How important is diversity in children's books?

Discuss the May 2017 Book of the Month, Farmer Beau's Farm by Kathleen Geiger.

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Heidi M Simone
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Re: How important is diversity in children's books?

Post by Heidi M Simone »

godreaujea wrote:I think it is very important so as to teach children at an early age that we are not all the same. This is why movies and books like Zootopia are so awesome!
Zootopia is an awesome example of diversity and teaches that someone as gentle as a bunny can make it as a police officer if they have the drive. Also, it shows to not judge someone because of their outward appearance. Great example!
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Post by srm628 »

I think diversity in children's book is important. I think it is important in all forms of literature. We live in a very diverse world and it is important to represent that in literature.
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Post by MarisaRose »

My short answer: SO important!

My long answer: Diversity, especially when related to bullying and acceptance are really important themes in children's books. Even using animals to exemplify diversity is helpful for children to understand. A lot of times it's hard for children to understand differences and realize not everyone has the same type of life as them. Themes of diversity (racial, class, gender, etc) in children's books help kids understand, in an easy to relate to manner, the importance of accepting everyone despite differences.
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Post by noorsawhney »

I cannot stress how important diversity is! We need to expose younger children to what is actually in the real world instead of keeping them metaphorical bubbles where they cannot experience anything or anyone new. They cannot grow up viewing the world in a skewed perspective, thinking that one race is superior to another or any prejudice for that matter.
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Post by Rebecca Henderson »

Beyond diversity, let's think about "the book" for a second. In general, books are meant to take a reader out of their own world and into a place where the rules of society aren't so stringent. I know that I read to be taken somewhere else, where someone besides me is dealing with issues that may or may not inform my own decisions and struggles. In short, reading is an escape. :techie-studyinggray:

That being said, I do believe children's books should be diverse. Early on, and of course to adult readers, the diversity might come off as cliche or much too apparent. But the important part of this diversity comes with the discussions prompted by such inclusions. It is not enough to include diverse characters or settings; one must also discuss diversity in a familial environment in order to teach children about diversity in their own lives.
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Post by Rachel1019 »

I think that discussing the diversity in this book is quite interesting, because I feel like there were two different instances of how people react to diversity. The cat meets the bunny first and they became friends almost immediately, but when the giraffe comes, they keep their distance and even make fun of the giraffe until they realize that they have hurt its feelings. I think that this shows an important lesson in that a cat and rabbit are not terribly different from each other and that makes it easier to accept differences. With a creature as different as a giraffe, it is harder to accept differences, but once you find common ground, such as the giraffe having feelings, then it is possible to overcome the differences and accept each other.
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Post by GCalkins »

Diversity is particularly essential in children's books. Childhood is when individuals develop their basic ideas about the world and children and young adults who are exposed to diverse ideas, people, etc. are much more likely to develop into open minded adults. It's been strongly suggested that reading at a young age fosters greater empathy in individuals, which I think is a particularly important trait and one that we could use more of in modern society.
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Post by Donnavila Marie01 »

Life is full of diversions, full of differences, and full of "first" times. Diversity in children's book prepare kids to face the reality of life ahead of them.
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Post by Amagine »

I think that diverse characters should be introduced to children as early as their first year. That is why I love baby books that have real photos of other babies who all come from diverse backgrounds. I feel that children should be exposed to differences instead of always seeing the same image.
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Post by Donnavila Marie01 »

I am also an advocate of diversity principle. People want to try and experience something different. Lack in diversity is boring, may it be a book, a movie, a clothing, food, among others.
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Post by Amagine »

Donnavila Marie01 wrote:Life is full of diversions, full of differences, and full of "first" times. Diversity in children's book prepare kids to face the reality of life ahead of them.
I absolutely agree that diversity in books help to prepare children for the real world. In the real world, no one looks exactly the same.
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Post by Marika Tabone »

I think it is important that children learn about diversity from a young age. They should learn to tolerate different opinions and socialise with children with different cultural backgrounds.
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Post by Amagine »

Marika Tabone wrote:I think it is important that children learn about diversity from a young age. They should learn to tolerate different opinions and socialise with children with different cultural backgrounds.
I absolutely agree with you! The earlier children learn about it, the better!
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Post by Storygamer88 »

I think it's a nice touch but not necessary. Good character development is good character development regardless of race or ethnicity. It can augment the reading experience but it's critical by any means.
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Post by KasieMiehlke »

I believe that diversity is extremly important in children's books. Children learn from their surroundings and if there is no diversity then children will not learn to be tolerant of people that are diffferent from themselves.
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