New charity, Inclusive Books for Children (IBC) has today (Thursday, October 14) launched a website that makes sourcing high-quality inclusive children’s books a seamless experience.
IBC, a not-for-profit entity, joins a host of organisations and individuals working for change in this space and hopes to make a unique contribution by positioning themselves primarily to support time-pressed parents and caregivers in their book-buying decisions. With over 700 freely available, expert book reviews and recommendations, buyers and borrowers alike will be able to navigate the easy-to-use website to find books featuring protagonists with specific characteristics, browse booklists curated by theme or types of representation and much more.
Nadiya Hussain MBE, chef, author, television presenter, parent and ambassador for IBC, said: “Diverse representation in children’s fiction is so important. As a mum, I’m always trying to make sure that my children can see themselves represented in the media they consume and are able to feel included and seen. IBC is the perfect platform for finding exactly what I’m looking for, and with expert reviewers recommending books for my kids I know I can trust that what I’m buying is the best the book world has to offer.”
The idea for the IBC website was conceived in 2022 by Marcus and Sarah Satha, book-loving parents to two, young, mixed-heritage children. They experienced first-hand how difficult it can be to source children’s books that adequately represent different ethnicities, disabilities, and the modern family — and don’t draw on gender stereotypes. The project runs in parallel to IBC’s provision of funding to other not-for-profit organisations also working to improve inclusivity in children’s books, and access to those books.
Sarah Satha, co-founder of IBC, said: “We’ve created what we hope is a beautifully designed and truly inclusive resource. For anyone who has struggled to find their family reflected in stories — and for anyone else — we have fantastic book recommendations to suit everybody!”
Marcus Satha, co-founder of IBC, added: “Stories are powerful tools that allow us to relate, understand and connect with one another. We all want the children in our lives to be able to access the power of stories, and how they open the imagination and inspire creativity. That’s where the IBC project began.”
The launch comes as a new study by YouGov, commissioned by IBC, reveals that 64% of parents from all backgrounds would actively choose to read a book with a diverse mix of characters to their child. With over 1,000 respondents from across Great Britain, the research also shows that 41% of parents of minority ethnicity struggle to find books for their children that they feel either represent their child.
The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education‘s (CLPE) Reflecting Realities Annual Survey (2022) said: “Over the last five years of reviewing children’s publishing output, as the volume of titles we review has increased, so too has the variation of portrayals of characters of colour. As welcome as this increase is, it should be viewed with cautious optimism, firstly because it remains a very low figure and secondly because we cannot risk complacency at this point. Through access to quality representative and inclusive literature, younger readers have the opportunity to experience the world as it is, as well as enjoy the possibilities of how it could be.”
The charity has also announced its first Inclusive Books for Children Awards, which seeks to celebrate the talent behind the best, new inclusive children’s books published in the UK. Submissions will open Monday, September 18 and close Friday, October 27.
A panel of children’s literature experts and inclusivity advocates will award a £10,000 prize for the winning book in each of three categories: books for babies and toddlers aged 1–3, picture books for ages 3–7, and children’s fiction for ages 5–9.
The prizes will be shared between the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the winning books. The shortlists will be announced in January 2024, and the winners announced at a ceremony in March 2024. More details on eligibility and how to submit an entry can be found here.
For more information about IBC, CLICK HERE