As an experienced teacher and school principal I believe that is beneficial for all students to experience diversity among the educators who teach our children as well as in the materials our educators use in the classroom. There is a need for books that tell the stories of historically underrepresented groups in our schools. Schools where all students and staff acknowledge and appreciate diversity to deepen the overall learning experience with books related to race, ethnicity, physical and mental abilities, religion, and culture allow children to see themselves as well as expose them to the values, viewpoints and historical legacies of others. Children need books that reflect their realities to improve their self-esteem and academic engagement, as well as learn to be inclusive of others. It is crucial for all children to have books that reflect diverse communities with relatable characters from all cultures and races.

As teachers and school librarians struggle to find quality books I am dedicated to closing the diversity gap in children’s books by publishing books with diverse characters. I want to see all children represented in their schools literature. From 1994-2016 only 11% of children’s books contained multicultural content and only 6% were published by Black, Latino and Native authors according to CCBC Diversity Statistics