Multicultural Children's Book Day

#ReadYourWorld

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
    • Mission & History
    • Our Partner Organizations
    • What is a Multicultural Book?
    • Co-Founders
    • Board of Trustees
    • Board of Advisors
    • Co-Hosts and Global Co-Hosts
    • Team
    • MCBD Timelines
    • Make a Donation: #GivingTuesday 2022
    • Media Partners
    • Disclosure
    • Contact Us
  • FREE Diverse Books
    • FREE Diverse Books for Classrooms Program
    • FREE Diversity Book For Reviewers!
    • Authors & Publishers: Book Donations
    • Donate
  • Sponsorship
    • MCBD2023 Medallion Level Sponsors
    • MCBD2023 Author Sponsors
    • Fundraisers & Marketing Services
      • Fundraiser | Social Media Shout Outs!
      • Sponsor of the Week/Month
      • Fundraising/ Sponsored Post Services
      • Multicultural Children’s Book Day ebook
    • Medallion and Author Level Sponsorships for MCBD2023 are OPEN!
  • Reading Resources
    • Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents
    • Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Kit 2022 Mental Health Support for Stressful Times
    • Raising Awareness on Systemic Racism in America Classroom Kit
    • Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit
    • Gallery of Our Free Posters
    • Neurodiverse and Autistic Voices Are Your Best Autism Resources
    • IG Live Interview Series
    • 2021 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2020 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2019 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2018 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2017 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2016 Big Giant LInky!
    • 2015 Big Giant Linky!
  • Press Kit & Stats
    • Press Kit
    • Social Proof & Media Mentions
    • 2016 Recap and Stats
    • 2015 Recap and Stats
  • Blog
  • Sign Up for Free Updates

Casual Diversity in a New Graphic Novel

July 28, 2021 by Valarie Budayr

{Guest post from Debbie Dadey}

When I was a librarian, I was determined to find the perfect book for even the most reluctant reader who stepped into my library. I believe J.K. Rowling was right when she said, “If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” So that was my mission, but for some kids, I found the books weren’t there.

One young black girl wanted a picture book that had a black kid on the cover. A new one every week. That was easy . . . for a few weeks. There was a need for more. In fact, in 2012 only 7% of books published were about people of color.            

This was on my mind when I started writing a chapter book series called the Adventures of the Bailey School Kids with a fellow teacher, Marcia Thornton Jones. When Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots, the first book in the series, came out with the fabulous dark-skinned Melody on the front I hoped my young student would be pleased.

Someone could look at me and say, “Well, you are white.  What do you know about diversity?” I know that every kid should see themselves in a book. And truthfully my stories aren’t about race. My books are stories about kid characters who face some sort of problem. And many kids face the same type of problems: friends that are mean, bullies that are mean, parents who are mean, teachers who are mean, principals who are mean, monsters that are mean . . . well you get the picture.

Matt del la Pena, whose Last Stop on Market Street won the Caldecott Honor, the Newbery Medal, and the Coretta Scott King Award, said, “I used to talk overtly about race and diversity in my novels.  Over the years, I‘ve decided that the new diversity I want to explore is writing about characters that are diverse, in stories that aren’t overtly about race.” New York librarian, Betsy Bird, calls this casual diversity-where diversity is just part of the everyday lives of the characters-not the sole focus of the story. This was what I’d always strived for as a writer.

But when Scholastic Graphix wanted to release Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots as a graphic novel with even more diverse characters I was a bit taken back. How could we change characters that I’d known for thirty years? It was a shock to see the formerly all-white characters of Principal Davis, Carey, Howie, and Liza change to different ethnicity. But I truly believe we are all the same inside, no matter what we look like on the outside, so I embraced the change. And I hope in some library somewhere a kid will be happy to see themselves on the cover of the Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots graphic novel.

Perhaps they will have even found the right book to make them lifelong readers.

debbie dadey

 

Debbie Dadey is the author and co-author of 176 traditionally published books, including The Mermaid Tales and the best-selling Adventures of the Bailey School Kids. A former teacher and school librarian, Debbie enjoys sharing activities and teaching units on her website, debbiedadey.com. Connect with Debbie via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube

 

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin

Filed Under: Guest Posts, Multicultural Booklist Tagged With: #ReadYourWorld, Author Sponsors, author visit, book review, diverse picture books

Comments

  1. Cat Michaels says

    July 28, 2021 at 2:48 pm

    Wow, Debbie! Thanks for sharing your back story. I learned a new word: casual diversity. I, too, ponder how to include diversity in my characters.

Help us get diverse Kidlit into schools!

Join our Read Your World
Newsletter and Blog List
Be the first to know about the latest Read Your World news, new children's books, exclusive offers, and special events.
Thanks for subscribing to our newsletter!

Make a Way Media Super Platinum Sponsor

Language Lizard Platinum Sponsor

Mia Wenjen Founders Circle

Audrey Press Founders Circle

Publisher Spotlight Gold Sponsor

Publisher Spotlight 2023

Interlink Publishing Gold Sponsor

Interlink 2023

Cardinal Rule Press Silver Sponsor

Barefoot Books Silver Sponsor

Lee & Low Books Silver Sponsor

Lee & Low 2023

Kimberly Gordon Biddle Silver Sponsor

Vivian Kirkfield Bronze Sponsor

Patrice McLaurin Bronze Sponsor

Star Bright Books Bronze Sponsor

The Quarto Group Bronze Sponsor

Carole P. Roman Bronze Sponsor

Star Bright Books Bronze Sponsor

Redfin Bronze Sponsor

Redfin Canada 2023

Redfin Canada Bronze Sponsor

Redfin Canada 2023

Rent.com Bronze Sponsor

Bay Equity Home Loans Bronze Sponsor

Title Forward Bronze Sponsor

Title Forward 2023

Brunella Costagliola Bronze Sponsor

Brunella Costagliola 2023

Stay in the loop with all MCBD Happenings!

MCBD is included in the Top 100 Children’s Book Blogs!

Children’s Book Blogs

Copyright © 2023 · Multicultural Childrens Book Day on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cleantalk Pixel