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DECODING DIVERSITY
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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 says, “We believe in the respect for the
diverse groups in our multicultural society.” As part of this respect, we embrace diversity
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 reflects our
nation’s growing diverse population. And it’s why, at Scholastic, our
#WeHaveDiverseBooks campaign is among our most vibrant initiatives.
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 findings 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
multilingual and literacy development, and foster global connections.