CCBC Releases Newest Diversity Stats for 2023

The Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) has updated its annual Diversity Statistics to include data on the 3,491 books for children and teens received by the CCBC that were published in 2023.*

The CCBC has been documenting books for children and teens it receives annually by and about Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) since 1994. Between 1985 and 1993, the CCBC documented books by and about Black people only.

In 2018, the CCBC began to document additional aspects of identity in its analysis, including disability, LGBTQ+, and religion.

Following a long period of relative stagnancy, around 2015 the number of children’s books the CCBC received by BIPOC creators and about BIPOC characters began to increase. By 2020 — only five years later — the number of books the CCBC received that were by or about a person of color had tripled.

While the statistics in 2022 showed a continuation of this rising trend, 2023 showed little change. “We are glad things are not decreasing,” says CCBC Director Tessa Michaelson Schmidt. “However, it’s disappointing there hasn’t been more movement in an upward direction.”

The CCBC did note a modest increase in the share of books including significant BIPOC content in 2023 — meaning they have a primary or significant secondary character or human subject who is BIPOC, or the setting or topic of the book relates to BIPOC people or history. In 2023, 49 percent of the books the CCBC documented had significant BIPOC content (up from 46 percent in 2022), and 40 percent had at least one BIPOC primary character (up from 39 percent in 2022).

In 2023, 49 percent of the books the CCBC documented have
significant BIPOC content — up from 46 percent in 2022.

On the other hand, the share of books having at least one creator (e.g., author, illustrator, or compiler) who is BIPOC was nearly identical to 2022. Forty percent of the books the CCBC received in 2023 were by a person of color. This includes 18 percent that had at least one Asian creator, 13 percent that had at least one Black creator, and 11 percent that had at least one Latine creator. By comparison, 70 percent of the books the CCBC received had at least one white creator.

In recent years, the CCBC has seen more books that reflect the multifaceted complexity of individual lives when it comes to identity — for example, books in which characters are multiracial/multiethnic; that reveal intersectional identities; or that portray other dimensions of identity, including disability, LGBTQ+, and minority (non-Christian) religions.

Of the books the CCBC received in 2023, 7 percent featured a primary or significant secondary character/human subject with a disability or were about one or more disabilities, 7 percent featured LGBTQ+ themes or characters, and 4 percent featured a minority religion.

The CCBC notes that books with multiple primary characters and/or subjects or primary characters/subjects with multiracial or intersectional identities are counted in all applicable categories. Percentages are not mutually exclusive and cannot be combined to calculate a total of the whole.

As the number of books reflecting the lives and complex identities of children, teens, and families today continues to grow, they are having greater visibility in libraries and classrooms, and in the lives of children and teens. Schmidt

“The CCBC Diversity Statistics focus on quantity, not quality. But what we know from our work recommending books in our annual best-of-the-year list, CCBC Choices, is that greater numbers inevitably mean more outstanding choices among the books published,” says Schmidt. “Librarians, teachers, parents, and other adults who care for children have more high-quality books to choose from when selecting and recommending books for young readers and listeners that reflect and validate dimensions of their identities and their place in our global society.”

The Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) is a unique examination, study, and research library of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The CCBC is also funded by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction through the Division for Libraries and Technology.

*The statistics about books by and/or about Black, Indigenous and people of color are periodically updated online. This online data includes more detailed percentages, and the number of books represented by each percentage.

By Kari Dickinson

Here are links to the above news release and media kit which includes visual images

CCBC Choices 2024 is Available!

CCBC Choices 2024, recommending 238 books published in 2023 for children and teens from birth through high school age, is now available!

CCBC Choices 2024 is a digital publication. Entries for each book include full bibliographic citation, annotation, age recommendation and cover image, and a link to the book’s entry in the CCBC-Recommended Book Search database, where custom lists can be created. The publication also includes an introductory essay and name/title index. A citation list (bibliographic information only) of CCBC Choices 2024 is also available on our website.

The CCBC librarians will present two webinars hosted by South Central Library System this spring highlighting selections from CCBC Choices 2024:

Great New Books for Children (Birth – Grade 5) on March 20, 2024, from 9-10am  

Great New Books for Older Children and Teens (Grades 6-12) on April 17, 2024 from 9-10am. 

See the CCBC events calendar for details about these online opportunities, as well as other outreach events around the state.

International Latino Book Awards Announced

We saw this news in the Latinxs in Kids Lit blog recently and are excited to share it with you.  The twelve pages of award winners announced in August include a number of children's and young adult books in both English and Spanish.

According to the Latino Awards website, "Since 1997, Empowering Latino Futures has celebrated literature through its book awards. The objective has been to recognize the greatness in both Latino writers and in non-Latinos who are writing on Latino topics. In 2007 the Latino Book Awards were renamed International Latino Book Awards. Up to date, 3,194 authors and publishers have been honored over the years. In 2020, 297 authors were recognized in 96 book categories. Categories include: Children’s, Young Adult, Nonfiction, Fiction, Design, Translation, and Best First Books. While 85% of our winners are not yet well known, the awards has proven to be an appropriate launching pad for the next generation of authors who work with smaller publishing houses. These awards have grown to become the largest Latino cultural awards in the U.S. In 2020, it took 214 judges to evaluate all book entries. This is a dedicated effort to growing the awareness for books written by, for and about Latinos."

To see the youth award winners, please stop here at the Latinxs in Kids Lit blog

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Encanto and Culturally Informed Programming FREE Event - May 22!

Disney's Encanto is a natural fit for library programming. The film has catchy songs, beautiful, bright colours and a very relatable plot for anyone who's felt left out or misunderstood. It's also carefully researched and full of beautifully specific Colombian cultural details.

Join Senorita Rosie, a dynamic children's librarian, Colombian, and native Spanish speaker. In this event she'll be talking about the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Libraries and how we can provide programming that's as culturally informed as it is relevant!

#LibraryLife #LibrariesTransform #Encanto #ChildrensLibrarians

This event will take place on Sunday, May 22 at 1pm CDT via Facebook Live:  https://www.facebook.com/events/347576374064820?active_tab=about

2022 CCBC Choices is Out!

The fully annotated CCBC Choices 2022  publication is now available!

 

This year’s edition of CCBC Choices is once again being distributed as a pdf available on the CCBC web site. 

 

The Choices page our the  site provides links to the:

 

• Complete CCBC Choices 2022 pdf (fully annotated)
• CCBC Choices 2022 Citation list
• The CCBC’s annual “observations on publishing” essay

 

In addition, all of the Choices 2022 books are searchable in the CCBC-Recommended books database.

Cultural Humility and Our Programming

Pixabay Image

Many times we tap into other cultures to share insight and information in our programming. But when does our work there stray into cultural appropriation and/or straying into misinformation or cultural stereotypes? A recent Teen Services Underground blog post has some thoughtful tips to help you in your program planning.

Portia Carryer, a San Francisco Bay area-based teen librarian writes: "We want to share a wide, diverse world with our patrons. Diverse programming helps to create what Rudine Sims Bishop called “mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors”: opportunities for our patrons to see their experiences validated, to understand experiences that are different than theirs, and to participate in the wider world. So we develop programming that explores cultures and histories beyond our own lived experiences.

But when we program outside of our lived experiences, we must be aware of the ways we can get things wrong and the ways in which our mistakes might harm our patrons or community."

Read the full post which includes practical tips on how to program more thoughtfully at: Cultural Humility & Program Planning. Portia Carryer. Teen Services Underground. Nov 30, 2021

Inside the CCBC - No Really!!

In a delightful WAPL virtual presentation this month, CCBC Librarians Megan Schliesman and Merri Lindgren took us on an incredible tour of the CCBC - both today and historically. If you think you know all things CCBC, we think you'll be in for a surprise!

