One for
the Books
Kids need to be excited about the
excellence of who they are.
Books are a way to understand that
their words matter, their community matters,
who they are matters.
Fellow and Founding Director of Equity Research Action Coalition, FPG
Equity through every page
Research suggests that children begin to distinguish faces by race as early as 3-months old1. Reading stories with authentic portrayals of diverse characters from an early age helps children develop a strong sense of self and empathy for others.
Data from the 2020 U.S. Census2 showed that more than half of the U.S. population under age 18 identify as Hispanic, Black, Asian, Native, or Multiracial.
Books by and about diverse cultures and races are often available only in hardcover editions or in smaller print-runs which increases the price and limits access.
Committed adults are asking for support to advocate for and use diverse content.
1 Kelly, D. J., Quinn, P. C., Slater, A. M., Lee, K., Gibson, A., Smith, M., ... & Pascalis, O. (2005). Three-month-olds, but not newborns, prefer own-race faces. Developmental Science, 8(6), F31-F36;
2 Racial and ethnic diversity in the United States: 2020 census. U.S. Census Bureau. (2022, August 18). Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/racial-and-ethnic-diversity-in-the-united-states-2010-and-2020-census.html)
Let's change the plot
from We Need Diverse Books:
We recognize all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, Native, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities.
the number of affordable, quality diverse children’s books in five years.
the market of nonprofits to leverage the power of aggregate buying, influencing the availability and pricing of diverse children’s books.
and elevate a national narrative to promote the importance of diverse books.
that parents, primary caregivers, early childhood providers, and educators have the resources and support they need to access and use diverse books in their programs, communities and classrooms.
We're writing this story together
