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 ]
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Authors Matt Haig, Anthony Horowitz and Greg James are among those featured on World Book Day’s 2020 list. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-22 12:10:19 UTC ]
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Although picture has improved since 2017, research shows that last year only 4% of books for the youngest readers featured a minority ethnic heroIn most children’s books, according to one London primary school pupil, “people are peach”. Another feels there are “no black people” in the stories... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2019-09-19 11:15:59 UTC ]
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The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) has revealed that there has been a slight increase in children's books featuring a BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) character – from 4% in 2017 to 7% last year – with a rise in BAME central protagonists, from 1% to 4% in its second... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-18 14:42:56 UTC ]
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David Cameron’s memoir, For the Record, hit the headlines this weekend as the publicity campaign for the former prime minister’s book gets underway. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-16 03:37:49 UTC ]
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Greystone Books will launch a UK children’s list which will focus on environmental and inclusive titles next year. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-11 17:56:48 UTC ]
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Trigger Publishing children’s imprint Upside Down has snapped up a “heartwarming” picture book debut which aims to help children to deal with emotions and boost self-confidence. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-11 08:35:17 UTC ]
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Ben Miller has signed a new three-book deal with Simon & Schuster Children's, and is poised to become “a major force in children’s publishing”, the firm says. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-10 09:27:19 UTC ]
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Contemporary Short Stories from MyanmarIn 2017 the British Council produced an anthology of short stories from Myanmar. In 2012 the British Council sought to take advantage of new freedoms in literature and travel through a programme of workshops. The aim of the five-year literature... Continue reading at British Council global
[ British Council global | 2019-09-10 08:55:33 UTC ]
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Macmillan Children’s Books communications director Alyx Price is being promoted to associate publisher at the firm. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-03 14:31:29 UTC ]
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I FIRST HEARD ABOUT Svetlana Alexievich from a friend in my writing group who was reading the Belarusian author’s Zinky Boys: Soviet Voices from the Afghanistan War (1990, trans. 1992), a book based on hundreds of interviews with those who lost their sons in Afghanistan. The title of the book... Continue reading at Los Angeles Review of Books
[ Los Angeles Review of Books | 2019-09-02 12:30:01 UTC ]
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Simon & Schuster Children’s UK has struck a three-book deal in a major new middle-grade series by authors Katie and Kevin Tsang. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-02 05:13:48 UTC ]
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Bloomsbury Children’s Books has scooped two more “comedy gold dust" adventures from writer Jo Simmons and illustrator Nathan Reed. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-08-29 01:32:06 UTC ]
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Simon & Schuster Children’s UK has acquired a dog-themed picture book from Richard Jones, his first as both author and illustrator. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-08-28 16:59:01 UTC ]
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The Children's Book Council of Australia chose the winners of the 2019 Book of the Year Awards. Get the list of winners and honorable mentions here. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-08-28 10:39:17 UTC ]
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Svetlana Alexievich collects the memories of those who witnessed tragedy at a young age. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2019-08-16 12:33:20 UTC ]
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The illustrator and graphic novelist Rutu Modan offers a homage to Leah Goldberg, one of Israel’s most celebrated poets and children’s authors. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2019-08-16 09:00:17 UTC ]
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New US tariffs on books imported from China will not include Bibles and other religious titles, while charges on children’s publications will be delayed, it has been announced. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-08-14 16:39:10 UTC ]
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Alexandra Allan will lead Welbeck Publishing Group's children’s books business with Quarto’s Laura Knowles joining as associate publisher. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-08-14 05:12:59 UTC ]
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'A wide range of other books remain on the list' for near-term tariffs, notes AAP's Maria A. Pallante, 'including American fiction and nonfiction.' The post AAP Objects to Trump’s China Shift: Only Children’s Book Tariffs Delayed appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-08-14 03:15:19 UTC ]
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HEROES CARRY SWORDS. Pale women with fine blonde hair are chosen for a special fate. Ugly sub-humans, often dark-skinned, offer diabolical bargains or, in an indistinguishable horde, hang out until the good guys stab them to death. Evildoers crave power, and the good reliably shrink from it.... Continue reading at Los Angeles Review of Books
[ Los Angeles Review of Books | 2019-08-10 12:30:59 UTC ]
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