How diverse and inclusive are the books you are sharing in school?
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What do we mean by diversity and inclusion? These interconnected concepts refer to the variety of u..
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Put simply, in terms of a jigsaw puzzle, imagine diversity as the individual jigsaw pieces (people,) and inclusion as the completed puzzle, with all the pieces fitted together to make one whole.

Why is it important to ensure library collections and reading experiences offered to children are as diverse and inclusive as possible?

“Literature is probably the most powerful medium through which children have a chance to inhabit the lives of those who are like them…Children also need to learn about the lives of those whose experiences and perspectives differ from their own…Stories and non-fiction that explore such differences begin to break down a sense of otherness that often leads to division.” (DfE The Reading Framework, January 2022)

Books are a great way to bond. Children not only need to see themselves reflected in the books they read, in order to feel included, represented and understood, but also need to learn about all aspects of diversity and feel empowered to discuss, understand and have empathy for what makes all of us unique. Diverse and inclusive books will help children understand the world around them and how they fit into it.

“Books create belonging. They help us see each other and understand one another. They shine a light on the world. It’s vital that the books we read in our formative years reflect the rich diversity of the society we live in.” (Penguin Random House — Lit in Colour)

The Ofsted Reading Framework (2021) set out criteria for choosing books to read aloud and this references the importance of diversity and inclusion in reading provision. Inspectors will ask if these books:

elicit a strong response — curiosity, anger, excitement, laughter, empathy?

have a strong narrative that will sustain multiple readings?

extend children’s vocabulary?

have illustrations which are engaging and reflect children from all backgrounds and cultures?

help children connect with who they are?

help children to understand the lives of people whose experiences and perspectives may be different from their own?

Being aware of the books we are placing in front of children is more important than ever. Growing up with mind-expanding, empathy-building, horizon-widening books will give children and young adults a chance to learn more about the amazing array of people who live in our world and become well-informed, fully capable, citizens within a tolerant and empathetic society.

How can our school measure diversity and inclusion within current book collections?

One way to do this would be to sample sections of your library and record how many of the books in your sample are diverse and in what way. For example, when considering main characters, are different cultures, religions, genders, or disabilities represented? Are they represented in a positive way or do they prove useful in discussing diversity? It’s important here to look at the illustrations, as well as the text. Divide the total number of books in that section into the number of books that met your criteria for a general baseline for the level of diversity in that section. For example, 18 books with a diverse main character ÷ 200 total books = 9% of that section.

This can be a time-consuming process but is definitely a worthwhile one! Tackling one section of the library at a time will make it more manageable. Thinking carefully about future purchases when restocking your library will also help to make sure that diversity and inclusion are represented and celebrated as an intrinsic part of all your collections, as we move towards a more reflective and inclusive future.

How diverse and inclusive is new children’s literature?

In recent years there has been a welcomed improvement in the availability of books with inclusive and diverse characters and storylines, especially in books for primary school children, which now showcase some wonderful voices for children to discover.

The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) conduct an annual survey, called Reflecting Realities, which identifies and evaluates ethnic representation within picture books, fiction and non-fiction for ages 3–11. For the fifth year running they found an increase in minority representation in children’s books from 4% in 2017 to 20% in 2021. Whilst this is fantastic news, we mustn’t forget that 33.9% of children of primary school age in England are from a minority ethnic background, so there is still progress to be made. The report also reflects that “representation in Fiction remains low” and “the percentage of books published with a main character from a racially minoritised background has risen year on year but remains extremely low at 9% in 2021.” (CLPE, November 2022)

“We know that a child's life chances are improved by their acess to and enjoyment of quality literature, and that their engagement with literature is improved when they can see themselves and their experiences reflected in a meaningful way.” (Sarah Crown, Director, Literature, Arts Council England)

What are the best books to celebrate diversity & inclusion in primary schools?

With a combined experience of over 50 years working in schools, education and children’s book publishing, our experts at Pandora Books work tirelessly year-round to support schools in finding just what they need. Continue to ensure children get the best of the best with our Diversity & Inclusion collections. They are the perfect way to inject brilliant books into school and classroom libraries at every level, reflecting our community and wider society.

We know that your book budget needs to make a real impact and keep these criteria at the forefront of our minds when selecting books. In recent years publishers have responded to the need for books with more diverse characters and authors and we have been able to ensure that the very best feature across our entire range. However, this has not always been the case and for schools wanting to inject a more substantial number of books we have created diversity and inclusion collections for Early Years, Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2 to allow you to easily purchase up-to-date books that are perfect for school classrooms and libraries and support a real and lasting change in working towards accurately representing the whole school population. The following collections feature books with leading characters from different ethnic backgrounds, refugees, diverse families and children living with disability and are a mix of brilliant, engaging, hopeful, funny and adventurous stories children will love.

Our Black History Matters collection offers 22 essential books that offer an opportunity to address the long-standing criticism of the history curriculum as being dominated by ‘crusty old white men’ and ensures that your school library recognises the suffering and the contributions of black people. It includes key titles such as David Olusoga’s Black & British children’s edition, explores the chronology of black history, slavery, Windrush and the civil rights movement and provides a wide range of biographies for KS1 and KS2 readers. This collection is ideal for activities during Black History Month and will serve all year as part of a diverse school library that meets the needs of all children, as all children deserve and Ofsted requires.

It’s also important that the books children use to learn to read are diverse and inclusive. We work with the leading suppliers of reading schemes and recently published scheme books are far more diverse and inclusive than in the past. For instance, see Collins (publishers of Big Cat and Little Wandle), Pearson (publishers of Bug Club) and Oxford University Press for more information on how they are working to give visibility and representation to all readers.

Helpful Links:

CLPE: Reflecting Realities

Lit in Colour

National Literacy Trust: Black British book map and book lists

National Literacy Trust: Promoting diversity through literacy

Diversity in New Picture Books for Reception & Early Years

Specifically selected for early years classrooms, this lovely collection of recently published books can significantly increase and update the representation and inclusion on your bookshelves. It includes familiar characters from CBeebies, JoJo & Gran Gran and Ranger Hamza.

Purchase the collection

Purchase the collection

Diversity & Inclusion in New Picture Books for KS1

A beautiful collection of contemporary books that feature diversity as we experience it in Britain today and which sensitively promotes understanding and an inclusive society where all individuals are valued. Together, these lovely books contribute to a library which represents ethnic and cultural diversity, people with disability and LGBTQ+ families.

Purchase the collection

Purchase the collection

Celebrating Diversity & Inclusion in Lower KS2

This exciting and varied collection reflects ethnic diversity in society and includes titles featuring characters with a disability. These books are our top recommendations for books featuring diverse leading characters for lower key stage 2.

Purchase the collection

Purchase the collection

Celebrating Diversity & Inclusion in Upper KS2

Update your library with a wonderful choice of books featuring heroic characters from different ethnic backgrounds, refugees, diverse families and people living with a disability. The collection largely features children living in the UK today and includes adventures, beautiful stories of hope, funny books, mysteries and fairy tales to enjoy.

Purchase the collection

Purchase the collection

Black History Matters

Is your school ready for Black History Month? This essential collection offers an opportunity to address the long-standing criticisms of the history curriculum as being dominated by 'crusty old white men' and ensures that our school library no longer renders the suffering and the contributions of black people invisible.

It includes key titles such as David Olusoga's Black & British children's edition, explores the chronology of black history, slavery, Windrush and the civil rights movement and provides a wide range of biographies for KS1 and KS2 Readers.

Purchase the collection