Image Credit: http://weneeddiversebooks.tumblr.com

I both purchase kids books and share them with patrons during programs or through reader advisory. I often search high and low for diverse kids books that both reflect real families and offer new perspectives for kids who live here at the end of the road. It’s not easy. Many librarians, families, authors, illustrators, educators and others have complained about this for years with little progress. Publishers have been slow to respond to the demand for books that meet the needs of today’s families. The call for diversity in kids books and books for teens has grown louder recently and on May 1, the We Need Diverse Books Campaign begins. I’ll be taking part, so check it out.

We need diverse kids books because…we need books that reflect real families, all families.