Representation of People of Colour Among Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators

Ramdarshan Bold, M. (2022) Representation of People of Colour Among Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators. Project Report. BookTrust.

Abstract

The British children’s book sector is thriving; more children’s books are sold in the UK than ever before. However, the cohort of people that creates these books does not reflect the makeup of the UK, where an array of lives, cultures, identities and stories have overlapped for many years. Inclusive children’s literature is vital. Children’s books can act as mirrors, to reflect the readers’ own lives, but also as windows so readers can learn about, understand and appreciate the lives of others. They can shape how young readers from minority backgrounds see themselves as well as how readers from the more dominant culture see and understand diversity.1 The absence of an inclusive range of characters, or creative role models, in children’s literature has the potential to deter children from minority backgrounds from reading and experiencing the associated benefits.2 In turn, this lack of engagement with reading could deter children from pursuing careers in writing and/or drawing and further embed the imbalance. This report, commissioned by BookTrust, seeks to establish a clear picture of who writes and illustrates the books our children read. These authors, illustrators and author-illustrators are referred to throughout the report as ‘creators’. Findings are presented from an analysis of all children’s books published in the UK between 2007 and 2017 and interviews with 15 British creators of colour.3 This research will inform BookTrust’s work with industry partners to improve inclusivity in children’s books and the children’s book sector.

• Item Type: Research Reports or Papers (Project Report)
• Keywords: Children's books, children's authors, children's illustrators, representation, children's publishing.
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Ramdarshan Bold, Dr Melanie
• Authors: Ramdarshan Bold, M.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Culture, Literacies, Inclusion & Pedagogy
• Publisher: BookTrust

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