It’s the start of the year so why not begin as you mean to go on?
Here are some initial steps you can take towards making your books more inclusive:
1) For every book, ask yourself what the book might be presenting as ‘the norm’.
2) Remember that there is no such thing as ‘normal’. Normal is subjective. Your ‘normal’ will be different for someone else’s. (If you celebrate Christmas, this can be a good example of this. Every family has different traditions, and for them these are ‘normal’, but when families merge or join, some else’s traditions can seem unusual.)
3) For every book, ask yourself who is represented and whether the book could be more inclusive of a diverse range of characters (but don’t try to fit everyone into one book!).
4) For every book ask yourself how authentic is the portrayal of the characters? Are stereotypes being perpetuated or challenged?
If you want to take even more steps, get in touch. We can discuss any challenges you are facing and how I could work with you to overcome then.
And if you want to be part of the discussion, book A Place at the Table on 18th February at UCL to join with people across the children’s book world.
