The Guardian view on children’s books: a restricted view of a wide world | Editorial

Almost a third of school-age children are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. But they will still struggle to find characters who resemble themselvesBooks can show us the world both as it is, and as it could be – “mirrors and windows”, as the author Malorie Blackman notes. For children, they are currently falling short on both counts. In the pages of a picture or chapter book, readers have their experience affirmed or glimpse exciting new possibilities: mastering a fear of the dark, or travelling through space. Yet a young black or Asian child picking up a book today is more likely to encounter a rabbit than a protagonist who looks like them, says the expert who has led a new review of representation, Reflecting Realities. This is astonishing in an age when 32% of school-age children are from black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds; and is bad news not only for them but for all young readers. Publishers are offering a dated, narrow and skewed picture of the complex, diverse, interconnected world around them.Don’t blame Beatrix Potter. This is not a historic, cumulative problem; the new research covers only books published in 2017. The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education asked publishers to submit titles with BAME characters and received fewer than 400, set against the roughly 9,000 books published for children aged three to 11. Quality and sheer variety are as important as quantity. Only 1% of titles featured a BAME lead character; in a quarter of... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-07-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #bame characters #titles featured #bame protagonists #white boys

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The Guardian view on children’s books: a restricted view of a wide world | Editorial'


Guardian drops children’s books site

The Guardian is bringing its children’s books website to an end next month because of financial constraints. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #books site #books website #financial constraints


Better Children’s Books for a Better World

Klaus Humann, publisher of Aladin Verlag in Germany, talks about small publishing houses and his global search for children's books and illustrators. The post Better Children’s Books for a Better World appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #world appeared


‘Transformation’ at Digital Book World: Wide-Eyed and Learning

This year's Digital Book World seems to be off to a start led by inquiry, guidance, and a pressing question: what's next? The post ‘Transformation’ at Digital Book World: Wide-Eyed and Learning appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Ehrlin: 'children's book world shouldn't fear self-publishing

The children’s book world should not be scared of self- publishing, according to Carl-Johan Forssén Ehrlin, the Swedish author behind the bestselling picture book The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep, which shot to number one in the Amazon.co.uk book chart before the author signed any deals with... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book world #swedish author #fall asleep #traditional publishers


Can children's books help build a better world?

Author SF Said on how almost all the world’s problems come down to ‘us and them’ – and how children’s books can knock down the barriers Do you believe it’s the books we read when we are young that have the deepest impact? Let us know by emailing [email protected] or on Twitter... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ll add #jella lepman #pippi longstocking #terrorist attacks #twitter @gdnchildrensbks


Guardian launches children’s book festival

The Guardian is organising a children’s literature festival – a free one-day event in London on 29th August, featuring authors such as Sarah McIntyre, Philip Reeve and Paul Strickland. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book festival #literature festival #29th august #featuring authors #sarah mcintyre #philip reeve


The Guardian view on media globalisation: good news for the Financial Times | Editorial

It may not prove easy to marry British and Japanese journalistic cultures. But in a global media world this deal makes senseThe Financial Times is one of the best newspapers in the world, not just in Britain. It is quick without being rash, accurate without leaden pedantry, thoughtful without... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #everyday life #digital operations #make decisions


How Much Should Children Read? World Book Day Infographic

In honor of World Book Day, the International Publishers Association has an infographic on how much children should read and why literacy is important. The post How Much Should Children Read? World Book Day Infographic appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-04-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #children read


The Guardian view on the Sun journalists’ acquittal: the right verdict | Editorial

The readiness of juries to defend public interest journalism is good news. But the press should be more transparent about payments to sources for storiesThe case of the Sun journalists charged with paying public officials for information has been a troubling one in many respects. It is, we... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #difficult questions #public interest


VIDEO: Children celebrate World Book Day

As millions of children celebrate World Book Day, Tim Muffett has been looking at what makes bedtime reading a best seller. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2015-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


The Guardian view on Amazon v Hachette: reading and writing | Editorial

Can a one-size-fits-all, low-price, consumer-dominated sales model support a diverse, innovative, challenging literary output?It is either an existential threat to intellectual freedom or a rustbelt media industry meeting its comeuppance at the hands of disruptive technology. The battle between... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #two-page ad #ebook market #buy button


BEA 2014: Christian Children’s Books Sell More Widely, Publishers Say

For publishers of religion books aimed at young readers, it's easier than ever to find readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #christian children #books sell #young readers #find readers


Best World Children’s Book Award Winner Talks to PP

By Dennis Abrams South African writer Anita Pouroulis, a former primary school teacher from Johannesburg, won the Best World Children’s Book Award at the China […] Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book award


Ribblestrop scoops Guardian Children's Book Award

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 11/11/2011 - 07:30 Return to Ribblestrop by Andy Mulligan (Simon & Schuster Children's Books) has been awarded the Guardian Children's Book Award, beating off shortlisted titles including David Almond's My Name is Mina and Simon Mason's Moon... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-11-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book award #guardian children #simon mason


When Children’s Book Authors Don’t Like Children’s Books

Authors like Louisa May Alcott and A.A. Milne learned their success in children's literature didn't translate to respect for their art. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-04-27 10:33:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #children's literature #children’s book


Children’s Books in China 2019: The Chinese Children’s Book Market Is Still on a Roll

The oft-quoted numbers remain as compelling as ever: 370 million people under the age of 18, an additional 17.5 million babies born annually, and at least 600 active publishers in the children’s book industry. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #chinese children #book market #book industry


Children’s Books in China 2019: Thinkingdom Children’s Books

For Thinkingdom Children’s Books, the main goal in creating its first series of original children’s picture books goes beyond “helping every kid to become a book lover,” which has been the company’s motto since 2003. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #picture books #thinkingdom children #original children #book lover


Children’s Books in China 2019: Beijing Dandelion Children’s Book House

With the 12th anniversary of Beijing Dandelion Children’s Book House just around the corner, founder and editor-in-chief Sally Yan has embarked on a personal project to reread and reexamine her company’s bestsellers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book house


Children's Books in China 2018: Thinkingdom Children’s Books

“Helping every kid to become a book lover” is the motto at Thinkingdom Children’s Books, which was established in 2002 to translate classic and award-winning children’s books. Less than one year later, it published two well-known authors: Tetsuko Kuroyanagi (Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #thinkingdom children #award-winning children #book lover #missing piece


Children’s Books in China 2018: Beijing Dandelion Children's Book House

The contradictions embodied in the folk symbol of the witch captured the attention of Sally Yan, founder and editor-in-chief of 11-year-old publishing company Beijing Dandelion. “The witch is a popular figure in Western classics: sometimes as the protagonist; other times, in the periphery. The... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |