Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Adoption Month: We Need Diverse Books



We need diverse books ... for many reasons.

One of the reasons is that blended families happen through adoption.

To be honest, I'm not sure I've done a good enough job purchasing diverse books for my children. How do I know this? Because my thirteen-year-old daughter, who happens to be ethnically Chinese, saw me participating in this campaign and wanted to write something about why we need diverse books.

Here are her unedited words:

Diverse Books. There aren’t many. When I think of diverse stories, I think of biographies or folk tales from different places around the world. I never really thought about America actually having a book where the main character isn’t white. Recently, I started reading, “The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing” by: M.T. Anderson. I started out reading thinking that Octavian was white.  Turns out, when I got to the middle of the book, I found out he was black!  I feel like there should be more books with characters with colored skin because not everyone is white! I want more diverse characters because I want to be able to relate to characters in the books I read. That’s why we need more diverse books.



I have nothing to add, except #WeNeedDiverseBooks.


Don't forget to enter my RED BUTTERFLY giveaway to celebrate adoption month!

5 comments:

  1. Hi Amy - I couldn't agree more ... we have lots of diversity here ... we are culturally so mixed .. thankfully people do look around, and people do learn .. and your daughter will help ..

    Cheers Hilary

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  2. Amy has written amazing and truthful words. I'm sure you are so proud.

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  3. Amy, I haven't visited your blog in forever ... so glad to see Olivia's thoughts on diverse books. Yes! And I love the Gotcha Day celebration and Anna's take on doing your best!!!

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  4. Your daughter's words really resonate. You've obviously done a fantastic job raising her. Good for her for speaking up. #proudmommoment :)

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  5. What a smart girl! She has great taste in books, too--I thought Octavian Nothing was excellent!

    I'm excited about your book coming out, Amy!

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