The Rising Voices Library is a new book collection from Scholastic for K-5 classrooms that's full of stories all about black and Latino boys, which Scholastic identifies as "some of the historically most underrepresented people in children's literature."
The collection of books was curated by David C. Banks, the President and CEO of the Eagle Academy Foundation and Founding Principal of The Eagle Academy for Young Men, an all-boys public school. In the Rising Voices Library, there are non-fiction, biographical and fiction titles that are designed to provoke thought and spark discussions on everything from social justice to identity.
As well as helping to introduce a more diverse range of books to classrooms, this curated collection will help kids see themselves reflected in the books they read.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Diverse Book Collections
- Opportunity for publishers to create more book collections that showcase underrepresented voices.
- Representation in Children's Literature
- Opportunity for authors to write and publish more stories featuring diverse characters and experiences.
- Inclusive Education Materials
- Opportunity for educational publishers to develop and distribute inclusive books and resources for classrooms.
Where This Applies
- Publishing
- Opportunity for the publishing industry to drive diversity and inclusion in their book collections.
- Education
- Opportunity for the education sector to prioritize and integrate diverse literature into classroom materials.
- Social Impact
- Opportunity for organizations focused on social impact to support initiatives that promote diversity in children's literature.
