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A diversity resource
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From: Elizabeth Bluemle <ehbluemle_at_gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:10:10 -0500
Hi, all.
Diversity in publishing is a huge issue for me as a bookseller; it's ridiculous that diversity of race, color, and creed is not yet normalized in mainstream books.
To that end, I began keeping a database of books featuring kids of color as main characters where race is NOT the driving issue of the story. So far, there are more than 600 titles in the database, tagged by age range and a variety of other searchable terms. The goal is for teachers, parents, booksellers, librarians, and possibly even kids to browse among the titles and find some goodies.
I keep the database on LibraryThing.com here: A World Full of Color . The database is viewable as a list, as a grid of book covers, and there are pull-down menus that let you filter by genre and age range, etc.
This is a labor of love and a hobby I do in my spare time, so it is certainly not a complete representation. In fact, I'm way behind on adding 2012 and 2013 titles, so people should feel free to email me with titles. (ISBNs will earn you brownie points.)
Remember, the criteria are: 1) the main character(s) MUST be kids of color 2) race is not the driving issue of the book (it can certainly play a small part, since of course our identities are important to us even while solving mysteries, but this database is specifically for books that are not dealing with race as an issue)
For more info about the database's goals and criteria and more thoughts on publishing and diversity, I've blogged for Publishers Weekly and for the CBC here:
Where's Ramona Quimby, Black and Pretty? (my first blog post foray into the issue of finding kids of color as main characters where the story isn't solely about racial identity and race relations) A World Full of Color (introduces the diversity database) The Elephant in the Room (about publishing's ivory tower) Who Will Create the New Normal? (more on publishing and diversity for the CBC)
Great appreciation to everyone trying to create a climate where ALL kids see themselves -- and others -- in books, as heroes and adventurers and inventors and creators.
Cheers, Elizabeth
Elizabeth Bluemle Owner, The Flying Pig Bookstore 5247 Shelburne Road, Suite 102 Shelburne, VT 05482 802-985-3999 www.flyingpigbooks.com
Check out our PW blog at www.publishersweekly.com/blogs/shelftalker. For my author website, visit www.elizabethbluemle.com.
Received on Wed 13 Feb 2013 12:10:10 PM CST
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:10:10 -0500
Hi, all.
Diversity in publishing is a huge issue for me as a bookseller; it's ridiculous that diversity of race, color, and creed is not yet normalized in mainstream books.
To that end, I began keeping a database of books featuring kids of color as main characters where race is NOT the driving issue of the story. So far, there are more than 600 titles in the database, tagged by age range and a variety of other searchable terms. The goal is for teachers, parents, booksellers, librarians, and possibly even kids to browse among the titles and find some goodies.
I keep the database on LibraryThing.com here: A World Full of Color . The database is viewable as a list, as a grid of book covers, and there are pull-down menus that let you filter by genre and age range, etc.
This is a labor of love and a hobby I do in my spare time, so it is certainly not a complete representation. In fact, I'm way behind on adding 2012 and 2013 titles, so people should feel free to email me with titles. (ISBNs will earn you brownie points.)
Remember, the criteria are: 1) the main character(s) MUST be kids of color 2) race is not the driving issue of the book (it can certainly play a small part, since of course our identities are important to us even while solving mysteries, but this database is specifically for books that are not dealing with race as an issue)
For more info about the database's goals and criteria and more thoughts on publishing and diversity, I've blogged for Publishers Weekly and for the CBC here:
Where's Ramona Quimby, Black and Pretty? (my first blog post foray into the issue of finding kids of color as main characters where the story isn't solely about racial identity and race relations) A World Full of Color (introduces the diversity database) The Elephant in the Room (about publishing's ivory tower) Who Will Create the New Normal? (more on publishing and diversity for the CBC)
Great appreciation to everyone trying to create a climate where ALL kids see themselves -- and others -- in books, as heroes and adventurers and inventors and creators.
Cheers, Elizabeth
Elizabeth Bluemle Owner, The Flying Pig Bookstore 5247 Shelburne Road, Suite 102 Shelburne, VT 05482 802-985-3999 www.flyingpigbooks.com
Check out our PW blog at www.publishersweekly.com/blogs/shelftalker. For my author website, visit www.elizabethbluemle.com.
Received on Wed 13 Feb 2013 12:10:10 PM CST
