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“Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created or recreated by the author. When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror.”
Rudine Sims Bishop, ‘Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors,’ Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books from the Classroom 6, no. 3 (Summer 1990)
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In today’s diverse society, representation in picturebooks should be a right. Exposure to diverse characters helps children develop empathy and understanding towards people who are different to themselves and allows voices to be heard and different ideas to be shared. By reading about characters from different backgrounds, children learn to appreciate and respect diversity, which is essential in promoting inclusivity and combating prejudice. When they see characters who look like them, come from similar backgrounds, or face comparable challenges, they feel visible, valued, and empowered. Picturebooks can shape minds and foster empathy, understanding, and a sense of identity.
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For children belonging to marginalised groups, seeing characters who share their multiple, diverse identities and experiences can be transformative. Representation in picturebooks helps validate their experiences and foster a sense of belonging. When children see characters who look like them achieving great things, it instils a sense of possibility and reinforces their belief in their own capabilities. By reflecting the diverse world we live in and providing children with characters they can relate to, picturebooks play a crucial role in broadening their minds and promoting inclusivity. Selecting picturebooks.
When selecting picturebooks, look for picturebooks which include diverse identities and where your learners can see themselves represented in the verbal and visual texts. Ensure they are portrayed meaningfully and accurately. Also look for picturebooks which provide your learners with opportunities to see, appreciate and respect other people and their lived experiences. If possible, involve your learners in the selection process. In this way, we can create more inclusive classrooms where every learner feels valued and represented.
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Dr Rudine Sims Bishop is an advocate for inclusive literature and her analogy of literature serving as ‘mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors,’ expresses the value of such reading experiences. All children deserve to read books that provide affirmation by reflecting their own lived experiences and broadening their outlook by experiencing realities beyond their own. Representation of characters from different ethnic backgrounds, religious faiths, sexual orientations, social classes and characters who have a disability enable children to meet a variety of marginalised groups.
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In the Words & Pictures Dictionary, we defined stereotypes “as an oversimplified generalization about a particular group of people which are socially and culturally constructed. They usually convey negative and inaccurate messages and can lead to discrimination against minoritised groups.”
Representation in picturebooks can help break down stereotypes and misconceptions. By portraying diverse characters in multifaceted roles, authors challenge stereotypes and help children consider points of view beyond their own so they come to recognise that their own perspective is one of many ways to view the world. This can encourage children to question societal norms and embrace individuals for who they are rather than predefined stereotypes.
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BookTrust
- The importance of showing working-class lives in children’s books
- The benefits of including diverse children’s books in a classroom
- Representation in children’s literature
We Need Diverse Books
Reflecting Realities
The Cooperative Children’s Book Center
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