Information about services today are cleverly interwoven with historic anecdotes, graphics, photos and photo-captures from the internet Wayback Machine that Merri and Megan sprinkle throughout with humor and the well-curated memory. Wondering where the CCBC has been located over the years? Curious about what happened to the Alternate Press Collection? Inquisitive about how the book examination works? Where did that big Paul Bunyan come from? Nosy about where the multicultural focus came from? Need to see the evolution of CCBC Choices content and covers? Interested in finding out about the children's literature conferences they once sponsored? Wondering how to get there? Looking for 55 different  diverse youth awards and annual best-of lists to diversify your collections? We could go on....but you get the picture.

This 60 minute video has got all the answers and website tips plus so much more to help you know the CCBC and how you can use it better - and appreciate where its been!

We are so fortunate in Wisconsin to have the CCBC, a treasure, in our state. You will have a new appreciation for the CCBC and its amazing staff (current and former).

Thanks to Tessa Michaelson Schmidt and her May Friday FAQs for the link!

Best Multicultural Children's Books List Available

In December, the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature (CSMCL) selected its Best Multicultural Children’s Books of 2019. The list, curated by Dr. Claudette Shackelford McLinn, Lessa Kanani'opua Pelayo-Lozada, Lettycia Terrones, and Dr. Naomi Caldwell, is available as a printable PDF. For more information on each of the titles chosen, visit the CSMCL website. 

--From the February 2020 issue of the ALSC Matters Newsletter

1000 Books by Authors of Color Book Drive for Milwaukee Schools

WI blogger and author Kelly Jensen writes at the national Book Riot blog about a book drive spearheaded by Milwaukee journalist, Nyesha Stone.  Realizing the importance of children of color seeing themselves in their books, Stone, a former Milwaukee Public Schools student, wants to share that experience with Milwaukee Public School kids.

The book drive runs through June 1. You can donate through Amazon or by contacting Nyesha Stone directly. For all the deets, plus more information, click here.

StoryWeaver - Free Multi-Language Kid's Lit Resource

On Book Riot today, there is a great article about an open source platform that makes children's stories available in over 100 languages on an open platform.

Developed by Pratham Books, an Indian not-for-profit publisher, the resource has a diverse, multilingual treasure trove of children's literature: "the stories are in ~100 languages, currently, including “the mainstream Indian and European languages, minority languages like Konkani and Tibetan, tribal languages like Kora and Santali, classical languages like Sanskrit, and endangered languages like Kurdish.”

Read all about it here.

Multilingual Glossary for Library Users (and Staff)

The Instruction for Diverse Populations Committee of the ACRL Instruction Section is pleased to present the Multilingual Glossary for Today’s Library Users, now available as a Google Doc. This multilingual glossary includes a language table of commonly-used library terms presented in seven languages, and definitions for each term in English. These documents are designed to assist ESL speakers and the librarians who work with them. Converting the glossary table and definitions to Google Documents enables the committee to readily implement new terminology and make revisions as the lexicon evolves.

​Learn more about the Multilingual Glossary on the ACRL IS website.​

Ariana E. SantiagoOpen Educational Resources CoordinatorM.D. Anderson Library, University of Houston
ariana.e.santiago@gmail.com asantiago2@uh.edu | 713-743-7419

[Note: When people ask why spend the money or time to be part of an association, I point to this sort of focused effort made possible by the crowd-sourced work of dedicated library staff who volunteer time and effort to create needed resources within associations. Associations push the profession forward. We are the engine that powers great resources and resource sharing through our association work]

South Asia Book Awards Announced

The South Asia Book Awards for 2017 have just been announced.  What a great way to add recommended diverse books to your collection!  The award is sponsored by SANOC (South Asia National Outreach Consortium) and the committee is made up of librarians, teachers and subject experts.

The awards committee examines and discusses books for youth published in English that focus on the culture, people or heritage of South Asia.  The committee looks at the text and illustrations for accurate portrayals of South Asia, the experience of individuals living in South Asia or South Asians living in other poarts of the world. The countries and islands making up South Asia are: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the region of Tibet. The books are judged on literary quality, cultural authenticity and potential for classroom use.

And the winners are:

Maya by Mahak Jain; illustrated by Elly MacKay (Owlkids Press, 2016). The loss of her father and a blackout in her Indian city combine to distress Maya.  Her mother’s bedtime tale of a legendary banyan tree kindles the child’s imagination, bringing her comfort and soothing memories of her father.  Alluring illustrations of the lush dream landscape and animals Maya visualizes will engage readers. (Grades K-3)

What Elephants Know by Eric Dinerstein (Disney-Hyperion, 2016). In the Nepalese Borderlands, twelve-year-old orphan Nandu realizes his destiny as a “mahout” (elephant driver). Through a vivid jungle setting and Nandu’s first-person narration, this story reveals the rich diversity of the natural world and the connection between humans and animals. (Grades 4-7)

To see the full list of awards, honors and commended titles, click here.

CCBC's Multicultural Stats for 2016

It's always exciting to read the breakdown of stats for the thousands of books that the CCBC receives each year from publishers.  How is the mirror that reflects the diversity of our children when held to the books published for them? Often, mighty white.

In this post detailing statistics on diverse voices creating content and diverse content in books as well as major national movements to spotlight more diversity in publishing for children, there is hope and some good, thoughtful reading. Still coming to their blog is a first-time, more detailed analysis of picture book content. It should also prove revealing.

Click here to read the full post 

Serving Diverse Youth Infopeople Webinar

Webinars are a great way to get training, ideas, and professional development from wherever you are or at a time convenient to you if you use the archived version. This free Infopeople webinar Cultural Literacy Programs in Your Library: Connecting with Diverse Children and Families is no exception. You can register HERE.

Description:

Do you promote cultural literacy in your library? Would you like to learn more about planning programs and outreach services for diverse groups of children and their families?

This webinar will help libraries establish a foundation for understanding how cultural bias influences services to diverse patrons. We will also explore strategies and resources for program planning and outreach. Presenter Jamie Naidoo will discuss how libraries can promote services and get community buy-in from specific cultural groups. Additionally he will cover where to find resources for planning the best programs that celebrate cultural diversity and connect children and families from diverse cultural backgrounds.

At the end of this one-hour webinar, participants will be able to:

• Begin to examine their understanding of various cultural groups and identify personal cultural biases.
• Be able to describe how they can become culturally literate and promote cultural literacy in library programs.
• Become aware of some approaches to make their library welcoming to various cultural groups.
• Begin to identify necessary strategies for reaching diverse cultural populations of children and their families.
• Begin to identify strategies for planning programs that connect children and families from diverse cultural groups.

This webinar will be of interest to: Librarians and library support staff in public libraries who work with children.

For more information and to participate in the August 9 webinar, go to https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=591 .

Webinars are free of charge, you can pre-register by clicking on the Register Now button (at the top and bottom of this page). If registering with less than 30 MINUTES from the start of the webinar you can join directly from the thank you page by clicking the Join Now button. If you pre-registered you will receive an email with login link and a reminder email the day before the event.

If you are unable to attend the live event, you can access the archived version the day following the webinar.  Check our archive listing at:  http://infopeople.org/training/view/webinar/archived .

We Need Diverse Books

There are many awards that point the way to books that help us increase the diversity of our youth collections with great book choices that lend an authentic voice to diverse cultures and communities both locally and globally. Diverse books help us reflect the many faces of children and families for our communities.

Just announced are the South Asia Book Awards which focus on South Asia or South Asians living abroad. These awards are sponsored by the South Asia National Outreach Consortium and committee members are made up of content specialists, librarians and teachers. We hope you are pleasantly surprised as you read over the winners and discover that you already have many of the titles!

