Diversity

I hope this story will expose Betita’s humanity, because her yearnings for happiness and love are universal, but further still, I hope it teaches children how one child was able to use her voice, her art and poetry, to not only endure but to rise above and change a horrific and harmful circumstance.

Black kids deserve to see themselves as the stars of the story, and it’s just as important for other readers to see Black kids as the stars of the story as well.

When I decided to write my newest novel The Bridge, I was opening a door that I hadn’t opened yet. Instead of coming out as gay, which I had done in my first young adult books, this time I was coming out about my mental health issues. In some ways, this was actually harder for me.

These titles for middle and high school readers celebrate joy in the lives of Black teens and tweens. The characters in these stories laugh honestly, love fiercely, and exist wholly.

The new series will feature Black authors, musicians, and athletes reading children's books by Black authors.

Sophia Thakur, a performance poet and author of Somebody Give This Heart a Pen (Candlewick; Gr 9 Up), discusses the power of poetry, her artistic journey, and the five #OwnVoices works that have inspired her. 

The United States Census reported that the Hispanic population accounted for almost 20 percent of the U.S. population in 2020. However, only five percent of children’s books feature Latinx characters or subjects. Thankfully, more picture book biographies are being published about groundbreaking Latinx luminaries every year. These are some must-add choices for your collections.
 

By popular demand, the full recording of the picture book creators session, featuring author Derrick Barnes and illustrator Gordon C. James discussing their latest collaboration, I Am Every Good Thing.

The viral hashtag #PublishingPaidMe has revealed the glaring disparities in author advances. It's not enough to publish books created by authors of color; change needs to happen on all levels.