National consortium aggregates buying power to
bolster representation and access to diverse titles for young
children
WASHINGTON, May 7, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- As educators, students, and families begin to
celebrate Children's Book Week (May
6-12), the Diverse Books for All Coalition is thrilled to
announce the purchase and availability of 145,000 diverse books
building on the Coalition's commitment to increase access to books
that reflect the diversity of communities and children across the
U.S. This initial collective purchasing initiative, involving 18 of
the Coalition's members, addresses the critical need for
high-quality, affordable diverse books for ages 0 - 8 so that more
children growing up in low-income communities can see themselves
and learn about others in the pages of books. The 145,000 books
have an estimated retail value of $1.5
million and will be shared at low or no cost to the
families, educators, and programs these organizations serve.
"Findings from First Book Research & Insights demonstrate
the vital role of diverse books in supporting gains in reading
scores and increased reading times," said Kyle Zimmer, president and CEO of First Book,
which founded the Coalition. "As student reading scores are slow to
recover from recent historic lows, the need for affordable,
high-quality books that reflect the diverse lives of students and
communities is critical to boost academic achievement and foster
long-term healthy development. Through collaboration, advocacy, and
a shared commitment to inclusivity, we are laying the foundation
for a future where every child has access to literature that
reflects the beautiful diversity of our world."
The Diverse Books for All Coalition, an unprecedented national
consortium comprising over 50 nonprofits and membership
organizations spanning all 50 states, stands at the forefront of
promoting representation in children's literature and is poised to
positively and dramatically shift the literary landscape through
the continued aggregation of buying power and distribution
capabilities of the leading education organizations supporting
young children in need.
Across the country, 27 million children are growing up in
low-income communities where access to books of any kind is
critically limited, much less diverse books that are relevant to
their lives. More than 2.5 million students attend schools with no
libraries and the lack of availability of diverse titles is
magnified by a stark under-representation in the publishing of
children's books written by authors or about characters from
diverse races and cultures. Through an innovative model of
collective purchasing, the Diverse Books for All Coalition is
furthering its goals of educational and racial equity by increasing
access to and affordability of young children's books representing
diverse races, cultures, identities, and abilities. This purchase
of 145,000 books through four esteemed publishers - Abrams,
Barefoot Books, Candlewick, and Penguin Random House – also
includes and emphasizes the importance of linguistically diverse
literature, providing titles in English, Spanish, and bilingual
editions so all children have access to stories that resonate with
their lived experiences.
"As members of the Diverse Books for All Coalition, we hold
steadfast to the belief that representation matters," said
Ernestine Benefict, chief communications officer of ZERO TO THREE.
"Reading diverse titles from the earliest ages helps children
develop their self-identity. By amplifying diverse voices and
narratives, we are enriching the literary landscape through a
shared commitment to inclusivity and fostering empathy,
understanding, and a sense of belonging among young readers
everywhere."
"This coordinated effort infuses quality books directly into
communities, meeting children and families where they live and in
the routines of their own busy lives," said Jill Heath, president and CEO of Heart of
America. "From pediatric clinics to local parks, community events,
or even home-visiting programs, the Diverse Books for All Coalition
members represent localized action on a national scale to maximize
impact – all while uplifting local and regional organizations to
strengthen their purchasing power."
To celebrate the book distribution and Children's Book Week, the
Coalition is sharing author read alouds from some of the great
titles featured in our distribution, including A Place to Stay by
Erin Gunti, Rooftop Garden by
Danna Smith and Evelyn Del
Rey Se Muda by Meg Medina. The read alouds will air across the
Coalition's social media pages (@DiverseBks4All) and can be viewed
on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube during Children's Book Week,
May 6-12.
The Coalition's work has been supported through an initial grant
from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Additional support has been
received from the Buffett Early Childhood Fund. The Coalition is
working to raise $1 million to
support its ongoing strategic, multi-faceted approach.
Learn more about this latest distribution and ongoing efforts to
enrich the literary landscape at www.diversebooksforall.org.
Diverse Books for All Coalition
The Diverse Books for
All Coalition is a national consortium of nonprofits and membership
organizations working together to increase access to affordable,
diverse children's books. The consortium's priorities include
collective purchasing, narrative/message development to underscore
the value and benefits of diverse and inclusive representation in
books, and resource creation to enable educators and
parents/caregivers to transform how children, educators and
communities access, engage with and benefit from diverse books.
First Book
Education transforms lives. First Book is
building a world where every child has access to a quality
education. We work to remove barriers to education and level the
playing field for kids in need. At the heart of our work are the
more than 575,000 members of the First Book Network, the largest
online community of individual educators, professionals and
volunteers dedicated to supporting children in need across
North America. This Network is the
key to creating systemic change. Through our research arm, First
Book Research & Insights, we conduct studies that aggregate
their voices to identify barriers to equitable education and inform
strategic solutions. To address their needs, we provide free and
low-cost books, resources, and access to leading experts through
the First Book Marketplace, which uses aggregated buying power to
support this underserved community. Founded in Washington D.C. in 1992 as a nonprofit social
enterprise, First Book is dedicated to eliminating barriers to
learning and inspiring young minds. Learn more at firstbook.org and
visit our award-winning eCommerce website at fbmarketplace.org.
Media Contact
Ian Kenison
ikenison@firstbook.org
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SOURCE First Book