Page 71 - 2017 Reading Summit Guidebook

Decoding Diversity
Fostering Inclusiveness and Joy Through Independent Reading
At Scholastic, our primary purpose is to offer all children books they love to read. Nearly a hundred years ago, when Scholastic’s founder, M.R. Robinson, launched our company, he delivered a clear mission statement, part of which said, “We believe in the respect for the diverse groups in our multicultural society.” As part of this continued mission, we embrace di- versity every day. Books are a great way to rejoice in the diversity experience students enjoy through reading. In keeping with our ongoing promise to ensure that all
children and families feel welcome and have a robust assortment of books to choose from, we take great pride in offering content that re ects our nation’s growing diverse population. And that is why at Scholastic, our #WeHaveDiverseBooks campaign is among our most vibrant initiatives.
#WE
HAVE DIVERSE BOOKS
The True Story: Studies show that diverse books encour- age understanding, foster social and emotional develop- ment, and inspire collaboration among children.
A recent School Library Journal article entitled “How Cross-Racial Scenes in Picture Books Build Acceptance” by Krista Maywalt Aronson and Anne Sibley O’Brien, included a report on how kids respond to cross-racial depictions in picture books. The ndings determined that when students read books that show children from different races playing together and having fun, they experience feelings of comfort and express interest in playing with other children from diverse backgrounds. A report from the Association for Library Service to Children enti- tled “The Importance of Diversity in Library Programs and Material Collections for Children”
by Jamie Campbell Naidoo, PhD, proves that diverse books reinforce cultural identity, promote
DECODING DIVERSITY 69