Before my son was born, we started preparing his bookshelf. We received books from friends and family, we added a few of our childhood books, and we sought out books with diverse characters, and characters that looked like my son and our family.
Reading was a big part of my life growing up. I was reading before I went to Pre-K and read books all the time. I spent so much time reading, that my timeouts and punishments often involved removing the newest stack of books that I had borrowed from the library. My mom would often ask me to read my books outside on the deck in the summer, because I’d rather read inside than play outside with friends. Reading helped me to have a better understanding of the world around me, and the world that I could not easily access. Books spurred my curiosity and created interests. When I had my own child, I wanted no different for him.
My main reasons for sharing books with the world are three-fold:
1. We love reading in our home, and I wanted to encourage parents to read with their kids whenever possible. When I became a parent), there were days (and still are) when I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing, but, I knew that reading was always recommended, so that’s what I did. I read A LOT. Sometimes, we would read various books for 30 minutes, even an hour, just snuggled in my bed in the morning, or in a chair before bed. What I thought was the minimum, was one of the best things I could have done for him. Research shows that children who are read 5 books a day hear 1.4 million words by the time they turned 5 in comparison to 63,570 words for those who read 1-2 times per week. In an age where we are saturated with screens and busier than ever, it is so key for us to slow down with our little ones and read. Reading builds those habits that will, hopefully, help them in the future and build a more educated society.
2. I share books with diverse (mostly Black) characters, because I have been told by Black parents (or parents/caregivers of Black children), that they have difficulty finding books in which their child is represented, particularly as a main character. Diverse books are often difficult to find at local libraries. Many school classrooms, school libraries and even large bookstores may carry a few, but nowhere near enough. This is something that I want to change. Children need to see themselves in the books that they read. It gives them self-worth and validates them and their experiences. It lets them know what is possible and normal beyond what they may see in the world directly around them. Books help to shape future experiences in their minds.
3. I share diverse books so non-Black children can be exposed to Black children (and various cultures) at a young age, and hopefully, along with proper guidance, remove much of the possible racial bias that exists. Children’s minds are so malleable that we must ensure that what we expose, or do not expose them to, helps them to become better people. For these children, books create a window into another home, another part of town, another city or country. When children do not see children of color in their books (or see them in the background or in a negative way), it can ultimately create the idea that these groups are not important, and/or it can inflate their sense of self-worth. If a book of professions, or community helpers only feature White characters, what does that tell them about the world they live in? Diverse books (and good conversation) can definitely help push the boundaries of what they see. Children of non-White backgrounds are not the only ones who need to see themselves and their families in book, all children do.
“Children need windows and mirrors. They need mirrors in which they see themselves and windows through which they see the world.”
– Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop