this gloom, however, is a positive trend. Recent years have seen a rise in the publication of books that feature ethnically diverse characters and that appeal to reluctant readers from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Black female authors are leading the way in this trend. A survey of Ethnic Representation within UK Children’s Literature 2022 was published in November last year by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) found that 30% of children’s titles published in 2022 featured racially minoritised characters.
This figure was up from the 4% reported in the first CLPE report to examine this issue in 2017.
Many of these new diverse children’s titles listed in the latest report were written by Black females, something to be applauded during a month in which the achievements of women around the globe are highlighted and celebrated.
The work of these authors has made a significant contribution to representation and inclusion in children’s literature. They have also provided young readers with stories that resonate with their experiences, fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment and offering a broader range of narratives and perspectives that children from all backgrounds can explore and learn from.
Here are some of the popular children’s titles by Black female authors highlighted in the report:
Journey Back to Freedom: The Olaudah Equiano Story (Barrington Stoke, 2022) by Catherine Johnson which explores the rise of Olaudah Equiano who overcame a horrific life of slavery to later become a celebrated activist and published author.
Our Story Starts in Africa (Magic Cat Publishing, 2022) is an exploration of a family history from Africa to the Caribbean via slavery and Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush, (Nosy Crow Ltd, 2022). It demonstrates the struggle and success of the Windrush Generation in picture book form and are both authored by award-winning writer, Patrice Lawrence.
The Story of Britain’s Black Airmen (Scholastic, 2022) by K.N. Chimbiri brings to life the fascinating and rarely heard stories of Britain’s Black Airmen of African and Caribbean descent during the First and Second World Wars.
The Black Curriculum Legacies: Black British Pioneers (DK Children, 2022) by Lania Narjee takes readers on an inspiring exploration of iconic figures from Black British History, celebrating activists of the past such as Claudia Jones to present-day figures such as Champion Formula One Racing Driver, Sir Lewis Hamilton.
The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger (Farshore, 2022) by J.T. Williams takes readers back to the eighteenth century, reliving the stories of Black British historical figures during that time period.
Additionally, it would be amiss of me to not mention two additional books that adults and educators must get their hands on:
How to Build Your Antiracist Classroom (Corwin, 2023) by Orlene Badu, a leadership and education consultant and racial literacy advocate, calls for educators to build an antiracist classroom that would lead to children becoming the antiracist leaders of tomorrow.
A Trace of Sun (Legend Press, 2024) a debut novel by former fashion editor and Grenadian-heritage Londoner and educator, Pam Williams, is inspired in part by the experience of the author’s own family migration from the Caribbean.
While the rise in ethnically diverse book characters alongside the publication of books authored by Black females is to be celebrated, we cannot rest on our laurels.
There is still much work to be done in increasing the representation and inclusion of both ethnically diverse book characters and black female authors within wider mainstream publishing.
In its summary, the CLPE Reflecting Realities 2023 report called for considerations in determining a meaningful presence that ensures breadth and balance in the representation of ethnically diverse book characters as well as valuing the creatives behind this published work.
As you celebrate World Book and International Women’s Day this month, why not support both endeavors by purchasing any of the listed books in this column by our talented Black female authors for yourself and the children you educate?
Through your example, you can show them how much fun reading for pleasure can truly be.
