What it really means to reflect realities
The latest edition of CLPE’s Reflecting Realities report shows an increase in BAME representation in primary-aged children’s books, but research lead Farrah Serroukh says the figures alone do not tell the full story.
IN the latest research from The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education’s (CLPE) Reflecting Realities report there are positive signs of change in the children’s book sector.
Reflecting Realities was first commissioned as a way of monitoring representation for BAME communities in children’s’ publishing. The first report, released in 2018 showed a huge disparity in the make-up of the UK population compared to diverse representation in children’s books.
Now there are signs of change – but as the latest Reflecting Realities report points out, there is still a long way to go. The first report analysed data on books aimed at children aged between three and 11, which were published in 2017. The latest version compares that with data from titles published in 2018.
It shows that the overall number of books featuring a BAME character has risen from four per cent to seven per cent. The number of BAME main protagonists has also increased, from just one per cent to four per cent.
Despite the progress being made, there is still plenty of work to be done before the sector comes close to reflecting society in general.
In the last census, carried out in 2011,
80.5 per cent of the population identified as white British with a further 4.4 per cent identifying as Other White ethnic group. That means at least 15 per cent of people identify as coming from a BAME background, and most estimates show that the figure is growing. There are also proportionally higher numbers of younger BAME people, with the latest figures showing that 33 per cent of school age
Autumn-Winter 2019
children are from a BAME background. The report aims to do much more than merely chronicle representation in the sector, it also sets out to change it – offering advice and working with key stakeholders to ensure not just more representation, but also better representation. Reflecting Realities: Survey of Ethnic Representation within UK Children’s Literature 2018 analysed 11,011 books published over the course of 2018 and found that 743 had BAME representation Farrah Serroukh, Learning Programmes
Leader, CLPE, leads the research for the reports and said: “We know that the under-representation of minority groups in children’s literature is not a new phenomenon and that sourcing quality, inclusively-representative books that reflect the realities of all the children in our classrooms has been a long-standing
Farrah Serroukh
challenge. For decades pioneers, activists and advocates, from individuals like Verna Wilkins through to independent booksellers such as Letterbox Library, have worked tirelessly to promote inclusive and representative quality children’s literature. The challenge isn’t new, the arguments are not new and the invaluable advocacy of the many who have come before us certainly isn’t new. What is new is this report and its methodological approach to the subject.”
Quality and quantity
The report welcomes the increase in BAME representation in the target books, and is especially welcoming of the improved engagement from publishers, saying: “This is undoubtedly a positive step in the right direction. The increase in submissions, the willing participation of the publishing industry and the upward shift in the representative numbers are all positive indicators that stakeholders are committed to redressing the imbalance. This is crucial.”
However, it adds a note of caution, saying: “The core purpose of CLPE’s work is not solely to redress the imbalance and encourage an increase in the volume of books featuring BAME presence. The other key aim is to encourage quality portrayals and presence. Quantity alone will not suffice, particularly if the quality is poor or, worse still, problematic.”
With that in mind the report goes beyond the numbers and identifies a series of “notable patterns” in the way books tackle diversity, offering advice and guidance to publishers, writers and illustrators. Looking at characterisation, there was criticism over the way many books failed to deliver well-rounded, developed characters – both in terms of writing and illustration –
PEN&INC. 17
Reflecting Realities
pp.17-19.indd 2
09/10/2019 15:25
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
