Diversity in Children’s Literature

HISTORY AND MYTHS

Violet J. HarrisV. J. Harris is a professor of Language and Literacy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Jason LowJason is the publisher of LEE & LOW BOOKS, an independent children’s book publisher that specializes in award-winning books that feature diversity.

Adriana DominguezAdriana is an agent at Full Circle Literary.

Gene Luen YangGene Luen Yang is a comics and graphic novel creator.

K.T. HorningK.T. Horning is the Director of the Cooperative Children's Book Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Where are we now?

What are the factors that make the “lack of diversity” in

children’s literature a perennial, urgent issue?

What are the myths?Where’s the research to back them up?

Diverse Graphic Novels for Children

Diverse Graphic Novels for Teens

Taking Flight(Knopf, 2014)

Ballerina Dreams (Knopf, 2014)

Little Melba and Her Big Trombone (Lee and Low, 2014)

You Are My Baby, Pet(Chronicle, 2014)

You Are My Baby, Woodlands(Chronicle, 2014)

Drum Dream Girl (HMH, March

2015)

Written in the Stars(Nancy Paulsen Books,

March 2015)

Gaby, Lost and Found (Paperback,

Scholastic, April 2015)

What are the challenges we face when breaking down the walls that these myths stand

behind?

What are some examples of solutions and partnerships we should all explore further to go beyond myth to affect reality?