The CBC Diversity initiative was founded in 2012, as part of the Children’s Book Council’s commitment to promoting diverse voices in literature for young people. We believe that all children deserve to see their world reflected in the books they read. We recognize that diversity takes on many forms, including differences in race, religion, gender, geography, sexual orientation, class, and ability.
In addition to championing diverse authors and illustrators, CBC Diversity strives to open up the publishing industry to a wider range of employees. We’ve taken an active role in recruiting diverse candidates, participating in school career fairs and partnering with We Need Diverse Books on its summer internship program.
All children deserve to see their world reflected in the books they read. The resources below will point you towards books, articles, blogs, and more to expand your child’s horizons and promote empathy and understanding.
Please feel free to contact us at cbcdiversity@cbcbooks.org as you discover additional resources!
Book Lists and Resources
Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors: Rudine Sims Bishop discusses the importance of providing young readers with books that both reflect their experience and offer insight into the lives of others.
A World Full of Color: Fromindependent bookseller Elizabeth Bluemle, a database of children’s and YA books featuring racially diverse characters, where race is not the focus of the story.
Cynthia Leitich Smith’s Children’s and Young Adult Literature Bibliographies: A bibliography of representative reads.
The Brown Bookshelf: A collection of book lists and blog posts promoting African American voices in children’s literature.
Paper Tigers: This site celebrates the people, culture, and stories of the Pacific Rim and Southeast Asia, featuring author and illustrator interviews, opinion pieces, and more.
The Seattle Public Library’s List of Online Resources: Includes award lists, links to online digital libraries and activities, and homework helpers.
The CBC Diversity initiative was founded in 2012, as part of the Children’s Book Council’s commitment to promoting diverse voices in literature for young people. We believe that all children deserve to see their world reflected in the books they read. We recognize that diversity takes on many forms, including differences in race, religion, gender, geography, sexual orientation, class, and ability.