There are other awards and lists that help us create valuable and authentic diversity in our collections. A great site with updated links is at We Need Diverse Books, a grassroots organization of people passionate about children's books who are advocating for more books published that reflect and honor all young people.

Get Smart!

If you are like me, learning new ways and being inspired by my peers is what I love best in my library practice.

The Spring 2015 (well in WI, spring also includes a healthy dose of winter) schedule of UW-Madison's Continuing Education courses is out and it is filled with youth services folks from WI (and many YSS members!) presenting online courses with content of value to everyone working with kids-  whether you work in Wisconsin or not!

Here, for your edification, in calendar order are some great learning choices! Registration is open now; costs are reasonable and learning potential is unlimited!

Power Children's Programming - on a Budget
January 26-March 5
Strategic thinking and savvy tips combine with crowd-sourced ideas from students to make programming ideas and planning a snap. Everyone wins. Disclosure - taught be me!

Connecting Teens with the Best in New Teen Lit
February 10-March 21
Ruhama Kordatzky-Bahr returns with her powerful and friendly window into the world of recent teen books. Always a worthwhile course - with the bonus of gaining chops in booktalking!

Exploring South Asia through Children's and YA
February 23-March 20
Wisconsin's own Svetha Hetzler and the dynamic Rachel Weiss (THE founder and tireless advocate of the new South Asia Book Award) open up a world of books that feature children from a part of our world that we all need to discover. Global power!

Child Development, Library Space and Behavior: Set Up Your Library for Success
You've read her blog, you've heard her present at workshops and conferences, now get some direct peer-to-peer learning from our colleague Sara Bryce (aka S. Bryce Kozla; aka PLSanders). She breaks down spaces, behaviors and gives brilliant tips on making library use by kids a forever win-win.

Mitali Perkins in La Crosse April 8

Miltali Perkins, noted children's author and powerful speaker on diversity and the experience of youth living between cultures will be coming to UW-La Crosse to present a free lecture on Books Between Cultures on Tuesday April 8, 12:30 -2:00pm and and 4-5:30 pm at Murphy Library on the second floor.

It's worth the trip to hear her speak (and maybe pop over to La Crosse Public Library and say hi)!

El Dia de Los Ninos Day is Coming!

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is asking for your help to spread the word about the Día Celebration on or around Monday, April 1^st.

El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day) is a celebration every day of children, families, and reading that culminates yearly on April 30. The celebration emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Below are ALSC’s examples of how you can help spread the word via your organization’s social media accounts.

Twitter:

Celebrate diversity on April 30^th with Día! Diversity in Action. Register your program today and use the hashtag #dia13alsc

Facebook:

The Día! Diversity in Action 2013 Celebration is only a month away!  Celebrate diversity and connect children to the world of learning through books, stories and libraries by hosting a Día 2013 progra on or around April 30^th. Learn more about creating a program at http://dia.ala.org. Register your celebration today in the Día National Program Registry and receive free bookmarks, stickers and buttons!

Email or website announcement:

The Día! Diversity in Action 2013 Celebration is only a month away, have you registered your library or school’s program yet?  Register your Día Celebration in the 2013 Día National Program Registry to build a national database that showcases all types and sizes of Día programming and receive free bookmarks, stickers, and buttons!

Visit the Día website  to learn more about how you can celebrate diversity and connect children to a world of learning through books, stores and libraries.  Explore and download the free bi-lingual Día booklist, poster and resource guide to help make your program a success!

Día is a daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages and cultures.  The celebration is intended to be year-round, culminating on April 30^th.

Color Me Curious

Kate Hart, an author and blogger, looked at 624 covers of YA books published in 2011 and discovered some interesting facts not just about what colors are used in the palettes of these covers but also some fascinating facts about who and what are represented there. Stop here to read the details!

Image: 'untitled'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/28614552@N00/119173914