Helping Children to Embrace Diversity

Authors

  • Robert Desmarais

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20361/G2G301

Abstract

Dear Readers,

I always know when fall is upon us because that is when my inbox begins to fill up with a daily crush of packages from publishers who are eager to have their books reviewed. It is an exciting time of year to see so many good books that are bound to spark your child’s imagination, from new releases in all genres to reprints of well-loved classics.

With thousands of children’s books published each year, it can be a daunting task for anyone who wants to find appropriate reading material for young readers about diversity and inclusion. Teaching children about our increasingly diverse world is an important exercise, and books can play an important role in this process if they have content that teaches kids about how to tolerate differences, handle stereotypes, show respect for others, and appreciate other cultures.

We can all encourage children to celebrate diversity and remain open-minded by exposing them to books that embrace diversity in a variety of forms, including culture, religion, race, ethnicity, and sexual identity. Deakin editors and reviewers are keenly aware that children have open minds and hearts, so we keep our eyes open for books that teach children about the many ways that people are different, while emphasizing the positive aspects of our differences.

To help you celebrate diversity with young readers, we are pleased to call your attention to several books that teach children to appreciate different cultures and befriend people who look or act differently: James Dawson’s This Book is Gay, Rebecca Hainnu’s The Spirit of the Sea, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril’s The Blind Boy & the Loon, and David Bouchard’s The First Flute and Nokum is My Teacher. Of course, there are also many other good books in this issue that celebrate positive attitudes and behaviours, so please spend some time reading the reviews and help your children to appreciate all the interesting people around us.

Happy reading!

Robert Desmarais
Managing Editor

Author Biography

Robert Desmarais

Robert Desmarais is Head of Special Collections at the University of Alberta and Managing Editor of The Deakin Review of Children’s Literature. A graduate of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information Studies, with a Book History and Print Culture designation, he also has university degrees in English literature and publishing. He has been collecting and enjoying children’s books for as long as he can remember.

Published

2015-11-03

How to Cite

Desmarais, R. (2015). Helping Children to Embrace Diversity. The Deakin Review of Children’s Literature, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.20361/G2G301

Issue

Section

Editorial