Diverse Children's Books & Libraries

 

Horning, K.T. (2010). 2010 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor lecture: Can children's books save the world? advocates for diversity in children's books and libraries. Children & Libraries, 8(3), 8-16. 

Summary:

This “article”, which is actually a transcript of a lecture given by Kathleen T. Horning, focuses on the importance of making multicultural children’s literature available to young readers and their families, and the role of librarians in making this happen. Horning gives much historical context while making this point, discussing the history of racially diverse children’s book authors in 20^th century America and the historical lack of visibility and access that these figures and their works experienced in the context of libraries and mainstream publishing. She also gives examples of past children’s librarians who contributed significantly to making diverse books, authors, and even library staff, available to specific communities (New York is a particular area of focus here). The last section of the speech/article is devoted to exploring why multicultural literature is important for children and the overarching theme of access. Horning emphasizes that there must be a right book for every child and the imperative of librarians to help each one connect with writing, in part simply by making sure a variety of materials are available. Central to Horning’s point is a line she quotes from the British author Penelope Lively (possibly borrowed by Lively from John Erskine) which maintains that “the great children’s books help free children from the prison of egotism” (2010). Her meaning is essentially that children naturally center the world around themselves, and it is the job of books to expand their view and understanding of the world around them so that they can see past their own experiences and backgrounds, an important part of juvenile development.

 

Impressions:

I found this article resonated with me because it framed some ideas that I was familiar with in a new way, or possibly because of the phrasing and context provided the information felt more interesting and clearer. Diversity in juvenile materials (within and outside of libraries) is an often-discussed subject but I appreciated some of the historical background provided for Horning’s points and the specific anecdotes she provided of the actions and behaviors of librarians that were impactful in the area of diverse representation and patron accommodation. The somewhat conversational style of the text made it an easier read for me than many of the more clinical studies I read this semester, and I found that there were several passages, both original to her and borrowed from other authors/speakers, which were very insightful and clarified her meaning well. She also gave some examples of patron reactions to diverse materials that I found illuminating, such as when she explained that children’s reactions to diverse book displays were often non-discriminating and based on interest alone whereas parents would often try to select for or guide their children to literature that featured physically relatable imagery. Horning mentions some of the implications of this behavior and frames books as a bridge to understanding and discussion around these concepts. I enjoyed reading about these ideas and could relate them to my experiences working in a library.