Children's Authors of Color - Where Art Thou?

Kyra Hicks was Monday's guest blogger over at The Brown Bookshelf. She shared the annual numbers from the Cooperative Children's Book Center study on the state of children's books. The study is decent insight into whether, statistically speaking, the number of books published are up, down or holding.

Specifically, books by people of color are down. African American children's literature is down 12%.

Blegh!



Hungry for a few more stats?

* 42 Latino Children's Book Authors in 2007, just as 2006
* 56 Asian American Children's Book Authors in 2007, down from 72 in 2006
* 6 American Indian Children's Book Authors in 2007, down from 14 in 2006

Kyra asks if we believe these numbers will go up or down for '08. Give your .02 cents over at the BBS.

Here's mine...

My impression was that the number of childrens books by authors of color was rising. But looks are deceiving.

I was shocked at the '07 stats, especially since there was a definite flurry of YA among African American authors last year. Now I'm beginning to think that where there may have been an increase in YA, perhaps MG or Picture Books took a hit. It's not exactly progress if only one area is allowed a renaissance.

So here's the deal, money talks.

The only way we'll see a steady increase in books by authors of color is if consumers purchase them. So if you're looking for:

- books by and about people of color

-or-

- books that give a peek into a world readers may not necessarily think is like their own (but oftentimes is)

make sure you purchase or borrow these children's books and definitely request them at the store or library if they aren't carried.