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 ]
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Children's Books in China 2017: Zhejiang Juvenile & Children’s Publishing House

With its 2016 sales accounting for at least 7.5% of the Chinese children’s book market, Zhejiang Juvenile & Children’s Publishing House is the indisputable #1 children’s publisher in the country, a position it has occupied for the past 14 years. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children's Books in China 2017: China Children’s Press & Publication Group

The Chinese home of Cipollino, Pippi Longstocking, Le petit Nicolas, and Tintin, China Children’s Press & Publication Group is the largest publisher in terms of output in the nation. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children's Books in China 2017: Juvenile & Children Reading Experience Wonderland: A New Business Model

Located in Beijing’s central business district, the two-story Juvenile & Children Reading Experience Wonderland is a full-fledged subsidiary of China Children’s Press & Publication Group. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With World Book Day, Cambridge University Press Reaches Out to Young Book Lovers

World Book Day on Thursday typically woos young people toward reading, but Cambridge University Press wants them on the payroll. The post With World Book Day, Cambridge University Press Reaches Out to Young Book Lovers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Growing Russian Book Market Looks to Educational and Children’s Books in 2017

With book production down 40 percent in Russia, the country's publishers are looking to favorable book pricing as a source of revenue growth in 2017. The post Growing Russian Book Market Looks to Educational and Children’s Books in 2017 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'New York Times Book Review' Announces Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2016

The 'New York Times Book Review' has revealed the 10 titles on its 64th annual list of Best Illustrated Children's Books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-11-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book festivals around the world – books podcast

We drop in on Lahore, track Jean Rhys back to the Caribbean and tackle the troubling issue of payments to authors appearing at the UK’s 350 literary jamboreesAs the season for literary festivals in the UK hits its peak, we head for Trinidad, where we put Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea under the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Big Children's and YA Books From the Havana Book Fair

Among the popular children's and YA titles at the Havana Book Fair was a book about child slaves, an amusing collection about being different, and a cookbook for kids. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Can Women Change the World? Book by Book 

As a literary agent, Frankfurt has been a launch pad for some of the most powerful women’s voices from around the world. This year will be no different. The post How Can Women Change the World? Book by Book  appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rob Biddulph wins Waterstones ​children’s book prize 2015 with debut book Blown Away

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[ The Guardian | 2015-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Misquote has UK children's laureate Malorie Blackman defending her cry for more diversity in children's books

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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-08-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children’s Books Ireland Awards: “Hagwitch” Takes Book of the Year

At its annual awards ceremony, Children’s Books Ireland honored, among numerous others, Mary-Louise Fitzpatrick's "Hagwitch" as Book of the Year. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Improving Skills and Exploring New Themes: Children's Books at the Taipei International Book Fair

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-books vs. print: Most parents prefer reading paper books to their children

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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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World Book Day titles to revert to single books

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Tue, 17/05/2011 - 09:05 Jacqueline Wilson and Roald Dahl are among the high-profile authors selected for the 2012 £1 World Book Day books, which will revert to the single-book format for the first time in four years. The teen WBD titles will also go... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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World Book Day books top charts but sales are down on last year

Written By: Philip Stone Publication Date: Tue, 15/03/2011 - 15:56 Sales of the six £1 World Book Day books fell 36% week-on-week, to 159,000 copies sold—a figure down 9% on the comparative week last year—but they nonetheless continue to dominate the sharp end of this week’s Official UK Top... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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