What do you make of the narrator's comment about the under representation of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) characters in children’s literature, including the fact that "more books were published starring animals or inanimate objects than all the books about people of color combined" (5)?
Does your own reading experience corroborate that?
What effect might such a reduced presence have on readers?
Can you recommend a children's book whose main color is BIPOC?
I cannot speak for everyone, but being a person of color, I never had an issue reading non-BIPOC books growing up, as the thought of the character's color never occurred to me. I think the compelling component of a story from my youth, like most kids my age, was whether or not there were wizards, sword fights, adventures, etc. Race, in general, was almost never a meaningful factor in my daily life, but, of course, everyone has a different background and upbringing. The setting of the story isn't explicitly stated, but it can be inferred that it takes place in a bigger city, maybe a more diverse environment, so that could also have a more radical impact on someone's stance on the topic.
ReplyDeleteHard to say if it's considered a children's book, but one I can remember with BIPOC representation that I can recommend is Holes by Louis Sachar.
Noah, I completely agree. I don’t recall noticing BIPOC characters or not in stories as a kid. I was definitely more intrigued by the plot and the whimsy of the story. The pretty princess dresses, fairies, and talking animals were always my favorite. Fortunately I was raised in a family that taught me to love everyone regardless of their race, style, gender, etc., so whether or not I read about different races than I didn’t really affect me.
DeleteA book in my library that features BIPOC would be the Word Collector by Peter Reynolds!
Two parts of the issue that rarely get brought up are based more so on simple math than (still very real) issues of bias and discrimination, are simply facts about numbers and proportions: 1. Demographics still have the US at around 2/3rds white. Even among ethnic groups that do well economically and in education often go into specific fields due to culture/societal pressure/necessity (think the high number of Asian American's in tech and medical jobs).
ReplyDeleteAlthough the statistics the authors provide are valid and surprising, my own experience is sort of the opposite. I think a person's upbringing and environment play a significant role in shaping their perspective on race. Despite having immigrant parents I don't remember either of my parents talking about race. However, I spent most of my early childhood in Denver, Colorado, where inclusion was a major focus in school. I remember reading books and participating in lessons that emphasized racial diversity and acceptance. Rather than being taught to ignore race, I was encouraged to recognize and respect it while understanding that everyone deserves equal kindness and respect.
ReplyDeleteI do agree on the premise of representation! I, however, do not recall reading a lot of BIPOC books when I was younger, as I often read books that surrounded fantasy, so it was more common for me to see elves, dwarves, ogres, talking animals- that sort of thing. I do think it would be healthy for children to read books that focus or explore race, as it would help them understand the real struggles of the world while still being able to support and help others in their own unique way through awareness.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I cannot recommend any books, but I'd love to know some!
I agree that there is a lack of BIPOC children’s book as I cannot recommend one off the top of my head. I was among the many children that preferred reads with non-human characters like Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel. I do not think that the lack of this group of people in stories ever affected the way I see the world and the people in it, though I cannot speak for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI personally don’t see an issue with the lack of BIPOC in today’s media. After all they’re children I think they’ll be more entertained and engaged with a fantastical setting like a talking bear than modern day issues including race. As a young child it never occurred to me that my favorite characters in books and movies weren’t the same color as me, and frankly I didn’t care because I liked the characters and wanted to be like them. I also think it’s because I was always a fan of the thick chapter books instead of the short ones that my imagination tended to wander creating my own constructed images of characters. I can’t say that others will share the same opinion as me however.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the comment about the underrepresentation of BIPOC characters in children's literature. As a child, I do not recall reading many books featuring such characters. However, I think I was more interested in the story and adventures than the characters. When I did come across a book with such representations, I was happy to read them the same as I would any other book. For those children who were looking the reduced presence may cause them to feel not represented and therefore not seen properly.
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