The CCBC is housed within the UW–Madison School of Education. It publishes an annual report tracking the number of children’s books by and about people of color and from First/Native Nations. The center started tracking these numbers in 1985, documenting them in their annual best books listing, “CCBC Choices” publication. Today, the CCBC also maintains a web page devoted to multicultural literature, including lists of recommended titles by age group.

USA Today shares figures that show demand for diversity in children’s literature is on the rise: nearly half of kids ages 9-17 and parents with kids ages 6-17 want more books with diversity.

However, USA Today shares CCBC research that shows the industry is still failing to meet the demand. Only 11 percent of children’s books published in the U.S. in 2018 featured Africans or African-Americans, 7 percent featured Hispanic characters, and 8 percent featured Asian characters. The article notes that lack of diversity fails to expand a child’s love of reading or sense of self.

Publisher’s Weekly shares concerns for diversity in children’s books, although it notes a CCBC figure that shows an increase of books written by and about people of color from 2013 to 2018.

In 2018, there had been a 13 percent increase in books published by people of color and an almost 20 percent increase in books published about people of color since 2013.

Publisher’s Weekly also shares some hope with a recent twitter movement — #DVPit — that was started in 2016 to connect diverse authors with publishing agents. According to the article, more than 100 participating authors have found agents and dozens of titles now being published got their start with #DVPit.

Read the full stories at USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly.