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Re: Multicultural Statistics for 2013
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From: Stacy Whitman <stacylwhitman_at_gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 17:03:54 -0500
I really appreciate the way the CCBC has kept track of these numbers for so long. It's great to have 20 years or so to look back on and see how we're doing (though sadly, as an industry, the needle hasn't moved much over the years as far as percentage goes--we definitely need to do better).
As a publisher of diverse fantasy & science fiction, I've often wondered how the genres break down from where the CCBC leaves off. It's tough to find those numbers--the CCBC keeps track of all children's literature, and Locus magazine keeps track of all the "YA" fantasy and SF they receive (in quotes, because they often lump middle grade into that accounting, but it's not all MG either), but they don't break down by diversity numbers. I know of no place that's looking at how each genre is doing on diversity.
For example, I wonder what percentage of the fiction the CCBC receives is realistic historical fiction that covers the same old topics (civil rights, slavery, contemporary poverty in an urban center--usually including gangs) and how many cover fictional topics we don't see as much, including genre fiction but also time periods that aren't as well known, or settings we never see. While those are all important topics, other topics are of interest to teens when it comes to reading about characters of color, and I'm curious how it all breaks down.
Obviously, I'd love to know as far as my job goes, but I also want to know as a lifelong fan of SFF. It *feels* like we're doing better now (not great, but better), but perceptions can be deceiving. Maybe my awareness is just greater, so I'm actively looking for more diverse genre reads.
I'm not necessarily asking the CCBC to start keeping track--I realize it's a lot of work; that's why I haven't just dived in and tried to gather some numbers myself--but I do wonder if it's a project that might be of interest to a grad student or scholar of children's literature to delve into deeper. I keep putting feelers out whenever talking to anyone to whom this might be of interest, because I'd love to see it happen at some point. Any takers? :)
Related, is there a list available somewhere of the books that come into the CCBC that others can study for such purposes? I know in talking to scholars about it before, that's been their biggest hurdle, finding a reliable list of all the books published in a year.
At any rate, even having the overall numbers for the industry is good information that we can use as a way to take action. The more I talk with people about these numbers, the more they start to look consciously for diversity in their reading and recommendations.
Best, Stacy Whitman Publisher Tu Books, an imprint of Lee & Low Books http://www.leeandlow.com/p/tu.mhtml swhitman_at_leeandlow.com
Date: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 17:03:54 -0500
I really appreciate the way the CCBC has kept track of these numbers for so long. It's great to have 20 years or so to look back on and see how we're doing (though sadly, as an industry, the needle hasn't moved much over the years as far as percentage goes--we definitely need to do better).
As a publisher of diverse fantasy & science fiction, I've often wondered how the genres break down from where the CCBC leaves off. It's tough to find those numbers--the CCBC keeps track of all children's literature, and Locus magazine keeps track of all the "YA" fantasy and SF they receive (in quotes, because they often lump middle grade into that accounting, but it's not all MG either), but they don't break down by diversity numbers. I know of no place that's looking at how each genre is doing on diversity.
For example, I wonder what percentage of the fiction the CCBC receives is realistic historical fiction that covers the same old topics (civil rights, slavery, contemporary poverty in an urban center--usually including gangs) and how many cover fictional topics we don't see as much, including genre fiction but also time periods that aren't as well known, or settings we never see. While those are all important topics, other topics are of interest to teens when it comes to reading about characters of color, and I'm curious how it all breaks down.
Obviously, I'd love to know as far as my job goes, but I also want to know as a lifelong fan of SFF. It *feels* like we're doing better now (not great, but better), but perceptions can be deceiving. Maybe my awareness is just greater, so I'm actively looking for more diverse genre reads.
I'm not necessarily asking the CCBC to start keeping track--I realize it's a lot of work; that's why I haven't just dived in and tried to gather some numbers myself--but I do wonder if it's a project that might be of interest to a grad student or scholar of children's literature to delve into deeper. I keep putting feelers out whenever talking to anyone to whom this might be of interest, because I'd love to see it happen at some point. Any takers? :)
Related, is there a list available somewhere of the books that come into the CCBC that others can study for such purposes? I know in talking to scholars about it before, that's been their biggest hurdle, finding a reliable list of all the books published in a year.
At any rate, even having the overall numbers for the industry is good information that we can use as a way to take action. The more I talk with people about these numbers, the more they start to look consciously for diversity in their reading and recommendations.
Best, Stacy Whitman Publisher Tu Books, an imprint of Lee & Low Books http://www.leeandlow.com/p/tu.mhtml swhitman_at_leeandlow.com
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Received on Mon 03 Feb 2014 04:05:02 PM CST
