leading to caricatures and stereotypes. “It was often the case that characters from BAME backgrounds in the submitted books were less well drawn than equivalent white characters, both in terms of actual illustration and in terms of character development,” says the report. “For example, there were a significant number of books submitted where characters were drawn with exaggerated features that amplified their ethnicity in a way that reduced them to caricatures. We observed instances of colourism, in which there was a direct correlation with the skin tone and the virtue of a character. The more virtuous the character, the lighter their complexion and vice versa.”
Underdeveloped
“We did receive a number of books in this cycle where characters from BAME backgrounds were underdeveloped, falling victim to lazy typecasting that at times veered towards negative stereotyping and problematic portrayals.” Of course, the research also uncovers “gems” where writers and illustrators get things right, creating characters that are relatable, pointing out that “Readers are more likely to connect with well-drawn, well- developed and well-rounded characters and their ethnicity doesn’t necessarily need to define them any more than a white protagonist is defined by theirs.” There were some concerns over the choice of palette, which often led to “problematic representation” of BAME characters. The report notes that choices
18 PEN&INC.
of colour such as orange, purple or grey to depict BAME characters was unclear and unhelpful.
More than words In many instances BAME characters were not fleshed out beyond simple and unimaginative descriptions of skin tone – relying on shades of coffee; or hair types that implied ethnicity because they were “wavy” or “curly”. This diminishes the presence of BAME characters, with very little by way of character expansion. Books such as Onjali Q Rauf’s The Boy at the Back of the Class illustrate how ethnicity can be introduced in a way that does not labour the point, highlighting “how language can be used to effectively capture the individuals in the space without reducing them to a menu item in a coffee shop”. Moving beyond the simple descriptions of characters, leads to a more problematic scenario where “power dynamics” put BAME characters in inferior positions in the book. Examples include “inequity in the distribution of dialogue; inaccurate or misleading historical portrayals that either diminished marginalised individuals or sugar-coated problematic figures; instances where BAME characters served exclusively as props and sidekicks; and other instances where the key function of BAME characters was purely to provide comedic relief.” These issues were not repeated for white characters and the report calls for an improvement, saying: “The dynamics between a cast of characters and what this
implies in terms of their individual roles and agency within the narrative is an important aspect to consider as part of any editorial process.” The final notable pattern relates to what
CLPE call “Degrees of Erasure” whereby BAME characters presence is diminished. The report has created 10 categories where it sees a character’s ethnicity merely hinted at, and not explored – from a “Wallpaper” effect where BAME characters are inserted into the background, to the Jasmine Default where the only discernible clue to a character’s background was the name Jasmine – which featured a disproportionally high number of times for female BAME characters.
The Silver lining
Throughout the report there are positive examples of writers and illustrators who are setting the standard for BAME Representation in children’s books. Just some of the highlights picked out in the report – from writers Catherine Johnson (who appeared in Issue one of Pen&inc.) and Sita Brahmachari, to illustrators Ruth Hearson and Mehrdokht Amini – show that there is awareness and understanding of how characters are represented in the pages of children’s books. Many more are working in a similar vein, helping to ensure BAME characters are integral to the stories being told. A growing number of pioneering publishers are taking steps to make their output more representative. Booksellers and libraries too are realising that they
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Reflecting Realities
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